What a
month October has already proven to be. Spring still cannot seem to decide if
it wants to be winter or summer, mostly though it seems to just want to be wet.
After our
amazing few weeks in September creating super special family memories it was
back down to earth again with a crash for me. Tuesday the 4th found
me back at work, a bit of a surreal experience as my wife and the kids were
still enjoying holidays. I got my best pirate voice ready for the holiday
activity I was running with a colleague and made an appearance. After a normal
weekend there is always a general library tidy before we open (great team
bonding exercise where everyone pitches in). After a holiday on the Monday
there were even more returns to deal with on top of the usual tidy. Add to this
an absence of two fulltime staff and a meeting booked for the space where we
were planning to run the buccaneer fun and suddenly a normal morning became
battle stations… All hands on deck.
These past
two weeks have been like the spring weather, crazy chaos at work and holiday
slowdown at home. Full credit to the amazing girls I work with who have all
pitched in where and when needed and also put up with a jumpy, panicked, wild-eyed
Team Leader without too much complaint. Full credit also to my amazing family
who have kept me grounded, life goes on whether daddy is at work or not.
I’m happy
to say that our school holiday program at work had a few youngsters
entertained. I’d like to put on more of a show in January however and try to
get our numbers back up again, some of the kids booked in unfortunately never
showed (probably due to the weather washing them away). We have been contacted
by a local gardening club that the library has worked with in the past a couple
of times with great success on every occasion. I’d also like to look at another
session of Australian animals visiting the library and to connect with our
multicultural community it would be great to look at a Chinese puppet show too.
So many great options, I cannot wait…
Last Friday
night we were finally able to run our after-hours wine and cheese night with
famous radio announcer John Ovenden. John organized for us a stellar cast to
perform two of his short plays, Fame and Fortune. It was great to see between
50 and 60 people attend, enjoying both performances and also local Willow Point
wines and South Australian cheeses during the intermission. Full credit to the
Friends of the Murray Bridge Library without whose support this event would
never have occurred and also much thanks is owed by me to the amazing library
team that I work with. You girls are a great bunch to work with and offer me so
much support. Also to my amazing wife Heidi, thank you also for giving me the
freedom to try new ideas and thank you for taking on so much at home, you are
and always will be my angel.
Finally
this weekend has found us a family of seven as my two nieces have come to stay.
Ben and Maria, happy belated wedding anniversary. So glad we could finally pay
you back. I have a feeling the smallest one will never let me change a nappy
again…
Well I
guess it is now off to help another of our tiny friends to celebrate a
birthday. I am so happy that a local business for kids has been given a second
chance. With some luck hopefully the community of Murray Bridge with support
Scallywags and its new managers. During the week there were kids everywhere
down by the river for a family fun day run by our local AC Care (an amazing day
with something for everyone) so there are definitely young families around in
large enough numbers to make a business like Scallywags a success. I just wish
they would all come down and visit us (at the library! Not at home!!!)
Bring on
the adventures of the next two weeks, back to school, whole school camp and
preparing at work for a visit from the amazing and wonderful rural romance wonder
Rachael Treasure.
Bring it on!!!
