Two birthdays and a sad farewell

This weekend has seen the Laws celebrating the glorious Saturday sunshine helping our young friend celebrate down by the river. Lots of fun party games with a unicorn twist and one of the heartiest piñatas I have seen in quite some time. It was great to see the river busy and all the kids there seemed to have a wonderful time. Well done to the mum and dad for creating such a fun day for their daughter and for everyone who came along...

Straight home from a day in the sun to pick up the boy and then off to the Community Center to help our dear friend Paul mark an important birthday ending in an O... Fine food, fun company and stage for the kids to dance upon...

Then home again to decide we are far too full for tea before I took my wonderful son to the movies to see Captain Marvel (me for the second time, Master 12 for the first time). A brilliant film at a great price (thanks Choovie), this time I remembered to wait to the very end of the credits for both cut scenes and not just one...

Today we had another celebration, this one hosted at our local Girl Guide Hall. A fond farewell and a true acknowledgment of an epic career tinged with an undertone of sadness and frustration. A truly amazing woman whose dedication to Guides was cut short... Their loss is the gain of our local library... I look forward to working with Tawny now and far into the future...

Such a massive weekend...

The Magic of Music at the Library

I love the Sunday Sessions we put on at work. The second Sunday of each month for a little while now the hallowed halls of the Library where I work have been ringing with the sweet sounds of local talent as musicians known and unknown set up in our meeting rooms and play out to our café and kids area. It helps the Sunday shift fly past quicker, creates a delightful atmosphere and will quite often draw quite a crowd. This weekend just gone those who graced the Library with their visitation were lucky enough to get a double dose. We had a ukulele group play followed by a local star destined for the big time just before we lost him back to Victoria. Just another reason why I love my job...

One epic cat party

How does it feel to be hit by a train... I honestly don't know (thankfully) but it might be something similar to hosting a nine year old birthday sleepover followed by a full blown birthday party the following day. It has been a very fun filled two days with Miss Boo turning 9 earlier in the week and the excitement building for a sleep over with three close friends and then a MASSIVE Cat themed birthday with so many kids running around our yard. It was great to see so many friends and family gathered to help us celebrate.

We had all the usuals, pass the parcel (to Queen's Somebody to Love), a cat piñata (quite the drama when it lost its head) and pin the tail on Pusheen… A truly epic way to turn 9 years old.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to our darling daughter... A super leopard and true cat enthusiast... I hear that train a coming... Toot! Toot! Meow!!

The Marketing Magician (or how to pull an interested crowd out of your hat)...

One of the BIGGEST challenges of libraries today is to get bodies through the door, physical visitations are dropping as members choose to access offered online services choosing a 24 hour service over actually walking into a library for face to face. One of the major worries I have is how do we get big crowds to consistently attend our events (author visits, guest speakers, children's activities and sessions for youth). It is so frustrating when a free film that has been booked out for weeks has no kids show up for because it is way too hot and everyone is down at the pool or river cooling off.

We have an amazing event coming up on Sunday next week where (thanks to Penguin Publishing) author Molly Murn is appearing to promote her new novel Heart of the Glass Tree and I am hoping for quite a crowd but with only a week to promote my fingers, toes and other appendages are firmly crossed awaiting that miracle every marketing magician hopes for.

Wish me luck!

The simple joys of a 90s comedian

Hi name is Bean... A comical character from the early nineties who had a brilliant three season TV series and two follow up movies. I have been lucky enough to find the TV series at work so of course I just had to borrow it and bring it home for my family to enjoy. The five of us have all watched the two Bean movies and loved the silliness of this style of humour. I have been happily surprised that the TV shows are just as funny and just as silly as my wife and I both fondly recall. Our lounge has echoed with the sweet sound of happy tears as we have all enjoyed this classic comedy.

When life gives you lemons

It seems the age old saying "When life gives you lemons..." has had a recent upgrade. We have had a rough couple of weeks where it hasn't just rained but flooded. My wife and I have been seriously struggling with Master 12 (almost 13) on his next leg of his educational journey. As if this is not enough we have had a serious shock with another family member... Enough to call in the reinforcements and have a few catch-ups with some amazing friends.

The apex of this stress has resulted in a great night last night where all of our lemons we have been dealing with have been turned into an epic, late night session of home made beef burgers and a few glasses of champagne. What a brilliant night shared with an intimate group of close, special friends.

Those of you who have shown you care over the last few weeks (you know who you are)... Thank you... Truly thank you for being there when we have needed you the most... You are indeed true friends...

After quite a wait a fitting end to an entertaining family favourite

I have a confession to make... I am a terrible Librarian... I love my job, love serving the community and visitors from interstate and overseas and I think I'm fairly good at it... What I need to admit though is I've now seen all three films in the How to Train Your Dragon trilogy and I have not read a single one of the multitude of books in our children's area at work. Me! Mister "The Book is ALWAYS better" is yet to read a single word from this series. From watching the third (and definitely final) film of this wonderful trilogy I am now keen to start from the beginning and work my way through.

On to the movie now... After the wonderment of the original and then the shock happening in the sequel I was completely put off from watching the TV series. It works out I didn't have to... I have a son who watched it all religiously and then wanted to debate with me whether or not certain weapons or dragon breeds or characters would appear in The Secret World. I felt ready when the Law family took our seats and the screen went dark, ready and a little excited. I was sooooooooooo not disappointed. What a brilliant film, a cleverly progressed storyline (I can only assume was partly concocted from the television and then seamlessly continued), lots and lots and lots of dragons and a REALLY cool villain...

I found the whole family were entertained throughout the entire running time of the film (great pace), a nice mix of drama and humour and the ending was so perfect it brought a tear to my eye. If you have not seen this or any of the other films in this franchise do yourself a favour… Watch them in order (and the TV series if you want) and enjoy the magic of Vikings and Dragons with your kids or if you can't then do it with your inner child at least. Enjoy! We sure did...