Newbies, returning friends and school prep

Up at 5.35 this morning to get ready, then leave with the boys for the docks at 6.10. We arrived in plenty of time to sit and wait for an hour before passengers began disembarking. Fortunately Pam, Geoff and Maddy were in the first busload – so exciting to see them waving at us from the bus as it pulled up to customs! We are all really pleased to have them back. I took Pam and the luggage up to their place in the car while the rest of the party had to walk – our Fiesta can only hold so much! Once we were unloaded and the rest had caught up and arrived, the boys and I left them to settle in and unpack. I had to get the boys to the second day of the holiday club, then I filled up with petrol and came home to do some photocopying of blackline masters for school next week. I still have a lot of preparatory work before school starts.

During the afternoon we received three new sets of neighbours in Piccolo, all off the ship this morning. We have met most of them but it’s a bit confusing trying to put the families together. I think it goes like this: Margaret and Paul have Louise (18) and Richard (16); Phil and DT have Sappho (9) and Arthur (14 months), and Claire and Rob have Tom (6) and Milly (2). Then of course there are the two girls in the Family Centre, and our two, so there’s quite a variety of children!

Yesterday I achieved a lot of what I wanted to do. I tidied the school station and sorted through the books we will be using in the first term, sharpened the pencils, reorganized cupboards etc.


In the afternoon I sorted out the boys’ clothes as well as their room, thoroughly cleaning out things and even tossing out some things which I didn’t think needed keeping. I moved the beds and vacuumed – it’s amazing what can be found under or behind little boys’ beds. Aaron was storing two Cadbury’s Eclairs, two toothpick floss goodies (useful if you’re going to get into a hidden stash of toffees), a boules ball and pyjama pants. Caleb had a more normal collection including cars and bits of paper. All things considered their room wasn’t as bad as I expected it to be.