It's a New Year.

I am loving our summer holidays. 6 weeks really gives you time to party and to wallow and to get some jobs done too. This morning Dad and my nephew snuck out in the wee small hours to drive back to QLD - about a 12 hour car trip. My plan is to reclaim the house following all the Christmas and New Year cheer and clutter and dust that has accumulated. THe annual clean out.

The aquisition of a desk has been great for Kit so I am hoping to turn the spare room into more of an 'office' for Hannah to share with me. She's had 2 weeks of no 'work' so it's time to clock back on. The learning support may have been on vacation but the health focus has been well and truly present. I don't know how long I can keep up the regime but it is really helping little brat at the moment. She has a 'colonised staph' infection that has been playing havoc with her skin and also expressed itself in some nasty boils last year - the regime is 3 months of antibiotics, twice daily face and nasal creams (one of which cost just over $100!!!!! - although I'm more worried about the 5 repeat scripts it came with - I hope we don't need those!!!). All washing has a disinfectant rinse in it and Hannah's wardrobe gets the hot water treatment.

Avisit to her paed provided some concern about her hips as her gait is quite stiff legged but hip xray was fine so we just have to keep at it - bike riding and walking her as much as we can to help her build up some stamina. She has a vitamin D deficiency and I am giving her a supplement each night for that. A visit to the dentist is priority for this month as her teeth have been affected a bit by that. The 'inevitable' thyroid issues have arisen so we have started her on meds for that which entails regular blood tests and really regular blood tests while the levels of medications are getting sorted. sigh. I'm hopeless at routines like that - lucky the holidays are making it all a bit more manageable.

Festivities in the Dock have included the following:
A home talent show that ended in some free dancing to Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.

 Some spanish dinners inspired by one of my Christmas gifts.

 Chorizo bread from My Barcelona Kitchen - delicious.

 Some backyard games including cricket and boules

 Just heading out and about.

 Fireworks from a suburban backyard where P and I were lucky to see the new year in with a wonderful group of families from the twins school.

 A late afternoon swim for Hannah and I

 A happy ole poodle with her pack never far away.

 Some holiday reading for me.

 A visit or two to the local park.

 I have lost count of the number of photos of Hannah like this I have - from since she was just a little bub to just this week..... love them all .... cos her face is just a picture.

 A sampler of Hannah's Christmas gifts from Santa: