Anna got her learners permit this week

Wednesday afternoon Anna got her learners permit to drive. She rang me very excited from the registry office as she waited for the license to be issued. As they handed her her license she complained to me on the telephone the photograph was not flattering. Then she made her way to my work to show me and my colleagues her prized possession.

She got herself to and from the Department of Transport after school. My daughter is in no way perfect but I love the way she does what she has to.

Today I took a break from some homework I have to do as a job requirement and took the kids to the Botanical gardens for lunch and to feed the ducks etc. MOTH left early for fishing and by midday I was sick of sitting and answering boring questions.

Anna and Jane babysat one of the kids from my work last night and were paid handsomely for something they thoroughly loved doing.

Time for your driving lesson Anna!

She is doing very well - learning in a manual and being bored to death with the start/stop, feel and learn the clutch and the gears... stall, kangaroo hop and sometimes get it right. She has not complained or gotten frustrated at me yet. Unfortunately she can tell when I get frustrated with her. I think that is because it IS Anna - and I don't tend to hide my feelings to her. I hide them to anyone else. I get worried when she stalls too often because MOTH raved on and on about how the clutch was due to die soon and the cost of driving for so many hours. Shortly afterwards though he filled my car with petrol and is definitely competing with me on which parent can be available for driving lessons.

MOTH and I are actually competing on who gets to take her out most often for her lessons. We are sadder than I thought.

By late next week she will be on the roads confident and competent. With a proud mother and stepfather beaming happily at our success.

In Queensland she has to complete 60 hours of driving before she can get her Provisional license and drive alone. So every day MOTH and I fit what we can into driving with her to complete her log book.

One more week till our holidays and during them my father will take her for lessons too! I don't want her driving an automatic car until she has mastered a manual no matter how easy they are to drive.

I want my studies to be in advance before I go. I hate doing them because they are so boring. It is kiddy stuff that we all know so there is little to interest me whilst doing it.

I want detailed and informative information for my replacement at work to ensure that my gorgeous children are all cared for as well and smoothly as possible. It is odd how anxious I feel about them. I am pretty sure writing threats to my replacement as to what I will do with them if they make any of my children even remotely unhappy is not a good idea. Somehow I will have to just convey that feeling to the workplace.

William attends school camp on the week we return and I need to organise some things for that.

I will need to cull Anna's packing by 90%. Otherwise the plane wont take off. I think Jane will pack nothing as usual so that we have to replace everything she needs. William cannot be trusted to pack even his shoes. I put presents for my grandson in a safe place and now I cannot find them.

Sara spent her 22nd birthday in hospital with cysts on her ovary - and I wish we were already there.

I havent managed to assist Jane with healthy eating or exercising - but she did walk herself to her job Saturday morning even though we offered to drive her if she woke us before 6am. She wasnt too unreasonable this weekend. She had a mosquito on her arm today and I slapped it - and told her "There - now you CAN tell people I hit you." I dont think her boss is paying her - but I cant discuss it with her because she gets so angry with me. OK - all I could do is tell her not to do it. I am a rotten example there because I often do volunteer work.

Last night Meg and the kids came around and after a shared bottle of wine we made fools out of ourselves on Singstar (Playstation game) and had heaps of fun.

Meg and her kids are going to look after our dogs while we are away. Although I trust them - I am anxious for my spoilt dogs. They dont like to be alone. They are big and dumb and spoilt. They act as if I have committed crimes when they are alone for four hours. I come home from work every day for lunch mostly to tend to their personalities. They like climate control and sofas and blankets. Food warmed and snacks in between meals. Dotti cries when she has fleas. I lazily let the dogs chase the car instead of walking them as often as I can/should. They often chew up or dig up stuff if I am late or in some way negligent.

Shame the kids at work and the dogs cant come with me for my holiday. I would feel so much better.