Of Monsters and Men

My gorgeous ten year old son loves everything to do with monsters, mythology, Egyptian and Greek history. One of his favourite songs is 'Little Talks' by Of Monsters and Men. The film clip encapsulates everything he adores.

Baking Biscotti

I like to think that I am somewhat of a domestic goddess when it comes to baking, but I have never ventured towards baking biscotti. So when my dear friend and neighbour Rosie decided to bake some on the weekend, it was only natural that I stayed to watch.

And since this isn't a legitimate cooking website and I am not a photographer, what I give you below in photos is rather amateurish in delivery. The biscotti is incredibly easy to make and delicious.

You will need: 1 egg, 1 egg yolk, 125g of caster sugar, 1/2 tablespoon of oil, 150g of self raising flour, 50 roasted almonds, 1/2 teaspoon of anise seeds.

 

Put the oven on 170 degrees Celsius and line a baking tray with parchment paper.

 

For this recipe you can also use chocolate or cranberries in lieu of the almonds.

 

What you do: Chop the almonds

 

 

 Whisk the egg and egg yolk with sugar until thick and pale

 

 

Add in the oil

 

 

Add in the flour

 

Then add the almonds to the mixture

 

 

Stir and make into a dough

 

 

Then give dough to two cute 5 year olds

 

 

Roll mixture out into pencil thin strips and cut into two inch pieces

 

 

Bake for 15mins until golden

 

 

 

 

Central Coast House Stalking - 168 Glenning Road, Glenning Valley

Look, I know I say it every time I post about my latest house stalking. But I really do think this house IS THE ONE. When I look at photos of the house I get that same feeling as I do when I see Hugh Jackman. Know what I mean? If you're a bloke reading this post. I guess you'd say the house is a bit Jennifer Hawkins.

Located at 168 Glenning Road Glenning Valley (next door to Tumbi Umbi) this six bedroom, five bathroom home is set on 2.5 acres. The property features a lap pool with spa and an extensive outdoor bbq area. Besides the six bedrooms and five baths, there is a games room, cinema, gourmet kitchen and cocktail bar. You'll also find a separate two bedroom residence as well as a workshop and two double garages.

Listed through the wonderful people at The Property Market, who aren't going to sue me for using their pics, the house goes to auction on Saturday June 15 at 11am.

 

The first thing that caught my eye was this view to the pool. Hello margaritas in summer (served by Hugh Jackman of course)

 

 

Followed by this view to the house.

 

 

I could easily pretend to be Nigella Lawson in this kitchen.

 

 

And partake in some reading of Tolstoy from the lounge room.

 

Guests could pretend they'd gone to a five star resort for the weekend.

 

 

And I could drive my Captiva, I'm mean my ML 350 to the front door.  Hope the terracotta warrior is thrown in.

 For more information about this house visit The Property Market.

Proserpina, The Story of The Seasons

"I shall punish the Earth, I shall turn down the heat. I shall take away every morsel to eat. I shall turn every field into stone. Where I walk crying alone. Crying for Proserpina."

According to Roman mythology, the story of the seasons can be told through the legend of the goddess Proserpina. Proserpina was the daughter of Ceres, the goddess of agriculture and Jupiter, the god of sky and thunder.

While in Sicily, Proserpina was abducted by Pluto and forced to live in the underworld, where he was ruler. Ceres searched the world for Proserpina and in her anger of not finding her beloved daughter, turned everywhere she walked into a desert. Jupiter sent Mercury to order Pluto to free Proserpina. Before letting her go, Pluto made her eat three pomegranate seeds. Pomegranate seeds were said to be the food of the dead. This meant that Proserpina would have to live three months of every year with Pluto while living with her mother for the rest of the year. And this is how we have the seasons, with Proserpina returning to the underworld for Winter.

On Monday night's Q and A on ABC TV, Martha Wainwright sang the last song written by her mother, Canadian folk singer Kate McGarrigle. Proserpina, has been playing in my head all week.

Pearl Beach Music Festival June Long Weekend

Those fancy schmancy folk of the ''Paris of the Central Coast'', aka Pearl Beach really know how to turn up the culture for a June long weekend.

For the 19th year in a row, the sounds of string quartets, pianos and violins will once again echo across the little hamlet. But then doesn't it always? The festival opens with the Enigma String Quartet followed by pianist Simon Tedeschi and violin virtuoso Ian Cooper (try saying that quickly). Jane Rutter, flautist and musical theatre great Peter Cousins will perform two concerts on Sunday entitled ''Romancing The Night''.

Venue: Pearl Beach Memorial Hall, 9 Diamond Road, Pearl Beach

When: Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th June 2013 – at 2.30pm and 7.30pm daily

Ticket cost: Saturday afternoon $35, Saturday night and Sunday performances $40 each, children (under 15) $15.

Bookings are recommended – 4343 1455

Refreshments available. Proceeds to hall maintenance and upkeep

Further information Lynne Lillico, Pearl Beach Progress Ass. 4344 2319.

For more information please visit Pearl Beach Events

Central Coast Interiors - The Springs Peats Ridge

My new favourite place to visit on the Central Coast is The Springs Golf Club in Peats Ridge. Yes, the view looking over the golf course is beautiful, however I am finding something rather lovely in the interiors. It's not every day I take photos in a toilet, let alone a public toilet. It's not every day that I fall in love with stairs. But I did and I have.

 

I'm wondering where I can put these lights in my house.

 

Nice bit of stonework.

 

 

In love with the timber stairs and the iron balustrade

 

 

Bathrooms are spa like. How often do you see a tastefully designed cowhide mirror?

 

 

Buckle Up

 

 

Here's my son putting. The golf course encapsulates all that you would expect of the Australian landscape - native flora and an abundance of native ducks. My husband, handicap of 12, advises that the first nine is up hill, down dale and is quite challenging. The back nine is flatter and the easier nine.

 

 

But I just didn't get past the Clubhouse. The Clubhouse features the Sitting Duck Bistro and the Duck Inn Bar.  We've had Sunday lunch twice now at the Duck Inn Bar. On both occasions we had the sourdough bruschetta followed by the Peking Duck spring rolls. The kids have had the homemade pie and the hand cut potato chips. Our next visit will be for the delicious sounding Sunday breakfast - in particular the ricotta hotcakes and the omelette with asparagus, gruyere cheese, ham and chilli jam.

 

The Springs Golf Club is located at 1080 Peats Ridge Road, Peats Ridge. Call 02 4373 1522.

 

 

Central Coast House Stalking - Avoca Beach

These days I find that I am drawn to the little seaside town that is Avoca Beach more and more. The main attraction for this calling has been the Avoca Beachside markets but also the little coffee shops, the playground near the surf club and of course the beach itself.

Then there are the houses, which are spunky, dreamy and in need of a good stalking. This week I'm packing my bags and camping out in front of this house at 141 Cape Three Points Road, Avoca Beach. It is listed by the gorgeous people at Raine & Horne. I'm sure they are so gorgeous that they won't mind that I'm using some of their photos to promote this house.

 

Time to go to work? I think I feel ill today and must stay home to enjoy the view.

 

 

The house has a triple garage, workshop and storage rooms. (that's to interest the male readers...)

 

 

Hubba Hubba. The kitchen windows can be opened so the countertops can be a servery. Kitchen features Caesarstone benchtops and stainless steel appliances. There's also a Butlers kitchen attached.

 

 

 

Parents retreat has an upper deck. The guest room has mini bar and ensuite.

 

 

The neighbours can't see you getting in the bath with your bottles, I mean glass of Veuve Clicquot.

 

 

You can pretend you're at a resort while the munchkins run around the fully fenced yard or dive bomb the salt water pool. On those days that you actually make it to the beach, there's an outdoor shower to wash off the sand.

 

For more details about this house in Avoca Beach visit http://www.raineandhorne.com.au/terrigal/properties/276724

 

House is up for auction:  8th June @1.30pm
Property ID: 5146092

Saved In A Bottle

One of the Dads in my daughter's class plays in the band Potbelleez. He and his singing teacher wife have been working with these cute little kindies on a song for the annual school talent contest. The kids have been learning the new Potbelleez song 'Saved In a Bottle'. I love the film clip, filmed at Berowra I think.
 

This Week On The Coast

The Mariners Burn Rubber in Gossie
With their recent win against the Western Sydney Wanderers, the Central Coast Mariners have become the 2013 Hyundai A-League Champions. As such Gosford City Council is hosting a victory parade in Mann Street Gosford Friday April 26 at noon.

Act like a professional at The Erina Centre
The Erina Centre in The Hive at Erina Fair now features teleconferencing facilities, so people like me who work from home can link up with their colleagues or clients without the sound of The Wiggles playing in the background. The teleconferencing facility can be hired from $10 per hour including call costs ($27 - $47/hr including the room and teleconferencing). Contact 4304 7106 or via email at erinacentre@gosford.nsw.gov.au for more information.

Support local artists at Gosford Regional Gallery
Local painter and lecturer at Newcastle Uni, Andy Collis has an exhibition in the Foyer Gallery of Gosford Regional Gallery from April 20 to May 22.

Avoca Beachside Markets
Those lovely people at Fixx Events are putting together another fabulous market this Sunday (April 28) at Heazlett Park Foreshore Avoca Beach from 9am to 2pm.

And of course my heart hurt big time when Chrissy died this week...BIG influence on me as a teenager in the 1980s.

Dear Gosford City Council, I am growing duck feet

Dear Gosford City Council,

I regularly pay my Council rates.

In return can you please kerb and gutter my street as when it rains (which is most of the time), I feel like letting my kids surf down the street to school in the ensuing torrent of water which gurgles, bubbles and flows past my house. And while you are at it, a footpath at the end of the street so the school kids don't have to walk in the middle of it on the aforementioned rainy days, wouldn't go astray either.

I love to recite Coleridge but this 'water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink' business is doing my head in.....not to mention my shoes. I am growing duck feet.

My neighbours have taken to creating Powerpoint Presentations of endless potholes, storm surges and general aquatic mayhem to send to your non responsive 'customer service' team.

I do not want to win a holiday for paying my rates on time, as your recent marketing campaign suggested. I would prefer a team of muscled, bum cracked men pouring concrete up and down BOTH sides of my street.

I don't want you to give a couple of hundred grand to support a player for the Central Coast Mariners, just the simple service of road guttering will keep me happy.

My street was subdivided in 1910, 103 years later it hasn't changed much...except you've put the rates up and in return we get our garbage collected.

If, as the new GM says, you don't want potential residents and investors to see Gosford City as a hole, then perhaps fixing the ones in our street might be a start to a whole new marketing campaign.

Tracey

While I Was Out - The Avoca Beachside Markets

 

 

One of the things that I love, love, love about living on the Central Coast is the Avoca Beachside Markets. Held in Heazlett Park Foreshore Avoca Beach, the markets are an eclectic mix of local artisans, retro curios, great food and talented artists playing under the Lizottes marquee.

I am particularly enamoured with the homemade marshmallow and strawberry kebabs, coated in chocolate sauce of course, which can be found at the Wicked Fruit stall.  Under the chai tent next to their stall you can lounge on pillows and do a bit of people watching.

My kids always love the enchanted craft circle. They inevitably want to get their faces painted and run crazy on the adjoining oval.

 

With over 100 stalls the markets remind me very much of the Kirribilli markets in Sydney which was held down the street from our apartment.

 

 



 

 

I may be slightly obsessed by these cute hair clips.

 

 

Local produce from Mangrove Mountain was a stand out.

 

 

 

  Held under the magical Moreton Bay Figs, the markets are a wonderful day out for the family.

 

Open from 9am to 2pm, the next market is on Sunday April 28. For more information about the Avoca Beachside markets go http://www.fixxevents.com.au/avoca-markets-info.html.

 

 

 

No Time For Blogging

It's nearly the end of March and how quiet have I been? Both of my children are at school this year which means I have revved up my media business and have had lots of work on. There has been no time for blogging.

I do however, have some story ideas in the wings. I will TRY not to mention the word bogan this year...promise. I have had lots of emails about where to buy houses on the Central Coast and I have met so many interesting people I want to interview, so keep a look out for more posts. In the meantime this blog will stay sponsorship free because I just can't bring myself to write paid content. If and when I do I will be upfront about it.

To answer a few questions that I get emailed about it:

Japanese on the Coast? Ok, if you are like me and you HATE having your food thrown at you then I'm afraid you cannot find a restaurant here on the Coast for dinner that isn't teppanyaki. I love, love, love Japanese food and go to Sushi Circle in Mann St Gosford when I get the urge at lunch time. Sadly it is not open at night. The rest of the time I go back to our former local, Ainoya in Kirribilli....

Coffee - such a contenious issue. I go to Caffe Jam in East Gosford. Haven't yet been told about killer coffee elsewhere.

Cafes  - Bodyfuel (Terrigal & Gosford), Zanziba (Terrigal & West Gosford), Caffe Jam in East Gosford.

Bars - love Reviver bar in Gosford. The bar in Crowne Plaza Terrigal doesn't appear to have found its niche since the renos...I have yet to visit the bar above Caro Cruz in Terrigal.

Radio Stations - since I am a complete ABC Radio tart, then you have to listen to ABC 92.5. Scott Levi and the ever spunky Brad Storey provide great local content.

That's it for now. Back to work.

Ettalong to Palm Beach Ferry

"Water, water, every where,

And all the boards did shrink;

Water, water, every where,

Nor any drop to drink.

The very deep did rot: O Christ!

That ever this should be!

Yea, slimy things did crawl with legs

Upon the slimy sea."

In spite of my residence near the sea, I possess not an ounce of nautical know-how or affiliation. I must admit that I like the idea of being able to sail but I usually fall ill once I step on a boat. So it was out of necessity, timing and the idea of being on the water that led me to visit my friend Melinda at Palm Beach a couple of weeks ago.

Necessity because I hadn't seen her since we were both working in Bangkok in 2007, timing because it would take over 90 minutes to drive to her house in Dee Why and the idea, because I have always imagined that being on Pittwater was somehow interesting and a teeny weeny bit glamorous. Much of my images of living the Pittwater lifestyle come from a day out on the water there in 2006 and through reading Susan Duncan's Salvation Creek and The House at Salvation Creek.

So on a windy and freeze your tits off morning my daughter and I caught the Palm Beach ferry from Ettalong. After trying to find a car park, we arrived at the wharf just as the boat was arriving. It was far more crowded than I imagined - obviously the service is well patronised. We made our way to the back, because I thought Miss Chicken would like to feel the breeze on her face and taste the salty air.

As we left the wharf, our 'just over 18' looking crew put the ferry into full speed ahead mode which made my daughter scared and gave me the first signs of nausea. So I prayed to Poseidon that there would be no nausea, that Miss Chicken would soon enjoy the experience and that the boat wouldn't sink.

Once I got the hang of the speed of the ferry, I was able to take in the glorious view. As you leave Ettalong, the ferry hugs the Booti Booti National Park to the east. You then head into the open water with the shoreline, showing the Umina, Ocean and Pearl Beaches, to the west.

Lion Island marks the end of the calm journey as the water becomes Broken Bay - everything now is a little bumpier. Not long after our bounce around the bay, we see a sailing boat and the majestic Barrenjoey Lighthouse to the east. This heralds our arrival into Pittwater - holiday home territory for some of Australia's richest. After just fifteen minutes (ferry website says it takes 25) we arrive at the wharf on Barrenjoey Road and head to the nearby park to catch up with Melinda and her little boy. The journey from my house to Palmy has been all of 30 minutes.

We have lunch at Palm Beach Fish and Chips next to Barrenjoey House, look for shells along the little beach near the wharf and catch up with each other's lives until it's time to do the return journey.

On the way back Miss Chicken is much happier and we see surfers hanging out waiting to catch a wave. The return journey makes a stop at the gorgeous seaside village of Wagstaffe before heading back to Ettalong.

This was a great friday adventure. Adult tickets are $9.80* each way, with Miss Chicken riding for free. Once you get to Palm Beach wharf, you can get a five minute bus ride around to Palm Beach proper. Walking would be a bit dicey as Barrenjoey Road can get quite busy, especially on the weekend. Also, as this is one of the most expensive places to live in Sydney, food and beverage is a bit pricey.

* This story first appeared on Central Coast Seachange in 2011.

Summer on the Coast - Water fights rule

You can't have a proper Aussie summer without a blow up pool, water fights and hot, hot days. Splices, Calipos, Gaytimes, Paddlepops, sunscreen, snags on the barbie, cricket, bushfires, cicadas. Lizards lazing in the sun, kookaburras in the birdbath. 'We don't even have to try. It's always a good time'.

Things to do on the Coast this summer

Sometimes you can get a bit of beach overload. Too much sunburn and sand in your undies.  If you are a tourist or even a local, there's plenty to do on the Coast these holidays. 

Last week I took my kids to the Newcastle Museum primarily to see their science expo. We had lots of fun with plenty of hands on activities however the BHP expo was a bit loud for my four year old. We had lunch at the Honeysuckle wharf, was able to see a Coal Loader coming in for supplies and saw the glorious Newcastle Cathedral.

While in Newcastle you might want to check out the Newcastle Art Gallery. I particularly like their Artcart sessions where kids make art for around 2 hours. And it's free!

On the weekend we went to the Central Coast Marine Discovery Centre in Terrigal where they are currently exhibiting a ''Summer of Sharks" display. My son's class made a paper mache shark for the exhibit. He made the whale shark, that sadly got a little squished in transit to the Centre.....

Run by local volunteers, the Centre is small but comprehensive. My kids loved the hands on rock pool, where they were able to touch a hermit crab and annoy the small star fish. The Centre also offers "rockpool rambles" throughout January at Bateau Bay.

Also on the Coast you can pop into my favourite, The Gosford Regional Gallery. Love the Japanese Gardens attached, the gift shop, the cafe and of course the art.

Try heading south to Brooklyn for a taste of life on the Hawkesbury River. You can get there by car or train (get off at Hawkesbury River Station). Once you've been to this gorgeous fishing village, you can get the ferry to Dangar Island. Partake in a coffee by the water or a game of lawn bowls or have a chat to a local about the island's history. They might even tell you a ghost story or two.

If you have kids, you might also want to visit the playground behind the Umina Beach Surf Club. There is an area for small children as well as activities, including a flying fox for bigger kids. And there's a cafe for parents. Coffee, I'm always thinking of coffee when I'm with the kids.

If you are on the Coast and looking for a good coffee, breakfast or lunch  - my picks are Cafe Jam in East Gosford, Bellyfish in Gosford and Terrigal. The Sweetest Things under the Crown Plaza at Terrigal do fantastic cupcakes and not a bad decaf latte.

Merry Christmas from the Seachangers

Phew. This year has flown and there's been plenty of highs and lows. I've enjoyed interviewing my fellow Central Coast Seachangers - Nicole Wells, Donna Webeck and Linda Mottram. I also talked with South Coast Seachanger Vanessa Waller who gave a wonderful perspective of seaside life when you have to use a motorised scooter most of the time. Each of these women had interesting seachange stories and not one mentioned the word bogan.

Of course I used the word bogan a lot on this blog this year. I'm now adding the word moron to describe my finishing the year on a bit of a bad note. An interloper, let's call him Mr Moron,  has penetrated the education community of which I have volunteered my time, making ex cathedra pronouncements all based on untruths.

Now as a Virgo, when I give my all to something, I give my all so when someone questions my motives I get highly offended. I can show undying loyalty to either a person, a cause or a group but if my work is thrown back in my face, well you understand that hell hath no fury.......

But Ebenezer Scrooge doesn't live here. Last weekend our family marked 5 years of being on the Coast with a bbq for the neighbours we like. If you are a neighbour of mine and you didn't get an invite I guess you can discuss it with me this weekend when we will be holding our annual street party. Our street parties are pretty tame with plenty of glowsticks, street cricket and a chorus of ''car'' whenever a car comes into the street to disrupt the cricket. The good police women and men of Brisbane Water Local Area Command NEVER get called to one of our street parties unlike other parts of the Coast....see their Facebook page for more updates.

These days Christmas is tinged with sadness as this year marks 2 years since my dad was in hospital and then died on New Year's Day. My mum has come along way since then and I guess my sister and I too, although you never get over losing someone, you just learn ways to hide your sadness.

I loved bringing you Diana Wood's daily bouts with Intracranial Hypertension, and the story of Lauren Taylor, breast cancer fighter and school working bee organiser. I admitted to being a house stalker and that on occasion I may have worn the odd pair of tracky daks....

I was interviewed by Scott Levi on ABC Central Coast mid year, which was a lot of fun, especially talking about the Coast Shelter.

I haven't had much time to be a blogger this year but I hope I have described how I see life on the Central Coast without offending too many people. If I did cause offence, well, you know there are other blogs to read. Actually trillions and plenty more interesting than mine.

If I don't post before the yuletide...safe travels.

From Moscow with love

I can understand when a person pops 'brush turkey', 'seaside bogans' and 'water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink' into their google search that they might end up here at Central Coast Seachange. But bugger me if I know where all the ruskies are coming from. I don't think I've ever visited a Russian porn site, nor a 'get a cheap lawyer' one, so how Russian websites - particularly those for horizontal activities,  provide a lot of traffic to this blog is beyond me.

I did visit Moscow in 2001 on a very grown up, professional worktrip dealing with Austrade but nothing untoward happened, that I can remember. (See pic of me here freezing my butt on in Red Square at minus 10 degrees. Huge overcoat essential).

I do LOVE Tolstoy, especially Anna Karenina and War and Peace. Give me a bit of Turgenev and I'm in heaven.

So dear ruskies, whoever you are, I hope you like my tales of sand, surf and Australian coastal behaviour but if you are looking for nude shots of Jennifer Hawkins then you've come to the wrong site.

Losing your moral compass...at the school working bee

My son's school here on the Coast holds annual working bees which are organised by P & C and executed with the precision of a military operation by Lauren, our Vice President.

Lauren is like the bunny in those Everyready battery commercials - she keeps charging on. Last year she organised the working bee even when she was having chemo for breast cancer.

She clearly missed her calling - I think a job as a UN negotiator would have suited her best. She'd have Syria back in order no problem.

Lauren has this skill where she can get any tradie or business to eat out of her hand. She gets free paint, free equipment hire, free mulch, free food from the bakery - you name it, Lauren can get it. Once she has garnered all of these goodies, she is then able to get many parents to help on the day.

This year Lauren decided to get a jumping castle, so that if both parents were helping at the working bee, their children could be entertained and supervised at the same time.

Since Lauren knows so many parents and children at our school, on the day she noticed a peculiar thing. There appeared to be kids on the jumping castle and in the playground who's parents weren't actually at the working bee - not helping out and certainly not supervising their children.

This irks me no end because I know how hard parents ACTUALLY GAVE A SHIT AND WORKED THEIR ARSES OFF on the day. My husband for example worked FIVE HOURS on the gernie trying to get the mold, dirt, bird poop etc of the pavements. He had 20 minute break from 10am to 4pm.

To drop your kids off at the working bee so they can bounce themselves stupid for 8 hours while you shop, go to the pub, get a facial or whatever the fuck you might do, is beyond belief.

To do this when other parents are giving their time and physical effort to make YOUR CHILD's school environment better is MORALLY BANKRUPT.

Bogans

On the Coast

They are everywhere.

The Restless Deep

As a child I always wanted to live in a 'The Ghost and Mrs Muir' house. There was always something fascinating about a haunted lone house on a clifftop.

My home looks over the bush and not the sea but I often travel to parts of the coast that have rocky outcrops, sheer rockfaces and houses that perch on the edge of cliffs.

There is something alluring about the sea as it's waves crash on the rocks. The restless deep as writers like to call it.

I love how the sea shapes the lives of all who live near it and how it cannot be controlled.

Today it's quite windy on the coast and as I write I can imagine the white foamy sea lashing at the rocks at Norah Head and near the headland at Terrigal.

Norah Head

Terrigal Headland

Terrigal Skillion

For me, my favourite poet, Kenneth Slessor evokes the meaning of the sea in his work 'Five Bells'.

'If I could find an answer, could only find

Your meaning, or could say why you were here
Who now are gone, what purpose gave you breath
Or seized it back, might I not hear your voice?

I looked out my window in the dark
At waves with diamond quills and combs of light
That arched their mackerel-backs and smacked the sand
In the moon's drench, that straight enormous glaze,
And ships far off asleep, and Harbour-buoys
Tossing their fireballs wearily each to each,
And tried to hear your voice, but all I heard
Was a boat's whistle, and the scraping squeal
Of seabirds' voices far away, and bells,
Five bells. Five bells coldly ringing out.'

The Real Housewives of Gosford

When you live on the Central Coast, most people think you're a bogan. Yes you will find people wearing black denim jeans, a flanny shirt and desert boots riding their pushy or skateboard during the middle of the working week but the Central Coast is much more than that.

Take for instance my street and the little suburb that I live in. Of the residents I know, all but one has moved up from Sydney. Most have husbands who still commute to their CORPORATE jobs in the city. The mothers have University degrees (some like me, have more than one), work in some kind of 'professional' role - a University lecturer, an occupational therapist, a childcare teacher, an underwriter, a finance marketing guru, a travel agent, a business analyst, a media director, a high school teacher, the list goes on.

Sure, we may wear tracky daks occasionally but we certainly aren't lining up at Maccas with our ten children, smoking our winny blues and wearing ugg boots and South Sydney Rabbitos jerseys.

Issues such as public education and politics actually matter to us - we even use big words AND know what they mean.

And while I do take the piss and pronounce places such as Gosford as 'Gossie' and use a Kath Day Knight accent to say Woy Woy and Umina, it is all in good fun.

There are many things that annoy me about the Coast but certainly it is a great place to bring up your kids and I could think of worse places to live.

Central Coast Public Schools - Life in a demountable

It's a story you've heard before. Overcrowded public schools, ancient buildings that need repair, an endless sea of demountables and no Government who wants to take responsibility for the physical state of public education.

Last night, at our monthly P and C we were updated on the kindergarten enrolments for 2013. The school expects 89 bringing our overall school numbers to around 510. Many schools here on the Central Coast float around that number, many are more than that and of course some are less. My main concern as a parent is that of our 20 classrooms, only 11 are permanent, the rest are demountables. Some of these have been at our school for over 25 years. In 2013 we will be requesting our 10th demountable.

Last year our P and C conducted an audit of our existing ocean of demountables. The results were dire. The condition of many was appalling. My son's classroom had a leaking roof so a bucket was placed permanently on rainy days. This lead to mould, dampness and carpet that needed to be replaced. What also ensued was disruption to the classroom. Other demountables at the school were rusty and had blocked pipes and gutters. I guess that's what you get when you've been there for 25 years. Mid year the Department maintenance people came to see the condition of our 'portable' family. The demountables were tarted up but still remain.

As the Department of Education sent our 9th demountable this year, our small playground was made even smaller. As there doesn't appear to be anywhere else for the new demountable to go, the top playground will be it's resting place.

In May this year, this issue was discussed in NSW Parliament. Of all the schools on the Central Coast, our school, Point Clare Public, topped the list with 9 demountables - our nearest neighbour was Woy Woy Public School with 6. In the Wyong electorate three schools had 6 demountables on site.

So far, even as Member for Gosford Chris Holstein asks us to keep reminding him of this issue, nothing has been done. When I heard that recently the State Government was going to spend $20 million dollars on upgrading and streamlining our State roadsigns, I got to thinking about my son and his classmates, their experience in mouldy, damp demountables and thought that I must have been dreaming.

Postscript: here are the classroom figures for all Central Coast State Electorates - Gosford, Wyong, The Entrance and Terrigal as of May 2012. I retrieved this figures from the NSW Parliament Legislative Council May 31 2012 document. 

As of May 2, 2012


1. The Gosford electorate Primary Schools with numbers of demountables:

Central Mangrove Public School - 1

Chertsey Public School - 1

Gosford Public School - 2

Kariong Public School - 2

Peats Ridge Public School - 1

Point Clare Public School - 9

Somersby Public School - 1

Spencer Public School - 1

Umina Public School - 1

Woy Woy

The Gosford electorate High Schools with numbers of demountables:

Brisbane Water Secondary College Umina Campus - 4

Gosford High School - 1

Henry Kendall High School – 13


2. The Wyong electorate Primary Schools with numbers of demountables:

Berkeley Vale Public School - 6

Blue Haven Public School - 1

Kanwal Public School - 5

Northlakes Public School - 2

Tacoma Public School - 1

Toukley Public School - 6

Tuggerawong Public School - 2

Warnervale Public School - 1

Woongarrah Public School - 6

Wyong Grove Public School – 1

The Wyong electorate High Schools with numbers of demountables:

Gorokan High School - 2

Northlakes High School – 3


3. The Entrance electorate Primary Schools with numbers of demountables:

Bateau Bay Public School - 3

Brooke Avenue Public School - 4

Lisarow Public School - 5

The Entrance Public School - 3

Tuggerah Public School - 3

Glenvale School (SSP) - 2

The Entrance electorate High Schools with numbers of demountables:

Lisarow High School - 2

Narara Valley High School - 9

Tuggerah Lakes Secondary College Berkley Vale - 1

Tuggerah Lakes Secondary College The Entrance – 3


4. The Terrigal electorate Primary Schools with numbers of demountables:

Avoca Beach Public School - 3

Brisbania Public School - 1

Empire Bay Public School - 1

Erina Heights Public School - 3

Holgate Public School - 2

Terrigal Public School – 3

Wamberal Public School – 2


The Terrigal electorate High Schools with numbers of demountables:

Erina High School - 6

Kincumber High School - 10

Terrigal High School - 2

The Plinth

When I said my husband had a huge erection on the weekend, this is what I meant.

 

No fingers were squashed in it's construction. Possible suggestions for the plith include a fish pond or a nice fancy pot with a flowery plant.

What do you wear to school drop off and pick up?

So it's back to school on Monday and back to the 'what am I going to wear' question when I drop the kids at school and daycare. During my winter lazy days and before the tracky dak epiphany, I'd say that I didn't have such a problem. Now that I am trying to up my fashion consciousness and actually give a shit about my appearance, I've been scanning the interwebs for inspiration.

Here's Sarah Jessica Parker looking all stylish in her winter attire. Why are the yanks so fascinated with Ugg boots? Here on the Coast, I'd say they were a sign that you were a bogan.

 

Then there is my all time favourite, Catherine Zeta Jones. I think I could pull off this look but need to buy a  myself a nice white ''pant''.

 

 

Trinny Woodall has got it down pat though, looking gorgeous in both of these pics.

 

 

 

 

Can you imagine what the mums at school said when Elle turned up in this?

 

 

And if Victoria Beckham is dropping off her kids, then where are their school bags? Guess the assistant has them.

 

 

What do you wear on the school run? Are you feeling like a bit of dag like me? I blame it on working from home, as I don't need to dress for the office anymore. What's your excuse?