A Long Weekend

It's Tuesday right?

For some reason I keep thinking it's Thursday.

Sometimes I thinks it's still Monday. I think I'm lucky to know my own name at this point.

But my excuse you see is we had a public holiday here yesterday (Monday) for Western Australia's Foundation Day.

At least I think that was the reason for the day off.

Does anyone actually really know the reason for most of our public holidays? All most people know is that it's a day off work.

Here in Perth we don't really 'celebrate' most of the Public Holidays. The only big one that people make an effort for is Australia Day in January, when people decorate their homes and cars with the Aussie Flag. And take part in the big three Aussie traditions :

1. Sitting around outside and having a barbeque in the middle of the sweltering heat (usually around 40 C on Australia Day). Stupid tradition really.

2. Drink lots of icy cold beer. Usually in an effort to cool down in said heat. (The upside of not being a big drinker is that I get to have a laugh at the tipsy people making a fool of themselves and wake up feeling clear headed the next day).

3. Spend the rest of the day lazing in the pool in a further effort to keep cool.

So how did I spend my Public Holiday you may ask. I got up at 6am with Charlie, got him ready for the day, did a couple of loads of washing, a few hours worth of work, some more housework, then had my Dad and step mother Mela come for a visit.

A bit quiet compared to the Australia Day celebrations.

Then at 4pm I picked Kaiden up from his latest Army camp. He was filthy dirty, extra tired and recovering from some cold nights in the bush.

He had completed a long weekend of Advance Survival training and I'm glad it was him and not me.

The first night they were kept awake till 4am, allowed to rest for 2 hours then up and at 'em for the day. They had to build a shelter out of branches and leaves as well as cook and eat a variety of 'exotic' meats including crocodile, kangaroo, ox tongue and brains to name a few.

Then as they weren't allowed sleeping bags, he spent a very cold night (4 C) in his shelter. He said he was lucky to have half an hours sleep as he spent the night cold and shivering.

Now I don't know if I'm being an over protective mother, but keeping 14 year olds going for three days on limited sleep then make them spend the nights in a self built shelter unprotected from the cold, seems a bit excessive.

Just saying.

Main thing is he passed the Advanced Survival course - he survived.