Excellence

Thursday:

Today Aiden's school had a special end-of-year assembly (only two weeks of school left) and we were warned beforehand that he would be getting an award. Tim took the morning off work so we could both go. Aiden got an award for Excellence in Mathematics. So proud! He's finishing year 5, one more year in Primary School before he moves on to High School.

Then I had an appointment to see an Apple Genius about Jasmine's iPad which wouldn't charge. I thought it probably just needed a clean inside the port, but the Genius couldn't get it to work either. So he gave me a new one! Free! That was unexpected. Apparently because there was no obvious damage (it hadn't been dropped or drenched with water, for instance) under consumer law we get a replacement, even though it was nearly two years old. Nice. 

I also got a replacement for my sneakers. You may remember nearly a month ago I bought three pairs of shoes: black almost-sneakers which are very comfortable and I still have, black "dress" shoes with a bow on which I hated as soon as I got them home and returned and bought black boots instead which are lovely but I haven't actually worn them except to try on as I've had no occasion to, and new sneakers (gym shoes) as I wear them nearly every day and mine were starting to fall apart. But the new ones just weren't as comfortable as sneakers should be and I didn't like the grey/bright fuchsia colour scheme either, so today I took them back. It was within the 30 day return policy so I got new (light blue, very comfortable) sneakers instead! Even though I'd worn the others quite often. One out of three is not a good average for me with shoe choices! But today was a good day for customer service. 

On the other hand, remember that Christmas present that was going on sale today? Yeah, sold out by the time I got there after Aiden's assembly. After a bit of a search I got it somewhere else on sale for a bit more than that place, but still a lot less than full price. Not too bad I guess. 

This morning I got an email from the gravestone (memorial stone, they call it) people about dad's memorial stone, it is finished and installed and they sent me a photo. So that is done. It looks nice. 

RIP

Tuesday:

I've been consulting with my aunt about my father's gravestone, she lives there (12 hours drive away for me) so can compare gravestones in person. I think everything is decided now so I've emailed the details of the inscription to the company. It's been a bit sad, but also very funny fielding suggestions from Aunty Pat. Twice she suggested that I have my mother's name put on it; "beloved husband of Barbara"! My parents had been divorced for 40 years before they died within months of each other, mum knew as she was walking down the aisle on her wedding day that it was a mistake, and dad remarried and was with his second wife longer than mum (divorced again) and was with a new girlfriend when he died. Mum would have hated being on his gravestone! I vetoed that one politely.

I accepted all her other suggestions except the last one, to put RIP at the end. I felt that a Christian phrase was very inappropriate for such a staunch atheist as my father. My aunt is lovely but I guess she just had certain ideas about the way things should be done. And I did ask for her input! I went with most of her ideas but I'm paying for everything so I have final say when I think it's important.

I was thinking of mum today, too, as I watered the garden. She would have loved the pool and new garden, and having us live close. I miss my parents.