Tag: school holidays

Day 617 – SOFS – and tomorrow’s solar eclipse

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Last day of school today for our two. A very successful haul at their prizegiving and some very proud parents.
Well done, guys.

Later this evening, we will gather as a family around the braai to perform the age old ceremonies of the burning the exam timetables and the switching off of the weekday alarm clocks. And having a braai.

Although tomorrow (which isn’t a weekday), I might well be up a little earlier to see the solar eclipse. Weather permitting – and it’s not looking great.

This will be a TOTAL ECLIPSE if you are in Antarctica (but I’m not there): in Cape Town, we will only see a little nibble taken out of the sun – 11.5% at 0819 to be exact:

As you can see, South and West is the place to be for the best effect. Realistically, you’re not going to notice the missing 1% in Walvis Bay, much less the hidden 0.1% if you’re in Bloemfontein.

IMPORTANT: Don’t look at the sun through anything like a camera or telescope or with your naked eye.
Bad things will happen. Damage will occur.

Rather use a pinhole projector – they’re really easy to make at home.

But, returning to my original point, it’s the first day of the holidays, so if I look outside and it’s cloudy?
Straight back to bed.

PSA – SA edition

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Where PSA = Parental Service Announcement.

Parents of children in South African schools. Do you have your cellphone to hand? Perhaps you’re even reading this post on you cellphone – after all, 6000.co.za is optimised for whichever device you happen to be using.

Seamless.

Anyway, it’s holiday time. You only get a week (and a bit if you’re in Cape Town) (and another bit if you’re at my kids’ school), so you need to make the most of it. And that means not being woken up at foolish o’clock on Monday morning.

So quickly flick across to your alarm app and switch it off for the next week (and a bit if you’re in Cape Town) (and another bit if you’re at my kids’ school).

Do it now. Thank me later.

SOFS

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(with apologies to Alice Cooper)

And so just like that, it’s the end of the school year.

The Boy Wonder finished his time at Junior School with a great year, ending on a high note with really good results and an award for Academic Excellence in Science. And this year is a biggie, with him moving on to what passes for High School in his system. It was a good way to sign off.

I may have mentioned before that the SA and UK school systems are a complete mystery to me: The SA system because I was never part of it (and neither of my kids have been), and the UK system, because it’s fundamentally changed since I was in it. Equating the end of Year 6 with the end of my third year at Middle School seems about right, but then, I didn’t go to High School for another year after that (starting directly into the second year there) and my school year finished several months earlier (or… er… later, I guess) than the SA ones.
Even though my kids aren’t in the SA system, at least their school still respect the local seasons.

Our little girl – not so little anymore – also had a wonderful year and has really developed in character and confidence. She finished with the highest marks in her class. And yeah, I may be showing off a little about how well they’ve done here, but I am so very proud of what they’ve done this year. Also, I’ve been doing some rudimentary calculations and it’s only the third time this year that I’ve done something like this (see here and here for the others), and if you can’t share your good news and your kids’ achievements on your blog, then there’s something very wrong with the world.

A well-deserved break for all concerned now then. With no packed lunches to make and no school run, I awoke from uneasy slumbers (because of this) at a heady 7 o’clock this morning. Just another 6 days in the laboratory and then I’ll be joining them. This is the life.

Last day 

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The last day of the school holiday was marked by a visit to the aquarium. The new exhibit, which we had only ever seen unfinished, is amazing. We spent a long while there, just drinking coffee (slush for the kids) and watching the turtles and pilchards doing their thing. 

Photos will follow. 

But not tonight. Because a horribly early morning is beckoning tomorrow.