Thursday, September 28, 2006

Two good "newses"

Within 2 seconds of each other I have received, just by sitting here in front of my pc, two pieces of good news (one as yet unconfirmed though). First I get the "new mail" signal - uh oh, it's from Carlton. What more bad news can there be? Our absolute rock in the backline, Bret Thornton, has been having trouble with getting a new contract from Carlton, and the thought of him NOT being there next year has been a real downer. But now the club is making noises that contract problems are all media speculation, and that the club is making every effort to contract T-bird to continue at Carlton.

Just as I finish reading this, my youngest, Techie Son, announces that he's just got an email to say he's been accepted as an exchange student to the University of California at Berkeley for one semester next year. UC Berkeley is where I met the Man Who Cooks in 1969, so this has much significance for the Forbes family. Number One Son and I immediately think of the ramifications of not having Techie Son around to sort out all our various computer problems - we will have to cope!

On the other hand, I look around at Techie Son's room and think what a perfect craft room it would make - I could set up my own mini bookbindery there. Mwahahahahah!

13 comments:

Robert said...

Wow! Another generation of Forbes/Lank at UCB!! I hope he stays at "I" House, although it did come under fire recently due to a "bed bug" alert, which prompted the local health department to fumigate. Needless to say, when the story hit, the media commented on the number of "foreign" students there.

And you don't have to worry, Val! There are plenty of friends/family of yours who will watch out for him and make sure he is taken care of on holidays, etc. What a great opportunity for him to experience the States!

Let me know how I can help!

Susie said...

How exciting for your son! You must be so very proud!

Val said...

Poor guy - one semester and you have plans for his room! I must say that my Youngest Daughter has come home, and immediately appropriated Eldest Daughter's room to create The North Wing, in which she looks quite comfortable! Must be human nature :o)

Jeanette said...

HI Val
Congratulations to your son,how proud you must feel, and the outcome you will have your own craft room

TJ said...

already have him moved out do ya???
hehe!!

Jellyhead said...

Congrats on your Techie Son's acceptance to UC Berkeley! (Do you think he will meet his future spouse there, too?!)

Val said...

Robert, thanks for your kind offer, and also the interesting info about the bed bugs at I House... There have been news items about bed bugs being on the rise everywhere around the world, I've forgotten what they attribute this to, but it can't be "foreigners"!

Jelly, you must have been listening in to us last night when we were talking about that. I told Techie Son he's allowed to find a woman over there but like me, she has to come to Australia and stay! And for the benefit of those who wouldn't know, I House (International House) is residential accommodation for U.S. and overseas students at UCB. And that is precisely where the MWC and I met!

Sue, I am indeed proud of him, there is always stiff competition to get into UC Berkeley. Oh, and he got a scholarship too!

Val, Jeanette and Tammy, I wonder if I'll be able to resist the temptation to move some stuff into his room while he's away, but then there would be the wrench and work of having to move everything out again when he returns. Maybe I'll just use it as a sitting room: a full length window and door look out onto the front courtyard, with sacred bamboo, low conifers and a tiny waterfall going into a pond.

Carole Burant said...

My boys still haven't forgiven me for turning their rooms into my computer room and guest room so soon after they moved out! lol That is indeed great news about your son being accepted at UC Berkeley...best of luck to him!!!

Meow (aka Connie) said...

That's wonderful news about your son. Won't you miss him ???
Have a great weekend.
Take care, Meow

Sandy Hatcher-Wallace said...

Congrats on your techie son's acceptance to UC Berkeley. I don't think I'd rush into his room just yet...he is coming back after his semester isn't he?
Of course he might follow family tradition and meet the WWC of his dreams while there.

Kerri said...

What exciting news for your techie son Val! It will be a great experience for him, I'm sure. Will he be anywhere near your parents while he's there?
Ko's brother graduated from UCB last year.
I know you'll miss him, but you can surely get a little use out of his room while he's away :)

Val said...

I'm sure I will miss him, which will only be partly made up for by using his room for the semester. Maybe I'll even go over and visit him while he's there, now that I'm retired I don't have to worry about taking the time off.

UCB is a half hour drive from my parents’ house, so Ben will have a family to go to if necessary. I am hoping though that he will spread his wings a bit and meet new people, make friends, even find a girlfriend. I don’t know what it’s like in the U.S. these days, but kids at uni here in Australia tend to leave the campus as soon as their classes are finished for the day.

purchasewoods said...

Hi Val: Safe journey. It looks wonderful. I'll be back to see how it all went.

Best, L