Perhaps I was a little harsh on the apparent shallowness of Western celebrations. It's fine to have fun, let your hair down, to have a laugh, without the need to experience something profound. There is a time and a place under the sun. But I do wish that there were more public occasions, other than war commemorations, when we might have the chance to reflect upon our lives. Or convey meaning.

Tom comes home from a camping trip with his mum very soon. We are in the midst of the summer holidays and whenever Tom is away from me, I feel rather lonely. When he is here with me he can be very loud and demanding. Silence is a quality that does not co-exist readily with his presence here.

Tom is going into Grade 3 this year. He is a little on the young side of his cohort and so he is not an academic world-beater, at least not yet. There is plenty of time for that. He is good at dance and drama (which are extra-curricular) and likes school moderately well. I think that Tom would be happier though is the breaks could somehow swap with the class time. I tell him that it is to his advantage to have shorter breaks, juxtaposed as they are with the longer teaching times. It makes those times that much more delicious. I think he remains unconvinced.

We spent Christmas Day together at my mum's place in Dee Why. Tom and I pulled a cracker or two and I include one shot. Of course, he will win the pull, score the hat, the novelty and the lame joke.