Back to school

The boys began school in mid September, a long long holiday, and though there were some nerves, all went well. Well until Hunter decided to run from home and dissapear for several hours instead of going to school. He finally turned up at home, as if nothing had happened, and said it was easy to get water you just go into a bar and ask for it. So a talk to, and a follow up talk from the teachers, all rather calm. A week later he does it again, thankfully he is found an hour later by Pietro , a good friend who keeps him at his office, giving him a drink, which like the bar he got for free. So l am partly to blame for this, as the boys know that when l left Camberwell Grammar to go to Melb grammar, l ran from school the first week, with Peter Molloy chasing me down the street, this was the beginning of my successful  long distance running. Hunter has only done it twice, so he may have some up his sleeve to go. But he has settled in well, though his class is maybe not as wonderful as Ewans, to the point that nearly every kid who comes to play is in Ewans class. But Hunter is doing well in school work, and seems to enjoy school again, Ewan as always just moves along, seemingly unrattled, though the idea that Hunter does these things and gets away with it annoys him ,and he often asks the question why dont l just do what Hunter does!!
They are both playing tennis this term, in different groups, Ewan still with his older kids, hitting the ball hard, and Hunter with their friend Luca in an easier group, but Hunter seems to enjoy it.
Jayne is still singing away, though has been busy getting ready for the move, organizing removal people to quote, and l have been making wooden crates to put my paintings and sculptures in to return.
And so the count down begins with just under 2 months to go, the boys are mixed in their attitude to homework, wondering if they need to do it, especially Ewan, and we are having our farewell dinners and drinks with people . Last week we had another large party here, that Jen helped with, the usual crowd of 40 adults and 10-15 kids. Im trying to get rid of the alcohol we have before we leave.
Went to Venice last week for the day to see the Arsenale works of the Bienalle, and today Jayne and l go to Milan to see a concert of someone she likes, and then the Last Supper by Di Vinci. And these are the things l will miss, the opportunity to go to places like Venice and Milan and see such wonders so easily. That and the ease of a small town to travel about, the traffic of Melbourne will definetly annoy me, and l can see myself on a bike, hopefully the bike paths are better, as l am sure the drivers are not kind still to bikes.
We have booked to go to London to see our friends the Fraynes and Holly and Steves family in December, and l would like to see Stefan in Paris before l leave but l fear time will not let me, or visit Madrid which l still have not done,but at least l am returning in May/ June so maybe then.
And one final trip to NY to see the Fenneseys and 8 in late November.
So busy busy, the weather in Bologna lately has been delightful, though it is getting colder, and of course that means snow, so we are aiming at two weekends in the snow before we go back.