living the dream

Like Karen Christopher, the personal trainer whom I wrote about in a previous post, Cassie Pentony is another inspiring woman in Mansfield who is "living the dream". I first met Cassie when our sons sat next to each other when they started school two years ago and she has since become the much-loved swimming teacher of our three boys as well as many of their friends.  I still remember when I came to Mansfield and spoke to Cassie, thinking that I had never known a swimming teacher before to be so passionate and conscientious about her job.

Cassie started her career as a legal secretary and executive assistant in Family and Commercial law. She dressed in a business suit and heels and went off to work each day in Collins St, Melbourne, for ten years. She eventually stopped work to have her first child, Lachlan, and when she was seven months pregnant, she and her husband James moved the family to the country – Mansfield, in the foothills of Mt Buller.  James started his own business, TST IT Solutions here in Mansfield.

Cassie had always had an interest in swimming and an ambition to get into aquatic education. As a teenager and before work she would swim laps at 5.30am each morning.  When her first son Lachlan was 10 months old, James’ IT business was thriving and thus Cassie was presented with the opportunity to pursue another career.

So, in 2006 Cassie attained her Austswim Teacher of swimming and water safety qualification and started her first season in the pool at the YMCA Mansfield teaching aquatic education classes and participating in the Primary and Secondary school swim programs. Of this time, Cassie says "it was challenging and a steep learning curve for me. But I learned to adapt to instructing in any environment.  It was also very rewarding - I formed strong bonds with the kids - I still teach many of them now 6 or 7 years later." 

A couple of years after starting out, Cassie got the opportunity to use the heated pool at the Alzburg Resort and was also able to put in more hours as her own two boys got a little older. So she became an independent instructor and eventually had a clientele of 95 children at various private properties around the district and at the Alzburg. Cassie was very grateful for the families' generosity but eventually wanted to have her own facility where the conditions such as student-teacher ratios and air and water temperature were more balanced.

So, she and James made the huge decision to sell their home and buy a new block to build a home and indoor pool to create something more permanent. And so, "George's Fish Swimschool" was born....The school is named after Cassie's Dad who once saved a child off Philip Island, but lost the two men who were with the child. This had a profound effect on Cassie's Dad, George, and he always impressed upon his own children, the importance of learning to swim competently. Here's the new home and pool, which all seems to have happened so amazingly quickly...

So now Cassie has many students and a great team member in Janine Polkinghorne, and "George's Fish" has now almost finished two full terms of operation. All classes are full and there is a waiting list too. Cassie says going to work is a simple pleasure in her day. Her hobby has developed into a career - but of course none of this has been easy. Building the pool has been a financial strain and Cassie's husband James helps out a lot at home as well as running his own business, to make this venture work.

There is something, not necessarily defineable, that makes Cassie a fantastic swimming teacher. I asked her what she thinks it is...She replied, "I get a great sense of satisfaction from my work and am genuinely excited about my students' milestones and improvements.  I think being a Mum helps as I come across as something of a mother figure - I really work on building rapport and trust with the children. I do detailed lesson plans and use lots of variety while extending skills, ensure students have fun while learning and give each child both praise and correction.  I really think about the individual - what's happening, what do they need?"

Yep, I think all that sums up just what it is that makes Cassie the wonderful swimming teacher that we have come to know and love!!

more on creative friends

Thinking of things handmade, led me naturally to this story, about another creative friend and member of our sewing group, Jane Hall. Now I might add that Jane is rather embarassed about me writing this story, but is humouring me - thank you Jane! Until this year, Jane had been living and working at Timbertop for five years, with her husband Tom and two little boys, Ned and Archie.  She had always been creative but until last year hadn't done any sewing. She's a determined woman and, when given the opportunity to borrow her friend's sewing machine for an extended period, decided that she wanted to learn to sew. Jane asked me if I would show her how to run up a cushion.  So we spent a lovely couple of hours where I did indeed show her the basics of how to use a sewing machine and how to sew a simple cushion. This was in exchange for a loaf of her delicious home-made sourdough bread, so I difinitely came out on top! Well, from then on, boy did she run with it!! Before we knew it, her lounge room and kitchen were filled with the most amazing array of cushions...

And then she progressed to making patchwork quilts...

As you can see, with a little creativity and some beautifully rustic pieces, Jane made her simple Timbertop house into a warm and inviting home.

This year, though, Jane and Tom left Timbertop and moved on to start a new life, luckily not too far away. Tom's parents live on land next to the Goulburn River near Thornton. Looking after the place is becoming a bit too much for them these days and so Tom and Jane are living next to them and helping out.  Tom's father built the mud brick home and next door shed himself - an amazing achievement.  Tom and Jane have renovated the shed and moved their little family in. Last week our sewing group went down to have a look at their new home. As you can see their 'shed' looks rather more like a Tuscan villa...

This is the new kitchen hutch...

Jane made us a delicious morning tea of freshly baked cinnamon rolls and then fresh salads and bread for lunch...

Here are some more gorgeous corners in the kitchen...

Looking down on the kitchen from upstairs. Note the stunning staircase...

I just loved the 'vintage industrial' vibe and the warmth and homeliness of Jane and Tom's 'shed' - it's a place that instantly speaks of a family who enjoy the pleasures of a 'simple life'.