We've been away!

Good books

Just finished and looking for the sequel... a lot like Miss Read's village stories

Reading now... and loving it... Absolutely loved The Borrowers... and now this...

Gotta love 'em

Those damned chickens. One minute I want to get rid of the ring ins and the next minute they're all sitting on the couch looking at me as I walk into the play room. Shoo! Outside you go.

Go about my business... then The Big Man points out the fact that they are sitting on the mat at the back door trying to work out how the dog door works... How can I roast someone who is trying to figure out how to get in... knowing my luck, she will be in the oven trying to work out how to get out... ghouls in the oven... no thanks...

Invitations

Yesterday we were invited to breakfast at my sister's to spend some time with her daughter who had come home from Sydney for a few days...

"Oh yes!" I jumped at the chance of not having to cook for myself or my brood!

At 7am the phone rang..."Hi Aunty W. We're just wondering if you have any maple syrup? Oh you do? Wonderful. Could you bring it? Thanks. Byeee."

At 7.15am the phone rang... "Hi Aunty W. Just wondering if you have any lemons? Oh great, can you bring them? Ohh... what mum? Oh... mum says do you have any sugar as well? Fantastic, thanks Aunty W. See you soon."

That is the beauty of family and friends I guess, being able to do that....but I did have to use my sarcasm and ask the darling if she would like me to bring the pancakes too. She laughed a very gutteral laugh... things are so much simpler when you are young... when you are young... when I was young... was I young? Am I old? How old is old?

I wonder if I just continued the line of questioning, where would it take me...  probably back to dawn and the age old question... What's for breakfast mum?

Dawn

We awoke this morning to the loud cackling and boasting of a chicken... having just laid an egg she decided to tell the neighbourhood about it.... They have a limited life. I cannot take the early mornings... I thought it was only roosters who did the early morning thing...

Driving in the car I mentioned to The Little Men that they should start thinking about life without the three ring in chickens (the three generic chickens I got to replace Charlotte when she was mauled to death by Harry!). The generics have got to go. They are destroying my garden, they are making too much noise.

The Little Man pondered my comment a moment, and then said "I guess we could roast one!" much to the absolute horror of The Middle Man. He expressed disbelief at this comment until he realised it was The Little Man's idea of humour (quite nice humour..., I like it). The Middle Man had asked me to 'sit on it for a few weeks mum please and just see how you feel then". Good advice, but I am not changing my mind... the generics are going... not to the table, but somewhere...

Everything starts with a wish...

So... I have been harvesting again

Yep... this time my little crop of taters was a tad bigger than the first one, although no potato was quite as big as that beautiful first one. We have enough though for a meal of potato chips for one night, so, being school holidays that will be on the menu.

I couldn't believe the beautiful soil! It was a whole heap of chook poop stuff and guinea pig poo and a bag or so of potting mix, and it was chocka block full of the fattest juiciest worms! It was amazing, and so I transferred it all as I went into another wooden crate and planted my new passionfruit vine in it... it should do well.

And right next to the spuds and the new container were the first little crop of tommy toe tomatoes. One was yelling out to me (I could only hear it feintly because they are only very small) and so I bent down and plucked him off the stalk and popped him straight into my mouth... all warm from the sun and sooooo tasty! Yum! You see... working every day I haven't been able to spend time in the garden and I haven't noticed that these things were happening... Now, my sister will reap the rewards of my tomatoes while she is house sitting. Lucky thing.

Also, whilst out there enjoying the sunshine and the wonderful growth in the garden I came upon my very first and only sweetpea flower. The plants had been struggling for so long, but because they are my favourite flower of ALL TIME, I just had to leave them in, just in case they decided to come good.

This dear little purple flower is now in a vase along with a whole heap of white snow pea flowers that are so tiny and cute they make me happy. The snow peas have been amazing and I still have bags of them in the fridge. The kids have been having a feed off them for ages too, nothing like picking a fresh vegie and eating it straight out of the garden...

And so the sweet, very subtle scent of the sweetpea is noticed only by me. It will run out soon,  as every time I walk past it I bury my nose in the single bloom and inhale as much as I can...

So much has happened...

So much has happened in the time that has passed. I have been working full time at school for a few weeks and finally realise how incredibly lucky I am to be a stay at home mum. My goodness... how I will cherish those days now!

I also missed the opportunity to see my babies participate in their Sports Day activities, which is the first year that I have missed. I think I was more disappointed than they. I managed to watch a few bits and pieces as I went about my business, but missing The Middle Man run in the relays and the 100m sprint where he won a ribbon broke my heart. I was there last year when he just missed out and needed a hug, and this year when he won, I missed it... Missed the little face, the joy and pride... hmmm. Definitely not worth missing...

We are off to Japan on our first 'family' holiday overseas and that is exciting but daunting too... I lay awake at night worrying about the Little Men and how they will behave for us... but I guess at the end of the day, no-one in Japan will remember us, so I will just go with the flow.

Juliette (snake) has shed her skin again! This time a complete shed... it is beautiful! She did such a good job. The first time must have been such a mess because it was her first time and she was still getting used to the process. This one is divine... I would take a piccy of it but have already given it away... to the beautiful people who are going to baby sit her while we are away... they too, will take Rita (the rat)... and that is one important job for the day... getting Rita's travel cage ready for the holiday.  The boys can help me with that...

School holidays is definitely on now... and watching cartoons and I Dream of Jeannie has begun in earnest. Scooters are busy, the swimming pool is being used every day, and the sun is shining every day... it really is wonderful to be a mum here in my home...

I have lots of photos to share and news about so many things... I shall pop them in when I can...

Clubs

"Mum?" The Little Man said to me tonight. "I joined a new club today. It's Chloe's club. She said I could join. It's called the Boring Club or the No Friends Club. I could join because I have no friends. I'm happy to be a member of the club anyway because Chloe makes up nice activities to play."

Obviously my heart broke. The Little Man's Best Friend (BF) has fallen in love (at age 7!) and has no time for The Little Man anymore. At first he was angry and sad and confused, and kept hitting out at him with angry words, but we are getting closer to be understanding of the situation and he is dealing with it better each day.

"I wonder if it is really BF that doesn't like me or is it his girlfriend? I asked Chloe how I could get him (BF) to come back to me. Chloe says I should ask him why he is being so mean to me... I've given him lots of clues about it all, but I think I'll just have to come right out and ask him about it."

I just have to keep my mouth shut. How can I burst a little fellow's bubble when he is so optomistic that his BF will come back to him. At this rate, the BF will feel like the victim of a stalker and never want to be near him again.... Moderation Little Man, moderation.

I have been gardening

I have spent the past two days in the garden. I have had such a lovely time. I finally gave in and went off to the garden store and bought loads of bark for the paths of my little vegie patch. It does look so ordered and neat, cared for and loved. I am so happy with it. I am filled with happiness when I look through the gate from the pool and see that neat little patch I have created. And the few little bits of flowers that I had have spurred me on and I went and bought some more pansies, petunias and the old fashioned violets... Flowers are so pretty... food for the soul...


And the snowpeas are coming along wonderfully... although a bit small, they are there! I never really expected them to come to anything, but the little white flowers are nodding in the sun and the baby peas are popping their heads out from underneath their little white hats... so inspiring, so humbling, so simple...

It doesn't take much to make me smile really...

Harvesting!!!!

OMG! I grew a potato! A whole great big potato! Me?!

I did it... I can't believe it, and when I found it, I ran around like a chook without a head, wondering who on earth I could call who would care?

I tried my The Big Man: had to leave a message!

I tried my Mother: had to leave a message!

OMG! I didn't wash it for days... I sat it on the windowsill in front of the sink and looked at it and looked at it and marveled at it and shook my head at it...

I GREW A POTATO! And not a small one either....

Considering my track record with potatoes, I have done extremely well and I am so proud of myself... a potato!

I can feed my family on that potato. I am a provider! YEP! Not just a huss wife, but a PROVIDER!

Out of the Mouths of Babes

The Little Man was outside drawing on the concrete with chalk... a whole ocean full of sea creatures surrounding the car... I was inside on the couch reading a magazine.

The conversation went like this:

"Mum? What would you prefer? For your mother to die before you knew her, or to watch her die?"

I was stunned. Shocked. A little bit taken aback... was he being a smarty pants? Where did this come from? Such a philosophical question from my little man. I decided to take it further and see how his mind was working.

"Well... that's an amazing question. Where did that questions come from? School?"

"Oh no... I just think about these things sometimes."

"Hmmm.... ok, well, what would the difference be between the two really?

"Well, if my mother died before I knew her, that would be like I was a baby right? So I wouldn't get to know her and what she did and liked and stuff and because I was a baby, it wouldn't matter so much to me because I wouldn't know that she was dead. So my heart wouldn't get broken.

But if I grew up with her and then she got sick and I had to watch her die, my heart would break but I would be happy too because then I would remember her and I could be happy about that."

And then he went off all thoughtful and kept drawing smacks of jellyfish (apparently that is the collective name for jellyfish).

I asked him over breakfast the next day if he had decided which option would be good for him.

"Definitely I would want to know you, so I guess I would just have to be with you when you die."

Camping

And my husband wonders why we go?... why wouldn't we when can wake up to this...


and turn around at any time and be met with wonderful sights like this...


and make and decorate this all by yourselves, and then eat this with gusto because you are 10...


and relax with a friend and chat and while away the hours, drinking cups of tea and coffee, snacking on chippies and chocolate, and making this...


That's why we go camping...

No words today. I am tired, I have put my neck out during the night, I have a huge day ahead of me and I desperately want to be positive at all times, and so instead of my sarcasm and wit, today I am going to be quiet and thoughtful, kind and positive, only uttering warmth and love... gosh... just that is making me sleepy. Could so seriously go back to bed... I am aching for an uninterrupted sleep... no wee wakes, no children on the top step horizon, no barking dogs, no possums chirruping in the trees, no husband cuddling up to my back... How completely selfish of me... what a lucky person I am to have all that... shame on you Mother! Shame shame shame!

Phew!

I was chatting to a friend in the carpark at school. It was almost school pickup time and I was there to get The Little Man, The Middle Man was with me... he had come home early feeling unwell.

Chatting happily away to my friend as we got her baby out of the car, the conversation turned to Swine Flu, as she had a cold and was feeling lousy.

"I just don't want to go to the Doctor! I'm terrified. What if I had it? You know, people are dying from it! A nine year old boy died from it the other day!"

Behind me, in his talking to myself, mumbling voice, I heard The Middle Man say:

"Oh God... Lucky I just turned 10!"

He makes me smile!

OK?

Some things are great! Some things are good. Some things are just OK. Some things are downright unacceptable.

Let's see how we go:

For me, wiping a pooey bottom is OK.
A snotty nose? OK.
Soiled underpants? Difficult, but do-able.
Pet mice that eat each other and need to be disposed of?
Nasty, but can cope, just.
Dog poop on my shoe? Stomach turner, almost throw the shoe away, but with gloves... also do-able.

Dog tongue in my mouth... whether greeting or not greeting?

NEVER OK! NEVER GOOD! NOT ACCEPTABLE!

So, little one, please refrain from sticking that grubby little tongue into your aunty's mouth when she sits down in her chair. You may possibly find yourself flying (yes, I know you don't have any wings) across the room. I am being nice, I am being kind. Consider this your warning.

Hat Head

The Little man has the most amazing head of blonde curls. Even I, the proud mother, gets sick of hearing people go on about the hair. "All the girls are going to looove youuuu!" they say. Not to mention the touching... constant touching... I mean, I touch them all the time, I love them. But at the moment they are mine to touch. I will touch them until he says no, but other people? It's a bit like touching pregnant bellies... it's just not OK.

Anyway, on any given day, especially at the moment as it is really long, his hair looks like this:
And the new front teeth are coming along nicely too by the way, growing incredibly fast.

So, he's in the bathroom getting ready for his bath, when I hear:

"Muuuum? I need privacy. Now!"

Oh dear! I think to myself as I wonder what atrocity is about to be shoved in my face this time. Could be anything?

I walk in, he pushes me aside and shuts the door with gusto: "I don't want The Middle Man to see this. It's just terrible! Look!" and he takes off his peak cap which he has been wearing all afternoon.

"This is a problem. This is what happens every single day after lunch when we get back to the classroom. This is what I look like and I can't take it anymore. I need to know how to fix it!"

This is this:
Severe hat head.

I remember it sooo clearly from my own childhood. I was always told I looked so nice in hats... "You should wear hats more often, they really suit you." but nobody knew that deep inside I hid a tearful secret. I got hat head every time I wore a hat. People with curly hair suffer terribly from hat head. Thinking I had put it to rest and in a box in my past, I hadn't thought about hat head for a long time and now here is this little darling standing in front of me begging for help.

"Mmmmm.... I used to get hat head too when I was a little girl. I used to do this (fluff up my hair) and this (head upside down) or this (put water on my hair and scrunching like mad). There's lots of things you can for hat head. It's a bit like bed head, but it's at a different time of the day."

We played around for a while until he was satisfied that he could do it himself at school, and then he jumped in the bath and washed those curls till they almost fell off his head... shampoo is such great stuff when you're a kid and it's the first bottle that your mum has actually let you use yourself, isn't it?

Dobbing

We are always having lots of conversations about 'dobbing'.

Is it ok to dob?
Why do we dob?
When can we dob?
Who should we dob on?
Is it dobbing or is it being helpful?
Is it dobbing or is it being spiteful?
The list of questions go on and on and on.

So, we are in the car this particular afternoon and The Middle Man says: "I have dog poo on my shoe and it stinks" whilst waving it in the face of The Little Man.

After much giggling and squealing together The Little Man says: "You know, I thought that I trod in dog poo today too. But I didn't. I know that!" with quite a bit of force behind the statement.

"Oh. Really. How do you KNOW that you didn't?" says The Middle Man.

"Well... at first I smelt it on the mat at roll (roll call), and I thought it must be my shoe, so I went outside and cleaned my shoe. And when I came back inside the smell came too. I couldn't figure it out and then I remembered why, it was because Clare Bear was following me."

"WHAT has that got to do with anything pooey?" says The Middle Man indignantly.

"Clare Bare always does some poo in her pants, and so she always smells. Mum? Do you think it would be bad dobbing to tell Mrs P. that Clare has pooed her pants again?"

Lordy lordy lord! "Well, noooo... not really. I guess if you said it very quietly it would be ok. You wouldn't want to hurt poor Clare's feelings and embarrass her in front of everyone." I say diplomatically.

After a bit of thought..."Mmmm... Next time, I think I'll say 'Excuse me Mrs P. I think there is a bad smell following me, and I think it might be Clare.'"

Mum?

The Middle Man is all of 10 years old. After his bath, he came out in his towel and threw this at me:

"Mum? Do you and Dad still have sex?"

Splutter, cough, buying for time... what can I say? How can I say it? Why is The Big Man in India?

"Well... yes, we do."

"OOOOH!" shock horror on his face... "WHY?" Incredulous.

"Well, you just don't have sex to make babies, you can keep on doing it if it makes you both feel nice, and so lots of people do it after the babies are born... it's nice." Hoping, hoping, hoping this is enough information to get me through this night!

"Do old people do it?"

"Oh yes," I reply, quite flip and casual. "All kinds of people do it... old people, younger people, all sorts of people." I splutter as I realise that by saying young people to a 10 year who takes everything literally could be kinda bad.

"OK. Thanks." And off he goes to play cars with his brother.

GULP!

I almost burst today

We were working in the garden, well... I was working in the garden, the kids were trying to look busy... and we heard the dear old Mr Whippy song coming down the road. The Middle Man popped up in front of me, wallet in hand, and said "I'd like to buy everyone an ice-cream mum?"

WOW! This has never happened before! Offering to spend his money on us all... I said yes for him and The Little Man, purely for that fact... the sharing, caring and brotherly love. Off they ran to the other side of the road and I watched them as they stood patiently on the kerb waiting for the van to reach them. They looked so gorgeous. So innocent and eager... I literally couldn't have smiled harder had I tried. I was smiling on the inside, outside, eyes, mouth, cheeks, everywhere! It was soooo lovely to see, particularly because I am one of 'those mothers' who doesn't usually let the kids have a Mr Whippy Ice Cream thinking them full of crap and rubbish. Would much rather take them to a proper Ice Creamery and get the real thing. So it was incredibly exciting for them and The Middle Man felt very grown up shouting The Little Man and being 'the one' to ask for it all.

"I asked the man for two frosty, icy, slushy, ground up icy drinks please. And the man said "Yes, indeedy me, you definitely can have one of those each!"

All was well, until about half an hour into it, and The Middle Man decided that The Little Man would have to pay him back the $3 the Icy, Frosty Slushy Thing cost.

Oh... all out shoulders dropped, I was so disappointed in him, and The Little Man felt ripped off, "I wouldn't have had one if I'd had to pay for it MYSELF!" he says indignantly.

And it was such a good feeling, that smiling moment I had. The sun was shining on my face, I was SMILING! I don't smile much these days, it felt GOOD! We love the story The Good Humour Man. It's a Little Golden Book and we love it... always have... the boys hearing about the creamy, frosty, coconut swirls, and pineapple twirls and raspberry, strawberry, blueberry pops. It was just one of those Good Humour days...

Only when the last tree dies,
the last river is poisoned
and the last fish is caught,
will we realise we can't eat money.

Goodbye Daddy

Well before my birthday we farewelled Daddy on his exciting trip to India... camping, motorbiking through the Indian mountains (the Himalayas?). Should have studied geography, I was a history girl.

Two days before he was to jet off, The Big Man (Daddy) broke his finger being a bloke playing footy. Index finger, left hand. Off he trots to the hospital 48 hours AFTER the incident after realising it might be just a little worse than he anticipates and that the medical assistance in India may be somewhat harder to organise (#@#$U$#U????), and he returns with a cast from fingers to elbow. I cracked up. What else could I do? Too funny by far...

However The Big Man was very confident that 'they' would call him on the morrow to make an appointment for the surgeon to remove a tiny piece of floating bone that may (or may not) lodge in between the two knuckle bones and cause serious deformity.

I just smirked on the inside at that... heavens above... public hospital system... For Heaven's Sake... they took 5 days to operate on my mother's broken wrist... who was going to 'call' him and offer him service...

Well, luckily I hadn't been wearing a hat when I was smirking or I would have had to have eaten it! They did call, the surgeon did operate, the half arm cast became a finger cast and off The Big Man flew to India no worse off really than before the unfortunate sporting injury.

WHERE WOULD YOU READ ABOUT THAT? The public health system actually being pro-active, actually making something happen in a regular time frame... Go figure... I put it down to the fact that The Big Man has the gift of the gab and can sell spice to the indians.

Anyway, meanwhile The Little Man was busy busy busy in front of the heater (I thought for warmth, but later realised it was to soften the wax) making a goodbye picture for Daddy. So thoughtful. It is a tree with a bird's nest (3D) and a bird, a bridge, with Daddy on it, Nike shirt and all, with a shark circling in the water...

"Oh, I just can't wait any longer. I HAVE to give it to him!"


The Big Man accepted it quite graciously, in view of the fact that he was still packing and it was 9 at night, leaving in the morning and being shadowed by The Middle Man. I would have accepted the artwork with a lot more finesse and fuss, but The Big Man did a good job. We now have a breadboard in the bedroom with a 3D picture of wax that falls off each time we hold it vertical. Yep, so another dust gatherer enters our bedroom, like there isn't enough dust gatherers in my bedroom anyway. I think the dust monkeys could actually support my weight now... (I'm not a fan of dusting, or mopping, or vacuuming, or.... any of it... it just comes back!)

It's my birthday!

And there has been so much preparation for it... The Little Man has spent many hours on the phone to Aunty finalising the copy for his amazingly heartfelt card. And after all that, the little darling, did it all upside down, and back-to-front, BUT, for the first time in a LOOOOONG time, he laughed about it instead of having one of his famous hissy fits! Oh! What a birthday present!!! Brilliant. Is it the light at the beginning of the tunnel...

Aunty took them shopping yesterday and they painstakingly chose a new Pandora bead for me each. The Middle Man was sure that I would have a 'special feeling about this bead, as special as the feeling he has had about it... a connection Mum'. How thoughtful. His bead is the little monkey mother holding her baby... the baby is him.

The Little Man chose the little birdy for me. So nice. I like the birdy and the front of his upside down card was a blue wren, so he did well and was very pleased with all of his matching-ness.

They are now going mental letting of steam as they practically kill each other.

We are off to the chocolate shop for morning tea... yum! Shame about the diet, but hey, a liquid chocolate hot chocolate... that's enough I reckon.

Happy Birthday to me!

P.S. so much more to talk about, but with school holidays they hover all day... oh no... an injury... nope, laughing again... later

They're here!

"Middle Man? Can you please fill up the hot water bottles in the GP cage?"

"Sure Mum"

Out he goes and in about two seconds I hear:

"Oh My God! MUUUUM! She's had them!!!! The Guinea Pig has had her babies."

We all run out to have a look, and yes... it was an OMG moment!

Four gorgeous babies, all still wet and a little bloody, mother GP busy licking them clean and busily nosing them around.

The Little Man could not work out WHY are babies so amazing! Of course! He has had baby animals around him all the time. Even now, I am thoroughly in awe of this process. These little darlings are beautiful. I mean BEAUTIFUL! They have the BIGGEST ears... I am sure they will grow into them, but they are so big. They are just so soft and oh... so cute.

I want to tell the world! It makes me so happy.

Hangin' around

Here is Rita just hanging around. We had to take this photo as I just love Rita's little hind legs. They are so cute and very expressive when she is in this position. She can sit like this for ages, and when I pat her head she falls asleep like this... She came camping with us in her little travel cage. I don't know if she had a good time, we haven't really talked about it yet, but she did enjoy the insides of many boys' pockets. That is always good for a rat... other people's lint is an eternal interest for her I am sure.

She did have a small wander around on the ground, very tentatively until I rescued her, after being reminded by a fellow camper that the crows were circling...

Lordy Lordy Lordy

For those of you who did not believe me when I said that the Mother Guinea Pig is HUGE, here is a photo of her absolutely busting belly. When we put her on her back like this, she just stays there, she cannot roll over, she cannot move. The poor darling. She is so full her tummy is tight, like tight, like a drum!

She has to go soon... she has to. Every morning, every lunch, every afternoon, I race out to see if she is a mother again, but no... nothing. I turn away from the hutch downhearted and disappointed... spend a bit of time worrying about her thinking I should take her to the vet to get them out. She HAS to have them soon. We are going camping soon. She can't have them while we are away. That would be rotten luck!

Busted

Me and my big mouth!

During a chat last night, I let it slip that I blog. Oh OHHH! No-one knows I blog really, only family, my few OS mates and my two followers (tee hee). Kind of embarrrassing to admit that you blog. Who blogs? I mean really, who READS other people's blogs, apart from me that is?

I love reading other people's blogs. I do get attached to some people, but really the only one that REALLY moves me is NieNie. I sooo look forward to her posts.

So anyway, I will send the link to my dear friend (you know who you are) and hope that she doesn't tease me when she looks at my blog. Blogging is just one tiny part of me. There are so many other parts too. The crafty part, the mother part, the beastly tantruming part, the wife part, the animal lover part... too many parts really... no wonder my head is always scrambled.

And, so to finish with a visual, here is a picture of The Little Man's hands proudly displaying the mandarin peel that he removed IN ONE PIECE! Wahoo! Clever dude!

Distracted

You know you are distracted when you go make a call on your mobile and it is the garage remote. Duh!

Besties

This morning The Little Man whispered in my ear as he walked past.

"You... are... my... best... F.R.E.N.D!" Big smile on his face.

"Shhh... you have to whisper so that The Big Man and The Middle Man don't get upset that I didn't pick them."

My heart burst with happiness.

Mother Guinea

Mother Guinea is going to pop soon. Any day now there will be a new family photo on here and her little darlings will be running around the cage... so exciting. We have been putting old milk bottles filled with hot water in at night for them. They all huddle around and keep warm together... But they keep on eating their bedding. I keep telling them to stop it, don't they realise they are eating their blankets... how much variety do they need in their diet... grains, carrots, celery, capsicum, fresh grass, hay, shredded paper, salt licks... I am missing some vital piece of information.

Tunnels

Have you ever felt like you are in a tunnel? A long tunnel? A dark tunnel? A never ending tunnel of stuff? And at the end of the tunnel there is sunlight and laughter and happiness, but it just doesn't matter how hard you try, you just can't make that final step that will actually propel you out of the darkness and into the light...

Some days my tunnel is long, but some days it is short and other days there are no tunnels at all...

Life is good thought whatever size the tunnel...

Mortified

Middle Man is mortified... MORTIFIED!

We have a dear friend who cuts all of our hair and because of our kids' extra activities it took a while to organise the time together to actually make it happen. It just happened that the day The Middle Man's class got yet another nit note home, is the day that we cut all his hair off... it was bad enough that he had short hair, and it felt funny, and I don't like it, it's too short etc etc etc, but to then realise the next morning as he is getting ready for school...

"OMG! Everyone will think I was the one with the nits because I've had all my hair cut off! OMG! Can I stay home today? DO I have to go to school today? OMG. OMG. OMG! Muuuummm!"

That's right. Because it was all my fault. Yep. I calculated the whole thing. I planted the nits in the other childs' hair, I wrote the note, I probably held a stick sharpened earlier on a stone to the Deputy's head to make her sign the note, I even organised the fated hair cut.

It's official. I don't mean to be a nitpicker, but when you look at all the clues logically, it was me, it had to be, didn't it?

And so...

Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels. [Hebrews 13:2]

And that is a good lesson for my boys to have seen. Mummy spoke to a 'bikie dude'... gasp!! shock!! horror!!

But guess what? He is a lovely bikie dude. He is kind and sincere, he loves his snakes, he is humane to the rats, he loves gardening, he loves a chat...

And so it showed my boys that we can never read a book by it's cover, that good people are everywhere, dressed in anything at any time... that we just have to look hard enough and make a bit of an effort ourselves to find the treasures that are out there in this world.

We are all so full of the dangers of life for our kids these days (and rightly so) but in the right circumstances, in safe places, and with responsibility, respect and genuine interest we can find angels among us.

Introducing... Juliette

Hatched in February, Juliette is the latest addition to our family.

Measuring in a tiny 46cm, she is the most beautiful creature we have so far. She resides in the master bedroom in a lovely timber box, glass fronted of course. Sporting a paler colouring, she was chosen from a box of many snapping little brothers and sisters.

Spending her day curled up on her log, or sliding gracefully over her stones and marbles, she is a quite, amazing girl.

Juliette is a Coastal Carpet Snake. She will grow and grow and grow and when she is big enough, she will go outside into a purpose built aviary type thing specially for her. She comes out of her box twice a day to wrap her tail around my fingers, or the fingers of The Big, Middle or Little Man.

I love Juliette. As The Middle Man would say "She rocks my world."

Introducing... RITA

How could a rat not be named Rita? Such a perfect name for a perfect little house guest. Along with her adoptive sister Chanel, Rita (at a young one month old) has joined the household quietly and easily with a minimum of fuss.

Enjoying carrots, pumpkin and rockmelon, Rita seems to be a lover of all things orange. She even graces us with little (no... large) orange nuggets. Rita is a pleasure to have around. With her sister, she tends to spend half an hour eating, and then 4 hours sleeping, day and night. She can often be found nestled in her tea bag box full of alpaca fur, and promptly yawns on being woken up.

Not shy at all, Rita (and Chanel) walk calmly onto the author's hand when the door is opened. Friendly, dear little creatures...

Welcome to our house.

Introducing... CHANEL

So named because of her distinctive outfit of black and white. In a soft fabric that hugs the curves of her juvenile body, this stylish number is a must this winter. Sporting a black mask, hat and shoulder wrap, Chanel's spinal stripe makes her a number one contender for Fashion Week awards this year. Working well in a small cage environment, she is a leader in all things fashion.

So much to tell...

So much has happened since I last blogged.

It's amazing how fast things happen. I felt a bit saddened by all the events that I just didn't have the heart to blog about it all.

We are over (semi) the death of the baby GP. We have moved on from the sea snake and we have accepted the 'circle of life'. Everyone is OK with it, except The Big Man who got very angry and distressed when I accidentally and completely unknowingly let a litter of mice be tormented by the Girls (dogs). Not knowing they were there in the box, I was cleaning out the cage and thought they were just sniffing at the scent of mice, when in reality, they were pawing at them, trying to get them out... My beautiful weak-bellied neice found two on the ground, passed away and the remaining four in the box, all eyes shut and helpless. It was an awful moment.

I could have dissolved into sorrow and self loathing, but I just got on with it... re-uniting Mama Mouse and babies, removing the bodies of all deceased... I am an example of what to do and how to behave... I cannot collapse every time something bad goes happens. Of course, on the inside I felt sick to the stomach. Once again, little lives lost at my hand, which just concreted the decision I had made prior...

The boys and I had been at the pet shop looking for a treadmill for the GP's. We have decided to keep them... well... most of them. I had bought a new double decker 'Swiss Chalet' and set it up in the pool area (DOG SAFE) just outside the kitchen window so I can see them as I work. In the mornings, they play tiggy and tear up and down the ramp, squealing at each other... at least I THINK they are playing, maybe they are harrassing each other? hadn't thought of that... hmmmm... Mama GP is getting fatter every day and slower I guess, although she does join in on the games.

So... because they are no longer on grass, I thought it would be a good idea to get them a treadmill... and as we were looking, I struck up a conversation with a man who was quite close to us checking out the mouse food... Now being a typical looking 'bikie dude' I couldn't myself and ask him if he had a pet mouse "You don't actually look like you would be the type to have a pet mouse?"

I turned out that he breeds rats to feed to his snakes which he also breeds. The conversation go bigger and longer and oh so interesting and before long, we had swapped numbers and we were going over to see his snakes and to swap our 17 mice for 2 (yes... just TWO) baby rats. Apparently rats are not smelly, very clean and good little pets. The boys agreed to all of this knowing that the mice were going to end up in the belly of a snake but I kept checking and they both said "It's the circle of life mum".

Flat Rock

We went camping the afternoon of the funeral service which was good because it took the heat off the death and gave us a break from the dogs... THOSE DOGS! I kept telling The Big Man that they 'are your dogs, not mine', a bit like when the kids are really naughty and they suddenly did not exit my body, but miraculously are his only.

With 8 families in total and 16 kids it was a brilliant way to wash away all the sadness. The Little Men had a ball, in fact, I hardly saw them. Rock pooling, sand dune jumping, kite flying, football, eating, swinging, showering, spotlighting... oh so much to do and so many people to do it with.

We stayed on a few days after everyone left and were lucky enough to find a yellow bellied sea snake on the high tide mark. It was tired and was resting... thank heaven it moved it's head as I bent down to pick it up (I thought it was a rubber snake). It was so beautiful. Brilliantly coloured.

We got a stick and began to drag/flick it down to the water, but he wouldn't go in, too exhausted... it had been storming the night prior and he was just plum tuckered. It filled in an hour and we feel soooo lucky to have seen this amazing thing... The boys are still talking about it and The Little Man even dragged a huge animal book in for Show and Tell (or Public Speaking as they say in the Private Schools! @$#@%#). Imagine the disappointment in the afternoon when he drags the book back again telling me they missed out on Show and Tell this week because of some other extra activity. Poor kid, his bag was soooo heavy. I'd be pee'd off too if I had to cart that thing around for a day for nothing.

Complaints

There have been some complaints about my last post... mostly that I have left you all in the lurch about what is happening in our GP focused world.

We had the burial service the next morning, after spending that night relocating the remaining GP's to the spare bathrooms' shower recess. They are safe there, a barrier of glass provides them with safety and the dogs can look and quiver some more. They are still hiding under their house, but they are getting more comfortable with it all.

We buried the baby in a tyre in the vegetable patch. Our plan is to plant a pretty flower in there soon and remember him/her that way. It was a hard thing to do for the Little Men, but they made me proud and did all they could to help the process along.

Previously on 'The Animal Chronicles', we had another dog attack victim who passed into the next land. It was a mouse baby who stuck it's head out of the wire cage to have a sniff and had it half bitten off by Ruby... so distressing for The Middle Man... that one took me a long time to talk around... We had a memorial service that night. The Little Man forced us to light every candle in the house and we all had to stand in silence and honour the tiny life the mousey baby had had.

One starts to wonder sometimes why it is that we continually give life to other little creatures, to have them die suddenly at the hands (or paws) of our other pets. Shouldn't we be doing a better job of protecting these little beings? Am I a bad person? All these deaths kind of get to me sometimes, but in a few months I will be getting ready to do it all again. There is something wrong with that... do I not value the life of an animal enough, no matter how small?

Hmmm... so the long shot of it all is that we are now going to get rid of the GP's full stop! I cannot live with this stress anymore. It is just too awful to never know when I will walk out and find them cowering under their boxes as they wait for the dogs to dig a big enough hole to get to them... etc etc...

I found a home for two of them, a mother and daughter couple... I cannot yet give away the mother and baby as I don't know yet if baby is a boy or girl. If it is a boy it will no doubt be bonking his mother at the earliest opporunity. That is what has happened to the mother I was going to give away this weekend... her son had squeeeeeezed into her cage the morning I took him to the pet shop and had 'done' his mother. She is now pregnant with her own grandchildren... OMG! I can't give someone 2 GP's, and then have them morph into 4 or 5 in a couple of weeks time... that would be so not cool!

Yesterday...

the dogs got into the GP's cage and killed one of the babies... the one with the white face. We are still in shock and mourning... Cannot speak (or write) about it at the moment, it is too awful.
Say a little prayer for the little darling... they were only playing with it, they didn't know...

The New Family

6.20am... I secretly squint to see who is standing beside my bed breathing rather heavily. It is The Little Man. He has been told just the night before to stop waking people up. Perhaps he is trying a new mind over matter strategy.

6.30am... The Little Man leaves, clomping down the stairs... no doubt in the hope of waking me up that way.

6.50am... Up and at em'. Into the shower, out, dressed, hair, face etc.

7.20am... The Middle Man stumbles from the bedroom all mussy and cute... and warm... oh so warm... and cuddly.

7.30am... "OMG! Mum! Mum! The Guinea Pig has had her babies."

We all rush outside and start lifting lids on the Pig Hotels and find two of the most adorable little creatures... OMG Mother Nature is just so divine... I am in love again... They are sooo beautiful! But we must get to school...


oh dear... we cannot concentrate on anything else now... oh.... did I say 'we'? I meant ME. I cannot concentrate on anything at all... they are beautiful! Last night they were in mum's tummy and today they are out and about, living life and as my sister says "Ready for school!" It's amazing! They have claws so long... her insides must be all scratched. Dear dear little feet. All pink and new and unstained.

Questions...

Today I took the kids to the shops (yes... now I remember why I don't take them to the shops), and the kids were asking so many questions...

"Can I have this jacket? What is this? If he is getting a jacket, then can I have a new shirt? What does this do? How does that work? Why is that lady going before us? We were here first."

I actually felt like at any moment a huge banner was going to burst from the ceiling, music would blast, a brass band would start marching through the store and a lady in a tight dress, with curled hair and red lipstick would shout "Congratulations Maam! You are the winner. Your child has just asked the 1 millionth question in this store today!!! How do you feel?"

"Oh! um... well... I know they ask lots of questions, but really, I did nothing... I just grunted at them a few times... really.... Oh... where is the camera? Hi... yes, aren't they just the most adorable little boys? Uh huh... I love it when they ask questions... it just shows me they have an inquiring mind. I mean, if they were vegetables and didn't ask any questions, I know I would be sad. Here, here... this is my best side..."

But then, I pay, I gather the belongings and we fight out the door as they scramble for their jackets, and in my head I hear a little "Bah Bumb!". I didn't win a thing... it was all in my imagination. I wasn't on the news... I wasn't in the paper. I haven't done anything remarkable today at all...

Oh, except give a 9 year old and a 7 year old a huge hug and told them I loved them more than anything else in the whole wide world. That's enough!

A three dog life

I love this book. I cannot put it down...

It is beautifully written, and for me, it is like she talking to me. I keep on smiling as I read it and I have to look around to see if anyone is looking at me (but then I remember... oh yeah... no-one is bothered about me... I am just living my life and everyone else is living theirs).

It has also made some things OK for me. Certain things in my life that I had thought frivolous or silly, or selfish or whatever, I feel differently about them now... I love it... I love her... I wish I was in the same country and I would go to a reading or something...

Read it everyone... I am sure there is something in it for everyone.

So exciting

The little mice babies have opened their eyes this morning. Yesterday they were all sucking madly (and blindly) on mother's teats as she tried desperately to get out the door of their nursery, and this morning I can see bright little eyes, all pink and shiny in there. I know there are at least 3 in there. I have seen one black and two white. I wonder how many more are in there...

And the guinea pig has STILL not had her babies. I really and truly thought that she would have had them 4 days ago, when I brought her inside and gave her clean sheets each day. She seems to be getting smaller... perhaps her body is digesting the babies... urgh... I still check on her every day but have given up checking on her every hour in the hope that the little ones have arrived.

Unfortunately both Frank and Dash have been taken to the pet shop. No more babies and no MORE FIGHTS! I can't take all the fighting amongst brothers... my little human boys are enough to contend with, let alone GP arguments. They got quite fierce towards the end, up on hind legs, teeth bared etc... nasty.

So... yep, both gone... and the little beggars, at the pet shop they were so quite and cuddly and snuggly. Actors!

Michael Finnigan...

"... along came the wind and blew them in again
Poor old Michael Finnigan, begin again!"

The Little Man was very eager to get those stitches out and so off he went, back to the hospital with The Big Man to do the deed. Returned home with stitches (and bits of skin) in a little jar, proudly showing the world.

Unfortunately 6 hours later we were back there... getting re-stitched. Poor Little Man had just given it a bit of a scratch as he hopped into bed, felt that it was different, felt the blood pouring out and immediately came screaming from his bedroom. Off we go again.

But he was sooo good at the hospital. This time we had to wait and so we sat in the waiting area and he read to me (I had taken readers to pass the time) about Peter and Jane and their dog Pat. He read better than any other time before, I think it was because he had an audience (all the other poor unfortunates in the waiting room). They had read the whole 3 magazines available and were looking at everyone who arrived with great interest.

So we obliged and gave them something to concentrate on rather than on their injuries.

The silver lining in this little cloud for The Little Man... he now only had 4 stitches instead of 5! Here's hoping that next week we do the same thing (not) and get 3, and then 2 and then 1! Could be a bit expensive!

Cops and Robbers

Ever been playing Cops and Robbers? Had your hands handcuffed behind your back? Had a bigger brother on your back forcing you down?

The Little Man and The Middle Man were playing that wonderful game yesterday when it all got a bit real (or surreal?) and The Little Man ended up splitting his chin... Poor little thing.

So brave, although when the doctor mentioned stitches, his little face dissolved and the tears just poured forth. But he was so strong. I could see him digest the information, then take a deep breath and he got on with it... luckily we had a nice doctor who gave him some gas first to take the anxiety away a bit.

He now sports 5 beautifully stitched sutures and that pleasant white bandage which will be black? by Sunday when we have to return to have the stitches out. Looking forward to that gradual colour change... Nothing better than a week old bandaid on your face of all places.

Anyway, The Middle Man was just as traumatised (well, not AS bad) and the enormity of his roughness sank in about 8pm that night when he couldn't sleep for all the images of The Little Man in the hospital. It's at times like those when I realise that I have done a good job so far with them. His bravado and ease of dealing with it was all a show... inside he was feeling lowly and bad for hurting his brother... even though it was an accident.

I thought that maybe... @#@$#$#... no... silly me... they are fighting again on the way to school. It was a pleasant thought while I had it... no worries, I'll just go back to daydreaming that the whole house was clean...

Beautiful colours

I have finally finished the dyeing of all the linen... what a job... and glad that it is over... not the best dye job in the world, but at least now I know that THAT is NOT what I want to spend my life doing... boring... but the colours are beautiful...

Clean the toilet boys

At our house there is a constant stream of toilet talk... honestly it does my head in... bottoms, willy wonkas, poo, wee, spit... ohhh... it is endless... but I guess living with three little boys I have to expect that... Perhaps one day they will all get over it. The eldest one though is at an age where he should really have passed it, but it keeps on entertaining him... hmmmm...

Mum! He's pulling my wonka!

See how high you can pee! I bet I can pee higher!

Ohhh Muuum! He's just wee'd in the bath again!

I really don't recall little girls being like that, but perhaps we were... who would know... but it was quite funny the other day as The Big Man has quite a strict regime regarding the toilet.

Put the seat down... and the lid... don't forget the lid.

This toilet smells like a public toilet boys. It's revolting. You need to flush more often!

Then there is me in the meantime, still stuck in the water saving period of my life, telling them:

"If it's yellow, let it mellow.
If it's brown, flush it down!"

The poor kids don't know which way is up (or down).

So, one particular day, The Big Man comes home and fair blasts a hole in the wall with his fury about the stinkin' toilet.

You can't expect your mother to clean that all the time... wee all over the place... it's disgusting. Little Man, you can do it!

Well, to his credit, Little Man accepted the challenge head on.

OK Daddy! and off he went to get prepped. I did not expect him to return so well prepared. Wish I had thought of it... might actually use it from now on...

He is such a trick of a kid.

Couch Potatoes

Just look at these two! Would you believe I took this photo at about 8am. They had been asleep all night and now they are just taking it easy, laying back on the couch. That's Ava on the right: on her back ... again! Legs spread, relaxa-dog, never feels vulnerable in whatever position she's in. And little Ruby is all tucked up in a ball on the left there. That is typical Ruby... always a tight little ball of energy, even when relaxing.

Loom Views

Am slowing getting there with the threading of the heddles. It is a back breaking job, but will be well worth it when I am finished. Mum has finished hers! I am jealous! The colours are so beautiful. I am really pleased so far.

So far, so good... Fingers crossed for me.

A gift

On Easter Saturday, The Big Man went and collected the eggs and in the nest, this is what he found. Instead of the customary 6 eggs, all similar in size, he found these delightful eggs given to us by the chooks, especially for Easter I reckon.

A shining EGGsample of the diversity in our world, in our own backyards. The big egg weighs in at a whopping 92kg. Roxy laid this egg. Roxy is the poor chicky babe who got attacked by Harry (way back then). She has no tail and I strongly suspect, no parson's nose either, and so whopping eggs are easy for her to lay. Next comes the 55g egg which the other ladies lay, no big deal there, but the little tiny one... 15 grams. Can't believe it! Dying to crack it and see what's inside. Would love to serve it up as a fried egg on toast and see what The Middle Man says.

It feels empty! But the shell feels very thick compared to the others... but I don't want to crack it either because it's so gorgeous.

We are all wondering who laid it, and I am secretly giggling thinking of her laying it, then squawking to let everyone know, then hopping up and leaving the nest with her head held high. Did she look back and see the tiny egg? or was she the last to know? and did the other chooks tease her about it?

My neice almost vomited at the thought of the whole process. She has a very light head for bodily functions... but I love it... love the chooks for giving us these beautiful eggs for breakfast, lunch and tea...

The Easter Bunny

The Easter Bunny comes tonight. He will no doubt jump over the back fence and crash into something or other that the kids have left out in the garden. He will clatter down the driveway and bang into the back door, which we lock every night, and then finally he will figure out that he has to use the doggy door if he has any hope of entering the house.

Once in he will probably be licked to death by Ava and Ruby, then just as he is drying off, he will trip over the couch (I rearranged today and he won't be expecting the couch to be there!) and all his eggs will smash to a million pieces... and in all the kerfuffle he will look up in shock and horror as a light switches on and the boys stand face to face with him... Aha... finally the Easter Bunny... caught red handed... stealing into our house at night, leaving us sweet treats... just so that Mum and Dad could bribe us all week into good behaviour... blast you dear Easter Bunny, blast you!

Actually, he will come gently through the front gate, skipping up the path with a little basket over his floppy little wrist, get the spare key from the special Easter Bunny Hiding Spot and enter the house, sneak into the kids rooms... only has to enter one, they have snuck into The Middle Man's room to sleep together (I think The Little Man was secretly a little bit scared of some weird bunny coming into his room... wouldn't you be?) and leave lovely chocolate eggs to be oohed and aahed over in the morning.

No doubt I will wake to a fight or too, and will stumble downstairs with serious bed head to find my Two Little Men with chocolate moustaches and beards... that would be the same kids who will say to me: "I didn't eat any chocolate... Uhuh... not me!"

And so begins the sugar rich crazy day called Easter Sunday. All mothers (and fathers) secretly cast spells so that the time goes faster, so that the minutes are halved and so that little sugar stuffed angels are in bed and dreaming chaotic dreams by seven. Here's hoping for a pleasant and peaceful day...

Wonder if he'll come to me... doubt it... the little grot.

Easter Hat Parades

I just love the Easter Hat Parade! The sea of little faces, all topped with the colourful and amazingly decorated hats... it makes me smile so hard... Even when I can't see my own child, I am still happy as I watch all those proud little peoeple showing off their masterpieces and singing their much rehearsed songs. Little arms all moving in time to the music and their little faces looking around in wonder at us all gathered around them, clamouring for a look at our 'own'.

Then, to find out that The Little Man has begun the parade in the front line but has wriggled back to get out of the limelight! I was shattered as I hadn't been able to get a good look, nor a good photo... but whatever makes him happy I guess.

As soon as the Parade is over, the little ones make their way back to class, but... "What's this on the ground? ... (silence)... And more on the steps?!" The Easter Bunny has made footprints all the way back to their classroom... oh... and filled their little baskets that have been so lovingly made and left so neatly in the middle of their desks. My goodness... the excited squeals as they tear up the stairs following the footprints... It must be a great feeling for those kids out of the bigger classes who get to do that for the little ones.

And finally I get a photo of The Little Man... but of course I can't show you his face on television...