Baking

We're off camping this weekend, and so I am baking up a storm: apple cake, jaffa friands, zuchinni slice, spaghetti bolognaise, creamy rice, bread rolls and a loaf of bread too.

Got the radio on the old fashioned station: "I remeeeemmber youuuuu", and I am happy as a pig in mud. Been a long time.

Without trying to sound negative, I just KNOW that when I get home with the kids, they are going to say "What's to eat Mum?" and then they will like nothing that I have cooked.

Well, poo to you... eat it or starve. Got a roof over yer heads, warm clothes and food in yer bellies. Be happy to be alive and going camping... yay.

Everybody loves Thursdays

On Thursday I take the girls to school with me. This is the one day that I KNOW I just drop off and then go home again. So the girls get to come for the ride.

They look forward to Thursdays. I shake my keys and say "GIIIRLS!" and they know. So cute. The boys love having them in the car and like to put the windows down so that the air gets on their faces.

But this morning, Ruby wouldn't get out of the car when I got home.? Go figure that one out. I mean REALLY wouldn't get out. She kept moving away from me when I tried to grab her. In the end I had to leave the door open and just go inside. Bizzaro!

Celebrations

Sometimes when you are eight it is just time to celebrate. Celebration means so many things. This particular day meant drinking out of a silver goblet, with a custom cut straw and a chunk of orange on the side. Sipped (all at once!) throughout the meal (and whilst doing homework) this is a great way to celebrate...? life, living, being alive...

Turning 21

The first of my neices has turned 21! I don't really remember when she was born, but I remember all the rest... it makes me feel old, but a good old. I can't believe that all that time has gone by... where did it go? what have I been doing? Oh... that's right, having my own kids and all the other things that make life. How could I forget.

Now she is a grown up and doing all the things that I used to do, living in the same city I lived in, flatting with friends, having a life that is full and independent. It seems like only yesterday that it was me. Yet, here I am with a 10 and 8 year old, an ever expanding tummy and a headache... I am old, well.. middle aged... and that's OK.

Out of the mouths...

The Middle Man shared some news with me in the car going to school.

"Did you know that butterflies only have a certain number of flaps before they die?

"Yep, once they've used them all up, they die. Imagine that... imagine having, like, 10 flaps left and thinking "I better use these ones really well cause I'm about to die!"

Utterly GROSS!

The end of week 2 and look at it. 

So gross. What is it? How can it be possible to not change in any way. The only difference this week is that there are a few bits of dust on it. Dreadful. 

I'm going to chuck it today. And vow never to eat margarine. Ever...

Caring

One of our neighbours is unwell and will be for a long time yet. It's so hard when you are not overly close to someone but you want to care and do something. There are so many family members coming and going it really isn't our place to add to the mix. So this afternoon I will send the boys in with this bunch of flowers for her. I took so long choosing. I really didn't want an 'organised' bunch, but by choosing the hydrangeas I kind of took that away... they are so round and perfect in their little bunches themselves it is impossible to not have an 'organised' posy. But with the help of the lovely ladies, we mixed them with these beautiful dusky pink Lissy's, tied with raffia so not too fussy and I am happy with the result. She will be able to just plop them into a jug and not worry about them.

Look who joined us for breakfast

Got Juliette out this morning  while I was making lunches etc, and she eventually left me and slithered all over the counter as the kids ate their brekky. So quiet. Just before I took this photo she was drinking the water out of the glass... looked so cool.  Just ever tentatively touching the water and taking back long draughts, but again, so silent. She is getting a lot bigger now. I weighed her too this morning... 118 grams. About 50 gms since November.

Margarine – Day 6

If I hadn't done it, I wouldn't have believed it.

It has not changed colour.

It has not changed consistency.

It has attracted no animals, not even insects.

It has no smell.

I am gob smacked and I think it is disgusting that people think it is an alternative!

Collections

Which reminds me! I used to collect Smurfs when I was a kid. I still have them somewhere... I will dig them out and have some fun with them... surely there must be something I can do with them, and their mushroom house...

Bandages

Remember oh so long ago when The Big Man broke his finger and had? to go to India all bandaged and sore... well, the story is still going on.

Today he is off at the local hospital having that very same finger operated on. Lots of scar tissue has caused the finger to not bend completely and so, because The Big Man wants his finger to bend properly, he is letting people cut his finger open and fiddle around in there. Go figure!

He was completely not fussed about the whole thing. I, of course, am envious because I crave the deeeeeep sleep he will be getting. I just hope he doesn't come home all "woe is me". You know what men are like when they have a cold... imagine the possibilities if they have a sore finger!

Oh... and I forgot to mention that he thinks he is going to play football tomorrow night! The mind boggles, it really does!

Oh dear

The Middle Man is desperately needing some independence at the moment. We are at crisis point actually, so yesterday afternoon I let them go across to the park to play. About an hour later, imagine my surprise? when they called me over to have a look at the amazing work they had done along with our Little Neighbour from next door.

Lots of tools were scattered around, along with a great big digger truck, and they had successfully dug a hole at the foot of the slippery dip ladder, with a castle next to it, complete with moat. They had gone so far down that there was actually water in the moat! The Little Neighbour had run home for more water to fill the moat - a whole cup full!

Added this wonderful work, they had used all the sand out of the hole to completely cover the slippery dip in a layer of sand aproox 15cm deep. What a fantastic find if you wanted to bring your toddler along for a slide. What a wonderful feeling to find this when you are your wits end and the park is your saviour.

Oh, my Little Men surpassed themselves. So proud of themselves, I couldn't ask them to undo it all and thought I should just go over to the park after they had gone to sleep, but oops I forgot to do that. Hmmm....

One good deed...

This morning as I was in the chemist waiting to be served, a friend of mine was buying something and was 95 cents short. She hadn't noticed I was behind her yet, and so it was quite nice for me to say "I will pay the difference for you." She turned around and was so thankful. She had pain and needed the painkillers she was buying.

Vowing to pay me back asap, I followed her outside to go and get a cuppa while I waited for my prescription to be filled. Next thing I know, she trots into the coffee shops, orders me a coffee on her account as thankyou for my kind deed.

I now have renewed faith in the goodness of human beans.  Thankyou.

Ahhh.... Fresh Air

Ruby has just discovered the beauty of an open window. Both the girls, Ava and Ruby tend to sit on the seat next to me and stare intently at me in order to NOT miss out on a pat if my hand comes remotely close to them.

I have always wondered why they never had their faces out of the window like every other dog in the world. Well, today my little Rube finally discovered how blissfully aromatic the air is out there. The whole way home she balanced carefully on the seat, only just tall enough for her chin to reach, she did a splendid job.

She gave me a filthy look when I put the window up when we got home too...

So nice... and refreshing

 

When I see things like this, it makes me happy that there are still some people in the world who understand the innocence of childhood. How gorgeous is the artwork and their music is lovely too. None of this hip jiggling, sexy move stuff that so many of our little darlings imitate from the adults in our world. Head on over to reneeandjeremy.com and download a free song. Your kids will love it... eventually.

Saturday afternoons are spent here...

 

Dharma for Kids

Saturdays 3.30 - 4.15pm
Ganden Kadampa Buddhist Centre, Palm Beach  

Mar 6, 13; Apr 24; May 1, 8, 29; Jun 5, 19, 26; Jul 3, 10, 17

Dharma for Kids introduces children to simple Kadampa Buddhist teachings and meditations designed to help them solve their problems and develop a happy heart. They will learn how to practise loving kindness and cultivate a positive mind. Classes also include simple prayers, fun activities, and discussions relevant to their everyday experiences. Suggested age: 4 - 10 years. Parents are welcome.
$3 suggested donation. No bookings are required.

We are currently into experiments...

This one is to leave a tub of margarine out of the fridge indefinitely and see what happens to it...
We do not eat margarine and never will. We are butter lovers. I hope to educate the boys that margarine is not good so when they leave home in 10+ years, they will know what to buy at the supermarket. I am a tad early with this lesson, but there is so much to learn, I have to start somewhere...

This photo was taken this morning, 48 hours after I put it there... It has not melted, it has not changed colour, the flies are not circling, in fact the only change is a tiny little indent that looks suspiciously like a finger print!

Tuckshop today

Off I go this morning armed with earplugs and a kind and patient heart. Yep! I'm on tuckshop today. Off to make sandwiches, toasties, hamburgers, apple slinky's, frozen everything and the odd pikelet.

My favourite part of tuckshop is the serving. I always bags NOT to have the icecream window. I like the other window where the tiny little Preppies come with their money all hot in their hands, wondering what they can buy with this much money. You can hardly hear them they are soooo timid, and they look up at you with these big eyes full of terror. And then, once the deal has been done, they back off from the window with such excitement in their eyes... "I did it. I made a purchase. I have something in my hands. I bought it myself!"

Yep, that's the best part.... oh that and the fact that I get to see my kids in their land, in their world. Playing with their mates, running past, sidling up to the window "Can I have a frozen juice cup Mum? Pleeease!"

It's so hard being a mum

After posting that last bit about yelling at the kids, I kept thinking about it, wondering why I had down played it so. I yelled really loudly at them. I made them cry and it hurt my throat. My voice has been different all day.

I have felt quite ill about it all day... trying to understand where that anger and frustration came from so quickly!

But then after talking to another couple of mums, I  realise that we all do yell sometimes. And yes....  their throats hurt too... and that even though it's not ideal, it happens sometimes because it's really hard to keep on listening to the same old stuff over and over again. It's hard to hear your own voice repeatedly sounding worse and worse, getting more angry, getting no results. It is is hard to hear your voice that sometimes you don't even recognise anymore. You are numb to it, you are immune.

So, yes, today I did a bad thing and I yelled at my kids. And I feel sick about it and I hope it never happens like that again. I don't know how to make sure it doesn't, but I know that today I nurtured myself. They were safe, they were at school. I took time to visit an old person, to be humbled. I took time to have lunch with friends and chat about every day stuff. And I took the time to wander my favourite store and touch and see and listen and smell to the beauty that surrounded me there.

When I picked them up, they were glad to see me. It's OK. We went off to the shops to buy the 'party food'. We haven't argued yet. It's looking good for the night. Perhaps I will snuggle up to them in bed tonight and whisper in their ears. I know I will tell them that I love them. And I do.

I yelled at my kids

and feel really bad about it. Really bad because I really really yelled. And then I had to send them off to school for the day with heavy hearts.

As much as I try not to, I am beating myself up about it. It's hard not to. But today is today and each minute is a new opportunity. Tonight is an opportunity to make it up to them. It is 'party night' because they went to bed nicely last night. I told them what if they managed to actually go to bed without fuss, etc etc etc (I don't need to elaborate, we all know what kids are like at bedtime!), I would throw a party.

Well, they called me on it. So tonight is party night.

Another little person is having a nice day today, a little party in a bus. This is Grand Nana. She is 88? I think, and she is all ready here to go in the bus and get an ice cream. The bus driver bid us farewell, reminding me that when they leave, they are clean and beautiful. When they come home they are covered in icecream drips and oh so happy and fulfilled. No doubt she will sleep like a baby tonight.

This way or that way?

Hmmm...  I was brushing The Little Man's hair for school this morning. We didn't have a lot of time. We need time when we brush The Little Man's hair because: when we brush it, it becomes a haze of golden fluff which extends approx 15cm from his head on all sides. This is undoubtedly beautiful to me, his mother, however it can cause problems for The Little Man when he arrives at school.

So... to avoid this problem today because yesterday he slipped in a puddle and all his 'friends'? laughed at him, I decided that I would not brush it all and then wet it all an then dry it all (hence the need for time). I would instead, brush each individual curl (!@%#^%!!!) and try and regain some order that way.

You should try it some day.

Anyway as I was individually brushing these curls I made a discovery! All his curls curl the same way... anti-clockwise. Again and again and again I tried to curl them the other way, but no, they just wouldn't play. Then on the way home in the car,  I began wondering if everyone who has curls only has them curling ONE way. I started checking mine out... so far, mine ONLY curl clockwise. I still have one section of my head to go, but I think I'm good in saying that I am a clockwise curl girl.

So... here is my challenge to you (you know who you are)... if you own a curl or two, please investigate and get back to me. I'll publish the findings and perhaps once and for all we can get to the bottom of this 'This way or that way' curl mystery.

The Summer of

Yep... forever more, the summer of 2009 -10 will be known in this family as The Summer of CafeWorld. It took over our lives and dominated in a shocking, addictive, but loads of fun way. We cooked and cleaned, we redecorated, we expanded, we woke religously through the night to serve our meals to our happy customers and at the end of it, we are here.

Nothing to show for it. Hmmm... nothing. Just an emptyness a bit like when Big Brother finished and we suddenly had to go Cold Turkey after we'd watched these people for months.

But even though 'I am over' Cafe World, I still can't delete the application from my FaceBook. Too much work has gone into it, too many hours slaving over the keyboard... I don't cook meals anymore, I just feed the hoards of avatars with the gifts I receive from my friends. I don't redecorate anymore, I am happy with my little Italian restaurant. I won't expand again... I would have to hunt down more neighbours to do that and I am buggered if I am going to beg and plead for that (although I did beg Ms McGinty to start a farm... which probably turned out to be The Summer of FarmVille for her).

Nope. It's over. Almost. Like a relationship with a useless man, this too has run it's course. It's over CafeWorld. I'm done!

But dang, it was good while it lasted.

Life Without Limbs

I took the boys to the library yesterday. They borrowed the usual: Superman, Elvis, Captain Underpants...

I borrowed a new book to read and the video of Life Without Limbs... the most inspirational man I have EVER seen in my whole entire life. We are going to watch it this weekend with the boys. They are fascinated by him... by his bodily functions, by his looks, by his attitude... they can't wait to watch the show. So much so, that The Little Man said "I would love to be different like that man with no arms and no legs... It would be just so good to be so different, to be just me, like no one else."

WOW! I wonder when he will realise that he is different, that he is unique, that he is special... just the way he is...

Werewolf

Today I saw a werewolf.

Yep! True! He was a human werewolf, and oh so happy. He was at the shops trotting along smiling at everyone. That's when I realised that if a werewolf can smile at everyone, then so can I.

He had a leather jacket way too big for him all up around his ears, massive bushy hair, beard, and this sparkle in his eyes... so gorgeous. I wanted to look at him more, but I was in the car and had to keep going... but I saw him and he fascinated me...

It's been a long time

I haven't blogged in a long time which is a clear indication that things have been bleak. The Big Man will know I am feeling better when he sees I have started blogging again. I've also started weaving again, cleaning (a tiny little bit) and I even watched a TV show the other day!

The little dark hole I was in was obviously bigger than I realised. I seem to have turned into a dark little mole myself, however, the light is now shining in and at least I am a smiling mole in a hole now. But the walls of the mole hole are coming down and the I can feel the breeze on my face sometimes...

Hmmm... it's time to come out and smile again.

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.