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Showing posts from 2010

Wardrobe Update

It's over a year ago now Ruby and I found this crusty old wardrobe at St Vinnies and decided it was exactly what we were looking for. Okay, it's getting close to two years ago this Easter and the eggs have already begun arriving in the shops. Anyway - here it is...and I LOVE it. It was a smart decision to leave it in the Magic Garage. I doubt I could have done anything like the job the elves did, let alone even finishing the job at all. Let me just say that the photos don't do it justice at all. It's made Ruby's bedroom comolete. BEFORE:

Songbird

Good news. Archie seems to be enjoying singing time at school. A lovely surprise when he starts singing a song from school, if a little incompletely, at the dinner table in a soft sweet voice. Something about a bit of algae making friends with a bear, lyrics only Ruby decodes. "Do you realise he's singing about a bear that eats his new friend?" she warned me. And yes, if I'm hearing right the Bear does "grow Bulgy" and the "Bulge is Algae" but does it matter? He's singing. He's participating is the point. Not so long ago I took my mum to an assembly where Archie had one of the main non speaking parts as a pirate. Before the main attraction the music teacher struck up a tune on the piano all of which the children seemed to know and sing along to. Except Archie. Who was staring up at the ceiling. "What's wrong?", I whispered to my mother, alarmed. "Why isn't my little boy joining in the singing?" "I don't

Parenting

We've had a few parenting wins in the last few weeks. - Driving Ruby and friend home accross town from band rehearsals with clutch about to give. Limping home in the dark having to restart the car every time gears need changing. Of course the kids loved the drama. "We thought we were going to die!!!" Ruby's's friend gleefully told her mother, having to be picked up from our place where the trip was finally aborted. - Sending Ruby off on the state band tour at 7.30 in the morning  sans trumpet. Daughter's friend's dad (who is chauffering because our car has dodgy clutch) rings up at destination in panic "Missing a trumpet". - Discover later on that father of Ruby's friend has also stopped en route at bakery for danish pastry when  Ruby announces no one has fed her that morning. But this is the best: forgetting to pick up Archie's friend from a party. When Col returned from the party with just Archie, I'm like, "Oh my god, wher

Gender Studies 101.

Archie was telling me the other day how funny one of the boys in his class was being, a child with a rep for being the naughtiest boy in the kindergarten class. I said "Did everyone think he was being funny?" Archie said "Just the boys". I said "Why don't the girls think he's being funny?" Archie said "Because they know he's being naughty" "Don't the boys know he's being naughty?" I asked. "Yes" said Archie "But they can't help it" It was hard to know what to say next. You'd probably pay a psychologist with a Phd in gender studies a fortune to reach an insight like that...

Book Week.

A week ago now but Book Week at the school ended on Friday with a dress up assembly. The kids assembled their own costumes - Batman and Harry Potter. See those blue girls sports pants doubling for Batman's uhmm... shorts ... over his grey tights? That was my idea. Frankly though I was surprised  Archie went for the suggestion. Glad he did though, they complete the ensemble.

Catty Confrontation.

Lost temper with Cat. It is just as people say. They care only for themselves. Thought would make feel at home with grand gesture. Got out collection of Italian Vogues and called cat over. She couldn't have cared less! Turned up nose and pushed past me. Could not bite tongue any longer. Said, "That's it. I am making all this effort to get on and you are making none!" She just looked at me coolly and left the room.

Hmmmmm.

Archie's drawings have gone overnight from drawing colourful pets and hapless dinosaurs to sketches of trench warfare. Where's that coming from? Surely if he was needing to express angst in artwork we'd see drawings of playground arguments or a plate of mummy's muffins. Not unarmed civilians being shot by tanks as they climb out of trenches. The air raid looks pretty scary too. When asked he said they were in a different classroom for Indonesian Studies and found an "army picture" under the desk he was at. That day he came home, went straight to his room and whipped up the above two page art extravaganza within fifteen minutes. Army Picture sure made impression.

Cat Bonding.

Cat and Self continue to pass one another in house with polite wariness. Feel, as am host, efforts  to bond with Cat are incumbent on Self. To this end will rent Twilight movies for Cat and Self to watch when others are out tomorrow. Will make morning of it.

Cat Arrives Today.

Cat set to arrive in afternoon. Clear space in laundry for cat bed and buy cat food. Purchase Kit Kat chocolate treat for self. Write short list of rules for Cat to abide by. Include no going in bedrooms and no scratching furniture (please). Laminate and put by cat bed. Start to worry Cat will feel unwelcome. Dash to local  video rental for Garfield 2. Have it playing on television for when Cat arrives. That Bill Murray. Probably best work yet.

Clunk, Roll.

I try not to go on here about the onslaught of colds and flu autumn brings my way. Not because I'm adverse to whinging - on the contrary, I find it lends me a certain charm  - but because it's hard to find a nice photo to go with a post topic like that. (This may soon change. I am currently working on a series of embroideries of the influenza H1N1 virus, aka swine flu). But in the interests of record keeping, which was one of the original intentions of this blog, I just wanted to get it down here that I have only just recovered from a very nasty knee infection from when my partner pushed me down a flight of stairs a few weeks ago. OK, didn't actually push me, I shouldn't say that. More turned the outdoor light off  just as I stepped out for the laundry. Deliberately . OK, not deliberately. Just turned off a light that seemed to be on for no reason. Though the timing did seem suspicious. And why would I put the decking light on for no reason? Think electricity police

Sucked In By Billie Bones.

Have you seen Billie Bones on TV yet? He's a plastic skeleton delivered to your house bone by bone in weekly instalments alongside a magazine booklet full of interesting facts about the human body. Suitable for young kids. Aimed in fact at young kids. Probably mostly six year old boys like the one in our house. I was oblivious until Billie's elaborately packaged skull turned up to the house the other day with my mother. Archie had somehow spied it in the local newsagent and told his Grandmother all about the fantastic series you could collect and guess what? This introductory offer of skull and magazine - which comes with a life size poster of Billy and all twenty of Billie's teeth which you get to insert yourself  - is yours for only $2.95. That's right, you heard correct. Only $2.95. Trouble is all instalments after that are $11.95. So if you end up collecting all of Billie's bones to build his life size (six year old) skeleton plus his vital organs you will

Young At Art.

I've been seizing on Archie's new found enthusiasm for whipping up cards when the occasion warrants (birthdays, Mothers' Day...), delighted to see all the magic a six year old contains expressing itself on paper. These latest examples bring a great big smile (and sometimes even a laugh) to my face.

The Magic Garage (aka The Wardrobe Project).

So here is the vintage wardrobe Ruby and I 'rescued' from the Salvos for not small amount of cash ($130 to be exact).OMG, we said upon discovery, it is exactly what we are after. We'll just sand it back and paint it white and that will be it. After all that is all there is to furniture restoration right? First things first though, we'll have it delivered to my Dad's garage and work on it there. Dad knows a bit about these things. He'll 'guide' us. Plus, it has to be said,he does have a very special garage- for example it has been known to exhibit magical properties. Sometimes you can leave one of your trickier projects in there and when you return the next day it's done. I know, it's amazing. Elves, I expect. But I will tell you now - I am not relying on the elves. This wardrobe is to be a learning curve for me. Will post regular pictures of our hard work. And hard work it might be - it seems the previous owners gave ita decorative paint finish

Frenzied and Feverish at the Lifeline Bookfair.

It can only speak to my love of both a bargain and books and magazines that I managed to get up early yesterday and brave the Lifeline Book fair queue despite being in the midst of a really evil flu. This is a date that has been marked on the calendar for months and eagerly anticipated by Ruby and myself all week - not going was not an option. But boy was it worth it. I can't tell you what we spent (really I can't - it's been pushed to the darkest recess of my brain unaccessable by anyone but the most skilled hypnotist) and anyway I like to think of it as an investment. After all when I am done with the many lifestyle and fashion mags I can sell them on ebay can't I? Or else cut them up into a fetching collage. Even stack them into a clever room divider when relatives come to visit. It's a funny atmosphere at the fair though. Bookish sorts queueing for hours as though tickets for some world class rock band are on the verge of selling out. They set themselves up on l

Mummy's Muffins Made With Love.

Archie has always loved the muffins I make. That's because I make them with love I told him as I packed them in his lunch box. Now all of a sudden they have "too much flour" in them and come home unfinnished. I adjust the recipe - less flour, more oil, more love. Better eat them, I tell him, cos they're made with extra love. They come home uneaten. Still too much flour he tells me. Archie, I say, I am running out of things to put in your lunch box, dont be so fussy, eat the muffins and anyway they are made with love. Archie's teacher calls me over at pick up time. She is concerned. It seems everytime Archie goes to eat his muffin he begins to gag and retch and has to run the toilet. Too much flour I tell her. I think it's best, she says, if you stop sending them to school. I agree, sad of course as I love to make the muffins, making them with love as I do. But maybe we will try some pikelets. And lucky for us the school holidays - which will give me time to fi

Vintage Duds For Little Dudes.

This is what you might be wearing if you were a little dude in 1960s England off to church on a Sunday morning. You would need to team it with a buttoned up shirt off course and some very long socks to stay warm. Possibly even a smart cap. More clearing out of Grandma's house has unearthed this little suit that belonged to my partner when he was the same age. Do you think I can coax him into wearing it for Grandma's 90th birthday party???

Warning: Disturbing Vintage Themes.

With my mother in law down scaling her possessions to move into a smaller place I was recently the lucky recipient of some vintage children's books. This one of the Pied Piper (1961 I think) particularly appealed. As a child I would have spent hours poring over these illustrations, the black and white more graphic ones appealling the most. Knowing my youngest had never heard this story before I  grabbed him aside so we could enjoy the book together. I few moments in I remembered the upsetting ending (warning: themes of child abduction and disabled children  being labelled with politically incorrect terms coming up). But we soldiered on and when it came to the Pied Piper luring the town's children away to ensconse them inside a mountain - and then a "lame" boy being left behind - he didn't bat an eyelid. I personally remember finding it  more than just a little unsettling.But which message to leave him with? Always pay the piper (and keep your promise)? Or neve

The Journey Begins.

So here's Archie all dressed and ready for his first day at Big School. He was really excited all weekend and had fun labelling all his stuff. Up early on the actual day, all eager. As soon as his name was read out in the school hall to join the teacher he jumped up to go and was off - forgetting his bag and that his mum, Dad and Ruby were going to be accompanying him. A pretty big moment. Parents were allowed into the classroom for five or so minutes to say goodbye and watch as the teacher introduced herself to the little ones as they sat on the floor. I took this other picture as he listened, wondering what was going through his head. I guess there's no comprehending what's to come. It's the end of 11 years for me at home with my babies. A reminder just how fast the time can go.

Beach Holiday.

I love this photo from our week in Pambula. It's so beachy and full of sibling love. We did a fair bit of the beach while there and Archie is grown up enough now to let me sleep in. That way I was able to manage much more 'surfing' than would otherwise have been possible. He was especially good the morning of our trip to Magic Mountain in Merrimbula. I know he was absolutely itching to get there but patiently allowed me a good amount of rest to make the most of the day. And so make the most of it we did - water slides, roller coasters (6 goes for Col and Ruby, zero for Archie and I!), mini golf, tobogganing and Grand Prix racing cars. The day went so fast and we were there till closing time. Other highlights from the holiday were a visit from Aunty Lynette, watching 'Meet The Fockers' with the kids and a visit to the 'Lolly Shop' in Merrimbula on the day it rained. Ruby still can't believe Archie chose to spend his money on a rubber ball that came out

Holiday times.

Woke up to find: Archie enjoying Ice Age 3 for the One hundred and fifty fourth time since Christmas (bless him). Ruby working on an internet recipe for Advanced Stem Cell research which apparently uses your very own self raising flour and table salt.