JFGP is rather taken with the ball pool at Red Rover. He’s taken to climbing up the ramp and jumping in without any sign of fear.
I think we may have a fearless adventure junkie on our hands.
Gunpowder, Treason and Plot
Yesterday was an interesting day. It started with a trip to Sydney airport at an extremely early hour and ended in Royal North Shore emergency department.
In the mean time we did manage to celebrate the foiling of a fiendish Catholic plot. Sadly my plan to acquire some fireworks came to naught so we had to settle for some quality sparklers. My efforts at creating a bonfire were equally poor and I ended up lighting the barbecue.
A small boy enjoyed it though.
Housekeeping
I’ve made a small change-ette to the sidebar. There is now a section exclusively devoted to my photographs. Take a look to the left and click on a link.
A small tip though, if you’ve got a flickr account (or sign up for one, they are free) then let me know. Then you will get to see the full range of shots and not just the selection I make available to the public.
Its Spring Again, I’ll Sing Again
It would appear that spring is with us again as the cricket is on Channel 9 today, sadly without Mark Nicholas, which will displease my Mother as she’s a big fan.
The good news is that SWMBO gave me a membership in the Doug Walters club for my birthday. This gives me free entry to every "Speed Blitz Blues" home game, although I’m buggered if I’m going to watch them in Bankstown tomorrow. I’m hoping the match will be on television.
JFGP‘s vocabulary is increasing every day. If he wants to do something he will say it, then leave a quick pause and then say "yes". This afternoon, for instance, it was "Alex play with trains – yes" when I asked him what he would like to do.
HBIB has even managed to throw a few smiles at his parents and brother in the last couple of days. He’s unusually keen on me, although I think that’s because I’m doing the late night feed. On a good night this involves waking him up, feeding him formula, changing his nappy and then putting him back down to bed – all without waking his Mum. Which means that in the mind of a small boy I’m this kind of angel that makes him full and dry whilst he’s asleep. I think I’ll just make him call me super Dad.
On the Todd family front Uncle Iain is visiting us in just over week. Not only that but he’s blogging about his holiday. Look out for the glowing recommendations of our hospitality.
Belated Birthday Boy
I did have a very nice birthday. I’m still just a tad busy which is why it’s taken me a week to say so. JFGP here is demonstrating my present from the Reeves. It’s a neoprene bottle holder for keeping your beer cool at the beach. Every home should have one.
Thanks to the locals (SWMBO, JFGP and HBIB) I had presents, cards, balloons and a smashing birthday cake.
On Wednesday the love of my life took me to the movies (to see Serenity – which you should all rush out and see, it’s very good) and to make the night extra special she bought me a gourmet burger beforehand. Never let it be said that she doesn’t know how to show a guy a fabulous night out.
Of course with the unaccustomed late night we both felt a bit tragic for a couple of days afterwards. That, kids, is what having kids does to you. I fondly look back on the days when we both used to be such vibrant night time movers and shakers. Sadly they’re long gone now.
Thanks also to the overseas posse (apart from the 70’s throwback and my rapidly expanding sister – thanks for the books folks) I also have a number of email messages each saying roughly the same thing, i.e. "your present is in the post". I look forward to receiving some more gifts before Christmas. It’s a good way to spread that birthday feeling over a quarter of the year.
Relaxing
It’s not all been hardcore SQL (for me) and wall to wall vomiting (Oliver) at Todd towers in recent weeks.
Yesterday, for instance, we were lavishly entertained by the Reeve family at their mansion in North Sydney. After a lunch of finest Ungarie lamb we discussed topics of pith and moment over a glass or two of very fine wine.
SWMBO took up my camera and snapped off some lovely photos. Here’s one of the juice and I spending some quality time together. Bless.
Wishing and Hoping
Doesn’t time fly when you’re holed up at work twelve hours a day for six and a half days a week. You’ll be pleased to know that I managed to carve out a little of my copious free time to update my wish list today.
Feel free to celebrate any upcoming anniversaries or national holidays by sending me an item or two from the list. Cheers.
Absence makes the heart grow fonder
To those who have noticed a lack of updates to this page in recent days may I offer this homily. Call it "Andrew’s first law of blogging"
When your web site has been updated more recently than mine you can start calling me a slacker.
I’m busy. Deal with it. There will be (hopefully) daily posts at the Australian TV blog. Just don’t expect anything from Ciaran because he’s a workshy fop.
Smiling at Mummy
We went to the Zoo this morning. Luckily I had my camera with me and managed to squeeze off a couple of shots. This one of JFGP smiling at his Mum is probably the pick of the bunch. The rest are available at my flickr page. Oh and you’ll need to sign in because most of the pictures are reserved for friends and family only.
Doing Chores
Today we have mainly been doing chores. The major project of the day was to fix one of the slats in JFGP and "the Juice"’s cubby house. It was looking run down when we moved in, and it’s only taken me ten months to get the materials together to replace it.
Sadly I was deficient in the tools department so I had to rope in Ciaran and his drill.
With my extensive array of screwdrivers I managed to start removing the board before being called away to tend to small children. When I came back Ciaran had whipped it off and was staring at the spiders in the hole.
They were staring back quite malevolently so some arachnid repellent was deployed and everyone retired a suitable distance. I took the opportunity to stick my camera close to the hole to see what I could see.
Whilst I retired to the kitchen and made various hot drinks, oh and changed another nappy, the boy Hennessy had drilled holes in the appropriate places, deployed the wood glue and screwed the new slat in place. My only contribution was to take a photo of the finished work. And rather fine it looks too. Tomorrow I’ll tootle off to the local bloke shop and pick up some wood preserver to make sure it’s not a short lived repair.
Then the team went mad and started cleaning out the inside and repairing all of the holes in the anti-creepy-crawly netting inside the structure. I put the kettle on.
It’s nice to know that I’m useful for something.