Photo Collections

You may have noticed that I’m using flickr to store my photographs. They let you apply tags to photos to classify them, and I’m doing exactly that. With the ankle biters I’m using their names. Here are a selection of my tags;

For the technically challenged, and if I remember after I’ve caught up on my sleep, I’ll put these links on the side of this page.

Welcome Oliver John Todd

IMG_2924Say hello and welcome to Oliver John Todd. Born at 12:50am on Wednesday the 20th of July, 2005.

For the curious he weighed 3.63kg at birth and measured 52cm. In old money that’s 8lbs and about 20 inches.

Mother and baby are doing fine, Dad and big brother are memorising the route between home and North Sydney Private by repitition. The current plan is for them to come home on Sunday.

Action Stations

Well, not quite yet. It’s five days and counting until b-day. So we are on extremely high alert at Todd Towers. SWMBO has packed a hospital bag for herself and has promised me faithfully that she will be packing one for JFGP today. He’s off to stay with the Reeves for the early part of his mother’s confinement. After the messy bits are over and done with I’ll pick him up and then be solo parenting for a while.

I don’t warrant a bag but I shall be making sure I’ve got a six-pack handy and loaded in the car because the delivery suite has a fridge expressly for that purpose. Oh, alright, they did say we could keep soft drinks in it as well, but why crowd the important stuff?

Suffice it to say that if there’s any action I’ll be mentioning it here first. I’ll keep the details light and fluffy for those with sensitive sensibilities but if it’s news it will be here.

Wish us luck.

Sunday Roast

2884_RT8JFGP is pictured here enjoying a scrumptious plate of roast chicken and all of the trimmings, cooked by his Dad.

What the photo doesn’t show is that after this mouthful he announced that he was full and got down from the table to go and play with his train set. A small parent/child disagreement ensued.

Popular Culture Passing Me By

I note on the Flickr blog (amongst many other sources) that a new Harry Potter book is out soon.

Am I alone in my complete indifference to this publishing event of the year? No, didn’t think so. My completely un-scientific theory on the popularity of the young wizard is that they are books that are read by people who don’t read books. Almost entirely like Lord of the Toss. Go on, hands up if you’ve read all three volumes of the UK’s best loved book? See, no one. You have to be mad or bedridden to suffer through either of these literary masterpieces.

People like me who always have their nose in a paperback (or two) don’t view J.K.’s work very favourably I find. Probably because the prose style is rather wooden and the plots just a little bit predictable – what, Harry’s found himself in a terrible situation and has to use some undiscovered special power to get out of it? Blimey.

But if you like it don’t let me stop you giving even more money to Ms Rowling, I know she will thank you for it. Me, I’m off to read something by Terry Pratchett.

Stormy Weather

IMG_2828The weather has been a little wintery in Sydney recently. At the weekend we rugged up JFGP and Elli before heading out to face the elements.

Because it can get awfully rough at Warringah Mall. Now who was it who told me that the sun was always shining down under? I’d like a word.

Weird World

Proof, if more proof were needed, that this is indeed a strange world. According to this article at the BBC the wacky people at Anheuser-Busch (home to the worst beer in the world – Budweiser) are bringing a beer with extra caffeine to the UK.

What were they thinking? And since when did companies get marketing ideas from sitcoms? I’d love to have sat in on that product pitch, it must have been very compelling indeed.

A Boy’s First Haircut

IMG_2808He’s nearly two, but today was JFGP‘s first haircut. I took him to Kids Central in Chatswood as they are used to small people fidgeting their way through the whole experience. Apart from a dislike of the cape they made him wear he was as good as gold. He was too busy watching the water wall they have in front of the chair to worry about what the stylist was doing to his head.

As you can see he now looks slightly less Little Lord Fauntleroy and slightly more dude about town. Which is nice.