A Boy and a Baa

Alex and his favourite toy Whilst I managed to take a couple of half decent photographs at our open house yesterday this one, taken this afternoon, pips them all to the cute post. It’s a picture of everyone’s favourite little boy (who had share his cubby house with eight girls yesterday) sitting on the sofa with Baa, his favourite soft toy. Why is it named Baa? Well it’s a sheep of course.

Une Petit Soiree

Astute readers will have noticed that we’ve moved into a new house. Tomorrow we are opening the doors and admitting all and sundry to have a look around. If you are around the Northern Beaches after 2pm please do feel free to pop in and say hello.

Invites went out to random people earlier this week but if my scatter gun approach didn’t include you please accept my apologies. And come round for a drinkie-poo anyway.

To entertain and lubricate our guests I’ve promised to light the barbecue, put some ice in an esky and turn the playstation on. JFGP has been instructed to be on his best song and dance form for any small people who come.

We will be courteous and gracious for quite a while so don’t feel you have to join us from the start of proceedings. In fact Ciaran is promising to play dance dance revolution until the early hours of Sunday morning at least.

Contact details are on the appropriate page.

They’re All At It

I went to the tip yesterday, and not content with their own web page they have their own domain name. Although the keen eyed will notice the "under construction" notice. Then we have to revert to the Warringah council page for Kimbriki Landfill site. Lovely place it is too.

On the refreshingly web site free front I went for a swim before work this morning. All I could find for Manly pool is this page. It was amazing how many people were doing laps at 6:20 this morning though – these people are insane!

New Address and Phone Number

I’ve updated the page on this web site that tells you where we live and how to contact us. I’m not going to link to it, think of it as a simple exercise for the reader to find the appropriate page and take note of our new address and phone number. Be warned as once we have emptied and clear the boxes pictures may follow.

Humbug Buggy

Alex in a three wheeler The essential Northern Beaches accessory – a three wheel "sports" buggy that’s about as much use as a chocolate fire guard. Which is irrelevant because JFGP absolutely loves sitting and being pushed around in the bloody thing.

I won’t mention the fact that it’s too wide to fit through the checkout lanes at the supermarket or too unwieldy to take on the escalators at the mall and thus requires an enormous detour to use the lift because that would be churlish. And I’m not like that. I’m just a grumpy bugger.

This is Tuesday’s picture of the day by the way. Normal service may possibly resume soon.

A Gaggle of Gigglers

Kids on the floor From the left – Milly Reeve, Elena Palmer, JFGP and Alice Reeve. I have it on good authority that they were all smiling because Robyn was outside the window doing star jumps. Sadly I can neither confirm or deny this because I was at work at the time. Whatever the ladies were doing has obviously worked though, as none of the ankle biters are crying or beating each other up. Definitely a good job all round.

This is Monday’s photo of the day for those keeping count.

The Comedy Stylings

Alex and Woobie I’m running a bit behind with my daily photos. This is actually the one I intended to show on Sunday. It does, though, demonstrate the comedy stylings of Alexander G. Todd. He is pictured here taking his ease at Cafe Beltree at Margan Family Wines in the Hunter Valley. As you can see he’s demonstrating the humourous potential of a muslin square. Or, as it’s called Chez Todd, a woobie. The boy is a proper comedian.

An Awful Lot of Web Sites

One thing that has changed in these parts since we’ve been away is that more people and organisations seem to have discovered this here inter-web-net thingy. Here is just a short list of the web sites I saw advertised on my way to work this morning;

Intrigued by all of this Northern Beaches web action I went looking for more quality sites. A little light googling also get us;

  • Go Manly
  • Manly Web the local council’s promotional web site.
  • Manly Council. The actual nitty gritty of local government – they have meetings so that you don’t have to.
  • Another pub. Last time I looked the patron saint of North Steyne’s brother was cooking up the steaks here.
  • The local fish house. We are members here and can get in free for the next twelve months I’m told.
  • Manly Blades the only place to go for roller blades, apparently.
  • Manly Surf School. Needs a better URL if you ask me
  • St Matthews Church for a little spiritual relief after visiting all of the pubs.
  • Manly Bunkhouse a hostel for all of the smelly backpackers infesting the area. Staying here beats dossing down in our spare room – believe me.

I’m off to get my hair cut on Saturday, I’ve no doubt that I’ll find Rocky has a web site as well.

Walking Tall

I’ve been looking through our recent photographs of JFGP with a view to posting some highlights of his new found walking talents here. I was trying to find a way of describing just what a big thing this is to all of us at Chez Todd when I came across this post by Eric Meyer, where he talks about his daughter who has also just started tottering about the place. Please go and read it because it encapsulates perfectly the joy of parenthood. I couldn’t agree more when Eric concludes with;

"Keep walking, little one. We’re right behind you."

Reflections

This morning, at a rather early hour I discovered that we don’t actually have a mirror in our bathroom. My face looks like it has been in a wrestling match with Mr Gillette and come out a very poor second best. This is not a good thing, so anyone thinking about putting a snitty remark in the comments about it being an improvement (and I’m looking at you here Nigel) needn’t bother.

I feel a mirror buying trip to Big W coming up.