Australia Day

Quote of the day (Will): Can somebody stand behind me? Quick, I've gotta fart and I don't want to waste it.


There are milestones all around today.

I have been noticing for a while that Euey is a child now. Not a baby. Not a toddler. A child. A boy. In fact, a boy who is off to kinder this year and school next year. Today though, it really hit home that they have both hit that stage. They can now both play like kids, take direction and are really helpful. Finn seems like such a little tiny baby in comparison (especially now, as he sleeps off his nasty head cold, sucking his thumb).

Will is outside cooking an Aussie Day barbie - this is a skill he has mastered as of today, which is an excellent milestone to mark his one year anniversary as an Australian citizen. I love it. I love being in charge of my kingdom, he says. In a complete turn around, I am inside, cooking the potatos.

Will has been sending the kids in with requests and comments - ask Mummy for a plate; give this (small burger bit) to Mummy and tell her it's a starter. In they both came, dutifully handing over the burger and stating quite seriously It's a starter. They're not just repeating what they're told either, this new grown-up-ness comes with answers that I can't really argue with. About 10 mins after coming in and grabbing a 'couple of forks' (which was actually three because he needed 'one for each of us'), Euey was back, getting two more forks. I asked how come all the forks kept disapearing outisde and he replied: Cause Aoife lost hers and I lost mine so we're getting each other another one.

I have to go, the meat is done and the kids are eating it all!
Ahh, I feel so Australian. Lamb on the barbie. Cooked by the man. Salad by the woman (that would be me). All we need now are lamingtons and pav for dessert.

The 80s

I feel a little like I'm in a time warp. It is 2010 right? Read on if you were pre-teen in the 80s ...

I have discovered, along the way, that fashion goes in cycles. I first took note of this sometime in late high school. I heard Mum asking Charlie if she wanted a maroon woolen striped jumper (very 70s) and Charlie's NO! That's hideous. Then Mum's knowing reply: Well, I'll just put it away, obviously a bit early. About 6 months later Charlie sidled up to Mum's bedroom ... Mum, you know that maroon fitted jumper, did you happen to keep it?

So I get it. I understand that, hideous though they were (and still are in my opinion) ra-ra skirts, high waists with big belts, skinny jeans (ok, not so bad on the right person), side pony-tails (side pony-tails, really??) - basically everything 80s except shoulder pads - are all back. Hideous but comprehensible.

What I didn't expect was that television shows apparently also have fashion cycles. My kids are now watching (and loving) Inspector Gadget ('Spector Gadgek'), Scooby Doo, The Care Bears and ... leave the best 'til last - The Mysterious Cities of Gold! Awesome. No more computer games barely disguised as tv. No more killing sprees. No more ahh-ya, dinky-donk what-the-hell-are-they-talking-about bullshit shows. Back to the basics. Now all I need to find on good ol' Foxtel is Mr Squiggle and I'll be in tv heaven!