Happy Birthday Christopher

Eleven already! It's all happening a bit too fast for this poor old Mum.

But at least there is cake!

There were goings on at school today ...

various wild animals were sighted ...

It's lucky I brought my camera!


It was the school's book week celebration, this year with an African safari theme. As always, it was so much fun. We admired costumes as the children paraded, then went off in little groups to sit on blankets and read stories in the shade. I had an audience of two explorers, a lioness and a giraffe. It is an absolute joy to see everyone huddled together with their stories. Older children read to younger ones, parents, grand parents and aunties read. For a whole half hour everyone was still and settled and enjoying the company and stories.

Then we had lion burgers and ostrich burgers for lunch and the usual riot resumed. But for one half hour there was peace.

Our children love the bright lights of the stage. They sit on the edges of their seats and get really involved in the performances, clapping their hands raw during the encores. Last year we went to the theatre a couple of times, taking them to see The Phantom of the Opera and The Mikado. Both performances were well received. We purchased dvds of the stories and they've been watched thousands of times. Mine is probably the only four year old who went to kindy singing "I'm the Lord High Executioner" and made paper 'chippy choppers'. Blood thirsty little tyke!

Today we went back to see Joseph and his Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. It was great. The kids loved to see Pharoah as an aging Elvis. They have been learning about Joseph in their school Religious Education classes, so they were able to follow the story easily, though Joshua shed a tear when Joseph was sold into slavery. So now I need to find a dvd of Joseph, to give him a new set of songs to memorise. I am really looking forward to going back to see another great performance. I wonder what we will see next ...

Spring is sprung ...

And strawberry season is beginning. While my home grown berries are still white and hard, the price of strawberries has at last dropped to a level where I can consider buying them for the ravenous horde.

This afternoon we have dipped some in dark chocolate for a delightful after dinner treat. Darling husband has been working until about 9pm each night for the past week and a half, and we need to do little things to remind him that we love him, even when we don't see him. The poor kids have been asking me if he's even still here, he's been arriving home after they are asleep and leaving before they wake in the mornings.

Our dear little Abbey has been a sick doggie. She has been having seizures late at night, at first one every couple of weeks, but in the past week it has stepped up to every other night. Today she's had a lovely day, firstly visiting a kind vet who told her how beautiful she is and gave her some medications to help her feel better. Then we went and picked up the kids from school, which involved a slow procession from the classroom to the car, as almost every child at the school stopped to pat her. It's so hard being gorgeous!

Simple enough, though they took me most of a day to sew up. Let's not even contemplate the week or so of squares being cut during spare moments. Our couches are dismal; sad, worn out creatures that deserve to be put out of their misery. But finances will not oblige, so I am in the very slow process of making the lounge room look shiny and new by dipping into my stash.

First on the agenda were three continental sized cushions, perfect for lying on the floor or snuggling on the couch. This was the warm up before the main event - recovering the sofa seats and tweaking a couple of store bought covers so that they no longer attempt to flee every time children approach the couches. That will probably take a bit of effort, but I hope to have it done before Christopher's birthday at the end of this month.

The new comfy additions have been approved by man, child and pet. I am pretty pleased with them too.

Sometmes you just need a cosy place to hide. We're still battling various flu viruses here. Darling Hubby returned from a work trip with a whole new variety. We've endured multiple cases of conjunctivitis and ear infections. The last two sufferers are home from school today. When they recover we'll hopefully have enough immunities to stay healthy for a while.

I have managed to finish Wisp for my grandmother's 90th birthday next month. I think she'll like it. It's lovely and light, perfect for aging bones that feel cold even in summer. I still need to purchase some buttons for it.

I like it so much that I have cast on another one. It's such an easy knit and looks lovely. The bright pink piece of knitting is a narrow scarf I cast on a knitted and few rows of in preparation for Samara's first knitting lessons. I need to start another one for Christopher, who doesn't want to miss out on any fun.