Art

P4's kindy picture for Fathers' Day came home today. Apparently he has long hair because she accidentally forgot for a minute and thought she was drawing me. I hope she remembered it was Daddy before she did the teeth ;-) He has a lovely flowery shirt for work too.

Actually I think I posted this when she first did it and it was on the wall at kindy? Anyway, it's so fabulous I'm gonna do it again. Sorry.

Black Pearl

Terrifying sneers.

But also a little shiny spangle.

Why yes, that would be a wooden rubber band gun being brandished.

Some Days

are simply so lovely, it's impossible not to be wildly smiley happy. Especially when you get to hang at home with your new chook, doing seriously little.

Blokey husband made me a latch. Swoon.

Worst thing that happened today? Well, the realisation that it's officially true - L7 has a better vocabulary than me. We were making one of these:


and as L7 did this threading part:


he said casually

L7 - This match is like a bodkin.

Me - What's a bodkin?

L7 - a thing for pushing things through. I'm amazed you don't know what it is.


Hmmm. I vaguely remember a song about a bodkin and shears, but can't honestly say I'd drop it into conversation. So, in case you get tripped up by a smartiepants seven year old, who has clearly spent too much time actually listening to his grandfather, this here:

is a bodkin. Okay?

Wild

Or indeed, not.

A spot of tap

P4 capering.

Mummy-guilt says must find dance class now she is getting too big for previous one and we haven't been for months since I find the whole Christmas Show thing something to avoid. Far too stressy for a four year old. Much more fun to do a show at home.

Road Trip

P4 skipped kindy and we went on a chicken-collecting road trip. She's a teeny bantam silkie/frizzle cross, which is probably more than you needed to know.

She's cute.

And being offered lots of tasty fingers while she's cooped up for a few days getting used to her new friends.

Her name (for today anyway) is Caramello.

Well, you have to celebrate. And also console yourself. . .

Gah! We did drive a pretty long way, with a school pick-up time curfew that we could not miss. I'm not a speeder though, honest. Just remarkably unlucky on the ticket front.

Chicken News

I sold a chicken! Tough, but old Monster kept going broody, which I could forgive, but she was kinda mean, flighty and hard to handle, so she's outa here. Sold super quick, so I probably undervalued her usefulness. I'm hoping this new girl is more friendly, plus she's a frizzle which is super sweet. P4 and I are going on a road trip tomorrow to pick her up. See how cute she is?

So I sold a laying chicken and bought a 10 week old one - a very broody breed too - at a net loss of $5. Yeah, okay. It was never meant to be sensible.

I still don't understand why everyone doesn't have chooks though. A pet that makes you food, gives you free fertilizer, eats your kitchen scraps, doesn't need to go for walks, and also helps you with the weeding. Today I decided to clear the scrappy area at the front that I cannot get anything to grow in, and L7 insisted that the chooks needed a happy time scratching around to help. He was right. They worked like Trojans. So did he actually. That boy really needs to live on a farm.

I'm going to replace the failure-to-thrive groundcover with:


and then I can show you more pics of grass growing.

Sad Day

I don't really do current affairs, but it's been such a sad time in NZ with the hard truth that all 29 of the Pike River Miners are lost, I thought I'd put up the lovely Michelle Shocked 'L&N Don't Stop Here Anymore' video. Sadly all I can find is lousy covers, so the lyrics will have to do. If you know it, you can sing along in your head though.



When I was a curly-headed baby

My daddy set me down on his knee

Saying ''Son you go to school, you learn your letters

Don't you be no dusty miner, boy like me''

I was born and raised at the mouth of the Hazard Holler

Where the coal cars rolled and rumbled past my door

But now they stand in a rusty row of all empties

Because the L & N don't stop here anymore

I used to think my father was a black man

With scrip enough to buy the company store

But now he goes to town with empty pockets

And his face is as white as the February snow

I was born and raised at the mouth of the Hazard Holler

Where the coal cars rolled and rumbled past my door

But now they stand in a rusty road of all empties

Because the L & N don't stop here anymore

Never thought I'd live to lean to love the coaldust

Never thought I'd pray to hear those temples roar

But God I wish the grass would turn to money

And then them greenbacks would fill my pockets once more

I was born and raised at the mouth of the Hazard Holler

Where the coal cars rolled and rumbled past my door

But now they stand in a rusty road of all empties

Because the L & N don't stop here anymor

eLast night I dreamed I went down to the office

To get my payday like I done before

But them old kudzu vines was covering the doorway

And there was leaves and grass growing up through the floor

I was born and raised at the mouth of the Hazard Holler

Where the coal cars rolled and rumbled past my door

But now they stand in a rusty road of all empties

Because the L & N don't stop here anymore

Bit Of A Break From Lego

We did some Duplo.

L7 was intent on creating the strongest maximum security jail ever.

While P4 concentrated on getting pizza to feed the policemen.

How predictable eh?

Random Stuff

from a random day.

Yesterday L&P decided to scrunch up some tissues in water. Usually I'd be grumpy mummy, but miraculously I discovered patience, and helped them make paper pulp and try to create paper. Roll on Christmas - I see a paper-making kit heading this way.

Lucky too, because look what L7 did with his as soon as it had dried.

This afternoon I made them escape to the beach for the avo. You would not believe the fuss L7 made about leaving the house. (Or, for that matter, leaving the beach.) He eventually conceded to 5 minutes of fresh air. The moment he arrived he said "Let's change that to 10". Honestly, that boy.

And just for good measure - this evening? Jack-in-the-box.

Okay perhaps nothing is really blogsworthy, but the days often look more interesting in hindsight.

One Of The Perils Of Raising A Child In NZ

They form an unnatural attachment to jandals.

AKA flip flops for you English peeps.

I Hate The Word Declutter

but the notion itself isn't so bad. Tidy up. Biff stuff. Stop being a lazy cow.

Spent far too many hours today sorting out L&P's rooms. Now this isn't terribly exciting for anyone (except perhaps Alison, who got given my share of the organise-y gene when they gave it out) but I'm going to share my lack of tut anyway. Of course it won't stay this way for more than two seconds, so it'll be nice to remember. Look - so freaking tidy!

P4's room:

L7's room:

Auntie Izzie - L7's infinity painting is at the framers, which is why you can't spy it yet :)

I think it is going to be a bountiful summer if we can get a score like this so early:



And my other naughty splurge book arrived, bearing a picture of the cutest hat in the known universe. Bloody annoying since I have just started the two longest projects in creation, and now due to the extreme cuteness I have literally no choice but to make the elf hat too, regardless of the inappropriateness of the season.

Gold Medal Today

is awarded to Mutti.

Spending a good hour or more putting together an origami sonic screwdriver, which is sooooo complicated it turns you totally grey, is certainly worthy of the grandparent gold.

He'll remember when he's 20 and quite strong and handy I'm sure :)

Totally Nice

Games before bed. Clearly very thrilling.

Wagging And Lots Of Work

Sometimes you are still too absolutely sick for schoool, but well enough to go hang at the beach for the afternoon.

But I'm not totally slack. I have lined up plenty of work for myself. I got teeny tiny stringy mail today.

I'm going to turn this one:

into this:

Yeah, really I'm just a sucker for some tricky pictures. I was a tad concerned when I remembered my last 2 ply effort. It um. . . never got past row 2 and ended up as plying yarn for spinning adventures. But this will I'm sure. I've blogged it, so it has to, see?

Well, I was sure until I read row 1. Cast on 527 stitches. Eeeep! 527?? I can barely count that high.