Thursday, December 13, 2007

Boys and their Toys

Okay, so I admit it was me that started the ball rolling on the early Christmas present stuff with my very comfy purple shoes. And then on the weekend we had our Mothers' Group Christmas party...

...where of course the boys each received some early cheer. Climber is pictured here with a book that folds out into a castle...

...whilst here you see Cherub proudly displaying his goodies:

... a "Cool Tie" (made by my talented friend Jenny, it has silicon beads in the middle section which, when you soak it in cool water, swell up and retain the moisture so your neck stays cool for hours; Climber had one so Cherub wanted one too) and a Pengie (both my kids have a penguin obsession which predates Happy Feet. Go on watch the clip, it's very cute and only takes a minute...)



But Fixit has gone and trumped us all with his early Christmas present to himself. Oh yes. Guess what he bought? Go on....




..have a guess.






Here's a clue.













Yep. It's a new bike.

I should probably say straight off that I am fine with him having a new bike. He's been talking all year about fixing up and selling the old ones so that he can buy one. And he's my love, you know, I want him to have things that make him happy. I even understand why he rushed the purchase through and brought it home in the worst financial month of the year:- because he has a bike ride planned straight after Christmas and I totally see that anyone would want the shiny new bike for that. I'm pleased for him and I really love seeing how happy and excited he is, like say when he mentions nonchalantly that he really ought to ride it in to work this morning instead of the pushbike because the new tires need scrubbing in.

But, umm.. now we have three. Three motorbikes, people. And I'm pretty sure that makes us bogans, seeing as how we now have an equal ratio of persons to automobiles in our house. *Sigh* I don't want to be a bogan, I'm so rude about them all the time.

And I wasn't aware till after the bike was all but home that we were getting a loan to pay for it; I just assumed it was coming out of some payouts Fixit had earlier in the year that had actually already been spent on boring things like dentistry and other crap. Never assume people, it makes an ass of u + me. It has all really made me see that Fixit and I don't discuss money very much. Which, you know, maybe we should. Because on the one hand, there's me trying not to overspend at Christmas time, meantime whoopee!! New Shiny Bike!!

He has promised to spend January fixing up the other 2 for sale, and really the main reason he hasn't already done that is that large amounts of his spare time get taken up with being a functioning, contributing member of our household, with dish-washing and lawn-mowing and child-minding the boys while I'm out teaching and actually hanging out with us at weekends and stuff. And I can see that he feels a bit guilty about it so in no sense do I want to beat him over the head. BUT..... the minute he sells two-thirds of our massive bike collection he and I will be going to Ikea to get the long-promised new couch! So that we can finally replace Nell's-Ex's-Nan's-Couch which, for an object that was designed to be comfortable to sit on, is ridiculously UN-comfortable to sit on. Ask Crafty, she's sat on it, she'll back me up on this.

'Til then, folks, I will be dressing up in sparkly purple minidresses, wearing makeup and ladyshoes, as I fight the pink corner in this wheel-obsessed household. I doubt the Honda Hornet will be only boys' toy arriving in our household over the festive season somehow. Sometimes its tough being the only girl.

24 comments:

  1. Well not sure about the bike thing, but if his promise is to do up the other two, then fair enough.

    As for the tie thing - we have the same thing. You soak it in chilled water and then tie it around your forehead when you have a headache! Danged 'homeopathic' remedies!
    Cheers


    This is my calling card or link"Whittereronautism"until blogger comments get themselves sorted out.

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  2. What a great post ... as the partner of a car-obsessed bloke I understand your views here. One day I will write a post about what happened to me when we had a newborn. Short version goes like this: bloke decided to buy orange Torana for $2000. Bloke keeps Torana in the shed in various states of repair while OUR PROPER car boils in the heat all summer. Bloke discovers car has far more rust than he bargained for. Bloke spends EVERY waking weekend moment, plus a few weeknights, in flippin' shed grinding out rust or whatever you do with it ... meanwhile maternity-leave mum is expected to just manage with no weekend reprieve. NEVER have I been so glad as when that silly car was sold on!!
    Apologies - I think I may have just used your blog as therapy!!!
    Sarah

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  3. It is such a schizophrenic feeling - you feel genuinely happy for them but (and you even feel guilty for the but) - there are practical things to attend to.

    Like a comfy couch.

    His pleasure will give you pleasure though.

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  4. No, Stomper Girl, not a Bogan. BUT, if you told me you had to move the Camira, to fit in the Torana and make extra space for the new Maloo Ute and the HSV Holden, well then I might have words. Might.

    Besides Bogan is a complete state of mind that takes years to properly achieve.

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  5. And if you were to affix frangipanis to the rear of the bike...well, that might then give me pause.

    I think you're bogan-safe for the moment.

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  6. You sound like my sister, who loves her husband a lot .. but ... they've got 3 car(casses) now, and there's only 2 of them. Perhaps there's 4 car(casses), I can't remember.

    They've all got to be done up, to be sold, or done up, to be 'the car', and she's scared their front yard will end up with rusted burnt out wrecks.

    I told her the best thing about farm wrecks though, is that farmcats have kittens in the front seat of them.

    So there's always an up side.

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  7. oh - you gonna buy 'my' couch ? :)

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  8. Everyone gets presents! So exciting. I love the penguin too.

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  9. Love the first photo of the bike with the slight tinge of lilac in the reflection. Great shot!

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  10. Oh, also forgot to say Holly's Daddy has a rusty old FJ ute in the shed which has been there for a couple of years now and will be gone soon. The enthusiasm and motivation to "do it up" never actually eventuated ...

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  11. It seems bikes are to your household what cricket bats are to ours.
    I bet a cricket bat costs a lot less than that shiny new bike.
    At least you now have lots of relationship credit to spend on more new shoes....

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  12. Glad it's a bike - from that first picture I thought it was a shiny, chrome-y gas mask....

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  13. I think you should buy another pair of shoes (or two) just to even things out.

    Off to google what on earth a bogan might be....

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  14. Oh dear. Look what happens to a girl when she buys a new pair of shoes! Don't think the bike is a balanced trade off.

    Sometimes I think men find it easier to just take a leap of faith with a large purchase, while we womenfolk are thinking about kids outgrowing clothes, medical appointments, school supplies and the like. I'd like to trade places with them for a few weeks.

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  15. The boys are lovely...and that *is* a good-looking bike. I am crossing fingers that come January, those other two bikes will bring you a small fortune to hit Ikea with!!

    And can I just say that I am so envious of your weather? It took the boys 10 minutes to dress for school this morning. Outerwear, that is. It was -12 C here. Yikes.

    Have a good day! Heidi

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  16. Great post!!
    As the MIL of a SIL who has a dead f'n car under the carport, I totally sympathise. His dream is to spend millions more on it, so he can sit & wan-oops- admire it!
    Never mind Brrrrm How about Grrrrrr.
    Love the boys photos!

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  17. Fixit looks ssoooooo happy and excited in the photo... (read with intended sarcasm)

    Is it possible to bring the two old bikes inside and strap them together to fashion a comfortable couch?

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  18. You are one tolerant woman!

    Is there not even a teeny weeny little bit of you that wants to choke him?

    One good thing though your brownie points must be off the scale ... so bring on the red shoes, the spotty wellies, the starched white coats and, of course, the IKEA couch!

    Love PP's comment ....

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  19. you'll only be a bogon if when you get your new couch, you take your old couch and put it in your front yard (pref beside the rusting hulk of a car/bike)
    until then you're just a bogon in waiting

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  20. Love the "pink corner!" Fight for the right to sit in comfort!

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  21. Yes, I most certainly will back you up on it. Whilst it is OK to lie down on and have a little snooze, to sit on is torture for your neck.

    I am very pleased you have plans for a new couch, the sooner the better.

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  22. You're a good person.

    May I suggest holding the new bike hostage until the two others actually get sold?

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  23. A loan? That you didn't know about? For a third motorbike?

    You are indeed a better woman than I.

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Don't let the cat get your tongue.