Saturday, December 29, 2007

Our Christmas in Canberra

So the car trip was lo-o-ong, but we borrowed my dad's station wagon for extra comfort / luggage space and the boys were good. Especially when they were asleep. Cherub got a bit whiney, he hasn't really grasped the concept of time yet. Didn't matter how many times we said all day in answer to his how much longer? He kept right on asking...

There was an abundance of good food at my sister's house, and thankfully I had Fixit to shell my prawns for me despite the scoffings of my sister and brother-in-commonlaw. I know how to do it, I just don't like to. He peeled a stash for me, then began work on his own (chivalry is alive and well, wouldn't you say) but then got so busy talking that he failed to notice that I swiped another 4 from his plate. Heh heh heh. The prawns were for Christmas Eve. For Christmas Day we had roast turkey and all the trimmings, plus ham. Because even though we celebrate in summertime, we enjoy a roast dinner for Christmas and thankfully there was an industrial sized barbecue out front to do most of the work.

Climber was a bit concerned Santa might not know his way round Bronnie's house. So he left him a note. THIS WAY. Such a thoughtful boy; I guess all the other years that poor Santa delivered there he's just had to stumble round in the dark ...

There were puppies. Five of them. Staffordshire / blue heeler crosses, 5 weeks old. Climber was very taken with them and if ever we couldn't find him we'd look out in the back yard. There he'd be, with at least one in his lap. Sometimes sitting on the swing, gently rocking back and forth. Fixit was also partial to playing with them and has the tiny nip marks all over his feet to prove it.
Though between the pups and their mother, the traditional Christmas game of backyard cricket was impeded somewhat.
Cherub quite liked them, but he preferred his boy-cousin's train set. Or playing on the swings with his girl-cousin.

On the left here you can see my step-nephew. (Whose baby brother failed to materialise in time for us to meet him. And is baking still as far as we know.) On Christmas day I was getting to know him by doing a high-5 routine with him : You say High-5 (hand held up high for a slap) On the side (hand held to the side for a slap) Down low (hand held low for a slap before you whip it away to say:) Too slow! Or if playing with littlies you leave it there and say Too fast! So I was greatly tickled when he came back the next day, convinced that my name was High-five. Fixit, he'd say and point. Gwandma Margwet, pointing again. But no matter how much we said No, Caroline for me, he insisted. High-fwive, High-fwive.

There was a lot of family portraiture going on in the backyard and I hope there'll be some super shots from Bronnie's flash camera. Here's one from mine though, my mum with my sister and brother and me on Christmas day. How nice, how rare.

Before we left, Bron gave Climber a ride on her horse, something that her own kids do regularly and with confidence.

The trip back was, well, lo-o-ong. As we drove back to Melbourne, Climber whiled away the dullness by composing a letter. To the horse. I think we can safely say that the horse-riding, not to mention the trip away, was a hit.
And here we are back again, in the midst of a foul Melbourne heatwave. In our revoltingly hot house. And me a single parent while Fixit swans off to Mount Beauty for a three day bike-ride-with-the-lads on the New Bike.

So remember the wild-eyed screeching harridan from last week's episode? Sadly she's already made a couple of re-appearances. Once because Cherub whinged incessantly about being given the wrong sort of ice cream cone and once because Climber put the heater on after his bath and I didn't notice so it stayed on for half an hour,warming up the revoltingly hot house still more.

19 comments:

  1. If you're taking care of two little boys and only turn into a harridan twice, I'm quite impressed. Let me know what your sanity secret is, would you?

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  2. A boy gets a bit chilly after a bath, what is he to do?

    My Pete peels my prawns for me too. I'm certain it would be a requirement for joining the round table.

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  3. You managed to come home without a puppy?

    Amazing.

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  4. I know. But they were all spoken for anyway, so it was never an issue.

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  5. Who doesn't want their prawns peeled for them ? ( AB does mine too :p ).

    Your relo's were just jealous.

    Horseriding ( *swoon* )

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  6. Welcome back! Looks like a good trip, I'm very jealous about the horseriding!

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  7. I'd love someone to peel praws for me.

    Canberra and back. At Christmas. Wow,

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  8. Well done on the harridan count!
    I remember long day trips in our car, where my hand resembles an egg beater swiping away over the back of the seat!

    I hope you & Mr Fixit have a Happy New Year, & Love & Joy, over the coming year of 2008.

    HugsXX

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  9. Oh well as far as prawns are concerned, I watched a friend of MDH's family suck the heads out of them at the table on Christmas day. Nice.

    Anyway, on to more important matters. Look at your sister's hair!!!

    I love hair like that, it always looks nice and sleek. And always bouncy in a pony tail too, and develops a really nice shape when in one.

    No, I don't have a pony tail fetish, but I do have nice hair envy. Lucky her.

    Envious me.

    Sigh.

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  10. That drive from Canberra to Melbourne is a killer. We drove it (minus kids) a year or so ago and I was doing the "are we there yet" bit myself. That Maccas in the middle of nowhere was like a mirage. We just had to stop.
    Looks like you had a lovely time. Horses and prawns - my dream combination (if you throw in wine as well).

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  11. I've said it before...but your boys are gorgeous. And that sign to Santa was priceless. But none more so than the letter to Freelancer...clearly the writing bug has already bitten!

    Glad you had a good Christmas, despite the long journey.

    Happy New Year!

    Heidi :)

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  12. Lovely pictures. I'm a cat person rather than a dog person myself, but those puppies are rather cute. As are the boys, of course. And I rather like that duck in the background of the photo of the boys in the previous post... Pop over to Scotland if you'd like to be chilly. It's not freezing here, but you wouldn't like to go out without a jacket.

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  13. Stomper and Stacey - you should go the coastal route. Then you can stop and play on a beach on the way and break it up a little ( plus: cool coastal breezes )

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  14. Oh, it must be marvellous to have lovely cousins to play with. Sadly my sister is stubbornly refusing to have children and Hubbies brother and his (revolting) children are in the US (thank GOD!).

    Looks like a fab holiday :)

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  15. Hey Sis, this is great. Still showing everyone Climber's letter to our darling Freelance. Incidentally, I finally ended Freelance's week plus off work, and she worked like a complete donkey, resulting in lots of bullying in the canter, until she finally bloody well did it properly! So lots of hard work coming up for the lovely Freelance. True to form I didn't see midnight last night, so was up at 6.30am to ride and beat the heat, which is the best start of all to the new year for this little black duck.

    Note that next time I will NOT let you rush Climber off from riding to see someone else, not even Nell. Bless my beautiful little nephew's cotton socks, still v. touched by that letter. Just think he missed out on feeding and giving her a bath.... Might take him on my own next year so you can't be driven nuts by flies and run away. Disappointed that neither you or Fixit tackled the fancy camera which would have handled that indoor arena better though for the memory! He was terrific, what a great little listener he is. V. proud of my nephew.... GREAT kicking, she is big lazy slug...

    Great Christmas though, was FABULOUS to have you all hear. Kids still missing you all. It is hot here too, but not as evil as in Melbourne.

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  16. ps - ah HAH! I DID look taller in that group photo!!! For ONCE!!! Hurrah! (looks a bit odd actually!)

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  17. Don't get too excited - MUM looks the tallest in that photo.

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  18. Great pic of the kids asleep in the back of the car...I trust you were not driving at the time!! :)

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Don't let the cat get your tongue.