Sunday, June 26, 2011

Some stuff..

Basil went for a little illicit wander out into the neighbourhood yesterday. He returned safe and sound, but the family stress when we can't find him is high. As you'd imagine.

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Climber's soccer team is in the bottom 3 of the league. This means that they are getting thrashed most weeks, which is a little dispiriting, but at the same time we are enjoying getting to know the other families, cracking jokes on the sidelines on those cold early mornings, and generally feeling heartened by the way that the team is actually improving even though the results don't show that. Climber continues to do an excellent job, it's hard to pick whether he's better as central defender or goalie really. Just don't put the kid in attack, he doesn't like it. Apparently he's genetically programmed to be a defender, both his father and uncle played in back.

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Cherub is, like his little mates in Grade 2, pretty obsessed with AFL (that's Melbourne footy to you international readers) swap cards. They take their little albums to school and haggle. Despite coming from a non-footy-following family, Cherub knows a surprising amount about the game. He accepts as gospel what the other kids tell him, which is pretty funny when he starts sounding off about a game he's never watched: apparently The Empire (umpire) didn't like one of the teams and was really unfair. He was having quite the footy chat with Grandma and Pa Fixit yesterday, and his Grandma when she heard about the swap cards was quick to hand over $3 for a new pack, something which I, as an anti-football in particular and swap cards in general, am far less likely to do. But I do think it is nice to have spoiling grandparents.

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Fixit is putting different handlebars on the motorbike so he can sit up straight and ride rather than leaning forward uncomfortably. I suppose there's less chance of him falling asleep like that, but the tinkering required to do this job seems excessive and never-ending to me. (I am very supportive like that.)

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I've knitted a square for an orphan's blanket. Perfect television-watching activity as I've sat glued to the screen for the SBS show Go Back To Where You Came From (emotionally wrecked after each episode of that show) and the final of Ashes to Ashes on dvd. (I love you Gene Hunt).

And the house still smells, I hate you stinky rat.

8 comments:

  1. Gee, I remember the time we had a bush rat die in our roof back at my parents. Gawd the place STANK so I hear ya!

    I used to love the AFL footy cards myself, but I think back in my day they were like 20c a pack. lol. I feel old now.

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  2. So much I was nodding at in agreement with here but in particular

    Yes to spoiling grandparents (it's in their job spec) and yes to weeping through "Go Back To Where You Came From.)

    I would not be here if Australia had not accepted immigrants from war torn Europe post World War 11.

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  3. I enjoyed Back to Where you Came From, but I thought it was too short, to condensed. I think it would have been great if we had seen more, and it had gone for a lot longer. You couldn't help but be touched by it though.

    That Basil? He is a beautiful, BEAUTIFUL boy...

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  4. The teenage kid years are going to seem like a walk in the park after Basil.

    More sorry than I can possibly communicate to hear about the putrifying Rat Stink Hell. Bet it doesn't make you want to put the heater on...

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  5. Abby is looking over my shoulder and is very curious about your "Viking" child. :-)

    That Basil is so handsome! He should learn to stay closer to home though. Please Basil!

    The older I get the stiffer my back gets. Bending over to do gardening work isn't so bad, until I go to stand back up and all those muscles protest sharply. I'm all for the new handlebars.

    I would love to see that series. Our state, unfortunately, just passed a very stringent anti-immigration bill. Many bright, young people will be forced to return to the squalid conditions from which they were desperate to escape. Very sad and frustrating.

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  6. I'm looking forward to being a spoiling granny myself.

    Three beautiful boys you have there.

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  7. Ooh. Gene Hunt.

    Sorry, what were you saying?

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  8. I was at school assembly this morning and as we sang the national anthem, I was struck by the fact we sing "For those who’ve come across the seas; We’ve boundless plains to share".

    Boo to the stinky rat.

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Don't let the cat get your tongue.