Rainy Day Play

Rain! Rain! And more rain!

Thank goodness for indoor play centres. I don't care which baby's nappy leaked out into the ball pit, or which kid's vomit flowed like lava down the giant slides, I embrace these play centres wholeheartedly. The kids have a blast and I get to sit and chat idly with a friend. Or play with my phone.

I just make them wash their sweaty little hands lots of times. ;0)

Here's my list of Rainy Day Outings:

1.  Visit friends (and get their house wet and muddy instead)
2. Indoor play centre
3. Hungry Jack's playground
4. Indoor heated pool
5. Bunnings playground (although it is depressingly grey in there and smells of Osmocote)
6. McDonald's playground (now that I have broken my cherry and eaten there again for the first time after a 17 year ban, due to Amazon deforestation and global domination)
7. Library
8. Art gallery
9. Movies
10. Osprey House environmental centre
11. Rainy walk outside
12. Rainy adventure (boogey boarding down the creek/mud sliding in the park - just do it)
13. Or grocery shopping if you want to get it out of the way and spend a sunny day doing something fun instead.

Have you got any other ideas?? Because the forecast is looking grim. And as we speak, Jimmy is in the kitchen making a delicious recipe with: basil, honey, icing sugar, vanilla essence, soy milk and salmon dip. Bless his little creative spirit.

"Mmmm, this is actually really good!"
"Euurr, that's disgusting!"
"Nooo, you have to dip it with bread. Kees thinks this is disgusting. Will you try some?"

 Looks like we might need to go to McDonald's again soon.

I tried a burger. And dammit, I liked it. xx

The Loveliness of Eggs

Aren't eggs just lovely? So warm. Such a soft colour. So humble. Perfect little packages.

I found these photos and they brought back memories of last Autumn, on a beautiful quiet sunny morning.

I needed to look at photos to remember what the sun looks like....'cause we haven't seen it here for ages! 

Just rain, rain, rain.

But we can still have eggs for breakfast.

Dinosaur Style

We've been walking the dinosaur round here lately, with dino embellishments aplenty. It makes Jimmy wear things he wouldn't wear before. Yesss. Win to Mummy!

Gifts for Sweet Nieces

I love to sew things for little girls, but my lovely nieces have loads of gorgeous clothes already. So, after some thought, I made them some bunting with their names on. I loved working with all that 

pink, blue and purple!

I hope you like them, little ladies!

Actually, speaking of my brother...he's just been to the Baftas and is now heading to the Oscars. 

Good luck, David!!

Go Dave!!

Here's our brother David at the Baftas! He worked his butt off as Animation Supervisor for The Hobbit, and now he's been nominated for a Bafta and an Oscar. Awesome job, bro! And good luck!

 Here's what David wrote to us about it:

Hey guys,

Kylie and I just had lunch with Martin Nickolas. He had his girlfriend Anja with him, who is from Poland. Was great to catch up! We had a nice lunch at the restaurant here at the Savoy. This hotel is totally amazing, Mum you would absolutely love it here.

We're going to be heading off to the Baftas in an hour or so. I'm up at our hotel room, while Kylie is down getting her hair and makeup done. They have these Style Suites here at the Savoy where you can get all your hair and make up done - I even went down and had a barber guy give me the full cut throat razor shave! And, this is the best bit, the give the nominees a free watch! Crazy hey? Kylie even got one too.

Last night we attended the pre Bafta Cocktail party, and when we got out of the car, everyone mistook Kylie for Amy Adams - a famous actress. So they had her pose for photos on the red carpet! A barrage of flash photography fired up like machine gun fire! It was so funny! I put my arm round her waist for a few of the photos but then they asked if they could just get her by herself again!

 So all that's left to do now is put on my dinner suit and head down to be picked up in the VIP car... which is a brand new Audi R8! Totally crazy time but we are looking forward to heading home tomorrow to see the girls.

Anyway, you may see us in the background somewhere, or, if in the unlikely chance we win, you'll see me up on the stage!

Talk soon, 

Dave xx

And here is a link to an article about him.

What the !!??

Check it out: my nerdy brother and Snoop Dog! Too funny.

Cyclone Oswald

Well, after a long hot period without rain, we have had Cyclone Oswald. At first I was grateful for the deep, soaking rain. We had some great plays in it, riding the inflatable boogie board down the drain and sliding in the giant puddles all over the football field. But as it gained momentum, I began to feel uneasy. I didn't sleep well last night, with all the big gusts of wind. I actually was a bit scared! 

And look at our backyard this morning:

We copped it. Our poor trees. I loved that beautiful big olive tree!

So that's been a bit of excitement in the neighbourhood. And Jimmy shouted with glee, "Hooray, that's our playground now!"

But guess what happened to our friends? Their trampoline got swept up two storeys and crashed into the neighbours roof! And the neighbours are away on holidays....oh boy.

I hope you are all safe and well and Oswald behaves himself in your area!

Summer Breezes

The other night, I went outside, when everyone else was asleep. My three boys were snoring contentedly together, a jumble of limbs.  The neighbours had turned off their 4BC and staggered into bed.

It was most enchanting.

All was hushed. I heard whispering leaves, crickets and a lonely car driving past in the distance.

I felt the breeze blowing on my face and hair.

I was filled by the sight of the moon, glowing like a luminous pearl between the silhoutted leaves and branches.

And I smelt the most beautiful balmy summer perfume. It was delicious!

I went out the next day to discover the magic ingredients of that perfumed breeze. If you're a subtropical dweller, you can probably give a good guess...

Frangipani,

Jasmine,

and "Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow".

Now if only I could bottle that up, I think I'd be rich....

What does your breeze smell like?

(And no funny business, Tamara!)