Lazy afternoon...

After a busy morning of ballet, followed by playgroup, we decided to spend the afternoon relaxing at the beach.  The kids built sandcastles and chased each other while I lay around watching the boats bobbing in the bay and made sure no one ate any seaweed or threw sand in anyone else's eyes.  When it came round to dinner time I honestly couldn't be fagged cooking so we walked into town and had fish and chips on the pier.  A pretty perfect day if you ask me.  And now I'm off to do a spot of last minute sewing for the impending birthday - time is running out!

bananarama...

I'm a little ashamed to say that when cyclone Yasi hit my first thoughts were not for the victims but rather for the banana crops.  I'm trying to make the most of the last cheap bananas - making banana chips and big batches of banana bread for the freezer.  While I was baking my husband announced that he doesn't like banana cake.  Then he tasted it and since then he has single handedly consumed nearly two loaves.  So far I haven't managed to save any for the freezer - it is virtually being inhaled as it comes out of the oven.  The recipe is from Bill Granger's Feed me now! (shoot me an email or comment if you want the recipe).

In other news… Minty's birthday is on Sunday and I'm somewhat disorganised.  I still haven't settled on a cake or finished making her presents.  We're planning on camping out for the night.  Initially we were going to go to Wilson's Prom but since then we have chickened out and are now aiming for a backyard camp out.  Frankly I was a little worried about the smallest member of the family staging a runaway given his current obsession with escaping.  It does feel like a bit of a cop out (or as King Julian would say like we're all a bunch of pansies), but I'm guessing that Minty will be pretty thrilled with sleeping outside regardless of the location.  

And while we're on the topic of camping - has anyone ever tried s'mores??  Never having eaten a s'more I fear that, much like cheesy fries, they will not translate for the Australian palate.  And yet I am curious what all the fuss is about.  There is even such a thing as a giant s'more cake.  To s'more or not to s'more that is the question.

In which I loaf on the couch and my eyes bleed...

I haven't written much this week because I've been bogged down by an extremely hectic TV schedule.  I felt it was my personal responsibility to watch all the series returns and pass judgement.  Sadly everything was somewhat disappointing and I ended up with a stabbing pain in my right eye which I can only assume was my conscience or God telling me to get off the couch and do something productive.  

These pics are from Minty's first dance class.  She loved it, though she spent much of the class awol playing with a hoola hoop (she's two what did I expect?).  

Plum picking...

In which there are girl friends and proper grooming...

Up until now Minty has shown a marked preference for playing with the rough and tumble boys, or as she calls them 'my boys'.  All that changed with the arrival of Aerin.  She has a strong enough personality to hold her own and Minty is smitten.  Periodically Minty announces, 'I love Aerin… do you love Aerin?  …Turi loves Aerin'.  But it's not all love and hugs, like any friendship it has its ups and downs.  Last time Aerin came to play there were some very heated negotiations over who would get to use the pink crockery for lunch (Aerin's and now coincidentally Minty's favourite colour), akin to the struggle over palestine.  Several days later Minty sadly confided in me that 'Aerin snatched the pink chair', having conveniently forgotten that she snatched the pink bowl, spoon and cup.  Mental note: 'lose' all pink items before next play date.

This week the girls are starting 'tiny phoenix creative' dance class together.  The whole thing scares me a little, with the girls required to wear proper ballet shoes, pink leotards, and hair gelled or pinned back in a bun, showing 'pride in appearance'.  According to the studio 'good grooming is part of dance training'. Ok I've been told - now how to pass this information onto the girl who launches a full scale revolt at the mere mention of a hair tie?

In which it is too hot to function and Minty performs a wiggle exorcism...

36 degrees here on the island… feeling hot bothered and tired.

We don't have many toys in the house that make sounds.  There's a music box, a bike that plays a little tune when you press the horn and a fisherprice play table with a music button.  There is also a doll fashioned to look like Murray the wiggle that sings when you press his belly.  After an incident during which Minty disturbed a completely silent library with 'PLAY YOUR GUITAR WITH MURRAY!!' I mostly keep the doll switched off, but at some stage this week Minty discovered the on button.  Poor little Turi was blissfully unaware that the doll could speak and in the course of playing with it gave the tummy a poke.  When Murray shouted 'HI MY NAME'S MURRAY!' Turi was petrified.  He reacted much as I imagine you would if you saw Jesus rise from the tomb - more terrified than excited, with an intense desire to touch the hem of his robe countered with an equally intense fear that if he did some higher power might smote him.  After several minutes of hysterical screaming and sobbing while Turi periodically poked the doll to check if it would do it again, I decided it was best that Murray retired to another room out of sight.  

This morning Turi spotted Murray hidden away in the dining room and I decided it might be time to reintroduce him.  I sat Turi on my knee and held his hand while I helped him make Murray speak.  Sadly my attempt to overcome his phobia was an epic failure.  The screaming and sobbing was repeated each time Murray spoke even as I attempted to reassure Turi that everything was fine.  Then Minty entered the room.  She masterfully took Murray from my hand, pressed his tummy and told Turi, 'Look Turi don't be frightened, he's nice.  He's a toy.'  Turi immediately stopped sobbing and was soon dancing along to Murray's song.  Clearly Minty has a much greater influence than I.

Photos in this post were taken by my better half (Dr Jekyll) with a little post production love from me.

Fabric daydreams...

I woke up this morning with an overwhelming desire to rip out my carpet and stencil the subflooring like this or this.  When I told my husband he was less than impressed and suggested that perhaps instead of taking on yet another unpaid project perhaps I should do some actual 'work' for you know money.  You see I have this chronic habit of doing work for free.  I tend to think working for money is a little bit like sex between friends, more often than not a sure fire way to spoil a good thing.  Being paid is stifling to the creative mind.  But then I guess the money is good.  So I'm forcing myself to knuckle down.  I've been looking at day care centres for Minty for one day a week (more on this later), and trying to motivate myself to actually work on the design jobs I have piled up.

But honestly today I spent most of my time sorting through my stash to come up with some colour combinations for some (unpaid) sewing projects I'm dreaming of.  Procrastination is one of my special skills.