Monday, February 25, 2008

Fairy wishes

K no longer thinks she is a fairy. She does very much want to be a fairy. When she makes a wish it is to turn into a fairy. Today she got her first wiggly tooth, sadly it will be me that this turns into a tooth fairy.

P.S. School is great.

Saturday, February 09, 2008

Tenuous links

I have been re-reading My Year of Meat by Ruth L. Ozeki. It is a good and interesting book although not recommended for anaemic, carnivorous Americans. It is both a good novel and an exposé of dangerous farming practices. Sometimes it becomes too much of a diatribe and its Japanese characters tend towards caricature.

It quotes from Sei Shonagon's Pillow Book, a blog-like diary written by a court lady in 10th century Japan. A fascinating glimpse of the past. In trying to find a good piece to quote I found this nice blog entry about it.

Which brings me to an unfinished list in the style of Sei Shonagon:
Things one should not put in the washing machine

A treasured watch inherited from ones grandmother.

Wednesday, February 06, 2008

Let them eat cake

On Saturday H & K had their birthday party. 22 members of their extended family came as well as 9 little friends (with 5 accompanying parents) and 9 big friends.

Last year they had an excellent party at the pool and I really like having party entertainment that comes with the venue and not having to cleaning up before or after. So this year I asked them where they wanted their party and we agreed on the zoo. We had it in the old elephant house where the flying foxes and assorted reptiles now live. We also had a 'contact visit' from Billy, the blue tongued skink, and Toby, the leopard tortoise. They were much admired and gently stroked.

A lot of the party food was different kinds of fresh fruit and vegetables: e.g. pineapple, watermelon, cherries, grapes, blueberries, cherry tomatoes and carrot sticks. So after the party we donated the leftovers to the zoo to feed their other animals.

Overall it was a great success although I was too busy anxiously fluffing around to enjoy it as much as I might have.

Tuesday, February 05, 2008

School is ruthless

H & K start school on Thursday. The last couple of days we've been practising getting up and walking to school on time. I am looking forward to them starting school but also apprehensive. I remember the social battlefield of the playground all to vividly. School taught me that I was uncool, unpopular and too smart. These are not the lessons I want my children to learn.

I do want them to learn the joy of academic success, make friends, develop independence and participate in our culture. Here's hoping.