Stolen but found

Last night Maya headed into the city with some friends to watch the spectacle of Riverfire. She had pretty much resigned herself to the fact that she would not be going after some of her friends pulled out half way through the day. They changed their minds at the 11th hour though and as a result were so rushed to make it to the city they missed all the fireworks anyway.

She arrived home a few hours later and reported that their night had been a complete waste of time and to top if all off someone had stolen her favourite jacket. She and her friends had been waiting for the bus to return them home when a male person around the same age as her walked by her and grabbed her jacket off the seat where she had placed it. He then ran off with all his mates cheering him on. She and her friends hotfooted it after them but were unable to keep up the chase because of traffic.

This morning she and her friends have scoured Myspace and found him. They knew his name because his friends had called out to him as he ran away and that was about all they had to go by. This city is large but by narrowing down which school he was likely to go to and his likely age, along with his name they were able to track him. Now they sit and wait for him to add them to his profile and then they'll all launch an attack of the internet kind in which they'll kindly ask him to return her jacket... and maybe call him a trussed up private school boy! I would be all for that.

Why Gheckos live in houses

Henry: Mum, Gheckos live in houses because they think it's a really great place to live. See, when they make that noise that means it's a really great place to live.

My sister Alicia

Henry: Mum, you have to say, "this is my sister Alicia"

Me: This is my sister Alicia

Henry: Not like that, like this. "This is my sister Alicia"

Me: This is my sister Alicia

Henry: Ok, how about you wear the video watch

Me: Ok, but what will I see on it?

Henry: My sister Alicia

Me: Oh great, so is she an animal rescuer too?

Henry: No because she doesn't have rescue ropes

Me: Right.

Henry: Now you've got it.

Four

Today Henry didn't turn 4. He actually doesn't turn 4 until tomorrow but he doesn't know that and until he's old enough to realise the difference we will continue to celebrate everything on the day it doesn't occur because we're like that. He also isn't yet old enough to realise he hasn't had a proper birthday party because he thinks if there's a cake and presents to open he's had a party. Kids are so simple like that. At least until their competitive spirit clicks in and they feel the need to have a party bigger and better than anyone else ever did.

so he woke to a few lego type presents and a book or two from us, nothing terribly exciting as far as he was concerned...then he turned into his usual maniac self because he had eaten two chocolate crackles for breakfast (it's his birthday!). I knew my mother and stepfather had Buzz Lightyear and they were late and I swear I was going to have to take some medication to cope with Henry if they didn't just get here soon.

Henry's obsession with Buzz Lightyear means he attempts to copy all of Buzz's moves. He jumps from the bed to the floor yelling "To infinity and beyond". Now he can do it with Buzz in his hands who, hopefully will save him from the evil Zurg.

Happy 4th Birthday Henry.

I'm sitting on top of the world

I had no intention of taking anyone, especially myself, to the Ekka this year. I loved my local small town show when I was a kid but the Ekka's always been a little too big and busy for me. Plus one needs to have saved up the equivalent of a years pay to afford it. My stepfather called yesterday and asked if Henry would like to go to the Ekka and that he would be happy to take him. At first Henry, who had no idea what the Ekka even was, said no, he wasn't interested. I was kind of happy about his ambivalence but equally disappointed because I had visions of having hours alone. I didn't yet want him to know what the Ekka was and I also wasn't really that keen on him picking up one of the trillions of germs and illnesses that seem to lurk at such places. There was also the fact that Henry likes to run off - a lot, and I had fears that he may not make it back home.

I showed Henry the Ekka website and he became a little excited by the colours. I decided that if he were going I would have to go along too to make sure he came home. Although my stepfather spends a lot of time with Henry it's always at his house and rarely in public where climbable banisters, things with fire alarm butons and places to hide abound. So I did it, I went and the minute we stepped foot off the train into the Ekka groudns I wished I hadn't. There were people everywhere! I calmed down a little when I saw the bulls headed into the ring for the bull judging and the flashing signs advertising dagwood dogs.

I caved and let Henry have some rides and we took him to the "top of the world" in the - get this - air conditioned Ferris Wheel! I'm glad they banned that stupid carousel and let the air conditioned Ferris Wheel stay. It's about time the Ekka got modern. I was even more pleased when I saw the sign on the ceiling of our air-conditioned cab that said "smile, you're on camera". I guess they installed those to catch anyone trying to sneak in a pash while they're up there on top of the world. Thank God for Ferris Wheel police. Lord knows we need them!

It's just what you do

When the kids and life in general are wearing you out you run away to the bush and you stay there with a girlfriend for an entire weekend and return home hopefully feeling a little more relaxed.

At least that's what Carla and I did last weekend. At first I was a little disappointed because our cabin for the weekend was a little unluxurious (I know this is not a real word so don't go sending me comments to point this out). There was only two wine glasses, one a martini glass and the other a champagne flute which both looked as though they'd been stolen from the nearest pub. The cooking facilities weren't so crash hot either and it took me the entire weekend to get the fire alight in the wood heater. The good far outweighed the bad though as the shower was steaming hot, the beds were comfortable and the peace and quiet of the mountain made up for anything that was lacking. We had no choice anyway as the whole mountain was booked out.

I'm hoping I can get to do it again sometime very soon.