In the Summertime

Sweeney and I spent a few weeks in Christchurch with Nana over Christmas. We went on a horse trek. We erected a Christmas tree that reminded me of Sigmund and the Sea Monsters. We ate trifle and chips and dip and Christmas mince pies. Sweeney had a rad time with his bubble machine and his major lego haul. We experienced some whomping Christchurch earthquakes. We hung out with Christchurch friends, and Wellington friends who happened to be in Christchurch. The weather was extraordinary.

We travelled back up the island to catch the ferry. There was breathtaking scenery. There was fabulous, no-frills nosh in Kaikoura. There were seals just north of Kaikoura. Sweeney realised just how useful his binoculars could be. The weather was beautiful.

We stopped back at home for a few days, then continued north to Raumati Beach. Liisa pumped out glorious, non-itchy food. Rex ensured that a drink and the paper were within arm's reach at all times. Sweeney and Bela spent every second chatting to each other. We jumped in waves and took in more breathtaking scenery. We went to the park. The weather was horrendous, then splendid again.

Then we shot back to Christchurch for a spot more Nana-time, to celebrate her birthday with her. We dragged her around cafes and whatnot in weather that got to about a million degrees. We attended to chores that needed tending to. We ate salmon and salads made entirely from Nana's garden and trifle and more Christmas mince pies.

Then back to Wellington and back to work for me. For Sweeney, it's been a cracking pace of playdates, library visits, swimming lessons and hanging out with Grandad. The days are just packed, aren't they??

Remake/Remodel

I wanted to make morning tea for the team I'm leaving behind at work. I made them orange and sultana scones, and chocolate brownie. If you read the KitchenMaid blog, you'll see that her recipe is based on some legendary scones around town. I'd not heard of them until I read her post.

Then I had dinner with a bunch of gals, most of whom were locals to the cafes where these scones come from, and there was much murmuring around the table about their greatness. I don't like dates at all, though. I figured it'd be a dealbreaker.

Anyhoo, I ventured out on a walk that landed me in Lyall Bay a few days later. Sitting on the beach, watching the morning kick in, drinking a delicious coffee and feeling apprehensive about eating something with dates in. Here's a really silly photo of it:

Reader, I married that scone. Or near as dammit. Go get one. As soon as you can. I figure they must soak the dates, so they bake up like ribbons of date-tasting goodness, without that gritty texture that puts my teeth on edge.

Because, as nicely as my interpretation - I substituted stewed apple for an egg - of Lucy's version of these scones turned out, it wasn't anything like so splendid as what they're knocking out at Queen Sally's.

And the brownie?? I went vegan on it because we were out of eggs, and it needed a fully ripe banana, which suited very well.

In other news, it's Hallowe'en party time. I went to a little shindig after work last night, and snaffled a beautifully cut jack-o-lantern to take home. Sweeney and Harper loved it in their room with a tea light.

We took it to Bela's party this afternoon. It performed very well. Note special, festive horns.

 Then I took some photos of it in action, along with the special, festive horns. The tea light had extinguished, and the only other candle short enough was a bit of a whopper, so it's fairly blazing here ...

Then we went back downstairs and about three seconds passed before the smoke detector went off. As a result of all of this, Sweeney really likes Hallowe'en now. And he doesn't even know about trick or treating yet.

Don't Play No Game That I Can't Win

Sweeney's fresh back from two weeks in Christchurch with his Nana. Sounds to me like they had a fabulous time - reading books, watching Fantasia a bunch of times, gardening, going for outings, chatting, eating delicious food, and on and on and on ...

Meanwhile, I was here in Wellington, indulging in time to myself, which usually took the form of looking at things in shops on the way home from work, or hanging out with terrific people I don't see much. Or on one day, going back to bed with a great book, a pot of coffee and a pile of marmalade on toast. That was an ace day, to be sure.

Even the fact that Sweeney's picked up chicken pox hasn't spoiled the vibe. He's on the home strait now, the spots are fading. And to be fair, he hasn't seemed that bothered by it, apart from a tiny bit of head scratching. But he's hanging at home for the rest of the week, even though I expect full-scale cabin fever any minute now.

And with his spots, he reckons he's "just like a cheetah, Mum".

He certainly can run fast, and for ages, these days.

In other news, what about that rugby, eh?? What about those enormous men swigging beer from that teensy tiny cup??  Always makes me laugh.

And I won $15 in the sweepstake at work, for Australia coming in third.

It's Oh So Quiet

Sweeney and I went to Christchurch on Saturday, to see his Nana. At his request, we spent a bit of Sunday at "the twisted bridge", that runs between Avonside Drive and River Road. For whatever reason, he really digs that bridge.

It was a lovely weekend. Apart from a terrible incident at the Northlands mall, involving a balloon animal in the shape of a motorbike, a rubbish bin and a boy with red hair, it was splendid. I came back to real life on Tuesday night. Sweeney's still there, hanging out for the rest of the holidays with his Nana.

And from the Department of Things You Never Thought Would Turn Up on This Particular Blog, what about that rugby, eh?? Piri Weepu winning the game against Argentina almost by himself?? Sonny Bill and his nifty offloads?? That try from Brad Thorn??

And can you believe that there are wikipedia entries for these chaps??

If New Zealand makes it to the final - and I'm sure they will - I'll take Sweeney to the Fanzone at Hagley Park to watch it with the rest of the population of the South Island. It'll be rowdy, for sure.

But in the meantime, this house is about 500% more tranquil than usual ...

Never Never

Bed's made.

Books are where they're supposed to be.

Shoes are on the rack, clothes are in the drawers.

Cars are put away.

The floor is clear.

Even the planes have been detangled on the mobile.

So where is the little hero who managed all of this today?? He's spraying the sunroom with lego now. Oh well, we can clean that room up tomorrow ...

Little Star

 What Sweeney's been doing for the last while - highlights ...  

Caught some considerable snow action up the Rimutakas



Had a wicked time at the skate park with Bela

  

Stayed in Wellington while his mum and Nana were caught in the snow in Christchurch



Was awestruck with Harper at the Observatory

Made inarrpopriate use of the big gun outside the Observatory

Stunned his mother by asking if he could have a salad sandwich for dinner. Stunned her some more by actually eating it.

Went to see The Lion King in 3d.

Had that pesky dead tooth removed.

Crikey.

Chemistry

Did you know that this is the Year of Chemistry?? No?? Well, it is. And to celebrate, the Royal Society are behind a project called Knit the Periodic Table. Yes, you read that right. A bunch of us needle wielders have knitted a square each. Mine's Uranium. I chose it. Here it is, at top right, with a bunch of other great elements ....

Aren't they great?? I'm looking forward to seeing it all put together. Typically, I have no clue when that might happen, or where it'll be ...

In other news, despite the lack of blogging over the last two months, I haven't been in a coma, or even asleep as much as I'd like. Just continuing to do just enough to keep us fed and clothed and educated and socialised and exercised.

Sweeney's settling into his new life as a schoolboy. My first parent-teacher interview went okay - no crying or punching - and it turns out that he's doing great, albeit in his usual galooty fashion.   

Wonderful Life

Yes, I've been off the air, but here's a quick catch-up on Things Sweeney from the last three weeks:

• Sweeney turned five;
• He had a Last Day party at EIK, and bid his preschool friends adieu. Don't get me wrong - he didn't actually say "adieu";
• He had a party at home, with some friends and family. The weather was not only fine and warm, it was finer and warmer than was forecasted;
• He and Blessing moved from his party to a sleepover at Blessing's, to celebrate Blessing's birthday. Quite the party boys;
• He started school. He started school the day after he was supposed to start school, but that's post-party / sleepover tummy bugs for you;
• He hung out with his Nana, who came up for the party and in fact made lots of party grub. We had a lovely day mooching about with her, then she saw Sweeney into his first day at school;
• went to Cars 2 with Harper;
• went to Kung Fu Panda 2 with his friend Reuben;
• He rode his birthday bike, made up his birthday lego, ran cars down his amazing birthday track, drew pictures, printed letters and words, read homework books, chose his own clothes, packed his own bag, unpacked his own bag, demolished his room, tidied his room ...

I know it isn't really how it happens, but things feel like they've been turned on their head in the last three weeks. Things have been bumpy for Sweeney, what with all the new people to know and new rules to get the hang of since he started school. Things have been bumpy for me, too, what with a little work-related weirdness, and I had a stupid accident which left me with time to do nothing but think about how I'd like for Sweeney's dad to see how he's turning out. But he's not, and all the anniversaries around that absence have been packed into the last few weeks, too. And do you know what?? He would've loved how Sweeney's turning out.

So, here's a song that he really liked a long time ago. It's been on my mind the past few weeks, and it's really rather lovely ...

C is for Cookie

Sweeney's packed in a swag of preschool-grade goofing off into his last weekend as a four-year-old:

• ran and jumped and clambered with Bela;
• played something noisy and shouty and very, very active with Aariz;
• went to a climbing wall with Joe and Kimberley;
• helped me make sourdough, and fish and leek pie;
• took about three years to tidy his room. By which I mean, empty most of what was in his room into the hallway;
• watched Sesame Street and loved it;
• having watched Sesame Street, understood who Cookie Monster is and went nutty over a Cookie Monster storybook he's previously scorned;
• insisted on having his Cookie Monster stories read to him over and over and over;
• watched Ahhh!! Real Monsters and Angry Beavers, and clearly found them a big, fat yawn;
• ate roti and butter chicken at Aariz's house, kind of sort of almost in the manner that Aariz and his family eat it; and
• chatted, sang, danced, played the piano for a bit, made stuff up, did some drawing, co-operated, refused to co-operate, fed the cat, built things, hung up the towels.

You know, the usual ...

The Pancake Song

-remember all the good times we had together?

-what times?
-the time we had those pancakes?
-pancakes?

eggs, milk and flour, pancake power,

look at his milky yellow sunshine face

flip it now flip it good oo

flip it now flip it good oo

some are salt
some are sweet
some are fruit
some are meat

the time we used the chive

it really came alive!

edible frisbies
springtime tuesday

i like to boogie.

Yes, indeed. Thanks, Mighty Boosh, I can't put it any better than your Pancake Song. If there's been a theme to this weekend, it's probably something to do with the utter joy that comes from snorkelling up a pancake.

I was given some of that pancake stuff that you mix with water, and - what ho!! - actual pancakes emerge, for Mother's Day, but it's languished in the fridge. Until yesterday. Turns out it's rather good stuff.

So inspiring was that experience, that I delved into the bookshelf for a Nigella-endorsed version. Cue even bigger, fatter pancakes. We've eaten a swag of these babies ...

In other news, we went swimming with Bela yesterday, which was splendid fun, and we enjoyed an extended session of otters at the zoo with Blessing today. We took in an extended session of the hind quarters of a sleeping cheetah. Then we had an extended session at the park next to the zoo. Lovely.

In other, other news, I went to Ancestral on Friday night for a tiny bit and reacquainted myself with Dubonnet-based drinks. It's a lovely setting - the outside area is semi-enclosed, like at the Matterhorn, and the concrete seats on the perimeter are heated. Yes. Heated. As in, warm. Which is fab on a chilly night like Friday night was.

Keen to go back there to try out about a million other delicious-sounding drinks that I read about while slugging back my Candied Apple.