Whale Song

Have you read Moby Dick?? It's on my list. Partly because I'm trying to pack in as much boys' own literature so as to be a good example to Sweeney, partly because I love the John Huston version with Gregory Peck as Ahab, but most recently because I stumbled across this blog tonight. What a fantabulous idea.

First day back at work was a bit of a schemozzle, but we're all still alive and I even got to my favourite yoga class for the first time in a month.

Home in time to put Sweeney to bed and have a chat about his first day back at preschool. Apparently he did nothing, played with no-one, went nowhere. Seems his ears are mysteriously full of sand from sitting still and being quiet all day ...

Back to (Real) Life

We're home, Sweeney and me. The last few days of holiday ramped up on the Hectic scale, but I think I'm the only one of us who actually threw anything approaching a tanty. It's nice to wake up to the sound of tui and Frank and Arthur next door.
Here are some highlights of our time away ...

We arrived in Christchurch, after a ferry crossing and a 6-hour car trip, incorporating many toilet breaks and runs in long grass beside SH1. Harper tried to teach himself to wink ...

We hung out a little bit with Bruno and his fine parents. These two were like peas in a pod. Which brings me to ...

Actual peas in an actual pod, from Nana's garden ...

Nana and the boys found a hedgehog trapped in the waterrace and I was despatched with a fishing net to rescue it. It's been a long time since I willingly put myself into a body of filthy water, but when it's for your family ...

The (ungrateful) hedgehog sat outside the back door for an hour or so, then we think it went under the house.

We sampled delicious local fare ... I lost my mind periodically ...

Nana made fern crowns for the boys and they showed their appreciation by doing whatever is they thought they were doing here ...Sweeney introduced Harper to the Monster Truck ride at the mall ... But mostly, we all just had a Big Relax together.

Love you, Nana!! Love you, Mum!!

Holiday

Hey, the holiday is going great. Nearly over, but still lots to do and see and we're all having a good time. This morning I went back to bed with my book and when I got up, it was lunchtime, and the boys and Nana were just arriving back from a trip to feed ducks. With ice creams for our pudding.
Now that's Good Holiday, people ...
The weather's been amazing, we've been hanging out with super people, and seeing the boys together for an extended period of time has been great. There've been a few fights, some anguish, half a million band aids and one bout of terrifying nappy rash, but I think that as long as we're all realistic about exactly when we need a nap - and I'm including myself here, peace is where it's at.
Photos when we get back home.
In other news, Miss Smith, who I can't mention without telling you how fab she is, has given me a Versatile Blogger award. Coming from one such as herself, this is high praise. Oooh, get me. I'm revelling.

Unfortunately, I'm unable to provide photo evidence of rampant versatility right now. I've been having a Big Relax, as Sweeney would say. I tend to just write about whatever takes me at the minute of writing, and I'm chuffed that there are people out there who enjoy it.

The prize comes with two jobs attached. I need to hand this prize on, which is hard because there are a grillion tasty blogs out there, beautifully written on interesting topics. So here are three ...

Clare at Green Valley Crafts

Gillybean at Gillybean's Garden

Kimberley at Special K.

Now, I need to tell you seven things you may not know about me:

1. When I was 10, I planned to grow up to be the Ambassador to Japan. Or a Speech Therapist. I'm not either of those things;
2. I don't see my friends as much as I'd like;
3. I love rollmop herrings, sardines in oil - no spring water, thank you - and most other fish-type things;
4. as scathing as I generally am about science fiction, I think Iain M. Banks is a genius. Most people I know who actually know something about science fiction think he's a dick;
5. I have at least two slightly humiliating skin conditions. Each is dealt with efficiently with steroid cream and/or hydrocortisone, but I continue to look for less evil methods;
6. when I go to work, I'm all about work. I don't call my friends or family, I hardly write any personal emails and I have an alarm to remind me to leave in time to pick Sweeney up. I never used to be like that. I rather like that I'm like that now;
7. I was recently diagnosed with a thyroid disorder, and now I have meds and blood tests and my body feels better than it has in a long, long time. I'm totally able to blast that pesky 10-15kg now ...

In other, other news, thinking good thoughts for the Pike River miners these days. We've got a long family history of West Coast mining, but no whanau are directly involved in this episode. It's looking pretty bleak right now, but you never know ...
And I passed my exam. Only just, but I passed it. And I found an awesome antiperspirant that actually works. And we're going to Costas for dinner ...
Feel that serenity ...

How Sweet It Is

I've been busy. Bizz-ay. Sorry for not being in touch.

Here's something delicious that came out of the garden. Well, I think it's delicious, and so did Sweeney once he engaged with it. Broccoli, you are the shizz ...

I also harvested what turned out to be 50grams of broad beans, gave them a wee boil, then fried them off with some bacon for a minute or so. River Cottage book called for chorizo, but there's none in the fridge right now. Turned out delish, as it happens. Turns out I like broad beans.

Here are Sweeney and Harper experiencing the shizz that is sparklers. Guy Fawkes night was a minor triumph. We got all our cracker action done before the southerly proper rounded on Wellington, and we got to take in the show in the harbour on our way back into town. I thought the chap in the car in front of me was sent from Hades to drive me insane with his slow driving, but no, he was part of a long, 30kph convoy on the motorway, doing us the lovely favour of letting us take in the show without crashing the car.

In other news, I'm going on holiday on Monday. I'm packing the car with Sweeney and Harper, and we're heading down to spend oodles of time - two weeks - with their Nana. A road trip with two fine-looking young men with all their own teeth. Every crone's dream ...

But in the meantime, I've got about three years of work to do before we head off, and there's a million things to do around the house this weekend. So tonight Kimberley and I went to see The Social Network. Turns out we were wearing matching outfits, sort of. The film was very fine. Go see it now. Even the music is great. And no-one does cold, blue cinematography like David Fincher.

And it was our dad, Sweeney and Harper's Grandad's birthday yesterday. In honour of the great event, Sweeney gave him a card with Lightning McQueen on the front and the sound of racing cars when you open it. That card is so much the shizz ...