My camera is dead

On his last visit David gave me his new Nikon coolpix which had died into a state of lens error within a week of him buying it. Nikon repaired it for free and you have enjoyed many months of blogs pictures as a result. Sadly, it has once again been damaged (it happened after Frost dropped it but it had been making an ominous grinding noise for a while so I don't blame him completely).

Now I don't have a portable camera and since my phone is not a point and shoot model today's picture comes to you from Heather's phone!


Wren and Kyler were at the park. Frost was there too. It was just as the weather was turning from sunny and cloudy to windy and a bit dark. I am wondering if it will rain and just the thought of it gives me an upwelling of joy.

I am very joyful today. I have almost decided to do a mini (sprint) triathlon in a month. Its the Seafair one. I am still looking into logistics like what to wear, is Josh's hybrid bike ok and how do I change a tyre if I get a flat but meanwhile I ran around Greenlake (the outer track) at a fair speed. I also bought a book on Triathlon training which tells me I should start 8 months in advance and learn to swim. Hrmm.. I am obviously somewhat short of 8 months but I can swim. It also says I should practice interval training and have a complex training regimen of each sport with different intensity. I am fine about distance but speed? Yikes. I stagger along at a set rate and don't have the energy to diversify.

Even if I don't do it, its fun to have a goal and something to encourage me to do a bit more than a biweekly plod.

Can I write a blog like a twitter? Frost and Alex and Wren are on the deck in their pajamas making giant bubbles float up into the sky. They made the mix from dish soap and are using a giant bubble wand I bought a year ago and forgot to use. They shout as the bubble rises "he is still alive!!!" Sometimes they can't resist a karate chop to end a large bubble. Wren runs around shouting about big ones. When the bubbles pop they release a evanescent ghost of soap the hovers a moment.

Its sunny. Early. Frost has been reading the Simpson's Encyclopedia. He watches episodes with the air of a scientist cataloging events.

Wren pooped pennies

Just a quick update on the pennies. Today Wren pooped the two coins. There was a dime and a penny. Both have a rather strange patina - bright and golden shimmers as well as blue radiance. It seems digestion is pretty effective.

Frost and Alex are now dressed in swimsuits and Wren is about to squirt them with his squirt-gun. It is 7.30pm. Sigh. Summer.

Wren swallowed pennies (updated)

I arrived back from the supermarket to hear that was a little incident while I was gone. Apparently Wren was lying on the couch and he swallowed two pennies. Joshua has googled this and it is not terribly uncommon and the initial danger of choking and it lodging in the oesophagus seems to have passed.

Here is my interview with Wren:

Wren, what happened to the pennies?
I ate them and I swallowed them and I ate them and I cried about them. I ate one, two.
Why did you eat them?
I don't know.
Was it a mistake? Was it owie to eat the pennies?
No, it won't.
Where are they going?
They are going in my mouth and down my throat and in my tummy?
Where are they now?
They are IN MY BLOOD. (he rubs his legs)
Are they coming out your legs?
No, they are not. Look, there is no space there. No hole there. (showing soles of feet)
They will come out in your poop.
No, there is no hole there (rubbing bottom).
Yes, there is... they will come out in your poop.

I am waiting to speak to the on-call nurse.

Update:
The nurse asked a lot about his swallowing and asked me to check he could eat white bread (hamburger bun went down fine). Asked about pain. He seems fine now. The pennies need to pass in 3 days or we shall have to see the pediatrician semi-urgently (like 24 hours). I have to watch his poop for pennies and any sign of distress / blood. Also to watch for abdominal pain, abnormal lethargy or illness and recurrent vomiting.

For now, we are doing OK.