Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Remote Control Guy
On 'dump day' when people left out their household rubbish for collection we collected a few remote controlled cars (and a collection of remotes). Due to dead batteries we haven't tested them but Wren is very possessive of his collection of remote controls. He carries them around with us and transports them in the dump truck. Here were are going out with remotes:
Cleland Wildlife Park - Adelaide Hills
Yesterday we visited the Cleland Wildlife Park in the Adelaide Hills. It is a wonderful sanctuary for Australian animals - many are in enclosures you can walk through and feed them by hand. The entrance takes you past the souvenir shop and Frost told the woman at the counter "I am from America" and then "Can I buy some souvenirs? I am collecting souvenirs." This is very funny to me. I feel like a local returning to a sometime home but Frost is an unapologetic tourist buying funny stuffed koalas with flags.
Kangaroo feeding
Wren & Frost loved the kangaroos. Here is a picture of Frost feeding a big red kangaroo who was basking in the sun. The kangaroos were grazing over a wide area and others lying in the sun. The trees in the paddock were all fenced to prevent 'wild' koala from climbing up them. This was kind of funny because in Seattle we see trees encased like this to protect them from beaver attack and with metal bands around to stop squirrel climbing up.
Can I touch the joey in its mother's pouch?"
Frost is all about extreme sports - even in the animal petting department. After he had fed a number of kangaroos he sidled up to a eastern grey mother kangaroo with a large baby in its pouch. The baby's legs were poking out. The kangaroo was a bit skittish and turned its head away instead of eating so Granny said not to touch it. Frost really really wanted to touch the baby joey. I sat down next to the kangaroo with him and he reached out very tentatively and stroked the legs of the baby joey. The legs were the only things sticking out.
Here is Wren being a Kangaroo next to the mother with the joey. Wren enjoyed chasing the kangaroos although they did not seem to mind.
Do we need to see the Koalas? We have them in the garden.
Here is Wren standing in his stroller by the koala exhibit. Each little enclosure has at least one koala up in the shade. From time to time one climbs down and runs to the next 'tree' to find fresh leaves which are provided daily.
Potteroos in the Bushes
On the way out Frost noticed an animal in the bushes. It was a family of potteroos running wild. Apparently they do very well at Cleland which is fenced and kept free of predators like fox and feral domestic cats. Here the boys try and feed the potteroos kangaroo food. I am calling them potteroos but they may be Bettongs. I have been studying the guide to Australian animals for a while and still cannot differentiate the various small pouched things. I overheard an American tourist saying loudly "all these Australian animals are like versions of the kangaroo. They are all different sized kangaroos."
E-MEW not E-MOO
Apparently I have been very UN-Australian in my pronounciation of Emu. I have been calling them e-moos not e-MEWS. I am on notice to improve my accent. It is odd, but when I am in the US I am considered South African / Australian but when I am in those countries I am clearly Not-From-Here.
Last time we saw emus we had a problem with them trying to mate with us. I mentioned this to Stewart, a family friend, and he said that if they bother you you should raise a hand in the air like a long neck with your wrist bent for form a head. This stops the emu from its attack.
These emus did not attack or try to mate with us. They walked around making strange booming noises in their throats, like people drumming very fast.
Here is Wren looking up in the sky to see a big black goana that has climbed up a tree.
Snakes
There is a reptile house at the park and it contained a number of the snakes including the brown snake which occurs in the Adelaide Hills. We saw "a really nasty snake" called a Mulga snake (one of the largest venomous snakes) and the inland Taipan which is one of the world's most venomous snakes.
We were interested to learn that snakes can be rated for their danger as well as with the LD50 rating of their venom (LD50 is the amount of a material, given all at once, which causes the death of 50% (one half) of a group of test animals. The LD50 is one way to measure the short-term poisoning potential (acute toxicity) of a material.) The brown snake was given a rating of 14 for overall danger - a combination of venom toxicity, position of fangs, aggression, amount of venom and frequency of bites occuring. I have not been able to find out any more about this general rating but it was fun for Frost to have a number for the snake.
We are now going shopping (another post coming on that) and we have to go.
Kangaroo feeding
Wren & Frost loved the kangaroos. Here is a picture of Frost feeding a big red kangaroo who was basking in the sun. The kangaroos were grazing over a wide area and others lying in the sun. The trees in the paddock were all fenced to prevent 'wild' koala from climbing up them. This was kind of funny because in Seattle we see trees encased like this to protect them from beaver attack and with metal bands around to stop squirrel climbing up.
Can I touch the joey in its mother's pouch?"
Frost is all about extreme sports - even in the animal petting department. After he had fed a number of kangaroos he sidled up to a eastern grey mother kangaroo with a large baby in its pouch. The baby's legs were poking out. The kangaroo was a bit skittish and turned its head away instead of eating so Granny said not to touch it. Frost really really wanted to touch the baby joey. I sat down next to the kangaroo with him and he reached out very tentatively and stroked the legs of the baby joey. The legs were the only things sticking out.
Here is Wren being a Kangaroo next to the mother with the joey. Wren enjoyed chasing the kangaroos although they did not seem to mind.
Do we need to see the Koalas? We have them in the garden.
Here is Wren standing in his stroller by the koala exhibit. Each little enclosure has at least one koala up in the shade. From time to time one climbs down and runs to the next 'tree' to find fresh leaves which are provided daily.
Potteroos in the BushesOn the way out Frost noticed an animal in the bushes. It was a family of potteroos running wild. Apparently they do very well at Cleland which is fenced and kept free of predators like fox and feral domestic cats. Here the boys try and feed the potteroos kangaroo food. I am calling them potteroos but they may be Bettongs. I have been studying the guide to Australian animals for a while and still cannot differentiate the various small pouched things. I overheard an American tourist saying loudly "all these Australian animals are like versions of the kangaroo. They are all different sized kangaroos."
E-MEW not E-MOOApparently I have been very UN-Australian in my pronounciation of Emu. I have been calling them e-moos not e-MEWS. I am on notice to improve my accent. It is odd, but when I am in the US I am considered South African / Australian but when I am in those countries I am clearly Not-From-Here.
Last time we saw emus we had a problem with them trying to mate with us. I mentioned this to Stewart, a family friend, and he said that if they bother you you should raise a hand in the air like a long neck with your wrist bent for form a head. This stops the emu from its attack.
These emus did not attack or try to mate with us. They walked around making strange booming noises in their throats, like people drumming very fast.
Here is Wren looking up in the sky to see a big black goana that has climbed up a tree.
Snakes
There is a reptile house at the park and it contained a number of the snakes including the brown snake which occurs in the Adelaide Hills. We saw "a really nasty snake" called a Mulga snake (one of the largest venomous snakes) and the inland Taipan which is one of the world's most venomous snakes.
We were interested to learn that snakes can be rated for their danger as well as with the LD50 rating of their venom (LD50 is the amount of a material, given all at once, which causes the death of 50% (one half) of a group of test animals. The LD50 is one way to measure the short-term poisoning potential (acute toxicity) of a material.) The brown snake was given a rating of 14 for overall danger - a combination of venom toxicity, position of fangs, aggression, amount of venom and frequency of bites occuring. I have not been able to find out any more about this general rating but it was fun for Frost to have a number for the snake.
We are now going shopping (another post coming on that) and we have to go.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Walk to the Gate
Every morning we all walk up the private road from Mum's house to the gate and back. Its about a 1/3 of a mile each way. At the gate we collect the newspaper. Yesterday, Wren walked with us but today I pushed him in his stroller because he was too tired (snuffy nose). Here are some of the adventures on the morning walk.
Tree gum
Frost and Wren are very excited by the hardened gum oozing from a tree on the road up. When I called it 'gum' Wren wanted to eat it so then I called it resin. Frost tried to smash some off the tree with a piece of sandstone but the sandstone broke. I managed to twist a few pieces off. Frost wanted them too so Wren wanted them even more. He carried them home and hid them in a copper urn near the front door. Frost is going to write about the resin in his journal.
Roy Chasing Seedpods downhill
You walk uphill to the gate and downhill back. On the return trip Mervyn and Mum roll big gumnuts downhill for Roy to chase. He scuttles down after them as they bounce and roll. HEre are Frost and Wren running downhill with Roy. Wren wants to be first to catch the gum nut so he can throw it. Frost wants to catch and throw it too.
The Dump-day Go-Kart
Australia has a fabulous tradition of an annual large household garbage collection. People throw out all kinds of things over the weekend - stoves through kids toys - and leave them on the curb for collection on Monday. Mum noticed an old wooden go-kart and brought it home for Frost. He rolls down the last part of the road very slowly. It steers well but there are no brakes.
Bees and Stinging Things
There is a beehive about half way up the hill in a crevasse. If you look closely you can see the honeycomb and the bees on it. Frost was interested and slightly concerned. He wondered if the honey tasted good. Unfortunately, there are also a large number of Europeon Wasps in the area and these bother us when we eat outside. Mum and Mervyn have a wasp trap loaded with meat to lure them but this evening there were 4 wasps indoors. Frost also found a scorpion in the bathroom so he has become very wary of stinging things like wasps, bees, flies (buzzing noise) and scorpions. He asked me to come into the bathroom with him in case there was another scorpion.
When we return from morning walk it is time for breakfast! This morning I went for a run with Wren - about 4km - so I needed a few extra breakfasts to restore my energy.
Tree gum
Frost and Wren are very excited by the hardened gum oozing from a tree on the road up. When I called it 'gum' Wren wanted to eat it so then I called it resin. Frost tried to smash some off the tree with a piece of sandstone but the sandstone broke. I managed to twist a few pieces off. Frost wanted them too so Wren wanted them even more. He carried them home and hid them in a copper urn near the front door. Frost is going to write about the resin in his journal.
Roy Chasing Seedpods downhillYou walk uphill to the gate and downhill back. On the return trip Mervyn and Mum roll big gumnuts downhill for Roy to chase. He scuttles down after them as they bounce and roll. HEre are Frost and Wren running downhill with Roy. Wren wants to be first to catch the gum nut so he can throw it. Frost wants to catch and throw it too.
The Dump-day Go-KartAustralia has a fabulous tradition of an annual large household garbage collection. People throw out all kinds of things over the weekend - stoves through kids toys - and leave them on the curb for collection on Monday. Mum noticed an old wooden go-kart and brought it home for Frost. He rolls down the last part of the road very slowly. It steers well but there are no brakes.
Bees and Stinging Things
There is a beehive about half way up the hill in a crevasse. If you look closely you can see the honeycomb and the bees on it. Frost was interested and slightly concerned. He wondered if the honey tasted good. Unfortunately, there are also a large number of Europeon Wasps in the area and these bother us when we eat outside. Mum and Mervyn have a wasp trap loaded with meat to lure them but this evening there were 4 wasps indoors. Frost also found a scorpion in the bathroom so he has become very wary of stinging things like wasps, bees, flies (buzzing noise) and scorpions. He asked me to come into the bathroom with him in case there was another scorpion.
When we return from morning walk it is time for breakfast! This morning I went for a run with Wren - about 4km - so I needed a few extra breakfasts to restore my energy.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Showering with a cow
This is Frost eating nutella chocolate spread for breakfast.
Heat and Beach (again)
We woke to another hot day in Adelaide and were at the beach by 10am. We went to Brighton where a sea breeze made the day seem cooler. At night, as the temperature falls, wind rushes up the gully, rattling doors in the dark and rustling in the gums trees around the house but the wind mainly affects the Adelaide Hills so we don't know what conditions are like at the beach . With temperatures in the mid-thirties (90 degrees) today, I was still not too keen on swimming but Frost lured me in and even Wren splashed in the tiny waves.
We did collect many neotrigonias at the tide-line. These are bivalves are from a family of ancient shells and are normally only found in deep water. Due to dredging they are sometimes washed up on the shore at Brighton. These are pictures from yesterday at Henley Beach - we arrived at 7.30am - dawn!
(above) At Henley Beach yesterday, rather early.
Shark Patrol
As we waded out on the shallow sandbank far from shore, Frost remarked about how far out we were. Mum has rather ruined my enjoyment of the long shallows by pointing out a helicopter flying up and down the coast. This is the shark patrol. It flies over the swimming beaches looking for great white, white pointer sharks which are seen from time to time and like to eat people disguised as seal.
Wren needs the stingoes
While wandering through the seeweed on the beach Wren cried out that he had an owie and needed a bandaid. I couldn't see anything on his foot but he continued to cry until i noticed a white welt and a spreading red rash on the upper surface of his foot. I think he was stung by something, perhaps a blue-bottle. It is a bit of a joke that everything is poisonous in Australia but I have no idea what actually stung him. Thankfully, Mum had some stingoes (equivalent) in her bag and it seemed to reduce his discomfit pretty quickly.
For the rest of the morning Frost was asking me questions about blue-bottles and jelly fish and what they looked like. He has developed a similar concern about snakes, sharing his reassuring hypothesis that "snakes don't look like sticks and they are noisy and would go HISSSSS and move so I would see them."
No. I said. They are still, small, look a bit like sticks and do not hiss at you before you step on them.
Of course, here I am putting the same rather irrational dread in his heart that I hold against a South African park ranger who made me believe that there were venomous snakes falling from the trees in the local parkland.
The Outside Shower
After the beach I had an outside shower in the little courtyard formed by a passionfruit twined fence and the corner of the house. While I showered I imagined I was a celebrity being stalked by paparazzi from the sparse eucalypt scrub on the hillside opposite. Where would they hide? Would I appear as a boobie shot in a tabloid?
Just at that moment I was startled by a large shadow passing by the fence. Papparazi!!! No, a cow. My admirer added to the ambience but not my celebrity.
Frost also loves the outside shower which has a very wide rain-nozzle so that Frost and I can shower together without undue competition for moisture.
Sneezes
I think Wren may have a tiny cold. This would excuse him for his awful sleep last night - trying to wake for the day at 3.45am and calling "Daddy, Daddy, Daddy" and "get up" for a long while. Here is Wren riding his favorite toy - a digger borrowed from the local toy library.
Heat and Beach (again)We woke to another hot day in Adelaide and were at the beach by 10am. We went to Brighton where a sea breeze made the day seem cooler. At night, as the temperature falls, wind rushes up the gully, rattling doors in the dark and rustling in the gums trees around the house but the wind mainly affects the Adelaide Hills so we don't know what conditions are like at the beach . With temperatures in the mid-thirties (90 degrees) today, I was still not too keen on swimming but Frost lured me in and even Wren splashed in the tiny waves.
We did collect many neotrigonias at the tide-line. These are bivalves are from a family of ancient shells and are normally only found in deep water. Due to dredging they are sometimes washed up on the shore at Brighton. These are pictures from yesterday at Henley Beach - we arrived at 7.30am - dawn!
(above) At Henley Beach yesterday, rather early.
Shark Patrol
As we waded out on the shallow sandbank far from shore, Frost remarked about how far out we were. Mum has rather ruined my enjoyment of the long shallows by pointing out a helicopter flying up and down the coast. This is the shark patrol. It flies over the swimming beaches looking for great white, white pointer sharks which are seen from time to time and like to eat people disguised as seal.
Wren needs the stingoes
While wandering through the seeweed on the beach Wren cried out that he had an owie and needed a bandaid. I couldn't see anything on his foot but he continued to cry until i noticed a white welt and a spreading red rash on the upper surface of his foot. I think he was stung by something, perhaps a blue-bottle. It is a bit of a joke that everything is poisonous in Australia but I have no idea what actually stung him. Thankfully, Mum had some stingoes (equivalent) in her bag and it seemed to reduce his discomfit pretty quickly.
For the rest of the morning Frost was asking me questions about blue-bottles and jelly fish and what they looked like. He has developed a similar concern about snakes, sharing his reassuring hypothesis that "snakes don't look like sticks and they are noisy and would go HISSSSS and move so I would see them."
No. I said. They are still, small, look a bit like sticks and do not hiss at you before you step on them.
Of course, here I am putting the same rather irrational dread in his heart that I hold against a South African park ranger who made me believe that there were venomous snakes falling from the trees in the local parkland.
The Outside Shower
After the beach I had an outside shower in the little courtyard formed by a passionfruit twined fence and the corner of the house. While I showered I imagined I was a celebrity being stalked by paparazzi from the sparse eucalypt scrub on the hillside opposite. Where would they hide? Would I appear as a boobie shot in a tabloid?
Just at that moment I was startled by a large shadow passing by the fence. Papparazi!!! No, a cow. My admirer added to the ambience but not my celebrity.
Frost also loves the outside shower which has a very wide rain-nozzle so that Frost and I can shower together without undue competition for moisture.
Sneezes
I think Wren may have a tiny cold. This would excuse him for his awful sleep last night - trying to wake for the day at 3.45am and calling "Daddy, Daddy, Daddy" and "get up" for a long while. Here is Wren riding his favorite toy - a digger borrowed from the local toy library.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Is 4.15am morning?
Another 30 minute time zone change has done in Wren's 5am wake time. This morning it was "I want get up. All done nap time?" at 4.15am. We stayed in the bedroom till 5.15am but it is not day by any stretch of the imagination.
Wren is sitting on Mum's ride-on digger (rented from a toy library) and noticed the lights of the city below.
"What is that there?" he asked.
"Those of the lights of the city," I said.
"Want go there"
"We will go to the beach on the other side of the city. But its too early. Its dark."
"Want to go beach now, right now. NOT TOO DARK."
I wish I could show you how dark it is. It is mid-winter dark with all the lights on. Its not even half light.
"I got that sun in my eyes!" adds Wren, rubbing them.
"There is no sun. Its dark" I emphasize.
"No, I got that sun in my eyes!"
Wren is sitting on Mum's ride-on digger (rented from a toy library) and noticed the lights of the city below.
"What is that there?" he asked.
"Those of the lights of the city," I said.
"Want go there"
"We will go to the beach on the other side of the city. But its too early. Its dark."
"Want to go beach now, right now. NOT TOO DARK."
I wish I could show you how dark it is. It is mid-winter dark with all the lights on. Its not even half light.
"I got that sun in my eyes!" adds Wren, rubbing them.
"There is no sun. Its dark" I emphasize.
"No, I got that sun in my eyes!"
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Arrived in Adelaide
We arrived in Adelaide this morning after a flight on which I was "startled" a few times. Startled is my new favorite word and is an AKA for "stressed out an in a panic". We arrived at the airport at 7.20am thanks to Sandy's athletic driving through a detour from the Sydney Harbor Bridge, we had moments to spare. We arrived at check in and the lovely Qantas assistant at the e-ticket booth encouraged me to try e-checkin with my e-ticket. It was straightforward and she commented "You know, people often are startled by it but it works well."
Since I was anything but startled (imagine getting up at 5am with 3 kids between us and 8 pieces of luggage) it has really stuck with me as a nice gentle way of describing a more chaotic mental state. I was in this state for much of the flight to Adelaide because Wren yelled and performed and was impatient the whole way.
We are now HERE and Frost and Wren have already played in the sprinkler, eaten milo, played with Roy and gone to sleep. For the second night in a row Frost fell asleep with the lights on without saying goodnight. Last night was on the couch in the living room in the middle of a pizza party but tonight he fell asleep with his finger still marking his place in the latest Mistmantle book he was reading.
Before the big collapse this evening the kids saw the koala in the tree by the front lawn, Frost was bitten by a stinging ant and Wren already knows that he must not touch snakes. Frost wants to go off exploring but has been told not to.
Both boys are a bit afraid of Roy, the 4kg Cairn Terrier puppy who is mum's new dog. Roy has little sharp teeth but is really sweet. He sits down when Wren tells him but then Wren continues to speak to him so both of them are confused. Roy was scared when Wren through a page of the paper at him and it opened into a big wafty flap like a ghost. He now stays away from Wren.
Meanwhile, Frost said he could not read because the birds are too noisy. Those would be the lorikeets and Australian Magpies who had congregated in the trees outside.
I will post more tomorrow. We hope to go to the beach early, before the heat. I am Very Tired.
Since I was anything but startled (imagine getting up at 5am with 3 kids between us and 8 pieces of luggage) it has really stuck with me as a nice gentle way of describing a more chaotic mental state. I was in this state for much of the flight to Adelaide because Wren yelled and performed and was impatient the whole way.
We are now HERE and Frost and Wren have already played in the sprinkler, eaten milo, played with Roy and gone to sleep. For the second night in a row Frost fell asleep with the lights on without saying goodnight. Last night was on the couch in the living room in the middle of a pizza party but tonight he fell asleep with his finger still marking his place in the latest Mistmantle book he was reading.
Before the big collapse this evening the kids saw the koala in the tree by the front lawn, Frost was bitten by a stinging ant and Wren already knows that he must not touch snakes. Frost wants to go off exploring but has been told not to.
Both boys are a bit afraid of Roy, the 4kg Cairn Terrier puppy who is mum's new dog. Roy has little sharp teeth but is really sweet. He sits down when Wren tells him but then Wren continues to speak to him so both of them are confused. Roy was scared when Wren through a page of the paper at him and it opened into a big wafty flap like a ghost. He now stays away from Wren.
Meanwhile, Frost said he could not read because the birds are too noisy. Those would be the lorikeets and Australian Magpies who had congregated in the trees outside.
I will post more tomorrow. We hope to go to the beach early, before the heat. I am Very Tired.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Jet Lag Day 1
Apparently you cannot simply keep kids up until their new bedtime and expect them to sleep through the night. Wren went to bed at 8pm and woke at 1am, 2am, 3am and then was up for the day. Yes, 3am. I cajoled and kept lights off. We read a few books in half-light and Wren persisted in his sing-song question "all done nap time?" I wasn't all done of course.
Eventually, at 4.45am I let him get up officially and turn lights on. That was the cue for Katie and James to join us - apparently they had been woken at 3am too and were waiting for someone to stir.
We tried to encapsulate ourselves in the kitchen and front playroom but its a small house and with the wooden floors I don't think anyone got much sleep after the wee hours. Sandy is sitting on the couch with her laptop looking like an owl at midday. I think we will all enjoy a nap later.
The fun continues despite sleep deprivation. Stacey is chasing down a cockroach which is climbing up the kitchen wall. Wren and Frost and James have had nuttella on toast for 1st breakfast. Wren has also had cornflakes for first breakfast.
Roger: "Why don't you smack it with a newspaper?"
Stacey: "Because I don't feel like killing anything right now"
Roger: Ok, this is what you do. You need some paper.
Stacey: Its in here (indicating red plastic cup upended over the cockroach)
Roger: Now you take it outside and say 'fly cockroach fly, be free!"
Stacey: It wasn't happy to be trapped but it is happy to be free!
Ten year olds are a lot more help than 7 year old boys!
It is still dark and slightly rainy and we are going to catch a train to the city to see the Sydney Harbor area and go to the Darling Harbor chocolate shop - the Lindt Chocolat Cafe.
Eventually, at 4.45am I let him get up officially and turn lights on. That was the cue for Katie and James to join us - apparently they had been woken at 3am too and were waiting for someone to stir.
We tried to encapsulate ourselves in the kitchen and front playroom but its a small house and with the wooden floors I don't think anyone got much sleep after the wee hours. Sandy is sitting on the couch with her laptop looking like an owl at midday. I think we will all enjoy a nap later.
The fun continues despite sleep deprivation. Stacey is chasing down a cockroach which is climbing up the kitchen wall. Wren and Frost and James have had nuttella on toast for 1st breakfast. Wren has also had cornflakes for first breakfast.
Roger: "Why don't you smack it with a newspaper?"
Stacey: "Because I don't feel like killing anything right now"
Roger: Ok, this is what you do. You need some paper.
Stacey: Its in here (indicating red plastic cup upended over the cockroach)
Roger: Now you take it outside and say 'fly cockroach fly, be free!"
Stacey: It wasn't happy to be trapped but it is happy to be free!
Ten year olds are a lot more help than 7 year old boys!
It is still dark and slightly rainy and we are going to catch a train to the city to see the Sydney Harbor area and go to the Darling Harbor chocolate shop - the Lindt Chocolat Cafe.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Sydney
Its 9.30pm and I am still at the point of jetlag where it feels like 3am in the US. This is going to be quick - just a few pictures for Josh and those of you wondering how the long haul flight went.
It went well. Frost had trouble sleeping and Wren went a bit bonkers at one point in the middle of the defined darkness of night but all in all they were good travelers. Frost has crashed to sleep tonight - out for the count - not surprising since he watched 3 movies and about 5 TV shows instead of sleeping.
Frost spent the flight shouting because he had headphones on and our seats were just behind the wing and very noisy.
Wren enjoyed his carseat, especially in the fully recline position. In the morning he ate a full bowl of cornflakes with milk, scrambled egg and a breakfast sausage. He was starving. He was very happy in his pajamas (we changed at LAX) and fell asleep as soon as the noisy part of take-off was completed. I made a tent out of a blanket so he was not disturbed by the dinner service. He hugged a pillow because big snuggle bunny was in the suitcase. The only problem with his carseat was that Frost couldn't get a turn by the window and Wren's tray table was inoperative because it was too low and could not open with his feet in the way.
Here are the kids at the pymble pool this afternoon. They are all in the shallow pool because Wren was afraid of water. We called this the puddle or the splashing pool and he had fun in it. After a while he moved into the deeper pool and splashed the kids there. He also chased kookaburra and noisy mynahs (birds) and dug dirt. A thunderstorm interupted our swimming for a while but it passed. It was very hot (32 degrees C) and humid but has been raining tonight. Wren and Frost were interested to see ants, a lizard and many bright birds including cockatoos, gallahs and kurrawongs.
Here is Wren in Sandy's garden with his two dried hydranga stem swords.
It went well. Frost had trouble sleeping and Wren went a bit bonkers at one point in the middle of the defined darkness of night but all in all they were good travelers. Frost has crashed to sleep tonight - out for the count - not surprising since he watched 3 movies and about 5 TV shows instead of sleeping.
Frost spent the flight shouting because he had headphones on and our seats were just behind the wing and very noisy.
Wren enjoyed his carseat, especially in the fully recline position. In the morning he ate a full bowl of cornflakes with milk, scrambled egg and a breakfast sausage. He was starving. He was very happy in his pajamas (we changed at LAX) and fell asleep as soon as the noisy part of take-off was completed. I made a tent out of a blanket so he was not disturbed by the dinner service. He hugged a pillow because big snuggle bunny was in the suitcase. The only problem with his carseat was that Frost couldn't get a turn by the window and Wren's tray table was inoperative because it was too low and could not open with his feet in the way.
Here are the kids at the pymble pool this afternoon. They are all in the shallow pool because Wren was afraid of water. We called this the puddle or the splashing pool and he had fun in it. After a while he moved into the deeper pool and splashed the kids there. He also chased kookaburra and noisy mynahs (birds) and dug dirt. A thunderstorm interupted our swimming for a while but it passed. It was very hot (32 degrees C) and humid but has been raining tonight. Wren and Frost were interested to see ants, a lizard and many bright birds including cockatoos, gallahs and kurrawongs.
Here is Wren in Sandy's garden with his two dried hydranga stem swords.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
LAX Oneworld Lounge
We have made it as far as LAX and are living it up in the Oneworld Business Lounge, thanks to a freebie "invitation" coupon from Mum.
Wren and Frost are the youngest business-men by a long way and Frost had to be dissauded from digging into the bar snacks. We have now eaten dinner (mini-pizza, thai beef, rice, carrot sticks, ranch, noodles) and will have desert soon although this trip is proving to be one long desert.
Both kids did well on the first flight although we were late in departing and had to wait about 40 minutes in the plane after pre-boarding. Wren decided that he was done after an hour and headed to the back door to exit. He was a bit sad when he realized he couldn't get off and had to be jelly-beaned for a while. Pens and paper, jelly-beans and books have been our greatest success as well a stickers. I hope to leave with time to buy a few more stickers for the next stage. [Wren is watching Wiggles on Youtube in the lounge with me while I type].
We had to recheck for new boarding passes at Tom Bradley International (yes Mum, we are flying from Tom Bradley not Terminal 4) and had an African-American helping check us in. Wren sat on the counter and said "its OBAMA!" which was both embaressing and amusing. Thankfully the checkin dude was a queen and thought it frightfully funny.
I don't think I will shower because Wren would find it too traumatic and I would not really get much benefit. STill, it is lovely to have a real clean toilet and nice smelling soap. Frost says "it is a real five star lounge and Wren should be a gentleman [ie not talk at high volume all the time as he is doing demanding "lets see it THIS ONE" a few seconds into each Youtube video.
Thanks mum. This is making things very easy!
Wren and Frost are the youngest business-men by a long way and Frost had to be dissauded from digging into the bar snacks. We have now eaten dinner (mini-pizza, thai beef, rice, carrot sticks, ranch, noodles) and will have desert soon although this trip is proving to be one long desert.
Both kids did well on the first flight although we were late in departing and had to wait about 40 minutes in the plane after pre-boarding. Wren decided that he was done after an hour and headed to the back door to exit. He was a bit sad when he realized he couldn't get off and had to be jelly-beaned for a while. Pens and paper, jelly-beans and books have been our greatest success as well a stickers. I hope to leave with time to buy a few more stickers for the next stage. [Wren is watching Wiggles on Youtube in the lounge with me while I type].
We had to recheck for new boarding passes at Tom Bradley International (yes Mum, we are flying from Tom Bradley not Terminal 4) and had an African-American helping check us in. Wren sat on the counter and said "its OBAMA!" which was both embaressing and amusing. Thankfully the checkin dude was a queen and thought it frightfully funny.
I don't think I will shower because Wren would find it too traumatic and I would not really get much benefit. STill, it is lovely to have a real clean toilet and nice smelling soap. Frost says "it is a real five star lounge and Wren should be a gentleman [ie not talk at high volume all the time as he is doing demanding "lets see it THIS ONE" a few seconds into each Youtube video.
Thanks mum. This is making things very easy!
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Uh oh, da toofbrush gone DOWN. Dond stick your hand Mummy. No no!
The last few days have been a bit of a roller-coaster of ups and downs.
Yesterday I attended a memorial service for Baby Pat who died following his Norwood surgery. He was 13 days old. I did not know Pat and Pui well but they had attended our local CHD support group before he was born and they seem to be lovely and loving people who were gentle parents to Pat. They had a hard path in Pat's short life but handled his death with grace and wisdom. I know it is not right to expect people to cope with the passing of a child in any particular way but in our society we are so insulated from dying that it is important and significant when a family lets you see it is the part of life that it is and come through it.
After the memorial a few of us from the support group gathered and Anita mentioned that when Gabe was younger (he is 18 now with a single ventricle) it was far more common for babies to die from their CHDs. As a parent of a child who is in the 'new' generation of babies with complex heart problems I feel a deep sense of respect and compassion for those who went before and watched their children suffer and struggle with the field of pediatric heart surgery in its infancy. I know that we have a long way to go but Baby Pat is the first little one I have known and 'lost' from a family in our support group. I wish it could have been different.
Other sad news
On Sunday morning I received an email to our support group with the devastating news that Linda's husband had died overnight of a massive heart attack. He was 52. Linda has two little girls one of whom (Gabby) has a complex heart defect. The awful thing is that my first thought was about life insurance not the emotional implications of your husband dying. Josh says that I think of him as Mr Moneybags so it is probably time to get a job. I should tell him that he is Mr YOUNG Moneybags which was my secret plan in marrying him - get some good years out of him while he can still get up off the couch.
Anyway, I shouldn't enter this tone of levity because I am still just shocked and not sure what you can do to help someone with such a momentous loss and life change. I shall ask.
Now, the humor
Potty training is going well and those from the British gene pool can always make a joke out of bottoms and toilets. Wren is very keen on potty-training. When he needs to pee or poop he says he has a 'hot tummy' or 'need pee NOW' and we try the potty. After a few 'tries' he has results and always says "so PROUD" which is what I said the first time he used it. After that we pour the contents of the potty down the toilet, I rinse out the potty and dump the water in the toilet and Wren gets to flush.
Yesterday Wren was waiting to flush the toilet while I rinsed the potty but he jumped the gun a bit and flushed early. While he was flushing he was holding a kids toothbrush Frost had been given as a freebie somewhere. It had a red flashing light on the handle and a bubble of water with fish in it.
"Uh oh" said Wren, peering at the receding vortex in the toilet bowl "da toofbrush gone DOWN."
"What?" I screeched. Turning around and spilling potty water on the floor. I joined Wren in peering into the toilet but it was empty. Clean. White. Empty.
"It come back up?" Wren said, hopefully. Ever since he saw poop get stuck once and need plunging he has had a theory that stuff in the toilet may come back up at any time.
"No," I said looking closer for any sign of a toothbrush. "Its gone."
At that point Wren read my mind that i should stick my hand IN to see if I could feel it stuck there. Of course, he didn't read track two which was simultaneously saying "F*ck. What is Joshua going to say about THIS disaster. He just loves expensive plumbing emergencies and how do I explain how I let a toddler put a toothbrush down the toilet?"
"NO NO Mummy" he shrieked. "Dond stick your hand Mummy. No"
I said I wasn't going to... really... but then I tried, tentatively and felt nothing.
"Donddoid!" yelled Wren, grabbing me. "It not go down?"
You may recall that Wren has a phobia of things including mothers and Wren's being sucked down the plug in the bath. The toilet is noticeably bigger than the plughole so he suspected that one or both of us or perhaps just my arm could conceivably go down.
I flushed and it backed up a bit.
I flushed a few more times and it ran fine.
Josh handled the news with surprising equanimity and googled toothbrush down toilet or similar terms learning that it is one of the worst bathroom calamaties and unless you can rig a contraption out of a tube and a balloon to stick down and retract the best remedy is to remove the toilet and find the toothbrush which is invariably stuck in the bend behind it, capturing an increasing blockage of toilet STUFF.
Joshua is threatening to take the toilet off its seating when we are gone. I am afraid of this but glad I will not be there regardless.
He is hesitating only because it is a child's toothbrush which is a circumstance not addressed directly in the googled literature. Can a child's toothbrush make the turn?
Leaving tomorrow
We are leaving for Australia tomorrow. Josh will join us in a few weeks. I managed to submit our tax return yesterday so I am looking good to go. Our suitcases are overfull but they will be consigned and I am going for a month so a few extra outfits are in order. Wish us a safe and happy 22 hours from tomorrow evening till we arrive in Sydney.
Yesterday I attended a memorial service for Baby Pat who died following his Norwood surgery. He was 13 days old. I did not know Pat and Pui well but they had attended our local CHD support group before he was born and they seem to be lovely and loving people who were gentle parents to Pat. They had a hard path in Pat's short life but handled his death with grace and wisdom. I know it is not right to expect people to cope with the passing of a child in any particular way but in our society we are so insulated from dying that it is important and significant when a family lets you see it is the part of life that it is and come through it.
After the memorial a few of us from the support group gathered and Anita mentioned that when Gabe was younger (he is 18 now with a single ventricle) it was far more common for babies to die from their CHDs. As a parent of a child who is in the 'new' generation of babies with complex heart problems I feel a deep sense of respect and compassion for those who went before and watched their children suffer and struggle with the field of pediatric heart surgery in its infancy. I know that we have a long way to go but Baby Pat is the first little one I have known and 'lost' from a family in our support group. I wish it could have been different.
Other sad news
On Sunday morning I received an email to our support group with the devastating news that Linda's husband had died overnight of a massive heart attack. He was 52. Linda has two little girls one of whom (Gabby) has a complex heart defect. The awful thing is that my first thought was about life insurance not the emotional implications of your husband dying. Josh says that I think of him as Mr Moneybags so it is probably time to get a job. I should tell him that he is Mr YOUNG Moneybags which was my secret plan in marrying him - get some good years out of him while he can still get up off the couch.
Anyway, I shouldn't enter this tone of levity because I am still just shocked and not sure what you can do to help someone with such a momentous loss and life change. I shall ask.
Now, the humor
Potty training is going well and those from the British gene pool can always make a joke out of bottoms and toilets. Wren is very keen on potty-training. When he needs to pee or poop he says he has a 'hot tummy' or 'need pee NOW' and we try the potty. After a few 'tries' he has results and always says "so PROUD" which is what I said the first time he used it. After that we pour the contents of the potty down the toilet, I rinse out the potty and dump the water in the toilet and Wren gets to flush.
Yesterday Wren was waiting to flush the toilet while I rinsed the potty but he jumped the gun a bit and flushed early. While he was flushing he was holding a kids toothbrush Frost had been given as a freebie somewhere. It had a red flashing light on the handle and a bubble of water with fish in it.
"Uh oh" said Wren, peering at the receding vortex in the toilet bowl "da toofbrush gone DOWN."
"What?" I screeched. Turning around and spilling potty water on the floor. I joined Wren in peering into the toilet but it was empty. Clean. White. Empty.
"It come back up?" Wren said, hopefully. Ever since he saw poop get stuck once and need plunging he has had a theory that stuff in the toilet may come back up at any time.
"No," I said looking closer for any sign of a toothbrush. "Its gone."
At that point Wren read my mind that i should stick my hand IN to see if I could feel it stuck there. Of course, he didn't read track two which was simultaneously saying "F*ck. What is Joshua going to say about THIS disaster. He just loves expensive plumbing emergencies and how do I explain how I let a toddler put a toothbrush down the toilet?"
"NO NO Mummy" he shrieked. "Dond stick your hand Mummy. No"
I said I wasn't going to... really... but then I tried, tentatively and felt nothing.
"Donddoid!" yelled Wren, grabbing me. "It not go down?"
You may recall that Wren has a phobia of things including mothers and Wren's being sucked down the plug in the bath. The toilet is noticeably bigger than the plughole so he suspected that one or both of us or perhaps just my arm could conceivably go down.
I flushed and it backed up a bit.
I flushed a few more times and it ran fine.
Josh handled the news with surprising equanimity and googled toothbrush down toilet or similar terms learning that it is one of the worst bathroom calamaties and unless you can rig a contraption out of a tube and a balloon to stick down and retract the best remedy is to remove the toilet and find the toothbrush which is invariably stuck in the bend behind it, capturing an increasing blockage of toilet STUFF.
Joshua is threatening to take the toilet off its seating when we are gone. I am afraid of this but glad I will not be there regardless.
He is hesitating only because it is a child's toothbrush which is a circumstance not addressed directly in the googled literature. Can a child's toothbrush make the turn?
Leaving tomorrow
We are leaving for Australia tomorrow. Josh will join us in a few weeks. I managed to submit our tax return yesterday so I am looking good to go. Our suitcases are overfull but they will be consigned and I am going for a month so a few extra outfits are in order. Wish us a safe and happy 22 hours from tomorrow evening till we arrive in Sydney.
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