He's so accidentally cool

In the great tradition of being late adopters, or slow followers, we finally got to watch Happy Feet on DVD this weekend. Attempts to watch movies as a family are usually unsuccessful with Padawan Learner exclaiming how BORING it is and can't we watch Star Wars instead? This time the only noise emanating from the PL was roars of laughter and "oh, how cuuuute!".

In an attempt to build on the educational angle of the movie poor Husband No. 1 said "do you see, kids, how the daddy penguin looks after the babies?" only to be rebutted by Kelpie "Duh, dad. Like, everyone knows that". Lesson over, the Tween has spoken.

Our favourite Characters:

Baby mumble, Emperor Penguin ("he's soooo cute") - Padawan Learner
Ramon, the Latino Little Penguin - Mugs, Husband No. 1 and Kelpie

Our favourite Lines:

Husband No. 1:

[standing on top of a cliff, trying to get ready to jump off]
Ramón: I can do this, I can do this... I have to trick myself. [points at something behind him]
Ramón: Boy, look at that! [looks at where he's pointing]
Ramón: What? [falls off the cliff

The rest of us:

[Mumble has just fallen off a cliff and is sliding perilously down a chute]
Ramon: He's so accidentally cool!

I think this one's a keeper.

First Eisteddfod Looming

Our Kelpie has her first ballet Eisteddfod next Sunday. In addition to her usual two ballet lessons a week she has been taking an extra private lesson per week to learn her dance. We like it that her ballet school treats Eisteddfods as a chance to experience performance rather than a serious competition. Other 8 year olds will have been training everyday for the same event.

Anyway, the extra lessons are the least of your worries. It's the kit that can break the budget.

• One Tutu: $500+


• One pair of satin ballet shoes with ribbons: $70+


• Ballet tights: $15 (plus a spare)


• Hair paraphernalia: full fishing tackle box full
  

Five Hundred dollars for a child's tutu I hear you say? Yes well check out the work on this one. It has several layers of scalloped tulle in different shades of pink, a hoop, layers of taffeta and chiffon, roses and it is hand beaded all over.

Luckily, we have been able to borrow this one as well as the satin shoes. Coincidentally, this beautiful tutu was worn 8 years ago, at the same event by an 8 year old who has the same birthdate as Kelpie. All augurs well. Now all Kelpie needs to do is SMILE.

LNSM

After three years on the Lower North Shore I feel the time is right to apply to become a LNSM (Lower North Shore Mum). Let's look at the club requirements:

• lives on the Lower North Shore (tick)
• drives a 4WD (Volvo is passable alternative, tick)
• often wears sports wear/gym clothes to drop of children at school (tick)
• plays tennis (oops...)

Today I corrected the glaring ommision from the above requirements by starting tennis classes. It's not quite the same as playing tennis "with the gals" but it's a start. I'll let you know if my application has been approved.

You'll know I've become a fully fledged LNSM if I have a regular hair appointment before my tennis class to have my ponytail 'pulled' (ie put up by a professional).

I've started this class, along with two other mums, at the same tennis school that our kids all attend. This is not such a good idea as it is like taking a maths lesson from your child's teacher - they know all sorts of stuff about you that they've been told by your child. Most of it untrue. And the tennis coach doesn't follow the "I promise to believe only 50% of what your child tells me about you if you only believe 50% of what they tell you about me" rule. I did find out, however, that my kids know that I grate carrot into their Spaghetti Bolognaise. Because they told the coach.

Age did not weary them, nor did the rain

It didn't just rain on ANZAC day, it pelted down. It's been pelting down for days now which is great for the garden but not so conducive to getting up before dawn to go to the ANZAC day service. However, while Husband No. 1 and I snoozed (as much as you can when accompanied by four children - two of them the furry meowing kind) thousands of Sydney-siders still gathered at the Cenotaph in Martin Place to pay their respects. How to make a girl feel bad.

I can't even work out how they got there. The ferries don't run that early and no-one in their right mind parks in the City. It makes me feel worse, and yet great at the same time, that they made such a huge effort, in the rain, with small children and elderly relatives. So I tried to pay my penance by not enjoying the holiday - I sat down with my Functional Grammar assignment. Believe me, walking to the city in the rain with two complaining children would've been preferable.

The trouble is, while I did a bit of my assignment, I got a little bit waylaid with designing this blog. Oops. Which brings me to Mugs-ism No. 1 "Always put off until after Midnight that which could easily have been completed before dinner".

I'd better get back to my work on the Interpersonal Metafunction. Happy ANZAC day, or whatever we say. Lest we Forget.

Welcome Family and Friends

I'm not an early adopter or even a fast follower. I'm actually a copycat.

My good friend Fairlie started her own blog in late 2006 and I thought "Great, but you won't catch me sharing my life with a web of strangers". So here I am not even 6 months later. Ha, she says, but this blog is JUST for the select few.

If you are viewing this blog you are in my inner circle. Well, actually I'm just saving on long distance phone calls. You see, you can check in on this site to find out about the activity of the rarely sighted EASTERNMAX. We are not an extinct branch of the family, we've simply been hiding over here in the Eastern States.

From time to time I will post what we've been up to, try to upload photos and throw in the occasional comment for your leisuretime enjoyment. So sit back relax and tut tut at my frivolous use of time.