Canberra Cycling Tour

It's not fashionable to like Canberra but we in the EasternMax clan like to buck this trend. And so with our bikes firmly attached to the Volvo we headed off to our capital city this weekend just past.

Canberra is a bike-lover's city. There are dedicated bike paths everywhere. Even the police at Parliament House were on bikes. In the picture above we are cycling past the parade of former Australians of the Year. These bollards lie in waiting for future awardees.

After crossing Commonwealth Avenue Bridge we cycled around to the the point where the Australian War Memorial lines up with Old and New Parliament Houses.

After crossing back over the Kings Avenue Bridge we cycled around the Parliamentary Triangle. We've seen the standard Canberra sights a few times but checking out the Parliamentary Triangle by bike is definitely the best.

Looking from Old Parliament House towards the Australian War Memorial via the Aboriginal Tent Embassy.

While Blossom and Firegazer lay on the grass with our bikes Padawan Learner and I went into Parliament House. The kids have been here twice before but PL was only 5 last time and doesn't really remember it. Last week he gave a talk at school about Parliament House and was keen to see if his 'talk was right'. I think this time he will remember it - he took great interest and was most pleased to run around on the grass roof under the flagpole.

Some may beg to differ but this building takes my breath away. I love every element of its design from the forecourt mosaic to the bespoke furniture. Finished just over 20 years ago this building is a feel-good place no matter your political views.

Crafting out of a crisis

I hear that there is a crafting revolution going on in Iceland as they attempt to knit, crochet and sew their way out of the current financial crisis.

Apparently sellers of yarn, thread and fabric are doing a roaring trade there. However, having just crocheted my mum this knee rug for her birthday I'm not sure how profitable their endeavours will be.

This knee rug or small blanket used 1.4kg of machine-washable wool from Bendigo Woollen Mills (colours: Rosebud, Classic Musk, Soft Plum) and would have to retail at a huge price to make a profit. Icelanders must have contacts that I don't.

Luckily, I wasn't concerned with price with this one, it being for my Mum an' all. She wanted a rug that covered her feet and in twenty years time could be tucked into her wheelchair (!)

The best bit about crocheting this rug was the embarrassment caused to my Tween when I'd lug it to swimming lessons/cricket/music lessons to do a few rows. It got to the point that even Firegazer told me to leave it at home.

That's when I started crocheting these scarves. I made a smaller one for Blossom a week or so back but this one is strictly for the grown-ups.

Like it?

It will be available as a giveaway on Saturday on another blog run by my very close friends ;) so make sure you visit that blog then.

Proof that my 10yo is more mature than me

On Saturday the boys headed off to the annual father & son camp held by my son's school. This meant 24 hours of girls-only adventure for Blossom and I.

First on the agenda was a trip to the movies to see Hotel for Dogs. Those of you with 10yo girls will know that anything starring Emma Roberts is a hit movie in this age group, that is unless you are a Zac Efron fan.

Along with our tickets Blossom asked if she could have Maltesers. Well, of course you can honey. Yum, my favourite.

Later in the cinema, waiting for the movie to start:

Me: Blossom, you've pinched my Maltesers. I get to hold the Maltesers because I paid for them.

Blossom: No, mum, if you hold the Maltesers you'll eat them all before the movie starts.

Me: Will not

Blossom: Will too.

Me: Well, can I have just one?

Blossom: You can have one [hands me one measly Malteser]

A few moments later, the trailers are still showing.

Me: [looks appealingly and holds out hand in expectation of second Malteser]

Blossom: No, you've already had one.

Me: I bet you're eating them.

Blossom: No, I'm saving them for the movie.

Seconds later...

Me: Well, how will I know when you are ready to hand out the Maltesers? Will there be a sign?

Blossom: [pokes me in shoulder, very sharply] That will be your sign.

Me: Ow! All I want is a Malteser.

Blossom: [sighs] Look, here are two Maltesers. Don't ask me again, you have to make them last.

How can I possibly enjoy the movies if I haven't scoffed 175g of chocolate before the title scene? Bleh. Next time I'm going with Firegazer, he has a celebrated history of cinema lolly-scoffing having famously once tossed lolly-bananas through the projection beam thereby creating large banana-shaped shadows on the screen.

Way random

Once upon a time, in a blog far far away I wrote a post about the popularity of the word random amongst our young. It was largely used to describe something vaguely uncool.

At that point it was, in my view, a teen word used by other people's children.

But no more.

A week or so ago randoms invaded here at Chez EasternMax. And not just the 10yo, the 8yo too. Everything was random. Haircuts were random, ideas were random, the cats did random things and of course, all parents were random. I've altogether had enough of randomness.

Random not only seems to mean that something is vaguely uncool it can also mean weird, but in a good way or weird, but in a bad way. A versatile word, and vaguely annoying. A random word.

But I have solved this preposterous offence to my ears in one fell swoop. Every time I heard the word random uttered by my offspring I made an animal noise - chicken, cow, horse, sheep - sometimes one, sometimes a whole barnyard. This may be funny at home, but truly embarrassing at the supermarket.

And as with all well-designed incentive plans, the attack of the randoms has stopped.

Hallelujah.

Coldplay (n) = Awesome!

Sydney, Acer Arena, March 14

If you were there you would know how good it was. If you weren't, well I'm sorry.

Easily one of the best concerts I've been to.