those two funny little boys

Time for a little update re: the antics of Noah and Chooch. They've had a busy winter.

They've been to swimming lessons (O how they both LOVE swimming),


and created Captain Underpants costumes,
and began exploring an island. Soon it's going to be "their" island. Well, a piece of it will be. So there's also been much dreaming this winter. Dreaming of where to place a slippery dip (inside on the stairs or outside from back verandah to yard?), of boys in boats, of Mama learning to drive a boat, of Dad relaxing with an outdoor bbq with his own view of the water, dreams of friends and playing and jumping off jetties to swim and, and, and... so much more dreaming than that.

"Let's be realists. Let's dream the impossible" (Che Guevara)

reminders that I'm real, I'm here now, it's all happening...

I just discovered this draft of a blog post, from this time last year! It is a list that could go on forever, with new reminders everyday so... I'm going to post it now and add to it every time I receive another sweet reminder that indeed: I AM real, I AM here now and it is ALL happening.

• the petrol light coming on to remind me that I need petrol. Now.
  
• music from acoustic guitars
• the tears of another loved one
  
• a bit of Radiohead
• ambulance sirens
  
• Mumford and sons gigs at the Enmore theatre
• REM singing You are the everything; or Nightswimming (which stops me in my tracks as much now as it did in 1993)

another day of Trit-trotting around the big smoke

I passed a million anonymous faces as I walked down the wrong side of George St. Well, maybe a thousand. How many people pass in crowded streets in a 30 minute period? And it must have been the "wrong side". Everyone else was walking in the opposite direction to me.

Straight faces, black cladding. Blessings on their blackness. May they be wearing brightly coloured undies. So many of them, I'd like to cup their faces in my hands and blow warm air on to them. But do they really need warming? Probably not. They are probably simply reflecting the hard pavement so they can blend in rather than stand out: a comfort thing.

I do enjoy a long day in the city. I like seeing the mix of funky-dressed-down 20 year olds and grey-haired men in business suits with shiny shoes who have been doing this for 40 years. You know, they're "out there"... talking, walking the streets, having a laugh, making a living. I wonder if they laugh this much with their daughters. Or sons.

Tobacco smoke and city fumes collecting in my nostrils. I've never liked tobacco smoke in my nostrils.
Large glass panels.
Tall flower arrangements.
So much electricity.
Drum & bass café beats.
Hot earl grey tea to sip.

My much-loved old friend Lib wrote on the invitation to her 18th birthday party:

"When in doubt, underdress - and don't bring any goats."

There were no goats in the city that I saw today.

another Mama roadtrip

The winter school holidays are the perfect time for a Mama road trip. A trip to enjoy blue, sunny skies (hopefully), and the chance to expand ourselves into some outdoor space that is in stark contrast to our warm, cosy, very small space at home. This time we headed north to the Bellinger river with our much loved cousins: Freya and Jo-Jo, and Mama Marissa (she chose well when she married my cousin).

We borrowed a 7-seater 4WD for the journey, packed some snacks and cd-stories and hit the road, Jack. Only to come back, a few days later with a sicky-sick dribbly bum bug which Pat-from-Sussex Inlet kindly shared with us at the communal house of the Bellingen YHA. Thanks Pat, good sharing. Perhaps next time though, it would be considered socially appropriate to keep your bugs safely to yourself and your own child and let it end there. Just a suggestion.

Anyway, despite that undesired ending, we still enjoyed full Mama-belly laughs, many cups o' tea in winter sunshine, swinging in the untouchable hammocks, learning how to sink a snooker ball - well I need some pointers on that actually. I'm not really qualified to teach Freya and my No-No such tricks when I don't even know whether it's a pool table or a snooker table. I remember enjoying the antics of playing the same sinking game at my grandparents' house (the much-loved Ina and Chick) when I was small. Still haven't learned the rules.

I've now recovered enough to be looking forward to the next Mama road trip which will be in a couple of short months. I strongly recommend finding yourself a strong, beautiful, good-value companion Mama, a few extra kiddles and packing your favourite hat to head in which-ever direction you please. We don't really know what it does for the children (let's hope it gives them happy memories to laugh about with their friends and cousins in years to come), but it does wonders for the rejuvenation of the Mama's soul.