I’ll clean him and drive him and call him George
Meet George, he’s been part of our family since 1998, the year before we got married. He took us around Europe on our honeymoon, and has been a staple part of camping holidays ever since. He’s also been quietly rusting away and falling apart over the years which is a travesty brought on by lack of a secret money stash to throw at him.
Recently Mr Boxer Shorts did something we’ve never done before. He loaned George to a friend of his to go away on holiday in. It was a friend from a long time ago, reaquainted through the miracle that is facebook.
Try and wrap your head around the enormity of this. Would you lend your children to someone you didn’t know?
Hello, IT support, how can I not help you?
- By Alison
- 18 August, 2010
- 2 Comments
My father in law has recently been dragged kicking and screaming into the current century, by the tax department. He now owns a computer, and has “access to the interwebs”. He had no choice but to buy a computer because – as an accountant – he was required by law to put his clients tax returns in online.
With any normal person, adapting to this new regime might be tricky, but would eventually become second nature. But we’re not taking normal people here.
If you knew my father in law you’d know how insane this situation sounds. Suggesting that he’d become familar with it soon enough is enough to induce death by hysteria…
Rocky shore
- By Alison
- 17 August, 2010
- Comments Off on Rocky shore
Aspiring to be average – a teaser
- By Alison
- 9 August, 2010
- 4 Comments
Today is a first time milestone for me. I’ve made a blog posting in a location that’s not my own blog. But listen, this is important. It’s no ordinary blog.
The Blogger Body Calendar is a collaborative project, the outcome of which is calendar for 2010 which features 12 bloggers portraying their beautiful bodies as nature intended. And we’re not talking photoshopped, retouched, anorexic models – we’re looking at real women (and man)…
More gin, Brown Owl?
- By Alison
- 4 August, 2010
- 3 Comments
After waiting for a year and a half after leaving Rainbows, my 8 (nearly 9) year old has finally got a place in Brownies. She’ll have all of a year there before having to move up to Guides because the waiting list was so long – and I worry now if she’ll be able to go smoothly from Brownies to Guides, or will there be another gap like this.
I realise why it’s like this of course – my mother was a Guide leader, and eventually had to close down her Guide unit 10 years after she’d first wanted to retire. Simply because there were NO others willing to take it on and run it, despite wanting their girls to be involved…
What goes on on holiday, stays on holiday.
We’ve just spent a glorious week on holiday in Crete, nestled in a tiny village near the sea, in a house that was built by pirates, and rebuilt by honest men. It was like stepping into another world, with another set of values entirely, as I discovered when I inquired about the security facilities before we left.
The house was going to be home to not just us, but another couple upstairs, and two young girls downstairs. As I was taking my laptop, I wanted to ensure that the bedroom was lockable to keep it secure. As it turns out – the room could have been locked if we’d had a key, but we didn’t. And didn’t actually care either…
Black Betty the bee
We found this black bee in the venetian ruins of Gramvousa. I’d never seen one before, and the colours were amazing.
Rocket in the Veg-Table
- By Alison
- 30 June, 2010
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Basil brush bites back
There has been a large furor lately about a fox attack that happened on two babies who were lying in their cot – in their house, on the third floor. Both babies were seriously injured, and while they are both home now, one of them may need plastic surgery throughout her life, due to the facial injuries.
Apparently 6 foxes have now been trapped in their backyard and put to death.
Nothing can lessen the horror of this event – particularly the fact that the fox had to travel up 2 flights of stairs to get at the girls. That they were not safe in their own bedroom.
What bites on me – however – is…
Free range kids roll on
- By Alison
- 30 May, 2010
- 2 Comments
Last Saturday was a day designated by Lenore Skenazy as “Take your kids to the park and leave them there” day. The goal behind this day was to encourage helicopter parents (those who hover) to give their kids a little free reign and let them learn to be independent. And we’re talking 7 years old and up, not toddlers.
In the lead up to the actual day, I read the comments and reactions to the idea with interest. I expected people to express doubt and disagreement, there was no surprise there. What had me rather flummoxed was the notion that apparently some parents don’t let their kids out of their sight – even in their own homes.
Maybe I should say “allegedly” rather than “apparently” – because I simply don’t believe that it’s true…
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