day 151 - monday - National Gallery Melbourne

It was a big treat to go back into Melbourne and see the National Art Gallery. I had planned this trip especially to see an exhibition about Dada (arty term for collage), being the scrappy girl that I am. However, disappointingly, the Ian Potter Centre was closed, being a Monday. So we walked a little further and discovered a hugely inspiring exhibition called 'Timelines', all portrait photography (see poster, top left corner, pic below). That's my sister Manda cruising past the fountain.

I took copious notes (I plan to add these over at Rock Paper Scissors Scrap sometime soon). Then we went to the cafe for a posh tea and coffee break with our pal and second cousin Sten, before high-tailing it back to Auntie Shirl's.

I've added a bit of 'noise' to this photo for fun. Silly, isn't it!

We had a bit of time for photos before rushing off to catch our plane back to Adelaide.

The little statue couple back Collingwood and Geelong, EXACTLY the same as my Auntie Shirl and Uncle Ken. Cute, huh?

When we returned I said a rude word to Manda about Adelaide which I won't repeat here, and it was only because this trip I really wished I lived in Melbourne. However, I was surprised to find I had really missed my babies.

Happy Wedding Anniversary Mike and Manda.

day 150 sunday - noni's wedding to mike

day 148 - Friday - Angus gets a trikie

Tassie finally returned to Little Play School today much to everyone's relief! Angie got to play with his library toys in peace. I had borrowed this trikie for Tasmin but it was too small for her and fit his little legs perfectly. He's so enjoyed riding it, with his Daddy pushing him around, and even giving it a push himself! So great to see him enjoying playtime without big sister's interference.

day 149 - saturday - Letters to Jessie (oops a day early)

My Dad's sister Shirley so kindly lent me my grandfather, Frank Middleton Risk's letters sent to my grandmother during the Second World War. My husband carefully scanned them all in for me while I was recovering from a virus, and here there are, all presented in an album. I slipped the pages into 12" page protectors and used my sewing machine to sew seams to keep the letters in place.


He looks so much like my Dad! So handsome with an unmistakable twinkle in the eye ;-)

Each page is labelled with the place and date the letters were sent from. A little pocket has been left to the side which I may add the transcriptions to one day. Many of the letters are written in now-faded pencil and hard to read. For us, I plan to make photobooks from the scans and will try to regain some of the intimacy you lose by putting them in this enormous album!

day 147 - thursday - finding our mojo

Angus seemed much better today. Poor Ian was shifted into the spare room overnight as his coughing kept the baby (and me) awake until 3am. Once up this morning, though, Angus smiled a lot and it's been so good to see again.



I decided it was time my paper box was glued together as I'm really tired of it collapsing every time I need some paper. I had to call on Ian for his expertise and while he started off giving me instructions, he ended up seeing to it himself. I was very grateful, considering he really isn't feeling very well.

I think he made a funny face because I was taking pictures...

Grateful:

1. For the wonderful people at Blackwood Swim Centre who agreed to give us a full refund for swimming this term. Thank you, thank you!

2. For Ian, helping me with my paper box when he wasn't feeling well

3. For Angus starting to feel better, and Tassie and I too

day 145 - tuesday - a bad thread

No pictures today.

I called Tassie's childcare to say I was keeping her at home (for the fourth week in a row) and was shocked and surprised when the girl said that we would still be paying regardless (I had obviously misunderstand that bit when I signed her up, believing you got a discount for sick days). Ian and I talked about this later and realised that parents like us who do the right thing keeping their child at home, end up subsidising those parents who send their kids who are sick. The problem is, the centre doesn't provide any incentive to do the right thing!

I've never heard of a virus that lasted this long. But then, I've never had small children before and maybe this is normal. The doctor seemed to think so yesterday. Understandably, she was a bit stressed.

We were up all night with Angus again. I think he went to sleep at around 2.30am and then Tassie woke about an hour later and I went to her.

Gratitude:
1. For Ian, who is also sick, but who got up with the babies this morning
2. For realising this month is just part of the "rich tapestry of life" (this set us into a fit of giggles when I told Ian)
3. For blogger, my one true friend who always listens when I have something to say!

day 144 - monday - quiet (except for the sound of kids dvds)

I take Angus out of the bath and dress him ready for bed nearly every night but there are no photos! So I asked Ian to take pictures of us last night before Angus put on his pyjamas. I'm so happy to see him more interested in books now. Mainly he likes to flip the pages back and forth and look at the pictures.

days 142, 143 - weekend - the flu

So, Ian woke up sick on Saturday and now that's all four of us, sick with the flu. That's three weeks of it. Message to flu: pack your bags and go, you're not welcome here!

Regardless, since we had to skip swimming yet again, we decided to make pancakes, our little family tradition. I'm experimenting at the moment with eggless options for Angus. These 'No Egg' pancakes were disappointing though... the inside was wet and gooey.


Tassie was acting up this morning. Ian said "Tasmin, if you keep shouting and pushing your brother, you'll go into the hallway (time out area)" and she replied............................................
"Does this make you happy Daddy?" and started a break-dance routine on the floor

And here's Ian on Sunday feeding Angie (AKA Buster Molloy / Buddy / Manou / Man / Rattus).

Angie drinks his bottle expressionless and holds tightly onto his Daddy's shirt. Sometimes he moves his hand around and Daddy plays with it...

Pretending to bite his finger...