Delivered!
And threw in a movie too. She loved the monstrous aliens in John Carter.
: )
Wednesday, 14 March 2012
Thursday, 8 March 2012
Inspirations
The daughter finds it hard to get up early in the morning, and drags her feet when preparing herself for school. Not a surprise. She is only following in the footsteps of both her parents. Usually, the missus and I have to poke and prod and crack the whip over her head to get her moving. This morning, however, I tried a different tack.
"You're not going to school tomorrow, are you? And the school hols start next week, right? Aren't you eager to have this day over with?"
For some strange reason, those questions worked! She was actually able to get her stuff together faster than I did. As I had pointed out before, children can surprise adults when they are suitably inspired. The last time that she did that, we climbed all the way up the side of Cradle Mountain for a good two and a half hours to reach Crater Lake. And then trudged all the way back down again. While this morning was not on the same scale, it was a good surprise.
Moreso because the missus is not around.
As usual, work has called the wife to exotic, faraway lands. In this case, the Great Southern one. And she'll be away for another two weeks. Which means that she'll be missing the school hols altogether.
Which puts the pressure on me.
Well, I've never been the sort of parent who drives his daughter to achieve goals, or to fill her life with all sorts of activities. Besides, I am well-aware of my own preferences, and would rather not drag her through what she would consider a 'boring' visit to a museum or such. Taking the most direct approach, I simply asked her what she would like to do next week.
Swimming, was her reply. And the Botanic Gardens.
That was easily done, and I promised her that we'll do them both. Hopefully, I can deliver : )
"You're not going to school tomorrow, are you? And the school hols start next week, right? Aren't you eager to have this day over with?"
For some strange reason, those questions worked! She was actually able to get her stuff together faster than I did. As I had pointed out before, children can surprise adults when they are suitably inspired. The last time that she did that, we climbed all the way up the side of Cradle Mountain for a good two and a half hours to reach Crater Lake. And then trudged all the way back down again. While this morning was not on the same scale, it was a good surprise.
Moreso because the missus is not around.
As usual, work has called the wife to exotic, faraway lands. In this case, the Great Southern one. And she'll be away for another two weeks. Which means that she'll be missing the school hols altogether.
Which puts the pressure on me.
Well, I've never been the sort of parent who drives his daughter to achieve goals, or to fill her life with all sorts of activities. Besides, I am well-aware of my own preferences, and would rather not drag her through what she would consider a 'boring' visit to a museum or such. Taking the most direct approach, I simply asked her what she would like to do next week.
Swimming, was her reply. And the Botanic Gardens.
That was easily done, and I promised her that we'll do them both. Hopefully, I can deliver : )
Wednesday, 15 February 2012
Wednesday, 25 January 2012
Dragon's Year
It was not a happy Chinese New Year for me.
There, I've put it down, right there up front so that everyone who reads this knows that this is not going to be one of glad tidings and contented musings.
The cause of my unhappiness was of course, my daughter. Not that she was behaving badly, or making a bloody nuisance of herself. Those days come with greater frequency nowadays, as she grows old enough to knows what she wants. And that usually conflicts with what the missus and I want. Sigh.
No, she caused this madness because she had the bad timing to fall ill just prior to the ending of the year. I've only just learned that it was bacterial infection, that caused her to run a fever, flucuating between mild and moderately high, over the last five days. And for some reason, it usually peaked at night, which meant loss of sleep-time for me and the missus. Especially for the missus, who worries and worries, until she drops.
As for me, there went all of my visiting plans out of the window. Along with all the plans to bring her around Chinatown and other visually appealing sights over the celebratory period. On top of that, I had cooking duties, to boil soup and porridge (well, congee, to be precise), for her. Who, naturally, disliked the bland stuff, and wanted fried bacon and luncheon meat instead. Double sigh.
And now the wife is feeling under the weather as well.
No, it does not look like a happy Chinese New Year at all.
There, I've put it down, right there up front so that everyone who reads this knows that this is not going to be one of glad tidings and contented musings.
The cause of my unhappiness was of course, my daughter. Not that she was behaving badly, or making a bloody nuisance of herself. Those days come with greater frequency nowadays, as she grows old enough to knows what she wants. And that usually conflicts with what the missus and I want. Sigh.
No, she caused this madness because she had the bad timing to fall ill just prior to the ending of the year. I've only just learned that it was bacterial infection, that caused her to run a fever, flucuating between mild and moderately high, over the last five days. And for some reason, it usually peaked at night, which meant loss of sleep-time for me and the missus. Especially for the missus, who worries and worries, until she drops.
As for me, there went all of my visiting plans out of the window. Along with all the plans to bring her around Chinatown and other visually appealing sights over the celebratory period. On top of that, I had cooking duties, to boil soup and porridge (well, congee, to be precise), for her. Who, naturally, disliked the bland stuff, and wanted fried bacon and luncheon meat instead. Double sigh.
And now the wife is feeling under the weather as well.
No, it does not look like a happy Chinese New Year at all.
Thursday, 5 January 2012
Thursday, 22 December 2011
Doctor Who Revisited
I mentioned my daughter joining the ranks of the Doctor Who fandom before. Well, it has been more than a year and a new Doctor (with the requisite new Tardis, new companions, new bad-guys, etc) later, she's still as mad about the whole thing : )
Of course, it helped to have both parents Doctor mad as well.
Having said that, I must point out that it is nigh impossible to find stuff on the Time Lord here in Lyonesse. Go to any assistant in any major/independent video/book shop and ask for Doctor Who, and the answer invariably will be 'Doctor Who who?'. And that's just for the DVDs and books. Other merchandise are always absent.
Which is why this last trip to the Great Southern Land was so satisfying - Doctor Who toys!
Yes, there are now more than 10 sonic screwdrivers (different models with some repeats - both the missus and I wanted the functional screwdriver version) at home. Not to mention 3 die-cast Tardis(es), 2 plush ones, and 1 rolling-along version (that doesn't work very well, unfortunately). And assorted other stuff. He he he.
Of course, the sonics saw some use during the vacation itself. There was the Ghost Tour at Port Arthur, where it got really dark and scary. When the guide started to get to the truly spooky part of the tale, she must have been shocked to see three (yes, me too) sonic screwdrivers whip out of our pockets!
Ha ha ha. That was fun!
Of course, it helped to have both parents Doctor mad as well.
Having said that, I must point out that it is nigh impossible to find stuff on the Time Lord here in Lyonesse. Go to any assistant in any major/independent video/book shop and ask for Doctor Who, and the answer invariably will be 'Doctor Who who?'. And that's just for the DVDs and books. Other merchandise are always absent.
Which is why this last trip to the Great Southern Land was so satisfying - Doctor Who toys!
Yes, there are now more than 10 sonic screwdrivers (different models with some repeats - both the missus and I wanted the functional screwdriver version) at home. Not to mention 3 die-cast Tardis(es), 2 plush ones, and 1 rolling-along version (that doesn't work very well, unfortunately). And assorted other stuff. He he he.
Of course, the sonics saw some use during the vacation itself. There was the Ghost Tour at Port Arthur, where it got really dark and scary. When the guide started to get to the truly spooky part of the tale, she must have been shocked to see three (yes, me too) sonic screwdrivers whip out of our pockets!
Ha ha ha. That was fun!
Thursday, 15 December 2011
Letters and Numbers
I have just returned from the Great Southern Land. More specifically, I visited that isle where devils roam. Over the course of my next updates, I shall doubtless be writing about my experiences there.
Yet.....
While the diversions were plentiful and diverse, and I enjoyed the Great (oh, yes, truly!) Outdoors immensely, there was one particular programme on television that I wish to highlight first:
Yes. Television. Now, this is the point at which my friends and acquaintances will go, "What! You went all the way there and you're telling me about TV?! Are you out of your mind?!"
Well, of course I am. But that is besides the point.
Actually, the programme that I wish to mention is also a gameshow (gasp! collective clutching at chests expected here ; P) which goes against everything that I have said about such in the past. But I will plead this: this is the sort of gameshow that I loved as a child, the sort that was replaced by inane prancing about and back-stabbing politics, not to mention physical exertion. If I don't like running and jumping about, what makes the TV people think that I want to watch other people doing that? Duuh!
Anyway, the program is ABC's Letters and Numbers, in which two contestants are pitted against each other to form words, solve mathematics puzzles and conundrums. On top of that, more words and their curious histories are introduced. Most excellent! It was smashing! And very educational! I loved it! Go look for it!
Of course, the daughter was bored by it all, and didn't understand how her father was so bloody hyper when someone formed the word Scrounged, which used up all the available letters (incidentally known as a full monty!). Such fun!
Yet.....
While the diversions were plentiful and diverse, and I enjoyed the Great (oh, yes, truly!) Outdoors immensely, there was one particular programme on television that I wish to highlight first:
Yes. Television. Now, this is the point at which my friends and acquaintances will go, "What! You went all the way there and you're telling me about TV?! Are you out of your mind?!"
Well, of course I am. But that is besides the point.
Actually, the programme that I wish to mention is also a gameshow (gasp! collective clutching at chests expected here ; P) which goes against everything that I have said about such in the past. But I will plead this: this is the sort of gameshow that I loved as a child, the sort that was replaced by inane prancing about and back-stabbing politics, not to mention physical exertion. If I don't like running and jumping about, what makes the TV people think that I want to watch other people doing that? Duuh!
Anyway, the program is ABC's Letters and Numbers, in which two contestants are pitted against each other to form words, solve mathematics puzzles and conundrums. On top of that, more words and their curious histories are introduced. Most excellent! It was smashing! And very educational! I loved it! Go look for it!
Of course, the daughter was bored by it all, and didn't understand how her father was so bloody hyper when someone formed the word Scrounged, which used up all the available letters (incidentally known as a full monty!). Such fun!
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