Archives for 2010

Merry Christmas

December 24, 2010 by Jen

I won’t get a chance to do a Christmas Day post so am getting in a day early as I’m in the midst of getting things all ready.

I’ve made a pavlova, my contribution to the lunch/food table on Christmas Day. The recipe comes from a book that Nana used to have. Many of the pages are falling out but the pavlova recipe is intact and very good.

We’re catching up with friends this afternoon and then going to a party this evening and then spending the day with family tomorrow.

I will be glad, like so many people, when Christmas Day itself is over so that I can kick back and enjoy my holidays without the rush of Christmas coming towards me. Although my son will no doubt ask when will it be Easter?

Hope everyone gets through the day without any mishaps. Merry Christmas. See you on the other side.

Yes mum, you can put that on Facebook

December 22, 2010 by Jen

This image shows JJ with a couple of his favourite things. One, a Beast Quest book which he is right into at present. Next is a fibre optic lamp that badly needs its batteries replacing and next to that is a plastic figurine of something gruesome that he found at the op shop the other day. In the background of the image you can see Monty with a camera flash evil eyes thing going on. And he said I could put it on Facebook if I want. Not sure if he gets the concept of this blog yet. I’ll show him one day – ‘Hi JJ’.

I’d dragged him into the op shop and he hates it when I make him come into one. He’s old enough to go exploring on his own now and this is the first thing he found. It cost about $2 so I said I’d buy it for him. I then found him a hooded top which another shopper said looked really nice on him. I moved on to find something for myself but found something The Surfer had asked me to keep an eye out for. Then JJ came over with another top that looked like it would fit.

I asked him to find out how much it was. Instead of looking at the tag (which I could have also done) he asked the woman we’d just been talking to who doesn’t even work at the shop who luckily didn’t mind. I’d had to gradually walk away from her while she was talking to us so I gathered she was up for a chat, so a nine year old boy asking for a price probably didn’t bother her one bit.

JJ also found a book and I eventually found a really nice dress. He conceded that he’d had an okay time at the shop and I think buying a couple of things to keep him entertained while showing him the joys of buying second hand is totally worth it.

Last night we watched his favourite show of the moment, ‘The Zoo’ and then I read him a book I haven’t read to him for ages. It’s called Crunch the Crocodile and it’s about a bullying crocodile who gets his comeuppance from the local animals who are sick of being scared of him. Apparently I used to read out the Crunch bit when he says his name and wants his lunch in a really good way that JJ remembers and I wasn’t quite up to scratch with it last night! How critical children can be.

After that I gave him a good tickle. He loves being tickled so long as it’s not on the armpits.

He enjoyed it so much that he got his little diary out and wrote down that he’d had the best day of his life because his mum tickled him. It confirmed for me that it’s much better to devote some time to him doing stuff like this than buying Nintendo DS games willy nilly (not that I do this that much anyway).

He also then showed me the other things he’d written in his diary. I felt very privileged and very loved. I think I’ll donate all his Christmas presents to the Salvation Army and spend some more time tickling him.

Smiling

December 20, 2010 by Jen

Went to a party the other night and this is the only photo that I got someone to take that includes me.

We had a great time. The Surfer and I spent the first night ever in his Kombi, not that we were very long in there because it was a late night and an early morning.

I’m suffering from too much dancing sore hips but it’s hard to stand on the sidelines when you hear a tune you love.

I’m surprised I’m not also suffering from smiling too much sore jaw. I think the smile on my face just about sums it up.

What was even better was that I didn’t have to pick up JJ until midday the next day so we had time to get back to The Surfer’s place, have a spa and a bit of a rest.

The afternoon was very lazy and I didn’t feel too bad today.

Dear mum

December 17, 2010 by Jen

We’d had a good night with each other. We ate nachos while watching the last episode of The Amazing Race and then blew rasberries on each other’s bellies and had a really good laugh.

Then it was time for him to go to bed and for some reason I don’t even really remember we had an argument. It can all go downhill so quickly.

I went out to the lounge and noticed he’d turned on the glitter lamp. I looked closer at the glitter lamp and saw the note there.

It said, ‘Dear mum thank you for all the presents that you gave to me and thank you for having me.’ On the back it’s got, ‘I love you mum from JJ.’ I’ve edited to correct spelling mistakes.

I went into his bedroom and he was upset that I’d been cross at him. I thanked him for the note, told him it was lovely and gave him a big hug and a kiss.

I’m glad this week of work is over. He’s on school holidays but because I have to work he’s been in vacation care so I’ve been starting a bit earlier at work to make up some time. This makes the mornings very rushed even though I do as much to prepare the night before as I can. We only have three more mornings like this then we’re both on three weeks holiday. I can’t wait.

I love you JJ.

Coffee break

December 16, 2010 by Jen

Part of my daily tradition in my new job is going to get a coffee. I don’t walk around as much now that I’m here probably because it’s a small office and I don’t need to. At my old job I’d quite often go and speak to someone rather than email them so I got off my bum and away from the computer for a little bit.

Now I take a ten minute break and go and get myself a coffee, and one for anyone else who wants one. It also gives my colleague (who usually comes with me) and I a chance to catchup so you could almost say it’s work related.

I snuck this shot in – he had no idea. I do find that I can only have a small coffee. If I have a larger one it keeps me awake at night.

Thanks for making me alive

December 14, 2010 by Jen

Every now and again I’m treated to a picked flower from somewhere. It’s something he likes to do, pick leaves or flowers from plants.

I put this one into a glass of water and now the white petals have shrunk to sit around the purple inner bit – it’s made quite an interesting shape. I’ve no idea which plant the flower comes from.

He’s started school holidays and these ones last for seven weeks. I have to work for four of those but have managed to organise three weeks off (two weeks unpaid leave seeing as I only recently started a new job). At least we’ll get some chill out time together.

Today as I gave him his dinner, he said, ‘Mum, thanks for making me alive.’

It’s moments like that, that I’m glad I did too.

Time out

December 13, 2010 by Jen

It’s a Monday after a really good weekend. This Monday is bearable because I’ve got the day off work and at the moment I’m busy uploading some photos to Facebook and Flickr.

It’s silly season here as it is in most places. Everyone must have an end of year show right now so there’s lots of things happening. The Surfer had his work show on the weekend and it was really good. One of his colleagues has a houseboat business so he and I went to the houseboat for the day and night. Luckily my sister was able to look after JJ so we had some child-free time which was just great.

I haven’t met many of his colleagues before but it ended up being really good fun. Everyone was friendly and relaxed and we all had a good time. Eight of us ended up staying on the boat and it was luxury. It’s more modern than my house in its fittings, eg every bedroom had an ensuite. There were flat screen tvs in all the rooms and a bit plasma in the lounge. Upstairs was a bar and a spa. You could live on the boat quite easily. It even has solar panels to generate its own electricity.

It was pretty windy but we did go for a little cruise up the river.

In the photo per day tradition, I got someone to take a photo of me (below) and The Surfer.

We get on pretty well when we get away together which bodes well. In my last longer term relationship my boyfriend was pretty selfish and didn’t really consider my feelings or my opinions when trying to make decisions. I knew after that holiday that I should have called it quits but I didn’t and we lasted another three years or so. Live and learn ey?

Unfortunately we were only able to have one night but we made the most of it and must try to to it again.