May 2006

May 16

You know how sickly parents can be who think their kid is just the best? I'm one of those. Caleb has been tugging on my heartstrings the last few days and I'm keen to share it. Last week, straight after the Beaconsfield miners were finally freed, we read that Brant and Todd had been offered free holidays to Norfolk Island for a second honeymoon. I was busy going, 'ohhh, isn't that nice', when Caleb popped up and said,
'How come the Knight Family aren't getting a holiday too? They need a break, it must be really hard for them'.
I agreed with him and we decided to let a few people know that a holiday for the Knight's would be good too. So I made a few calls, sent a few emails, and as a result the Weekend Australian published a small piece in the Steven Fosbery's 'Frequent Ire' column, Young Heart Inspires Holiday for Beaconsfield Victim's Family
He was so chuffed that his suggestion had resulted in the Knight's being offered a holiday. We hope they take up on the offer. Guilt is underlined three times in the griever's dictionary, it can be hard to accept such offers in a time when, feeling terrible, guilt seems to trap you into keeping feeling that way.

Then Mother's Day arrived, we initially got the wrong date, thinking it was the first Sunday in May, so celebrated it the previous week, and when we realised our mistake I was generous enough to say I could cope with two Mother's Days this year. Caleb had $5 to spend at the school Mother's Day stall and was really excited about his purchases, so excited he couldn't sleep on it's eve, so we both got up at ten o'clock and watched a BBC nature documentary, cuddled up under a blanket.

Mother's Day comes complete with socks, chocs, and bath bombs. He's also made a certificate announcing he will be my slave for the day. But I'm not a great slaver, and he keeps asking for more jobs. Eventually he announces that he will be our personal 'fart vacuum', for the day so if anyone lets off, he will go around sniffing it up through his nostrils to clear the air. Trevor takes him up on the offer, a lot.

Caleb's latest toy - the 'cable car'.

Then he decides the best possible use for his toothfairy money is to put it into a charity box for the RSPCA. By now I'm thinking he's an absolute angel, and then he brings us both back to earth. He tells me someone had called him a 'Jew', what did that mean? I go through a protracted explanation, that leads us to Hitler, WWII and concentration camps. I tell him about the atrocities that happened there. He's looking at me seriously, an inward look on his face. When I pause for breath, tears glistening in my eyes, he says, 'Hey, look at this, I've got another wobbly tooth'. So much for the inward look.

On the house front - there is still no house front, or back, or side. We're starting to think June will be an optimistic beginning. We had no idea it would take this long.

The power is on, the phone will be next week, Trev is making great progress on the bathroom he's building between the caravan and one of the sheds. He's out there each day. We've already settled into our cliches. He's a perfectionist, I'm a 'near-enough-is-good-enoughist'. He's laid the floor, and it turns out one of the structures is about 3 or 4mm to high making a slight ridge in the floor. However, once the sheets are laid down over top and the lino is on - it won't be the least noticeable. He's all for tearing the floor up and starting again, and I'm, 'be buggared, it's good enough'. So it's become one of our new games. 'What about this, I think I should re-do it, in fact, I will' he says, 'No you will not, here, let me slap a bit of paint on it, it'll be alright'.

I've started a new novel - actually I'm over half way through writing it. I set myself fairly ambitious word writing challenges each day and I'm hammering ahead, it's adult comedy. I've only ever written for kids before writing 'Living the Good Life', so this is something new for me. There is the occasional crass word in it, I was reading out my latest the other night and Caleb corrected my language with a, 'Mum, I don't think that word you used is appropriate'.

I stood corrected. It also has 'adult themes', this is where I am reduced to lip movements without sound when reading aloud. If, after this warning, you still want to read the first chapter I've plonked it here.

Hopefully I'll be able to update in a week or so with news we've moved onto the block.

May 16 - Part 2

Interesting info on Australian health and the shrinking backyard from The Australian.

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