D'Arcy Developments

The avocado finally sprouted a root about a week ago. When I got back last weekend I noticed it, and it's around about doubled in length since then. Again I got a good photo of the boy . Background art by the beloved's uncle Bob.

I love Autumn. One of the reasons I bought this house was the trees, this Japanese maple in the front, and the big Chinese elm in the back. The elm doesn't do much in the autumn, except drop its leaves and seeds, but the maple is great. Bright yellow leaves. They're both good climbing trees, but the maple is easier to get into. While I was away on the weekend all the leaves fell off it so it looks very different now. It also makes lovely little helicopters to throw around. Today's after-school activity will be raking I think. I have to go to the hardware store and buy some of the funky 'leaf hands' that enable you to get the leaves from the pile on the ground into the wheelbarrow or bag to move them. We got our first cold weather gas bill the other day. Not quite as much as I'd expected, which is a relief. Especially as we're thinking of doing another QLD trip this year.

End of April, D went to his buddy Ted's birthday party. It was a pirate party, so he dressed up. It was great. I cut the pants from an old pair of tracky daks and the shirt is an old one of mine that has been in his dress-up box for ages. The hat and cutlass came from the local joke shop, along with an eye-patch (and the bow and arrows) and he ended up having a great time. We got Ted some Viking Lego (couldn't find any of the pirate series) and they played Pirate-y games, a ripper treasure hunt, and I got to catch up with some mums I hadn't seen for ages. D'Arcy almost didn't make it though, as it was at the beginning of the barking cough illness, where one of the symptoms is sudden debilitating nausea (which passes) so we thought he might spew, and went home, but he was fine.

Internet update - after I'd been on hold about 25 mins the bastards hung up on me! I'm trying again.

I have, tragically, forgotten the exact content of this drawing, suffice to say that it is something that goes 'bang' (a rocket, or a firework?) and that D'Arcy drew himslef twice 'cos the first time he was too big (or small.) I know, I should blog these things closer to the time that they occur, but I've been sick, and then I was away on the weekend.

I'm currently on hold with my soon to be ex-internet provider to get my account closed. They were good when all I wanted was dial-up, but now that I have broadband with another bunch they are redundant. They're not particularly attentive to this kind of enquiry it seems. I"ve been on hold for 15 mins now, interrupted by a bloke with an Indian accent saying "Hello, can I help you?" and then saying, after I told him what I wanted "I'll just transfer you straight to cancellations."

I found this photo in my archives. It's from November last year. D'Arcy is sitting on his buddy from the playgroup we went to. The activity of the day was to make garlands and do some maypole dancing. D got bored early on in the process. Jenara is looking a LOT like her uncle Alex who I used to play with when I was their age.

In more recent news, we're still sick. I have the barking cough now. It rocks. Or not, as the case may be.

Yesterday D wnted a kebab for dinner. He had been to a friends birthday party earlier in the day, and reportedly eaten not much, but had a lot to drink (not THAT kind of drink), and run around like a maniac, So it was not at all surprising when, as we walked to the kebab shop that he announced he had a sore tummy. "What kind of sore?" I asked. "Like I'm going to have a vomit" "Right. Well, let's stop here a minute. If you need to vomit, do it on this tree" Fifteen seconds later, out it all came, very red. We were almost outside the kebab shop, and I suggested that we go home. "NO, I want a kebab. I'm hungry". After few minutes of arguing, I relented (after all, the worst thing that could happen was that he'd spew again) and he wolfed it down, followed (at home) by a fromage frais, a mandarin, some pomegranate, a lot of water, and an episode of Iron Chef. Just as he was going to sleep he said "My tummy hurts" again, so I got the bucket and prepared for a night of purging. Not to be, however. He slept like a log (not a baby - we all know they wake up every two hours and need a lot of attention).

Mother's day was good, apart from feeling sick. We went to church this morning, which was fun. The beloved had organised a present for D to give to me (and got me some flowers). Then we watched an episode of said present (which D'Arcy loves) and headed off to my mum's for afternoon tea. Four generations in attendance, with my stepfather's mum putting in an appearance.

Now I'm on the sofa waiting for my dinner, haing successfully dropped D'Arcy off at his dad's. Don't think I can last much longer though - my head hurts like anything.

D'Arcy has had this spectacular barking cough for about three weeks now, and I'm beginning to feel the effects of sleepless nights. Also I'm beginning to feel the tickly throat and sore back that means the beginning of it for me. But I had to laugh when I was watching the budget coverage last night and someone off camera in the house of reps had a cough just like D's. "It must be doing the rounds then" I thought.