Later this morning

My friend Jessie has a little boy 17 months old.  She wanted me to take some pictures of him today so we went to Western Springs to the playground.

He had a ball and I got some really awesome shots of him with all sorts of different facial expressions.

He loved the slide best but chasing seagulls seemed to run a close second for this wee guy.

Best of all, I got to enjoy a day at the park without having to chase kids away from the water or protect them from scary biting geese and swans.

Sibling rivalry it would seem isn't just a human issue, this little chick was pushed off by his/her sibling for prime position next to Mum.

I was surprised at the number of baby animals still around, pukekos, chickens, ducks and swans all had babies following them.

One thing puzzles me though.  Where have all the white swans gone? When I was a child, white swans were everywhere and seeing a black swan was a rarity.  I was always told they flew from Perth to NZ and that's why there were so few.  Now you can't find a white swan at the Domain or Western Springs, I haven't seen a white swan in years.  There's something poetic about a white swan reflected in dark water, you just don't get that wonderful reflection with black swans.

Diversions

Happy Good Friday!

The fruits of yesterdays labours, an Easter bunny to go with my eggs.  The Wee Girl loves the egg cozy I made her and when she sees her new egg cup she's going to be in heaven.

I got the bunny from ravelry kind of.  When I say kind of, I adapted it.  The pattern does the bunny in two parts, but I was on a roll, so I carried on just like Kate does with the Easter eggs, I increased another row and then decreased to the bottom.

He's a cutie for sure and the WG is going to love him.  My first stuffed toy.

I'm dead chuffed with myself.

Hopefully the Wee Girl will be in a better mood in the morning.  She was fearfully grumpy with her father tonight, she's usually a total Daddy's Girl but tonight she and her Daddy were at odds and I became the somewhat unwilling recipient of her attentions.

She wouldn't talk to her Dad, she sat on the arm of my chair and gave all her attention to me.

Nice as it was to have all the cuddles and kisses, the foot massage was to die for and she was so into me that she actually considered learning to crochet for a nano second. Unfortunately it made me feel as if I was in the middle of her argument and I had to tell her it isn't nice to use people that way.  She denied it, but I saw the understanding and the flash of guilt so it's a lesson well learned for her.

So now I totally need to get my butt to bed so that I can get up and make hot cross buns and do all the family things.

If it's not Good Friday quite yet for you, have a wonderful day when it arrives.

The last (almost) week of peace

Can you believe it's April already? This is the last week of the first school term and on Thursday, children all over the country will pack away their pencil cases, shut their books and skip all the way home in happy anticipation of their two week holiday.

This shortened week is my last bit of peace.  The hubs was on holiday last week and yesterday.  I find it difficult to accomplish much of anything with him distracting me but we did get some cleaning done, I still have the bathroom walls and ceiling to wash down, the windows to wash and the bedrooms to set right.  Unexpectedly the WG has a half day today, a forgotten (by her) school notice from Friday was revealed yesterday, it's put a considerable damper on my plan for today. With the hubs going back to work I had intended to really knuckle down and get some cleaning done.  That will have to wait till tomorrow and just a vacuum and dusting for today.

As you can see the dogs and I are just having our morning coffee and the tidying up will begin imminently.

LB and his fiancé have returned safely to their home and children in Australia.  The serious business of saving for his wedding will begin in earnest as we've now got official invitations and he has asked the hubs to be a groomsman...again!  I've been to many weddings since the hubs and I got together, very few of them with the hubs, he's a popular choice for a position in the wedding party and I usually get to be by myself at these things while he eats at the bridal table and gads about with bridesmaids.  At least this time the bridesmaids are 7 and 10 year old nieces!

I haven't crocheted in a few days and my fingers are beginning to itch to feel the wool slip through them.  I have over 30 squares of various colours sitting in my basket with more to come.  Alas my coffee cup is nearly empty and I have leftover lamb from the spit to turn into stew and stock as well as the cleaning.  Sad face because my crochet will have to wait a few hours yet.