Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Arr-harr!!

Is No. 1 happy? Mm-hmm. Although she was not re-examined by "The Terminator", which she feels slightly lessens her triumph, she has the Ps.

Sorry blog-readers - babyG is waiting for me to finish blogging before I even had a chance to log in.

This is not really a post, just an update. Have been working, gardening, reading, mothering, running (thanks to Paul for help chopping up my old shoes, I am loose on the roads again in something other than sandals). Things I have not been doing, include mopping floors, painting the walls I prepped over a month ago, cooking (the oven blew up last week, to join the grill and 2/4 hotplates in not functioning), mowing the lawn (hmm, just never quite get to it), and blogging.

Joined Facebook this week, for the sole purpose of seeing/hearing news of friend's baby girl (so pretty!). The concept of the facebook, the networks, the swapping of permissions, the ridiculous updates that get posted while I am trying to work out how to get it to save my educational institution, are all ringing slightly strangely in my head. Perhaps I am less of a visual person than I thought - I would rather read what you thought about something, than see pictures of it. Children are the exception, of course. I'm sure I will need to revisit this assertion in the future - there are of course times when you have to see to understand, but for everyday, it will do. For me, the Blog is 1000 times better than the Facebook.

The kiddies continue to grow, and learn all sorts of nifty stuff. I am interested in the concept of discipline at the moment. Not spanking, or the threat of, but the development of self-discipline in kids, and their ability to override impulse. Why some kids are self-regulating in things they do, to a much greater extent, and at a younger age, than others. What does the framework of their values really look like to them, and how did they get it? Don't think I can have these Qs answered, but I am thinking ab. them nonetheless.

OK, must go wash No. 4 - her nightly ritual of indulgence - she is the only family member who gets to luxuriate in a bath, due to water constraints, even if her bath is the handbasin :-).

Monday, March 10, 2008

Knivago onyacomputa?




I have to line up to be allowed to use one of the Windows computers these days. Because games and browsing are so much more important than blogging. Well they can pay me back by minding babyG while I quickly put a bit on this blog.

Seems like I have done much watching of running, and v. little running myself. Did a bit of backwards running last week, barefoot on grass, as my heel was too sore to accommodate a shoe. Felt good, didn't stir things up as much as a "traditional" forward run would have. Might have to become a way of life. Maybe one can adapt - bit like the upside down glasses experiments.

Watched the Striders 10k at North Head, and then the 6FT. Spent the time in excellent company with Kit, Bek and babyC, so it was a nice time (and I wish now I'd had the energy to take a pic of the babies together :-(.
It is hard to watch running, when not running, though. I don't think that changes, unless one becomes a mad-keen kayaker, or something.

Managing work OK. Could chuck the whole thing in for 20c. Will have to explore the VPN possibilities. I am too exhausted to keep going. The kiddies continue to do well, but I still do the mummy thing of picking up where they are slack, which leaves very little time for what I need to get through. No. 1 is needing time, having to contemplate what she is doing, where she is headed, and what she wants to do along the way. Day off tomorrow, to do a few things. And while feeding babyG, I have been reading my way through a great book by Sally Sara called "Gogo Mama". A must-read for anyone who doubts the worth of foreign aid projects. How different, and how tough life can be in some countries. Purely by accident of birth - in other respects, these women could be me, and I them.

Sorry this is such a disjointed post. It just is, OK? Maybe I should have called it "Fragments".

As usual, more piccies. Of babyG's first visit with my side of the family :-)


PS. Went for a 4km run this evening while Jac played touch. Ran forwards (!) in my sports sandals, including two laps of the velodrome, anticlockwise - good for the joints in the heel that is worst, mobilising effect. Still good today, but Jac's Achilles is playing up. Genetics.