Mar 15, 2012

Double Rainbow

Double Rainbow A wet day today in sunny Brisbane.

Early to school for Eloise's maths club, then off for a dog walk which Nicole sat out, for reasons detailed later.

Then to swimming spotting at Eloise's swimming lesson at school. She had a supply teacher today who was a familiar face - she has been one of Eloise's swimming instructors in the past. So that was a nice surprise.

I'm probably not supposed to mention the specifics of school-time antics, so suffice it to say that supervising year 2 boys getting changed is not in any way a pleasant experience.

In the afternoon I gave Nicole a lift to work then went to the optician where I had my eyes prodded mercilessly. I have a macula potential-problem which has been under supervision for a couple of years so I have to have stuff put into my eyes to dilate my pupils to allow my retina to be inspected. It makes the trip home glarey and uncomfortable as my pupils won't constrict in the bright light.

Anyway, no change on the eyes front.

I picked Eloise up from school and the heavens opened and we were soaked to the skin as we rode home. Kind of fun in a masochistic way, though Eloise isn't sufficiently advanced in the nuances of discomfort to appreciate these subtleties.

Quickly out again to dancing class, again in the pouring rain, but this time in the car, then I was off for a swim whilst she did her thing. I discharged my 1000m in, oh, half an hour or so. I was taking it easy.

On the way back from dancing we saw a double rainbow in the sky, how nice!

In other news, Nicole is pregnant. Double rainbow!

Mar 6, 2012

Eloise on the Microphone


The other day Eloise's class was up on stage during Assembly (or Parade as they call it) to do a presentation on poetry. They know the ins and outs of Rhyming Couplets, they say, but mention Iambic Pentameter and their eyes would glaze over.

I have reduced the ten minute presentation to a culturally significant rendition of Five Little Owls, that well-known poetic epic, plus Eloise's turn on the mike, for your viewing pleasure.

They went on to recite Five Little Ducks Went Out One Day and Did Martial Arts, but it suffered from a timing breakdown and was incomprehensible. Maybe I'll post that later.

They were all terribly nervous beforehand - they were performing in front of hundreds of kids. But they did very well.

Subnuclear Family

Eloise in the Woods So for the past couple of weeks, after the departure of Nicole to perform daughterly duties in Blighty after the passing beyond of her grandfather, Eloise and I have been going solo.

This has presented its challenges - behavioural, emotional, punctual, logistical - but with some help from friends we have muddled through.

School days were made a little longer and complicated by the Requirement to Skype at start and end, and by Eloise's decision to attend Reading and Maths Club before school, so we have struggled to get ourselves (read herself) ready to go and on the bike and there for 7.45am.

After-school activities have not been compromised either so the day has been ending between 4.30 and 5 each day.

This has meant certain fatigue problems, and with the advent of homework, the continuation of home reading and the occasional wash, well, it's been busy.

Which isn't to say that we haven't been missing Nicole, but there just hasn't really been time to express it.

So fatherly faux-pas have included, but are not necessarily limited to, forgetting to pack lunch one day (well having packed it, forgetting to put it in the bag), which was a bit embarrassing, and that's probably about it.

And, logistically, having had some evening work, childcare has been a smidge tricky.

But on the plus side, I did manage to skive off the School Beach Party when Eloise went with Marion. I had a nice nap.