know any good translators?

no, it's not a plug for our business... but...
despite being fluent in 5 languages and being able to do 'travel speak' in quite a few others, these last few days c has kept us guessing.
he's started talking.
it's not the 'how would you like your breakfast in bed' kinda talking, it's calix-speak, a specialist language in a world all of its own. but it has words, real words. we've just got to figure out what they mean!!!
as his teeth are developing and pushing further forward in his gums (on the edge!!) he makes new sounds, playing with the new shapes and edges going on inside his mouth (i guess, i'm no expert here). but seriously, this week he's come out with some sounds that he tends to use in the same way all the time.
we've guessed at their meanings
erma-ma-ma (i'm hoping) refers to me: mama
arnngyaya refers to p: oh, before you say yeah, right, he says it when p leaves the room. he says it when he sees p again. he smiles, sighs and says it to p with a cheeky grin.
these two words could have several potential other meanings. they might not be words at all.
but proud mama and papa that we are we've decided to translate it as being just that: mama and papa.
xx
b

winter projects

crumbs, despite the fact that it's wetter than a wet thing out it is just around the corner:
spring: wound up- ready to pounce.
which means i better pull me finger out and finish my winter projects. i have a pile of sewing i'm slowly slowly making my way though (although i add to it everyotherday and therefore it might be winter 2010 that i'm aiming on), there's a chair in the 'garage' that used to be part of a duo of non-matching chairs. now it's all by itself, nude, waiting for upholstery. some shelves, a wee cupboard, actually 2 wee cupboards, a thing to hang the pots on... it's not that i'm lazy (really) it's just that every item needs one or two things to complete it... i can't help it if i have so many great ideas.
i was about to type "but i have finished something" until i realised i just have to sew on some velcro.
oh, but i already have plans for the summer. oh, those long balmy days. i've got jandals, new shoes and a super pair of sunnies just waiting for the right opportunity to be launched on the planet. i have schemes involving newly recycled and refurbished t-shirts, for the summer. a nice wee summer skirt, a sleeveless dress. oh bring it on.
i've been practising too, barefootedness. and oh how tender are my little feet after months of wrappingupwarm?!
see- i'm wishing it away already!!
patience.
patience.

patience.

c, while the perfect yogi, isn't terribly patient. for him there is only now, so he can't wait for 1 minute, let alone 5. but because there is only now, there isn't tomorrow or thedayafter or next week even. i wonder when we learn that? when we discover potential? or hope? both positive things to have in your handbag, mind, but something that takes the now and shoves it into the little coin purse.

i think i need more practice.

xx
mama b (still learning)

while spring's been busy lurking, hangin' out on street corners, looking nonchalant: up to no good, we decided to do away with all that folley and head to the hills.

well, after a season of snowiness that people who are interested having been dubbing as the best one since sliced bread (do they say that??) the hills were looking good and fluffy. white. sparkly. mountainish.

some very good friends of ours invited us up to castle hill for a long weekend to play. p went down hill very quickly doing an amazing rendition of a yeti, while c and i sat round being gentile, looking at snow from a respectable distance. no unnecessary downhill antics for us!! (til next year anyway).

and while we were there mother nature had the decency to bless us with 'a big dump' (kiwi speak for a load of fresh snow).... worrying us for at least 5 minutes about access (we had no chains) and whether or not we had sufficient food/wine/nappies if we were snowed in...

alas, the snow snowed, but wasn't enough to keep us there and almost at the same speed that p flew down the hill we were back in the big smog and bugger me there was snow all over the hills here! coulda stayed at home (except for the fact we wouldn't have been with beautiful friends in a mountain chalet having a lovely old time;) )

le printemps

the seemingly ceaseless grey skies relented for a moment and the citizens of the rara republic snuck out to stretch their legs, in search of spring's avantgarde.

and we found it, hidden on the tips of branches as fat buds ready to burst, opening bright petals towards the sweet sun and soft fresh green leaves.

the sun warmed our faces. it recharged our batteries ready to face the next bout of grey.

'tis c's first spring. (not that he's got a reference point)

and although the winter hasn't really buggered off entirely, yet, we can be happy watching the garlic grow, the buds fatten and the grass go all sorts of green until the last moment when the hourglass world tips over and the sun comes back again....

MiHi Horse

i could sit here and moan about stuff all day. i've recently become a grownup so i think i've won the right to do so. like moaning at my neighbours for making too much noise, for example.

that's old.

like moaning about boy racers. oh the noise they make with their loud 'performance' exhausts and maltuned turbos as they hoon up and down wontonly. bleeding waste of resources, that's what it is. tyre rubber, fuel, and other stuff that they consume.

that's old.

i could moan the whole winter away; get bogged down beneath a pile of soggy, nearly dry washing, cursing the price of electricity, swearing at the rain, protesting against the frosts.

old!
old!

meanwhile i forget the new. the long long list of firsts that rocket past on a daily basis.
first proper sitting up by myself.
first pee on the potty!
first falling asleep on cafe table.

i forget to embrace the sweet joy of innocence and to see things through my son's eyes.
or hear things through my son's ears.

why bother being old when i can sneakily have a chance to revive my newness, to recycle my youth- bring it out, polish it and give it another whirl.
somebody once said you're only young once. twas probably me. what a pile of sh1t. you're as young as often and for as long as you like.
somebody once muttered something about life's too short to .... what a load of cr@p. unless of course you're referring to moaning (other than in ecstacy, which is on the list) or harbouring negative whatsits .

get off your flaming rectum and go and have a look! see. smell. listen....
(unless of course you're currently at work being paid to surf, in which case: carry on!)

ok, that was the entry from My High Horse this week.
next week i will probably be dishing out humble apologies left and right. perhaps i should create a hyperlink...

xxxx
b

oh, ps, it's got nothing to do with my being vegetarian, but is it just me? or is the whole world suffering from an irony deficiency?