What kids get up to at the Playground

If I remember my first five years correctly, and that's a big 'if', playgrounds consisted of crude swings, the occasional slippery dip and roundabouts - not the ones we drive cars around these days, but things that rotated on an axis and one stood on. How things have changed these days and Ella and Flynn are becoming masters of chains, climbing walls, tunnels, monkey bars (appropriate in the Chinese new year of the Monkey), twirling poles of descent, and a range of other apparatus. Ella and Flynn seem to show no fear and use the new form of playground much like Marines on an assault course. Have a look at them in action in some local - Mountain View - equipment in several of the well-endowed parks around here that have much more developed and imaginative equipment than our own back in OZ.

Slides are now mostly for going up and not down.

A corrugated 3-bagger slide

Mummy looks on unconcernedly

Flynn plays noughts and crosses, while, in the background, there's a board representing the solar system.

A 'slide' that can only be climbed. Chuting down would be painful! 

Playing with dark glasses - the sun was so bright in Burlingame - and, below, driving a pretend train with Ella as a passenger.

Look! No hands!

AS

Flynn's Third Birthday

We arrived in Mountain View to celebrate Flynn's 3rd birthday shortly before the event getting on for a week ago. It was a grand occasion with the little fellow almost overwhelmed by a huge array of presents and an enormous formal party to which heaps of friends and their parents had been invited. The party was held in the YMCA close to the El Camino Hospital where Flynn and Ella were both born and Emily had hired an entire room and out-door facilities there with staff and play equipment supplied by the YMCA.

I'll let the pictures tell the story of first the great gift unwrapping and secondly the party where Emily supplied the cake she had made in the form of a robot - an excellent job on her part which had the kids clamouring for more.

Let's just say that Flynn had a ripping time about breakfast when all his presents (to that point) were marched into the room thanks to generosity on the part of many family members. He had a lovely time discovering amongst other things that he had an electronically controlled Mini-Cooper, some lovely books, numerous toys connected with the Paws Patrol and so  on. We assisted in some of the ripping and collected a huge amount of waste paper.

And all the time some helium-filled party balloons clung to the nearby ceiling!

Here's the Paws Truck - a huge contraption on wheels, together with a robot he had a good time trying to assemble. For a three year hold he had surprising dexterity with a screw driver!

And, finally, the Mini-Cooper made an appearance outside!

And so to the YMCA. First came the organised play with items that seemed to make up an obstacle course - mats, ramps and other contraptions.

There were organised activities coordinated by YMCA staff:

Then came some delicious food - including heaps of pizzas

This ended with the piece de resistance: the robot cake with three candles atop his waist-line that Flynn took a while to blow out given his lack of practice on this subject.

I put in an appearance wearing a card-board image of a robot - the party theme

And finally, after a successful function, Flynn and his mother Emily posed for a joint photo ... with a lot more presents on the bench behind.

AS

Deputy Prime Minister

On the 5th of February, just one week ago, I posted information on this site about a speech given by our local member of federal parliament, Barnaby Joyce, to declare the National Broadband Network fully operational  - the first such location in Australia. Well, last night the gentleman pictured here became deputy Prime Minister of Australia after the previous leader of our National Party (really a country party) declared his retirement from politics. I think he might do a good job!

AS

A trip to Moruya

Just down the road from Broulee is the nice little town of Moruya, which sits astride the beautiful Moruya river as it winds its way from the mountains to the sea at Moruya Heads. We went there on several occasions from Broulee for shopping and trips to the park, as well as walking on the banks of the river. Again, I'll let the pictures speak for themselves - well mostly.

And here's a cool dude on the flying fox in the riverside park. Since there were no signs prohibiting oldies from using the equipment, I snuck in when no-one was looking!

AS

Family Pictures

We took quite a formal pictures of those present down on the south coast, and here's a few of them. Bec arrived late, but in time celebrate her birthday! However, I can assure viewers that she's a little more than three years old.

Four kids loitering and not entirely happy with being photographed.

Bec and Max pose for a birthday photo. He's only 11, but may soon be taller than Maximum!

That's better! This looks a lot more like fun. And Max poses with his cousins.

Max's presents were handed out late, but he didn't seem to mind. Indeed, he's just about to open his 'treasure' chest to discover that it was full of gold coins! Ella and Flynn look on enviouly.

AS

Beach Culture

What does one do when one's at the sea-side in Australia? The answer is a no-brainer. One swims, surfs, builds sand castles, walks around islands, fishes, explores river banks and inlets. We had plenty of time for all these occupations over the five days or so we were at Broulee, as these pictures show. They were taken over those five days and require little explanation!

The author's feet.

Max body boarding.

Broulee island.

Max again.

Nice, eh!

AS