This is....my favourite film

I'm really not much of a film buff. It's not from lack of wishing - I have a huge list of want-to-see films - but more from lack of time and opportunity. The last time Beloved and I went to the cinema was 2004. And we never seem to have the time or motivation to hire and watch dvds.

And so my favourite film is really not terribly exciting. I'm clearly a child of my generation.

But Harrison Ford circa 1977.....

Yup, Star Wars. I could watch it over and over. I'm not a sci-fan, far, far from it (sorry, little Star Wars pun there). But it's got everything: an unassuming hero with an unknown past, an epic plot, a mission to save a world, a mentor, mercenary made good, scary bad guys, the little people up against a seemingly all-powerful force, and big hair. And Han Solo. I've seen it dozens and dozens of times.

My only advice is this. If you take part in a Star Wars drinking game, try to avoid having to drink on R2D2's lines. You'll probably pass out before you get to see Han.

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The Blogtoberfest Inspiration Word for Tuesday is evade. Thanks to PJ for picking this page.

Day 18: Sew much fun!

Har har, yup, Queen of Da Pun over here folks. It's been a long day.

I've been trying to get more sewing done in the last few months; the cloth nappies for the Princess were the start, but I've got heaps of things on my "must-try" list.

Reverse applique was one thing on my list. I'm not a huge regular applique fan, but do like the funky look of reverse applique.

So when I found this fabulous tutorial, I had to give it a whirl.

This is just a cheapy all-in-one suit (or onesie, if you prefer) from the local department store, a scrap of pretty fabric and a very easy design.

Sweet, don't you think? And very, very easy (Yes, Amy, you could certainly do it!!). Please excuse the crap-O-rama photo, it's late.

I see lots more of these in my future. Like in about 15 years when I have more time.....

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And I forgot yesterday, but the Blogtoberfest Inspiration Word for Sunday is chain. Thanks Sean via Bells!

Day 17: Just for laughs

We have guests all weekend; I'm going to try really hard to blog every day, but....

Anyway, I saw this this morning somewhere a little unexpected (can't recall where. I'm lucky to remember to put my undies underneath my jeans these days, so give me a break). I don't get across all the big knitting blogs - heck, I'm not across any blogs right now - so I may be the last person on the planet to have seen this offering from the Mason-Dixon knitting girls.

But I laughed.

And laughed.

So even if you have seen it, do yourself a favour and go have another look.

Day 16: Skwish!

Tante Mia from Weidenbruek (we have 4 Tante Mias in our life, so we have to differentiate geographically!) sent the Princess some money and asked us to buy her something special.

I've been eyeing off this Skwish toy at our local toy shop for ages and so that's what Tante Mia bought for the Princess.

Danke schoen, Tante Mia!

Day 15: Making a Splash

Today was a Good Parenting Day. I don't feel like they happen terribly often right now, so I'm trying to celebrate them when they do. And I can't up with anything of significance for pilgrimage, so this will have to do!

Today was the first day of Pirate Jim's swimming lessons. He's been having them since he was 5 months old, but we've been having a hiatus since about April this year.

The pool where we used to go, very nearby, had a change of management at the start of the year, and all their good, experienced swimming teachers left. It took 5 weeks (that's half the term) before they had a permanent instructor for his class, and although I'm sure she was fully qualified, and probably really good with older kids, she wasn't very experienced, and didn't know how to handle a grumpy 2 year old.

She and PJ never clicked, and he hated going to lessons. I was determined to see the term through, but he howled every time the lesson started, refused to do as he was asked and often I had to physically force him to sit on the side of the pool for the 30 minute duration of the class.

The instructor just didn't know how to deal with his behaviour. The other kids in the class were a little older, and advanced more quickly, than PJ, and as the term wore on, she didn't seem to be able to tailor any of the drills to PJ's lower standard.

He hated it, I hated it, and I don't think the instructor much liked it either. It was terribly demoralising when he would leap up as soon as the class was over and dash for the toddler pool, where he would happily splash about for as long as I'd let him. He just hated the classes.

So we took a break over the winter terms.

I did some research and talked to other parents, and decided to enrol PJ this term at a pool about 15 minutes drive away.

This afternoon was his his first class.

I was pretty apprehensive, I have to admit. I went along fully prepared to bribe him into the water with anything (up to and including a pony), and even took my own bathers in case it took me getting into the water as well to make him stick it out.

I had been talking it up all week, and PJ was actually quite keen. We talked about all the other kids having lessons as we walked into the pool, and he was thrilled to see there was shallow toddler pool there. We got changed and he asked if he could go into the small pool.

"Yes", I said, "but only if you come out straight away when your class begins." He agreed, and when the whistle blew at 5:00 to signal the class change-over, I asked to come out. He did. First hurdle!

There were two other little girls in the class, and a very young-looking instructor. I've nothing against young at all, but after last time, I was worried that it would equate to "unable to handle toddlers".

But I needn't have worried. Another two instructors appeared, so there was one for each child. Within a few minutes PJ's instructor had him happily being towed around, although he was keeping a weather-eye on me sitting on the sidelines. But in less than 10 minutes, he had PJ totally focused on the exercises, and when they took the kids out of my line-of-sight, PJ didn't even notice.

After 20 minutes, I could see PJ leaping, unaided, from the side of the pool.

I was so proud of PJ today. He was clearly a little nervous about the new big people he had to deal with, but he was calm and (eventually) focused. And he obviously enjoyed it! After all, that's the main goal.

H came tearing up to me when the 30 minutes were up, and wanted to go back into the toddler pool. I explained that no, we had to go home to Papa and the Princess, and then he couldn't wait to get dressed and home to tell them all about it.

And now I think he's actually gone to sleep after only 10 minutes.

Good Parenting Day, I tell you.

Remind me of this when next I'm on the look-out for gypsies, will you?

edited to add: The Word for Friday is synchronise

Day 14: A day in my life

I've been meaning to do this for ages. Little jenny wren started the idea, and I've watched Rosered do it for the last few months and really enjoyed it.

Quite simply, it's a chronicle of my day, on the 14th of the month. So here's my day....

3:10 am Pirate Jim crawls into bed with us and immediately falls deeply asleep

3:11 am - 5:45 am I get woken every 15 or 20 minutes by an elbow or hand to the head, or a foot to the kidneys. PJ is a restless, space-monopolising sleeper. I should have just gone into his bed.

5:45 am Princess Grace awakens for her morning feed. I listen to a podcast of In the National Interest, an in-depth public affairs program. No idea what it was about, I dozed through most of it.

6:30 am Dress the Princess and head out to the kitchen. Kettle on, first cup of tea and a chat with the Princess while I try to wake up properly.

6:45 am I turn on the computer and my suspicion that it is wirelessly linked to PJ's brain is heightened when the Windows boot-up tone and "Morning Mama" are heard simultaneously. I put porridge in the microwave for him, pour juice, dress the porridge with fruit, cinnamon and brown sugar, give him the porridge, fish out the pineapple, add banana, give him back the porridge. Tag with Beloved and I head to the shower.

7:00 - 7:15 am Alone time as I shower and dress - until there's a banging on the door because PJ needs to use the toilet.

7:15 - 8:15 am UN-level negotiations over day's attire for PJ, brushing of teeth, washing of face, combing of hair, putting of shoes and socks. I get to have a bowl of cereal in there too. PJ watches 15 minutes of ABC kids (including Sean the Sheep, which I watch too!) before we leave for childcare.

8:45 am Return from childcare drop-off. The Princess is dozing in her rocker, so I scan the newspaper online and check my email, getting time for one or two few-lines replies before she wakes up for morning tea.

9:00 am Morning tea feed for the Princess. And West Wing time for me; second last ep of the second series. I love this show!

9:45 am Change the Princess and have a play, tidying the lounge room and kitchen, make phone calls to try and see if I can find a swimsuit for PJ, who starts swimming lessons tomorrow afternoon.

10:15 am The Princess is getting cranky so I put her down for a nap and open my email.

10:40 am The Princess is finally asleep so I can finally answer an email or two and do some online searching for a birthday gift. I've been trying to do some sewing these last few weeks, so I get out the patterns and fabric and lay out and cut out a little dress for the Princess. I sit down at the machine but realise I don't have the right colour thread for this fabric. Lay out another fabric instead. She needs a few of these dresses this summer.

11:30 The Princess wakes up, so I grab her and then tidy up the sewing stuff. She has another feed and I watch the final ep of West Wing for series 2. It all gets a bit over done in the last minutes, but is moving and compelling nonetheless. I'm sad because I don't have series 3 yet, and Christmas is a very, very long time away.

12:30 We pack ourselves up and head to the Plaza to check out a large sporting goods store for that elusive swimsuit, pay a bit off my laybys and see if I can find the thread I need. I didn't score on one and three, but did find a nice little short-sleeved cardi for a bargain. It's a lovely red, yay! Wes top at the post office on the way home to try and locate a missing parcel. No joy there either.

2:00 I put the Princess down for another nap and finish cutting out the second little dress. Time for a couple of quick emails and to do an order for some yarn I promised someone.

2:45 pm. The Princess wakes up, another feed, this time watching the first ep of season 3 of Veronica Mars. I loved seasons 1 and 2, but this first ep didn't do it for me. I'll give it a couple more eps, otherwise I may just have to buy myself an early Christmas gift.

3:30 pm Change the Princess, have a play, tidy the kitchen, start preparing dinner. Tonight its salmon and leek tart from the July issue of Super Food Ideas (not online yet, sorry!).

4:30 pm. Put her down for a nap. Check email and start blog post.

4:45 pm She's still awake

4: 55 pm Go and get Princess and go for a stroll in the garden to look at the flowers and pat the dog.

5:15 pm The boys arrive home, PJ clutching a small pink rosebud for me. He presents it to me and promptly clonks his head on the edge of the buffet in the hall. Ow. After the tears are dried, he helps me finish the dinner prep.

5:30 pm Sit down to feed the Princess. Read a book with PJ and discuss his day at the same time. Watch him empty the sand out of his shoes all over the rug.

6:10 pm Put the veggies on to steam, set the table, finish getting dinner ready. UN-level negotiations take place once we are at the table as PJ is unhappy that he doesn't have a "big piece" of the tart like Papa.

6:45 pm Last mouthful is successfully negotiated in, tantrums are averted (for a change), the table is cleared and the bath drawn. Beloved cleans up the kitchen while I undress the Princess and get her and PJ into the bath.

7:15 pm The Princess is dressed and back in the lounge with Papa and I get PJ out, dried and into his jammies. I swap kids with Beloved and give Grace her supper feed and put her down to sleep. That's the last I'll see of her until 6am. PJ on the other hand.....

7:45 pm After a couple of stories, I take PJ to brush his teeth and tuck him into bed. Beloved is making a cup of tea in the kitchen and I come in to the study to blog.....

8:45 pm PJ is still awake and calling out. I've finished this post and my cup of tea, Beloved is talking on the phone and I'm about to hit "publish", go and make another cup of tea and hit the couch with my knitting.

Today was a fairly quiet day by general standards: no lunch dates or other sppointments, no real errands to do, PJ was fairly balanced - trying but at least no real tanties - and the Princess was happy and playful. I'm pretty tired, but it's all good. No major failures of parenting today, always a bonus.

He's still awake. Do you happen to know any gypsies who are looking for a child to buy??

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And don't forget the Word for tomorrow is pilgrimage

Day 13: This is......my current reading material

I am a voracious reader. I have been known to read jam jars and cereal packets just to have something to read. I used to never, ever leave the house without reading material, and would often have several books on the go at once. I used to go to bed early just so I had more reading time, and a "sleep in" was just an excuse to stay in bed in the morning to read.

Now that my reading time is severely curtailed, and is usually about 20 minutes in bed before lights out (much to Beloved's disgruntlement), I usually only have one book on the go at once, although the queue is always long. Bed-time reading is essential to me though; I simply cant get into bed and turn out the light. I need to quieten my brain with some words on the page.

I also have a a pile of mags each month too, usually food ones, that I have in the living room to leaf through whenever there's a spare few minutes (preferably with a cup of tea and a nice biscuit or two!).

So here's the list, top to bottom:

Things I Learned from Knitting and Stephanie Pearl-McPhee Casts Off, both by Stephanie Pear-McPhee, aka the Yarn Harlot. Bells was kind enough to lend me both these books, and I dip into them every few days for a page or two.

The Fourth Bear, by Jasper Fforde. Also lent to me by a friend. I love Fforde's unique and quirky fiction; he comes up with completely left-field characters and plots, and draws in dozens of obscure literary references. This is the second book in the Nursery Crimes series, and I'm not quite so enamoured of this series as I am of his first, the Thursday Next series. This is mu current read.

Carpentaria, by Alexis Wright. It won the 2007 Miles Franklin literary award. Also lent to me by a friend. Haven't started it yet; my friend says it's hard going by worthwhile. Might save it for when I'm not so tired.

The Messenger and The English Assasin, both by Daniel Silva. My read of choice these days is crime fiction, and Silva is my latest find. I quite like reading a series from start to finish, watching how the lead character develops. In these books, Gabriel Allon is an Israeli spy, who is supposed to be retired and living in Venice as an art restorer. He of course keeps getting called back into service. So kind of thriller-intrigue. Good switching-off reads, but the Jewish history component is quite compelling. These two are next off the rank once The Fourth Bear is done.

A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson. I loved Bryson's early travel works, although once he hit the Big Time they became less appalling - more kind of "trash the locals" than quirkily observant. Another one lent by a friend, I dip into this now and then as I'm not so much of a non-fiction reader these days.

Finally, my mags for the month: Australian Good Taste, BBC Good Food, Super Food Ideas and Interweave Knits. Yes, I do love reading about food (there is often a cookbook beside my bed but I took the most recent back to the library on the weekend). I cook maybe a half-a-dozen recipes from each mag each month, and many of them go into rotation. I have an extensive library these days and they're constantly being dragged out to find past recipes. Although I do tend to go to Taste in the first instance since this is where most of the recipes reside online.

Thanks to threebuttons for hosting and to My Champagne Dreams for this week's ace topic!

The Blogtoberfest Word for Wednesday is pilgrimage. Have fun with that one!