These pics were actually from the 8th August (for which there isn't an entry) but I'll put them here. We took the ferry from the Foreshore over to Stockton - and wild and wooly it was too. Here're Non and Daddy on the ferry, and the view back towards Newcastle from Stockton.
Nobby's headland and the lighthouse (we've got a few pics of us very wet on another excursion over there), and a coal tanker coming into the harbour to pick up coal - looks as if it's running straight into the beach...
Child Control: The Beating Stick (not very effective, really)
Ornithology corner: A cormorant and a Peliflop
Remember I said I’d found a site that did timed short story competitions? That it would be the equivalent of 3:30 in the morning here? (5:30 p.m. GMT). Well, I hadn’t particularly planned it but as it happened was suffering from insomnia anyway – when I got up found it was 2 a.m., so reckoned oh what the hell, I’ll enter. Made a tea, sat and checked my mail, posted a few things online… and thought I’d set up the competition (pay the fee of £3, get the site up and ready). Oh horror. I’d miscalculated the time difference (or rather the online clock I’d used has miscalculated) and the competition had already started, so I ended up with only ten minutes to write something. Well never mind, reckoned I’d put something in anyway… darn, but blimey Moses it was short and bad. Lordy. In a panic I couldn’t think of anything for the themes either – they were ‘peanuts’, something else and ‘the men who carry the corpses’. Dear me. Was tempted to do something on Snoopy but couldn’t think of a thing, so corpses it was. Agh. Never mind, perhaps I’ll be on better form (and on time) next time round… though I kind of think I wouldn’t have come up with much stuff even given an hour. Must try and get this not sleeping thing sorted out.
Talking of which, considering trying out ‘hot yoga’ (sounds like energetic yoga in a heated room from what I can gather) – they’re doing a special offer of $20 for ten consecutive days to entice people in. Might go just for the ten days (or some of them) – can’t see myself doing an hour and a half of yoga every day for that long but might do once or twice. I’m sure not getting enough exercise is part of the not-sleeping thing. Besides, the disappearing waistline could do with any help it can get. There’s a class tomorrow (well, this) morning at 8 a.m., I’ll see if I can get there and report back.
Had a rather nice excursion to Blackbutt Nature Reserve again today. Took a bit of bread and searched out a couple of ducks and a black swan who were all so full they picked at the offering with the air of society ladies at their salad saying ‘I simply couldn’t eat another morsel.’ There was a small turkey-like bird wandering around who was slightly more enthusiastic (Non ran off when he got too close), and likewise the peacocks were on good form – there was a Mrs Peacock being followed by four would-be Mr Peacocks and we even got to see a couple of tails raised in full fan as a result. One displayer was proudly puffing away when a rival came up to him and gave him a peck, and which he deflated abruptly like a popped balloon.
Another astonishing thing was that the wombats were awake! I really feel empathy with these creatures, they look so grumpy and stolid, as if you could use their heads as implements to break down brick walls with no ill effects, so utterly determined to be antisocial and sleepy, it’s really very endearing. Definitely my kind of animal. Then there was the flock of about 30 or 40 cockatoos that terrorises the park – these just live there, they’re not exhibits. Something was making them even more excitable than usual and they absolutely tore the air into metallic shreds with their shrieks, whitening out whole sections of sky as they stormed from one tree to the next. They’re huge, it’s like a flock of crows only ten times louder and more intimidating, as they tend to fly much lower than crows.
Littles was kept very happy with bubbles, and as usual the moment the bubbles came out so did all the neighbouring children. Something about soap bubbles, simply irresistible. I don’t know how the Mr didn’t faint, he was blowing and huffing away for so long.
We’d also looked at another house today, another ‘shack’ but it is actually not bad value for money in these parts, but would need a lot of work. Good view, lots of potential. But it’s down the hill from the school, which is always hard it’s not far but the gradient is VERY steep, so we’d probably end up driving quite often. Also that particular place is vertiginous itself – steep drive and tricky turns are quite a feature in Merewether Heights. Had it been up more on a level with the school, it might have been a contender. I’m getting quite used to the idea of non-brick houses. They can polish up quite nicely.
Littles went to yet another birthday party today, they had a lovely time by the looks of things. When we came to pick her up she was sprawled out on a rug on the grass eating a huge slab of pink cake cunningly from the base upwards, so that the icing was left for the sticky last. We weren’t paid much attention for quite a while.
I think it’s about time I tried to get back to bed, and this is a long natter. Lots of love to you all.
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