It's been an interesting week to be in Canberra with the toppling of our first woman Prime Minister for a white middle-class male with a reputation for being a bit of a bully boy. Unfortunately, the opposition is no better. Why is it that we teach our children patience, honesty and fairness but do not seek or celebrate these traits in our national leaders?
Anyway, that's my rant. I'm in Canberra - this place gets to you.
Onto the most important event of the week - meeting Charlie.
I must say, when I first heard I was going to be a grandmother I wasn't sure. I mean, doesn't that mean I am officially old? Fortunately, the South Welsh word for grandmother - mam-gu - means fond or dear mother. Lovely, don't you think? Nothing grand or old or decrepit in that.
Charlie has heard his first spoken Welsh this week (albeit with an Aussie accent). It has tested my vocabulary to come up with previously unused words like hiccups - yr igion - or burp. I still haven't worked out burp. Anyone know? At the moment we are codi gwynt which crudely translated means raising wind. Fortunately, no one here can detect my mistakes. It is amazing what such freedom does to your linguistic confidence. :-)
Anyway, Charlie is gorgeous. Did I mention that yet? It's been great fun being part of his entourage for a week (that's Canberra speak). Jack and Ness are doing so well. I can't ever remember being that together when my babies were little (not sure that I am now. But that's another story). You forget how much time tiny babies take. Every burp is an event. Every sneeze, every hiccup, every tiny panting breath. I know it's a cliche but it was lovely to hold Charlie, rock him, change him and bathe him. It was also nice to be able to walk out at the end of the day.
So, apart from burps and feed times, what have we been up to?
- We have been for walks with the new red pram. The trees are leafless and skeletal in Canberra at this time of year. I've enjoyed the feel of them crunching underfoot.
- We sat in on Charlie's first church service (hard to focus on with a baby in his carry case at your feet).
- We've been out for dinner twice. It's amazing what can be achieved with one baby and an entourage of willing helpers.
- We went to Grandma's Little Bakery for lunch. We were the only ones there without grey hair (actually, I cheated we'll keep that to ourselves, okay).
- Today Ness and I went armchair shopping.
- Tonight we're having gourmet chicken burgers and watching a DVD
Altogether it's been a very enjoyable week.
But I'm looking forward to being back in Coburg walking my dog and riding my bike through the red-cheeked-eyes-watering winter wind.
Anyway, that's my rant. I'm in Canberra - this place gets to you.
Onto the most important event of the week - meeting Charlie.
I must say, when I first heard I was going to be a grandmother I wasn't sure. I mean, doesn't that mean I am officially old? Fortunately, the South Welsh word for grandmother - mam-gu - means fond or dear mother. Lovely, don't you think? Nothing grand or old or decrepit in that.
Charlie has heard his first spoken Welsh this week (albeit with an Aussie accent). It has tested my vocabulary to come up with previously unused words like hiccups - yr igion - or burp. I still haven't worked out burp. Anyone know? At the moment we are codi gwynt which crudely translated means raising wind. Fortunately, no one here can detect my mistakes. It is amazing what such freedom does to your linguistic confidence. :-)
Anyway, Charlie is gorgeous. Did I mention that yet? It's been great fun being part of his entourage for a week (that's Canberra speak). Jack and Ness are doing so well. I can't ever remember being that together when my babies were little (not sure that I am now. But that's another story). You forget how much time tiny babies take. Every burp is an event. Every sneeze, every hiccup, every tiny panting breath. I know it's a cliche but it was lovely to hold Charlie, rock him, change him and bathe him. It was also nice to be able to walk out at the end of the day.
So, apart from burps and feed times, what have we been up to?
- We have been for walks with the new red pram. The trees are leafless and skeletal in Canberra at this time of year. I've enjoyed the feel of them crunching underfoot.
- We sat in on Charlie's first church service (hard to focus on with a baby in his carry case at your feet).
- We've been out for dinner twice. It's amazing what can be achieved with one baby and an entourage of willing helpers.
- We went to Grandma's Little Bakery for lunch. We were the only ones there without grey hair (actually, I cheated we'll keep that to ourselves, okay).
- Today Ness and I went armchair shopping.
- Tonight we're having gourmet chicken burgers and watching a DVD
Altogether it's been a very enjoyable week.
But I'm looking forward to being back in Coburg walking my dog and riding my bike through the red-cheeked-eyes-watering winter wind.
1 comment:
Hi Liz
Lovely and congrats, yet again.
I do agree with you entirely about what happened to Julia. She was doing her very best in the circumstances.
Ciao for now, and keep up the great blog, Nicky
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