Tuesday, January 23, 2007

Birthdays, frustration and lots more rain

Today is my niece's second birthday. I always find that a second birthday is much more exciting than a first. By two they really understand what is going on. She knew we needed to sing, she knew she needed cake, she knew she needed candles. It's amazing how much they really do know after a very short time! Here she is blowing out her candles.



I am the eldest of three sisters. We each have two children, one of each gender, who are aged four years apart. Isn't that neat and tidy. I am a very good aunty to my nieces and nephews, just as my sisters were to my children. Our families revolve around the children. I spend a lot of time with all of them, they are frequently here making a mess in my house and my children probably spend just as much time at their houses. My children are older than my sisters'. I am always so impressed with how genuinely patient and caring my children are toward their cousins.

I have done very little sewing because my machine is skipping stitches and causing a lot of frustration (and a considerable amount of cursing). I am using a thread that I would not usually use and I don't think my machine is coping with it well. I had to resort to ironing clothes today because I can't sew. We are about to tackle the problem for the third time because I have client quilts waiting. I am beginning to feel the pressure!! (and I don't want to iron any more)

In the past few days we have had over 150mm of rain (6 inches). It has been beautiful. My Pete and I try to walk for an hour each afternoon around the river - generally we manage 3 to 5 afternoons each week. This is our pathway.



We park near this footbridge, cross it then walk along the river, across the main bridge and back to the carpark. It takes about an hour, at a brisk pace. This place is an absolute credit to our council. It has a wide pathway which is about fifteen kilometres long down each side of the river. Hundreds of people walk part of it each day. Along the way are sign posts telling you how many steps that you have taken as a part of the 10 000 steps per day health campaign. Here, at the footbridge, is a weir. Last week the water level was one metre below the spillway. Today for the first time in many months we saw this...



It's just a trickle, but it's very welcome.

3 comments:

nutmeg said...

I'm the youngest of three sisters. One sister has two boys, the other, one of each and I have two girls. Symmetrical in its own way. The picture of your niece is very cute. My youngest is 2 and 1/4 and I'm amazed by how much her little brain is sucking up - they love order and routine and know their place within it.

We've had some rainfall overnight and its falling steadily now as I write. I hope it rains all day. We need it. But I don't think we will be getting 150mm; but I'd take it if it were on offer!

Aunty Evil said...

She's a little cutey! I love them at that age, they are so soft and squishy and their personalities are starting to show.

That is a beautiful walkway, I wish we had somewhere as nice here to walk.

You must get that sewing machine fixed ASAP! Ironing is not an acceptable alternative. It will never be an acceptable alternative!

My float said...

Gorgeous little girl! Aren't they so squishy at that age. This is the first year my son has really understood the concept of a birthday, and a party. Last year he howled when we tried to sing happpy birthday because he hated that song. So we had to sing Humpty Dumpty instead.

This year we all belted out Happy Birthday and even though he was a shy, he stuck it out. Yay!

Enough about me.

That rain is terrific. Can you believe we are so focused on rain these days? It's so difficult to believe that there is so little of it. When will it end? (The drought, not the rain!)