Happy Birthday, Poppy!

Today is my dad's birthday - and although we're meeting up with him and my mom in Sydney in a few days, we wanted to wish him a happy birthday today.  So here are Owen and me, singing and playing our ukuleles.

Also, happy 4th of July!

Baby-ccino

I just realized I mentioned Owen's baby-ccino in a previous post but didn't describe it to the poor uninitiated among you.  Let me help (as a neophyte myself, it's my duty) - a baby-ccino is what you get for your child at a cafe when he or she is old enough to understand that an espresso beverage is something of very high importance and a bringer of great pleasure, but is not yet old enough for a latte or even a hot chocolate.  It's just foamed milk (often just foam - no liquid milk at all) with a dash of cocoa powder on top.  It's how cafes get your kids addicted to the experience of going for your daily cuppa.  And, diabolically, they're often free.  And, of course, Owen learned the word immediately, and asks for one regularly.  I can't really blame him - hanging out in a cafe and enjoying a good latte (although here a flat white is my drink of choice) is one of life's great pleasures, IMHO.

The Sign of the Devil (and the Echidna and the Penguin)

So in case you were wondering, the sign I used on the top of this blog is a real wildlife warning sign in Tasmania:

from http://broomee.wordpress.com/2011/05/13/wildlife-crossing-signs-tasmania/

I haven't seen one yet, but I'm keeping my eyes out for them when I drive.  And for penguins:

http://www.galloimages.co.za/image/street-sign-warning-of-little-blue/1178666/1

Echidnas? Yes:

http://10000birds.com/tasmania-rarely-seen-road-signs.htm

Wombats, perhaps?

http://10000birds.com/tasmania-rarely-seen-road-signs.htm

I don't know if this big fella really lives in Tasmania, but it looks like he is doing a number on that car:

http://10000birds.com/tasmania-rarely-seen-road-signs.htm

So maybe it's just as well we haven't gotten out much - looks like a creature-infested world out there.

Our Worldly Possessions

Our shipment of goods arrived on Wednesday, and it was with a mixture of relief and dread that I watched them unloading the truck.  It sure seemed like a lot of junk, all piled up!


Happily, it was a dry morning (it's winter here, remember...) and the mountain (Mt. Wellington - Hobart's small but impressive local lordly peak) was out, in fine form (unfortunately partially blocked by a power pole):

Owen was on lookout for the truck (any possibility of a truck sighting is cause for great excitement):

And there it is, looking like it came straight off the ship, rather than over-ferry and overland from Melbourne:

Owen supervised the movers from the driveway, baby-ccino in hand (as a good supervisor should):

After a few hours, here they are, all our worldly possessions:

Maybe the most important single item was Owen's train table, which he hadn't seen, but Jayde and I had been eagerly anticipating (thanks, family - at last it has arrived!)  Owen helped with assembly:

 And here it is, all put together (the tracks were an after-bedtime assembly project):

This last picture is was taken about 8 am - by 9 most of the tracks had been disassembled and many, many more cars, trucks, and planes had entered the scene - like a mini-history of late 20th Century US (and Australia) rail transportation, played out in the living room of our home!  I'm so proud!