Hazel's first writing

Hazel wrote this for her friend Rowan, who has been sick. She went into another room, made this card, then came back to show me.

It says:

DEAR ROWN AD GRETA
I AM SORE (sorry) ROWN ES VOMATENG

 

Installing DELL software

And this is the picture it shows me.

Artistic representation

What do you think this is? Hazel drew it.

Hint: If you are thinking that it is a body part that is not usually out in the open, you might be right.

Ivy and a baby Komodo dragon

At Taronga Zoo yesterday, we walked for hours and went on the Sky Safari for three and a half trips. Tony took a day off work to come with us, and he cope well with the girls making decisions about what to see. Hazel wanted crocodiles and alligators, and we saw them all, floating like logs and shifting occasionally.
Ivy wanted the hippo, which we didn't get to. Instead, she loved the reptile house. We played Spot the Camouflaged Animal.
Both girls were keen on the chimpanzees and gorillas. Both of these groups had little ones being carried and watched over by their mum.

We are classy

This is how we have breakfast by the beach at Manly.

Trudi is paddling

While we swing.

A twin moment

Yes, there are two swings.

Eating World

I like the clean simplicity of the name. Eating World. There's no ambiguity about what goes on in there. Just eating.

Kiss and Ride

I am pretty sure that this sign is trying to get people to park here to drop off their partner at the train station in the morning.
However I thought that it could also be evidence of municipal support for streetwalkers.

Seagull man

We saw him feeding seagulls as we walked back down from the Rocks.
He has a seagull on his head.

What a day

We did the tourist thing.

Ivy got up just after 5am today, so we had an early start. We walked 1km to the train station, and got a seat on the TOP LEVEL of the train. Over the big bridge, then we got off at Central. Another walk, and then we spent a couple of hours at the Chinese garden. Both girls loved this, which was a bit of a surprise. Ivy said that the paths were the best bit. Hazel invented a new imaginary friend. He is a friendly monster as big as her hand, named Scary. He lives underground and burrows along to keep up with Hazel. She throws an imaginary hammer at the ground to make a hole when he wants to come aboveground.

After the garden we walked again, had a play in a playground, then walked some more to a food court where the kids had lunch. Yes, they ate icecream and KFC chips.

Then we walked some more and caught a ferry that went under The Bridge and around to Circular Quay.
Then we got a train home again... and of course we WALKED home from the station.

Both girls were troopers. They are happy that tomorrow's plan is to drive to Manly for a day of drifting around playing.

Totoro hat

It's actually a leaf from a plane tree. On our way home from a day of sightseeing.

We look at the boats

This is the Maritime Museum, not our ferry.

Chips and ice cream for lunch at Darling Harbour

We are tourists.

Last morning at Umina Beach

Those tiny little people at the far end of the bouncy pillow are Hazel and Ivy, playing with a slightly bigger girl they met while bouncing. The kids closer to the camera are massive teenagers who are taking turns doing somersaults. Hazel is now explaining the circumstances of the bandaid on her knee to the new friend. Lucky kid, she gets to hear about the height of the tripping hazard, the nature of the tumble, the first aid rendered, and the followup monitoring.

Ivy loves mango lassi

As does Hazel. Filling up on a bucket of yoghurt after filling up on rice.

We had to order more rice

Usually three main meals is too much for the four of us at an Indian restaurant. But now Ivy likes Beef Korma and Hazel likes Butter Chicken, we ate everything and then the kids looked around for more.

Sydney Harbour Bridge with fireworks

Last right T showed the girls a photo of the Bridge on New Year's Eve, and this morning Hazel produced this little masterpiece.
I think T might have mentioned walking over the bridge, which might be why there are people amid the fireworks.

Dinner last night

Was pleasant enough, but for the big TV screens showing wrestling. When we eat somewhere with TV screens, the kids can't take their eyes off it, regardless of what's showing. Last night Trudi and I sat facing the screens, hoping that Ivy and Hazel would be spared the sight of grimacing wrestling guys with occasional fake blood on their faces. That little plan failed because the bistro has shiny glass windows in all directions.

Whichever way you look there is a clear reflection of the bloody TV. Sigh.

The food was ok. Kids liked their linguini with alleged napolitana sauce; my fish was fine; Trudi's parma was fine. The kids' meals came with "free ice cream" which turned out to be a cardboard pot of Frozen Dairy Free Gluten Free substance, with a wee pink plastic paddle.

Crappy bloggers

Remember to take a photo after they started eating.

An unusual event

Hazel usually can't nap in the day, even if she is tired. Today we took the girls horseriding. They took turns riding a 27-year-old horse while Trudi led him around a paddock.

So now we are driving around while both girls sleep heavily. Tonight we can go out for dinner at a normal time. Maybe a pub?

More drawing on the table

This time we are at Copper Pot Indian restaurant. Again with the tablecloths covered with paper, again with the drawing implements.

And pappadums!

Bouncy pillow

Guarantees a good night's sleep.

What sort of place lets you draw on the paper tablecloths?

OUR sort of place!
Mum's Kitchen is a fish and chips place with a little restaurant next to it. They kindly invented a meal for Ivy the protein-focussed (fish AND chicken and chips) and they brought pencils and invited the girls to draw on the tablecloth. Noice.

Pancakes in the Entertainment Barn

We have never watched Spongebob before. We are scared but we cannot stop looking. We are eating pancakes on a full stomach. We are having a holiday experience, in the Entertainment Barn.