Bringing up baby: Happy Birthday!!

Highlights:
* Tilly insistently toddling down the pathway to see giraffes and zebras.
* Tilly's supreme incoherent excitement when he sees a Real Live Elephant(tm) for the very first time! As Daddee tells it: Tilly gasped breathlessly, "-lf -lfa elpha-". He was awed.
* seeing the hippos have their morning tea; what large river horses they are.
* going through the meerkat tunnels with Tilly. He was very adventurous, and took charge of the direction half-way through. He's so small still, he could and did stand upright in the tunnels while everyone else was bent over. He climbed out of the tunnels all by himself.
* Tilly investigating the chicken.
* Tilly climbing the dragon.
* Tilly's fascination with the seals. We were in the underwater section, where one of the walls was glass. The seals continually swam towards the wall, and glided away again. The seals are so large! "Wow" says Tilly, impressed. "Wow".
* Everyone coming to Tilly's birthday celebration at the zoo.

***
The long awaited party was much anticipated, with carefully contained excitement kept well-away from the personage of high import.

Who knows what balls-up could happen?

People may not come. The event could be cancelled due to rain. Or excessive sunshine.

Guests were firmly told to meet at the zoo car park at 9.30am when the zoo opened, as we were going in a group and as hosts, we were paying.

As it transpired, the weather report was for cloud cover and some humidity, in between the few days of rain and wind.

On the morning, the grandparents mentioned it was raining on their side of the city. What was our contingency plan? Go to the zoo car park, and if it's still raining at 9.30am when it opens then we go to the aquarium.

On the morning, Ah Ee mentioned it was raining in her part of the city. She didn't want to walk in the rain, thank you very much. And Ah Ma didn't want to go to the aquarium but would settle for the third choice of the museum.

On our way to the zoo car park, it began to spot rain. Arriving at the car park at 9.15am, it stopped raining all together. The car park was quickly filling up. I called the guests to tell them to get here quickly; it was the zoo or nothing.

Grandparents were another 30mins away. Tilly and Daddee went in 10mins after zoo opened. Grandparents and I waited for auntie and uncle. In the end we went in without them, as they were another 30mins away.

In conclusion, we all saw as much of the zoo as we could withstand, and we had a very good day, and it was all worthwhile to have Tilly's breathless fascination with Burma the elephant, and the seals.

***
The day started off very well too, with Tilly and me spending the pre-morning together.

After the zoo, and his nap, he got cake once auntie and uncle arrived. He likes his cake very much, which I am very happy and pleased about. Daddee made the cake the night before, and I 'iced' it while Tilly napped.

Bringing up baby: 1 December 2012

I should have remembered the first rule of Parenting.

1) Expect to have your plans upstaged.

Our plan for today: be relaxed; receive delivery of new dishwasher; I go to work for two or four hours; I come back and play with Tilly for the afternoon.

Upstaged.

What happened today: woke up early, relaxed and watched Tilly asleep. Relaxed, and looked after Tilly until 0820.

0820: Tilly inserted a pomegranate seed up his left nostril.

0825: Dadee came to our rescue and calmed things down a bit.

0830: we received the new dishwasher.

0855: Dadee tried the Remove Pomegranate Seed technique he learned from the Internet - close other nostril, and blow hard into kid's mouth until object comes out of nostril.

0855-0915: Tilly fights us off.

0915-0930: Dadee and me battle to get Tilly into the car and carseat.

0940: we get to local A&E.

0940-1000: Tilly is calm and discovering new territory. "Digger!"

1000-1020: Tilly fights off forcep-wielding doctor.

1040-1150: Tilly is calm and re-discovering new territory of Starship Children's hospital out-clinic A&E section.

1150-1220: Tilly and Mummee finds the kid's play area previously mentioned by receptionist 30mins ago, and plays there happily.

1220-1225: 3 medical staff wrap Tilly up firmly in a sheet and distract him, while Daddee closes Tiily's right nostril, and blows hard into his mouth until pomegranate seed pops out and hits Daddee on the cheek and bounces onto the floor; Mummee claps delightedly and cheers for Tilly and Daddee, praising both indiscriminately.

1230-1240: try to pay to get out of car park.

1245: got out of car park.

1250: arrive at work.

1300: start work.

1820: finish work.

1824: play with Tilly as he discovers the beauty of my work place and shows them to me.

Tilly had great fun with the shallow steps which led zig-zag up the slope. He invited me to pretend-jump (like he does with his friends at daycare). I did. We laughed with pleasure. We walked, handholding. We ran, handholding.

He is so much fun.

Tonight after his bath we had a lot of fun too. He and I hid beneath a pile of pillows.

Daddee is very tired from his exertions today. He's my hero.

Bringing up baby: post 5 November 2012

10 Nov 2012 (c) ^_^ 2012

Little sweetheart didn't want to miss any fireworks. He fell asleep in my arms, head on my shoulder, as we gazed out into the night.

***
There were intermittent fireworks at bedtime, and we both saw those in the distance.

Then he got settled into bed, complete with teddy bear, giraffe, rocking horse, popple(tm), cat, parrot, book de jour, horse scarf/blanket, wool blanket.

Then there were more fireworks lighting up the sky, visible through the curtains.

And then we ended at the beginning of this blog entry.

Life: 5 November 2012

Litany, continued.

Good: lovely morning time at day care with Atilla.

Good: appointment with dentist.

Bad: almost crashed into another car while backing out; almost crashed into truck while going back to work.

Good: finishing work 'early', and hardly any traffic on road.

Good: Watching Atilla interacting with other kids.

Bad: a kid bit Atilla's arm. Twice. Hard enough to leave bruises. :-(

Good: watching Atilla play in Big Kid's playground with new arrangement - there is a rope bridge! He braved it.

Good/Bad: Atilla handed me a booger to look after.

Good: I threw it away.

Good: Atilla settling easily to sit in his car seat.

Bad: almost falling asleep several times while driving home.

Good: didn't fall asleep driving home.

Good: dancing with Atilla at home.

Good: helping Atilla poop into toilet.

Good: early supper made by Dadee.

Good: awake enough to help clear away some of dinner mess.

Good: 40 min nap after dinner.

Good: helping Atilla get dressed after bath. While naked, he snuggled himself between two pillows.He 'lost' his Sea Horse and Capt Bob, and 'found' them again. Several times. He climbed off the bed. He clambered back onto the bed. He has become quite good at throwing Capt Bob.

Good: watching fireworks with Atilla and Dadee. Atilla was nervous and scared at first. However after 10 minutes he settled into a lovely excited shrieks: "fireworks!" "boom!"

Good: Dadee helping Atilla brush teeth.

Good: helping Atilla go to sleep.

Good: writing this up.

Bringing up baby: 10 October 2012

daycare play (c) ^_^ 2012

Highlights:

• Watching Atilla play with Peter at day care; Atilla walking in front, Peter behind with his hands on Atilla's shoulders, both laughing with joy.
• Playing with Atilla at the playground, he and I.
• Solving Dadee's and my problem of buying a kindle book via Amazon for Cousin Qwerty.
• An early night.

I dearly love Atilla. But. When he cries inconsolably because I can't or won't indulge in his vagaries, it pierces deep into my aching bundle of second-guessing mass. Oh sweetheart, I want to help. But I can't. I need to drive carefully so we don't crash.

My love, I don't know how I can help you. You have to tell me what you want.

Each shriek wrings through my maternal soul, and I become frustrated with Atilla being so closed off to listen to me.

Then comes bedtime. He falls asleep.

He is clean, fresh-smelling. He's cuddle-warm tucked up in his own bed, with his wool blanket tenderly pulled to his chest. His hands are out-flung, as he's always preferred it since he was born. Teddy is beside him, protecting his hands and feet from entanglement with the open wooden rails of his cot-bed.

He barely stirs as I deploy the Grooming Fairy. 

Bringing up baby: 9 October 2012

I finished work early today.

I had the privilege of watching Atilla interacting at day care normally. I was charmed.

He was in the baby area, playing with the babies. The babies were on their mats, with mobiles dangling over them. Atilla was on his back, lying beside the babies. He reached up and batted the mobiles, looked at the baby on his right, and laughed with her.

There were other babies at varying stages of crawling and upstanding, and he was playing very well in the group.

***

After picking up Dadee, we agreed to go to a playground on our way home. We decided on Michael Park Reserve. Atilla got to hog the swings - all of three seats! I did help.

We climbed, we crawled, we rolled. Atilla faced and completed several new physical challenges: the metal rungs on the different ladders; the two types of covered slides; the wobbly wooden bridge; the two metal slides; the flying fox (not so much completed, as "look ma! No hands!" via Dadee); the metal steps to the little kids' slide; the metal not-quite ladder nor tube.

At the top of the steep Big Big kids' metal slide, Atilla's eyes gleamed ever brighter. He spotted the metal rungs of the adults' fitness trail. Neither Mum nor Dadee were persuaded to jump the wooden fence to demonstrate to Atilla.

I convinced Atilla to exit the playground, as I was cold - one layer of shirt, vs Dadee's shirt & vest, vs Atilla's thermal underwear & shirt & vest. We got out.

Atilla consequently toddled to the entrance again, pursued by Dadee.

Bringing up baby: 7th October 2012

"hat" (c) ^_^ 2012

Yay! Sleep-in day!

Which is to say, quality time for Dadee and Atilla. Oh, how Atilla was so pleased when Dadee was the one who got out of bed! I could hear it in his voice. "Dadee! Dadee!"

Dadee does Dadee things. He's much more flexible than Mummy. Nappy-change time is, like, whenever. Breakfast is, like, whatever - muesli, or Weetbix(tm) - with a lot of milk. Then it's playtime - make mess time. WiiFit, books, movie about "ors" x3.

We had to take him into the sunlight, to counteract all that screen time.

Playground, and a good time was had by all. Atilla clambered everywhere, and even attempted the rope-log bridge. 

New rule: You must be at least 3 and a half years old to cross that bridge by yourself.

The new activity he attempted, and achieved with support from Dadee and Mummy, was the rope-wall which was an access way to the blue wavy slide. The Big Kids area. Woah. This was when he attempted the rope-log bridge. 

After dinner, we had fresh New Zealand strawberries for dessert. Or hat.

Atilla enjoyed dinner so much, he occasionally bit himself - and cried. He had to keep eating though, and get over the pain. Brave boy.

Tonight he brushed his teeth very thoroughly for a very long time. Much longer than the advised 2 minutes. He also allowed me to floss his teeth. I'm so glad I could help him.

***

I did some baking! Weetbix muffin-sized cupcakes & mini-cupcakes.

Bringing up baby: Daylight Savings edition

Eyes wide shut (c) -_- 2012

I hate Daylight Savings. I hate how the last Labour government changed the timing of it. Now I still get up in the dark on week days - unless I oversleep.

This week was bearable, as far as Atilla's co-operation in the mornings. He did sleep in, but I don't blame him. I would too.

Crash-time was today: Saturday 6th October.

I was so bleary. Atilla had night terror again, so he came to our bed.  I had night terror he might fall out of bed (he was on the outside edge) so I didn't sleep very well after that, as I was half awake to ensure I had a hold on him at all times.

I was so bleary. Atilla woke up suddenly, as he always does once he'd had a good sleep. He started his usual routine of sounding out who was awake, "pooop."

Like I said, I was so bleary. I responded with a moan, "uhnnh."

Having startled his prey, Atilla went to close the deal. Can't remember how he did it. I was convinced. I opened my eyes. I don't know what I saw. I closed my eyes again. I had a mild headache too. But I was sitting up, so it meant I was looking after Atilla.

I whined at Atilla to give me some time to wake up.

I slid out of bed and sat on the floor. I heard him pit-patter out the room, rattle the child-safety gate, and come back in. He placed something in my hand. I fumbled at it, before figuring it was his vest. What a good boy! I fumbled some more, and prepared it for him to wear.

I held the neck bit wide open, and he placed his head under it. Wow. He really likes his vest. Still with my eyes shut, we arranged his arms through the vest.

I whined some more, trying to buy more time to be asleep. I groped for my socks. Atilla placed something soft and woolly in my hands. What a nice boy! He found my slippers! I praised him, and asked for help with my socks. He handed me my socks - a matching pair! (good judgement, as I have plenty of socks lying unmatched) - one at a time. Dude!

Unasked, he next handed me a discarded top I'd forgotten I'd meant to toss into the laundry basket. I thanked him, and wore the top. (Only wore it for half a day; must still be on the fresh side.)

I really felt his love for me. I wanted to reciprocate. I didn't know how. I was so bleary. My eyes were still shut.

I asked him to lead me out of the room, and held out my hand. He took my hand gently - as he does when he holds my hand - and leads me out the room, to the landing, and the gate. At the top of the stairs, he made his own way down via bum stepping. I did too.

He gently took my hand, and guided me around the tricky bit of the stairs at the bottom. He led me down the hallway, and into the kitchen. At which point he found something more interesting to him - "bowl" - and left me standing in the middle of the kitchen. Nice.

My eyes were still shut. I groped my way around the open-plan rooms to put down his water bottle I was carrying.

I was still determined to be asleep. I'm pretty sure I had to give that up at some stage before too long. Not sure which stage. By the time we did "milk" at least, as I had to visually measure the milk.

Well, we had a good morning.

16 July 2012: no way!

In the weekend, Dada convinced me to buy a brush for our occassional visitor. So I did. The brush is in its packaging - plain, words only, wired firmly to the cardboard.

Atilla picks up the brush and says happily, "Caa-ht."

No way. Surely I'm mis-interpreting his jumble word.

He says it again. "Caaht."

No way. How can he know it's a cat brush?

"Tilly? Do you know how to read?"

He applies the brush to the picture of the cat on the dining table.

I'm still not convinced. Dada is though. I'll wait until we get a book without pictures, then see if he recognises the word 'cat'. 

It's not you, it's me

Dear Atilla,

It's not you. It's never you, even though I say it is you.

It's me. I have unrealistic expectations of you. It is completely not your responsibility.

You get frustrated, and you sweep things off the table. It's what babies do.

You can't explain why you do things the way you do, or do the things you do. Babies are just starting out on adding new words to their repertoire, let alone logic and explanations.

You are learning the boundaries of living with mum and dada. Mum and dada are learning how to be firm with you.

I wish you will accept what I say. Sometimes things around the home are dangerous. You are absolutely no good at judging risk. However, if you don't take risks then you will never learn how to learn the skill of risk-management.

So.

Impasse. Sort of.

Love,
Mum.

29 June 2012: baby update

"dragon"
"frog" + sign.

***

I love, I adore the way he selects a book and brings it to me to read with him. He puts the book into my hand - if it's too big and falls from his hand, then he may cry with frustration - and turns around and shuffles backwards until he deems he is in the correct position to plop into my lap (I'm sitting on the floor).

23 June 2012: new baby milestone

w00t! Atilla is able to let mummy and dada sleep in! For the past few mornings with us, he comes into our room, into our bed, and snuggles in.

He no longer wails to be taken down stairs!

So gonna enjoy this while it lasts.

***

 As we were having dinner tonight, I begin to speculate I may not want another baby.

Atilla has begun to practise the table manners he learned at daycare. Not throwing food around. Concentrating on eating. That kind of stuff.

And I find this sooo soothing. I relinquish a little bit of my anxiety.

Now, when he makes a mess it is sooo intentional. But I know he can feed himself and not make a big mess. He only makes a mess when he gets bored.

I enjoy not being anxious. I like having myself back. So, I am not certain I want to go through the feeding-anxiety again.

p.s. tonight I had to clean the dining table and the dining room floor to remove the grease from Atilla's dinner.

21June 2012: baby update

To my great relief, Atilla has resumed the standard change nappy position - lying on his back.

For a very long time - since he learned to stand (before his first birthday) - he has battled against the lying down technique. This behaviour was trying for everyone concerned: mum, dad, grandma, auntie, teachers at daycare.

Sometime on our vacation, he decided he would lie down again. I don't recall when. I was busy changing him. I was too focussed on the Change Nappy routine. I remember I didn't have to chase him around the room.

I thought I ought to note this milestone.

***

Atilla combined two spoken words appropriately! "No bird" Dad reported.

***

I'm compiling a list of essential and useful words Atilla ought to know, and parents to recognise in NZSL.

In no particular order and non-exhaustive:
Biscuit
Full ('I'm full')
Hungry
Egg
Apple
Water ('drink water')
Knife
Bread
Find
Kitten
Puppy
Please
Thank you

Atilla is very familiar with Hello and Good-bye. He doesn't use them though. I wonder why?

***
23 June 2012
Correction. He does use Hello and Good-bye. Just not with me, for real.

He uses it with me in Peek-a-boo games. He uses Good-bye with others, and in games.

For instance today he was in a pay-machine helicopter in the Meadowbank shopping centre. Sadly, the machine was 'broken' ;-) though the girl ahead of him had "fun" sitting in the machine while it moved up and down.

Though mum was obtuse, Atilla finagled his way into the machine. I think he had more fun than the girl who sat so quietly in the machine.

Atilla sat on the floor of the helicopter, as he could then reach the buttons and flashing lights and joystick on the dashboard. He grabbed the heavy lock on the coin-box and it made a dulled thwacking noise as it knocked against all the metal. He pressed the buttons. He fiddled with the security chains, pulling at them and exploring them. He stood up and sat on the seat, emulating the little girl. It was boring. He stood up and his head just missed touching the roof. He grabbed the joystick and wiggled it. He grinned and smiled and said Good-bye to people walking past. Loads of fun. He pressed his hands on the plastic windscreen.

He couldn't have done all that if the machine was moving.

Besides, he's been on something more exciting: the grown up carousel on Brighton Beach!

Bringing Up Baby: Changing Habits

It's not been easy. I have finally convinced Atilla to change his habit of requiring a tit to suck on to go to sleep.

It is approximately 3 weeks, I suppose, since I started on my one person crusade. Certainly, with no help from him.

As always, it begins with ungentle persuasion. Suck suck suck, pause, suck suck suck, pause, suck suck, pause pause. (He's becoming very sleeeeepy... I break the suction hold - to great prolonged protest, as Dad can attest from the next room.

I murmur quietly to Atilla, "It's cuddle-time, sweetie. It's cuddle-time."

And firmly remove the fixture from his mouth, out of his desperate questing scrabble, murmuring all the while, "It's cuddle-time," and stroking his back, holding him close, putting into practice Cuddle-Time.

We do this each time I am the one to put him to bedtime, or nap. For twenty days.

Last night was the same routine.

"It's cuddle-time, sweetie, it's cuddle-time."

"Wahhh," he sleepily whines. Then is too tired to continue this train of thought, and drops off to Noddyland.

***

Just now, the same routine from my side. Slight change in reaction from his.

"Sweetie, it's cuddle-time."

Cue desperate last minute sucking from him. Then he quietly releases, and settles down for a cuddle. I cuddle him close.

Wow. We - he and I - have a breakthrough.

***

Atilla did wake me at 3.50am GMT. Yawn. We walked around the block, said hello good morning to some early denizens, of whom only two returned our greetings. Atilla really enjoyed the walk, though mostly he was carried.

I am so glad he's taking a nap now.

20 May 2012: Elimination Communication update 3

I can confirm. Atilla does understand when he needs to poop, and to tell us so.

Evidence: we were at Hong Kong airport, and he was happily playing when he suddenly became perturbed.

"What's wrong, honey?"

"Poo-oop," he declaimed worriedly.

"Okay sweetie, give your biscuit to Daddy."

Daddy volunteered to take Atilla to the male toilets. What a hero!

***

Report back.

The loos are splendid things, though oddly shaped. Atilla made a great set of poop, as he was held over the toilet seat. And more importantly, he held onto his biscuit at all times, not once dropping it anywhere.

Diary: Pep-Talk

I've been working hard in the past few weeks - overtime with early starts and late finishes. I'm feeling rather fragile. So it was very nice to hear from a colleague "Hey, thanks for the good work".

Which was a lot more encouraging than another colleague's comment "We've all got to do a little bit more to help *name of colleague on bereavement leave*. I've been working overtime in the past year I've started".

Diary: Hikoi this, Hikoi that

NZ Herald:

• Your Views "Do you have any concerns over the proposed 'Super City' plans?"
• Robin Hambleton: Super Auckland risks ending up with weak mayor (26 May 09)
• Editorial: Plenty of room to compromise on Maori seats (26 May 09)
• Phil York: Live in the region, work in the city (26 May 09)
  
• Hikoi: Snapping at their heel... (26 May 09) [about photographer Ans Westra. -Ed]
  
• Latest updates: Super City hikoi (25 May 09)
• Matt McCarten: Power bill larceny a taste of things to come (24 May 09)
• Echoes of an angry tribe: Crown v Tuhoe (18 Apr 09)
  
• Councils want Govt to pay for regional revolution (6 Apr 09)
  

The Aucklander:

• Taste of things to go? (14 May 09)
• The drums are beating (7 May 09)
• Hide and seek (5 May 09)
• Local voice ignored by Cabinet says North Shore Mayor (4 May 09)
• Protest forcing Govt backdown (30 Apr 09)
• Bomb Parliament! (28 Apr 09)

stuff.co.nz

• Bill Ralston: Nats should give in to hikoi (25 May 09)
• John Minto: Nationalise electricity (25 May 09)
  
• Hikoi protestors gather at Aotea Square (25 May 09)
• Super-city chiefs just in time for protests (23 May 09)
• Colin Espiner: Time for action on power prices (21 May 09)
• John Minto: The myth of consultation (14 Apr 09)
  

TVNZ.co.nz

• Hikoi brings powerful message of unity (26 May 09)
  
• Thousands demand Maori seats on super city (25 May 09)
• New face for Maori activism rises from hikoi (25 May 09)
  
• Protestors walk up Queen Street (25 May 09)

TV3.co.nz

• Queen St jammed with supercity hikoi marchers (25 May 09)
• Minister critical of Government's Auckland plans (28 Apr 09)
  

I raced down to the meeting point (at the bottom of Queen Street, CBD (where the Downtown fountain used to be). I was worried that I had missed the event but I was reassured when I saw the Tino Rangatiratanga flag being carried down Queen St.

I navigated my way past traffic, police people, police cars, idle construction workers, hikoi watchers. I found a nice quiet spot just by the traffic intersection, and almost where the fountain used to be (except it has been demolished, and paved, and at that moment very very full of motivated hikoi attendees).

The sky was clouded, dull silver, and portentous. The crowd sprouted umbrellas, and some green balloons floated above our heads. The raucus chants, slogans, songs and chatter was interspersed with the thudding of the helicopters overhead. It was sorta quiet around me as I had inadvertently sidled up to a deaf group.

I couldn't twiddle my thumbs as my right hand was preoccupied managing my umbrella. I waited. And waited. And waited. 12 noon was the start of the actual walk up Queen Street. I spotted Flag of the United Tribes of New Zealand. I waited. The start was unpretentious (from my view). Something happened. There was movement. I could walk forward. I walked forward.

The group stopped and started. And stopped and started. Like a traffic jam, but without cars. And no complaints. With loudhailers.

Most people around me wanted "Maori seats!" and wanted them "Now!".

I did get to talk to a fellow (from the North Shore) who believed the whole Super City gig was an asset grab by Central Auckland mayor John Banks ex-National MP and Rodney Hide MP of the ACT stripe.

A Maori lady was concerned about the lack of detail for the poorer income districts.

Fiona Jack was spotted. And Brett Graham. There were many other people whom I couldn't name by sight.

I walked, and walked, and walked in fits and starts until until I finally finally reached the Town Hall and was greeted with a speech and song.

But then I had to leave the crowd so that I could get back to the office in the time I had for my lunch break.

• New Zealand Legislation: Local Government Act 2002
  
• Community Coalition for Auckland Region - The Voices of Tamaki Makaurau
• IHI: Iwi Have Influence

p.s. World Towel Day 25 May - Do you know where your towel is?

[edited 26 May 09]

Diary: 23 May 2009

I had a grand time with our spurious expedition to the Hamilton Gardens.

We set off at midday after a late breakfast, and toddled off on State Highway 1. It was a luverly sunny day for a nice long drive. Blue blue sky. Scudding clouds. Chill winds, which is why the car windows were firmly shut.

The car was looked after at the first Service Centre (properly petrolled and windscreen-wiped), whereupon we decided we deserved looking after too. With my usual decision-making skills, I avoided the processed chocolate biscuits and msg'd junk food. It was a wrench but what can I do, if the companies make fake foods? I convinced myself it was much better to scoff genuine 100% sugar and mint flavours. I'd forgotten Minties can take out your teeth.

Proceedin' along --

-- we had forgotten the cassette tapes of "I'm sorry I haven't a clue" and the radio reception wasn't up to much. Husband tossed out the word 'Eragon' which prompted the start of the Alphabet Game.

The rules of the game are simple: the first letter of the subsequent word has to be the last letter of the preceding word. For example,

1. Eragon,

2. nuzzle,

3. effervescent,

4. tumescent,

5. the,

6. et cetera...

You get the idea.

Standard word-play rules apply - where the word is not recognised by all players, the user must provide spelling and/or definition and/or example of use; repetition and derivation is discouraged (not illegal, but certainly frowned on).

It is approximately two hours travelling time on State Highway 1 from Auckland to Hamilton. The game paused when we reached Hamilton.

My memory being lacking, we meandered through the central city area of Hamilton before we located a sign ("A sign! A sign!") indicating the general direction of the Hamilton Gardens. And it was a good and accurate sign.

The ambience of the Gardens was welcoming as always. So open. So fresh. The kauri rickets in the carpark are growing nicely, providing more shade than they did the previous year.

So this was the end of the 2hr trip. The public commode was a most alluring sight. Upon entry, I noted the multitude of water residue (in the form of 'wet') on the toilet seat, and walls of the wide, single room. Did I mention the season is Winter? And the toilet had much airflow betwixt the fresh air outside and any meagre chance of warmth inside. This endeavour promised to be fraught, even as my memory delivered imagery of self-cleaning public toilets.

Needless to say, when I heard an unexpected rumbling noise emanating from the walls, I vacated the room promptly regardless of unfinished business.

The Visitor Centre was very friendly and helpful. The desk lady informed us of the new Te Parapara Maori garden

Husband and I glanced at the garden map we acquired, refreshed our memory of the layout, and put our best foot forward. We found the start of the entrance to the Maori garden. And I convinced him to take the path least travelled, which led us to a deadend in the Italian garden. Nice view. After a u-turn, we were in the right spot again. The Te Parapara website is a lot more impressive than the garden I saw, so I recommend reading the webpage then visiting the land.

After our mutual bewildered experience of Te Parapara, we sauntered into the Perfume garden (which I can't locate on their webpage) but it must have been the wrong season as I only smelt fresh air (and very refreshing it was too). We sauntered out.

Taking the unpaved track, we found the sign to the Sustainable Backyard Garden.

I convinced husband to detour through the Kitchen Garden so that I could recognise supermarket plants au natural. I can spot spinach, rhubarb; he can spot carrot, raspberry. Who knew oats look like grass?

Husband gently reminded me of my interest in sustainability. By a fortuitous coincidence, we were standing by one of the entrances to the Sustainable Backyard Garden. Chicken Tractor, worm farm, compost, water chestnuts, sprightly fantail, comfrey were some of the highlights there. Thoroughly educational.

Peaceful.

Aromatic.

Hive-less.

My thirst of knowledge slaked momentarily, we bethought to nourish ourselves at the Garden Café. What better way to complete this visit than tea and cake by the lake?

'Twas a cold and windy wait for tea. My cake became a memory, as did my half sandwich. Husband staunchly held out for his cuppa before deigning to enjoy his portion of cake. Tea duly arrived, and it was much appreciated. Luverly biiig pot. Which is all I could say really. Taste-wise, not so much.

Everyone concerned was now much more cheerful, and warmer for the hot beverage. I continued to take pleasure in viewing the olive trees as the sun shone through the leaves.

Oh, the warm afterglow of consumption and repleteness...priceless.

And the visit wouldn't be satisfying without an attempt to inspect the turtles of the lake.

I posited the turtles were in hibernation. Then we exited the Gardens. I admired the bush full of small dark-pink flowers. At a guess I'd call it a Manuka. Wikipedia reckons the manuka blossoms are white varying to pink. So I'm uncertain of the name of the plant. But it sure is purty.

The navigation back to Auckland was very easy; all signs point to home. I'd almost feel Hamilton didn't want Aucklanders to stay.

Two hours more of the Alphabet Game; we ended at "Rome" in our carpark. I am pleased to say that we still have more words in our combined vocabulary to continue the game.

"Eragon" was on tv tonight.

• http://www.hamiltongardens.co.nz/
  

Diary: May 16, 2009

Last night I had quite a lovely time visiting my sister. We (husband and I) arrived, et some cookies and bread bits with dip, and chatted about this and that. Someone reminded tha' group we still had dinner and birthday cake to fit in. A lot of nobbit interesting but you had to be there. The cookies and bread and dip were very delicious...we sorta pigged out.

Then she suggested games, which I wasn't up to but husband said "Munchkin". Eh well as the visit was to celebrate his birthday just been, I acceeded to his request.

An' we started play at 6. -Ish. Small-end stuff as we open doors an' pick what-not. Small fry as allies insisted on treasure for their assistance; this sorta bargain was refused many times.

It carried thru' dinner, then American Idol (as we denigrated the American choice of one of the last pair of competitors).

MK: I'm going to write a letter to the American people!

SA: Yeah that'd be great! "I don't care about Guantanamo, but you voted for the wrong Idol guy and now I'm mad!"

I like Simon Cowell -- dam' honest guy, a real straight-talker. Calls a spade a spade when it's deserved, and not afraid to call a spade a shovel when it's needed.

Munchkin carried on after American Idol.

Stuff happened. Battles were almost won, but mostly lost by those players Level 8 or higher. Many times.

As a Thief class, I had much fun stealing items but mostly getting whacked and losing levels as a consequence. My best steal was the Kneepads of Allure(tm) however my most accomplished theft was Spiked Codpiece(tm).

M'sister won, and it was a magnificent victory -- if only because we were at the end of the deck and night and patience and alertness.

Close of game is recorded at 12.20am.

Then husband and I came home and conked into bed. ObBedtime reading: Order of the Stick (husband got the series to date as a birthday present from moi).

• Munchkin (card game) - Wikipedia.org
• American Idol - Wikipedia.org
• Order of the Stick - Wikipedia.org