Day 268: Fifty birds in the hand

Obviously a low-resolution still photograph doesn't quite do it justice, but these trees were alive with sparrows making an amazing noise. It was early evening as I was leaving work yesterday. They may not sing beautifully, but what they lacked in musicianship, they made up for in numbers. I would guess at least one hundred, maybe many more.

Talking of musicianship, Exile #3 and even more so Exile #4 have always seemed to have a fairly musical ear and been able to sing in tune for the most part. So it was with some surprise that Exile #2 continued her rendition of 'Twinkle, Twinkle' earlier after Exile #4 joined in singing in a completely different key. At the end she turned.

"Mummy, we sound like when children sing" she said.

There is every possibility she did it on purpose. I'm not sure I could do that if I tried, then again maybe she's not so conditioned to (at least try to) sing in tune as I am with my choral background, or maybe children-singing-each-in-their-own-key is just as much a valid musical form for her as any other.

Another thing that the girls have been finding easier than me is a little brain-game on one of our cereal packets. It's one of those where you have to say the colour not the words (something like this):

blue green yellow red green purple

I tried it one day and Exile #3 was amused at how hard I found it and proceeded to show me how easy it is. Of course, she probably would have a go at reading the words, but it certainly isn't quite ready to mess with her head.

Day 267: A few of my favourite things

Yesterday morning, Exile #3 got her camera out and soon let Exile #4 loose with it. She immediately took pictures of all the things lying around that are important to her...

her brother...
her sister...

and her towel...and for any uninitiated, here it is in action...
(Thanks to Exile #4 and Exile #3 for the pictures!)

Day 266: That's handy

A's comment from yesterday reminded me of another confusing episode. Since she has been either pregnant or nursing since we arrived, Exile #2 has been curbing her heavy drinking somewhat.

One of the things she has been doing from time to time is making fairly weak shandy with a bit of my beer. This was fine until we went to a bar and tried to order one.

You want to do what?
Mix beer and soda - you know Sprite or something
In the same glass?!
Yes, if that's OK.
I'll make you whatever you want - I just wanted to make sure I understood.
Yes, about half beer, half soda, in a pint glass.
OK.

After she left we realised that she had no experience of doing this and were thinking, "I really hope she puts the soda in first."

She came back with our other drinks. I just wanted to check if it matters which I pour first. Phew, yes actually it does...

So, A, having introduced the area to shandy we'll move on to scrumpy. Perhaps.

This evening four of our friends from church came over, two of them in time to read bedtime stories with the girls. That was really nice. We had another beer incident though when we discovered that the middle two bottles in a six-pack of beer were empty - with lids still in place (although one of them looked a bit crooked). We've had no spillages, so they must have been empty for some time - very strange indeed.

Anyway, today's photo is a little mystery-object quiz for you. Explanation later this week - tomorrow unless something else really exciting happens.

Day 265: Return of the Turki

Weak I know, but I couldn't resist. This was out west a couple of weeks ago. Exile #2 and Exile #4 are going out that way again tomorrow to meet up with the rest of Pre-K for a field-trip. They're going apple-picking. It's all the rage around here, like pick-your-own strawberries. But with trees. And apples. And without the strawberries. Well, you get the idea.

Having picked the apples they make cider and give it to the children. They also put it in doughnuts apparently. Strange lot. (American readers, please click here)

The cheap pun does remind me that this post caused some interest due to my use of the word octopuses. For the record: I was right but octopi is also acceptable (if logically flawed) and octopodes is etymologically correct but just plain silly (unless you're in Greece perhaps).

Day 264: Exile IV (a new home)

A long time ago on a continent far, far away...

The baby who would move to a new home and become Exile #4. The photo is the first one taken of her with her big sister.

Why this blast from the past? I have been exchanging greetings on facebook with a couple of friends from school - you know the sort that you got on well with, but didn't know their addresses. It's been quite a shock to realise how much of our lives has happened in the intervening years. I didn't know anything about their university days or their careers, marriages, families... But then in other ways, looking at their pictures and thinking about the end of school - it doesn't seem so long ago.

Anyway, back to 2007. Exile #2 went out this evening and left me alone to play Halo 3 and fall asleep watching Star Trek: Enterprise. Tired geek heaven.