Dollar Bucks

 Kaia needed some distraction while her older sister went to TimeZone for party time. It is not long before she is immersed in whatever is nearby. Jigsaw puzzles seem to be all the go at the moment and she knows how to match colours and turn the pieces to fit. When the indoors gets stuffy then there is always the trampoline and if Nanna gets on there then even better. We used bikes, scooters and roller skates and it doesn't seem to matter if it is round and round the same ground, as long as we are watching, it all works.

Doll Play

Yes it has been a while since I have played with  dolls most likely with the same Grandies. Fortunately Nana was directing most of the action. My job consisted of getting small shoes on small feet.  High healed boots are tricky. There was also the reading time, at least three books were read and you have to be more focused than ever about departing from the actual words, as Asher is checking that I am on track and Kaia has seen the film of the book so get it right.  Not to forget the violin practice.

Jets Jet Off

 We had a huge flypast this morning as jets were heading back to home base however do you think I could see anything of them with this low cloud cover. Kaia wasn't much interested in jets when we were waiting at the rendezvous near Cafe 42.  We did some sand castles on the beach which were quickly demolished and the only flyer she was interested in were the seagulls which were being chased.  The handover was quick as Asher was asleep in the back seat and there would be more traffic on the way back.  So it will all happen again in two years.

Asher & Kaia Rock the Pools

 We went down to Point Lonsdale to meet up with two of the Grandies.  This is a good beach for snorkeling and when the tide goes out the rock pools are good for exploring.  Asher is at the right age to tackle jumping waves and surfing on the small body board. While that was going on Daniel & I went out with the snorkel.  This is a lot different to quiet water.  You are constantly pulled and shoved. The octopuses garden is really flourishing here, it is so thick it moves with the waves and brings on a vertigo feeling which is hard to describe. When the tide receded the rock pools came into play. There was fish but also sea snails and small crabs to be picked up. Asher and Kaia spent an hour here climbing, looking and splashing.

iced coffee

in the trenches

exposed reef but with hazards

a shell ring

snail without a shell

Kaia Takes Off

 Day two of our Grandie tour saw us arrive at 7:00am for a breakfast session, as that is the only hour or so that Asher gets to have a play. Mind you it is breakfast and get ready for school time as well.  The heat built up quickly but we went to the playground anyway followed by a visit to the Canoli Bar.  I recommend the cinnamon scrolls.  Water play was the best idea under the trees however after we hosed down the trampoline and Kaia took a swan dive off the top when she missed the first wrung of the ladder. She is tougher than her smaller frame suggests.  I tried to snooze in the afternoon when she did but it wasn't happening. We got back about 3:30 pm so there was time for a shorter session across the road and a cool soak. The water temperature is allowing for even more green bloom.  We timed it for a shower and shasliks before the first card session of the year. Phew!

Courtyard Pool

I got some video of the pool action.  It seems there are problems with floaties in the pool especially bugs and more importantly lady bugs. The first little while sorted that out then it didn't seem to matter. I have never seen so many water pistols. The long shooters were tricky to fill. It took Estelle a while to hold the end submerged yet be able to draw the tube back all the while getting shot at.  Kaia was happy to splash about and Asher had the shoot and run strategy. We will see what the other cousins can do soon.

Teddies sleep too

 We have a double grandie day today not to forget we have to get back for cards tonight as well.  It was an earlier 7:00 am arrival time so we brought our breakfast. The routine is to walk to the playground, followed by the coffee shop. They had their special Italian Christmas cake on offer so we had to try it. This was very nutty.  These sessions were two hours but as we got back everyone was quite tired.  The significant change was that we all had a nap for 30 minutes and there was even time to make this entry while it was all quiet on the Grandie front. While I was dozing a teddy bear appeared on the couch.

Asher helped me today with my writing and drawing here are our pictures.

Kaia takes the stage

 It is Baptism day and we were expecting a bit of noise when it actually came to the pouring on of water but it all went swimmingly. Kaia never made a sound nor did the other two candidates who were there as well. The godparents James and Bec moved when they had to move and smiled when they had to smile. James' present of a cross on a chain was a good touch.  It was a warm day and back home for lunch consisted of salad and fruit platters. Nana got the girls cooled off by running them under the hose without getting herself too wet.

Kaia Keeps Kool

With a Frozen ride that is.  It is a Kaia day today or a half day as it turns out.  We had some jobs that required banks and shops so we packed Kaia off to Highpoint. Now I have not been to this spot in 5 yar and it is still big. We needed two banks to close Beryl's old accounts which took well over an hour and Kaia was very understanding during the whole tedious process.  Outside the bank I resorted to a Frozen go Round and later a Kiddie cino.  Back home the fish tank is looking smart with its new fish. One of the fish was pregnant so there are about 20 fry hugging the rocks and lower reaches to keep away from the bigger fish at the surface. The parent fish are very attentive and aggressively chase anything that comes close.

Small Fry

Grandie 1 Grandie 2

It's the Great Grandie swap.  Asher and Kaia have been on a sleepover with the help of their parents, although they did spend a pleasant Saturday evening with a dinner date on the Q train. What I did not know is that the Blues train (noisy) and the Q train (quiet) operate at the same time on the same single track on a Saturday night.  They must do some nifty point changes. In the meantime we have had a beach day with Asher while Kaia court up on some sleep. Asher was making us some seaweed cakes with lots of decoration sprinkles and Mermaid hair.

Kaia has picked up on scootering

Sunday Roast

It has been a while since the last Sunday Roast but that just means when it comes around its even better.  We tried pork with the crackling in the air fryer and it worked well. The meat cracked up just nicely.  For some reason Kaia is a voracious meat eater.  She must be putting on a growth spurt and a lot of veggies went down as well.  A short walk to the lookout was enough for Asher and Kaia, as the wind was still blowing but we did walk off a big lunch. 

A good lie down

 Debbie had an ache in her arm so we called into the hospital on the way back from the Kaia show. Now this was already a long day but we managed to add another 5 hours to it by sitting around mostly just waiting. In the end what you want is that they don't find anything which is how it turned out. This ache has been there for a couple of days and no doubt after an all day Kaia effort it would have been worse.  She has a follow up appointment with the local doc but my immediate remedy is a soak in the bath and no computer.

Wind in the Pillows

I did another Willie Gym session.  There was another gymnast there this time and he was on a recumbent style bike machine.  I spent 20 minutes biking balanced by 10 minutes of rowing, with short 5 min recoveries.  I rode for nearly 8 km and rowed for 2 km, which makes sense as when ever I am riding passed those guys on the river I can catchup fairly quickly.  We started the Kaia sitting at 8:00 am and she has now gone for her sleep.  We are getting into a pattern here. Some breakfast followed by an hours play then outside to the park where the wind has abated a bit.  It was still strong enough to blow over a potted tree here and break the pot. Then it is onto the coffee shop, where she ate half a croissant.  On the way back she spies the playground so it is back in there for a second session. By then it is time for more food at 11:00am and sleep with a bottle at 11:30am. Phew! 

blow

Little Teapot

 Kaia knows how to push all the buttons and whenever a phone is out she wants it to see any photos on there. Flicking from one to the next is no problem.  If it is a video even better.  I wasn't expecting this teapot to start singing but she knows where the secret button is.  The teaset is a bit scarce at the moment after the last move but we made do with a few old plastic shot glasses.

Kaia in the Swing of things

We had Kaia on the go since we arrived 7:45. First the playroom for 2 hours then the playground followed by the coffee shop followed by the playground again on the way back. Debbie tried to get some cash while I entertained for another 30 minutes. In the end I found a bank on a separate drive and by the time I was back she was fully asleep. Not sure how long it will last. The pram is a good activity. I have wheeled a track thru the backyard grass just happy to go for a ride.  We called in at the end of the afternoon to Asher's class room.  We have never been to her school and it is well set up.  The traffic snarls are nasty.

one year olds in the digital age

Kaia gets magnetic

 Due to Asher having a contagious eye problem she could not go to school, which means we had the double trouble Asher and Kaia show for our entertainment.  In the morning we bypassed the playground and went straight for the coffee shop. Before and after it was the usual spread your self on the floor, so for a while you get to sit on a chair at the shop.  In the afternoon the fog had cleared away so it was back to the playground for an hour in good sunshine. Kaia is starting to get into the playground equipment but with help. The floor sessions were mostly using magnetic building squares. These are tricky, where you can quickly build a structure but it will collapse at the slightest push.

Collendina Leakage

 We have had some rain in the last few days and a few leaks at Collendina is nothing new. I patched up that roof on going for at least 18 yar. It was already old when we bought it, then the Taylors had a turn and now the Roberts' are back. They decided to crash here last night as there is only so many buckets you can spread without one year olds starting to play in them. So while a tarp was being bought and attached to the van this morning, we kept the grandies busy with some gardening and some food and some Bluey.  I watched the chess lesson episode which was pretty funny.

Kaia CookUp

 The cubby house has not made it to the new location but the kitchen unit is still working minus a few utensils.  Even though the high and huge roof is covering over it there is a large gap open to the elements but in between showers Kaia got some juggle balls cooking.  The wind is gusting here today and working outside must be a cold business but I did see workers going down to our beach this morning and they have been down there all day.  They took a trailer down with them so I will check it all out over the weekend, as right now I am staying in.

babycino

Kaia Pram Dance

 Some recent change has occured on my laptop whereby MP4 files including all back dated ones are no longer playing properly. I have video players that don't work, one that just plays video with no sound but the video editor I use seems to be working ok. Hence the video below which I shot with the new camera. Kaia takes a while to settle down after her Mum disappears from view but then it is all fun and games. She even went to sleep for an hour.  Mind you the old problem of trying to do activities whilst still on the floor has come back into this again. This video thing is going to need more investigation but it seems messy.

Hockey 1 Hockey 2

We left at 6:30 am to get to Avondale Heights at 8:00am.  It's a good thing the log truck that lost it's logs, holding us all up tonight, didn't lose its logs this morning.  Originally it was just going to be the Kaia show however it is school holidays so Asher was also there for the day, while Bianca went off to scrub up at Footscray.  It was a picture perfect sunny day so we found plenty of outdoor action to keep busy. We walked to the Cannoli Bar and sat for an extra long time on the tables outside, especially since Mama spied us there. In the afternoon it was improvised soccer then improvised hockey using a small basket ball and brooms for hockey sticks with an upturned tub for a goal. Simples!