Look, Anomalocaris!

Dear Mum,
This morning was mainly spent retrieving boxes from the garage then putting things into them. Then getting more boxes. Hopefully the early start on the packing means everything will be good and ready by the time we leave.
Bob popped over at about lunchtime so we chatted to him while we ate our toasted sandwiches.
In the afternoon we went to Fremantle and had an ice cream, then wandered around for an hour or so before stopping for a drink and some wedges. As you can see Joshua enjoyed the wedges.
We got home at about five and the master finally allowed me to put on the First Life DVD, which we borrowed from Bob about five months ago. He wasn’t too impressed by the first episode, about the first organisms on the planet, which didn’t move our do anything very exciting really. But when the second one came on he brightened up a bit and started to tell us what the animals were. Hence the “look, anomalocaris” title of this message.
He had a quick nap in the car on the way home but was tired, so he went in the deep bath after Deanne had used it to soothe her back a bit then to bed quite early. We then watched Dr Who, another good ‘un I thought, and are now in bed at 8:49 because it’s been such a tiring day.
Monday again tomorrow so more of Rich’s work, although we’re signing the papers for the new house at 4 o’clock.
Love
Dan

Wedges In Freo

A Morning Aria

Dear Mum,
This morning Deanne’s Aunty Ronda came over to visit. She bought her granddaughter Aria with her, to play with Joshua. Aria is only three but they played pretty well together.
We popped to the shops in the afternoon to try and get some sticky labels in preparation for the move. We also stopped for a quick drink, hot chocolate for Deanne, babychino for Josh and I had a nutty, creamy hot chocolate myself.
We popped to Julie’s house for a bit, then home again to watch Ice Age 4, which we recorded last weekend and hadn’t had the chance to see yet. It was quite good and Joshua really enjoyed it.
Made baked potatoes for tea, using Dave and Emma’s recipe of rubbing a bit of oil and salt in before baking them. It makes the skins really crispy and tasty. Especially because I used some oil from sun dried tomatoes!
Josh actually slept in our bed last night, because when we went to check on him at about 10pm he was boiling hot and sweaty. We got him changed then carried him through, thankfully by the morning he was okay and, in fact, I don’t think he felt at all ill. But we did it just to be on the safe side. The way his appetite is at the moment I think he might just be growing!
Seeing Bob in the morning to try and fix his phone, which is playing up. Other than that nothing planned so far.
Love
Dan

Mushroom Stroganoff

Dear Mum,
The end of another week. Rick and Julie were over when I got home from work. They had a good time away and Julie said you’d have loved the flowers they saw.
Deanne made a stroganoff for tea, which was really nice. Josh had leftover pasta because he still doesn’t like mushrooms.
This weekend we have to start tidying things up, as it’s only two weeks until we move…again.
Hopefully we’ll fit some fun stuff in too though.
As you can see, Snuggles really enjoyed the stroganoff too!
Love
Dan

Potted History

Dear Mum,

I need to get to bed (again) so will only do a potted version of the day.

Went to argue with the estate agents a bit at the start of the day, then took Joshua to Piney Lakes Park, he had a great time and we also ate our lunch there,peanut butter and Vegemite sandwiches.

In the afternoon he and I made a lemon cake, hence the outfit in the photo, it turned out okay but I think next time I might need to bake the base for just a teeny bit longer, so it’s slightly less squishy.

We popped to Julie’s house and gave it a quick vacuum, as the travellers are back tomorrow afternoon.They’re going to pop over at about five so I might see them if they hang around long enough for me to get back from work.

I made pasta for dinner, a bolognese, Dee didn’t get back in time for tea as she went shopping straight from work, hopefully we now have enough food to last until we move house, more or less.

Josh is at daycare tomorrow and Deanne and I are at work, so I’ll sign off for now.

Oh, we got the house, by the way!

Love

Dan

Joshua The Baker

Late Night

Dear Mum,

No post tonight as it was the P&C meeting at school and it’s late now and I need to go to bed.

The picture is from last week, Josh wanted a yoghurt for pudding and Dee and I were busy so he got it himself.

Love

Dan

Fridge

The Long Dark Tea Time Of The Joshua

Dear Mum,

Deanne dropped Josh off today so I went straight to work. I didn’t feel like I accomplished very much but, in fact, I seemed to do quite a lot. Just not much that I actually finished. I think that is the difference between a great day and an average day at work, you actually finish a lot of things off.

Joshua got picked up by Bob, then had a small adventure. They arrived at our house and got out the car, then Pops realised he didn’t have our house keys. So the two of them spent some time in the front garden doing some weeding until Dee arrived home, to let them in. I think they both had a good time!

Deanne made a roast for tea, which was really very tasty. Joshy took an age to eat his tea so he forewent his bath and we just brushed his teeth then gave him Tabby McTat as a story and straight to sleep (the picture is of him getting ready). I’m at work again tomorrow and Deanne has the day off to look after the boy, not sure what they are doing but hopefully nothing that’ll put any strain on Deanne’s back. She is feeling a bit better now but the physio’ said it’ll be a while before she’s capable of any heavy lifting.

Talking of which we put the application in for the house in Leeing today so keep your fingers crossed for us.

Love

Dan

Bedtime

House Hunt

Dear Mum,
Sorry about the lack of Skyping, we’ve been a bit busy looking for a new place to live. However we have found a nice place not far from Joshy’s school and are putting an offer in tomorrow (I think).
Today I did some of Rich’s work after dropping the boy off at kindy, but then filled out a form for the place in Leeming, which took up most of the rest of the day.
Met Deanne at said house after she finished work, for a look around myself. It’s a bit old fashioned but really near his school. We then went to look at a couple of others in Bibra Lake, just to make sure. One was e-normous, much too big really, and the other was too near some power lines. So it’s hopefully the Leeming one, if they’ll have us!
Made a potato and sweet potato cheesy bake for tea with some veg’.
Tomorrow is work. Will try and Skype you on Thursday a’vo as I’m also chatting to Rich, Nige and Steve that afternoon.
The picture was taken at tea time. You’ll notice I had a very grown up kind of drinking receptacle, as Josh hadn’t finished his drink earlier and I only noticed after pouring him an orange juice.
Love
Dan

Afternoon Nap

Dear Mum,
This morning Dee and I were doing housework and paperwork, during which time Josh did some cutting and drawing, as per the photo.
Deanne made some fruity-grainy slicey things, then after lunch I packed some snacks and drinks and we went to the park, taking Josh’s bike.
Sadly Joshua got a bit grumpy so we didn’t spend a lot of time there. When we got back he put himself to bed and slept for about two and a half hours, so apparently he was tired.
I made baked potatoes and salad for tea, then Josh had jelly and ice cream for pudding.
Tomorrow is kindy for the boy, I’ll be doing some of Rich’s work, as well as a few other bits and pieces. Dee will be at work, obviously.
Love
Dan

Dinner, By Deanne

Dear Mum,

Today was a pretty quiet day. Deanne is feeling a bit better so we both did some housework, washing, vacuuming, etc. while Joshua cut some shapes out and coloured them in. While I was hanging the washing out I asked Joshy if he could get my sunnies and he came back laughing, as per the picture. For lunch I made little Pizzas, just tomato sauce and cheese on the bases you can buy from Coles.

After lunch we went to see a house in Bull Creek, but it wasn’t quite as nice as a one Dee saw the other day in Leeming, so we’ll probably put an offer in for that one and see what happens! We had to visit Coles next because I accidentally bought top-loader washing powder instead of front-loader, like our is. They gave us our money back without questioning my stupidity so we bought some more and also some Tim Tams, because they were going cheap.

Joshua did some more Maths Seeds when we got home and then he played in the garden while I did some weeding, as we ned to get the house in decent shape for when we move out.

Deanne was feeling well enough to make tea, and a fine job she did of it. We got polenta topped with a mushroom ragù, which tasted fantastic. Josh had beans and toast as he didn’t fancy it, although he did have a try of the polenta but wasn’t too keen.

Josh would like to take his bike to the park tomorrow, apart from that nothing planned.

Love

Dan

Sunnies

Service Desk

Dear Mum,
Not much to report today, dropped Josh off at daycare then went to work.
I took the fixed PC back to the garage I collected it from the other day, then spent most of the rest of the day investigating how the service desk tool we are going to use works, after that I started to write a manual for our users for when we put it live for them to use.
Immediately upon arriving home Joshua asked me to take a picture of him, so I did! He had made a sort of sit-in cubby house which he was very proud of.
Deanne made tea tonight, sausage, boiled eggs and potatoes, I made a salad to go with them.
We’re looking at some houses this weekend, not sure what else though. I kinda need to do some ironing so I’ll sign off now.
Love
Dan