New memories of old times.

Linus and I had a huge day today. He’d been asking for a while to visit MSAC for a swim and I had had to put him off because, although I have gone there with both kids in the past, it is much easier to have a fun time with just one or the other when I’m there alone. Ash was home today and so we left him to hang out with Hazie and headed off. We then spent 3 hours on the waterslide, stopping only when they closed it down.

Hazie and Linus are a funny pair with regard to the things that give them pause versus the things the are willing to do. Hazie loves big animals, always happy to pat a dog or run around a petting zoo, whereas Linus would historically have none of it, and is now cautiously involved. Linus on the other hand, loves the miniature world of the garden and will happily handle snails, slaters, millipedes, cicadas and even spiders, which leaves Hazel cold. Hazie loves to socialise and, although she will be timid for about a minute in new situations, she warms to people quickly and is bold and friendly to all. Linus is much more reserved in new situations but he is a complete daredevil and thus far, the only think that limits the crazy rides he is willing to try at theme parks or water parks is the height restriction. I can’t tell you how nervous I was to watch him, 4 years old, on the pirate ship alone! He was the same on the waterslide today. First going down with Mum, then alone, then on his back, then on his front. Nothing would stop him.

It was an experience that reminded me of my youth. My grandparents moved to Queensland in their retirement and so we went there every September holidays and visited Sea World, Dreamworld and later, Wet n Wild and Movie World. They are some of my favourite memories of childhood and I was really excited today at the prospect of sharing that experience with Linus, (and Hazel in a few years). Mum and Dad are hosting a trip away to the Gold Coast for us and my brother’s family and, even though it is a year away, I’m already so excited.

Eventually I had to drag Linus away as it was past lunch and I was starving. We went to Chadstone, got lunch and then decided to see what movies were on offer. Sadly there wasn’t much on offer for the young crowd but Linus was very keen to see the Smurfs. I’d avoided it as the tokenism of Smurfette has always disturbed me but I’ve got to confess, it was a sweet movie and Linus really loved it. We bought him some new shoes, as the skin on his toes had been worn off when he last wore his green pair and he had been asking for some ‘fancy ones’ like his sister. They are sketchers S lights which I’ll confess to have seen on other children around the traps and thought, “My Lord, they must get annoying” but the kids love them so much, and I figure there will plenty of time in their adult life for the wearing of sensible, non-sparkly, not light up shoes that I decided to buy them. We finished the shopping day with a quick trip to the bra shop, as I had been horrified to see my boobs around my ankles in my Inverloch photos and then headed home.

And had a completely flat tyre. I had taken Ashley’s new car because mine was parked outside the house and we needed to hold the space for a storage unit we had ordered, and I’ve buggered one of his wheels now! It is also the THIRD flat I’ve had to change this year after almost 20 years of driving without a single issue. It was dark and raining and not my car so I wasn’t about to change the tyre. Fortunately Ash had joined RACV and they arrived within about 15 minutes and got us sorted, while Linus made me stars out of blades of grass. It was a crazy end to a very long but fantastic day.