This will hurt me...

Ezra looking positively angelic. Another photo from the stock file. However, I have spent the past day and a half taking photos of the pair of 'em! Some of will have to turn out good 'uns.

You may have noticed that - children of mine aside - I rarely post photographs with people in them. I'm very shy about photographing the mug punters in the street, onlyI don't know why. So here you go, a standard street side view of Hobartians going about their business! I'd like to know what you think is going on here? A complex heroin importation scheme? An insurance scam? Ribald commentary on Beyonce's [ahem] ass ets? Footy tipping gamesmanship? Old school chums? Musings on the whereabouts of Haold Holt? C'mon people! Give a brother a hand...

Here s the gang quite a few months back now. Henry didn't look like a roadie for the Greatful Dead and Ezra still had a basketball head. Jen pretty much looks the same, however. I myself have a few extra grey hairs. Pros and Cons of Toddlers Part Six Pro #5: They're EASY TO BEAT . Henry loves competitive games: hide and seek; chess; Connect Four; Brandings; Catch and Kiss; Scrabble; anything really. Him being a toddler means that I have an unsurpassed win ratio, as he isn't very good. Con #4: They're TOO EASY TO BEAT . Winning without a challenge is just not fun. Seriously, this evening I had a good half hour of hide and seek, and Henry hid in the same two places over and over. Compounding this poor strategy was a tendency to giggle the whole time, and then shout "I'm here by the drawers" half a second after I start looking for him. He's just rubbish at it. Where's the glory in that kind of victory?

Straight lines are the order of the day today. Here are Hydro Tasmania building, old and new, presented to you in stunning black and white. In order to bail me out of having to think too hard about today’s post, I’ve embraced the meme and take up the challenge presented to me by Lizabee & Co ! It’s a well known fact that I simply reek of awesomeness. Like Old testament God, people quake and tremble in wonderment at my feet on a daily basis. At least, I think that’s why they quake and tremble at my feet. It could be something to do with Swine Flu. First though, a definition: Awesome Adjective Causing awe or terror; inspiring wonder or excitement. So impressive or overwhelming as to inspire a strong feeling of admiration or fear. And now, the list! Seven things that make ME awesome Charm : like George Clooney on charisma steroids, I have charm oozing from every pore. Intelligence : in terms of intelligence, it’s best to think of me as HAL from 2001, only with higher self esteem and...

Here is Ezra back when he was a little angel, and not the grizzling, snotty, always into cupboards and drawers, toy scattering domestic terrorist that we've been faced with most evenings.

Equal parts Pacman and David Lynch, I like to think of the tail lights of the cars in front as we cross the Tasman Bridge as hungry little ghosts eating the sins of teenagers the world over. That’s right, it’s Theme Thursday , and we’re talking GHOST s. They’re odd birds, ghosts; never happy, always moaning, wailing, dragging chains about and getting ectoplasm on the good curtains. A lot like children in that regard. I’ve never liked ghosts. Call me spectrally-bigoted, but the notion of some undead soul wandering through my walls while I’m endeavouring to seduce my wife is just plain wrong. So no, I won’t be signing any of your goody goody, namby pamby, hoity toity, wishy washy, lardy dardy, know it all know nothing do gooders petitions to give ghosts and ghoulies the vote. No siree. The only moaning welcome in my house is be either a bit of the other or "if I have to tell you to pick those toys up one more time..."

Another blast from the past here. Henry is enjoying his [then] new big boy's bed . Of course, three months down the track, he's still sleeping in his cot...

It's been too long since I've posted a web comic, so today I'm headed back to John Campbell's pictures for sad children , which always seems to catch my mood.

Sometimes the best view of the sky can be found by looking down on the ground. Here is a puddle on a patch of ground at the bottom of Elizabeth Street. Here is a little poem about power . Doing Stuff ACTION! ... wait ... wait ... waiting ... ... nothing ... ... wait ... wait ... waiting ... ... ACTION!

Here is a photo from a few months back of Jen attempting to hypnotise Ezra. I've had to dip into the unpublished stock again, because I fear that the recent crop of photos feature cranky, tired and snot-covered dirt magnets, which is not at all the image the world wants or needs to see of Tasmania. Thus, until they sharpen up their acts, you'll have to put up with this lot where theu are adorable, photogenic and/or smiling for the camera!

I took this photo looking up while down in Salamanca Place last Thursday afternoon. High above the Silos and the trees, that speck of white you can see is the moon. A new thing for me: TUESDAY Q and A ! Right now , at this very moment , what is your favourite word? Right now? I am going to have to go with dénouement .

Here is poor old Henry in the bath. As you can see, he was feeling pretty miserable and haggard from his battle with the flu, and even a bit of a splash and giggle in amongst the bubbles failed to cheer him up!

From way back on June 18, here is the little marvel himself doing the business! Compare him to Henry from January 2008!

Here is the face of an old quarry that can be found down next to Salamanca Square. A fair chunk of the Salamanca area itself is nestled into an old sandstone quarry itself. The demand for berths and storage saw the creation of new docks and sandstone warehouses in an area that had once been known as the 'Cottage Green'. The former row of original cottages were demolished for sandstone warehouses, and by the mid-1840s the bustling dock area had become known as Salamanca, in honour of the Duke of Wellington's 1812 victory against the slippery frogs in the Battle of Salamanca. [HOORAH FOR BLIGHTY!] As I've noted before, the whole waterfront area is re-establishing it's credentials as Hobart's night-time entertainment capital (that is, if one equates the concept of 'entertainment' with 'getting on the piss and having a scrap'). This is only fitting, as early in Hobart's history, it had developed a reputation as a rowdy and debaucherous place. A m...

He decided that driving with his eyes open is even better!

Watch out! They're headed straight for us! Two ducks approaching on Geilston Bay. Here's a Sunday Top Five that both honours the dearly departed and embraces the smutty schoolboy within. My Top Five Mrs Slocambe Quotes : "You know, animals are very psychic. I mean, the least sign of danger and my pussy's hair stands on end." "I hope we're not going to be late tonight. Because I've left Winston clinging to the curtain ring; he refuses to come down. The mere sight of my pussy drives him mad." "Well, I hope it's not going to take long. If I'm not home on the stroke of seven, my pussy starts clawing at my busy lizzy." "I hope this isn't going to take long, Captain Peacock. The last time I was late, a fireman had to climb out of my bedroom window and risk his life on a narrow ledge tryin' to grab hold of my pussy." "I've got to get home. If my pussy isn't attended to by 8 o'clock, I shall be s...