This will hurt me...

In order to get to play group, Henry and I generally cut across the lower fields of Geilston Bay High School. I have noted something on these fields for the past two months, but have thus far failed to secure a decent photograph. That didn't change today, but I am noe prepared to settle for something less than a decent photograph. Can you see them? Look closer. Click on the picture to enlarge it if you like. See it now? Yes, as I posted some time ago, the birdies are back! Eastern Rosellas , to be precise. Here you can see the two that I got closest too. And here were a bunch hanging around just behind them. I'd guess that there are maybe a good thirty or forty that have taken up residence directly across the road from us. Them and a huge mob of cockatoos , numerous 'plovers' (well, 'banded lapwings' to be precise), and quite a few breeding pairs of magpies . It's not a bad scene each morning.

You may have seen some of these 'quick cakes' floating around these here Internets lately. I had, and was rather sceptical. Throwing caution to the wind, and with an narky toddler and wife to keep happy, I wanted to see if I could make a chocolate cake in under ten minutes. Cherry picking from three of four recipes, I settled on the following combo: INGREDIENTS 8 Tablespoons self raising flour 8 Tablespoons sugar 5 Tablespoons cocoa 1 Egg 6 Tablespoons milk 5 Tablespoons oil 1 Microwave-proof container METHOD Mix the dry ingredients. Add the egg. Pour in milk and oil, and mix well. Put in microwave for six minutes on maximum. Turn out on cooling tray. EAT! And do you know what? It actually worked. We had a nice, firm and moist cake ready to go. I reckon that it would work pretty well with a ganache with a bit of cream on the side. I didn't get a photo, because this mob demolished it too quickly for me.

Apologies for the late posting today, but I was otherwise occupied out at Hobart’s TECHNOPARK with the bigwigs from HQ, looking to solve all of the problems in our small part of the world. Unsurprisingly, my easy-going and gregarious nature (coupled with the tendency towards being an opinionated know-it-all) ensured that I was chosen as spokesperson for a number of the ‘breakout’ groups. This is just what you want when you’re on famine rations of sleep due to a new baby. I’d like to think that I battled manfully through the pain. However, I do not want to talk about that this evening. I want to talk about the TECHNOPARK . I know what you must be thinking, but no, the TECHNOPARK is not some sort of supersized converted cattle shed cramming in the kids and pumping in equal parts bitchin’ beats, strobe lights and a cocktail of ketamine, ecstasy, methamphetamine laced with generous dosages of Viagra. No that’s not what the TECHNOPARK is about. [That said, a touch of this may have livene...

I am at work again today, so this will be brief. Ever since Henry found out that Mary, Crown Princess of Denmark , is a Tasmanian, he has assumed a regal air about his manner. Normally I wouldn’t mind, but now that it has got the point that he is threatening beheadings because his pureed fruit is too fruity , I am concerned. If I were to encourage him into royalty however, where do you think would be a good fit? The Swedes are appealing, as they are lookers and seem pleasant enough. The pickled herring and manufactured Euro-pop is a slight turn-off though.

I was pleasantly surprised to see this fellow stencilled outside of Rosny library yesterday. I am not the biggest fan of graffiti , but can tolerate it if it looks halfway decent. In this way, I quite like some of the complex stencilling that appears from time to time around Hobart and its environs. Even better when some of my fondest memories as a young ‘un involve the adventures of the heroic Asterix and his band of hardy Gauls. I will confess to having some Roman sympathies, and if I am truly honest, I was always more of an Obelix-man, due to my terribly unreasonable and unfair distaste for unusually short men. That said, I have read every one of Goscinny and Uderzo’s comics. I also look forward to a time when Henry and Ezra will get into them (and thus give me to unashamedly re-read them all). If you’ve not given them a go, and don’t mind some of the anti-Belgian humour, visit the local library and check them out!

So Henry has invented this time machine, so I’ve gone back and for some reason that I can only put down to tiredness, I keep getting snapped for American high school yearbooks. I thought that I would share some with you. Here I am in 1970 , majoring in Economics and sporting a healthy side part. I support the war in Vietnam, but am prepared to lie about it to impress girls. I shall never leave a University once I enter it. I am not proud of that. Here I am in 1976 . I am a Drama major, as the skivvy will attest. I am quite the ladies man. Secretly, however, I lust after the captain of the men’s water polo team. I will get a gig in reasonably successful syndicated sitcom in the 1980s, and will milk that until death. I am confused about how that makes me feel. Here I am in 1978 . I am more interested in smoking pot than my Art major, but I do draw lots and lots of cartoons featuring evil goblins tying up vixens with enormous breasts. I will live with my ‘Mom’, really get interested in Th...

Even though he has pretty much kept Jen and I up all night (and slept though most of the days for the past week), we still reckon that he is rather lovely. I am starting to get the feeling that all babies have dictatorial leanings. Alternatively – at the very least – all of my babies have dictatorial leanings. All that I can pray for is a benevolent dictatorship.