You know how it's the small things in life, right? Well my 'small/big thing' has been a washing line. I would wash, dry and put away about a load of washing daily. And it's no small load either, I only put one on when I have what's called a 'maxi' load and it gets its own little soaking cycle due to its size.
Long term readers may remember back in the olden days, when boys were babies and girls only just started wearing uniforms, that we had our backyard designed and landscaped. That, my friends, was in February 2011. It is now over two years since that date. And for the entire time I have had NO washing line. None. Not even a bare rope strung between two lazy posts to offer a reprieve. We have been draping and hanging and clotheshorsing and all kinds of shenanigans.
Well enough was enough. I have had a happy little influx of photography work of late, to which I decided I would grab my fate with my own hands and set off in search of a washing line without a home.
And it was the best $160 I have ever spent in my life. Ted was in a helpful frame of mind and set about digging holes after he had dressed himself (silver shoes, polka dot tights, Dorothy dress without undershirt and a dinosaur belt, thankyouverymuch). The line wasn't quite complete that afternoon and did require a visit to a hardware store the next day (to purchase an appropriate drill bit) but today. Oh today I washed clothes and looked out to the backyard and could not see them. I'm not quite sure how long this level of elation and novelty shall last. I'm estimating it to be around the next four years at least.
Teddy has a serious issue re: sprawling. Oh yes, you read correctly. SPRAWLING. I never thought I'd be uttering a sentence such as "Teddy please be careful about sprawling your body so close to the road" and "Teddy please be aware of where the dog poo is whilst sprawling" and other such gems. I do consider the word to be in significant overuse in our household.
Having said that it does offer a rather excellent opportunity with which to photograph Ted's fashion sense. Perhaps a PAD of Ted's wardrobe choices is in our future?
We attended a local festival where we saw some local singer-songwriters, a lot of ukeleles, a talk on kerbside trees and vegetable growing, and lifesized board games. Our family is particularly in love with games (I would say every Sunday or Saturday morning for the last couple of months has found me walking out to find Harriet and James mid-Squatter).
Harriet's personal favourite event from the day was the intimate native wildlife presentation. She got to touch a Tawny Frog Mouth (and found out it was a nightjar and not an owl), pat a bluetongued lizard, embrace a baby alligator in her arms, cuddle a ringtail possum and become entangled in a python. She was in heaven.
I noticed the other day that Harriet's lack of interest in clothing (she really is the antithesis of Teddy in that regard) has meant that I have completely and utterly neglected her wardrobe. She must have been wearing the same clothes for around three summers now. Luckily she has a few long sleeved tops she received as a gift to wear this winter. But at Christmas Anne sent her this funky dress that she loves. And to redress my clothing neglect I purchased these spotty leggings on a whim.
And what a groovy outfit she put together for her first foray into the Writers Festival. Harriet was attending the Under 10s Feminist Workshop, designed to create a revolution in a bedroom. Awesome! Each girl emerged from their workshop experience with this poster, declaring "I have something to say". They discussed terms like respect and feminism, and although Harriet has been less than interested in discussing what went on with anyone since, I am hoping to learn more about it when they feature her experience on the Radio National program Life Matters.
Don't you love that I mentioned her outfit to wear to a feminist workshop? Ah I just love screwing with your minds.
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