Category: Diary

Twice this week I’ve had the comment made to me along the line of I must be happy to go to work and leave the kids with mum to look after. Both times I’ve pointed out that actually it’s Rae who works and I’m home with the kids. Both times there’s been the slightest look of surprise before the person regained their composure. Makes me laugh.

Rae’s out tonight so I’m home alone.

SThe kids are all in bed so it’s aged cheddar, bottle of merlot and The Stepford Wives (if you have to ask which version, shame on you).

6 weeks after they were first promised we finally have bricks!

There’s also water and gas pipes and it looks like the plaster goes up this week. Our house is coming along, just ask Veronica and Steve who got the tour today.

Update. Just found out Daniel managed to find the house without a map – that’s impressive Daniel.

This morning I asked Bert what he wanted for breakfast on his birthday.

He paused for a second, smiled and said “Ladies!”

Ah, that may be a few years away yet my boy. I have no idea where he got that from. He ended up with Cheerios and a smiling dad.

I can’t believe it but Bert turns 3 today. 3 years of nothing but joy from our boy, he makes me smile everyday.

Happy birthday young man.

There are many things you have to talk about before you make the commitment to marriage. Do you have common aims and desires, what are you views on children, what do you want from life are some of the things it’s best to iron out before walking down the isle (or watching a movie in our case).

One thing you don’t talk about but probably should is books. Most importantly how you read a book.

I’ve always been of the opinion that books are to be treasured and when finished there should no evidence that you have even picked the book up, let alone read it. A row of perfect spines on the shelf makes me smile. Now, my beloved is of the opposing camp. Twisted covers, dog ears and raggedy spines are her mark of a book well read. It sends me in to conniptions to see what she does to beautiful books; we almost came to blows over her treatment of  Wicked.

For now, while I try to straighten out the pages as I read Wicked we’ve agreed to disagree (and she doesn’t get any of my books!) but what about you? Whose side of the page are you on?

I had my haircut last Saturday and as always I went to see Doug, a good old fashioned and slightly eccentric barber on Melbourne Rd in Seddon. After my cut and collecting the three lolly bags and balloons he always sends home for the young kids I pulled out the $15 it normally costs.

“No, it’s $10 now.” he says.

I asked him why he lowered his prices and his response tells you what a great guy he is.

“I think things are getting tough out there.”

Thanks Doug.

…and Bruno comes alive.

I’m sad to admit that underneath this ultra cool 6 Music loving musical exterior beats the heart of a music tragic. I was raised in a house where the musical was king, growing up a highlight of each annual two week holiday in Melbourne was the musical we would go and see in the city. Oklahoma, They’re Playing Our Song, Pirates Of Penzance – what ever was big that year we would have fantastic tickets to. Dad loved the stage and my sister now runs a drama, singing and dancing school in Shepparton so it’s no great surprise that I love a good musical. Billy Bragg be dammed, gimme a star, a chorus and an encore and I’ll love it.

All this leads to me saying Rae and I went to see Wicked last Friday night and we loved it. For a musical the songs are probably the weakest part of the whole show but when you combine the music, the book, the production, the cast and the magnificent Regent Theatre you have a fantastic experience. The tickets were gifts from Zita, and if I could afford it I’d happily go again.

The night was even better because it was just Rae and I together, no kids, and to top it off as we strolled back to the car through Federation Square we saw that Collingwood had been thumped by The Hawks. What a wonderful night indeed.

There’s a chemical spill on the Westgate Bridge, and it’s traffic chaos on the freeway.

And the Herald Sun used one of my photos on their site. Just for the record – I’m strictly an Age man.