Anthony Malloy

We had a great little mini holiday this weekend. We went to stay at mum and Peter’s place for a couple of days, just to get away. It’s the only weekend we have (pretty much) free between now and September so we made the most of it.

We drove up on Friday night to make the most of our time. The kids were most excited we stopped at a pizerria for dinner, they’ve been saying the word with Italian accents all weekend. I ended up watching the Tigers win a thriller while everyone else was fast asleep. I may have kissed their television when Jack kicked the goal that put us back in front.

Saturday we spent just ‘doin stuff’. A bit of shopping, some relaxing, a visit to Aunty Katey for a quick trip back in time, some lunch and then afternoon tea with three out of my four sisters – such a rare event. Saturday night we watched When Harry Met Sally. Well, half watch and Rae half recited. As we’d been a little bit lazy I made Rae do some lunges and push ups. Rae had never done lunges before. She may forgive eventually, but we felt a lot better afterwards.

This morning we woke to a beautiful sunrise, mist covered fields, chirping birds and insane giggles from boisterous boys. It was the kids treat this morning, breakfast at Maccas. I’ve heard that if you ‘accidentally’ leave your kids behind at Maccas then McDonalds will raise them until the age of 18. It was so tempting to see if this was true today, sorry fellow patrons, especially if you were nursing a hang over. Shopping, a quick trip to rescue a lost dinosaur from Aunty Helly’s, a lot more relaxing and then it was time to hit the road back home.

It was only really a day and a half but it feels like we had a week away. Just being away from home, and the usual routine, has recharged the batteries a little so now it’s full steam ahead for the second half of the year.

This getting healthy thing is becoming expensive. Yesterday I had to go shopping for new jeans. That last time I bought jeans (maybe a year or so ago) I was size 38. Yesterday I bought size 35.

Now that feels good.

Each year on the 31st May I take a photo f the street, here’s this years edition.

2011 – Not many visible changes this year, no new neighbours. Given how bare the street looks I really should switch to taking this photo in summer.

2010 – Every block built on, every house lived in and five changes of occupants in the past year including two new neighbours for us.

It’s getting to the stage where people have recovered from building and are now beginning to start working on the front of their houses. Still a long way to go but the street we hope to live in for a long time yet is slowly coming together.

2009 – Every house built and lived in and one remaining block is underway.

2008 – Four houses under construction and empty blocks everywhere.

Bert is big on making signs at the moment – notice the dragon bite.

I spent a good deal of Sunday afternoon curled up in the foetal position. Initially it was on the floor but then I managed to get myself on to the bed. I’d had this sort of pain before but not quite to this extreme so I decided I’d better do something about it and went to the doc yesterday.

Today I had an ultrasound and wouldn’t ya know it…I have a 1.5cm stone in my gallbladder. Always good to know the crippling pain you experience isn’t imaginary. Now it’s up to the doctor to decide on treatment but I’ll be pushing for having the gallbladder removed, I have much better ways of spending Sunday afternoons.

I’m all blocked up. I just can’t seem to get back in to the swing of reading at the moment. I was burning through the first Game Of Thrones book when I hit a brick wall and I haven’t picked up my Kindle in two weeks now, the latest National Geographic sits by the bed untouched and there’s a copy of The Guardian Weekly from last week still in its wrapper.

I’ve decided to take some action. Game Of Thrones is now on the back burner, and I have a sneaking suspicion it will stay there for a long time even though I was enjoying it immensely, and I’ve just bought Stonemouth, Iain Banks’ latest novel. If a good dose of Mr Banks can’t get things moving again, nothing can. I may even leave early today and have a quick read in the car before picking up the kids.

I remember the first time we went to the footy at the G. We stayed at the Sheraton and mum ordered a box of sandwiches from the kitchen. My memory is of chicken and mayo with some curried egg in a white cardboard box. There was a thermos of tea too.

I wonder what dad would have made of my lunch today. Wholemeal Vietnamese roast pork rolls with a (freebie) bottle of enhanced hydration water.

Both Rae and I are readers, always have been. Is it any wonder then that Bert has the reading gene. This morning while his brother and sister enjoyed some telly in our bed while I got ready for the day he was snuggled in a big chair reading his book. I’m betting that if I offered him the day at home in that chair reading he would have taken it today.