Ellie and Gus helped put on a Christmas show for their drama class. I recorded bits/pieces of it.

Here is an introductory musical segment.




I have a longer (~4 mins) video segment on a "Christmas in Colorado", but it's too large to upload. Here is a closing song:

Metamorphosis

Ellie and Gus caught a caterpillar and fed it lettuce leaves and strawberries. This morning, we found that it had made a little silk pad and is beginning the transformation into a butterfly or moth. The really cool part is that the caterpillar made its little cocoon on saran wrap so hopefully we will be able to watch the chrysalis form. The kids, and the adults, are pretty excited to see what happens next. We'll keep you posted.

Magpie attacks!

You know it’s spring in Brisbane when you see cyclists with zip-tie spikes on their bike helmets, or children wearing upside down milk crates on their heads. No, it’s not a fashion statement. It’s a sign of magpie nesting season, and it is here in force.

Magpies are nasty little beasts and they can do real damage. The eye is the birds’ most common target. It seems as if being the target of a magpie’s ire is an inevitable part of growing up in Australia.

Gus was targeted on a bike ride last weekend. As he was riding along the path, a magpie started dive-bombing him. He got away unscathed, but we decided it was time to take action. We now look like we have echidnas on our heads, but at least our ears won't get pecked off.

Tangalooma Whale Watch Trip

Moreton Island is the world's third largest sand island. It is about an hour away from Brisbane by ferry and is 98% National Park. On Saturday, our family left the house at 5:15 to head out for a day on the beach and a three hour whale watch cruise.

The beach was incredible. We docked around 7:30 and there were hardly any people out and about. Ellie and Gus were the only kids on the beach. Starfish had washed up overnight and were scattered along the beach. The kids, and the adults, were fascinated. These starfish had little orange suction cup looking tube feet poking out along the underside of each of its five arms. They were surprisingly heavy and felt very dense. Along with star fish research, we had a blast sliding down sand hills on our tummies and finding shells.

The whale watch took us north of Moreton Island and out towards the Pacific. From June through September of each year, Humpback and Right whales move north from Antarctica to their winter feeding and birthing territories. They swim right past Moreton Island and it is an amazing place to see them. We saw about 12 whales in 5 different pods. I learned that the little round scars on their backs are from cookie cutter sharks that latch on and make a perfectly round bite. We also saw dolphins, a sea turtle and a nurse shark.

It was a beautiful day and an amazing trip.

Gus's facial hair

Gus started shaving. Sure, he's young — but he's ready.

I sent him to the bathroom to brush his teeth before school on Friday. I heard a huge giggle then he emerged. He said, "Mom, remember my eyebrow that is all swirly? Well I took care of it." And indeed he did. He shaved the middle of his left eyebrow right off. No shaving cream needed.

He used the razor Rich gave him as a gift last week. Rich must have sensed that Gus would be needing it soon. Actually, Rich gave all of us razors last week. Razors, and sleep masks, and tiny little bottles of lotions, and combs, and more! Each of us received a lovely leather dop kit with the Emirates Airline logo beautifully embossed on the front. Coincidentally, he had just flown Emirates First Class to Rome last week. Anyhow, it was very thoughtful to get such personalized gifts. And the razor was timely indeed.

I wear short shorts

As you all know, I am usually not one to notice fashion, but at the Oakleigh School fair last week, I couldn't help but notice what all of the other dads were wearing: "shorts" that went below the knees! Mine of course don't - I'm not afraid to show my knees in public.

After doing a little research, I learned the following:

By 2000, men and boys had begun to wear longer shorts that reached below the knee. These sometimes extend even as far as the calf, as in three quarter pants, making it debatable whether to call them "long shorts" or "short longs". They were popular among young boys and teenagers. A decade later in 2010, many young boys and teens still wear these longer shorts that reach several inches below the knee.^{[citation needed]} However, the long shorts trend has recently started to reverse itself, and most teenage boys now prefer shorts that stop at the knee or just above.
-wikipedia

Before reading this, my hypothesis was that the fellows were wearing their winter shorts. They ought to break out the summer shorts soon. Personally, I'm glad that my shorts will soon be back in style. I like to get 2 or 3 cycles out of my clothes.

Aussie cuisine

Several people tried to tell me that Australia doesn't have fine cuisine. Well I beg to differ. It's evident they care greatly about their food. In fact, the grocery stores carry two kinds of cheese. Tasty and Extra Tasty. I recommend Extra Tasty.