Today was one of those beautiful days that reminds me of why I really am in Australia. It was one of the rare days that Levi actually slept in for starters and I think that actually having enough sleep is a start. We missed his swimming lesson at 7.30am because I refuse to wake a sleeping child, really .... ever. We skipped swimming but then went to the skatepark. I think every child on the Northside got a scooter for Christmas. There were a lot of kids there but they were all quite young, so Luke, Nate and Levi did OK, but we didn't last as long as normal, just because there were a few too many others scooters competing for space. Our kids are all really tired and so it wasn't a big stretch for them to be done early.
Next we went to Luke and Nate's house for a play and a swim. All of them are now competent enough that they don't have to have someone in the water all the time. We can sit and chat from the side and occasionally saying "Don't jump on the boogie board like that!" or "Be careful". Then the kids got on the motorbikes. It was Levi's first lesson, so there was lots of 'Safety stops' and other first lesson type things. His head was too big for the helmet that came with the adult dirt bike that Pete recently bought. No one was overly surprised. Luke has a huge head as well so they are good company. It seems I'll be up for a helmet soon because he quite likes the motor bike. Pete is a great teacher too. Think 'safety' before 'funniest home videos'. It works for me. The best thing is Cheryl and I sit back and play on the bikes or drink coffee.
Tonight Levi went to bed on time. Now that doesn't sound like much, but it is a big thing as for the last few weeks his sleep has been; well, disrupted is too mild a term for it. The poor kid has switched too many time zones and had too many late nights, it is just a relief to get him in bed at a reasonable time, clean and with hair and teeth washed. It is little wonder that he has been so tired. It is little wonder that I have been tired. In case anyone wanted to know, No I still haven't unpacked fully from either Townsville or USA, but at least I have made a start.
Today the one part of Queensland not flooded in the last month, has a cyclone bearing down on it with another following hot on it's heels. I am thinking of my families in Townsville. They have a hard week coming up. I hope that they stay above water, a luxury that most of the rest of Australia has missed.
