A day in paradise

 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.



Sunday at the park

Levi and his mates at the skate park

Sunday, we went to the skate park again.  It is starting to get hot and Levi now sweats up a storm but he loves the skate park.  We go really early in the morning before the big kids get there and then they play until we get swamped by the teenagers.  After our kids take out the big kids a few times, I think they are really pleased to see us go.  We have been having big weekends and Levi and I are both exhausted by the end of them.  I am starting to count the days to the holiday and Levi thinks about USA all the time.  He called Robert on Sunday as well to say Hi and for the first time talked to the answering machine without my prompting him.  Who knows what he said, but it's the thought that counts!

I gave Levi a haircut after the skate park.  He was starting to look a lot like Lincoln Lewis but looked great afterward.  His hair is hard to cut now, because he spends so much time in the chlorine that his hair is getting crunchy.  It will be easier with less hair!