Wee lead slippers: November 2005

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November 2005

11/30/2005

Do they know it's (nearly) Christmas?

To highlight the yuletide misery of all those who will be spending Christmas on the streets, Ewan has been spending the past few weeks living and sleeping in a box. He plans to remain in the box until there's an end to world hunger, war, pestilence, disease, environmental degradation, debt, speeding, arguing, dirty looks and sighing.

This has nothing to do with the rather bad 1980s band "Living in a Box" whose eponymous hit "Living in a Box" explored the alienation inherent in comsumerist society, equating the pressures of modern life to, yes you've guessed, living in a box. Have a look. These guys had a way with words.

Posted at 07:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

11/20/2005

Are we not men?

Aye, give a dad a new camera and he'll be taking photies until the cows come home

But the boy's looking grand, don't you think. Here he is with Noddy, giving him a bearhug and taking him for a walk in his pram (surely, Noddy has a car that he drives himself, I hear you say. Shut it). They look like the Pet Shop Boys in their colander hats and aprons. Or Devo maybe. The limp-wristed pram pushing doesn't help.

Posted at 09:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

11/14/2005

Only 40 spending days until Christmas!

What is there to be to said about young Ewan? He's been two for over a month but isn't terrible yet. His vocabulary is expanding. He now says "No" about five times a second rather than just once like he used to. Does great animal noises: monkey, cow, sheep, cat, dog and spider. Handsome bugger. Looking more like his da every day. He's a big fan of Rory.

Here he is getting his five-a-day and getting ready for Christmas (spot that Santa) and I know that some of you will be wondering what to buy him. To help in the decision-making he has a wish list at Amazon.co.uk. OK so it's in the name of Steven Hope but rest assured it's all stuff for Ewan. You might wonder what a two-year-old would do with some of these things but let me reassure you: he's very advanced for his years. He'll use all of them and I'm always willing to help out.

Top tip! Apparently you can click on the photos and they get bigger! Great for all the relatives.

Posted at 09:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Pet words

Enid Blyton: The Circus of Adventure
As you know, I'm not one to criticise but this series is getting a little predictable and repetitive. Guess what: the children went off on their hols and are now embroiled in an unexpected adventure involving foreigners. A bit of a rum do, I'd say. Rather!
Allan Ahlberg; Janet and Allan Ahlberg; Janet Ahlberg; Allan Ahlberg Janet; Ahlberg: Burglar Bill
Aye, we've been here before but it's Ellen's turn now. Great book.
Enid Blyton: The Ship of Adventure
Let's see - it goes like this. Children set off for a perfectly straightforward holiday under the supervision of a responsible adult. Suddenly some swarthy foreigner appears and before you know, they're in trouble. With pluck and intelligence the baddies are thwarted. What these kids need is the Mystery Machine.
Enid Blyton: The Mountain of Adventure (Adventure Series)
It's just not plausible to have these kids saying that they won't get into any scrapes when the books are all called The xyz of Adventure and in each previous book getting into a scrape is exactly what they did. It doesn't take a genius to make the link. Jesus, Enid, a bit of realism.
Enid Blyton: The Sea of Adventure (Adventure Series [3])
Aye, we're working our way through the whole series. That Lucy-Ann fair gets on a person's wick though.
Julia Donaldson: The Gruffalo
Oh help, oh no! Aye, there's very little to match the wee mousy adventure and doesn't the wee lassie like to listen to it day, after day, after ... (*****)
Enid Blyton: The Valley of Adventure
Aye, good old Enid. She spins a spiffing yarn of childhood adventure, which I have to say, fair captures the attention of a small boy. (****)
Roald Dahl: Matilda (My Roald Dahl)
After the Birdman, it's on to Matilda although I worry about the effect on the boy's self esteem. This lassie's only four and reading Chaucer and Ewan's five and reading Bingo and the Bone.
Andrew Davenport: Too Much Pinky Ponk Juice! ("In the Night Garden")
Not that Ellen actually reads books or will even sit still long enough to have one read to her but she does like to look at this one, fold the pages in half and sometimes tear them. But it's the start of a long relationship with books.
David Almond: My Dad's a Birdman
Ewan's second time round for this touching story of how Lizzie helps her dad get over his depression after the death of his wife. They enter Mr Poop's birdman competition.

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