This is the first post I have ever written in a hammock. And so far it's going fine, d'you reckon?
I am supervising neighbour children in the pool. It's been one of those days where someone runs past you and asks for a vegemite sandwich, and you have to ask them their name. Imp and Ed came over with the girls, and brought with them some tiny yet troublesome blonde girls. Now there are two boys in the pool and two more lying on our small trampoline, with Winston. Marcus is well over visitors, and is downstairs having his weekly dose of internet games.
Our kids are big fans of Powdergame, which I think i've mentioned before. For Michael the computer is just a machine on which to play Powdergame. He will make a "cannon" out of "rock", fill it with "C4 explosive", "oil" and "fireworks", and then splash in some "magma". Kablooie.
Now everyone's out of the pool. Both of mine are down with the computer, and a bunch of visitors are playing a full-contact soccer match on our small deck. [...] Since the last sentence they have almost broken a window, I relocated them off the premises, I joined in a game of 3 v 2 in a tropical downpour, then we wrapped it up when lightning started zagging in our neighbourhood. Soon after we got home there was almighty flash and the biggest clap of thunder I have ever heard in Hobart. They were about 2 seconds apart. The hound was a bit alarmed but he got over it very quickly, and there hasn't been any more.
Showing posts with label pool. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pool. Show all posts
Saturday, January 08, 2011
Saturday, January 01, 2011
Inflatable pool world record beckons
Elf bought the boys a 2.5m circular pool for Christmas. It was from both of us of course, but she runs the show when it comes to gift selection and procurement. If she's lucky she gets a grunt of agreement from me, and nothing more. Of course when the gift is unwrapped to delighted squeals, I am beaming proudly and giving the general impression it was all my idea.
This pool had a few teething problems - it needs to be on perfectly level ground. Elf got hot and bothered about all the details, digging up and levelling the yard, while I had a cool drink and leafed through a magazine.
Yesterday, New Years Eve, it was finally ready. The kids had a splash, had fun, got out, and then at some point went next door to watch TV. I had been running around cleaning and so on, in preparation for NYE guests. I felt hot and sticky, and I thought, well, I'll jump in the kids' little pool.
Well, it's glorious! I can actually swim in it! It's not deep enough for freestyle but if I hook my feet over the side I can breaststroke OK. I swam a bit, then sat back and enjoyed the view - it happens to be set up in the spot in the yard with the best view. Elf brought me a piña colada iceblock. Heavenly. Then back to the exercise.
After 200 strokes (which I'm calling 100 metres) I climbed out feeling fantastic. And I was not that far outside the world record.
This pool had a few teething problems - it needs to be on perfectly level ground. Elf got hot and bothered about all the details, digging up and levelling the yard, while I had a cool drink and leafed through a magazine.
Yesterday, New Years Eve, it was finally ready. The kids had a splash, had fun, got out, and then at some point went next door to watch TV. I had been running around cleaning and so on, in preparation for NYE guests. I felt hot and sticky, and I thought, well, I'll jump in the kids' little pool.
Well, it's glorious! I can actually swim in it! It's not deep enough for freestyle but if I hook my feet over the side I can breaststroke OK. I swam a bit, then sat back and enjoyed the view - it happens to be set up in the spot in the yard with the best view. Elf brought me a piña colada iceblock. Heavenly. Then back to the exercise.
After 200 strokes (which I'm calling 100 metres) I climbed out feeling fantastic. And I was not that far outside the world record.
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Mr Magic wants you to say "woo."
We tried something new, and took the boys to the Clarence Pool on Sunday.The kids pool is all pretty much the same depth, and Michael can't scamp in and out of it like he does at the Aquatic Centre. It was really quiet there, only one other family in the kids pool. The boys liked it a lot. Michael hopped right around the perimeter of the pool, like a little Vietnamese water puppet.
On the way to the pool driving down the Southern Outlet (which I suppose makes it an Inlet), I had noticed the big top of Silvers Circus poking up from the Domain. We decided on the spot to go to the circus in the afternoon. We went home for a snooze after swimming, then back down the Outlet to the Domain.
It had rained earlier in the day, but was now very hot and steamy as we parked on the grass and walked into the big tent. Even though the tent was just about half full, our designated seats were behind a pylon. Once we realised no-one was coming to take the better seats, we snudged along a bit to where we could see the action.
The main man, ringmaster and magician, looks like a Ricky Gervais character - portly, with a ridiculous sharp "magician" beard. His schtick was way over the top, in fact he would make Ian Turpie look dry. He said his stuff portentuously, then raised his hands (allowing his spangly cape to flare), and waited for us to applaud.
This was "Silvers Grand Magic Circus" - so Mr Magic and his leggy assistants filled about half the running time. Disappearing into cupboards, folding themselves impossibly into drapes, turning into doves - they did it all, very impressively.
Clowns came, clowns went.
Michael found it all too loud and a bit overwhelming. Marcus loved it. At intermission he shouted "It's amazing! It's all amazing!" A boy came on sweeping the stage with a wide broom. "Wow! That broom's amazing!"
What really was amazing was the weather. An equatorial downpour had arrived during the first act. As I went out to get a coffee, I was puzzled to see people coming back looking like they'd been doused with a firehose. There was a gap between the tents of about an inch, and anyone walking between them came out sodden. Looking out from under the catering tent, I could see the whole town copping a once-a-year torrent.
Back under the big top, in the second act there were various jugglers and acrobats. I might be a bit spoiled, but I think they were about the standard of the average street busker. The circus acts obviously have a big advantage in props, costumes, stage space, not-being-shat-on-by pigeons etc. But in pure "that's amazing" terms, they were just OK. At the end of their stint every one, without exception, gave the crowd a big wind-up or hand-to-the-ear as if to say 'I want more than just applause, I want to hear "woo"'.
The one standout act I thought was the Hoop Lady. She had hoops comin' and goin'. She hula'd on the ground, she hula'd standing on a big disco ball, she hula'd ten hoops, she hula'd thirty hoops. She really showed those hoops who was boss.
At the end Mr Magic laid it on thick again about how their best publicity was word of mouth, so go out there and tell your family and friends. Well, I just want to tell you all I give it a C+. The + is especially for the guy who spent most of the second half digging a canal with a mattock to let the water backstage drain away. Well done son.
On the way to the pool driving down the Southern Outlet (which I suppose makes it an Inlet), I had noticed the big top of Silvers Circus poking up from the Domain. We decided on the spot to go to the circus in the afternoon. We went home for a snooze after swimming, then back down the Outlet to the Domain.
It had rained earlier in the day, but was now very hot and steamy as we parked on the grass and walked into the big tent. Even though the tent was just about half full, our designated seats were behind a pylon. Once we realised no-one was coming to take the better seats, we snudged along a bit to where we could see the action.
The main man, ringmaster and magician, looks like a Ricky Gervais character - portly, with a ridiculous sharp "magician" beard. His schtick was way over the top, in fact he would make Ian Turpie look dry. He said his stuff portentuously, then raised his hands (allowing his spangly cape to flare), and waited for us to applaud.
This was "Silvers Grand Magic Circus" - so Mr Magic and his leggy assistants filled about half the running time. Disappearing into cupboards, folding themselves impossibly into drapes, turning into doves - they did it all, very impressively.
Clowns came, clowns went.
Michael found it all too loud and a bit overwhelming. Marcus loved it. At intermission he shouted "It's amazing! It's all amazing!" A boy came on sweeping the stage with a wide broom. "Wow! That broom's amazing!"
What really was amazing was the weather. An equatorial downpour had arrived during the first act. As I went out to get a coffee, I was puzzled to see people coming back looking like they'd been doused with a firehose. There was a gap between the tents of about an inch, and anyone walking between them came out sodden. Looking out from under the catering tent, I could see the whole town copping a once-a-year torrent.
Back under the big top, in the second act there were various jugglers and acrobats. I might be a bit spoiled, but I think they were about the standard of the average street busker. The circus acts obviously have a big advantage in props, costumes, stage space, not-being-shat-on-by pigeons etc. But in pure "that's amazing" terms, they were just OK. At the end of their stint every one, without exception, gave the crowd a big wind-up or hand-to-the-ear as if to say 'I want more than just applause, I want to hear "woo"'.
The one standout act I thought was the Hoop Lady. She had hoops comin' and goin'. She hula'd on the ground, she hula'd standing on a big disco ball, she hula'd ten hoops, she hula'd thirty hoops. She really showed those hoops who was boss.
At the end Mr Magic laid it on thick again about how their best publicity was word of mouth, so go out there and tell your family and friends. Well, I just want to tell you all I give it a C+. The + is especially for the guy who spent most of the second half digging a canal with a mattock to let the water backstage drain away. Well done son.
Friday, October 13, 2006
Fraught at the Big Pool
Elf volunteered me to take Marcus and Lana-from-next-door to the pool. They get on well so I was happy to give it a go. I was looking forward to having two kids with the same swimming ability - with Michael and Marcus I have to sit in the baby pool with Michael, trying to keep an eye on Marcus while he zooms around through the crowd.
I was only slightly apprehensive about the change rooms situation. My friend Rob takes his daughter into the blokes changing room, for now. I didn't really want to take Lana in, especially as with Marcus too it wouldn't necessarily be a straightforward in/change/out. Taking friends' kids to the pool is quite fraught, unless you are able to pick them up and deliver them back in some kind of supersize, extra-thirsty towel that doesn't get the car seat all wet. It's the undressing and dressing that makes me nervous in this day and age.
At the Big Pool there is a door marked Family Changeroom, which I always thought must lead to a corridor with a number of family changerooms. Surely there would be too much demand for them to have just one? Well, we had a pretty good time in the water, and when we got out found there there is only one family changeroom, and it was free. We had several knocks on the door while we were in there, so it seems to be in high demand. We managed the whole process without me having a panic attack or breaking any laws - although I am not an expert in this field.
I was only slightly apprehensive about the change rooms situation. My friend Rob takes his daughter into the blokes changing room, for now. I didn't really want to take Lana in, especially as with Marcus too it wouldn't necessarily be a straightforward in/change/out. Taking friends' kids to the pool is quite fraught, unless you are able to pick them up and deliver them back in some kind of supersize, extra-thirsty towel that doesn't get the car seat all wet. It's the undressing and dressing that makes me nervous in this day and age.
At the Big Pool there is a door marked Family Changeroom, which I always thought must lead to a corridor with a number of family changerooms. Surely there would be too much demand for them to have just one? Well, we had a pretty good time in the water, and when we got out found there there is only one family changeroom, and it was free. We had several knocks on the door while we were in there, so it seems to be in high demand. We managed the whole process without me having a panic attack or breaking any laws - although I am not an expert in this field.
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