Michael's vocal stylings

Michael has an engaging habit of making up and singing a little song about whatever drifts across his field of vision, or pops into his head. As we drive around town he will sing: "Crazy John's, Crazy Johns, Highfield Hou-ou-ouse, Sports-girl, Spor-or-or-ortsgirl" etc. What is strange is that he sings in a kind of Rod Stewart mid-atlantic accent. This morning a song about clouds in the sky was rendered as "clads in the skah". When I have asked him about why he does this he becomes irritable and evasive. We have not subjected him to very much FM radio or 'Hits and Memories' so I really don't know how he has assimilated that "this is the way to sing with feeling".

He was at home with Elf the other day, happily singing as he sat at the table drawing.

Michael: Old people that have died, old people that have died, old people...
Elf: That's a bit of a scary song Michael!
Michael: Hmmf - scary for you but not scary for me.

Risking head and shin

Marcus is continuing his love affair with all things footy. Michael will sometimes come along for the ride - particularly if footy songs are involved. They both ask me to sing as many club songs as I know to pass the time in the car while Elf goes into a shop or something. A new song I have recently learned from King Island goes (to the tune of Yellow Submarine) "We all play for the Grassy Football Club, the Grassy Football Club, the Grassy Football Club..." They like that one. I can do North Melbourne, Melbourne, Carlton, Collingwood and Hawthorn, and bits of the others. The newer ones are unspeakably bad.

I like the sentiments of the old ones, like "The premiership's a cakewalk" and "Out we come to play, just for recreation's sake and pass the time away".

Tonight at bedtime the boys regaled Elf with When the Saints Go Marching In, and after lights out I heard a vigorous version of Tigerland. Its the first time I have heard them sing anything together, and it brought a tear to the eye.