Hey look I took a really nice picture!
Ok, you can stop looking now… If you keep on looking at it you’ll probably notice it’s out of focus, and then you’ll start having thoughts about it being mother nature who can claim the real credit for the beauty in this photo. I was just the lucky sod who happened to be pointing his wife’s rather expensive camera in the right direction.
I took the photo at a bird show at Flamingo Land, a zoo/theme park about two and a half hours away from us. Amy and I spent the day there today.
I’ve recently decided that whenever my shifts allow it I’m going to try to give each of the kids a 1:1 Daddy day. When I have both kids at the same time I teeter precariously on the edge of complete organizational meltdown; and so by spending a little time with each of them alone I hope to show them that I am not always some Basil Fawlty type character, franticly running from room to room with a dirty nappy in one hand and a peanut butter sandwich in the other.
Today I took Evan into nursery and kept Amy out. As I say, we went up to Flamingo land, the first time I’ve been to a theme park since I left school. Obviously I wasn’t able to go on any of the big rides because I had Amy with me, but it was still a lot of fun.
It was also cheaper than I had expected, but that will change on Amy’s next birthday as she’ll no longer get in for free. In reality of course I will actually trying to pass her off as three years old until she is around twenty eight; and after then I’ll be applying makeup and a grey wig to try and make her to look like an old age pensioner. After all, fraudulent attempts to avoid paying full admission prices are what made Britain what it is today. It’s part of our national heritage and would be unpatriotic not to participate in it. Ask any child in the UK how old they are and they will ask you if you mean their real age or their Knowsley Safari Park age. Even the Queen has two birthdays.
Flamingo Land was in the news a couple of years ago for shooting dead one of it’s chimpanzees which had escaped and was running amok in the park. For some reason when I bought my ticket to get in they gave me a big fluorescent jacket to wear which had the words “I AM NOT A CHIMP” written on the back. I thought that this was a sensible precaution until I got in and realized that no one else was wearing one.
But seriously, Amy and I had a great time. She particularly liked a mini roller-coaster and must have been on it around ten times. The only thing she didn’t like was the ghost train, which was rather predictable and I was foolish to take her on it, but her courage in trying new things really impressed me.
It was a lovely day and I’m very glad I decided to spend it with her rather than just mess around in the house and the garden. I have both Amy and Evan on Wednesday for my regular day with them, but I’m off on Thursday too so am going to put Amy in nursery an go swimming with Evan on his own.
I think this is the start of a tradition I’m going to really enjoy.
on Jul 11th, 2007 at 4:53 am
Fawlty Towers, another great Britcom! When reading your entry, I could easily see John Cleese doing just as you said.
That sounds like a great idea to break up the siblings so you can attack them one on one (or defend yourself).
Lourdes and I have been enjoying some quick trips to the store to pick up milk and the like. It’s been a neat little bonding experience.
Wouldn’t it be cool if it turns out Evan likes drinking beer at the local pub with you?!
on Jul 11th, 2007 at 5:53 am
I wish I had the option of 1:1. I’m rather outnumbered at all times.
on Jul 11th, 2007 at 11:41 am
One-on-one’s are the only way that I can focus on any other kids. If I have all three at once, then I am yelling at all of them, even though only one is doing anything wrong. THEN I get their names all mixed up. My wife, Libby, wanted three and I wanted one (-at a time). The best of both worlds.
Beautiful pictures by the way, Dan!
on Jul 11th, 2007 at 1:59 pm
“dirty nappy in one hand and a peanut butter sandwich in the other”
I can the potential pitfalls if you get distracted. :-)
on Jul 11th, 2007 at 2:55 pm
Looks like tons of fun. Were you able to get someone to snap any shots of the both of you together?
on Jul 11th, 2007 at 6:00 pm
Jeff - The thought never occurred to me to get someone else to take our picture to be honest. That would involve me talking to someone I don’t know and, as Kerry would tell you, I don’t do talking to strangers. They might ask me to go and see their puppies or something.
on Jul 11th, 2007 at 6:50 pm
i think passing off the children as younger than they are is not just a britain thing…we do it here in orlando at disney as well. Since my sisters and I are all very short, it worked for years. ;) unfortunately, my son is VERY tall and barely passes for his age. He just turned 3 and is as tall as many 5 year olds.
sounds like a fun tradition to be starting!
on Jul 11th, 2007 at 9:19 pm
Howdy Basil!
The Mrs. Richards episode is one of my very favourite things ever created by man or beast. “What is THAT? What is THAT? THAT is TORQUAY, madam! What were you expecting to see out of a TORQUAY HOTEL WINDOW? The Hanging Gardens of Babylon? The pyramids of Giza, perhaps? Krakatoa ERUPTING?”
Bwahahahahaha!
Have fun on your next day trip :)
on Jul 14th, 2007 at 10:10 am
That parrot picture is fantastic. Being out of focus hardly matters–it’s got so much impact regardless of the more technical merits. Anyone loading your post is going to immediately draw a big breath and say “wow”.