Happy 21st Birthday Son

As I'm typing this post...I'm completely amazed that I'm actually writing about my son's 21st Birthday! 

I mean how can that possibly be? 

I'M ONLY 19 YEARS OLD MYSELF for goodness sake!

But I suppose the calendar never lies, so I'll have to bite the bullet and accept it. 

It shouldn't be hard really because he's now over 6 feet tall!

At the risk of upsetting or embarrassing him (HA! isn't that what we're supposed to do?)

I just wanted to mark his special day here on my blog.

We had a great night and I think the birthday celebrations will be ongoing throughout this week and into the weekend at least.

I've had a mind to create a little special line drawing for him for some time now and this was the perfect occasion. I decided to draw a Liver bird which is the symbol of the football team Liverpool. 

I know that anything to do with football whether its AFL or the UK Premier League...can cause quite a lot of controversy, but the fact is Liverpool is my son's team (and also my hubby's too for that matter) so that's it FULL STOP!

Both my boys wake at silly-o-clock to watch all of their games...crazy I know but you try telling them that!

So here's my design which was very well received....

I cropped the photo so that you might see it better. 

It's not the best light for a photo shoot today. 

The design is enclosed in a black frame with a white mount.

I'm not sure if you'd be interested but if you are here's a clip from YouTube of  Steven Gerrard  (the Liverpool Captain) drawing the Liver bird on a 60 second challenge. I had such a giggle watching it.

I have to admit I didn't take 60 seconds to create mine.
Happy Birthday son

I also created a collage from some of the masses of his childhood photographs.
We now realise how much my son liked to dress up...not in a cross gender type of way, but just generally. Phewph...better make that clear!!!
I couldn't possibly post a photo of the collage because basically I'm going to keep the threat of doing that for as long as I can...it will keep me way ahead in the game of the blackmail stakes...MMMWWWWAAAhhhhhhaaaaa

Thanks for stopping by everyone...I hope you are having a great day.
Remember to make the most of it...it's a gift!

See you again soon I hope

Surprise, surprise....

Life throws up surprises when we least expect them. I experienced two in fact during last week....

One happened in my local veggie shop whilst I was debating the merits of broccoli against green beans...a little voice piped up nearby, "Can we have a cauliflower?" The question came from a little cutie to her mum. Imagine my surprise! I don't think I've ever heard a child ask for any vegetable in my whole life! EVER!

The mother just carried on as if it was the usual request...like so many kids passing the sweetie counter or by the checkouts when are defences are lowered trying to get through the trauma of queues, trolleys, and tantrums...or is that just me!

I wanted to run after the mum to congratulate her on a job well done, but resisted....it's probably the norm here with so much fresh local produce in abundance, so probably not a strange phenomenon at all. 

My second surprise although it shouldn't have been a surprise really with all the effort I've personally put into this particular project over the years. It was my son's 20th Birthday and he'd finally reached the staggering height of 6 foot!

Not such a feat for some I hear you say, but I'm only 5' 4" tall and my OH is only 5' 8" and a half!

The HALF is very important and has always been stressed ~ it must not be forgotten in the equation ~ ever!

My father stood over 6' 2" and although my siblings didn't bother to leave any of the height gene's for me, being the last of the litter, the runt, the baby, I didn't get a say in any of the distribution.

Since my son arrived it's been my ambition for him to take after my father. 

All my OH's family are vertically challenged (eek! I hope they won't mind me saying this, but it's true).

We've measured my son on every birthday since he arrived but unfortunately the door posts where the record is noted aren't situated in one location, they're distributed throught the world on various doorposts. 

I've cajoled, cooked up a storm, baked, placed him in the sun periodically, watered profusely and other than popping his feet into compost ~ because that would obviously have been misinterpreted as child abuse ~ I was willing to do whatever was needed to achieve our goal. 

I say our goal because my son wanted desperately to tower over his Dad and he's finally acheived it. Although he's just said when I mentioned this article that that wasn't exactly true because his Dad was the biggest guy around in his eyes...how special is that...especially when you're only 5' 8" and a half!

My son's had quite a week actually along with his birthday, saying goodbye to his teens, and also he's to start  a new job tomorrow. 

He's certainly walking tall just now! ;D

Happy Easter to you all....

Happy Easter to you all....
I'm hardly having the usual Easter weekend this year, with it being my son's birthday, house-hunting, and Anzac Day Celebrations all rolling into one.
I did want to bake Hot-cross buns (which would have been a first), but I never got round to it unfortunately. I did however, bake my son's favourite 'Chocolate and Vanilla Cake' as per his request  http://neesienatters.blogspot.com/2011/03/chocolate-and-vanilla-marble-cake.html
He's not actually had a bite so far due to having partying a little to enthusiastically with his pals!

Enough said... 

On a completely different tangent, here's a guest that just popped onto the decking to enjoy the beautiful sunshine this afternoon. It certainly looks like a Praying Mantis but correct me please if I'm wrong....

It was very strange the way he moved his head round to have a better look at us, whilst I was trying to get up close for the shot!

Maybe he was making sure I got his best side?

His body looked like a folded leaf and although I don't normally like these sorts of beasties, I must admit I had to admire him.

.....but I don't think I'll be wanting one for a pet....