Monte Casino Bird Park

Had huge fun today at Monte Casino Bird Park with Taz, Dani and Q. Thank God for patient friends as I arrive an hour late. Always forget how long it takes to get the two of us ready. Glad we are diesel fueled and that I don't have to tether up ten oxen or coax a grouchy camel into a tad of a rushed trot across the veld.

Rush out at last having locked only to realise that Christopher is shoeless and sockless. Consider going out this way and then think that would just be cruel. (On that note- think of the renditions of The Old Lady who Lived in a SHoe, on the walls at Christopher's nursery school. I cannot tell you how funny they were. Better than any adult cartoons that I have seen in ages and that with no captions... the range of fearsome specimens that were the Old Lady made Godzilla look like Bambi. But I digress...)

Buy some bird syrup at entrance. Sit down for lunch. Christopher feeling anti-pram. Eat Boerewors roll with one hand while holding him on my lap. He has plate of chips and tomato sauce in his hair and just about everywhere else. Leave small heap of half eaten chip discards under the table and the tomato sauce lid perched decorously on top (which had also had a good suck).

First sighting of a peacock. Christopher is keen to get his grubby hands on it. Another little boy wails in fear. I am straining to hold Christopher back. I suggest that we all go and have a look at the Peacock together and laugh at Christopher, saying, "you really want to get your hands on that bird." "And eat it by the looks of things," the father of the other child comments. Christopher's eyes sparkle.

Try to put Christopher in pram. Oscar winning performance. I am grateful that I am surrounded by knowing parents who play deaf. Even more grateful that Q offers to push pram so I can hold Christopher.

Go into first bird cage and am shocked at all the empty food containers littering the entrance. We open ours and are mobbed by feathered ones. I am too slow in trying to prise the lid off my container and I cry with laughter as the bird on my hands tries to bite me viciously to show his displeasure at how slow I am- which doesn't add to my speed. Tamzin is covered with birds because she has managed to get hers open. One of her birds craps on my jeans. Thanks, you feathered little bird brain. I like these little bits of excrement to spice up my otherwise dull life. Christopher and Dani a bit overwhelmed by this lot. Now I understand the litter at the entrance- previous feeders obviously beat a hasty retreat. Food gone, the feathered ones go as quickly as they came- I try to reach out to one that a moment earlier was all too keen to get on my hand. I get the cold shoulder (and back) as he waddles off- turning only to eye me beadily with birdy distaste.

In the big aviary- the birds are remarkably tame and we have a visitor on Christopher's pram who seems quite content to stay with us even when we push the pram. I make the mistake of putting Christopher down to walk, stooping over him as he drags me along. There are shrieks when I try to disengage to straighten out my aching back. Junior's tastes venture to bundu bashing and the most direct route to the objects of his pursuit. Unfortunately with the Big Stupid One in tow- she is rather ungainly and tends to hinder progress when met with Christopher-high barriers. I cannot believe how strong he is as he saunters underneath them and tries with all his might to drag me along after him. Good thing we don't have to catch our dinner, mom. Cos with your contribution to this team effort, we'd starve.

After that we went to visit Tanya. Great timing as she was just getting freshly baked banana bread out of the oven. But that is not the only thing freshly baked as Tanya has recently found out that she also has a bun in the oven and is 6 weeks pregnant. So, Christopher does a full demo for her of How Moms Keep in Shape Dashing Around Friend's House After Pint-Sized Agent of Mayhem, Finger-in-Gadget Inserter, Wannabe-Finger-in-Plug-hole Inserter, Furniture Finger Painter, Decor Rearranger, I-Make-The-Energiser-Bunny-look-like-a-narcoleptic-sloth-on valium. I tell Tanya this is great. She seems to have a doubtful look in her eye.

I am not looking forward to this week ahead. A roller coaster week where one peek at my diary and I feel vertiginously dizzy. You know that feeling where you're sitting right at the top of a really steep descent and you know it is inevitable- there's no getting off till the end- you are Committed. But at end of week- Yay!!! Going to the hairdresser- this is a major pleasure in my life. Then to movies with Pat and Loren- which seems to be a tradition now- before Loren or I give birth (she is about to pop) we go to movies. Before I gave birth to Christopher- it was Sex in the City. With my Mother-in-Law. But despite graphic sex scenes- we both had a good laugh and I thoroughly enjoyed the movie. For some reason that escapes me now- I did not expect graphic sex scenes in Sex in the City.

Then after movies, James and I are off to a 40th birthday party- with an 80's theme at an Irish Club... Feels kinda weird that we are now going to 40th's! Feels even weirder knowing that your favourite 80's songs are now almost 30 years old...