Yesterday (Saturday) I went and bought Halo 3 so I'll play that during the week this week. Had a little look at it at about midnight last night, but I was too tired to concentrate. Spent most of the day yesterday doing stuff for the kids. Cleaned the pool. Cooked a sausage sizzle for my boys and their friends for lunch. Last night I went out for a light dinner and a few cocktails with one of my cousins. That was great. We have hardly seen each other this year, so I was happy.

Woke up this morning and the kids slept in till about 10am, so I've been playing around on here in between doing a bit of light housework that doesn't make too much noise.

Later today I think I might go for a swim since the pool is all sparkly.

Well, didn't I just give a loooong pause! That's what I get for not reading this thread all the time!

Our first night went as opening nights often do -- plenty of cast butterflies, nobody talking much about it, but ventral butterflies often translate into a good show because of the emotional energy. Attendance at the second performance was -- only one word for it: bad. We think it was a statistical blip, though perhaps Oxnard isn't famous for live theater so much as some of the artier towns around Ventura County. East county, Simi, Thousand Oaks -- are more known for theatah.

This weekend, the middle of the run, the cast was more relaxed and there was a more playful feel about the shows, I thought. It's a comedy, and we're starting to get slightly mischievous with some of our lines. This is mildly flustering the director, who like many many directors, is necessarily a control freak. This one's very hands-on, all the time. She's also an acting teacher and damned good at it, on the evidence: half the cast is elementary-school age and the bulk of these is third grade and under. In one case, well under. But she mostly doesn't have any lines, just looks cute, made up as a diminutive skunk, one of Rabbit's Friends-and-Relations. But the director is very good at getting the kids to stay focused without losing her temper -- though keeping the shrimps focused all through the show is another matter altogether.

So the older cast members divide their time between being "uncle" if not daddy or mommy (both cases are true) and "setting a good example." We find it advisable to beware of tails. Kanga and Roo costumes have huge ones.

We get autograph sessions after each show, and of course I'm signing myself "W O L."

being in plays is SO FUN! Hope you're having a great time UG!

I just got back from my friends place on a little lake in NEPA. About 50of us got together to raise his timber frame house. It is truly teh shit. I'll post pics if I get some emailed.

Tomorrow, I'll be getting my butt handed to me by old people with pointy metal sticks.

Just got done with the 6yo's birthday party. Castle-themed. 5-7:30. They made knight helmets -the pieces took a lot longer to cut out than I anticipated, so i didn't start decorating the cake until 7! was done at 7:15, though *phew* (thank goodness for the trend of putting themed toys onthe cakes instead of just icing them). 5 minutes to whip up some chocolate butter cream, dump it on, 4 plastic turrets, a knight, a horse, some swords, done. :D

Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeer!

Must post about the knight helmets in the parenting thread.

Good bike ride with my 5 year old boy. Seven miles. He's improving.

that's awesome. my nwely 6yo is about the only kid in his class who doesn't still use training wheels. He left them behind when he was 3 or 4.

I'm sure even just a few years ago, when my daughter was this age, most of her classmates did not still have training wheels. Have you noticed this at all?

Sad to say, the two reasons I hear most are "no time to teach them" and "too dangerous". What's the betting adult training wheels will soon be sold as the new busy modern person fitness must-have?

It was a beautiful day today, and he was the only kid I saw on a bike on those seven miles of bike paths. Lots of adults out though. Don't often see kids riding bikes around here. We don't even ride that much. We go for a ride once a month or so. When I was a kid, I lived on that bike.

But both kids are excited when we do go riding.

Sad that there aren't more... :(

When you were a kid, it was reasonably safe for you to jump on your bike and explore the world... conquer new frontiers. Now parents are more protective, more restrictive, of where their kids are, and what they are doing.

Getting ready to leave on a "road trip". Well, just going to Red Bank (chattanooga) for Football Playoffs. Hope we win. Anything is possible. I do, I do, I do believe in miracles.:)

Bruce, do you think it is less safe now than 20 or 40 years ago, or that there is just a higher perception of danger now?

Friday (tonight) Royal British Legion's poppy appeal night at the workingmen's club in my ward. Mmm...cheap beer, 1940s songs and red patterned carpet.

Saturday, am will be spent door-knocking with the MP and a couple of comrades. Afternoon and evening researching essays.

Sunday 9.30 am have to be at the Church in my ward for the remembrance day service. Afternoon and evening researching essays.

Tonight, beers with friends after work.
Tomorrow: nieces to the Bee Movie
Sunday: day at the 'rents per usual (and the home cookin' that goes with it)
Monday: off work for Veteran's Day.

Perhaps this should go under what's making you happy thread.

Sunday morning I'll be leaving for a work trip (that's two Sundays in a row), so Saturday I'll be taking down Halloween decorations and doing laundry. I'm spending most of next week in Couer d'Alene, Idaho.