Wednesday, October 26, 2011

It's just a question of style




We have no curtains. It turns out that the tenant, repeat: tenant, who lived here deemed it his right to sell all the existing window dressings and rods when he moved out. Thus, naked windows.
I have  been investigating the world of custom made curtains, or drapes depending on where you come from, and have chanced upon a delightful little firm in Manlius who are just as keen as anything to do business with 'someone who has such exquisite taste'. That's me, by the way; exquisite. So exquisite is my taste that when we received the quote from the 'designer' it turned out that i had chosen fabric from the top of the very top end of fabric manufacturers.
If we go with her quote, it would cost us almost the same amount to curtain the kitchen, dining room and sun room as it would to REPLACE ALL THE WINDOWS DOWNSTAIRS.
Now there's something to think about.

Monday, October 24, 2011

From Polliwog to Guppy

Clever old Finn! No longer deemed a Polliwog, he is about to enter the uber-impressive world of the Guppy. Confused? Everybody is. Including, it would seem, the people who book children in for their swimming lessons, for it is those of which we speak: swimming lessons.

When we first joined the Community Centre, we joined Preschool Level something-hopeless, which soon proved unsuitable for my boy and he was soon moved to Preschool Level something-more-appropriate. Then the Community Centre was no more. Alas! Not really, it is still here but is now the YMCA, yes Brits, just like in the snigger-inducing song. Now we no longer have  'Levels' into which our children are entered, they are now launched headlong into the truly more aquatic sounding groups of Eels, Polliwogs. Guppies and the suchlike, all far less confusing. Or is it? For indeed, who can tell at a single glance whether a Polliwog precedes an Eel or otherwise? Does a Guppy out swim a Minnow or not? Who knows? No one. And that, friends, is the problem. No one knows. And it is with much consulting of notes and phone calls to the Aquatic Director that the answers are sought. And sometimes even found.

Anyway. The swim lessons have just come to the end of their 6 week block, and Finn has been passed! He has left the world of the Polliwog behind and will now be swimming with the Guppies, which answers one of my questions at least. Good Job Finnster.

But there is a slight hitch, as ever. Because, you see, in order to be a Guppy, you have to be 5. 'Coz that's how old Guppies are. Finn on the other hand......... Tomorrow I have to seek out the aforementioned Director of Aquatics and ask her permission for Finn to be promoted to the next group (shoal?) To be fair, she let him become a Polliwog before the prescribed age, but who knows how it will turn out this time. Will Finn have to cool his heels with the Polliwogs for another 6 months or will he be released into the deep blue yonder?

I'll keep you posted.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

If you don't ask...


She was aiming for subtle but didn't feel she'd quite got it right.....


I popped into Endurance Monster, Skaneateles' new triathlon gear shop on Friday to have a butchers at their Fall running gear. Having selected a very attractive pair of fleece lined tights and a super warm dayglo-green long sleeved top (with hobo cuffs, a fashion must-have this season) I was ready to face the music at the cash register. I handed over my card and, bold as brass, I reassured the chap that it would be OK to give me a discount as it was my birthday (it actually was so no lying involved). When he stopped laughing, he handed me the slip to sign, and lo and behold, had knocked 10% off the total. It just goes to show, doesn't it? People, they're great.


To add to the Monster's utter greatness, these fab folks ran a series of mini-tris over the summer to help us poor deluded people train for the big event, and are now holding a series of runs and bike rides to keep us dellusionists in fine fettle over the winter. I am planning on running in the Monster Mash, a four mile race at the end of this month, and Finn may even try out the Monster Mash Dash, a short race for the kiddies. The money raised from these events will be donated to charity every year, going this year to the PARCS Playground Building Fund in memory of little Cameron Kenan who lost his life in the lake in July.

Good work, Monsters.

Mummy and Daddy by Finn

Saturday, October 8, 2011

Falling........










It's that time of year again. The beautiful one. Or the beautifuller one, depending on your point of view. The leaves are changing, there are pumpkins everywhere and the thermostat is dipping and rising fit to give any Mother a headache trying to decide what the little ones should be wearing.

 
Finn is playing Soccer this Fall. (Not to be confused with football, please.) He has taken to it like a kid who has never so much as caught a glimpse of the game before, and is clambering up yet another impossibly steep learning curve with aplomb. Bless him. He hasn't as yet complained about being cold at practice, despite his Mother turning him out in shorts every week, rain or not, and has been given his first proper talking to by the coach for pushing another player. She wasn't on the ball but she was on the other team (and yes, she was a she!).




He is back at pre-school for five afternoons a week this year and, after being disappointed that many of his friends have moved up to kinder garden, is busy making new ones. He is having a go at learning to read. I'll let you know who tires of that game first!

 
Meg is walking and (having a go at) talking. She is starting to replace some of her signs with words and noises but still finds that smiling at people is generally enough. She's very cute and still quite tiny, so smiling in her special girly way works wonders with most. Failing that, shouting or pinching her brother gets the message across.

 
 As lovely as these things are, they are a reflection of the passage of time, which can mean only one thing.

Winter is coming. Be very afraid.