Animals, animals everywhere

Ever since K's bout of gastro and the knock on the head he has been a changed boy. Once an avid bather he now recoils from baths as if they were cobras (although, in fairness, this may have something to do with Chris forcing him into cold baths to bring down his temperature). Whereas he would run to the door with shrieks of delight when his father walked in the door, he now flees to my side like Bambi seeking the forest in hunting season. And where before he was a happy relaxed little boy he is now a boy with a mission; and that mission seems to be the re-enactment of The Dying Swan at LEAST 20 times a day. Let me tell you, tanty city is not fun, especially when you have to spring forward to catch the head before it hits the tiles. The eye is bad enough - another injury would have CYF's sniffing around here in 2 shakes of a rat's tail. Anyway, I had Dying Swan for most of yesterday - and by the time Bob the builder finished K was treated to the fastest dinner and bath of his life, before having Pamol spooned into his maw and being tucked into bed with a bottle of Horlicks (sssssh, don't tell anyone!). And then I headed off and showered and made dinner, and greeted Chris when he shambled through the door. A pleasant hour or two was spent playing on Farmville and then I headed off to bed.

Today Chris took the day off and we headed off to Western Springs at 8:45am. I cursed myself for forgetting my camera!! It was a gorgeous sunny day, with daffodils beginning to bloom and the mist burning off over the lake. There were chickens, and ducks, and pukeko's to be chased - and chased they were. We then moved more than 4 metres into the park!! Kieran found a goose and chased it into the undergrowth. The poor bird kept looking over its shoulder as it fled, in disbelief that K hadn't given up yet! We saw lots of cygnets -but only for the Black swans oddly enough. However there were some small greyish swans on the lake and I wondered if the white ones hatched a bit earlier? And we found lots more geese - and goslings too! K was enraptured. Swans swarmed around our ankles (note to self - next time bring bread!!) and dogs jogged by with their owners sending K into paroxysms of delight. We did a circuit of the lake and headed into the zoo. K was in 7th heaven!!! The zoo rocked - say no more. K especially liked the Macaw, which kicked up a hell of a racket - right in front of his face, and the African Grey - which was creeping down the mesh of the cage towards K's eager little fingers... we left, precipitiously. We finished up the zoo trip at the Gibbon's cage - and he gratified K immensely by howling and hooting up a storm. I had always thought all that noise was from a tribe of monkeys. No, just one little black one :)

Tomorrow is mainly music and I am thinking about walking there and back - we will see what the weather does....