Svelte Chicken Lives.... for bandy lipped smiles

9/7/2014

She is so beautiful, her smile so infectious, you know we are compatible as evidenced by the fun we have and how easy it is for each of us to make the other laugh.

It’s difficult to explain, there’s a laugh and smile that is the type of laugh that is at the point of being difficult to curtail, in my Darlings case this is the bandy lipped smile. (And never to be confused with the panda’s bum...)

The Light of my life has wonderful lips, as you can no doubt tell from the various pictures scattered about this blog, I will comment no more an how wonderful they look and feel (kiss kiss).

When my darling laughs her “I am finding this incredibly funny” type smile her lips all but disappear, stretching into a bandy lipped smile.

The other night she seemed obsessed that everyone had a fork with their dinner.

Daniel was asked first, eating his chips with his fingers “Dan, have you got a fork” “Pardon” “have you got a fork” repeated my Darling (Our kids seem to be selectively deaf, case in point, last night Dan was listening to his ipod with headphones on and little Em from across the room asked him in her normal inside voice, “ would you like a bowl of icecream?” Dan replied without looking up “yes please”)..... 

“HAVE YOU GOT A FORK? “....No headphones, No reply “Do you need to get a fork”? Eventually Dan said “yes I have a fork” in a what’s the big deal type of voice, and held up his fork as proof.

 That seemed to please my Darling, it seemed as long as we have a fork on standby for emergencies, perhaps an unexpected visitor, we can quickly switch to civilised cutlery wielding people and eat accordingly. 

About five minutes later, “Sam do you have a fork?” I looked at Samantha eating her burger, and back at my Love wondering what is she going on about? So I asked her “What’s the obsession with forks at the moment? Do you have a new job we should know about? Are you on commission?”

“Sam” I said, “have you got a fork, Daniel has, I have, do you”?

  “Yes” said Sam holding it up

“There, we all have forks” Bandy lips, a beautiful sight.  

Of course I am still not sure why forks were all of a sudden key to the burger and chips meal, my Darling also admitted later that she was also picking up her chips and not using her fork (assuming of course she had one, she didn’t after all hold it up for viewing and proof......)

Svelte Chicken Lives.... for his bandy lipped Darling

Svelte Chicken Lives.... for a boys day in

18/3/2014

Ok, so It’s Friday and my Darling and my flock of the fairer sex are going to be out on Saturday for the day.

Little EM is going to a girl guides camp cook thing to help someone prepare for a badge, and the Light of my life and Sam are going to take the opportunity to go shopping (shopping for things that boys don’t consider to be fun..).

 “Would you like to come?” asked my Darling.

“Shall we go shopping with mum, Daniel”? I enquired.

We both probably had a slightly glazed look in our eyes at the thought…..  “No Thanks”,  this sounds like the chance for a boys day in! Xbox, chippies, ginger beer and no girls.  Dan seemed almost as excited as I am.  Dan explained to Isis, “sorry, you’ll have to wait outside, no girls” That’s a bit harsh I thought, surely a dog is exempt?  

Anyway, part of the excitement for me is being able to have the sound level more than one click away from mute.  In fact, if the sound level could be half a click away from mute it would probably end up being set there.  I’m not suggesting I am getting old or having trouble hearing but let’s just say if I moved close enough to the TV to hear it, I would no longer be able to see it properly, it would be too close….  Yeah, we will be able to hear the game….

Boys day in tomorrow Dan….

Saturday arrived.  “Boys day in Dad” said Dan.

“Yes, I’m going to have a shower and then we can go and buy some chippies, ginger beer and a new game to play”

Now I’m all clean, and ready for the boys day in.  I go to the kitchen, ask my Darling “Where’s Dan” “he’s in the Lounge” was the reply. “Boys day in Dan” I said as I walked into the Lounge. Dan is folding washing into little piles. (You’ve got to love how my Darling likes to include everyone, there’s always a deal to be made)… Folding washing, not quite the start I was looking for…

The girls are now ready to leave, “Please get the washing in at lunchtime and put the oven on at 4.00pm so that it is ready for when I get home (to cook wedges etc. that my Darling would pick up on the way home)”. (Again, you’ve got to love how my Darling likes to include everyone, there’s always a deal to be made).   

Not quite the plan for a boys day in, washing + cooking. Yes I hear you dear reader, perfectly reasonable things to ask and not a big thing to do. However dear reader, if you do think this then you do not really understand a boys day in, it’s just not part of a boys day in.

We went to the shop, bought the boys day in goodies, we also bought the dinner stuff and a few extra bits so my Darling did not have to stop on the way home (Yes, I agree, very sensitive and  thoughtful).  We also bought two copies of plants v zombies garden warfare to play and went home.

Yeah, boys day in, Isis, you can stay inside.

“Daniel, set up the Xboxes for the oncoming excitement” I said.

We cracked open a bottle of ginger beer and sat down to play. “hang on a mo, I just need to ring mum”

“Hi, just wanted to let you know we have dinner items, there’s no need to stop on the way home” I said. “Are you having a good time?”

“Yes” said the Light of my life, I have just bought a cool handbag that’s not that expensive now but was before I bought it (something like that anyway). That’s good I said I’m pleased you are having fun, it’s just that it’s a boys day in, and we’ve already started by folding washing, we are primed to take washing in at lunch time (I have set the timer on the oven to remind me, you know when you are in the heat of battle….), we are going to heat the oven and start dinner, and now we are talking about hand bags……..

So there we are playing xbox, chippies half gone first bottle of ginger beer finished (we do love that stuff) and there’s a beeping in the distance. I don’t think that was my zombie making that noise… “Why’s the oven timer on?” asked Dan.

“Come on, let’s get the washing in.”

Yeah, boys day in……

Right that’s done, back to the gaming.

I’ve always fancied myself as a bit of a gamer. Whatever game we play, Dan is always better than me. Case in point, at the end of the day I finished on level 6 with 8 achievements, on plant v zombies, Dan level 9, with 9 achievements. It’s a rare occasion when I do manage to beat him at something.  I’ve been playing xbox since before he was born, what’s going on? Why is he so much better than I am? I use to be able to run rings around him, but now the reverse is true, ever since he mastered the controller he can run rings around me, I do believe he mastered the controller at about 5 years old….

Still, I really enjoy playing with him, and I like it more when he is on my side…..

Yeah, boys day in….

Svelte Chicken Lives.... for a little valentine's

15/2/2014

It’s the 14^th February again, Valentine’s day once again..

Now we’ve all done it. I know we have bought all sorts of presents, cards and flowers and given them to girlfriends/spouses or significant others.  Roses for example are just ridiculously priced on that day.

I know people who are my age (ahem, let’s not discuss that, I can’t cope with it) and are still buying roses, going out for dinner, jewellery etc. and making a big fuss. I can also see that they really enjoy it, so I agree for them it makes them happy so it’s a great day.  I know a lot of people who tend to think more along our lines as well.

My Darling and I are of the opinion that the day is not a big deal, we can’t believe how ridiculous prices get so we just sort of ignore it. It’s Valentine’s day every day for us. (I hope she really believes that and there isn’t a little princess within her rocking backwards and forwards sobbing “why won’t he buy me ridiculously expensive roses?”) is the “Every day is Valentines day” line the mantra of the unromantic and the cheapskate?  I hope not.

On the morning of the 14^th we woke up, rolled over in bed, and said to each other “happy Valentine’s day”, I stumbled out of bed and into the shower. I couldn’t even tell you if my Darling opened her eyes, I certainly didn’t.

At the aquarium that I work, I was told about a few Valentines’ day plans, “going out to lunch at Subway” (Pardon I initially thought, Subway?), she continued, “that’s where we first met….” Now that is Valentiney. Flowers, dinner plans etc. “ahhh young love (and some not so young love…).
I told them:
“My only regret was that I mistakenly filled my Darling’s card up with red and silver glitter, and now when I get home I have to do the vacuuming” I continued,
“in the card was a voucher for dinner and a voucher to stay the night in Wellington  at a fancy place”, very Valentiney everone was thinking. “My Darling was very excited, and when she is away, I am going to play xbox with Daniel”……

When I got home from work I made the Light of my life and I a cup of coffee and because it was such a lovely day outside we went into the garden to sit down to have a drink and a chat. Now that’s sort of Valentiney isn’t it? Yes it could be considered romantic, however, we do that quite often now days, especially in the weekend (assuming it’s a nice day) since we have done the garden up a bit and it is no longer depressing to be out there.  So perhaps it doesn’t meet the gesture requirements of the day?  We don’t do it once a year.

We were having a lovely moment together my Darling looked at me and asked me what I was thinking.
I said to her in my most thought provoking, soul searching voice combined with a look that matched,
“On this most romantic day of Valentines’, I have been watching you smile and realising that your happiness is possibly my main reason for being.  So I have been internalising a few thoughts and searching my soul to discover if there could be a way I could make your life any better or happier?”
I then received the most beautiful smile (perhaps that was my Valentine ’s Day pressie?) and the Light of my life said “there is nothing”.
SOOO I am a romantic after all and supremely Valentiney, I told my Darling “That’s good, that’s exactly what I got you for Valentines……”

Svelte Chicken Lives…. for making my Darling happy.

Svelte Chicken Lives... for a little hidden talent

25/1/2014

Today we decided to spend some time hitting a hockey ball around.

Angry Chicken thought it was a great idea and wanted to come.

Driving to Hockey…..

Angry Chicken spent the first few minutes in the dug out watching us..

Then decided to join in, Goalie, the only position he could try really..
Ready:

Determined:

The Shot:

Not enough oomph, technically a save, well done Angry Chicken! (Still, little Em didn’t want to knock the stuffing out of Angry Chicken)

In the wild…

A good time was had by all, little Em can really hit the ball well/hard with her new hockey stick. I am looking forward to the next hockey season.

Svelte Chicken Lives.... for our dark knight

14/1/2014

Because he’s the hero we deserve, but not the one we need right now…. So we’ll hunt him, because he can take it, because he’s not our hero, he’s a silent guardian. A watchful protector. An angry chicken…..


Happy Chicken….

Angry Chicken……..

The Dark Knight…….

After the Dark Knight……

A Watchful Protector……

Svelte Chicken Lives.... for a little bit of grinch

21/12/2013

Well just like that the Christmas tree is up, and yes, we listened to the same five songs while we were doing it, got to love the Christmas CD….

We have once again recoded the Christmas tree being decorated for prosperity, everyone is looking so much bigger.

In fact when we took our photo in front of the tree this year it is now completely blocked. Even the light of my life has been blocked by the kids standing in front of her, we need more thought and planning next year. Still, the tree looks magnificent once again, you’ll have to take my word for it.

This year we tried something different for the Christmas photo. I wanted to get a shot with everyone doing a grinch smile (a bigger version of a little shits smile, if you don’t know me, you will not understand this, I know Grandma does….). Sure, it’s nice to have a “normal” family photo, nicely posed, perfect smiles, me I like something a little bit different.

Sammy couldn’t get her mind (or her mouth for that matter) around it. My Darling got it, unfortunately you can’t see her. Sammy had the opposite of the desired grinch smile, a beautiful big smile. The whole attempt was a complete fail, but very funny.

We were recording the action on video in an attempt to get the perfect photo. We ended up with a very funny video, and a lot of blurry pictures (too much movement while laughing)

I must say Little Em is a natural, instantly into a beautiful grinch smile, held for rather a long time and coupled with a slightly creepy eyeball stare. (little Em really threw herself at the concept)
And here is Em
1,2,3 Grinch…..

Sammy as a grinch, I would have to say hopeless. Daniel I think has gone for a super hero pose, normally he is quite intelligent, really,  pathetic grinch Daniel…. My darling, would have had a beautiful grinch smile, but blocked by Sammy, next year I will either give my darling a leg up, or perhaps permit her to sit on top of the tree (she would make a fabulous Christmas angel)..
All in all we haven’t got the picture I was looking for yet so we may have to try again later, perhaps Christmas Day.

Here is the best shot we managed of all of us.

Doesn’t the tree look fantastic.
Merry Christmas.

Svelte Chicken Lives…. for a little grinch related laughter

Svelte Chicken Lives.... for Christmas lists

26/11/2013

It’s nearly that time again, yahoo, one month to go to the best dinner of the year….

Of course it means another year has almost gone by, which is a bit sad, still it’s nearly time for Christmas bacon and eggs with Grandma and Granddad for breakfast and a Christmas dinner and dessert later in the day. I am normally too full to really enjoy dessert though.

We normally have a glazed ham, which of course I am a major player in creating. (Don’t believe my Darling if she tries to convince you that all I have done is basted the ham once while cooking…..) and a big chicken cooked in beer and secret herbs and spices (I don’t cook the chicken….) The beer gives it a Christmas flavour (and that’s basically the only time we do this so that it is special). We also have lots of yummy veggies.  Everybody likes Chicken…..

On to the lists, it’s that time again and everyone is preparing their lists.
For the record, here is my current list in order of priority:
1) Happiness (Of course….)
2) Chippies (Burger rings + any other chippies I am not ordinarily allowed to eat)
3) shortbread biscuits iced and decorated by my lovely children (I like orange icing please…)
4) Spork (Don’t ask me why, I would like an orange one if possible please.)

5) bright socks (the brighter the better, you can’t after all have bright socks day on Sunday if you have no bright socks)
6) Sauces (especially hot chilli sauces)
7) A little soft squishy pillow (For resting my hand while playing xbox games, otherwise my hand gets a bit sore. yes it’s a bit pathetic I know. I would like a manly camouflaged pillow so that I no longer have to use little Em’s frilly pink heart)
8 ) A pack of ginger beer
9 ) A pack of chilli and lime coated cashew nuts
10) White chocolate
Sorted!