Thinking with my hands

It's 2010.

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Harper) — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 22:55:00 +0000

Things I didn't think we'd (still) have in this, the Space Age:

3D glasses
Analogue watches
Wool underwear
Sunhats
Knickerbockers
Keys
Corsetry
Punks
Cancer and co.

Things I didn't expect

The web
Maori renaissance
Computers for preschoolers
No USSR
Bread machines, rice cookers, pasta makers, fruit dryers, popcorn makers...
The Urban Chook Fad
No monorail

Things I am up to.

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Harper) — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 08:48:00 +0000

Helping with PMP, reading, and shelving at school. Starting a Human Biology course, getting on with the rabbits, a lot of washing, some bicycling.

Optional extras.

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Harper) — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 06:48:00 +0000

By the way, you can see the girls and me in photos by Shannon).

On the joys of having bunnies in the family.

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Harper) — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 04:49:00 +0000

When we let the rabbits out of the hutch they binky about the garden, this move is a pure and infectious expression of joy.
Herbivores chomping away in the borders makes the cat and me feel at peace

If they are at peace then there are no threats to big tough us.
Our hunting-ground is happily full.

The cat also likes that they always cede him the higher ground, they seem to appreciate that he always cedes them the choice spots under things.
They show evidence of becoming happier to be held.
Rabbit poo is like goat poo; "almost appealing".*

* Holzwarth, Werner, The Story of the Little Mole who knew it was None of his Business, (Chrysalis Children's Books) 1994.

Pet rabbit links:

Kids and Rabbits http://www.rabbit.org/kids/
my favourite introductory text http://www.sandiegorabbits.org/adoption/colorbook.pdf

I needed to know rabbits can show joy before I would consider living with them and this vid did it for me http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1HkKN3Yl1o
There's a whole lot more communication stuff out there, my favourite is http://language.rabbitspeak.com/rabbittalk_intro.html

Sean found this article quite winning http://hubpages.com/hub/Yes--Your-Rabbit-Hates-You-How-To-Be-Friends-With-Your-Bunny

Too busy living.

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Harper) — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 20:45:00 +0000

I've not written because I've been enjoying the summer holidays. Hanging out with Hazel and Iris, Moab and Iris's rabbits Chickpea and Iggy Hop. It's been lovely, better get back to it as they'll be at school again in a week.

No, no! One of a kind!

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Harper) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 22:55:00 +0000

We had got out the door(!) and were about to walk down to the local cafe for brunch. Hazel spied the garage and suddenly wanted to scoot her scooter instead of walking. She needed to go back for scooting shoes, I was hungry, gave her the key and suggested she go and get the right shoes on and catch us up. Hazel wanted an adult to come with her to help find and put on the shoes, Sean went with her so to do. I suggested to Iris that we start walking, she was unwilling. I explained that they would catch us up, because they would be fast. Iris pointed out a rose with sunset coloured petals. We looked at the rose. Iris pointed out a soldier fly with black patches on its wings, we looked at the soldier fly. Iris asked why the leaves of our sycamore are much paler green than the leaves of the oak, I thought aloud about possible answers. Iris gazed thoughtfully at the sycamore and the oak. Iris heard movement at the house and informed me that they were coming, and we could wait for them. We waited. Hazel got her scooter and scooted off, zooming past us.

"Iris, Hazel is very fast on her scooter, that's why I wanted to start walking and said they would catch us up."

"Me wongked Hazel go firsk; me evil denius."

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Harper) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 21:03:00 +0000

I really miss being able to text my blog from my phone.

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Harper) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 22:53:00 +0000

Spring is springing, good luck to it.

One of a kind, oh yeah.

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Harper) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 11:06:00 +0000

Iris told Hazel and me that at the school talent show tomorrow she's going to sing a song she composed for the occasion:

One of a kind, one of a kind,

I think I'd really like to be

One of a kind, one of a kind,

I think I'd really love to be

One of a kind, one of a kind,

I think it would be nice to be

One of a kind, one of a kind ...

Hazel said "Oh, Iris! You are one of a kind; the best kind there is!"

I hope I'll be able to see it, but I was booked two weeks ago for lunch with my parents and visiting aunt and uncle from England so Mary, Orla, and Ewan will be there to cheer her on even if I come over the dutiful daughter and niece rather than the proud mother, and Hazel promised that she would be there too.

This little pig downloads old books.

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Harper) — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 08:38:00 +0000

Soon the internet will read me to sleep with Wind In The Willows. It's such a dear.

This little pig stays home.

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Harper) — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 08:08:00 +0000

Iris diagnosed with influenza, probably swine flu, this morning, Dr says Hazel probably has it too. This afternoon I went to sleep in the middle of a paragraph I was reading to Hazel, awoke to her telling me I was hot and when she took my temperature it was 38.5 (102ish). I'm such a joining-in kind of person.

Illiterate bookworms

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Harper) — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 10:04:00 +0000

Hazel and Iris have had fevers this week. Iris has watched movies (of books mostly; Winnie the Pooh, Narnia and Beatrix Potter come to mind). Hazel has been listening to books online, perhaps because she enjoyed some parts of The Stars are Comforting on the Concert Programme on the way home from Ultimate last week.

Hazel has listened to all the stories on the Radio New Zealand site that we could find (a bit difficult since the actual link to the Storytime Treasure Chest is broken at the moment). She watched and listened to all the Screen Actors' Guild people reading books at Storyline Online, it was felt that Sean Astin did as good a job as I do of A Bad Case Of Stripes, and that I could learn from his use of props. She has been listening to Storynory stories since, and creating her own illustrations (perhaps she's feeling a bit better, though she's certainly feeling a bit hotter).

I've also found http://www.kiddierecords.com/ and http://www.free-books.org/children.php and a whole lot more promising things appear with Googling for things like "free audiobooks children online".

Me, I like listening to The Wind in the Willows when I'm ill, and I still have my records of it, but I haven't yet got the USB turntable so that I can take it with me on my phone to listen to when waiting for things. However, it occurs to me that I could turn the recorder on my phone on when I'm reading to the kids and I'd get audiobooks of all their favourites: audience participation and all!

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Harper) — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 21:16:00 +0000

Got a new phone, haven't worked out how to text here from it yet. Had a nice time in Thailand.

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Harper) — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 12:23:00 +0000

It's all very well in theory, but not being very good at talking or going to the toilet is a humbling experience. The holiday in Thailand was great.

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Harper) — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 22:21:00 +0000

Interesting- recycle 7 is made from plants. Does it compost I wonder.

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Harper) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 20:08:00 +0000

We are not late.

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Harper) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 08:14:00 +0000

Hazel's turn to do the week's current event, she chose the death of Neda Agha-Soltani.

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Harper) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 08:04:00 +0000

My new dental applianthe will help no end with Tem'th lithp!

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Harper) — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 05:26:00 +0000

Dear Tooth-Fairy, I hope you want my tooth even though I am old and it is brown and black and yellow and red. Love, Susan

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Harper) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 22:00:00 +0000

Sean has the car, Hazel plans to swing through the trees like Verreaux's sifaka when we go out. Think she's feeling better.

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Harper) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 20:05:00 +0000

Hazel hibernating with plan to be well enough to make bread at school tomorrow. Iris boinging about.

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Harper) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 06:41:00 +0000

Kids still floppy, Hazel cough sounding wet, she's going to Dr tomorrow. Glad I don't have a job.

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Harper) — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 01:23:00 +0000

When O set up her pivot foot she put it where it would have been a straddle if D had moved 2nd. Not a travel or a straddle?

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Harper) — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 00:19:00 +0000

Croup... when Iris sounds like a seal her environment needs to be made wetter.

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Harper) — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 22:17:00 +0000

Hazel coughed all night, Iris had croup, both are coughing and limp today.