When you're smiling...

The evolution of a smile. Not too sure at first, but as we're sporting our particularly groovy roboten t-shirt, it matters not. Then we put a little more effort into it, managing this rather coy look in the middle. Bubbling over into a full on wide mouthed frog. We're still working on a chuckle, which he seems to manage no problem when he's fast asleep. Hard to describe how disturbing it is, when you've just finished the 12 o'clock dream feed and the boy is fast asleep in your arms. Suddenly, his angelic visage changes as the demon takes possession and he lets out the truly weirdest larf "he he he he." Like he's just released Bond into the shark pool. Chilling.

B

Brother in arms

Ah bless, the two brothers together for the first time. Never mind big bro looks like he has a giant melonheed, it obviously proved amusing to little bro. With the arrival of Mamabear and Chucky, things got busy around these parts, but we all managed to cope pretty well and it was very nice to have all my sons under one roof. A mad week was had by all, which included the London Eye, Hever Castle, the Science Museum, Hamleys and er, Argos. The last proving to be the most exciting of all as it was where a shiny red PSP was purchased, much to the joy of Chuck.

I must admit to being pleasantly surprised by the Science Museum, which has finally managed to stagger into the 21st century with a load of very groovy interactive exhibits all centred around the intriguing question 'Who am I?' The disturbing image at the top is my haggard visage, retro-fitted to show me as a baby, though for my Mother's sake, I hope I didn't come out with a five o'clock shadow. Thermal imaging cameras, gene splicing, build your own hydrogen bomb, it was all there. A far cry from the wobbly plastic and ancient videos from the seventies that filled the place when I visited five years ago.

I also highly recommend Hever Castle if you have an over-active child, as they have fantastic gardens with two mazes, a lake and a very cool adventure playground, complete with what we Zimbabweans know fondly as a 'fufi slide.' (no, this isn't it, more of an example) The castle itself is bulging at the seams with medieval goodness and has the added 'horrible histories' factor of being Ann Boleyn's childhood country pad, before she went off with Henry VIII and got chopped.

Now, as we sink inexorably into the slough of despond that is Winter, while Chucky revels in the blossoming jacarandas and afternoon storms back in good old Pretoria, it's time to turn our sorry thorts to the fact that there are only 82 shopping days till Chrissie, huzzah! *sob*.

B

2, is the magic number

On entering the third hour of our inaugural journey to Manchester with young Tboy, having only just made it onto the M25 (and even then into a giant queue rather than actually going anywhere) we began to suspect all would not be well. Eight hours later, our suspicions were confirmed. Probably best not to dwell on the wailing and the lamentation and yes I am talking mostly about myself, though he did make his opinions on the Hammersmith road works, M25 congestion,  M1 road works, M6 accident that wasn't an accident and sundry queuing in a sodden nappy, very clearly felt. It was with a measure of relief that we arrived at SC/G's new gaff and a hearty chigger of Wolf Blass. Ta to the Holl'ster for the loan of her teen boudoir and to the little man for remaining remarkably composed, all things considered.

On Saturday, the G Posse assembled en masse for CG's second birthday, and as you can see above, our hostess took everything from posing artfully with bday cake, to looking swaive in a purple wig, well in her diminutive stride. This was the first gathering of all the grandchildren together under one roof, which was a photo-call if ever there was one. Alas, poor Tboy had no choice but to be ignominiously propped up in the corner by his Uncle M, but at least he was looking at the camera. We were fed supremely well and kept thoroughly entertained by our Social Events rep, SC/G; she's a good'n she is, a real keeper!

All too soon we were back on the road and another mammoth journey for our weary little soldier. Fortunately for us, Uncle D had versed us in the ways of 'shhpatting' and as soon as we heard any niggling, we immediately shhpatted all over him and he was off in the arms of Morpheus in no time. (This is a lie) Shhpatting is actually impossible to do without hyperventilating and passing out on top of your child, so while you may utilize it as a method of putting yourself to sleep, the jury is still out as to its efficacy in lulling a child into slumber. So stick that in your shhpat n' smoke it, Child Whisperer!

B   

 

Six week smile?

Yes well, unfortunately, said smile seems to be in response to some dark and devious somnolent thought. We've yet to see any reaction to Papa's inane gurning, though newbie that I am, I continue to be fooled by the smile/defecate interface. We continue then, to receive the Soulseeker Stare (tm) that seems to look into your primal core and find it wanting. Technically, tomorrow is six weeks, so he has a day to perfect his finest smirk, before Daddy turns his gurning dial up to Full Idiot.

Sadly, poor wean has succumbed to a nasty chest infection, care of some unknown entity (JG coffcoffcoff!) leaving him with the kind of bronchial hack one normally associates with a fifty-a-day Woodbine habit. This has added to his already exotic and extensive repertoire of alien, animal and indeed, alien animal noises with which he regales us throughout the night. I should build a hide out of muslin and soiled diapers in the corner of the room and observe him undetected, but that would be silly, not to mention deeply unpleasant.

Next week we will attempt our first cross country sojourn mit baby, to introduce him to his cousins. I am confidant this will all go without a hitch, no really!

B

Toboy

Finally, a suitable replacement for those endless kitteh shots, endless Toby shots! Billsworth comes alive again in the interests of showcasing this marvel of modern science, the incredible Frozen Boy. Gasp in wonder as he fires radio active matter from his nether regions. Gaze in awe at his unwavering Frosty Stare (tm). Try helplessly to resist making silly cooing 'aaah' noises when you lay eyes on his ickle pretty mouth. Reel in horror when said mouth regurgitates a boobful of Mother's Own Cottage Cheese (patent pending) all down your neck.

No matter. The little man, he is most lovely. I will only send him down the mines if I find myself suddenly out of wor...oh yeah.

B

Welleh wan tu

Aah dahlings! Mwah to you all from London Fashion Week and the Spring Collection of Nathan Jenden, former CD for DVF and more famously, Events Queen's brother-in-law. One has so little time between visiting the job centre, playing badminton and baking cakes, but one just had to attend this 'eminently wearable' show, as the bloggerati described it. I know being wearable isn't that high on the list of 'things to be' at your average haute couture showing, but judging by the ooh/aaah level, there was a lot in this collection that EQ would quite happily have run off with. I hadn't realised though, just how much of a cattle market these events were. As soon as the last tribal house beat faded out and our erstwhile designer had popped his head out the back for some love, the crowd(TM) made a crazed dash for the exits and the next showing of megabucks flimflammery across town. What a crowd though, every possible pret-a-porter cliche was there in full effect. Skinny jeaned, big scarved fashion students with sticky-uppy hair, wannabe - zero models and fawning clothes fans hoping to touch the hem of DVF's frock as she swished by. Sadly for them, DVF wasn't actually wearing any form of hem, but was instead working a hideous pair of burnt orange, leopard print leggings. Tres fashionable but so much harder to surreptitiously fondle. After a mwah frenzy backstage, we headed off to a local and one too many bottles of Chilean plonk.

After this action packed day, you'd think a rest would be in order, but no, it was off to the Manchester Massive for the weekend, via a fleeting pitstop in the 'Pool. Good to se Le Sonje so soon after her departure for Copers and what better way to celebrate our reunion, than with a night of African Soul rebellion. The Liverpool Philharmonic Hall has a sort of dilapidated seventies kitsch feel to it which conjured up disturbing flashbacks of the Bulawayo Philharmonic Hall and smoking dope in the rafters with friend Helmut, just before he went on to do his slightly erratic trumpet solo. As Loved One and I had spent most of the day driving, we struggled to maintain interest in any of the performances, least of all the Khalahari Surfers who hadn't received the memo that Neslon had been set free a while ago and actually, things were progressing quite a bit in SA so cheer up and play a real tune.

No rest for the pregnant though and we were up with the larks and off to Altrincham and the first of many familial stopovers. Lovely to see y'all again, I really think we need to try stretch these visits over at least four days, we're visiting for two now y'know.

W

The gaudy seed-bearer strikes again

Not often you get to look at your baby as a bunch of cells, but here we have Grandnegie 2.0 (or Carnage 2.0, whichever you deem more appropriate) as both a wee blastocyst and a more progressive, yet still rather insubstantial 12 week old. Mother and child are in fine fettle (whatever that may be) and father to be is trying not to panic.

Aaaaaaaah panic!

B

Eat this 2010

The year is barely born but we're not going to succumb to subzero temperatures and the January Blues. It takes more than a head cold and unemployment to keep us down, oh yes. To the Russian Bar then in Darkest Dalston, top secret late night techno pit. There's little threat of anyone actually being there to hear us play, but in stark contrast to DJ Sonje's measly two CDs, I have brought enough music to play out the next Millennium. Nervous, Moi? OK yes, I'm a little bruised from the last time I played, over a year ago, when a very drunken man screamed 'what the f**k is this shit' in my face. Who knew the crowd wanted 70's disco rather than modeselektor, who knew? So it is with minor trepidation that I head out with Sonje, not helped at all by her super efficient two CD selection.

True to form tho, there is but a lone table of people in the whole place and a man behind the decks whom we later ascertain is some sort of manager, laying down some ersatz house hell. Our hosts, authentic, real and indeed, genuine DJ chappies Simon n' Matt from We make music, manage to hoof DJ Dire off the decks and Sonje steps up. By this time a small posse of Dalstonites have gathered and golly but I'm actually starting to relax and dare I say it, have fun. Sonje beats the crowdette with some hardy bangers, despite being thrown into the deep end somewhat with having to navigate the technological minefield that is the CDJ 1000. Bolstered with the confidence that only comes from playing in front of friends (and the odd lager) I tag her and take up arms. It is here that a curious thing happens. With the degree of total control the 1000s give you, you really needn't worry about such trivial things as beat matching, they do it all for you. For the first time in years, I can concentrate on the tunes. I'm racking things up well ahead of time, I'm playing things I've never played before - bejabbers, I'm enjoying myself and people are whooping! Granted it's just Margo L whooping, but I care not, a whoop's a whoop. This is the best set I've played possibly ever, and I'm wired to the gills when Matt eventually prises my fingers from the decks and I step down.

Simon and Matt play brilliantly of course and I'm humbled by Simon's mastery of the machinery. That said, I'm really not concerned that I'm not looping madly and filtering and utilising the multiple effects and tricks that the 1000s are capable of. It's about the banging, it always has been.

B

Christmastising - Part 2

Chrissie Day, Callooh, callay! Mr and Mrs. Le Grandbutte have been tasked with preparing the Christmas feast according to some ancient tradition that I dare not question. In an act of low cunning, the ham ladies cook the ham the day before and leave it strategically placed next to the pre-prepared turkey, complete with virtually identical tin foil covering. As it was now about -4 outside, the boot of the Freelander had taken on duties as an outdoor larder and this was where both ham and turkey had been stored. It's -4 then, maybe even less at six in the morning when chrissie cooking began. You're not going to linger are you? You're going to grab the nearest tin foil covered roasting tin and head for the house as quickly as possible. After two hours in what was admittedly a rather luke warm oven, the ham was unceremoniously removed and replaced with the turkey and lunch was back on track.

As Santa ( the real one, not that perverted tramp from the train) had made an appearance the night before (some of my finest work!) the living room was chocka with pressies and our junior citizens were near frenzied with joy. After some hand-to-hand combat, teen queen joined the pressie line and one by one, the youth were led in to fall upon the gleaming boxes with rabid delight. Lunch kicked off at around four, which is pretty standard Christmas Day eating time as far as I'm concerned, and it was indeed, most delicious. That evening we had some remarkably underwhelming fireworks and tried to float a few Chinese lanterns. Not something that should be attempted in either sub-zero temperatures or a heavily wooded area, or both. Having been elected Entertainments Reps, Loved One and I had purchased Britain's Got Talent - the board game, in a moment of desperation. God bless 'em though, the whole family dived in with remarkable enthusiasm and very little discernible talent, and much larffter and bad dancing ensued. (Apologies to Mick Jagger)

Boxing Day saw a select few take to the hills for a brisk walk and a cheeky pint at a handy freehouse that popped up out of nowhere. The entertainments team had managed to convince various naysayers in the crowd that a murder mystery was the way to go for the last evening's frivolity. True to form, all dressed up brilliantly and despite my own secret reservations, the whole thing was thoroughly enjoyable. I may of course have immersed myself a little too deeply in the role of demented Gestapo agent, Otto von Pinkwurst, but you know, you can take the boy out of the theatre etc.

So there you have it, Chrissie 09. Many thanks must go to KG and JG senior for their near mythical spreadsheet skills, DG for his outstanding role as Head of Cheese and to everyone else for cooking and drinking and larffing it up good. Happy New Year to all!

B

Christmastising Part 1

It seems like a dim distant memory now, but Christmas did actually take place, and I was actually there. As mentioned before, the so-called festive season occupies its own unique niche in the time/space continuum; managing to simultaneously be interminably plodding and over in a flash.

Our arrival in Derbyshire and Turpins Cottage was relatively painless thanks to the marvel of GPS and clear roads. While a lot of snow had fallen, this was hardly the arctic blizzard predicted by the met office doomsayers, who said we wouldn't get two metres past our front door. The Le Grandbutte Massive were almost in full effect but for lower middle sibling and family. After tottering up some lethal snowbound stairs, we were welcomed into the bosom of the hearth and fed a sumptuous ahem, Chinese takeaway. Our ground floor room was a double-edged sword; far from the madding crowd and with its own en-suite ablutions, but with only a wall of glass between us and the increasingly frigid night air. Sleeping in your dressing gown and scarf might seem fun if you're five years old but loses its appeal when one hits forty. We survived the night but had no choice but to procure a heater if we were to make it through the next five days with all our extremities intact.

With the arrival of lower middle son the next morning our party was complete - 11 adults, check. 1 teen, moody, check. 3 kinders, off their heads with excitement, check. 3 infants, cute, check, and one jaunty Labrador - Christmas could officially begin. Actually, with the arrival of Sainburys, Christmas could officially begin, bringing as they did most of the food and booze right to our door. As we were first up for cooking duties, we had armed ourselves the week before with smoked keilbasa and cannellini beans to create our state of the art Polish Sausage stew, famous throughout the, er, room. No mean feat cooking for the ravenous hordes, though fortunately the three under twos weren't exactly sausage fans and left us enough for seconds.

Day three was one of those days that slipped in time.I recall very tasty spag bog for dinner and that's about it. Some went walking, some went sledging, some went shopping, some had another Boddingtons, perhaps that some was me.

Day four and Chrissie Eve huzzah! As one of our junior members was fixated with trains, the entire clan had been booked aboard the Santa Express, leaving from the appropriately named station of Butterley. The Thomas rip-off you see above was our iron steed, and despite some blind leading the blind navigation, we managed to make it in time...for the session after the one we were booked for. No matter, we're here now, let's not hurl abuse at DG for his inability to read a very large sign that the rest of us saw, all aboard, let the magic begin! Hmmm, someone appeared to have left the magic at home as we clambered onto this dilapidated throwback to a bygone era and made our way to the front carriage. (by the bar, naturally) The old girl wheezed into life and crawled out of the station as we sipped our complimentary Baileys dinkies and gummed our complementary Iceland mince pies. Never mind, soon we'd be flying down the tracks, marvelling at the glorious winter wonderland flashing past our windows, reveling in the glory of this noble engine's steam powered majes... oh, we appear to have stopped about 2 minutes outside the station, curious. After some furtive banging and clanging, we saw Thomas chuffing past us in the other direction and came to the sad conclusion that this was the sum total of the Santa Express. A plod four hundred metres out of one end of the station, an uncoupling, recoupling, then a short run out the other end of the station, woo and indeed, hoo. Neeeeverrrr mindddd, there was still a visit to Santa, hurrah, huzzah! OK kids, are you ready to see Santa? Here he is!! Yes, he smells a little like Old Speckled Hen, chip fat and the bitter stench of despair, but it's Santa! I say Santa, shouldn't you have the wee kiddie on your knee and not his Mother? Steady on Santa old boy, that's my wife. Oi Santa, do you want a punch in the..gerrorf...oof.. get himm...ouch...smack.

After a jolly visit with Santa on his marvelous express, we head back through the snow for Chrissie eve, delicious Beef Casserole and a rousing game of trivial pursuit. This game dwells in that same slow, terminally dull part of time/space In fact, it rules it with a leaden, ponderous fist. After three years in the Trivialpersuitosphere, we eventually escape and hit the fridge, our brains numb with trivia. To be continued...