mouse's mouse

*pounce*
S9 and M5 aka Mickey Mouse have just rescued this little field mouse from The Lucy-Cat.
M5 would love to have it as a pet, but after a few minutes of mouse-running-up-our-arms-and-leaving-little-messes, we all decided to set it free: back to its home in the field-over-the-back-fence, while we distracted Lucy with cat-food, from a box.

*ALACAZAM!*

yep, The Biannual Garden Gnome Strikes Again!!!!!
i have been procrastinating this for oh, about four weeks:
so today while Bulldog sat on the deck in the sunshine wrapped in a nana blanket reading his mountain of paper University Literature and offering such encouraging phrases as: "Nice view from here!... Go Action Man!... Super Woman!" as he basked in the afterglow of Freshly Mown Lawns (like my friend Suz says, "There's nothing like a man who's just mown his lawns.") i uncovered the rhubarb, a basil bush (not Basil Brush... silly!!), some rosemary (i almost pulled it out but noticed the little sign just in time), the old parsley plant which may recover itself, a soccer ball (just checking you're still reading), and two of the six silverbeets i popped in to the soil midsummer.

*ALACAZAM!*
oooh la la, Voilà!!!!! (woah, lookit!!!!) i got rained off twice but DO I WIN TODAY'S PRIZE FOR PERSEVERANCE or *what*?? heck, it's not even like Mum and Dad are coming for the weekend (actually, when *are* ya coming down again? i am really needing someone to show off my newly weeded garden to missing you).

and during one of the rained-off moments, M6 had a wee request for a Secret Diary.
no problem.
in true Whip Up Tradition we found an old pair of fave *mickey mouse* boxer shorts
and *ALACAZAM!* a Secret Diary, complete with Secret Latch *and* Secret Name Tag.

number five is alive!!!

Hello *five* boy!!! You are wearing a shiny blue *birthday boy* badge today, which you found when you raced into our bedroom at the crack of dawn this morning, and we produced a wee stack of stuff for you, which had been resting on our headboard all night. I love that family tradition, just like when I was a wee girl: all the family, woken and gathered on our bed, singing *the song* and watching the birthday boy gleefully tearing paper, and loving the moment.

Today, I thought I'd tell you the little story from when you were just a twinkle in your Daddy's eye. I had lost a baby, and was still grieving a year later... and then, I had a "moment", when I felt that it would be ok to try for one more baby. I had this "idea" that you would be born in the October. I had prayed, actually, because Daddy was unsure about having more babies, but to my delight, he agreed... and so I spent the best part of a year growing you in my tummy. Your other brothers and your sister were so helpful: I lay on the couch most of that year, and they all ran the house around me (and they ran around the house lots too!!). They were so understanding. and finally the day came when you arrived. The last day of October.
*grin*
Daddy and Auntie Doozie delivered you in the lounge of our little house, after only 55 minutes of my labour. You were in quite a hurry to see the world!! and, just like each of your siblings, you have taught us so much about life and loving.

Finally, the tshirt which Granny and GD gave you two Christmases ago is true:
You are number *5* !!!
Happy Birthday, Mickey Mouse.