Southerly by David Haywood

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Southerly: For Those in Need of Sleep

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  • Judi Lapsley Miller,

    Definitely a mouse with those ears!

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 106 posts Report Reply

  • Deborah,

    now that my life has descended into a nightmare of sleep-deprivation, endless screaming, projectile-defecation, and other practices normally prohibited by the Geneva convention.

    Yes, parenthood is quite gruelling.

    We have been there. All of it. But we had projectile vomiting too. Right across the kitchen - very impressive.

    It passes. It all passes. These days, butter wouldn't melt in her mouth.

    Hang in there. It will get better. Initially at 6 weeks. Then better again at 3 months. Then again at 9 months, and every three months thereafter.

    However, at this stage we can't vouch for what happens after the age of 9 (years, that is).

    New Lynn • Since Nov 2006 • 1447 posts Report Reply

  • David Hamilton,

    "Well," replied Creon, "I seem to be stuck with Thomas Pynchon and Mason & Dixon." He thought for a moment, and then added: "So it goes."

    This made me laugh out loud - something the internet almost never achieves. Brilliant.

    Hamiltron • Since Nov 2006 • 111 posts Report Reply

  • Stephen Judd,

    However, at this stage we can't vouch for what happens after the age of 9 (years, that is).

    Perhaps I'm just an old soppy, but I was always bewildered by people who would enquire how old my daughter was, be told, and then reply "x is such a good age, isn't it?"

    Every age is a good age. Really. And the older they get, the quicker those ages pass. Unfortunately that's something you can only appreciate after it has happened.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 3122 posts Report Reply

  • Robyn Gallagher,

    A mouse. You're obviously too sleep deprived to think straight. Have another look in 18 years and it ought to be obvious.

    Since Nov 2006 • 1946 posts Report Reply

  • JP Hansen,

    First child, huh? By the 3rd pregnancy generally the odd piece of Brie can be consumed guilt free. It's all pasteurised in NZ anyway...

    And it's a mouse. A rabbit would have teeth. And long ears. And be greyer. And perhaps have longer hind legs.

    Waitakere • Since Nov 2006 • 206 posts Report Reply

  • JP Hansen,

    ^ Oh , and no disrespect meant with the first comment - I now see you had a very stressful pregnancy. So did we, a month in hospital for the 1st baby with us living on the other side of town, no contact with the baby for the first 10 days, wife & baby lucky to both survive the pregnancy (__HELLP syndrome__)... but it usually gets easier with the next one(s), with or without a nibble of soft cheese... ;-)

    Waitakere • Since Nov 2006 • 206 posts Report Reply

  • Andrew Stevenson,

    Its a mouse

    A thing you need to be careful of, but no one tells you, is to consider what toys to supply your child with. Sure, they look cute with the four foot mouse/rabbit/thing and other hangers on.
    But down the track when they're a blubbering writhing mess screaming they must have all the toys and you are trying to pack for a trip, or even fit them all in the bed at night, you will be cursing.
    Make sure they are small (see above), colourful (easy to spot against furnishings - like hi viz jackets, a lost favourite toy is a traumatic for all) machine washable and dryer safe (accidents will happen)

    My wife's first meals post delivery were soft cheeses, pate, sushi, shrimp, smoked fish and just about everything on the warning list for pregnent women.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 206 posts Report Reply

  • Don Christie,

    "So it goes."

    It also crossed my mind that the chorus of Agamemnon might have said something similar. Sleepy end of week connections.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1645 posts Report Reply

  • Don Christie,

    that should of course read Antigone, not Agamemnon, duh.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1645 posts Report Reply

  • Deborah,

    that should of course read Antigone, not Agamemnon, duh.

    Lucky you corrected that yourself, Don. Otherwise the rest of us would have been sitting around saying, "Gosh. That Don Christie can't be very well educated. Fancy not knowing your Antigone from your Agamemnon." ;-)

    New Lynn • Since Nov 2006 • 1447 posts Report Reply

  • Emma Hart,

    These days, butter wouldn't melt in her mouth.

    People say that, and yet, have you tried? Because it does. In my experience, eight year olds enjoy both the testing process, and the horrified look on Grandma's face.

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2006 • 4651 posts Report Reply

  • Evan Yates,

    Fancy not knowing your Antigone from your Agamemnon

    How gauche!!

    Every one knows that Antigone should only be served before luncheon (preferably on thin slices of toast). On the other hand, Agamemnon is crying out to be drizzled on a nice thick steak to bring out the flavour.

    I get my Agamemnon ( done in interestingly shaped old bottles) from an ageing hippy on the Coromandel who has built his own Memnon press from old tractor parts.

    Hamiltron, Te Ika-a-Māui • Since Nov 2006 • 197 posts Report Reply

  • Tony Kennedy,

    It an elephant disguised as a mouse.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 225 posts Report Reply

  • Don Christie,

    :-) glad to have been of service. It was Dr. Creon that triggered this whole burst of pomposity.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1645 posts Report Reply

  • Jeremy Andrew,

    Yes, but where can you find good Antigone at this time of year in Hamilton, the Farmers' Market doesn't seem to have any.
    I tried growing my own, but the family wouldn't eat it once they'd given it a name.

    Hamiltron - City of the F… • Since Nov 2006 • 900 posts Report Reply

  • rodgerd,

    Every age is a good age. Really. And the older they get, the quicker those ages pass. Unfortunately that's something you can only appreciate after it has happened.

    The best bit of prenting advice we got - from numerous sources - that turned out to be completely correct was to enjoy the now. People would explain how often they, themselves had been impatient for the "next stage", only to disocver they missed the last one, and felt they hadn't enjoyed themselves enough during it.

    I was delighted when my daugter was old enough to greet me with paroxyms of joy when I got home from work - but I also miss the time during the first couple of months of her life when the most magical thing in her little life was Daddy's big, strong, safe chest. Apart from hunger there was no upset, no hurt, no distress that could not be cured by snuggling on down on Daddy. Her increasing complexity comes with many delights - the beginnings of speech, playing with drums and maracas, learning to enjoy the company of others, being excited by books and reading time - but I'm a little sad that complexity also means her needs and wants are no longer so heartwarmingly easy to satisfy.

    And after that, obligatory funny.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 512 posts Report Reply

  • Evan Yates,

    Yes, but where can you find good Antigone at this time of year in Hamilton, the Farmers' Market doesn't seem to have any.

    The best organic Antigone is to be found in the warmer climates of the Far North. However the recent floods in Kerikeri seem to have wiped out this year's crop. We might be reduced to importing inferior product grown in the hotter parts of Europe. (Don't touch the stuff from China!)

    Hamiltron, Te Ika-a-Māui • Since Nov 2006 • 197 posts Report Reply

  • Andrew Paul Wood,

    I find you can generally substitute home-grown sun-dried Medeas for Antigone - if you cut them up finely enough. But I'm not a snob about my Hippolytus - I buy that at the supermarket like everyone else, pesticides be damned! Oh, and don't make the mistake I did. Peel your Oedipus first.

    Christchurch • Since Jan 2007 • 175 posts Report Reply

  • Stephen Judd,

    Otherwise your Oedipus will be terrible, so bad that the very smell will cause passing car drivers' feet to swell and spasm on the accelerator and crash their vehicle, leading to the well known problem of Oedipus wrecks.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 3122 posts Report Reply

  • Kyle Matthews,

    Otherwise your Oedipus will be terrible, so bad that the very smell will cause passing car drivers' feet to swell and spasm on the accelerator and crash their vehicle, leading to the well known problem of Oedipus wrecks.

    Oh look. Now you're just being silly.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • Andrew Paul Wood,

    And quite possibly killing your father, marrying your mother, and becoming surprisingly good at riddles.

    Christchurch • Since Jan 2007 • 175 posts Report Reply

  • Lee Wilkinson,

    While we are at it....
    Oedipus, call your mother!

    Whangarei Heads • Since Nov 2006 • 45 posts Report Reply

  • David Haywood,

    Deborah wrote:

    It passes. It all passes.

    I certainly hope it does! All ages may be good ages, but I am not so keen on the age of screaming and projectile-defecation. Although, it has to be said, what a shame we can't compare your child's projectile-vomiting with Bob-the-baby's projectile-defecation. During nappy change last night he managed a magnificent fountain right across the room. The spray of diarrhoea was eventually halted by our wallpaper and chest of drawers, but it was still climbing, and I reckon it could have made at least 3 or 4 metres uninhibited. It was like something from The Exorcist.

    rodgerd wrote:

    ... enjoy the now.

    Dude, we'll do our best... (but see above)

    Andrew Stevenson:

    Thank for the sensible suggestions RE: toys, Andrew -- I shall keep that firmly in mind...

    Tony Kennedy wrote:

    It an elephant disguised as a mouse.

    Have you special psychic powers -- or are you just familiar with the programme's more surreal moments?

    RE: the important question of Die Maus vs. Das Kaninchen

    Okay, I wasn't suggesting it was an naturalistic representation of a rabbit (__Kaninchen__). More of a stylized rabbit with, admittedly, some mouse-like qualities. All I can say is that it was eating a carrot in the programme that I saw (see my original blog on the topic) and if that isn't enough proof for you than I pity your lack of deductive capacity. Clearly, two + two = Rabbit, in this case.

    Final note:

    Hey, isn't anyone else stunned by the Ayres & Warr paper? Isn't it remarkable that:

    ... "Technical progress" -- as defined by the Solow residual -- is almost entirely explained by historical improvements in exergy conversion (to physical work)... at least until recent times.

    It seems to me that this has profound implications for our economy, i.e. that we can achieve significant economic growth by investing in technology that has a higher exergy conversion efficiency -- something that there is massive scope for in this country. It also raises the question as to whether economic growth, etc. could be managed by controlling the flow of energy within the economy, e.g. by having something like an 'energy reserve bank'.

    Is anyone else even slightly interested in this?

    P.S. 'Oedipus wrecks' is pretty close to genius, Stephen.

    Dunsandel • Since Nov 2006 • 1156 posts Report Reply

  • Andrew Paul Wood,

    As Alan Rickman put it Die Hard, "Ah, the benefits of a classical education."

    Christchurch • Since Jan 2007 • 175 posts Report Reply

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