My bonnie child

There is a Barney Show coming to town.  I had seen the posters up and had attempted to take preemptive evasive action.  Think driving 4km's further en-route to our destination to avoid the street littered with the purple monster.  But the posters.  are.  everywhere.  And my daughter has eyes like a hawk.  She can always be relied on to eye-spy something that I had hidden away.

And so she noticed the one lone poster on the streetpole that I was unable to avoid.  

Our conversation went like this:

Jesse:  "Please Mommy, sing the Barney song for me?" Me:  "How does it go, Jesse?" Jesse sings, "My Barney lies over the ocean... My Barney lies over the sea... Oh bring back my Barney to me!" 

Wahahahaha! She's hilarious!

Of stories and namings

We have a routine that we stick to in the evenings with Jesse-Lee:

Supper.  Bath.  Bed.  Bedtime Story.  Lights Out.  Two songs.  Kiss.  Hug.  Happy.

That way, she gets her 10 hours of sleep, and we get our 10 hours of peace.  In which I do my happy dance pull on my stretchy pants and raid the pantry cupboard, eating all manner of treats that we don't usually allow Jesse to eat.  

It's a win-win situation really.

Long before bedtime she already starts asking which story I'll be reading to her that evening. I love to surprise Jesse with new and amazing stories that will set her imagination alight and pull her into dreamland thinking happy thoughts.

The night before last was no different to our norm.  The bedtime story was new to Jesse (the one where Jesus raises Jairus's daughter from the dead).  When we got to the end of the story, there was a picture of Jairus and his wife hugging their daughter, while Jesus looks on.  Jesse immediately piped up and asked, "Mommy, what is the little girl's mommy's name?"  I answered that I didn't know.  Upon which she stated categorically:  "Well, I think it should be Strawberry Deck."

I shudder to think what my grandchildren will be named one day.

Thankfully that's at least 52 years in the future.

I'm nothing if not optimistic, y'all.

If I won the Lottery

On invitation by my buddy Jo, I'm joining in the wishful thinking.  A day late, but never one to be daunted by frivolous things, like, oh, punctuality, I'm hopping on the band wagon.  It's the first time I'm linking up for one of these things, so hang on to your seats.  [An old dog CAN learn new tricks!]

If I won the lottery... *sigh!* ... I'd:-

1.  Kill the debt monster.  It's been a looong time coming.

2.  Buy myself any of Sarah Richardson's houses.  I have SUCH a design crush on Sarah Richardson and her sidekick Tommy.  But this design is my favourite:

(Sarah's Farm)

(Sarah's Cottage)

3.  

Next, I'd buy my parents this little house on the beach in Cape St Francis.

4.

And new cars for the whole family!  No more oil leaks, mechanics, being taken for a ride, etc.  [I'm pretty sure just thinking of this conjures up choirs of angels singing Hallelujah!]

5.  

Go on holiday here:

Don't have a CLUE where that is, but who says I can't go around the world in search of this place?

6.  
Set up a trust fund for Jesse and her future.

7.  
Set up a trust fund for helping friends or family with finance woes.  Anonymously.

8.  
Buy myself a Steinway.

9.  
Quit my job so I can LIVE the way I choose to, rather than being limited by finances.  Finally write the book I've been dreaming of writing my whole life.  Spend my days writing.  Reading.  Photographing.  Painting.  Getting manicures.  Playing with my little girl.  Watch her grow up.

10.  Never tell a soul I'd won.