Guzzling Chiddlers

I love the Austin library - they have a whole bunch of great books, audiobooks, cds and dvds. And since we were annexed by the city late last year we've been taking advantage of the opportunity to use it. I've always loved to read and I could literally spend hours at the library browsing through their selection of books - like a kid in a candy store. I'm currently reading "23 Days in July", Peter Reinhart's "Whole Grain Breads" (made a scrumdiddly 100% wholewheat bread last night), and me and the Gavster are working our way through "Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator" at bedtime.

For our trip to Corpus Christi last week, I picked up an audiobook of Roald Dahl's "BFG" to keep Gavin entertained in the car. Well, we all loved it, and it was brilliantly voiced by the late Natasha Richardson. Ever since we got back I've been doing impersonations of the wonderfully-named "flesh lump eater", "meat dripper" and "blood bottler", and telling Gavin that "if you is not behaving I is going to be galloping over there and guzzling me some Gavin chiddlers". To which he replies (in his "giant" voice) "and I is guzzling some human beans too".

And that's without even getting into "whizz popping"!!!

On the running front, there hasn't been much going on lately. The "off the charts" oak pollen turned into a nasty little sinus infection which left me coughing like an Icelandic horse and feeling like I was breathing underwater - not great for running. I'm notoriously stubborn about going to see the doctor (and I only take medications as a last resort), so I let it take its course and I'm just about coming out the other side.

But I haven't worked out since I ran on Saturday morning. Nancy's been out of town since Sunday so it's just been me and the boys, and it's hard work when you're by yourself - trying to keep a constant eye on two very active boys while making supper and trying to get stuff done is not easy. Kudos to single parents - I don't know how they do it.

Gavin's been really good at helping me out looking after his brother, but it doesn't always go to plan. Dylan got into the dog food last night, and by the time I got to him he was testing his new teeth out on several pieces of it. The dog was standing there sadly watching his supper disappear, and I had to stick my finger in Dylan's mouth (while trying to avoid those sharp little gnashers) and fish them out.

But at the same time it's such a hoot to watch Dylan eating proper food. He's so funny - he won't touch his baby food if there's something better on offer. We had homemade pasta for supper on Monday night, and Dylan was sucking up spaghetti noodles like an Italian, and banging his fist for more.

And he still had plenty of room left for ice cream.

It's been fun (and a workout in itself), but I think baby Dylan really missed his mummy - he was so happy when she got home last night.

And good news on the garden front - when Gavin and I went to water our plants yesterday evening, we discovered that the basil, oregano, parsley and cilantro are all coming through.

Still no sign of the mint though.