Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Budgies, buried treasure and bassoons - A great suburban adventure


We went out for a ride after school today, a team of great explorers on wheels. First stop was  a massive bird aviary a few streets away that is set directly adjacent to the nature strip. At least 30 budgies chirping away. And guess which one Roboboy has fallen in love with? See that manky mottled one in the middle ,the really decrepit one that was sitting in that exact spot on the perch two days ago when we walked past. Yep, my quirky boy has a knack for sniffing out fellow oddballs everywhere he goes. This is the budgie that would normally be picked last by anyone else. Roboboy loved his odd colours and odd patterns and decided to name him "Rainbow". Remember last week he did try and domesticate a stink bug. We did discuss that he was not having a bird until he was 10 ( that is mother talk for never ever ever having a caged bird but hope he forgets because ten is a long way away).

On our way home we took a different turn and found somewhere new that we had never discovered before. We have lived in this suburb for 11 years but it never ceases to amaze me what you can discover when you slow down to an explorers pace and take that different turn that normally in a busy rushed world you don't make the time to take.

A quiet dead end street high above the river. A long long winding staircase down to a hidden world.


A rolling expanse of meadow bathed in golden late afternoon winter sun. Stretching down to the calmness of a big river bordered by mangroves and washed up treasures. And completely quiet. Once I managed to get my noisy rabble to keep quiet, it was completely silent, not a car to be heard. Inner city suburban Brisbane, amazing.



We rolled on the grass, took crazy photos of each other, watched pelicans and just enjoyed that special yellow light you only get in the late afternoon. Then it was back up all those stairs to ride home and tell Dad what we had discovered.



Of course we had to stop at the pine cone tree on the way home to collect pine cones, you know, for the collection. And you will never believe what we discovered half buried under the base of the pine cone tree.



Yep a really old, ancient actually,sword with real gold and carvings from India. Apparently they have battles over there.


And look at this gorgeous house we found on our travels. Betsy would be excited. Darker grey than I was planning, and a much grander house than Betsy but the same gorgeous bungalow assymetry, as well as almost identical gates and fence. Actually, these gates are the fancy version of Betsy's but lets not spoil the fantasy.



So, we arrived  home for Betsy and I to dream about new grey frocks while Roboboy of course had to whip up a scabbard for the ancient sword.


And the bassoons? Where is the bassoon in this post I hear you all wondering.  A while ago Legoman and I were having a quiet conversation about Roboboy and all his quirks. He is complicated, challenging and amazing all at the same time and we know his quirks well. Can almost predict his choices based on them. I think the conversation was inspired by this hilarious post over at Maxabella Loves. ( Who would let their child play the euphonium for goodness sakes). We were debating which instrument our (manky-budgie- loving, stink-bug-rescuing) quirky boy would choose. And I made a suggestion and Legoman agreed. The ugliest weirdest instrument would have to be the one.

And then just the other day we were watching a segment of Playschool with Liongirl featuring an orchestra. And as we scanned all the instruments I asked Roboboy which one he would like to play. Perhaps a cello I suggested, or a trumpet like one of our neighbours, or something in the percussion section. And the camera paused in front of the ugliest weirdest instrument in the whole orchestra. And his little face lit up and he said " that one mama, that one- that's the one I want to play". The bassoon.

10 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  2. Roboboy sounds like my kinda guy! He sounds like he is going to be the guy who thinks outside the square and invents or discovers something awesome and important one day.... like that sword! What a treasure. Tiss once discovered a toy pistol in a tree stump at the park, a very very real looking camoflague pistol. I made him put it back where he found it, we walked away. If it had been an ornate indian dagger though... wow. Love your riverside oasis. And as for pine cone collections - Mik has one as well. He keeps it right next to his skanky bottle cap collection :)

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  3. How funny is roboboy bet he loved finding that treasure too.

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  4. Wow what an adventure- very cool to discover a lovely new place, can't believe you found a sword, like something out of Narnia, not Australia! I am also looking at well-painted grey and pale brown bungalows with a view to painting ours soon when we extend, that is a lovely example!

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  5. PS meant to add that if your son takes up the bassoon he will always be in demand!

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  6. The bassoon? Don't you just love what they choose. The accordion was the instrument of choice my parents had for us. Man, there's nothing cool about the accordion. I'll have to search their backroom to see if they still have it.

    Love your neighbourhood and that gorgeous bungalow. Betsy would look great grey and white. xx

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  7. Just woke up this morning cogitating your post and remembered that the bassoon was featured in the orchestral production of "Peter and the Wolf" - remember? What animal did it play? Aren't they like long oboes (double reed)?? C'mon, how cool is that?!

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  8. He is priceless! and what a great treasure, my kids would have gone nuts over it and probably stabbed each other fighting for it, lucky lion girl doesn't want the sword.

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  9. The grey house is sublime. Love the fancy gates. As for the bassoon ... you need to seriously discourage Roboboy from this instrument. Those things cost more than the average family car & the reeds alone will wipe out your takeaway coffee budget for the month!
    p.s. I hope Roboboy has had his tetanus shots ;-)))

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