throw your skinny body down son

Well that was an interesting week.
It started with 'number one son' trying to emulate tarzan and ending up more like George of the Jungle. One minute he was swinging through the air with the greatest of ease the next he's dangling by his arm from a rope net.
Apparently it was such a severe break that even people without my vast medical knowledge were able to ascertain that something was amiss... it may well have been because the bones were set at rather a jaunty angle.
The upshot was that we ended up in casualty. The UK tax payers amongst you will be pleased to note that the Australian nursing system is populated almost exclusively by NHS trained nurses... and very good they are too.
You will also be pleased to know that the children in A&E departments here have the same ailments as those in the UK... broken bones, gastric problems, allergic reactions to peanuts, snake bites. It's true, the boy in the next cubicle to George had been bitten by a snake... as it turned out it was non-venomous, but it was still enough to keep me housebound for a week.
I know this blog may be read by some of George's young female admirers, so really it should be my duty as his father to embarrass and belittle him by going on about what a big girls blouse he was after his accident. The truth is however, that he was as hard as nails unlike the rest of us.. Hattie was in a state of hysteria for several hours, Wendy nearly passed out and I spent most of the the evening on 'gas and air'. George on the other hand didn't have any pain killers, instead, he relied on 'mind over matter' techniques... which he apparently learnt by watching James Bond films. I am now concerned that he may have picked up other techniques from his observations of 007. I've got a sneaking suspicion it might well be time for 'that little chat'... at last someone will be able to tell me about the birds and the bees.

George breaking his arm was only part of our 'weekus horribilis'. The following day, the driver of a flat bed lorry thought it would be a good idea to back his vehicle into our car, ripping a big hole in the drivers door. The fact is that driving skills aren't particularly high over here... think Maureen from 'Driving School'... lets face it they even manage to make me look quite proficient behind the wheel.

It's not all gloom and doom. Wendy passed her latest exam (on the exciting subject of company law) with flying colours. The girly swat got 80%, some of which carries forward to the final exam which she sits in a few weeks time. Then she has to decide whether she wants to sit further exams during the summer months or if she wants to sit on the beach... boy, that's a tough one.

Our household is in the grip of Olympic fever at the moment. It helps that we are on the same time zone as Beijing and also the fact that we are having a punt each way... we are supporting the UK and Australia. Thanks to the Aussies' exploits in the pool we now know most of the words to the Aussie National Anthem, no not Especially for you (by Kylie and Jason) ...it's Advance Australia Fair. If we forget the words we just mime like the photogenic Chinese girl did at the opening ceremony. The female swimmers' success may also have been the catalyst to Hattie getting a merit for her freestyle and moving to the next level of her swimming lessons... it was either that or the fact that I told her that I would concrete over our pool if she didn't pass. Carrot and stick.