Sunday 31 July 2011

birthday girl


birthday girl, originally uploaded by Cat Johnson.

This little cutie-pie had her 5th birthday party and this is just one of the hundreds of shots I made. For some reason she adores my boy, so much so that she tells everyone they are getting married. My boy has other ideas, although I would be happy for them to pair up when they're older because Miss M is delightful. Howver, my boy says he will wait until they get all the presents, then cancel the wedding, mercenary little monkey! Expect more posts from the party, we had so much fun!

the spider plant and the spider

This beautiful spider plant was a gift from my good friend Susan. She learned that I had grown a spider plant many years ago but that James had thrown it away when we moved house; naughty James! And lo, upon learning this sad tale, a beautiful spider plant arrived as a gift. I took it into the garden today to photograph it and found Mr A R Achnid sitting there looking pleased with himself. I love spider plants but am not so fond of spiders!

Friday 29 July 2011

the road to nowhere


the road to nowhere, originally uploaded by Cat Johnson.

Had a meeting with my oncologist this morning, not good news. The lesions are increasing, we are out of treatment options.

Thursday 28 July 2011

the frog prince


the frog prince, originally uploaded by Cat Johnson.

My boy found a teeny weeny frog in the garden today. He put it in his bucket and brought it indoors to show me and his Daddy. He then asked if the frog could live with us. I said no, perhaps the frog would like it better outside in his own house and near his family. I was assured that he was a very clean frog, would be no bother, and could eat any bugs and flies that came into the house. Eventually, we asked the frog what he would like to do and he croaked, and it's quite remarkable how they can speak when they want to, that he would like to be in the garden with his family. We let him go and he hopped off to frolic with the other frogs.

here comes the sun


here comes the sun, originally uploaded by Cat Johnson.

The Beatles

There's nothing quite like the sun to bring out the desire for a water fight for my boy :)

Monday 25 July 2011

arthuractive


arthuractive, originally uploaded by Cat Johnson.

Snappy snap time, car battery has conked out so had to content myself with the back garden to try and exhaust my boy who has described himself as arthuractive.

head over heels

Wednesday 20 July 2011

abracadabra


abracadabra, originally uploaded by Cat Johnson.

hfdt :)

Steve Miller Band

my beloved monster


my beloved monster, originally uploaded by Cat Johnson.

Eels

Infants and Juniors at my boy's school had sports day today. This is my beloved monster warming up for the races. Surprisingly, he came third in his running race (reviewing the shots, I think he may have come second but it was awarded to someone else), and he came first in the sack race. I'm a proud mommie because he didn't have a meltdown when he didn't win, and was a gracious winner.

I'm extra proud of him because his sports day poster was chosen by the school council to be the program cover for the Infant School. A few people thought I had done it for him, but if it had been my work, it would have been very different.

war and peas


war and peas, originally uploaded by Cat Johnson.

...but not quite the epic that Tolstoy imagined!

How much do we love Toy Story toys in my house. Lots! I think what I want, what I really, really want...is a toy Bullseye, now that horse is fine.

Wednesday 13 July 2011

spiral dominos, an homage to Robert Smithson

Explored, 12 July 2011 #169


hfdt :)

aka the domino effect

aka the OMG, I am up a high ladder to get this perspective!!! edition

chain reaction


I have long been an admirer of the creative and provocative work of Robert Smithson. This is my small homage to his amazing earthwork spiral jetty, although it goes nowhere near his genius or creativity.

I use the dominos to help my son learn addition and subtraction, a fun way to make basic maths a bit more fun.

Monday 11 July 2011

sports day


sports day, originally uploaded by Cat Johnson.

Infants and Juniors at my son's school are having sports day this coming Thursday. My boy and his friend are both rotten bad losers and serious bad sports, so my friend Penny and I decided to try to be good mommies and have a sports day practice at the weekend. For me, it backfired big time. My boy had a major meltdown because he didn't win a race, and things went from bad to worse, with him forgetting all the things I'd been practising with him about how to be magnanimous in victory, gracious in defeat. He stomped off far away from us, refused to join in, and had a huge paddy. When we finally persuaded him to do a running race (he is very fast, he won but refused to accept his medal. Boy, did he sprint away from his friend at that point. It all ended in tears when his friend marched over and told him he was a bad loser. Technically correct, but my lad chucked a complete mental of stratospheric proportions all the way home. Unfortunately, his chum reminded him in the queue at school this morning that he's a bad loser.

The picture on the right is my boy's entry for the school council's design a poster for sports day. The writing is all his own and he copied some of the photos I shot for the sack and running races.

I scream, you scream, everyone loves ice cream.

Stag night Ken-wannabee


Stag night Ken-wannabee, originally uploaded by Cat Johnson.

James is off out to drunk to excess and eat hot curry with one of our friends who is getting married soon. The reference to Barbie's boyfriend, Ken, is a mickey take because we call our son's teacher Ken, he is such a Ken doll with all his little co-ordinated outfits. I told James to look as vacant and crazy as possible, I think he did a good job :)

Saturday 9 July 2011

I am a pirate


I am a pirate, originally uploaded by Cat Johnson.

about a boy

My son is growing up! He and his classmates all dressed up as pirates for school because it was transfer day. So all the kids from Reception moved up to Year One, and boy, they all looked so proud. In assembly when the head teacher welcomed them as Year One, they all sat up straight and tall, bursting with pride and excitement at not being the youngest in the school any more. They're all great kids and have achieved so much over the past academic year, all down to their mommies and daddies investing time in them.

daisies, with a hint of fence

Explored, 8 July 2011, #128


hff :)

Eels

Take heart my little friend
And push back your seat
Soon we'll be far away
Far from the street
Where you learned how to be
Not what you are

Wednesday 6 July 2011

My boy and his Nana


My boy and his Nana, originally uploaded by Cat Johnson.

A bit of bribery had to take place to persuade my boy to pose with his equally-reluctant Nana for this photo. Got there in the end.

fence Friday: the 'over the fence' edition

hff :)

My boy, having a chat over the garden fence with one of his favourite friends. He was inviting his buddy over for a water fight in the garden. A water fight in my boy's mind is getting the garden hose out and soaking everyone.

interdit


interdit, originally uploaded by Cat Johnson.

Tuesday 5 July 2011

facedown mosaic


facedown mosaic, originally uploaded by Cat Johnson.

a sselection of facedowns from Disneyland Paris

hanging around


hanging around, originally uploaded by Cat Johnson.

Explored, 28 June 2011 #474
(I have to say I am truly surprised that this shot Explored, it's not a great shot, it's not clever, it's just my kid hanging around for a facedown Tuesday. Wonders will never cease. Thanks for getting it to Explore, guys.)

hfdt :)

No one will come out to play today because it is raining and they are dull and boring. So, here's one from the archives, saved up for just such an occasion.

Hanging Around (this is a live version from 1977, boy do I feel old!

bench Monday: the unbearable lightness of being

hbm :)

Eels

Sometimes I feel that my life is just floating away from me, that things move faster than I want and that my feet are swept out from under me.

fun in the sun


fun in the sun, originally uploaded by Cat Johnson.

It's been stonkingly hot today :) My boy is obsessed with water fights and has been nagging for one all day, so a while ago we put the sprinkler on in the garden and he and I ran around getting soaked. Of course, he had his bathers on and I had denim cut-offs and a t-shirt, so I came off badly. Can't really think of a better way to play.

fence Friday: the "feeling fairly fab" edition

hff :)

So, I was at hospital for my routine check-up (I go to see my oncologist every six weeks, my clinical pharmacist every three weeks, bloods, every couple of weeks, yuk), and for the first time ever, my oncologist saw me as a person, not a disease to be treated. It was really nice! I think showing him photographs from the recent French vacation did the trick, the vacation which he tried to stop me from having. On top of that, for the first time in nearly a year, he didn't tell me that the end for me was near, nor did he say it would be swift and painful. He was pleased with my recent blood results, and didn't moan about the tumours growing for a change. So, all-in-all, a positive result!!! I am going to have a mini-celebration by going out to dinner with James and my good friend Dee

acer and husband


acer and husband, originally uploaded by Cat Johnson.

James is making himself useful and sorting out the tip that our front garden has become :)