Week 38/4 (Stormfront coming)

I can feel the barometric pressure changing, and there's a you-beauty spring storm on the horizon. Yay! Growing up (mostly) in Queensland, you instinctively yearn for the rain to break the humidity and air pressure. Qld storms are wondrous, wild and untamed. Some of my best memories involve sitting up in a mosquito-netted bed, watching nature's fury unleashed outside.

Unlike some kids, I was never frightened of storms. One of my earliest memories (and mine go waaaay back) was of Mum telling me that the thunder was all the toys falling off Santa's shelf, and the lightning was him turning the light on to put them back. When I got a bit older, my parents explained what was really going on, and as they clearly enjoyed storms, I took their cue.

Another tecnicolour memory was the first time I tasted mango. We were at a picnic area/rest stop somewhere in Qld, and a sudden hailstorm hit. Everyone within cooee headed into a big breezeblock shelter and waited out the storm. While WE waited, we ate mangoes. Oh my god.. I've been in love with tropical fruit ever since!

(Further to the mango storm, I remember Dad shoving something out into the downpour to collect enough hail for us to wash our hands and faces in. Funny the things that stick! The taste of mango, the incredible noise of the hailstorm, and Dad ooching and owing as he collected the hail.)

So I guess (while I still have the power on, ie before this storm hits) I should get on with today's post, then get cracking with some work. Enough of the reminiscences for one day ;-)

Adrienne, you asked about nappies :-) (Or as Wayne would -strangely!- say, diapers) Cloth is my preference, with Weenee type overnaps as the outer layer, and septic-tank-friendly liners for built in pooper scoopers. I've already got 2 1/2 dozen second hand red-stripers (all quite good condition and usuable for another couple of babies at least), plus a dozen towelling ones for when he gets a bit bigger.

But being a lazy wench, I decided to get some naughty disposables for when Braeden's brand new and in case I'm too knackered to want to wash naps.

When certain members of my family got wind of this, they came to light with TWO BOXES of
"Tushy's". Have you seen these fabulous little bundles? You get three disposable nappies, a tube of botty cream and a packet of 30 wipes plus a resealable waste bag, all contained in an easy-open travel pack. Two cardboard boxes of these means 144 nappies, which is a huge amount! Plus enough wipes & creams to keep this kid going for most of his nappied-life!

Who's a lucky woman then :-) I'll have to watch that I don't get so spoiled and lazy that the cloth nappies might be forgotten.

Nah.. no chance ;-) The Tushy's I've been given go up to 5 kilos in size (ie the newborn size) and chances are Braeden will outgrow those in about six hours (LOL).

Wayne's adamant (and I'm with him 100%) that we're not going to contribute to the landfill problem, so he's working on ways of either burning the disposables, or if the fire ban is in place, safely storing them until it comes off in March then burning them.

Hmmm.. that reminds me. One of the things I must do before I put the sewing machine back into storage is to make a piddle-proof play mat so that bubs can have his bare bum kick time each day. It's damned awkward trying to get close enough to the sewing machine to do a tidy job with a huge belly in the way, LOL!