Just another manic Sunday...

When did Sunday's stop being about having a leisurely read of the papers, followed by meeting friends at the park/pub/cinema?

Oh yes. About the same time as I had children. Strange coincidence...no?

Saturdays & Sundays still linger in my memory as days of complete sloth. But since my son arrived, he who is incapable of sleeping to a decent hour, he has given me the gift of the morning. A not altogether wanted gift most mornings. But yesterday morning, I hauled us out of the house at 7.45am (he had been awake for 2 hours and was threatening to wake husband-with-a-hangover and daughter) and took a walk along the waterfront.

And how beautifully precious was that walk. In gentle daylight we observed all the bunting-bedecked warships in the harbour, some returned from Haiti, some British, all fascinating to a little boy. We ambled along the wooden waterfront walkway and had a chocolate milk in a cafe. Then explored the buzzing farmers market as he pointed out all the colours of the flowers - wrongly but cutely. Then we climbed on a wooden pirate ship and 'torpedoed' imaginary foes.

All before 9a.m.

There is something wonderful about seeing a city at daybreak, a stillness and newness which makes you want to repeat it the next weekend. Only next weekend, I suspect I probably won't be arsed and instead switch on Bob the Builder DVD instead, as usual.

I hope not. I loved sharing the morning with my little boy.

Total spend for yesterday: $10 on an overdue library DVD. Damn it - Pocahontas wasn't even that good!

$10 on frickin' jelly beans. I bought them as a little present for a girl, and it was only after they were wrapped prettily in ribbons that they weighted them and it was too late to back out. Bugger.

$20 on lunch for my daughter and I. Oops. I tried hard on that one, I only had a starter size salad, daughter had chips, and yet it still came to quite a bit.

$25 for a book for a baby.

Total: $65. Not good. I repeat - Damn it. Must try harder.