A gorgeous sunny autumn afternoon and I was enjoying the blissful luxury of a child-free afternoon. Kai was over at a pal's for supper and Zo was in town with Ulrika. So I was pottering around getting some jobs done and ambled down to the post office to post some letters. Ran into Tor Zombiedad and was having a natter about the new BBC Sherlock, when suddenly a familiar voice dragged out of my reverie.
DADDY! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE? DADDY! BUY ME SOME BOUNTY! DADDY BUY ME SOME GUM! DADDY BUY ME A COMIC! DADDY! BUY ME! BUY ME!
Heaven know what my son was doing hanging around the post office when he was supposed to be at Konrad's. At / he's too young to bet on the horses or the football, unless of course he's bribing some old pensioner to place his bets for him.
Whatever the case, clearly some mischief was afoot.
And how did he know I'd be there? Did he sniff me out? Scary!
I made my excuses and left.
Next time I get an afternoon off I'll spend it heavily disguised in Umeå or Malmö. Perhaps then he won't track me down?
Dads! You can run but you cannot hide!
onsdag 29 september 2010
tisdag 28 september 2010
That's rich!
For some reason Kai wanted to know more about millionaires today. We had a fascinating conversation about the rich and the poor.
I was intrigued as to how he assessed someone's financial status. Having a beard seemed to be a pretty clear indicator of being short of cash.
"Do you know Daddy" he remarked rather snootily. "I actually met a poor person once!" Clearly not an experience his lordship would care to repeat.
I was intrigued as to how he assessed someone's financial status. Having a beard seemed to be a pretty clear indicator of being short of cash.
"Do you know Daddy" he remarked rather snootily. "I actually met a poor person once!" Clearly not an experience his lordship would care to repeat.
måndag 27 september 2010
The tills are alive with the sound of music
Very entertained to read that Malmö City Theatre have just had the premiere of a musical about Mr IKEA, Ingvar Kamprad. What a wonderful idea!
Nessun dorma? No chance of sleeplessness with those cosy IKEA beds! Can Mats be as big as Cats?
http://www.dn.se/kultur-noje/scenrecensioner/ingvar-en-musikalisk-mobelsaga-pa-hipp-malmo-stadsteater-1.1177621
Wonder what the music's like. I think we can expect Believe and other of Chair's greatest hits.
Leena in Ibiza wittily commented that the audience will probably have to arrive early and assemble their own seating.
Nessun dorma? No chance of sleeplessness with those cosy IKEA beds! Can Mats be as big as Cats?
http://www.dn.se/kultur-noje/scenrecensioner/ingvar-en-musikalisk-mobelsaga-pa-hipp-malmo-stadsteater-1.1177621
Wonder what the music's like. I think we can expect Believe and other of Chair's greatest hits.
Leena in Ibiza wittily commented that the audience will probably have to arrive early and assemble their own seating.
All in all, it's just another brick from the Wall
Ulrika returned yesterday evening having had a very enjoyable weekend in Berlin.
She brought Kai an unusual present: a small piece of the Berlin Wall.(Now there's a nice line of business: selling off bits of masonry to tourists!)
She then tried to explain why this fragment of modern history was so important. An uphill struggle! Kai hadn't really grasped what Germany was. When questioned during her absence, he told me that it was the capital of Japan.
So getting into an explanation of how Berlin was divided after World War 2 was bound to lead to confusion. For example, he started to ask me what I had done in the war.
Anyway, his bit of wall started to give him ideas (never a good thing!) and he now seems to have ambitions of building a large wall of his own. I think the plan is that the wall should be between Kärrtorp and Björkhagen. This, of course, would be very convenient as it would make it very difficult for him to get to school. Now that he's sussed that going to school means he actually has to learn something, his enthusiasm about education has become very lukewarm.
Will my son become as famed as Hadrian and other great wall builders? Or will he just throw the towel in and get out his Play Station?
Time will tell.
She brought Kai an unusual present: a small piece of the Berlin Wall.(Now there's a nice line of business: selling off bits of masonry to tourists!)
She then tried to explain why this fragment of modern history was so important. An uphill struggle! Kai hadn't really grasped what Germany was. When questioned during her absence, he told me that it was the capital of Japan.
So getting into an explanation of how Berlin was divided after World War 2 was bound to lead to confusion. For example, he started to ask me what I had done in the war.
Anyway, his bit of wall started to give him ideas (never a good thing!) and he now seems to have ambitions of building a large wall of his own. I think the plan is that the wall should be between Kärrtorp and Björkhagen. This, of course, would be very convenient as it would make it very difficult for him to get to school. Now that he's sussed that going to school means he actually has to learn something, his enthusiasm about education has become very lukewarm.
Will my son become as famed as Hadrian and other great wall builders? Or will he just throw the towel in and get out his Play Station?
Time will tell.
lördag 25 september 2010
Bambi rides again
Ulrika is away in Berlin for the weekend with her girl gang, so Kai and I invited Ian over for a Boys Night In reliving the glories of the 80s with a Young Ones DVD boxset.
It's still hilarious and benefits from being watched in company. I failed miserably in explaining the cultural significance of Bamber Gascoigne, Margeret Thatcher, Cliff and Felicity Kendal to him but he laughed a lot anyway. Extreme violence and excessive vomiting tend to hit the spot with 7 year old boys.
It's still hilarious and benefits from being watched in company. I failed miserably in explaining the cultural significance of Bamber Gascoigne, Margeret Thatcher, Cliff and Felicity Kendal to him but he laughed a lot anyway. Extreme violence and excessive vomiting tend to hit the spot with 7 year old boys.
torsdag 23 september 2010
In the doghouse
Ulrika has flown off to Berlin for a girls' weekend. I'm very glad that she feels up to it.
And Man's Best Friend, in the shape of Gitte's dog, Nikki, has moved in with us for two days. So the Farrow Family Circus now even has animals!
Someone should have warned me though! This dog-minding business is dangerous stuff! I'd just picked up Zoe from nursery yesterday when we were set upon by a snarling, beefy Björkhagen moggy who was ready to put the paw in. Nikki cowered behind Zo, Zo cowered behind me and I tried to reason with the vile beast to little avail.
I think it's pretty par for the course in the topsy turvy world of Farrow that we get to dog-sit a pooch that gets beaten up by cats! Just taken Nikki for a quick early morning stroll and there was a local mog sizing us up. The Nikkster, to her credit, is the epitome of calm and refuses to be drawn into any mindless street violence.
Bloody Hitlerite Kittens, eh? Don't like their politics, would prefer they weren't there but those fiendish felines won't go away.
Once you start walking a dog you realise: it's a jungle out there!
And Man's Best Friend, in the shape of Gitte's dog, Nikki, has moved in with us for two days. So the Farrow Family Circus now even has animals!
Someone should have warned me though! This dog-minding business is dangerous stuff! I'd just picked up Zoe from nursery yesterday when we were set upon by a snarling, beefy Björkhagen moggy who was ready to put the paw in. Nikki cowered behind Zo, Zo cowered behind me and I tried to reason with the vile beast to little avail.
I think it's pretty par for the course in the topsy turvy world of Farrow that we get to dog-sit a pooch that gets beaten up by cats! Just taken Nikki for a quick early morning stroll and there was a local mog sizing us up. The Nikkster, to her credit, is the epitome of calm and refuses to be drawn into any mindless street violence.
Bloody Hitlerite Kittens, eh? Don't like their politics, would prefer they weren't there but those fiendish felines won't go away.
Once you start walking a dog you realise: it's a jungle out there!
tisdag 14 september 2010
Damp! Damp! Damp!
Far be it from me to make predictions about the glamorous world of pop...
However, last week I read how Ozzy used a giant water cannon in his Stockholm concert and saw Eric Saade use a shower on stage as the climax of his stage act.
Something tells me that aquatic acts are on the rise.
Looking in my crystal ball I see:
Rick Wakeman releasing a box set of his version of Handel's Water Music followed by a live show featuring a giant aquarium,frogmen and a robot octopus.
A hit single for the Piranhas
And then of course, a reunion tour by Wet! Wet! Wet!
Please don't be a wet blanket and tell me I've got it all wrong!
However, last week I read how Ozzy used a giant water cannon in his Stockholm concert and saw Eric Saade use a shower on stage as the climax of his stage act.
Something tells me that aquatic acts are on the rise.
Looking in my crystal ball I see:
Rick Wakeman releasing a box set of his version of Handel's Water Music followed by a live show featuring a giant aquarium,frogmen and a robot octopus.
A hit single for the Piranhas
And then of course, a reunion tour by Wet! Wet! Wet!
Please don't be a wet blanket and tell me I've got it all wrong!
söndag 12 september 2010
Carry on screaming?
Scream and scream again! Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeric! Kvaaaaaaaaaaaaaaasten!
Yesterday Kai and I were at the Gröna Lund funfair to get the hell shaken out of us and to see a gig by teen idol, Eric Saade. My first real gig since Roskilde and it was this! What a let down. But Eric was Kai's favourite from the Eurovision heats and I thought it would be fun for him to see him live.
Kai kept asking: is it on TV? We were there at Grönan for a live broadcast a while back and he was convinced that all gigs there are shown on telly. After a few romantic ballads he got bored and dragged me off for a spin on the Wild Mouse rollercoaster.
But we did get back in time for his one hit, Man Boy. At the climax of this, Eric was showered upon and got thoroughly soaked. What showermanship! If music doesn't work out for him, he has a great future as a bathroom salesman. Showering on stage in September? Brrrrr!
Screaming girls and extreme discomfort.Grumpy old curmudgeon that I am, this is not my sort of thing. But I have to confess, we actually had rather a good evening out. And went on the front seats of the Broomstick. Twice!
Yesterday Kai and I were at the Gröna Lund funfair to get the hell shaken out of us and to see a gig by teen idol, Eric Saade. My first real gig since Roskilde and it was this! What a let down. But Eric was Kai's favourite from the Eurovision heats and I thought it would be fun for him to see him live.
Kai kept asking: is it on TV? We were there at Grönan for a live broadcast a while back and he was convinced that all gigs there are shown on telly. After a few romantic ballads he got bored and dragged me off for a spin on the Wild Mouse rollercoaster.
But we did get back in time for his one hit, Man Boy. At the climax of this, Eric was showered upon and got thoroughly soaked. What showermanship! If music doesn't work out for him, he has a great future as a bathroom salesman. Showering on stage in September? Brrrrr!
Screaming girls and extreme discomfort.Grumpy old curmudgeon that I am, this is not my sort of thing. But I have to confess, we actually had rather a good evening out. And went on the front seats of the Broomstick. Twice!
fredag 10 september 2010
Itch
Itchy! Itchy! Itchy! Yesterday I felt like a dog with a bad case of fleas after spending an hour watching Kai trying out a karate class. Difficult not to start scratching.
Itchy is the Japanese word for one and they kept shouting it. So now I can count to one in Japanese. A useful skill that will doubtless stand me in good stead.
If I can find a Japanese Ramones tribute band, I can learn 2,3 and 4! Hey ho! Let's go!
Itchy is the Japanese word for one and they kept shouting it. So now I can count to one in Japanese. A useful skill that will doubtless stand me in good stead.
If I can find a Japanese Ramones tribute band, I can learn 2,3 and 4! Hey ho! Let's go!
torsdag 9 september 2010
Mr Snook
This week I have been thinking a lot about Mr Snook, the Master Hatter.
What a fabulous name! Sounds like something from Mumintroll or the Hobbit. But he is a real person and is organising the UK's first Hat Festival where my pal Kate will be doing a workshop.
www.bridporthatfest.org
What a feather in the Snookster's cap! I take my hat off to him!
What a fabulous name! Sounds like something from Mumintroll or the Hobbit. But he is a real person and is organising the UK's first Hat Festival where my pal Kate will be doing a workshop.
www.bridporthatfest.org
What a feather in the Snookster's cap! I take my hat off to him!
tisdag 7 september 2010
London is the place for him!
When we were in London recently, Kai was singing Lord Kitchener's 1950s calypso London is the place for me non-stop. Quite right too. It's a cracker.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGt21q1AjuI
The album it comes from inspired me to find out more about the culture it emerged from. Tipped off by that great bibliophile, Mr Cooper, I'm currently reading The Lonely Londoners by Sam Selvon, an eye-opening novella on West Indian life in London in the 50s. Written in lively dialect and full of lots of wonderful characters. Often hilarious but also pulling no punches on the racism of the time.
Lots of interesting details too. The West Indian boat train used to come into Waterloo.
Duncan has also turned me onto the swinging 60s jazz sounds of Jamaican flautist Harold McNair (who I've just discovered played on Donovan's magical first live album).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5K-LyTjMdI
Mmm! Nice!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGt21q1AjuI
The album it comes from inspired me to find out more about the culture it emerged from. Tipped off by that great bibliophile, Mr Cooper, I'm currently reading The Lonely Londoners by Sam Selvon, an eye-opening novella on West Indian life in London in the 50s. Written in lively dialect and full of lots of wonderful characters. Often hilarious but also pulling no punches on the racism of the time.
Lots of interesting details too. The West Indian boat train used to come into Waterloo.
Duncan has also turned me onto the swinging 60s jazz sounds of Jamaican flautist Harold McNair (who I've just discovered played on Donovan's magical first live album).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5K-LyTjMdI
Mmm! Nice!
Karate! I Kid you not!
Zoe and I are at home alone enjoying some quality father-daughter time, listening to Boney M's greatest hit and Lucinda Williams live in Austin. A concert DVD from 1998 with Texas's finest at the top of her game. Very fine too. (When I pop my clogs, I want the DJ to play Sweet Old World. What a beautiful song!)
Ulrika has taken Kai for an introductory class of Extreme Martial Arts.He's already a black belt in GBH and personally I was trying to interest him in stamp-collecting or flower arrangement. But his mum seems to think that karate will integrate his yin and his yang. I knew we should never have let him watch Kill Bill!
Ulrika has taken Kai for an introductory class of Extreme Martial Arts.He's already a black belt in GBH and personally I was trying to interest him in stamp-collecting or flower arrangement. But his mum seems to think that karate will integrate his yin and his yang. I knew we should never have let him watch Kill Bill!
Iggy would not be pop!
It's so easy to buy things on line! Press a couple of buttons and hey presto! A 10 CD box set of obscure reggae B sides is yours!
Being a clever boy, Kai has also realised the ease of internet shopping. Look! an online petshops selling iguanas.
I get cold shivers in anticipation of a knock on the door and a DHL guy deliverng several large aquatic lizards! Cute, aren't they?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NL7pzPj2bI
Being a clever boy, Kai has also realised the ease of internet shopping. Look! an online petshops selling iguanas.
I get cold shivers in anticipation of a knock on the door and a DHL guy deliverng several large aquatic lizards! Cute, aren't they?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NL7pzPj2bI
måndag 6 september 2010
Attenborough beware!
Watch our Sir David! Kai has decided he wants your job.
He thinks it sounds like a good gig. Go somewhere exotic. Wait around 5 minutes until some marine iguanas or a Komodo Dragon pop up and do something interesting. Film them. And then spend the rest of the day in Legoland!
A lot more interesting than going to school and learning to read and write!
He thinks it sounds like a good gig. Go somewhere exotic. Wait around 5 minutes until some marine iguanas or a Komodo Dragon pop up and do something interesting. Film them. And then spend the rest of the day in Legoland!
A lot more interesting than going to school and learning to read and write!
lördag 4 september 2010
Reading, righting and rithmatic
With Kai starting "real" school after a year's warm up, learning to read has become a hot issue for us.
There's a strange disparity. His oral vocabulary is great: predator, antagonist, lethal, psychopath etc. But he can't read cat, dog and hat.
A couple of interesting things from the Grauniad.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/jul/31/ben-goldacre-teaching-reading-shootout
http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2010/jul/19/primary-schools-street-literacy
There's a strange disparity. His oral vocabulary is great: predator, antagonist, lethal, psychopath etc. But he can't read cat, dog and hat.
A couple of interesting things from the Grauniad.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/jul/31/ben-goldacre-teaching-reading-shootout
http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2010/jul/19/primary-schools-street-literacy
torsdag 2 september 2010
She is the Lizard Queen!
Yesterday was the parents' meeting at the school. Sartorial elegance on these occasions is very important for me and I found a natty navy blue T shirt that was just the job. Then I read the text emblazoned on it: No hope for the kids. Perhaps not quite appropriate. I settled for a cool, black jazz T: Thelonius Monk: The London Sessions. Mmm! Nice!
After a hard day's work, that stupendous woman, Ms Ott had come over to child-sit so that Ulrika and I could go to the meeting at school. To begin with Kai was his usual, uncommunicative self answering in monosyllables.
Then the conversation for some reason turned to reptiles and he realised that Astrid ( who knows everything about anything) was something of an expert. From that moment they got on like a Raptile House on fire. By the time we got home, he had learnt about several new species that he now wants to buy and had developed his plans to turn our home into an enormous vivarium!
After a hard day's work, that stupendous woman, Ms Ott had come over to child-sit so that Ulrika and I could go to the meeting at school. To begin with Kai was his usual, uncommunicative self answering in monosyllables.
Then the conversation for some reason turned to reptiles and he realised that Astrid ( who knows everything about anything) was something of an expert. From that moment they got on like a Raptile House on fire. By the time we got home, he had learnt about several new species that he now wants to buy and had developed his plans to turn our home into an enormous vivarium!
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