Ah ha! Glad it went well!

I spent the day volunteering at the book festival as a stage captain. I royally screwed up the last introduction, because I got the information I needed at the last minute and was too tired to think on my feet. Then I left to check on other things, only to find out later that the speakers, who were the winners in a student writing contest, could not manage to stay near enough to the mikes. The room actually doesn't need amplification for people who have decent speaking voices, but apparently they couldn't make themselves heard. Since the audience was about 20 members of their friends and family, I don't know why they couldn't just move closer. Oh, well.

The strangest complaint of the day came after we had to stop letting people into one presentation, because we were at capacity. A woman who apparently decided to make a phone call before she went in, and therefore got there too late, was very angry and said we should have had a sign that we might stop letting people in. I thought that "if the room is full, we'll stop letting people in" was kind of a given.

Now I'm icing my feet and drinking beer. It's once more into the breach tomorrow.

Awww, poor Ryan. I hope the grands return sooner than later.

I think he'll be ok. He went to bed without any problems, which I had been a little concerned about, as saying goodnight to Waigong and Waipo is an established part of the nightly ritual. He did wake up during the night and needed a bit of comfort, but aside from that he's been fine.

Hopefully, the break will be good for the grandparents too. They help out a lot while they're here.

It's great that Ryan has been able to spend so much time with his grandparents and that you all seem to get along.

Ryan is so lucky, as are you and Wallabee, to have such active and engaged grandparents.

I'm glad Ryan can spend so much time with his grandparents. I see how much Evander loves being around my parents.

Java - Will told me he thought both the boys were a little sleepy. The oldest has a part time job and they both stayed up almost all night playing computer games and then the oldest went to work and then took a nap; while the youngest just slept until noon.

They are both fans of Hitchhiker's Guide and so we teased Will a bit for not knowing the importance of having a towel. They also recommended a few anime series for me to try. They both like to cook too.

Sounds like good connections were made, askye!

Ryan is so lucky, as are you and Wallabee, to have such active and engaged grandparents.

It's true, we're very fortunate. Especially me, I feel; I didn't even grow up in the same culture, let alone family. The potential for friction between unexamined assumptions abounds, yet her parents are two of my favourite people. (Incidentally, trouble with the in-laws is one of the staples of dramatic conflict in traditional Chinese literature.)

The above isn't quite true, of course. The one who's really fortunate is Ryan. He's effectively had four very involved parental figures. Lucky little boy.

I am planning Emeline's birthday party. It is going to be Dr Who themed. Joe and I are getting her the large cardboard cut-outs of the TARDIS and a dalek. I am planning on making mini-fez's as party hats, a TARDIS pinata, these awesome banners with stencils of the various villans, and a TARDIS cake.

There will be a craft table that the kids will be able to make their own bow ties.

She'll have her eyes covered as she walks into the gym at church and when we get her in there, someone will start the iPod and the theme for the show will start and viola! She will be awed and amazed.

We are raising a GIANT NERD. I love it.

Envy. Awe. Envy. Not sure which feeling is stronger.