First steps

Cillian took his first steps today.
We missed the very first ones, in childcare with Rebecca. He he repeated his efforts tonight, delightedly tottering two or three steps back and forth between Mum and Dad.

Cillian is 1

Cillian has turned one.
Its hard to believe that a year has passed. In some ways it seems so long ago since he was born and so much has happened. In others ways it seems like hardly any time at all.
He remains a very happy baby, chatty and full of life and always keen to play.
He has 7 teeth now and more coming.
He is not walking unaided yet, but will walk pushing a little cart.
He likes to play the xylophone quite vigorously.

I didn't didn't have quick feet today, so I ran the Heritage trail cautiously , along paths of mud and water, trails of tree roots, down steep steps cut into sandstone and up slick wooden stairs.
To my left was the harbour, grey water under a grey sky and the city shrouded in cloud. I had the trail to myself, except for an old Italian man who cheerfully greet me and I him. Fronds of banksia and fingers of wattle brushed rain onto my arms and face.
There was not a soul on tiny Tingara beach, where I saw a mermaid once, thirty quick paces took me across the soft golden sand and away from the harbour panorama.
It took me nearly an hour to reach Neilson Park from my home, but though the pace was slow I no longer felt tired and I continued happily on through the back streets of Vaucluse to Parsely Bay then towards Watson's Bay. I wished the few walkers and runners that were out and about a good morning and and they responded likewise; its nice that people can still connect in a big city.
At Camp Cove some scuba divers were kitting up. One woman, suited and masked turned and stared at me as though I were a creature from the depths of the sea, an alien in her world.
On the South Head loop I passed an old 19th century muzzle loading cannon and numerous fortifications from the era. Across from me on the other side of the harbour, not far as the gull flies, was an expanse of harbourside parkland, hiding the zoo and countless homes. A ferry headed towards Manly.
I ran past the lightkeepers cottage and the candy striped Hornby lighthouse, saw past the Heads to the Tasman Sea.
I wondered if Sharon and Cillian were up yet and thought how nice it would be for them to see this.
I though of runs with friends, whose company made even the hardes training sessions a pleasure.
At the Gap sulpher crested cockatoos perched on the cliff edge, their lemon tufts standing out against the dark rocks. Brighter still the yellow oilskins of two fishermen standing on a rock ledge. An orange float I saw in the waters far below.

Bondi was quiet; the surfers were enjoying a Sunday morning of decent waves after weeks of heavy mush.
I had been running for 2.5 hours so decided that Bronte was too far and ran the long climb of Bondi Road, through sterile Bondi Junction, where it was still too early for the shoppers. The last few ks home were downhill and that suited me just fine.
The last day of winter and the thirteenth anniversary of my arrival in Sydney and I ran and was happy.

Life

Cillian grows. His world is expanding, physically and intellectually and it is fun to be there seeing it all.
He was so excited yesterday when he noticed the new coffee table, it was as if Santa had come. He loves to stand and there is nothing really in our house that will let him pull himself up, so he spent much of yesterday standing at the table and banging bricks off it.
He is quite mobile now, a speedy enough crawler, but walking is a while off yet, though he is game enough to let go of the table and put his hands out to me.

The silent blog

A silent blog, just the wind whistling in the wires and chip packets scratching along lonely pavements.
So what's been happening?
Death and life.
On and on.

Tayto - the feckers

Gavin was kind enough to bring a swag of Tayto and purple Snacks from Ireland when he arrived here on Sunday. I say 'kind enough', but we all know that he would have been on the first plane back to Carlow if he hadn't.

I do like Tayto Cheese n Onion, easily the best chip in the world. No arguments will be brooked. So I immediately grabbed a packet, casually looking at the ingredient list, a habit ingrained though bitter experience.

Tayto have changed their recipe, the feckers. They have added cheese powder. CHEESE POWDER. They have tampered with perfection. Its like the Louvre colouring in the Mona Lisa's lips or adding Mickey Mouse cartoons to the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, cos the kids would go for it.

Tayto was always just potaotes, sunflower oil and honest to goodness artifical flavours and preservatives. Now its got cheese powder.

I will no longer eat this alien product.

Daddy brain

Yesterday I travelled to Milson's Pointto take part in the MS 8km Fun Run. Its one of my favourite runs, low key, fun, scenic but a tough hilly runners course.
As the train cleared the Harbour Bridge I glanced on to the road where the start is held and noticed that there were surprisingly few people there.
In fact thre was noone.
Which wasn't all that surprising when I remembered that the race is next Sunday.
So back home and off to Centennial Park for a run in the beautiful late Autumn weather.