Daniel was seven yesterday. Due to the time difference it is still his birthday back in Europe as I post this article. I can remember in great detail when he was born. It certainly doesn’t seem like seven years ago. Where does the time go? I have spent a lot of time with him over this past year (an odd year, admittedly with this covid1984 crap) it still seems to have flown by in the blink of an eye.

Year in Australia – almost

His school year is fast coming to an end. His first in Australia. Maybe his last school year here if we do not stay. He is quite happy here but at that age changing schools is nothing. Sure, any seven year old will think it’s the end of the world having to move school and not see their friends. But after only a few days in a new school – or even country – they fit in, and make new friends easily. Dani has proved that already by coming over here.

We had expected to have some visitors during this past 10 months. Certainly for, or around, his birthday. But that covid nonsense put paid to that. (And still that crap goes on…)

One thing is for sure. This has been the hottest birthday he has had to date. Temperatures rose to around 26 degrees in Sydney yesterday.

Birthday Parties

We decided to give him a birthday party so he can invite his school buddies. Not in the apartment – that’s far too small. We have booked a place not too far from his school where they teach kids ‘cartooning’. Dani has made a list of 8 kids he wants to invite and so far most have accepted. I am sure they will all enjoy learning how to draw cartoons. They also organise games for them. That event will be in just over a week’s time.

On this, his big day, we just had our own little party and made sure that he called his families in Spain and the UK. The one thing that we can’t do unfortunately is get more of his family over here. I am sure he misses not seeing them – especially on his birthday – but he has handled it well.

Presents and Pets

He has recently been talking about having a pet dog. There is no way that is going to happen. Way too much responsibility! Over the weeks since he started mentioning it I have managed to negotiate him down to a fish. Not one but a few actually. And so on this his seventh birthday he has a tropical fish tank.

All we need to do now is set it up and go and buy the little fish. He calls it a ‘starter pet’. I told him if he manages to keep the fish alive he may be able to graduate to a hamster or a gerbil. Then a rabbit and then – maybe – a dog.  I am fairly sure the fish will not last very long, but admittedly that is a bit of a gamble on my part. More on that one as and when (and if) it happens…

Extra Gift?

Would you believe it. I bought him two DVDs (one of which was Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure) but they don’t work on our DVD player. The one that came over from Spain. I could have sworn that I checked the formats before it was packed but obviously not. Australia is “Region 4”, while Europe is “Region 2”.

The other week when we returned from Broken Hill, I managed to get the Mad Max 2 movie on DVD from the local library. It worked on our DVD player!! That must have just been some fluke right? Anyway today I also had to buy a new DVD player for the amazing price of $55. Hardly expensive eh? But now we can watch Bill & Ted. Excellent!!!