A Single Entity

As you may or may not have noticed I have been away due to the dreaded Man-Flu and since being found clinically alive have still stayed clear of my 'Precious', (Other than Raising Amelie or the Ring that Binds us all... I just mean this Blog)

In that time of absenteeism I can say that I have been busy, in that I have been playing, I mean teaching a certain up and coming Tycoon, the intricacies of a certain board game. You may have guessed by the title of this post I suppose -or not- is about Monopoly.

‘The domination of a market by a single entity!’

After teaching my 4 year old the basic rules, we began. Straight off the bat my little entrepreneur started buying. That is all good, but every move I made I was already paying rent as I kept landing on the properties she had just purchased (mortgaged). Around and around we went. I did manage to buy a few estates but unfortunately they weren't in the best locale, so rentals were quite cheap. Yet I was still surviving the rat race.

It continued... And with every community chest I was giving out money whereas my events coordinator was receiving. A couple of times in jail didn't phase my fraudster as she had most of the properties and by the rules still gets paid the rent. A good 2 hours were spent by both of us trying to dominate the other 'of the fellowship.' What fun!

I was Decimated! I mean gave in. Oh let's play again then. After you go count it all.

Monopoly~ Dominated by a single entity?

Yes! As it should be! As that is what the game intended. As that is the fabric that rules our world. It's the dogma that keeps the strong stronger and makes the many weak and insignificant. It is all about making money and who cares who you make a pauper.

It is about a single person among the few (or many) to truly decimate those around us by procuring what others in our fellowship have struggled to own through hard work, sweat and tears. It is for a single entity to buy, buy out, make it impossible for your fellow to truly be financially free, pretty much like a government (Taxes) or a bank (mortgage, fees)...

I was very pleased and thankful that when I was down to my last dollar and couldn't pay my rent Amelie gave back, by helping out the more unfortunate (i.e.. Me.) and was happy doing so. You may be thinking...

“Oh well she wanted the game to continue," but I say, “She did feel bad and wanted to give, rather than take." Because as soon as she did give, it was time to finish the game.

A single entity doesn't mean a single person, it means ONE and that ONE is us all, together as a Species, as Humans and as a Family.

All in all my Rockefeller and I did have fun and were, as One. A Single Entity!!!

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Helter Skelter

How tedious are some games? Well let me tell you that this particular game is up there with the best of the time consuming ones.
Helter Skelter or KerPlunk by it's other just as frustrating name, is not a bad game by any means but it's just that it takes so frickin' long to set up! My eyes are failing and my hands shake so it's no wonder setting up this particular game get's my nerves on edge.

My adversary though, thrives on my inability to keep the pieces from tumbling before the game has even commenced.

I definitely need a prepper (is that a word?), to set up the Skelter that is this Helter. Until then I shall persevere as I do, to the amusement of my opponent.

Aaaargh! 20 minutes to have it ready and 2 minutes for it to finish leaving me not only frustrated but apparently the Loser too!

I think, to relax, I'll just listen to this piece of serene muzak... Oh and just like the video. When you think it's over... off we go again.


So, in the words of John Lennon, "I've got blisters on me fingers!!!!

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Lego. Stand Back

I had the joy and frustration yesterday in that I spent some time playing with my 'Architect' with those most famous of activity implements... Lego. 

Oh the joy in having your little one so enthused in creating something special from these blocks of plastic, oh the frustration when Papa tries to assemble the different parts she has created to make a whole construction.

Yes, frustration. Why? 

Well, through no fault of my 'labourer' I had what can only be described as "butter fingers" or the inability to realise that certain areas just may be overlapping a little too much thereby being somewhat heavy causing our structure to tip and collapse into a broken mess of tiny tiles. When this happened I was met by screams from my 'foreman' that I won't be getting paid anytime soon.  After explaining that this Lego may be inferior to others of the same ilk I was allowed to continue assisting. Needless to say also destroying what was turning into some behemoth of a design.

You see, I think the last time I touched Lego was when I was in my very early youth and I seem to recall I wasn't much good at it then either. Must be the quality of the pieces as it certainly can't be my lack of understanding in the laws of physics and construction.

Ahh Lego, Lego, Lego, I suggest you get a professional or stand back! Now... where can I hide the bloody thing? At least my head honcho was delighted with my efforts or was it the peanuts?

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Car Games

It's a car ride..  It is a long ride...  What do we do? Car Games of course.

There is a Dora the Explorer Card Game... yes!

In the backseat there is a box. The box contains cards, the cards have pictures and the rules, the rules are easy...  so I thought. It depends on who is reading the cards and really, what 3 year old can't read?

Most cards are OK as they are quite self explanatory. The cards are drawn from the pack.

The first to see a yellow car wins. (Side Note:  remarkable how many people like yellow)

The first to see a bird wins. (Side Note: I was looking for the wrong type of bird)

The first to see a stop sign wins.  (Side Note: I don't see stop signs as I feel they impede on the speed I want to achieve)

So far I am doing poorly but there is another card. A game within a game, I can't get wrong.

What animal am I? Make an animal noise and the other person has to guess what it is. Simple!

I'll go first...

Papa, "Moooo."

Amelie, "A cow."

Papa, "Good girl, your turn."

Amelie, "woof, oink, moo, neigh, baaaa"

Papa, "What? It has to be one animal, you can't do that."

Amelie, "It is one animal it is a Dogpigcowhorsesheep!"

Papa, "Alrighty then." A few seconds pass in silence, then, "Hey? Wasn't there a card of a stop sign?
Amelie, "Yes."
Papa, "Isn't there also a card in the box for us to spot a police car with flashing lights?"

Amelie, "Yes."

Me,  looking in the rear-view mirror, "Haha! I win!!"

Or did I?

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Chess

Such an ancient and noble game is Chess. It is to be taken seriously!

"The Game of Chess is not merely an idle amusement; several very valuable qualities of the mind, useful in the course of human life, are to be acquired and strengthened by it, so as to become habits ready on all occasions; for life is a kind of Chess, in which we have often points to gain, and competitors or adversaries to contend with, and in which there is a vast variety of good and ill events, that are, in some degree, the effect of prudence, or the want of it."

By playing at Chess I may teach my strategist..


1. Foresight, which looks a little into her future, and considers the consequences that may come from her decisions.

2. Circumspection, which surveys the whole Chess-board or her life around her and what action to take, in relation to the several pieces, and their situation at the present moment.

3. Caution, not to make our moves too hastily. To think first and then to act.

These are the main points or reasons of the game. A game I enjoy and want to teach my 3 year old.

Too young you think?

Well maybe you are right! As my opponent just won't take it seriously! And Why not?

Laugh you may

This is a serious part of learning the Force!

Oh. OK... on ya' bike!

Check.... Mate!

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Something in the water

Bath Time.

My little Mermaid loves the water, be it at the beach, a pool or at home in the bath. Is it because she is Aquarius?

Bath time can be a long time as well as a fun time. Toys are obviously there to keep her amused but most often it is the soap and shampoos that are being played with. Water is being splashed, bubbles are expanding to a point where visibility is low. My pants are getting soaked, (should remember to take them off) and my back is starting to ache from all the crouching.

Bath time can be a dangerous time as in one occasion when my girl was younger. She was happily sitting and then in a blink of an eye was under water, mouth open, eyes open, staring straight at me. The longest 2 seconds of my life with her. Touch wood, since then bath time as I have mentioned has just been fun!

One thing I must ask though, what is in the water?

Every time and I mean every time my water baby has finished or more to the point I have commanded it to be so, I remove said child from bath and place her on a mat and then try to towel dry her, I say try because it is an effort. What is in the water?

It doesn't take her long or with much effort to escape my grasp and quick as a flash Amelie is gone! As fast as her little legs can take her she is off and running, screaming and laughing, naked as the day she was born through the house. Many times she comes to rest in her small play tent covering herself in plush toys. The other times she just doesn't stop running with me the holder of towel and all attire in full pursuit. What's in the water to cause this behaviour? Or is it just the pure joy of being totally natural and free?

Bath time is fun but whatever is in the water it is also very tiring, for me that is.

Happy 2011 to all.

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Don't touch the keys!

Sitting on the couch is my Angel and me. On my lap is appropriately called a laptop.

We are surfing the net for 'Petit Ours Brun', a French cartoon for the little movie critic in the household.

We finally find a site where you can sing-a-long or download pictures to colour in, as well as watch a show.

Unfortunately my computer engineer thinks it is her job to start pressing as many keys on the computer as possible. I have to remind my diligent companion that Papa is in control of the functions.

Amelie with all the care in the world raises just one finger to touch only one key as that is surely not being a nuisance. I then explain again that I'm in charge and only I can touch the keys.

"So... don't touch the keys!"

It's not a second after I have said this, that I feel a little hand grasp one of my fingers and move it gently over to the computer keyboard. Thereupon using not her finger but mine to touch the keys.

I am dumbfounded again. What can I say?  GO and read a book....

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the C word

Amelie is nearly 23 months old and has been talking for quite a while now.

This last week or so something has been cropping up in her sentence structure. For reasons unbeknown to my good self my little orator cannot stop herself from inserting, either at the beginning or at the end of her remarks, the C word.

Its like my potty mouth has a case of tourette's.

I try and ignore it, as paying any attention the (master child psychologists=those who have no children) say only encourages it more. What am I to do?

I guess I'll just have to endure countless nursery rhymes with the added colourful language thrown in.
Example: Mary had a little Caca it's Caca was white as Caca.............
 

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play doh!

A Master Chef is one who can create Play-Doh. I did it ! 4 Hats.
Here's a video
on how to...

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