Kitchen counter, 8:53am
Crumpets with vegemite, little fingers and a travel brochure for Japan.
Why is it that Mum’s breakfast holds infinite appeal while the small child’s actual breakfast is left untouched?
And I have found a fabulous use for the seemingly spooky Google Maps Street View. I have been wandering around the streets of Tokyo and Kyoto - having a little preview of some of the places we have marked to visit. So much fun! It’s like a computer game. Do I turn left here? Why not! That street looks nice!
Back streets of Kyoto…
An archway leading up to the Fushimi Inari-taisha shrine (statues of foxes lie within!
And of course - a trip to Junie Moon will be essential - especially if traveling with Christina.
Responses
13th August 2008 at 1:39 pm
In our house it’s Dad’s breakfast that gets attacked by a pig-tailed piranha. “Crummets! Crummets!”. But that’s the price he pays for a weekend sleep-in.
13th August 2008 at 1:58 pm
I agree totally about the kids. I make an extra slice of toast now in the mornings because I know Lucy will want some.
13th August 2008 at 3:24 pm
Oh, you do vegemite on crumpets too! I love vegemite, but my crumpets are only allowed butter or honey. My son likes vegemite on his crumpets, but I vetoed his request for peanut butter on them - sounds too much like sacrilege for me!
When my daughter appears at my elbow for some of my breakfast I always think “the pigeon has appeared again”.
13th August 2008 at 5:03 pm
What joy! Crumpets and Junie Moon. When I FINALLY walked into Junie Moon…after all those months of seeing it on a computer screen…I had to pinch myself. Roll on November!
13th August 2008 at 6:23 pm
Happens in our house too and is not restricted to breakfast. The girls had lunch, at lunchtime, around 3 I hadn’t eaten and made a quick piece of cheese on toast. I think I’m optimistic if I say I had three bites before both of them descended on me!
By the way, I’m sure you may have come across this website, but if not, it’s a great resource for you and the forthcoming trip.
http://japancraftjournal.blogspot.com/ and a few references if you scroll back a couple of pages on this website which also seem good
When looking for your email address to send these through rather than hogging comments space, kind of a thrill to see you’re the same suburb as me.
13th August 2008 at 8:22 pm
I’m also a vegemite on crumpet (or pikelets and pancakes) fan. Yummers.
My Mum is off to Japan next month, I think it is her 5th trip with the school she works with. The only problem is she doesn’t have time to buy up big for me!
13th August 2008 at 11:10 pm
That’s a great idea to explore other countries on the Google street view! So far I’ve been limited to places I’ve already been - like my old house, school, friend’s places etc… it’s time to take some virtual holidays instead!
14th August 2008 at 1:50 am
I always say if there’s something you want your little one to eat, don’t put any on her plate; just put lots of it on yours, and she’ll want to eat it for sure.
Thanks for the tutorial!
14th August 2008 at 5:21 am
Those little fingers are so sweet …and so devious. I truly love crumpets but would eat the whole packet so I rarely buy them. (I can get them at Trader Jo’s and maybe I will…in a week or so!)
14th August 2008 at 11:08 am
What a great idea - and a great use for the slightly creepy Google Maps! We are off to Japan in September so this will be very inspiring…
14th August 2008 at 11:47 am
I lived in Taiwan when I was little, and managed to find my old house on Google Maps. It was such a huge moment to see it for the first time in ten years, until I realized how downtrodden it is.. and uninhabited too. Then it was a bit sad.
But vegemite crumpets seem like a good solution!
14th August 2008 at 1:36 pm
hhhmmm… i’m not sure if i’ve ever said hello or not. but i am always observing. i love your stories and art. i love your little dolls! so anyway, hello.
is that what crumpets actually look like? hhmm…
i can never get my three year old to eat dinner! breakfast if fine, lunch okay, but dinner? never! even with no snacks in between…
14th August 2008 at 2:37 pm
i love Vegemite on crumpets. yum!
and oh! how i wish that street view had been up when i was planning my trip to japan. it’s like magic!
14th August 2008 at 7:10 pm
We did the same thing, googled Japan and found the most amazing tiny little streets. Also did you find the cherry blossom? So beautiful.
14th August 2008 at 10:47 pm
Hello, Claire! I have been reading your blog for ages, but I have never said hello. Thank you for all of your beautiful, inspiring posts! I always love reading them.
My mum’s food always looked tastier than my own, so I think you are on to something there. At the moment, my husband is the one who eats my food! He is like a seagull!
I am glad you found a true, good use for Google Street View…it still creeps me out!
Keep up the great work!
Love Carla
http://www.carladarling.blogspot.com
15th August 2008 at 6:11 am
It’s toast and marmite at ours (being in the UK) but the same thing happens. Little girls seem to have an insatiable appetite for toast (and I’m sure crumpets too)I spend a lot of time hiding in the kitchen. This new google street maps thing doesn’t cover scotland yet so I haven’t been able to look at my house boo.
19th August 2008 at 11:34 pm
Hi Claire
I went to Japan in 2006 and the Inari shrine was my favourite place! I’m sure you’ll love it, it’s beautiful.
28th August 2008 at 8:19 am
My boyfriend moved to California from Australia (Melbourne) just over a year ago and of course brought vegemite with him! I stayed away from it until one of his friends from Oz was visiting and teased me by saying that I’d eat vegemite on toast with him if I really loved him so I reluctantly took a bite sort of on a dare (it smells…interesting) but I actually kind of like it now! I like it on toasted pita bread but I’ll have to try it on some buttered crumpets sometime!
13th August 2008 at 1:08 pm
After several meals out where I ended up eating the kiddie meal while my child dined on gourmet foccacias, I came up with a theory. Order/cook what you want to eat, and make nothing for the children. If you’re lucky, you may even get some!