Typhoid Mary

Despite a head full of snot and a throat full of barbed wire I had a considerable amount of fun today.

Once Flo had it in her head that I wasn't speaking all that often, she pretty much entertained herself for the morning...doing jigsaws, pretending to be a cake seller to "The Silent Prince" (my crowning role), and taking turns using the laser pointer to annoy Moshi. We almost didn't notice the rain.

After lunch we headed off for Esmae's party where I adopted the role of Science Professor and the assorted kids made various machines, models and other contrivances....I should have taken photographs (I will next time I do it), but here's a small highlight of what was constructed with apologies where I've forgotten names:

• A bird like structure complete with eyes, beak, teeth, arms, hat and antenna [Felix? Small, sweet boy. Maybe his name began with R]

• A brainwave detection device which could tell what someone was thinking (yay for a microphone glued to a wire then to some headphones!)...which doubled as a Karaoke machine [DeeDee...not the Ramone...but she was punk, that's for sure. Awesome!]

• A Hamster Run (2 flashing RGB LEDs glued to some circuit boards attached by wire, and a plastic box) [Also DeeDee]

• A rocket [Flo]

• A robot brain. This was a truly awesome mini construction, with a big switch a flashing flight and a weird arrangement of magnets and wires... [Isaac]
  

• "A real computer" (broken graphics card with a button and a light attached [Gracie & Flo]

• An MP3 player (a mobile glued to a headset, and an RGB LED) [Mathew]

• A robot in a jacuzzi (various resistors, caps, etc wired together into a doll, in a plastic bowl) [Scarlet]

There were a few other things, but my nose is running on the keyboard now....hang on a sec...

Anyway, it was great! I always forget how creative kids can be when you say "here's a load of stuff, let's make something"....some of them have a problem not being told what to make, but eventually they all get really into it.

If only I had 4 pairs of hands, and 3 glue guns (thanks for the loan Rosie!)...Not sure Esmae was impressed with the book of greek & roman myths I got her this year as she was with the netbook last year ;-)

Was too fucked to carry the 6 boxes of bits back, so am now horizontal on the sofa in front of the fire hoping I this isn't manbirdpig flu and that whatever it is it fucks off soon...before Wednesday anyway.