This tree, as big kid says, is sus.

A tree with markings (including "69") on its trunk stands in a grassy area.

Space-obsessed four year old last week:

“My head is full of questions, Dad. There are eight planets in our solar system. Four rocky planets, and four gas and ice planets. Do the gas planets have a rocky core?”

Space-obsessed four year old today:

“Daa-aad. What’s in Uranus?”

We always used the have a special meal to mark New Year’s Day, like Christmas and Easter Sunday, but yesterday, as big kid was away and I had to go and collect him, we ate leftover burgers, chips, rice, beans and salad.

I made a Snowman out of mashed potatoes, with sausage arms, carrot nose, onion mouth, cabbage scarf, roast potato hat and gravy eyes and buttons.

Will little kid eat it?

A snowman-shaped sculpture is made from mashed potatoes with a potato hat, carrot nose, gravy eyes, and meat for arms, served on a plate.

Big kid went home with his Auntie and cousins on Monday night, so later I will go and collect him. Hopefully traffic will be a lot less than usual today.

This year

This year I’m returning to full-time work for the first time in almost a decade. I’m looking forward to it, though, and my main focus is going to be on researching and writing grant funding applications for local community youth work.

Last term I joined my sons’ school’s parent teacher association specifically to help find grant funding they can apply for. I need to get on with that.

I also hope to be able to get more involved (again) in local democracy and activism in person. I’d like to see if we can get some kind of organised mutual aid and self-help community going.

I want to get fitter and lose some weight, so I’m intend to walk every morning (flat feet permitting) and I’m no longer taking sugar in tea and coffee.

I want to sleep better (which is partly dependent on little kid staying in his own bed all night), breathe better, and get my psoriasis under control.

And I want a new hat.

Today’s menu (illustrations by big kid).

A hand-drawn menu featuring items like burgers, fries, pizza, rice, and salad, each with a simple illustration.

Some personal listening highlights of the year.

Today we’re expecting our two nieces and their Mum. They’re at just the right ages to play with our boys, so it should be a fun day for them as usual, and a hectic one for me.

Best part of Xmas Day for me was late last night when my little kid got a book for me to read to him called “Dad”. After we finished he looked at me and said, “I love you, Dad!” and gave me a big hug.