Happy 2nd Birthday, Princess.

Back-wise I'm feeling better. Much better. Thanks for the good wishes.

I am starting my research into a convenient Pilates class near home - because that will apparently be my only saviour in the long term.

I don't know what to make of this:

Anthony Kiedis and model girlfriend expecting first child

I'm sort of happy for Anthony though I have doubts as to what sort of dad he might make. I think it's the fact that the mother of his child to be is 20 years old. Nothing new, I know, but I still find it somewhat distasteful. It says something of his character which doesn't sit well with me.

Please prove me wrong AK!

This week I have learnt a few things.

I have learnt I have a slightly bulging disc in my lower back. I learnt this after having $635 worth of x-rays and CT scans. How do poor people find out about their bulging discs?

I have learnt about a whole new world of pain I had never even suspected existed.

I have learnt how hard it is to do the simplest things, like getting out of bed and going to the bathroom, when your back is in agony.

I have learnt that two days of being in bed is fucking boring. I mean really really insanely boring. Day time tv is not fit for human consumption, even with Foxtel I was reduced to Oprah re-runs.

I have learnt that it is very difficult for my anally-retentive personality to let go and allow others to help me. But I have also learnt that my family is the best (well, I already knew that). They have gone above and beyond to help me and I can't be grateful enough.

I have learnt that I am getting old/er and I can't take things for granted any longer. I must start doing Pilates to increase my back/stomach strength so that they may better support my crumbling spine.

I have learnt that getting old/er SUCKS!

I suppose I should recap briefly on the subject of Mother's Day.

I started off in a fairly bad mood because my Swannies got another flogging on Saturday night which was extremely disappointing to say the least. Then Marianna woke me up at 5:20 am which is not the time of day I had hoped I would be waking on Mother's Day.

Things improved when we drove down to glorious Bronte Beach for a scrumptious breakfast with my mum and Jason's mum (who is here visiting us from Perth).

We then drove out to Rookwood to visit my grandmother's grave and to see her newly erected gravestone. This seems to be a popular Mother's Day passtime as there were hundreds of other people at the cemetery.

The afternoon was spent bowling. Thank goodness we bowl with the kids and get to use the bumpers because otherwise I'd be scoring in the single digits. It is sad and somewhat embaressing when you're consistantly outscored by your less-than-two-year-old daughter.

We finished off a busy day with a lovely drive down to Berowra Waters and a trip on the car ferry (much to the children's delight). We took both of Jason's mums to the Waterside restaurant which features a quality over quantity seafood buffet. It was refreshing to see a buffet with superb oysters and smoked salmon, mussels and prawns, rather than the 3rd rate stuff you normally get. The food was lovely and the place was very child friendly so we didn't feel overly stressed about the kids running around the place. There was even a single rose for every mum.... corny but sweet.

Oh, and "the kids" got me a Swedish Goddess Massage from Ella Bache. These vouchers are starting to stack up. I better start making some bookings and let the pampering commence. It's a hard life.

I'm watching Monday night eviction on BB.

Travis deserves to win right now for nominating Emma because she hides toilet paper which makes him very anxious when he has to "take the kids on the waterslide". Isn't that the best damn Aussie-ism that you've ever heard!

That man is the Oz-iest human being I have ever set eyes on. Beauty bonza mate!

There's no better Mother's Day gift than Bodie and TJ being shafted from Big Brother. A happy day finished off with the ultimate gift. Jeez, I hated those two. If only Emma would get struck by lightening... that would really be icing on the cake.

I've also done a back flip on Demet. She seemed cool but has turned out to be a prize shithead.

Down with Emma and Demet!!!

Feeling sad right now.

One serious reason. That poor little Madeleine who was kidnapped in Portugal a week ago. It was her birthday today and the story on the news made me cry. My heart hurts for her and her family. I can't even begin to imagine the horror her family is living through. I will pray in my non-believer way that she is alive and will return to her family. No punishment is horrible enough for the scum who did this.

One not-so-serious reason. I was watching the 'Til Death Do Us Part Marathon on MTV this afternoon and it made me so sad that Dave and Carmen split up last year. They were so gorgeous during the planning of their wedding and on their actual wedding day. They genuinely seemed like good, weird, but good people. People who really loved, liked and respected each other. I shook Dave's hand at a back stage meet and greet when he toured with the Chili Peppers all those years ago and I felt a deep soul behind those dark dark eyes. I hope you have peace and happiness Dave and Carmen.

Kate was booted off Big Brother last [Sunday] night. The first for 2007. I don't care. She's a weird bird, no doubt about it. Totally loco really.

Last week BB brought out the tired old plastic baby exercise for the housemates. Nothing new. Kate's reaction was new. She came out with her story of having a still born baby 18 months ago. Lots of tears, threats of leaving BB and general shananigins. A lot of teary statements about "never getting over it".

Call me a cold hearted bitch but I don't know how a woman can go through such a horrific experience (I miscarried very early in my pregnancy almost 20 years ago and it almost killed me - psychologically - at the time) and then within a few months apply to go on a shallow tv program like Big Brother. Let alone how she could actually go on it only 18 months later.

There's a part of me that's sympathetic to her pain and loss and a part of me that's like "what the...?".

Which brings me to more cases of "what the...?". Like the Bodie and TJ "relationship". Like Emma and the whole "cool" gang.

Bodie and TJ have been nominated for evicition this week and Gretel was on the radio yesterday saying that the "interesting" people (like these two mental giants, presumably) should be kept in and the "boring" people voted off. I'm sorry, if people like Bodie and TJ are interesting well give me boring any time. Also, my theory is that when the interesting (i.e. totally self obsessed, loud-mouthed, dumb as dog shit) people are evicted it leaves more room in the house for the so-called boring to people to come out of their shell and reveal what in the past has proven to be a much deeper, really more interesting personality.

And if you're wondering why I'm bothering to think so deeply about this tripe, well, yes I am really that shallow. Surprise!

Must go the Big Brother "Golden Key" special is starting.

The Swans had another loss. It was a horrible way to finish Saturday night. After Will's party all I wanted was to go home, put my feet up, have a cuppa and watch the Swans kick the Kangaroos' backsides all over Telstra Dome. Well it was my boys who got a kicking I'm afraid. Boo bloody hoo!

Oh, you know... next week...

I have mixed emotions about children's birthday parties.

On the one hand I have such fond memories of attending parties from my own childhood I am determined that my children will enjoy a birthday extraveganza each and every year of their own childhoods. As a child I remember them as magical moments. The anticipation (usually followed by frustration) of pass the parcel (in my day the mothers weren't as polite as to include a small prize under each sheet of wrapping paper - there was only the one major prize at the end - and many disappointed children). The musical statues (which I could never excel at, being much too excited to stand still even for a moment). The party food - oh the bliss of red cordial and chocolate crackles - a luxury I never experienced in my migrant Russian Jewish household. My all time favourite memory is of being one of a small group, the chosen few, who were invited to Katie's birthday party - at a pantomime. It was the most wonderful thing I had ever seen. I was enthralled and that memory will be with me always.

This is the magic I try to re-create for my children but I'm sure today's children are much more jaded and cynical to experience the joy and wonder I did all those years ago.

On the other hand being the mother of the birthday child is hell on earth. For example, on Saturday we hosted Will's 8th birthday party, a bowling party at his request. There were 23 children all up, including Marianna who wanted to bowl (she won in her lane!). Getting the children's shoes on and lanes assigned was long and labourious. The air conditioning wasn't working at the bowling alley so we were all hot and bothered. I was shit scared of losing a child or having a child hurt themselves or having a bored child. There were so many potential danger areas.

In the end all went well. The kids bowled happily, spent their tokens in the fun zone and ate their party food. Will was a happy birthday boy and went home with a literal mountain of presents.

I swear after 21 they are on their own as far as this party caper is concerned!