muddy wash

I love Bob Graham books. For the stories, for the illustrations, for the cosy but less than perfect domesticity, for the blokes in aprons. I don't think I've ever seen another kids book author who shows men doing domesticity with such regularity and ordinariness as Bob Graham. That's what charms me so much - it doesn't seem like something special or a big deal. It just is.The women also look like people we might know*.


In one of our other books - Queenie - I think, there is a little sub story where the dad is knitting something for the baby about to arrive and then later you see him ironing his handiwork. Most excellent. These pictures come from a board book I found at the opshop Helping - a busy day boardbook. Even though we love our Bob Graham books I passed it on to Betty for Maeve and Ruby.

*Oh, and I didn't realise but he is Australian! How could I have missed that? Which maybe partly explains why these families seem so real to me. Der. But I am delighted that he is one of ours.

twilight sensations and neopolitan dreams

I almost ever watch commercial TV anymore and when I do, the ads are a revelation. This one from Surf has a woman hanging out her washing on a beautiful spring day. She is wearing a vintage dress, has a charming old style washing line (although give me a hills hoist any day) and follows a cat through the shadows of the sheet into an dreamy landscape full of exotic scents before falling back into reality, laughing with joy. Yes, I know clean sheets are a pleasure, but oh puhlease.

While I'm on the subject of Surf and youtube, I also found this one featuring Lisa Mitchell of Coin Laundry fame. Gorgeous laundry for less. Or how to con a whole new generation of women into the utter delight of housework. Not that I mind pretty, or a well kept house, but there is something about these ads.... all this dressing up of a job that involves soaking stinky underpants and grotty sheets...   

Very Princess and the Pea. I'm too grumpy (or ho hum at best) to be a good pitch for these. Still, I liked the clothes peg. I wouldn't have minded getting more of those.