Visit to the Fire HallI

On Wednesday I was madly rushing around in the morning getting ready for our visit to the Fire Hall at 10 am. One of the American moms had arranged it (some people just have more go get em and think of doing things like this). I had decided to take transit as the Fire Hall is downtown and I couldn't imagine trying to find parking. So the night before, I had researched my transit options (bus, train or boat) and decided bus would work best - I hoped the bus would be stroller friendly and was making contingency plans to walk to the train station if it wasn't. Being me, we got out the door in plenty of time and ended up catching one of the earliest buses in my travel plan. It was a great bus - visitors take note - very close to our house and does a great tour of the CBD. Halfway through our trip, I noted that Rowan hadn't gotten a chance to take his morning constitutional at home. Darnit, he is not anal retentive like Ellis. He smelled. I contemplated getting off early where I knew a good toilet was, but decided that would leave me walking a ways. I jumped off the bus quickly in Fortitude Valley and walked a block and remembered that darn! I had forgotten to touch my go card. This has been on the news a lot lately. You used to be able to buy tickets as you got on the bus, but this would take forever (kinda like the change counters on Vancouver buses) so they have Go cards here - you load them with money and then touch them to a computer as you get on and off transit vehicles. They work great as long as you remember to touch off - but being a basket case mummy not knowing where you're going, trying to manhandle big stroller and leapster playing Ellis off the bus, you tend to forget to touch off. I didn't know what happens in that situation but from the rumours and news features the consequences are dire.

So, I texted Cyp - could he phone the Go card place? I was madly looking for a washroom in Chinatown so I could change Rowan before it seeped out all over his clothes.

I was walking through the alleys and streets when I noted a sign for the train station. "Great!" I should be able to solve my go card problem there as they have ticket and info booths. I went up to the staff person and told him I'd just gotten off the bus and had forgotten to touch off.

"oh, I really can't help you out of that predicament. You're really hooped." was essentially what he said in Aussie speak.

"you could phone the number on the back of the card and plead your case." he continued.

"ok" I sighed feeling quite dejected.

The bright side of things was I noted that there was also a baby change washroom at the train station so I headed there next. I finally figured out how to open the door on the washroom (obviously, no one else had as it was the cleanest train station washroom that I have ever encountered) and I started to change Rowan's nappy.

I had been dreading it as he is at the wonderful stage now where he likes to roll over in mid change. Unfortunately, the strap on the change table was also broken so I couldn't tie him down. I usually sit on him at home.

As soon as I had removed the nappy, Rowan did what I expected - grabbed his poo covered penis. I just don't have enough hands! Then because I was fighting him, he started to flail and cry and shoved his poo covered hand in his mouth. Sigh. Meanwhile Ellis was yelling "I smell something STINKY!" and I was screaming. I wonder what the people out in the hall were thinking. One package of wipes later, we were set to go. I should note that it's no wonder Ellis ended up being anal retentive. I wonder if Rowan will have poo issues too.

Even though we had been about an hour early, we were now running behind. I also felt the need to phone the Go Card people so as I was pushing overladen stroller, I was calling on my iphone to see if I could minimize the dire consequences of not touching off.

I got through to someone and plead my case.

"hmm, not sure if there's anything I can do."

OH NO.

"what's going to happen?" I asked.

"Next time you touch on, you're going to get charged $3. A normal bus ride is $2.70 so you'll be out $0.30. I can try and credit you the $0.30 - how long have you had this Go card?"

"$0.30? Uh, that's ok - and I've had it a while, so really have no excuse."

Ok, so obviously the consequences are not that dire.

I made it to the Fire Station right on time. Really - it's good all that happened otherwise we would have had to stand around waiting which is never fun. Instead, I discovered a new and nice train station that is in the heart of Chinatown and the Valley.

As soon as the tour started Ellis said:

"I want to lie down."

Of course.

I told him to just stay in the stroller and play his leapster but could he please turn the volume down? The other go get em moms looked at me kinda funny. Whatever - believe me, it would be worse if I tried to force him to enjoy the tour.

Rowan and I got a lot out of the tour. I learned how our Queenslander house will burn to the ground in about 2 minutes if it catches fire. Built on stilts, it's got great access for oxygen and made of old timber it's nicely flammable. Whoomp! was how the fireman described it. He then told me stories about Queenslanders he's seen fully engulfed in about 2 minutes. Great. It also has lots of doors with handles that Ellis can't reach and bars on all the windows in Ellis's room. I think I will purchase an Axe and keep it in our bedroom. I can Axe down the door to Ellis's room from our outside veranda. Should really do that.

Ellis eventually came out of the stroller when it was time to spray the house. Oh, and the go get mom had made cupcakes (with sprinkles) for everyone.

When Cyp later asked Ellis what the best part of the day had been (we no longer ask him how his day was as the answer if usually "not so good" and grandma Doreen suggested we rephrase our question to "What was the best part of your day?" in that singsongy kid voice), Ellis answered "we had cupcakes with sprinkles!"

I decided to take the train home (as now I knew where the station was and I had no idea where to catch the bus). We got to the station as the departures board said "1 min to departure" so we raced to the platform and got on the train. It was a lovely empty train so I didn't have to run over people's toes with the stroller. The trains seem to go about every 30 min, so I was very happy.

Of course about 5 minutes later we heard. This train is having service issues so please proceed to platform 1 where there is another train. So off we went - me in a slight panic about missing it as I manhandled stroller through the station. I met a service man though and he proceeded to broadcast over his walky talky to please wait for us, we were coming. Of course this train wasn't so empty and I had to run over some toes.

Ellis happily showed everyone on the train the loot he'd gotten at the fire station (he got some stickers about fire safety and some balloons) and asked everyone else where'd they been and where were they going? He is not always shy.

We got off at Toowong Village and I fueled up with our packed lunch and then hiked home. It wasn't as bad as I thought until we got to our street and then I thought I was going to have a coronary, but I didn't. Phew. I took a picture of our postie. They ride scooters here - walking is so old school (as Sue's postie told her)