My wife is out of town visiting her family this week and she took the kids with her so I’m all on my own for a whole week. The single blokes out there might not think this is a big deal but for us marrieds it’s like being given a Golden Ticket pass to live like a bachelor again.

Before the wife left there were a lot of jokes about me living on sausages and Scotch and lying on the couch in my underwear watching nothing but football and violent movies. But I haven’t done any of that (well, OK, I have watched some footie, drank some Scotch, and had sausages for dinner last night — with chips! Covered in HP Sauce!), there’s been no cocaine and hookers ordered in either. To be honest the thing I’ve most enjoyed the past couple of days is getting a solid night’s sleep without any baby crying and having an extra 1/2 an hour in bed in the morning because I haven’t got to feed and dress the kids.

How sad is that? My twenty-something self would be disgusted with me.

Download: Alone Again (Naturally) – Gilbert O’Sullivan (mp3)

Having a kid sometimes reminds me how many little things from my own childhood I’ve forgotten. Recently I thought it would be fun to make my daughter a paper airplane to play with but suddenly realized I couldn’t remember how. For a boy who used to know a million ways to make a superfast jet plane out of a sheet of paper it was most distressing, I had to go and look it up on the internet. Then last weekend I drew a hopscotch grid in our driveway for her but I couldn’t remember how to play that either.

What the hell else have I forgotten that I don’t remember?

Download: Where’s The Playground, Susie? – Glen Campbell (mp3)

Download: Pooh Trilogy – The Divine Comedy (mp3)

We don’t own much in the way of “kids music” — our daughter mostly listens to the same stuff we do — but the CD this comes from is pretty groovy. Perfect for all those Alternadads out there. Not that I’m one you understand (though I did spend part of Father’s Day yesterday at a record shop).

I was playing some records last Saturday morning when my little girl decided she wanted to pick a record to play next. So she started pulling out albums at random and when she handed me this, saying “I want this one, Daddy!” I had to grab the camera.

I’ve no idea why she chose that particular one, but having her ask me to play a Roxy Music album was one of my proudest moments as a father so far.

Download: Prairie Rose – Roxy Music (mp3)

Sensing a blog post in the making I let her carry on pulling out records — with no prompting from me, I swear. And I think she showed remarkably good taste for a two year old.

Classic choice this one.

Download: Cue Fanfare – Prefab Sprout (mp3)

I don’t think this one has been played in 20 years but it may now have a new life as a kiddie’s favourite.

Download: Forgotten – Altered Images (mp3)

OK, some more Roxy Music then. That’s my girl.

Download: 2HB – Roxy Music (mp3)

Now I know what to do next time I’m stumped for a post idea.