Saturday night

is DATE night in Paradise.

Ah yes, while we live a life a quiet contemplation the other six nights of the week, Saturday night heats up around here.

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During certain times of the year, our methodical approach to life does allow a little more latitude, but as of two days ago, we are fixed on Saturdays again until October (or November or whenever they think footy season should cease for 08).

Not that I complain about the Footy. If it is a half-decent team, I might sit beside V and tease him while keeping an eye on the game. And if it is a half-crap team, I get to check on blogs while V has a snooze in front of the game. Heck, if it is Parramatta and St George, I might even get to choose the movie.

Actually, that is bs. If it is a half-decent team, I will be yelling at the ref with the best of them, but as for all the rest, it is true. Unless V really needs someone to help him yell at the ref.

But from now until that date in Spring, my window of late-night deep and meaningful conversation with an adult has been pared back to Saturdays.

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As many of you reading are parents, you know full well how prepared you have to be to contemplate such d&m activities. And as most children are getting older and wiser by the day, you will also know how these preparations need constant refinement to get the full depth and meaning you anticipate.

You have to start early. Saturday morning is not too early to start your big night preparations. We try to greet 'Salina brightly (or at least respond her her morning sunshine with as much enthusiasm as possible) at the hour of morning she chooses to alight from bed - or the hour she has chosen we have to be up with her, anyway.

After ablutions, food negotiations and budget strategies have been wrestled with (by one adult while the other regales her with interesting facts and figures or decluttering activities), I get her to style up and hit the town.

The aim of this endeavour is to make her walk as far as possible, through as many supermarkets as possible while keeping just below the whinge threshhold. She keeps on, as I dangle the tempting delights of "fast food for lunch" in front of her as inducement. I love that my child considers Sunshine Kebabs her favourite junk food!

She gets a breather on the way home, and then we all put groceries away. If we are extremely lucky she has a playdate or finds something to do with Boy Next Door. Later in the afternoon, V will play with her outside while I get my downtime (V has his while we shop). If we are really, really lucky, she is exhausted by the evening, and bedtime is a breeze.

After 8.30, when we are all washed up, showered, the child is in bed and we are contemplating the day, our DATE begins.

Okay, its not all romance and candles and fine music. Sometimes it is limited to the last of the wine in the house and what the tele has to offer. Sometimes we have discussions that run the gamut of politics, parenting (or step), past life experiences and possible future ventures. We even sometimes bring up the "wedding plan" discussion - which quickly gets shelved again, as the list on the whiteboard is working well in its failure to move things to a deadline there.

Last night, we had a special treat - a Melbourne internet friend who is also an Outrageous Fortune fan found Series Two and the Christmas movie length special on DVD and let us borrow it. Honestly, folks, beg your local television stations to buy this New Zealand gem and hide it from all except the late night surfers - it is so f*ing funny. Well, it is unless you have a thing about swearing, sexual references, drug references, adult themes or the occasional bit of family violence - you probably would be flinching to much to notice I suppose.

So anyway, with such entertainment options, we have to have munchies and unless I am on a health kick (heck, even if I am on a health kick) we can generally organise a late night feast.

Ah yes, we aren't spring chickens any more but we still know how to have fun!!!

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Of course, Sunday mornings tend to be a bit the worse for wear. And 'Salina still rises with the sun, being as wonderfully chirpy as ever - so we do our best not to groan at the late night after-effects. And we can smile at the memories of our Saturday night.

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Just noticed that Series Three DVD is on sale after Easter in New Zealand. And we still haven't seen an episode of it.

While reading Channel Ten forums - they seem to have finally got them working - I find out they have no intention of going with Series 3 and we may have to buy Foxtel to see it. Cheaper to find NZ friends, eh?

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Also sad information - Boy Next Door is moving. Waaaaah! About 6 hours away. Double Waaah!!