There is a morning ritual.

6.45am - radio alarm comes on. pretend not to hear it.

6.50am - struggle to get up.

6.51am - struggle to get up.

6.52am - pretend I don't really have to get up and snuggle back in.

6.53am - stop trying to trick myself and struggle to get up.

6.54am - wonder how late I could potentially be to work if I wanted to lay in...

6.55am - this time for sure... manage to sit up. husband cruelly rolls over into my warm spot and snuggles in.

Tasks then occur as follows:

• put on uggies and dressing gown.
• open door to madly excitable doggies. not sure why they are so excited - it isn't like we've been anywhere...
• allow madly excitable doggies to jump all over husband, giving him lots of licks. (i love that they have worked out how to find their way under the doonah to lick him if he hides - they are so clever!)
• ask madly excitable doggies if they'd like to go outside.
• struggle to get past madly excitable doggies to actually open the door.
• sit on back doorstep so that madly excitable doggies can jump onto my lap and lick me, thus calming them mildly.
• watch slightly less madly excitable doggies to make sure they DO go to the toilet.
• let doggies back in to jump all over husband again.
• shower, dress, cup of tea, breaky, etc etc.

Today I had a nice little interruption to the ritual. As I sat on the doorstep watching the doggies I noticed the sound of a little birdie having a nice little sing. Not sure what type of bird but it's repertoire was amazing! It was singing in very short bursts but every single burst was different. It really was beautiful and special, almost magical (there you go little bro - a magical moment for you, which you were asking for last time we saw each other). This little birdie had so many different songs!

I listened for a few minutes before going to drag husband out of bed to enjoy it with me. Nature realy is quite lovely sometimes (other times not so much, a la blue bottles and mozzies).

Based on my somewhat aged knowledge/memory of the behavioural ecology of birdies, I would assume this one was a male practicing his songs to attract a nice lady birdie by his marvellous repertoire. He certainly sounded very pleased with himself, and I would have applauded except he probably would have flown away.

I'm hoping to see and hear lots more nature over the next week as husband and I trundle up to the 'Berra and then on towards the coast. The wildlife in Melbs is a bit limited - there's cats and dogs, sparrows, minors (the bird kind, not the under 18 kind) and those funny little pigeons that make a noise when they fly off. I miss the sound of magpies, parrots and cockies from my morning ritual. Can't wait to get home to hear them again.