Our Nextra Day Nexcursion from September 31st

Hooray, dear bloggy friends - I have time to blog again! We've been having a nextremely busy autumn, and I've missed you all. I've been longing to tell you about our special nexcursion!
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Here in Giraffe World we have what are known as Nextra Days. These are special days which some other planets do not have, and one of them is September 31st. We giraffes do so love to visit Planet Earth, and the best time to do so en masse is when we cannot be seen by humans! So it was with great nexcitement that we all piled into the Tours Bus at dawn for our journey through the Secret Portal behind the Intergalactic Cacti. ... We'd decided to visit a city in the UK called Durham. What a charming historical location! We had the Market Place all to ourselves, and our presence energized a giraphic transformation of some of the features.

Later, we wandered down to the River below the spectacular Cathedral. Some of our party enjoyed rowing giraffe-style while the rest of us watched from the banks.

At the end of a lovely day we squeezed back through the secret portal, singing and laughing all the way home.

Ah - but not all of us! With typical rebellious neck, our middle child, Necky Becky decided she'd like to spend another day in Durham, without thinking that the 1st of October was not a Nextra Day, and the place would be full of humans! She sneaked off the bus as it slowed down by the Cacti and made her way back through the portal.

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As soon as we got home Maureen and I noticed her absence. I spent a long night travelling back to Planet Earth, and searched everywhere for Necky Becky, taking care not to be seen by humans. At last I spotted her - she had got into the Town Hall, and was standing defiantly in the window behind some famous Durham County cricketers who were being photographed. (She does like to be in the limelight!)

I managed to take this photo of her, and persuaded her to come back to the bus immediately by promising her she could learn to play cricket. Ah, the trials of giraffe parent-hood ...

(c) Durham Artist Ingrid Sylvestre - Artist, Designer, Illustrator, Author, Songwriter, Speaker and Giraffe Lady.

A Proud Dad (with Ear Defenders) ...

As many of you will know, our eldest daughter Nexi is studying at Art & Design College. Her most recent assignment has been in film.

For her project, Nexi chose to film her younger sister Necky Becky, (pictured above), singing with her boyfriend Neko's band, The Stiffnex.

I expected extreme sibling storms, squalls and shrieks - but no! (Although you may dispute the latter when you watch the film). Nexi and Necky Becky worked together splendidly as a team, together with Neko on guitar, Sgruff on bass and Nukkle on drums.

So here we have it - Nexi's debut pop video, 'Be Who You Wanna Be!' with Necky Becky and The Stiffnex!

I'm a proud dad! But I'm going to hide in the kitchen until it's over ...

Our Family Favourites

Necky Becky has insisted that I include a post about our favourite presents this year! Who am I to argue ...

First of all, she would have everyone know that her 'bestest pressie' was the pencil case printed with the image of a wild giraffe sticking it's tongue out. A pose which she now proudly emulates whenever she can!

Next in her order of importance is, of course, her beloved Neckshund dog Hals. He received a football, which we have all fallen over several times in the last week.

Nexi couldn't decide which of her presents was her favourite - she loves them all. She received lots of nailvarnish and other strong-smelling items with which to paint herself, her room, everyone else's room, and anything else she can get her hands on.

Toddler Littl' Nicky also follows the artistic line and has been enjoying his new paints and easel. His painting below is a portrait of me.

Which leaves Maureen and I! We had many beautiful gifts. Maureen received a bottle of her favourite honey drink, I have a subscription to the Raffsburgh Astronomical Society, and we both have stacks of new books to read.

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Best of all is our special Intergalactic Viewing Box. Fitted to our TV, it receives many extra Planet Earth channels, enabling us to see some of the wonderful films and music performances recommended by our dear new bloggy friends!

Not all Giraffes like Sprouts!

One of the things about blogging that is so fascinating is reading about your wonderful human traditions and customs. I am learning that sprouts are a very important item on the menu in winter and part of your festivities.

Here in Giraffe World sprouts play a large part in our staple diet - all year round. We have developed many different varieties to stagger growth throughout the seasons. Not only do we find them delicious, they also provide most of our eco-friendly energy supply - AFF Gas.

I was so pleased today to discover an exciting new recipe for Sprout Soup on one of my favourite blogs - you can find it on Melrose Musings. It sounds exquisite, and I shall inform Girth of the recipe this evening. It will be on our tables forthwith!

However, not all of us will partake. Necky Becky has steadfastly refused sprouts all her young life! She prefers to eat chocolate.

Our Daughter has the Nex Factor!

The Gleeful & Greedy Restaurant was packed on Saturday evening for the local final of the Nex Factor. It seemed as though every giraffe in the county was there to hear the finalists sing.

To cut a long story short, our family song and my sister Nektareeni's song didn't make the top three. The winner of the competition was an outstanding young singer, Nexandra.

However, there was a surprise in store for us ... Our middle child Necky Becky was awarded a special prize! When she gave her neck-bending rendering of 'Be Who You Wanna Be!' backed by local band The Stiffnex, she totally won the audience and judges over. She was way too young to enter, but had jumped up on stage last week anyway. Everyone said she had more neck than anyone, and it was decided to award her the accolade of 'The Neckiest Factor!'

You can listen to her song here: 'Be Who You Wanna Be!'

(NB: Necky Becky has just pointed out that her long-term ambition is to be a gardener, not a pop-star - but she doesn't see why that should stop her from singing if she wants to).

A Neckshund in the Attic!

We've all been neckling in in our own ways since moving. For our middle child, Necky Becky, this has involved a small feat of engineering. She chose the attic for her room, (top of the house, secret, no-one else allowed), which presented the challenge of how to get her pet neckshund dog, Hals, up there!

I'd been brushing my teeth in the front bathroom, when I heard most peculiar creaking noises coming from the landing. On investigating I nearly collided with Hals who was dangling in mid air in front of me. He was suspended in a little sort of hammock made from a cushion and what looked like a piece of net curtain, and obviously thought this was a great new game.

Necky Becky glared at me from the loft ladder, then hauled Hals up to her attic using a wheel and lever she had attached to the joists next to the trap-door.

She's certainly got plenty of neck when it comes to overcoming obstacles to getting her own way!