Dolphins

Helen’s brilliant drawing of a dolphin leaping out from under the sea…

Okay, what are we blogging about?

Scott: That’s a hard question.

Anything exciting at school today?

Scott: Eh… Em… Not really.

Did you read anything exciting?

Scott: Eh… What do you mean? I mean no, I haven’t read anything exciting.

Helen, what do you want to blog about?

Helen: Whales.

Scott: Let’s blog about whales, then.

She always wants to talk about whales.

Scott: I think she does.

What about something else?

Helen: Eh… Dolphins.

Why do you always want to talk about water creatures?

Helen: I just wanted to talk about a water creature.

Tell me about dolphins, then.

Helen: Eh… They jump up from under water.

Scott: Yeah, you could say that. Think of a dolphin and a cow and then think: “This is a picture of two dolphins, the more difference I see between the two, the more stressed you are.” They’re very different, so you’re very stressed.

Are dolphins clever?

Helen: Eh… I don’t know.

Scott: I wouldn’t have thought so.

Helen: They are.

Scott: As in – I don’t really know.

They’re really clever.

Scott: Really, how do you know?

They’ve got their own language.

Scott: Really? Every animal has its own language.

They can learn to do things.

Scott: Like?

Jumping and tricks.

Scott: Yeah.

Eh… And other clever stuff too.

Scott: Really?

Are they your favourite water creature, Helen?

Helen: Eh… My favourite is mostly a humpback whale.

Scott: Why didn’t you blog about that?But dolphins can be quite interesting…

…And Scott’s great drawing of a whale/dolphin.

Whales again

What are we talking about, then?

Scott: I’m thinking… Suggestions? I was going to say: “Any suggestions?”

Helen: Like if someone said: “Let’s blog about dogs or whales.” I’d really like to talk about whales – please could we?

Scott: No.

Helen: Could we, Daddy?

It’s really up to Scott.

Scott: I mean, do you have any suggestions?

Whales?

Scott: Okay.

What is a whale?

Scott: It’s an animal in…

Helen: Water.

Scott: It’s water? I never thought a whale was water.

Helen: It lives in water. That’s true, isn’t it?

Scott: And you said I thought a few blogs ago they’re as big as a double-decker bus.

Helen: No, giraffes are bigger than a double-decker bus.

Would you like a pet whale?

Scott: Too much water would be what I would say. Helen?

Helen: I don’t even know anything about this.

Scott: So Helen, tell me how you would like a pet whale, eh?

Helen: Eh?

You’ve still not told me what a whale is…

Scott: I thought I did.

Kind of – but not really. Helen, what’s a whale?

Helen: It’s something that lives in water – and once, in a book, a whale carried a snail on its tail.

Scott: Yes, but that’s fiction.

Helen: What’s fiction?

Scott: Never you mind, Mrs Bind.

Whales

Helen’s drawing of a whale, blowing water out of its spout.

Helen: Whales?

Okay, what is a whale?

Helen: It’s something with a big back that pushes water out of its back.

Scott: But Helen, it’s a marine animal.

Have you ever seen one?

Helen: No, of course not.

Have you seen pictures?

Helen: I’ve seen black whales before – but never a black one.

How big are they?

Helen: This big (gestures about two feet in width)

Scott: That’s tiny – they’re about the length of this bath we’re in just now. And the height of two baths.

Helen: If they were standing up? On their heads or tails or tummy?

Scott: Like two of these baths.

Whales are bigger than that.

Scott: Are they? I’m not sure…

Yes, they’re about the size of a bus.

Helen: A one decker or double decker?

Scott: A one, I think.

Helen: I think he means two.

Scott: Which one?

A double decker.

Helen: I was right!

Anything else you want to tell me?

Scott: Eh… I’m amazed they’re the size of a double decker bus. Imagine, a double decker bus. Imagine see something that size in the sea.

Would it be scary?

Scott: Too big.

Would you like a pet one?

Scott: (laughs)

Is that a silly idea?

Scott: Yeah – why would you want something the size of a double decker in your house? Even a one decker bus would be large.

You wouldn’t lose it, though…

Scott: Yeah… No… Well… It would sort of explode your house.

No sister blogging

Scott: It’s the end of the holidays! Do that in size 72 writing, by the way…

It was your first day back at school – how was it?

Scott: Yes – boring.

Was it really boring?

Scott: No, but most people don’t like school.

That doesn’t mean you don’t have to as well.

Scott: But I don’t.

You like it, you mean?

Scott: I don’t like it.

Why not?

Scott: (pause) Let’s not talk about that! Next subject…

What do you want to talk about instead?

Scott: Aaaarrrghh! That’s not what I meant, I meant: “What’s the next question you’re going to ask?”

Did you have a good Easter break?

Scott: Boy I did. Shame Helen doesn’t get to blog – she should have her blog.

What do you think she would talk about?

Scott: (pause) Em… Whales… That was something she was like: “Whales whales whales whales whales.” Do you remember? Why don’t we give her a blog? “What the world’s like when you’re four.” But what would we name it?

What would you call it?

Scott: Quite a dumb name – so I won’t say it.

I think it’s funnier when you two talk together.

Scott: No! Give Helen a blog.

You don’t like her sometimes sharing yours?

Scott: Exactly.

Does it make you angry?

Scott: More than. It makes me crazy with her! Okay…

What were we talking about?

Scott: Helen getting a blog.

I like her sharing yours.

Scott: Nooooooooo!

But it’s still your blog.

Scott: I know – but I will not let her as long as we have turns baths. She will never have to say another word in the blog. Told you she’d never get a blog. The silly title I was thinking of was: “Helen and how she’s smellin’.”

Cartooning… and whales

Which of these well-known Super Mario cartoon guys can you recognise?

Scott: Any suggestions?

What do you want to talk about?

Helen: Whales – that would be so easy.

Scott: Cartooning.

Helen: Whales.

Scott: Cartooning.

Helen: Daddy, can we talk about…

Scott: Cartooning…

Helen: Whales, please.

Scott: No.

What is cartooning, Scott?

Scott: Cartooning is when you drawn things in a sort of not how they are sort of way… Either really scratchy or really big nose or… You know what I mean. Not how it really looks.

What’s your favourite cartoon?

Scott: I like the cartooning in the Mario Kart 7 15th anniversary.

That’s not really a cartoon.

Scott: It was cartooning – exactly what we’re blogging about.

Helen: We’ve blogged about cartooning recently.

Scott: We’ve never blogged about it before.

Helen: We have.

Scott: We haven’t – I’m always right.

Helen: No, I’m always right.

Scott: What’s one plus one?

Helen: Scott.

Scott: She’s utterly, butterly, cutterly mad.

Helen: Can we talk about whales please?

Okay, what is a whale?

Helen: It’s a blue humped black whale.

And what’s special about whales?

Helen: They have water coming out of their backs.

Would you like to meet one?

Helen: Yes.

Why?

Helen: Because I could jump on its back.