The last few days have been a little hectic to say the least; Month end and school holidays have been challenging enough and then to top it all off I have had a visitor, a not very welcome visitor.
She isn't the most welcome guest around here and we have all begun to dread her arrivals; the kids don't really like her very much and frankly she finds the kids rather aggravating. In her crabbiness she tends to get rather disagreeable, which is become increasingly difficult to tolerate. My husband finds her somewhat of an intrusion in his peaceful existence and was really grateful to be away on a business trip while she was here, leaving the kids and I to deal with her on our own.
I know it is not really very hospitable of me to complain about a guest like this but I am certain that if you understood how acrimonious she can get, you may sympathise with us. She is pretty cantankerous actually for lack of a better word or words; she complains, finds every task an effort and spends most her time moaning that she wishes she could just be alone or somewhere else. She is a dragon lady, and if you rub her up the wrong way, you'd better leave the neighbourhood.... and fast. It is no wonder that my husband seems to plan his business trips around her and I am sure the kids wish that they could join him and leave me to cater to her needs all on my own.
Although her monthly visits are most unwelcome and long suffering, thankfully she leaves like clockwork after four or five days, leaving us all breathing a sigh of relief and life returns back to normal....more or less. We have *almost* learned to resign ourselves to the fact that until *we* get old and outgrow one another Scarlet O Hellraiser will be joining us on a regular monthly basis to bring turmoil into our home.
Saturday, 05 April 2008
Wednesday, 02 April 2008
Treasure
We decided to visit another of the beautiful beaches we have here in Cape Town today and we found one where the tide had gone right out. We explored coves filled with shells, some crushed by the forces of Nature and others still as perfect as they were when they were created. The kids really enjoyed combing the beach for shells and when we found this little cove, Kade turned to me and said "Wow Mom, if this was Pirate Treasure, we would be rich."
Tuesday, 01 April 2008
Master Inventor
Kade is my little Picasso, my inventor. Occasionally he reminds me of an absent minded professor; so deep in thought that a hurricane could be raging outside and he would remain locked in his own little world. Talk about a male in his box, it starts really young.
I am amazed at his ability to draw, he has a way of capturing every detail, not missing out a thing, even at his young age. When he is not deep in his world of sketches, he loves to invent machines and contraptions, that often seem really far fetched to me, but hey, the future is bright.
Today he approached me with a very complicated looking sketch and asked me to sit down so that he could explain this machine to me. "You see Mom, you climb in this side here." pointing to an image that resembled a compartment from a space shuttle. "hhmm I see." I reply, squinting and looking very interested. "And then you push this button over here and hold on to those handles over there and then when it is finished and the smoke goes away, you will be thin, and you won't be fat anymore."
WHACK!
I'm caught really unaware on this one, it was a good thing he initially asked me to sit down. I hadn't realised that he was so concerned by my body weight, that he felt it necessary to invent an entire machine in order to help me slim down a touch, OK, a big touch. "Do you think Mommy is fat dear?" I asked regrettably, knowing the innocence and honesty of a child's answer. "Oh, Mom" he laughs "yes, a little bit". "Ouch, let me turn around for a moment while you pull the knife out." He didn't get that one and laughed at me again. I suppose I should be grateful that in his very, too honest, answer, he did mention "just a little bit" or am I hoping for too much and grasping at straws here?
I do recall a while back, driving the kids to school and out of the blue Kade asks me "Mom, you know that special milk you buy to help make you thin?" (My fat free milk) "Yes, dear, what about it?" I reply "Well Mom, I think you need a new one, because that one is not working."
These really are not safe comments to make to your unsuspecting mother while she is driving a car, just by the way.
Perhaps it is time to take a hint, especially when coming from the honest little mouths of babes, but until he does manage to build his masterful invention, I fear I am going to have to attempt to do it the old fashion way, with a different brand of fat free milk of course.
I am amazed at his ability to draw, he has a way of capturing every detail, not missing out a thing, even at his young age. When he is not deep in his world of sketches, he loves to invent machines and contraptions, that often seem really far fetched to me, but hey, the future is bright.
Today he approached me with a very complicated looking sketch and asked me to sit down so that he could explain this machine to me. "You see Mom, you climb in this side here." pointing to an image that resembled a compartment from a space shuttle. "hhmm I see." I reply, squinting and looking very interested. "And then you push this button over here and hold on to those handles over there and then when it is finished and the smoke goes away, you will be thin, and you won't be fat anymore."
WHACK!
I'm caught really unaware on this one, it was a good thing he initially asked me to sit down. I hadn't realised that he was so concerned by my body weight, that he felt it necessary to invent an entire machine in order to help me slim down a touch, OK, a big touch. "Do you think Mommy is fat dear?" I asked regrettably, knowing the innocence and honesty of a child's answer. "Oh, Mom" he laughs "yes, a little bit". "Ouch, let me turn around for a moment while you pull the knife out." He didn't get that one and laughed at me again. I suppose I should be grateful that in his very, too honest, answer, he did mention "just a little bit" or am I hoping for too much and grasping at straws here?
I do recall a while back, driving the kids to school and out of the blue Kade asks me "Mom, you know that special milk you buy to help make you thin?" (My fat free milk) "Yes, dear, what about it?" I reply "Well Mom, I think you need a new one, because that one is not working."
These really are not safe comments to make to your unsuspecting mother while she is driving a car, just by the way.
Perhaps it is time to take a hint, especially when coming from the honest little mouths of babes, but until he does manage to build his masterful invention, I fear I am going to have to attempt to do it the old fashion way, with a different brand of fat free milk of course.
Sunday, 30 March 2008
Roughing it, man style
Hubby came back today from a "boys weekend" away; you know, the things men do because they work so very hard and need to take a break. It was a MCC bikers rally and hubby and a few of his hooligan friends went along for the ride. Oh, no, please , don't get me wrong, I am not being derogatory about my husband's friends, their club is called "The Hooligans"....I'll end there on that one....
36 hours previously................
He checked a few last mechanical and wiry things on his bike and then proceeded to pack for his trip. Images of *me* leaving on a weekend getaway fill my head and I begin to rather quizzically attempt to picture where on earth my suitcase, my padkos, my camera, my make up bag and my handbag (those being just the essentials of course), would fit on that 2 wheeled contraption..hhhmm.. no boot, no back seat, no CD player, just an awkward looking steering wheel and only sufficient space for your derriere (and not an especially big one at that). I know that hubby packs a little lighter than I do but I began to puzzle how he was going to manage to pack all his gear on the bike.
I watch in anticipation, followed by amazement and as he brings out his stuff. A tog bag, with undies and a clean shirt (he doesn't need other jeans..what ever for?), toothbrush, toothpaste and the travel medical aid kit (that I forced him to pack). He stretches the tog bag shoulder to shoulder like a back pack and elasti-ties Kade's two man tent to the tail piece behind his seat. "Is that it?", I question, "Yup" is his reply "what more do I need?" I'm at a loss. "OK then, have fun". I'm still a little concerned, considering the fact that I pack more than this for a half day trip to the beach.
Why oh why is it so easy and acceptable for a guy to hop on his proverbial bicycle, with nothing more than a pair of undies, clean shirt and a tent and ride off into the midday sun in search for a weekend away and for some censored adventure and roughing it up with his mates?
My jealousy overwhelms me a bit, just for a moment. However, I am very pleased that he had a great time, the things they got up to is another story all together...."the censored adventure"...the unspoken mischief, the code of bikers, what happens within these wheels stays within these wheels.
36 hours previously................
He checked a few last mechanical and wiry things on his bike and then proceeded to pack for his trip. Images of *me* leaving on a weekend getaway fill my head and I begin to rather quizzically attempt to picture where on earth my suitcase, my padkos, my camera, my make up bag and my handbag (those being just the essentials of course), would fit on that 2 wheeled contraption..hhhmm.. no boot, no back seat, no CD player, just an awkward looking steering wheel and only sufficient space for your derriere (and not an especially big one at that). I know that hubby packs a little lighter than I do but I began to puzzle how he was going to manage to pack all his gear on the bike.
I watch in anticipation, followed by amazement and as he brings out his stuff. A tog bag, with undies and a clean shirt (he doesn't need other jeans..what ever for?), toothbrush, toothpaste and the travel medical aid kit (that I forced him to pack). He stretches the tog bag shoulder to shoulder like a back pack and elasti-ties Kade's two man tent to the tail piece behind his seat. "Is that it?", I question, "Yup" is his reply "what more do I need?" I'm at a loss. "OK then, have fun". I'm still a little concerned, considering the fact that I pack more than this for a half day trip to the beach.
Why oh why is it so easy and acceptable for a guy to hop on his proverbial bicycle, with nothing more than a pair of undies, clean shirt and a tent and ride off into the midday sun in search for a weekend away and for some censored adventure and roughing it up with his mates?
My jealousy overwhelms me a bit, just for a moment. However, I am very pleased that he had a great time, the things they got up to is another story all together...."the censored adventure"...the unspoken mischief, the code of bikers, what happens within these wheels stays within these wheels.
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