Brief Notes to Self:
0 Comments Published by Oh Wayward One on 27 February 2006 at 2/27/2006 07:28:00 pm.
X = Ticked!!
1/2X Think about starting a seperate blog for the run-up to Ireland Evacuation, a.k.a. Botswana Bound. One that Hannes and I both post to, and actually involve the extended family into the privledged circle... (thought. must discuss with H.)
X Upload photos from wknd in Mayo a few weeks ago (crap they're at work!)
X Upload photos from Jacoba & Anneke's visit last week
Clear out yahoo inbox-- backlog is showing bad, bad, bad signs of poor friendship maintenance. Bad!
Contact that nice eastern european guy Greg about possible adoption of Frankie.
1/2X Think about property in Cape Verde. Look up stuff.
X Anniversary card for the Hubster.
Help Hannes update CV, make alternate CV.
Order new tag rugby shorts.
Plan mom&dad&Marc&Peggy's visit - only 1 and a half months left!!!
Plan weekend to Edinburgh.
Quickly quickly quickly dammit!!! Lawdy lawdy time's a-wastin!!!
1/2X Think about starting a seperate blog for the run-up to Ireland Evacuation, a.k.a. Botswana Bound. One that Hannes and I both post to, and actually involve the extended family into the privledged circle... (thought. must discuss with H.)
X Upload photos from wknd in Mayo a few weeks ago (crap they're at work!)
X Upload photos from Jacoba & Anneke's visit last week
Clear out yahoo inbox-- backlog is showing bad, bad, bad signs of poor friendship maintenance. Bad!
Contact that nice eastern european guy Greg about possible adoption of Frankie.
1/2X Think about property in Cape Verde. Look up stuff.
X Anniversary card for the Hubster.
Help Hannes update CV, make alternate CV.
Order new tag rugby shorts.
Plan mom&dad&Marc&Peggy's visit - only 1 and a half months left!!!
Plan weekend to Edinburgh.
Quickly quickly quickly dammit!!! Lawdy lawdy time's a-wastin!!!
BlarrrLDrerrrderrrlarrlarrr
0 Comments Published by Oh Wayward One on 26 February 2006 at 2/26/2006 02:36:00 pm.
MIL:
My confession for the day is that: I actually like my MIL. I know I feel this obligation (because they make me feel insecure) to dis on the whole family all the time, but the truth is, I would't mind if she were my mom. So much. I mean she'd still drive me nuts on occaision, but it would probably be a 200% improvement on what I DID grow up with.
When they were here last week, it was the first time I ever spent any time with just her (and the one SIL). Normally our time with them is spent on THEIR turf, with the whole fam-damnily (6 kids, 2 parents, a BIL's wife, and a live-in uncle). It's chaos, they're continually speaking Frisian, and Dad dominates the whole of EVERYTHING.
I always had a feeling in my gut that this woman is well and truly sound, probably because I know she's a fellow pisces. But really this sort of an environment is NOT the type of place you discover things about one another that really matter. And did I mention how loud and boisterous and flippant Dad is? Come on, let's face it, you make a lot of opinions about people based on association. What's the phrase? "Guilt by association", whatever. But I always saw Mom being calm, cool, and collected, and she does have a softness in her voice which is missing from the rest of their family (excl. my baby, of course).
(photo L-R: SIL Jacoba, H., MIL)
-Grew up in the same village, 2nd-oldest-of-6
-Had a few hippie-tendencies in youth, borderline-vegetarian
-Never wanted anything to do with farming
-Married DIL after 7 years of dating, at age 21 or so. (yep, that = 15 y.o.)
-Moved into the same farmhouse that FIL born in, on farm of his family (which they run)
-Had 6 kids: 5 at home, on the farm, in the bed
-Was back in action milking cows, feeding calves, etc, same day or next day
-Lost way too much blood with kid #5, nearly died, had to be FORCED into ambulance
-#6 born at age 41, in hospital, under much protest from MIL who hates hospitals
-Loves long hair, beards
-Goes to same church as grandma/grandpa bc doesnt want to upset the boat
-Goes to church where women have no rights to be pastor or vote on issues, must not cut hair, must wear hats.
-Believes shops/restaurants/etc. should not be open on sundays
-Blames allowing H. to go to Russia for a month in High School for his "downfall"
-Discouraged kids from playing sports for some reason. Likely "all necessary exercise can be got on the farm".
-Allows kids the choice of church/no church at age 18, doesnt hold decision against them regardless.
-Listens very well
-Knows that there are many fundemental differences between me+her eldest son, and her, and does not try to brainwash us out of them.
-Perfectly willing to talk about ANYTHING, even things that probably make her want to cry or get upset.
-As opposed to FIL, she does NOT bang fist on kitchen table when emphasizing a point, does NOT speak as if has all answers to every problem in the world, and does NOT speak at unneccessarily 10000-Decible levels when pontificating about every issue on the planet in a most know-it-all manner.
-Ideal MIL world: Construction of 6 mini-bungalows at 100m spacings from house on the farm, for each child and spouse to live in forever, with one big communal kitchen/bedroom/whatever for all 100 grandchildren and children to eat and sleep in together for the rest of eternity.
-Has the potential to be quite emotional, even sympathetic (for a Frisian)
Last weekend she was very patient and easy to be with, forgiving my rusty Dutch, trying to keep the Frisian to a minimum, listening to H's frustration at the state-of-relations between him and Dad, and assuring me that they DO like me. To keep this entry short, the jist of it is I do feel some sort of organic bond to this lady, and I believe if I ever am to feel any sort of comfort at their big, intimidating, clan-ish kitchen table in their world someday, it will be through my magnificent husband who is the most wonderful and sympathetic guy in the world, and her.
My confession for the day is that: I actually like my MIL. I know I feel this obligation (because they make me feel insecure) to dis on the whole family all the time, but the truth is, I would't mind if she were my mom. So much. I mean she'd still drive me nuts on occaision, but it would probably be a 200% improvement on what I DID grow up with.
When they were here last week, it was the first time I ever spent any time with just her (and the one SIL). Normally our time with them is spent on THEIR turf, with the whole fam-damnily (6 kids, 2 parents, a BIL's wife, and a live-in uncle). It's chaos, they're continually speaking Frisian, and Dad dominates the whole of EVERYTHING.
I always had a feeling in my gut that this woman is well and truly sound, probably because I know she's a fellow pisces. But really this sort of an environment is NOT the type of place you discover things about one another that really matter. And did I mention how loud and boisterous and flippant Dad is? Come on, let's face it, you make a lot of opinions about people based on association. What's the phrase? "Guilt by association", whatever. But I always saw Mom being calm, cool, and collected, and she does have a softness in her voice which is missing from the rest of their family (excl. my baby, of course).
(photo L-R: SIL Jacoba, H., MIL)
Here's the beef on MIL:
-Grew up in the same village, 2nd-oldest-of-6
-Had a few hippie-tendencies in youth, borderline-vegetarian
-Never wanted anything to do with farming
-Married DIL after 7 years of dating, at age 21 or so. (yep, that = 15 y.o.)
-Moved into the same farmhouse that FIL born in, on farm of his family (which they run)
-Had 6 kids: 5 at home, on the farm, in the bed
-Was back in action milking cows, feeding calves, etc, same day or next day
-Lost way too much blood with kid #5, nearly died, had to be FORCED into ambulance
-#6 born at age 41, in hospital, under much protest from MIL who hates hospitals
-Loves long hair, beards
-Goes to same church as grandma/grandpa bc doesnt want to upset the boat
-Goes to church where women have no rights to be pastor or vote on issues, must not cut hair, must wear hats.
-Believes shops/restaurants/etc. should not be open on sundays
-Blames allowing H. to go to Russia for a month in High School for his "downfall"
-Discouraged kids from playing sports for some reason. Likely "all necessary exercise can be got on the farm".
-Allows kids the choice of church/no church at age 18, doesnt hold decision against them regardless.
-Listens very well
-Knows that there are many fundemental differences between me+her eldest son, and her, and does not try to brainwash us out of them.
-Perfectly willing to talk about ANYTHING, even things that probably make her want to cry or get upset.
-As opposed to FIL, she does NOT bang fist on kitchen table when emphasizing a point, does NOT speak as if has all answers to every problem in the world, and does NOT speak at unneccessarily 10000-Decible levels when pontificating about every issue on the planet in a most know-it-all manner.
-Ideal MIL world: Construction of 6 mini-bungalows at 100m spacings from house on the farm, for each child and spouse to live in forever, with one big communal kitchen/bedroom/whatever for all 100 grandchildren and children to eat and sleep in together for the rest of eternity.
-Has the potential to be quite emotional, even sympathetic (for a Frisian)
Last weekend she was very patient and easy to be with, forgiving my rusty Dutch, trying to keep the Frisian to a minimum, listening to H's frustration at the state-of-relations between him and Dad, and assuring me that they DO like me. To keep this entry short, the jist of it is I do feel some sort of organic bond to this lady, and I believe if I ever am to feel any sort of comfort at their big, intimidating, clan-ish kitchen table in their world someday, it will be through my magnificent husband who is the most wonderful and sympathetic guy in the world, and her.
Who's the happiest gal in the world?
0 Comments Published by Oh Wayward One on 25 February 2006 at 2/25/2006 12:53:00 pm.
My modem problem has just been solved! (Yea IM time!!!) :-D
I survived a weekend with my MIL and SIL last week...
They still like me...
My modem problem has just been solved by a nice Northern Irish guy who actually wasn't very nice but he solved our problem....
This weekend we finally have a weekend of going out and having fun again...
We finally discovered a delicious bottle of proper champagne that was actually AFFORDABLE last night...
We found out the house up the street from us (with no back garden and microscopic rooms) is on the market for €350k!!!!!!
H has quiche lorraine waiting for me downstairs, and my saturday morning coffee...
WOO HOO
(It's bribery to get out and get this bleedin' SHOPPING FOR BATHROOM TILES chore accomplished today) ugh!
I survived a weekend with my MIL and SIL last week...
They still like me...
My modem problem has just been solved by a nice Northern Irish guy who actually wasn't very nice but he solved our problem....
This weekend we finally have a weekend of going out and having fun again...
We finally discovered a delicious bottle of proper champagne that was actually AFFORDABLE last night...
We found out the house up the street from us (with no back garden and microscopic rooms) is on the market for €350k!!!!!!
H has quiche lorraine waiting for me downstairs, and my saturday morning coffee...
WOO HOO
(It's bribery to get out and get this bleedin' SHOPPING FOR BATHROOM TILES chore accomplished today) ugh!
Mother in law and one Sister in law are coming for the weekend, from Nederland.
They arrive on friday night on the 9:30pm Amsterdam flight, and stay til Sunday evening. A short trip. Which I'm fine with.
The Sister who's coming is Jacoba, the oldest of the 3 girls... I'm pretty sure she's 18 now. Man time flies. When I first met her she was like 13. . . as per my usual infamous habit, I still consider her a 13 year old. Which is why I have to make a mental note to remind myself not to ride her ass this weekend, about this new boy she's with. He's nearly 25, I think. . . ! And true to J's form, he's the son of another Frisian farmer (of course) and she's sooooooo in love with this older guy that she wants to drop out of college. (well at least I have READ that into the situation)
Good gravy, when I was 18 I was in a relationship with a 37 year old for F's sake!!!
Be nice, self!! Be nice!!
Maybe it's not actually the farmer's son, maybe she just really does hate college. I dunno. She's such a home-body I guess that could be it. She decided to do the HOUR AND A HALF COMMUTE every day to Leeuarden rather than move there, because she doesn't like being off the farm, or away from loverboy of course. I guess I'll know more this weekend.
They arrive on friday night on the 9:30pm Amsterdam flight, and stay til Sunday evening. A short trip. Which I'm fine with.
The Sister who's coming is Jacoba, the oldest of the 3 girls... I'm pretty sure she's 18 now. Man time flies. When I first met her she was like 13. . . as per my usual infamous habit, I still consider her a 13 year old. Which is why I have to make a mental note to remind myself not to ride her ass this weekend, about this new boy she's with. He's nearly 25, I think. . . ! And true to J's form, he's the son of another Frisian farmer (of course) and she's sooooooo in love with this older guy that she wants to drop out of college. (well at least I have READ that into the situation)
Good gravy, when I was 18 I was in a relationship with a 37 year old for F's sake!!!
Be nice, self!! Be nice!!
Maybe it's not actually the farmer's son, maybe she just really does hate college. I dunno. She's such a home-body I guess that could be it. She decided to do the HOUR AND A HALF COMMUTE every day to Leeuarden rather than move there, because she doesn't like being off the farm, or away from loverboy of course. I guess I'll know more this weekend.
I hate the internet
0 Comments Published by Oh Wayward One on 13 February 2006 at 2/13/2006 08:06:00 pm.
I really don't hate the internet, but I hate how addictive it is. It sucks you in and then EATS you.
We headed off for a weekend in Co. Mayo last week, I had to do some work there on friday and H. had to do work in Co. Sligo on friday, so we just double-expensed it in one car and I hung around Sligo Town while he had his meetings, and he hung around Castlebar with me while I inspected a site (on sunday). In between we stayed at a pet-friendly b&b with 2 of the 3 puppins (Reggie went to the doggie hotel half-way, in Co. Galway). The B&B was in Tourmakeady on beautiful Lough Mask in the Gaeltacht, in Co. Mayo. It was actually a refurbished barn, overlooking the lough, and we had a lekker fireplace and good wine and a fabulous weekend walking and sleeping and watching rugby and of course checking out the teeny tiny village's old pubs. The fact that it was in the gaeltacht made me laugh though, because even the locals in the pubs, in the shop, wherever, were speaking english. Gaeltacht my arse! pu-shaw!
That was over a week ago. Got back and the modem was broken. So seeing as at work, big brother allows us no access to webmail, I was without my personal email... big brother also blocks access to personal pages... that means no websites with the word "blog" in them, no shutterfly, no hotmail, no IM, no mp3 sites, no entertainment sites, NUTTIN. It was like prison. Like I said, sucked in & eaten by the internet. It's like missing an appendage, you know?
Still don't actually have it, but H. is bringing home the work laptop for me this week so I can catch up on the 43 emails in my inbox which are just piling and piling up. We're trying to run a busines, here, (ok, africa) and this no-internet malarkey just ain't cuttin' it.
Speaking of the bid-nez, I am happy that should anyone I know ever have any need to fly into Gaborone, Botswana, anytime soon (or later?), they will be flying into an airport who's extended runway project will have been Assessed for Environmental Impact by our little homegrown endeavour. They're gonna be landing 747's in Gabz-city. woo hoo!
We headed off for a weekend in Co. Mayo last week, I had to do some work there on friday and H. had to do work in Co. Sligo on friday, so we just double-expensed it in one car and I hung around Sligo Town while he had his meetings, and he hung around Castlebar with me while I inspected a site (on sunday). In between we stayed at a pet-friendly b&b with 2 of the 3 puppins (Reggie went to the doggie hotel half-way, in Co. Galway). The B&B was in Tourmakeady on beautiful Lough Mask in the Gaeltacht, in Co. Mayo. It was actually a refurbished barn, overlooking the lough, and we had a lekker fireplace and good wine and a fabulous weekend walking and sleeping and watching rugby and of course checking out the teeny tiny village's old pubs. The fact that it was in the gaeltacht made me laugh though, because even the locals in the pubs, in the shop, wherever, were speaking english. Gaeltacht my arse! pu-shaw!
That was over a week ago. Got back and the modem was broken. So seeing as at work, big brother allows us no access to webmail, I was without my personal email... big brother also blocks access to personal pages... that means no websites with the word "blog" in them, no shutterfly, no hotmail, no IM, no mp3 sites, no entertainment sites, NUTTIN. It was like prison. Like I said, sucked in & eaten by the internet. It's like missing an appendage, you know?
Still don't actually have it, but H. is bringing home the work laptop for me this week so I can catch up on the 43 emails in my inbox which are just piling and piling up. We're trying to run a busines, here, (ok, africa) and this no-internet malarkey just ain't cuttin' it.
Speaking of the bid-nez, I am happy that should anyone I know ever have any need to fly into Gaborone, Botswana, anytime soon (or later?), they will be flying into an airport who's extended runway project will have been Assessed for Environmental Impact by our little homegrown endeavour. They're gonna be landing 747's in Gabz-city. woo hoo!
I'm slowly trying to get the wheels of holiday plans in motion, for when my nutjob parents & aunt/uncle come to visit in April.
I thought I was really on to something when I found this place in Co. Clare that we could stay for 3 nights, out on the Loop penninsula. It has the right number of rooms, the right price, the right driving distance/time from the airport they're flying into, the right distance away from all sorts of natural cliff hiking/walking trails, the right amount of solitude + natural beauty for them, (they're nature lovers, not city folk) and is the right amount of do-able driving distance between lots of semi-pleasant places along the west coast, for day trips. Plus, my aunt & uncle have never been overseas before, and they're the giddy type who would just absolutely love to come home and say they stayed in a lightkeeper's house at an old Irish lighthouse. It's not just EVERY place you come to which meets all of the above, in this country.
So I click on "book now" and everything's going swimmingly. . . (I mean, it's like 3 months away, still!)
. . . till I get that gawd-awful stab in the back from the internet lords:
"We're sorry, your choice is Unavailable for these dates".
BASTARDS!!! BOLLOCKS!!! AND BUTTFECKERS!!!
grrrrrr... back to the drawing board.
I thought I was really on to something when I found this place in Co. Clare that we could stay for 3 nights, out on the Loop penninsula. It has the right number of rooms, the right price, the right driving distance/time from the airport they're flying into, the right distance away from all sorts of natural cliff hiking/walking trails, the right amount of solitude + natural beauty for them, (they're nature lovers, not city folk) and is the right amount of do-able driving distance between lots of semi-pleasant places along the west coast, for day trips. Plus, my aunt & uncle have never been overseas before, and they're the giddy type who would just absolutely love to come home and say they stayed in a lightkeeper's house at an old Irish lighthouse. It's not just EVERY place you come to which meets all of the above, in this country.
So I click on "book now" and everything's going swimmingly. . . (I mean, it's like 3 months away, still!)
. . . till I get that gawd-awful stab in the back from the internet lords:
"We're sorry, your choice is Unavailable for these dates".
BASTARDS!!! BOLLOCKS!!! AND BUTTFECKERS!!!
grrrrrr... back to the drawing board.
