Princess

Driving home from the creche the other day, the troops got a little restive, I sang a number of popular numbers to try to keep them quiet, as I ran out of English songs, I began to resort to Irish numbers I had learnt in the Gaeltacht many years ago. The boys seemed to like them but the Princess interrupted me “Stop singing in Irish”. “How did you know I was singing in Irish?” “It sounded like Irish.” I was amazed “You’re a genius.” “Yes” she replied in a bored tone “I’m a genius, I know.”

NaBlPoMo – Sing along with me “Way hay, we’re half way there, way hay, we’re living on a blog, take my virtual hand and we’ll make it, I swear”

Nicholas

I met Nicholas when I worked as an election monitor in Bosnia for a couple of months; I know, the glamour. Then years later I met him in a cafe in Brussels. It turned out that Mr. Waffle knew him too. It’s a small world and all that. And he had a blog and I have become a devotee. I tend to ignore the Dr. Who stuff though (and you can too, unless you’re into that, of course). His blog is fascinating. Lots of international politics but seen through a prism of Nicholas. And I scored 320 on this language test to which he directed me. I’ve been waiting to tell someone that since September. No, I don’t know what he was doing on a dating site either.

And Anne

Nicholas’s wife who has, alas, a stop start approach to blogging. I suppose minding three kids full time gives her less scope to write than trotting off to the caucauses (I’m saying nothing Nicholas). I think that this is a real pity because I enjoy her posts and, as you will be well aware, it’s all about me, me, me.

The Princess is a patient child in some ways. When she sees sweets in the shops, she asks “can I have those for my birthday?” Her birthday is in April.

Since July, she has been asking me “when is Christmas?” She’s a bit like one of those annoying newspaper ads that encourage you to book your Christmas party in July while there’s still time. Mercifully, in Belgium, Christmas decorations go up in December so, for the meanwhile my considered response “not for ages” has been acceptable. I shudder to think what would happen, if we lived in Ireland where the Halloween barrier has been breached and Christmas merchandise is now available from your local department store from October. Dear God in heaven. Over the past number of months, the Princess has been mentally preparing a list for Santa Claus which she is anxious that I get down on paper for her at the appropriate moment. I trust that some of the elements discussed over the past months may elude her when the time comes, but I fear the worst, sometimes, she has a mind like a steel trap.

NaBlPoMo – It lasts all month you know

Very Zen

I came across Amanda after Dooce linked to her site following Hurricane Katrina and, doubtless brought her (Amanda’s) ISP to its knees. Amanda is a tall, compassionate Southern pro-gun, pro-gay rights girl. I think that there are a lot of contradictions there and that’s only a couple of adjectives. I’m not sure that the American political system can accommodate them all though I have a dreadful feeling that (gasp) she may be a Republican. She’s having a bit of a rough time at the moment, so, I suspect she would welcome some warm fuzziness from the internet.

If it’s on teh interweb it must be true

Sarky comments about fashion pics and the odd dig at celebrities. Oooh this is excellent.

For the past couple of weeks after the boys go to bed, the Princess, Mr. Waffle and I have played a game together. She has mastered snap but aeons can go by before she notices that the cards are identical and she can “snap”. Funnily enough, she’s much better at dealing the cards than you might expect in a three year old. And I am delighted that I have managed to induct her into the world of card playing. I now say (when she finally snaps), “ok you’ve won the trick, now lead”. And she does. I am entertained which is just as well, really, because I don’t think I’ll ever be allowed to snap more than once per game without a collapse into furious sulks.

On evenings when snap palls (why? I hear you ask. Why would snap pall?) we sometimes play a board game with elephants which is quite mind-boggling tedious but boasts the significant advantage of being entirely uncontentious. Lately we have started playing a game which she received from tactful friends on the boys’ birthday. It is called “Tottering Towers” and in all the language versions of the instructions, except English, is described as being suitable for children aged four years and up. Anglophone children have to wait until they are 5 to tackle it. How we wish we had heeded the sage advice of the instruction writers. She loves it but we spend our time locked in mortal combat. It is, essentially, a memory game. You have to remember which towers other players have (acquired on a roll of a coloured dice). The Princess has no hesitation in asking us for our towers but when we even hint that we might like one of hers, she buries her bag of towers under the cushions on the couch and sits on top of them. I once tried to wrestle a tower from her but gave up in despair when she began to collapse in tears. Given that the Princess will inevitably win, the battle for second place has become increasingly intense (“Oh, but, I think you do have the yellow tower”. Audible sniff). Ah, did you perhaps think the mortal combat might be with the three year old?

We’re getting snakes and ladders at the weekend.

NaBlPoMo – Famous Mothers

Dooce

I once read a blog where the writer said words to the effect “if you don’t know who Dooce is, you must be my mother, Mom, please call me”. I think this sums it up quite neatly. That and the fact that if you google “motherfucking mormon”, she is the first site that comes up. Apparently. She said so, it must be true.

Finslippy

The delightful Alice: quirky and beloved New Yorker recently turned New Jerseyer. She may be the best writer on the internet. Aside from you and me, clearly.

The Princess loves it when our childminder brings her own two daughters to our house. Unfortunately, she can’t always do that because they have other things on and, I presume, she (the childminder) would go insane, if she had to mind 5 children 3 afternoons a week. We were talking about this last night.

Princess: I love it when they can come, we can play.
Me: Well, yes, I know but you can play in school too.
Her: No, I can’t.
Me: Why not?
Her: Because when I go up to them the other children say “y a pas de place” even though there is room.
Me (gutted): Really?
Her: Yes, really and then they push me.
Me: Surely not.
Her: And then they poke me in the eye.
Me: In the eye?
Her: Yes, with an elephant.

She isn’t an entirely reliable witness, as you may have gathered, but I suppose I’d better go and talk to her teachers about these elephants.

More for NaBlPoMo – Ambulance men

Reynolds

I was directed here by the GPmama and the life of an ambulance paramedic is quite fascinating. The material is interesting per se but he also writes very thoughtfully about it and has plenty of opinions. I’m not the only one who thinks this and he has just put out a book which seems to be selling very well. I heard him on BBC radio 4 the other day reading this post. I recommend that you have a look, even if you think that this may not be for you.

Nee Naw

I found this via Reynolds; know one blog in the ambulance service, know them all, I suppose. This guy works in dispatch. I swear I am totally prepared on what to say on the day I have to ring 999. Good thing not to say is “it’s an emergency”. Apparently, they’re bright boys and girls and they know that already. Funny, interesting and moving. I love this one.

The Princess likes the world to come to her. The other morning she was lying in bed shouting “Mummy, mummy” with increasing urgency while I was dashing around seeking to accomplish various tasks. When I, eventually, er, sped to her side she said “Mummy, could you send in Doggy, please?”

More blogs for NaBlPoMo

Lilo

Another working mother blogger. I like that. Unlike me, she is rabidly imprudent and writes about work; immensely enjoyable stuff. I see her doing the juggling thing as well and it is great to feel that you’re not the only one failing to hit all your targets. She has two beautiful small children. Yeah, since you ask, she is funny too. Doesn’t everybody love funny?

Bruxelles, Ma Ville (in French)

It is to Thierry that I am indebted for any local information and views about the town where I live. He is a bit of a screaming right winger by Belgian francophone standards (which is to say screaming left by American standards). He also has great Brussels photos.