belgianwaffle

Princess

It’s beginning to look a lot like…


Posted in: Cork, Family, Ireland, Princess, Twins, Youngest Child

Normally I am very against Christmas starting much before December 15 and certainly not in November, however, this year is different. I have bought my Christmas teas and I am liking them. This week I took delivery of a Christmas jumper for herself. She really likes it. “I might get one too,” I said with, possibly, excess enthusiasm. “Don’t do that,” she said, “because then I would have to burn this one.” My tentative proposal for family Christmas jumpers have been definitively nixed. Perhaps for the best.

In other news, Michael’s classmates had to give presentations on a topic of interest to them and one boy did his grandmother who died a couple of years ago and almost everyone was in tears. I love this for a bunch of 15/16 year olds.

Alas, the boys are tired of cinema night and want a break this weekend. Is next weekend, when I get to choose, too early for a Christmas film? Suggestions on family Christmas films welcome.

And finally, I was talking to my father and, inspired by a podcast I was listening to on aviation, I asked him when was his first flight. “1936, when I was 11,” said he. There was some kind of air show in the field where they subsequently built Cork airport and, in exchange for a fee, I suspect, people were taken up for a short flight over Cork. He enjoyed it very much, thanks for asking and even after 84 years he continues to sound pretty enthusiastic about the experience although he did temper his enthusiasm by saying that had he known then what he now knows about plane safety in the 30s, he might have been slightly more wary.

Wednesday, November 18, 2020


Posted in: Family, Princess, Siblings

My sister called me the other day to tell me that she had been tidying up; she had organised some of my mother’s jewellery: and did I want a necklace which I had given my mother? I said I did and she said, “Well, I’m warning you that I’m posting it up to you.” “Warning?” I asked. “Well, you might be upset,” she said. Ludicrous excess of sensibility thought I but it arrived tonight and I was a bit sad actually so there you go.

In other news, herself had a zoom session with the children’s laureate which she enjoyed. She’s working away on a short story in Irish.

And today’s final and, frankly, most exciting piece of news. Herself tells me that a classmate who was with her in primary school has told her that I was the best-looking mother in primary school and, said she, there were murmurs of agreement from the other classmates. God, I’m delighted with myself although I know that to do so is to buy into the values of the patriarchy about women’s worth and value being measured in their looks; also, that was 6 years ago; a bunch of 12 year olds are not the best judges; and, finally, it is not, I fear, remotely true. Still very pleased. Judge away.

Insights from Old English


Posted in: Family, Princess

Herself has started reading bits of “Beowulf”. I don’t know, maybe it’s helping her German? Anyhow she was marvelling at how the Normans arrived and English changed. “How many generations did it take?” she asked. “I mean,” said she, “it might only be a relatively short period. Would they even have know that their great-great-great grandparents spoke such a different language. Look at how English usage has changed since the middle of the 19th century. No one corrects you now to say that you’re not speaking correct Victorian English.” Pause. “Except Cork Grandad.”

In further news, she held a students’ council meeting over zoom yesterday afternoon and all of her committee turned up. She was delighted with herself. It all went very well, even though one of the second years still hasn’t learnt to mute herself and they all heard her mother giving out to her for using 4G instead of wifi.

Monday, November 9


Posted in: Princess, Siblings

It’s my sister’s birthday. Has the parcel I sent her arrived? Alas no.

In other news, to support the struggling economy, I have started to order in food on Fridays. Herself has started to call it “take-away night” as in, “Thank God tonight’s take-away night.” I can see some difficulty in rolling back from this one.

On the plus side, only 4 more days to take-away night.

Sunday, November 8


Posted in: Family, Middle Child, Mr. Waffle, Princess, Twins, Youngest Child

I fell off the wagon again and stayed up until 3 in the morning looking at my phone. Why, why? I’ve been pretty good generally at putting it away in the evening and not going back to it but once I do, disaster. I blame Joe Biden. As a result of my late night, I got up relatively late and then, with pretty limited enthusiasm threw myself into work.

Herself helped Daniel with his physics work for this Thursday course outside school that he’s doing which was terrific as his parents are absolutely useless to him. Then he cycled up to GAA training. When he came home, he asked me whether there was a cleaning rota and I said, “No”. “Well,” said he, “I’ll hoover the house anyway, it needs it.” What a hero, in fairness, and his father did the bathrooms again so we are approaching clean. Very gratifying.

Herself spent the afternoon in an endless hideous zoom call with a national student representative body. After some consideration she decided she had enough on her plate and that she wouldn’t put herself forward for office. Good call.

I finished working about 3.30 and myself and Michael and Mr. Waffle went out for a cycle to the Botanic gardens. Michael is sick of the Botanic Gardens but is resigned to his fate. We saw lots of squirrels. I love a squirrel, very exciting.

The Irish Times produces this magazine called “The Gloss” every couple of months. It’s strangely compelling in a dreadful kind of way. Herself was reading it this morning and announced that she is not going to have Christmas dinner outdoors. Apparently this is what all the cool kids are doing.

This evening we played online games with the relatives in London; reasonably successful. Uncle A in London is good at finding games that work for all ages which is not easy.

Finally, and this could be my most boring factlet to date (and worse, one which I may have already shared), I bought a woollen throw for the end of the bed and I am absolutely delighted with it. Pulling it up over the duvet at night is like slipping into a warm bath. I should have got one years ago.

Finally, finally, I mentioned previously that Heather is blogging every day and you really should have a read. Her posts are a delight. I particularly enjoyed today’s post.

Saturday Miscellany


Posted in: Mr. Waffle, Princess, Work

I have subscribed to Apple Pay: very exciting. We’re getting our excitements where we can. We’ve turned on the Aga, delightful though I am slightly dreading the bill in due course.

Mr. Waffle picked up what I hope are the last of the apples. These have fallen after the pickers came and took 83kgs and the gardener pruned the trees. I mean, how many can there be left?

I met the next door neighbour while clearing up in the garden and he says they’re going to get their scullery extended. Since we share a sloping scullery roof, it probably makes sense for us to do ours at the same time but I’m not sure we can a)stand it or b) afford it. Food for thought.

I have completely abandoned the cleaning rota and decided that we can live in squalor for the duration of lockdown. Perhaps a mistake but I’m willing to give it a go.

Do you remember that over the summer I wrote about the two girls on paddle boards who were rescued after 15 hours at sea? It was such a nice news story in all the Covid gloom. A local fisherman had worked out where they were likely to be and he and his son went and found them. Apparently the fisherman drowned during the week. Isn’t that just awfully sad?

I have an interview on Monday and as part of it I have to give a presentation. I practised it on herself and she said that she had seen a new side to me. Pause. “Actually no, it’s the person who makes me put away my laundry.” That is certainly the vibe I am going for.

Between interview prep and work, today has been underwhelming, however, cinema night tonight, rejoice. And I see Joe Biden has won the America election. It could all be worse.

Updated to add: We had “The Martian” for cinema night. It was Michael’s choice and we all enjoyed it very much. He’s delighted with himself.