belgianwaffle

Family

Heaven is a Place on Earth


Posted in: Cork, Family, Ireland

I take the children to Cork for the weekend from time to time. During these weekends away from their father – who is all virtue – I tend to give up on the healthy eating/playing in the park regime which we try to achieve in Dublin. As a result their time in Cork is spent eating pizza, watching television and playing on the iPad and the x-box. It’s quite relaxing for me too but, of course, my enjoyment is undercut by a steady pulse of guilt, made no better by the following happy confidence from my youngest child when we last visited: “I love Cork because there aren’t so much [sic] rules.” “How do you mean Michael?” I asked. “When we started playing the x-box it was bright but now it is dark.”

Also, are you singing that Belinda Carlisle number?

Unlikely Anxiety Dream


Posted in: Family

My sister-in-law’s wedding in London is fast approaching. The Princess has a starring role as bridesmaid. The other night I dreamt that I was somehow unable to get the Princess ready and left the job to her father. To my horror, she turned up at the ceremony in jeans and with her hair unbrushed. Her aunt had, inexplicably, drafted in little English bridesmaids who looked like Kate Moss’s bridesmaids and they stood at the altar looking contemptuous.

I woke up and said to my husband in tones of deep annoyance, “How could you not have brushed her hair?” He, understandably, refused to take responsibility for the workings of my unconscious mind.

What are we to make of this?

Disappointment


Posted in: Cork, Dublin, Family, Ireland

My mother’s first job out of college was with Clark’s shoes in England. Not quite sure why they needed a chemist but they did and she has fond memories of them. She also wear tested all of their women’s size 7 shoes which was an added bonus and meant she had the most extensive shoe wardrobe of anyone really.

When we were growing up we always got our shoes from Clark’s on the North Main Street (now defunct – the shop not the street). Since coming back to live in Ireland, I have bought all the children’s shoes in Clark’s. It’s a little bit dearer but they measure the children’s feet, I have my mother’s assurance as to the quality of the workmanship (admittedly dating from the 1960s) and they have actually held up pretty well, until now.

I bought Michael a pair of shoes at the start of December and last week he pointed out that the stitching at the top had come undone and there was a big hole. Mr. Waffle brought them back to Clark’s and asked for a replacement pair. The shop said that policy was only to refund 3/4 of the price after 28 days. That doesn’t strike me as very long. I would have said that a pair of shoes that lasts only just over two months are not of merchantable quality. Mr. Waffle made this point. They said he could ring England. He did. The English lady said that she would need to see them and he would have to post them to her. We settled for getting another pair at a quarter of the price of the damaged pair. But I am not pleased. And my mood was not improved by the woman in the shop saying to the children, “Gosh, I remember you guys coming in every year, you’ve grown so much.”

The Princess is delighted, her next pair of shoes will be those Converse runners she covets. She’ll have to learn how to tie laces first though.

Home Truths


Posted in: Family, Siblings

When I was in Cork, my mother said, “Oh Anne, we would love if you could stay for longer.” “I know,” I said, “but, you know, they want me back home in Dublin too. I’m just so popular, everyone wants to have me stay.”

My sister interjected, “Actually, I’d say Dan [our brother] could take you or leave you.”

2012 in Review


Posted in: Family, Ireland, Reading etc.

This review consists of the first line from the first entry of every month and a photo from each month and the odd comment from me in italics. It’s very thrilling, now, so hold on to your hats.

January
When going through my posts to make yesterday’s list, I was slightly surprised to discover that I read 37 other books which were not on my bedside table in 2011.
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Ah, yes, still the best new year’s resolution ever.

February
We’ve given up watching the news in the evenings; so, in fact, we’ve given up watching television altogether because all our TV watching consisted of the news and an hour of vain channel hopping thereafter.
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Actually, we’re still largely off the news but we have acquired a number of box sets – Outnumbered and the Big Bang Theory. Don’t judge. Photo of first of many trips to Charles Fort this year. The children are tired of it.

March
We went to visit the President’s House.
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We also laid in extensive supplies for the Princess’s birthday.

April
Michael eats nothing at dinner.
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Michael eats even less now. The view is taken from our most successful family walk of the year.

May

Look, Daniel has shark teeth.
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June
Michael reads and re-reads a lot of Asterix and Tintin.
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July
Michael:Is there mass on Sunday?
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Not the attitude you would expect from a small boy who loved bible camp in Garryvoe.

August
Mr. Waffle was restored to us.
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And we went back to France where this photo was taken.

September
Another beautiful day made more beautiful by the certain knowledge that our fellow citizens at home were continuing to struggle in damp conditions.
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This is a bit out of synch because I wrote about August in September. As you do. That line was written when we were in France. That photo was taken when we were in Kerry.

October
The childminder was talking to me about the children’s homework.
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November
Me: You know that Thursday is November 1.
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A post every day. And the Dublin Book Festival, where I took the photo.

December
I found this taped to the boys’ bedroom door the other night.
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In case you are wondering, they had taped “passport needed to pass this point” on their door. It’s still there.

Happy


Posted in: Family

Despite the misery that January is supposed to bring, I feel very happy at the moment. Everything is going my way. Lots of things are working: my childminder is great and the children love her; the children are happy; we have enough money; we might even buy a new house; I have a loving, kind and supportive extended family. My wardrobe is adequate. My work is interesting.

I wrote this in January last year. And it’s still true in part. The children don’t love the new childminder as much. And we are skint because of the new house. But new house!

Lucky me. Largely.