belgianwaffle

Princess

Last Sunday of the Liturgical Year


Posted in: Princess, Reading etc.

I woke up this morning feeling miserable. I felt progressively worse as I had my shower and ate a solitary slice of toast for breakfast. I crawled back into bed at 10.15 with a hot water bottle and wet hair (too ill to dry with hair dryer, yes, I know what you’re thinking) only briefly rising again to stand over the toilet feeling like I was going to be sick. I was convinced that I had flu. I’ve had it once before and I was very afraid.

I woke up again at 2.30 feeling largely fine. A bit of a headache and haven’t had anything to eat yet but I am dressed and walking around and my legs no longer feel wobbly. A mystery. My hair leaves a bit to be desired though.

Untitled

Anyhow, as well as being the last Sunday of the liturgical year it is also what our Church of Ireland friends call Stir Up Sunday, (who knew that this was going to be an ecumenical post?). Showing positively Protestant levels of organisation, I had left lots of fruit soaking last night in stout and brandy. I went and bought new pudding bowls yesterday as, by some bizarre process they always disappear from one year to the next (or, at the very least, the lids do). I was therefore, this afternoon able to tip in the remaining ingredients all of which I had acquired earlier (chopped hazelnuts – yes, ground almonds – yes, chopped walnuts – yes etc). I was totally on a roll and filled with smugness until I got to juice and rind of an orange. I mean, really, we always have oranges, there was no need to get them in. But, oh no, not today. The Princess and I went out to the corner shop and as far as she is concerned, it was a total win as she got chocolate to melt for her chocolate moustache mould (every house should have one).

Untitled

Untitled

So my plum puddings are made and now all that remains to do is steam them for a fortnight. This is hard won experience over my five year plum pudding making period; there was a time when I thought two and a half hours would do it. Hah. I am genuinely expecting to be steaming these puddings all evening for at least a week.

Untitled

Untitled

New Terminology


Posted in: Princess

Me: How did the science test go today?
Her: OK, I think, I did some intensive short term memory file saving in advance.
Me: Is that what we used to call cramming?

Stormy


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

It was wet and windy today. I had a half day. Michael was home sick. Mr. Waffle minded him in the morning and I had him in the afternoon. I abandoned him to drive into school and pick up Daniel (bike in the boot) and then when I had dropped Daniel, I went in search of herself (communication continues to be challenging – the phone Santa got her for Christmas is unsatisfactory). I found her almost home, her little helmet bobbing along as she walked by the nearby shops. She had been blown off her bike. She had a bloody knee but no serious injury was sustained except to her dignity.

Mr. Waffle arrived in at 6, also windswept and disappointed that his soccer was called off. There’s enthusiasm.

45,000 homes are without electricity though thankfully not ours (although we did lose the internet there for about an hour, so, you know, we could empathise). I lit the fire and made biscuits. Now we are about to eat them.

It’s a day for staying in.

Untitled

That Girl has Leadership Potential


Posted in: Princess

Me: Where is the e-reader?
Herself: I have it.
Me: I was reading something on it, can I have it back?
Herself: I’m reading something.
Me: What?
Her: I’m re-reading “Lean In“

Godwin’s Law IRL


Posted in: Princess

Picture the scene, we are all in the car driving to Cork.  We pass Kildare Village off the motorway, lit up for Christmas.

Herself: What’s that?

Me: It’s one of those outlet shopping places where they sell off things cheaply.

Her: Like a shopping centre?

Me: They can be but this one is like a little town with streets and fingerposts.  Except it’s got nothing that a real town has except shops.  It’s a bizarre, sterile environment; a monument to the triumph of capitalism.  I really disapprove of it in principle although, I have to say that, in practice, your aunt took me here once and it was quite pleasing.  I got those navy cords.

Her: How do you mean sterile?

Me: Well, nobody lives there, every shop is a chain, there are no museums or pubs or monuments, it has no history and no identity beyond commerce; it’s soulless. It’s in the middle of nowhere, so people have to drive there in their cars.  There are no beggars, no buskers, no…

Her: They round up the beggars and take them away?

Me: Well, no, I assume not, it’s just not very handy to get to if you haven’t got a car.

Her:  Hmm.  They’re like Nazis then aren’t they?  Rounding up the beggars, that’s how they started.

Me: That may be a little harsh.

Dispatches from the Classroom


Posted in: Mr. Waffle, Princess

As part of the new dispensation at secondary school, herself has got an iPad (I know). This has brought unexpected benefits. Before the iPad came into our lives, I used to send emails to my children and they went into the void. Now at least my emails to her are answered and she sends me some of her own.

I got this from her today.

To: Me
From: Herself
Subject: Rosa ist nicht eine Mädchenfarbe

Rosa ist eine Mädchenfarbe

It’s from her German textbook. I was pleased that my consciousness raising work has not been wasted. I showed it to her father this evening and he said, “In this context it would be Rosa ist keine Mädchenfarbe“. Arguably, he is missing the broader point. I must, however, concede that here in the house of pedantry we regularly interrupt compelling arguments to point out grammatical errors which often goes over poorly with those making the compelling arguments.

In other news from herself, she has a new gym teacher (part of the general rotation of teachers and subjects, apparently). They did yoga today. She tells me that it is “extremely physically taxing”.