belgianwaffle

Siblings

More Rugby Than You Were Expecting


Posted in: Middle Child, Siblings, Twins, Youngest Child

Update on yesterday. The latest I could change the train with my flexible ticket was one hour before departure. At 15.55, I reluctantly changed my booking to January. At 16.07, my Covid test result came in. Negative, I’m pleased to report. Mr. Waffle and I leapt into the car. The traffic was awful. I intended to buy a last minute ticket in the station to hell with the expense. But the traffic wasn’t moving. And I looked at the train website and it turns out that due to Covid all intercity trains now have to be pre-booked (whatever happened to good old booked?) and you can’t buy tickets in the station any more. And the next train I could book online was 6 which would get me into Cork too late for dinner at 8. Alas alack. We turned around and went home.

Later that evening Daniel’s test came in negative too. And today I am much, much better though not in Cork.

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I see the Dutch are closing all their bars and restaurants in the evening and bringing back masks and social distancing. It did feel very normal when we were there but I see that a surge in cases is the price of normal as the public health doctors keep pointing out in their Cassandra-like way.

I had a quiet day as did Michael (who is currently working his way through “Eminent Victorians” having finished his 1,000 page scifi short story compendium -he has eclectic tastes) but Mr. Waffle and Dan had a day filled with excitement. My brother had got them tickets to the rugby match: Ireland v New Zealand. Due to my brother’s slightly last minute organisational style, it was unclear whether he would arrive in Dublin at 10 or 12 or 3 and whether they would meet him before, after or during the match (they met him during and after, in case you were wondering). Daniel wore his Leinster top to the match on the basis that almost all of the team bar a couple are from Leinster (a sore point for the Munster people, obviously – Cork is in Munster, Dublin is in Leinster, in case there is any confusion on this point).

Anyway, miraculously, Ireland won. When Mr. Waffle and Dan returned from the match they were absolutely ebullient and Daniel gave me a play by play description. They had a fantastic view from their seats in the stadium and it was all tremendously exciting. I texted my brother “When Leinster beat the All Blacks” which I thought was pretty hilarious but he was not amused.

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As I type, it is still unclear whether my brother will be staying the night with us or high tailing it back to Cork this evening. He likes to keep us on our toes.

We’re having a Studio Ghibli phase at the moment. Daniel went out and bought “Spirited Away” with his own money and we all loved it and this evening we watched “My neighbour Totoro” which, though aimed at a more youthful audience, was a delight. The boys had watched it when they were small and they loved it.

I trust your own Saturday was satisfactory.

Dealing with Uncertainty


Posted in: Cork, Ireland, Siblings

Lads, still no sign of my Covid test result. I was supposed to be getting on the Cork train at 3 this afternoon to go for a birthday dinner with my sister. I’ve pushed out the booking to 5 and am checking my phone at 2 second intervals to see are the results in. It’s going really well for me. I mean, even if I have it, knowing would be better than the uncertainty.

Anyway, I feel a bit better than I did yesterday so that’s something. Hold on to your hats and prepare for exciting updates.

The Hearth has its Reasons


Posted in: Middle Child, Mr. Waffle, Siblings, Twins

The other day I was reading a column by this new (to me) Australian journalist in the Irish Times (Brianna Parkins, I like her). This column, which you may read at the link, should you feel so inclined basically says that because I would do a better job at cleaning is not a reason to do all the cleaning and have your (male) partner do none.

Mr. Waffle and I are in the happy position of being able to pay someone to do our cleaning for us. This morning I asked the cleaner whether she could do something about the sooty tiles at the front of the fireplace. She did. They are sparkling. I am delighted. I summoned Mr. Waffle to look. “Um, what am I looking at?” said he. “The tiles in the hearth, look at them!” “Are they different, good or bad?” he asked nervously. Brianna Perkins has her work cut out I would suggest. Yes, I did do this for the pun in the title. We are a third of the way through NaBloPoMo and inspiration is not what it might be.

In other news, saintly Daniel made dinner tonight. His cold (hopefully not Covid – test tomorrow to be sure) is much improved. My brother has two spare tickets for the Ireland – New Zealand rugby match on Saturday and spread joy by giving them to Mr. Waffle and Dan.

And finally, have I come down with a cold? Yes I have. Am I having a Covid test at 8.30 in the morning? Yup. Can’t wait. Anyone else worried that their cold might kill someone?

Illness Stalks the Land


Posted in: Middle Child, Mr. Waffle, Siblings, Twins, Youngest Child

Mr. Waffle and Daniel both have colds. They’re also both double-vaccinated. I decided that it might be worth getting Daniel a Covid test to be on the safe side. Appointments for tests are hard to get at the moment – cases are high it appears and testing higher, the system is clearly at capacity. I’ll keep him home from school for the rest of the week and we’ll see where we are. Daniel is delighted at this turn of events as his father’s reading of the HSE website is different from mine and he thought Daniel could go back to school tomorrow – unwelcome news which was conveyed earlier but overturned on appeal. I might pick up an antigen test in the chemist tomorrow. Mr. Waffle thinks I’m crazy. Mr. Waffle is firm in his belief that he (himself as opposed to Dan) definitely doesn’t have Covid. Michael and I are fine, you will be pleased to hear.

Meanwhile in Cork, today is my sister’s birthday and she took the week off work to celebrate in a mild way and promptly fell down the stairs yesterday and twisted her ankle. Alas.

Your own seasonal illness stories would be welcome.

Right Up to Date


Posted in: Middle Child, Mr. Waffle, Princess, Siblings, Twins

Monday, November 1, 2021

Return to school after mid-term break is always a bit of a challenge. Not helped by the weekend away. It was pretty chilly as well. Finally glove weather has returned; I was perished on my cycle in to work.

Before the October 22 announcement that everything was going backwards, I had volunteered to host in-person book club in my house and then, when things were a bit grimmer, I asked whether people still wanted to come and four said yes. Look, five is a quorum. It was a bit of a scramble to organise as we had only returned from Holland the previous evening but, happily, the culinary standards for bookclub are not high and people seemed happy enough with the frozen pizza. And we were all very happy to see each other. I am delighted to report that the talented women in both my Monday night and my Sunday afternoon book club appear to be taking over the world and we were all in very congratulatory mode and analysing media performances, if you don’t mind (it’s fair to say that we were not a tough crowd). I can’t help thinking about our mothers and how they stopped working or worked part time or generally had less good careers than our fathers and I wonder about all the expertise and brilliance that was lost to the world. But then we – and our husbands – are also all flattened and stretched in ways they may not have been.

Tuesday, November 2, 2021

I drove Daniel to training. I couldn’t bear to let him cycle. It’s just too tense; I’m terrified that he will be run over in the dark. Mr. Waffle posted herself her skiing gear in a large box (7kgs). I suspect she may not relish flying down the slopes with her new friends in her Lidl ski gear but it is perfectly effective, I will have you know.

I dutifully took down the Halloween decorations. If you think I should have cut up the pumpkin before putting it in the compost heap, your views are not welcome here.

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Wednesday, November 3, 2021

While I was queuing for my lunch in a sandwich shop, I heard a radio DJ announce that U2’s “Achtung Baby” is thirty years old this week. This made me feel ancient so I thought I would spread the love.

In the evening I overheard Dan speaking in the kitchen, considering our fizzy water supplies, “How can five middle-aged women drink so much water?” It is true that my book club is a bit of a water into wine miracle: everyone only drinks water and they each bring a bottle of wine so at the end of the evening, you are definitely ahead on the alcohol content.

Daniel was in great form because the Dublin County Board (the GAA ruler in our kingdom) has determined that there is to be a new league for U17 boys and his team instead of disbanding has another year of playing together. He is thrilled.

I spent a full three weeks agonising about whether to apply for a job and tonight was the last night I could do anything about it and I let it go. The guilt was outweighed by the relief. Exhausting.

Thursday, November 4, 2021

I have my first social diary clash in years. I am going down to Cork for dinner for my sister’s birthday on November 12 and now I have also been invited to a dinner in Dublin. I welcome the return of the social whirl.

In other glamorous news, before I went to bed, I took something out of the freezer for dinner and I noticed that the drawers were filthy so I took out everything and washed the drawers in the sink. I think this may be crazy behaviour but the drawers look amazing.

Friday, November 5, 2021

I scampered out of work for my half day at 2.30 and spent the rest of the afternoon at home with the laptop open working on and off on something urgent – updating this post in the gaps between document drafts – which is not exactly an afternoon off but not fully on either. Look, we take our wins where we can.

You are fully up to date with my life. This is everything that has happened to me. I have no idea what I will post tomorrow. And it’s only November 5. It’s going to be a long month.

Updated to add: the car failed its NCT but my saintly husband is sorting it. Some problem with the headlights. Sigh.

More of It


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

Tuesday, October 26, 2021

Saintly Daniel cut the grass in the back garden for what, I assume, is the last time this year. The weather is so peculiar.

The in-laws came to stay before heading back to England. Mr. Waffle went out to Tuesday night soccer where he managed to inadvertently hit a fellow player in the face with a ball. The other player went off to get an x-ray. Mr. Waffle arrived home a bit shaken.

Poor Dan was cycling back from GAA and fell off his bike on the grass slope by the side of the pitch. He suffered no injury except to his dignity but, as he pointed out, this was considerable, as he was encased in high vis gear from top to toe and visible probably from space and certainly from all over the pitch.

Separately, this pheasant turned up in my brother’s back garden in Cork city.

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Wednesday, October 27, 2021

My little London niece was in great form over breakfast and I thought that she’s only got used to us and now she’s off but I trust we will see more of her from now on.

In response to Mr Waffle’s anxious enquiry, his colleague messaged him, that, yes, indeed, his jaw was dislocated but added in a Christian spirit which we can only hope to emulate, that Mr. Waffle should not worry and “it was a good clearance”.

Herself got a lovely care package from her London aunt and was very pleased.

At lunch time, I saw the guards had a road closed and I asked why. “VIP,” said the guard laconically. “Anyone interesting?” I asked. “Some Germans,” said she. Turned out it was the German president. You can’t impress a guard.

Thursday, October 28, 2021

I had a lovely long chat with herself at lunch time. She was procrastinating and I took full advantage of her desire not to get back to her essay. She seems to be having a fantastic time.

I knew I would be stuck late at work as the following day I was off and so it proved but I made it home eventually.

Daniel promptly departed in the dark on his bike for training at 8.15. I’m not sure that I am able for the wait until 9.30 when he gets back. I am absolutely terrified that he will be taken out by a careless driver.

So, why, you might ask, was I taking Friday off work? To go to Holland to a 50th birthday party, like the before times. Stay tuned for details of our exciting Dutch trip.