belgianwaffle

Siblings

Telephone Etiquette


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

My sister and I spoke on the phone during the week.

Round I

Me:  You’re on speaker and the phone is on my knee.

Her: Why?

Me (triumphantly): Because I have a baby on each breast – Oh God!

Her: What? What?

Me: I dropped Michael.

Her: Oh God!

Me: Not very far and on to the sofa, he didn’t like it much though.

Daniel poos.

Me:  Did you hear that?

Her:  I was trying to ignore it.

Me: That was your nephew doing a poo.

Her: Too much information.

Me: But my life is full of poo at the moment.

Her (tartly): But mine doesn’t have to be.

Me (grudgingly):  Fair point.

Round II

Me:  I was watching “What Not to Wear” the other night; they say that your sister is the only person who will tell you what your clothes are really like (though I must say on the evidence presented in the programme, I believe Trinny and Susannah will as well). So tell me…

Her: No.

Me: Why not?

Her (crabbily):  I haven’t seen you much since you were pregnant with the Princess and I criticised one thing then and I got my nose bitten off.

Me (even more crabbily):  Have you any idea how hard it is to get nice maternity clothes?

Her (hastily): Anyway, I haven’t seen your non-maternity wardrobe in years.

Me: It’s still all the same.

Her: Pregnant silence.

Me: Oh I see.

Knock out

Her: Anyway, I’ve got to go, I have a meeting.

Me: But you can’t go, I’m stuck under two feeding babies.

Her: Sorry.

Me (desperately): But I havenÂ’t got a book or the TV remote to hand and the radio is off.

Her: Gotta go, bye, talk to you soon.

I spend the next while muttering darkly and listening to the telephone beeping while trying to manouevre myself into a position to switch off the speaker button.

Comments

Friar Tuck

on 21 November 2005 at 17:58

I’m trying, unsuccessfully, to work myself up to the expected level of indignation toward sis.

belgianwaffle

on 22 November 2005 at 09:19

Yes, Minks and to add insult to injury a parcel arrived from her in the post yesterday for the Princess and the boys and now I feel guilty as well…
FT, wouldn’t worry, she has plenty of indignation for everyone. 0
Sweetie(s) given    

Perspective


Posted in: Siblings

I used to be the extravagant sibling but I think my sister in America has just taken over.  She won an all expenses paid trip to the Indianapolis Grand Prix thingy involving meeting the teams and first class accommodation. It was a very expensive prize; let me put it this way, in the US they have to pay tax on prizes and the tax on this prize was $ 5,000. Her interest in racing prior to this was nil. The Grand Prix was not as exciting as it might have been either as they had some problem I don’t fully understand with tires and a lot of the cars had to withdraw. Nevertheless, she is keen to go back.

We had the following conversation the other day:

Her: Our loving brother didn’t understand this at all but I am sure you will.
Me: Try me.
Her: I was thinking that once every couple of years it would be good to pay $4,000 to go to the paddocks when you go to the Grand Prix.
Me: WHAT?
Her: I was sure you’d understand. You get as much food and drink as you want and it’s only 2,300 euros.
Me: WHAT?
Her: Well not every year.
Me: YOU’RE JOKING.
Her: You’re not as extravagant as you once were.
Me: Splutter. Can I blog this?
Her: Hmm.

And at the time, I thought that “the Paddocks” was some fabulous hotel linked to the race course but as far as I can work out from a quick look on google, it seems to be an enclosure for cars. With food and drink. Oh yummy. Good Lord.

It should be noted that at the moment she spends most of her money on buying and posting presents to the Princess, so I may have ulterior motives in not wanting her to spend her money in the Paddocks.

Comments
sister in America

on 18 July 2005 at 21:24

A key difference betwen siblings – Belgianwaffle is spends to have the best everything. I, on the other hand will be quite sane and sensible and save up money to do crazy things.
I will add, if you haven’t been to the Paddock club, you cannot have the full picture. I liken it to a cruise – its not for every holiday but the odd one here and there is nice.

jackdalton

on 18 July 2005 at 23:27

Hello Sister in America. That would indeed seem to be a basic – perhaps even bi-polar – difference in world view. But while I can understand (really – truly & deeply) your tendency towards what a more flat-shod* sister might see as the profligate, I can equally understand her predilection towards the maturity of searching out the substantive and material. BelgianWaffle is one of those people who builds dreams. You (on the evidence of previous postings to this blog) are someone who chases them. There is no reason why you can’t each be true to your own style and capacities. And anyway, she’s probably a bit jealous.
*currently

Friar Tuck

on 20 July 2005 at 04:21

I can understand the appeal of the Paddocks. I just cannot understand the appeal of paying for it. Now if Sister in America were to go, say, every six or eight years and pay my entrance as well, yes that would be very appealing.

belgianwaffle

on 21 July 2005 at 19:53

SF, ok, if you say so…
Sister, I do NOT. I am very restrained.
JD, see previous, and yes, probably a bit jealous.
FT, welcome back. Have you been sitting around thinking dark thoughts about the new pope?

Friar Tuck

on 22 July 2005 at 03:44

RE: dark thoughts, I suspect it is the other way around.

belgianwaffle

on 23 July 2005 at 12:46

Gosh, FT, he is all powerful. Trust all is well with you all the same.

Fraternal Visit


Posted in: Siblings

Up on Wednesday morning at 6.15 to drop him off at the station to get the Ryanair bus to distant Charleroi. He arrived Tuesday morning at 9.30 and therefore spent just under
24 hours in Europe’s capital.  He used to live here so instead of spending his precious 21 hours in Brussels looking at monuments he ate waffles. He seems to have enjoyed himself.

The Princess is getting quite used to constant visitors and took his arrival in her stride and his present as her due. However, she showed a lamentable tendancy to confuse him with Mr. Waffle’s brother who was here over the weekend.  Given that, physically, they are entirely unalike, I can only attribute her confusion to the fact that she realises that they are both siblings of parents and so in some way interchangeable. My daughter is a genius.  Other explanations for this confusion are, frankly, unwelcome. My
brother spent some time coaxing her to say his name and clarifying his
identity. I think he would be sad to know that, when she woke up the morning he left, she asked politely after her paternal uncle. My brother is also the reason I threw up at lunch time on Wednesday. We went for lunch together on Tuesday and I ordered flat water. Conversation as follows:
Him: Why aren’t you having fizzy, you always have fizzy.
Me: Well, at the moment fizzy makes me sick.
Him: But that’s ridiculous, we’re having lots of spicy Italian food for lunch and you’re saying fizzy water makes you sick.
Me: Yes, look, I know what I want.
Him: Snort.

On Wednesday at lunch time, I thought, well, maybe he was right, it’s
been a while since I’ve been sick and I like fizzy water. So, I had fizzy water with my lunch and threw up.  Sigh.

Comments
Jordana

(Homepage)

on 13 May 2005 at 13:14

The major thing I learned in early pregnancy is, If a pregnant woman wants/does not want an item of food or drink, that item must be had immediately/avoided studiously. There is no compromise when Bone-Melting Nausea is involved.
Fortunately, my husband is still traumatized by that experience, and is quite easily bent to my late-pregnancy will regarding food.

NorahSplog

on 13 May 2005 at 14:01

When my own feckless younger brother was the same age as the Princess he cottoned on to the idea that our eldest brother’s girlfriend was called Amanda (or ‘Veranda’ as he put it). For quite a time, any girl brought to the house by either of our older brothers was called Veranda. Nothing would change his mind much to the boys’ consternation. Like the Princess, he too must have noticed the interchangeability of the girls variously attached to my brothers. Genius.

belgianwaffle

on 13 May 2005 at 19:27

Norah, truly terrifying. Assume this is the detox brother.
Jordana, am relieved that I am not the only sick one. Poor us.
JD, um, yeah..

Those go ahead Americans


Posted in: Siblings

My sister wants to know what I know about copyright and trademark law.  Not a lot.

“Reason I ask is that a colleague from work and I would like to file a patent but the US government patent site is very confusing.”

Comments
Locotes

on 05 May 2005 at 15:48

Unless it’s a patent on a product that makes internet sites easier to understand. Could be a winner…

Friar Tuck

on 05 May 2005 at 15:49

Ah, good. You do pro bono work. Expect my packet of questions in the post.

belgianwaffle

on 06 May 2005 at 21:24

JD, good point. Locotes, even better point. Have no idea what it’s for, this is her description “Its definitely worth investigating. Probably a better way to spend my time rather than playing Spider Solitaire”. And who am I to quibble with that?
FT, no.

Sick child


Posted in: Princess, Siblings

When I took her out in her slippers, I didn’t think she’d insist on walking all the way to the book shop.  We went to a local cafe and got her favourite lunch which she found untempting. We returned home. I put her to bed.  She looked up at me and said “Lunch Mama?”. Extracted her from bed and offered all that our humble fridge contained, all of which she rejected with contumely. Back to bed where she is sleeping the
sleep of the just.

Incidentally, our day was supposed to be enlivened by the arrival of my feckless brother over to inspect his goddaughter. However, he phoned this morning to say that he had slept out and missed his flight. See, he really is feckless.

Comments
poggle

on 20 April 2005 at 14:50

I now imagine him kipping in a doorway. Or possibly a field. Which sounds about right for Mr feckless ….

poggle

on 20 April 2005 at 14:50

ps poor mite

Locotes

on 20 April 2005 at 14:56

Hmm…you sure you didn’t just take a handy day off? Didn’t leave herself out in the rain on purpose last night or anything? 😉
How is the job going by the way?

jackdalton

on 20 April 2005 at 19:13

That’s just plain cruel. Dragging a poor, sad child from her sick-bed and force marching her to the local Amazon. And you complain about lack of sympathy among those around you… !

belgianwaffle

on 21 April 2005 at 20:02

Pog, feckless, but concerned for his own comfort, he will be looked after like the lilies of the field. Poor mite recovered, thanks. Loc, no absolutely not, when I take a handy day off, madam will be at the creche. Jack, yes, I’m mean.

Stalking


Posted in: Siblings

“Dear Siblings,

Look an email from Peter Devlin. Even though they play in obscure places and are not prolific on the album front, it is good to be a Devlin’s fan!!!

Should really be in bed but far too excited too sleep now!!!

Date: Mon, 11 Apr 2005 20:22:15 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: thank you……

i wanted to write and thank you for your very kind words in the note we received in vancouver . colin and i read it on the journey back to seattle and it put a smile on our faces at the end of a very long and tiring tour. it means so much to get feedback from people who really appreciate what we are doing. thank you.and we must say thank you for making the effort to travel from chicago – we would love to go back there and play , possibly in sept / oct when we hope to return to n.america with the full band for a tour. maybe we’ll get to see you then. in the meantime, take care of yourself and thank you once again.
sincerely,
peter devlin.”

Not much on capitalisation the Devlins but yes,
very good to their fans. On the strength of their caring
attitude to my sister and a quick listen to their stuff from this site, I have purchased the album “Waves” from Messrs. Amazon and have been instructed by my sister to encourage you to do likewise.

Comments
Locotes

on 19 April 2005 at 02:16

Can’t say they do it for me – but very decent of them to write back. Your sister isn’t Lorraine Keane from TV3 by any chance? Because apparently she pretty much stalked a Devlin until he went out with her. And now they’re married. If she’s not, maybe it’s an idea for her to work on?

poggle

on 19 April 2005 at 10:44

Blimey. Mind you, if it was a handwritten note I’d be really impressed ….

belgianwaffle

on 20 April 2005 at 12:25

Good man, Jack. Locotes, must pass this news on to my sister. Think based on form she must have a good chance with the other brother. Does this mean Lorraine Keane would be related to me, though? Ah, pog, you’re no fun.

poggle

on 20 April 2005 at 12:46

Me? How can you say that? Hmmm?
(Pretty boys, them Devlins ….)

belgianwaffle

on 20 April 2005 at 12:57

I’d say it’s just the photos, pog.

poggle

on 20 April 2005 at 12:59

Is it? Damn.
on 20 April 2005 at 14:54

Hmm…the future relation to LK could be a problem alright, though at least being in Belgian-hiding you wouldn’t see her often. She’s Ireland’s most fashionable woman though (allegedly) – so that’s bound to be handy…

jackdalton

on 20 April 2005 at 18:58

Whatever chance ‘waf2 has of landing a Devlin is likely to be seriously undermined if one of them ever comes across this discussion. None are bloggers by any chance are they?
Anyway, he’s probably just after her money… 😐

jackdalton

on 20 April 2005 at 19:01

Or worse: her innocence…..

belgianwaffle

on 21 April 2005 at 20:05

Loc, this is no comfort. Jack, I only wish I could work up to that kind of fame. And what innocence?