belgianwaffle

Sic Transit or Slightly Glum Sunday Night Reflections


Posted in: Family, Reading etc.

This year for the first time in years, we didn’t go to the Dublin book festival – the children are getting just a little bit big for it. They’ve been to the book doctor (great service) loads of times. All of the events seemed to be aimed at younger children and even last year, they felt a bit old. And then, this year, culture night didn’t quite hit the spot – maybe because I had to bail out early to travel to Cork but maybe because they’re getting bigger. I am, however, forcing them all to go on a 1916 tour so some family culture is still available. Also, herself wants to go to the Nutcracker at Christmas. I am hesitating; I’m just not sure that it will be a winning family outing. A couple of weeks ago, at her request, I took her to see a thing on Shakespeare at the Royal Irish Academy. It was tough going for me but she seemed to really enjoy it. Can’t see it ever being a family outing though.

And then we are finally replacing our car which we bought in Belgium in 2005 – yes steering wheel on the wrong side but not as awkward as you might expect. As we were looking at makes, we found ourselves reflecting that this might be our last family car, if we hang on to it for 6 or 7 years as at that stage the children will all be in college which is a terrifying prospect. Looks like it does go by quickly after all.

Learning Opportunities 


Posted in: Princess

Herself: We are doing the renaissance in history.
Me: Oh yes?
Her: I know loads of renaissance sculptors and painters but I never get to mention them.
Me: And why is that?
Her: Because whenever the history teacher asks us to name renaissance artists, she says, “Remember the turtles!”

Rats


Posted in: Dublin, Family, Ireland, Mr. Waffle

I had a busy day at work yesterday. When I got home, about 6.30, I put Mr. Waffle and the boys in to the car. We drove into town through rainy Friday evening traffic to collect the Princess from a course, then we dropped Mr. Waffle to a dinner in his old school (he offered to sort himself out but I was feeling noble – he was a bit peeved as a) we were nearly late for herself and he hates to be late and b) having worked himself to the bone for this deadline on Wednesday, some new disagreeable, urgent thing has now presented itself, as he said, “it’s like getting arrested on your release from jail”), then I came back into town with the children and had dinner in Milano’s which I thought would be good but Michael was unhappy (tired and hungry) and he spread the love. I felt a bit sorry for myself last night but thought it was just that I was tired, so I trooped off to bed with my book and looked forward to Saturday.

This morning I woke up with the head cold which my daughter, my husband and my childminder have had all week. I wish I had been a bit more sympathetic to them. At lunchtime I dragged myself out to drop herself off to an event and hung around to pick her up. I was going to let herself and her father out to buy her some new clothes in the afternoon but my nerve failed me and I went instead. Not a blow for feminism, I concede, but she had to get a winter coat and I couldn’t face looking at something I didn’t like all winter. Go on, judge away.

I am now updating my blog while sipping a lemsip. Mr. Waffle and I are going out to dinner to celebrate reaching his hideous deadline (although this seems a little premature now, see paragraph 1) and sick or no I am going to go. Let us hope that the lemsip works.

Something for Theresa May to Reflect On


Posted in: Mr. Waffle

Back when the Swedes joined the EU in the mid 90s, Mr. Waffle remembers a senior Italian Commission official commenting, “How can you negotiate with these people? They say exactly what they mean.”

Raifteirí Prepares to Hand Over the Reins


Posted in: Princess

Herself has won a poetry prize. She wrote a 1916 poem in Irish for a school competition and the teacher asked me if she could submit it to a national competition. I said that she could and herself won second prize. She was very pleased. There was an awards ceremony in Killarney last week but it was beyond us to get her down there; as she said dolefully, “This is what happens to the children of working parents.” However, they are going to send the cheque for €100 in the post. As I pointed out to her, I am sure that actual Irish language poets would regard that as a substantial part of their annual income. I am perhaps stereotyping the profession of Irish language poet as one that is not particularly well remunerated.

The boys are consumed with envy.

Surprising


Posted in: Princess, Reading etc.

2016 is the year that keeps on giving in this regard, is it not?

I was away last night for work so I woke in my hotel room to the news that Donald Trump is to be president of the US. It seems extraordinary that the people who gave us 8 years of Barack Obama have now given us Donald Trump.

In other current affairs news, the Princess, who confidently expected her teachers to be on strike for weeks, was gutted when we got a text message at 9.30 last night saying that the school was reopening today. She is still readjusting to the new reality. Aren’t we all?