belgianwaffle

Christmassy things


Posted in: Mr. Waffle, Princess, Work

Here I am, so keen on my new job that I did a bit of work this evening. And promptly lost it. So while microsoft tries to retrieve it for me, I will take deep breaths and blog.

I love the job, so far, I mean, it’s early days and I haven’t got paid yet, but I am enjoying myself.  And even though the poor Princess was sick last week, I am still glad to be back.  Dutifully, Mr. Waffle took time off on Friday to mind sick baby and take her to the doctor. This was the first time he has taken her to the doctor. Last time, she didn’t like it much.  But it was September and in his other office. However, our girl is a hard hater. She arrived, took one look at the doctor and began to roar. Mr. Waffle tells me that when the trauma of the examination was over he let her go and put her on the floor so that she would understand she wasn’t being held against her will.  Apparently, she promptly ran for the door.

Anyhow, you will be delighted to hear that she appears to be largely recovered. We went to the Christmas market today and had a ride on a merry go round which was most pleasing to the royal person. We also went to a crib exhibition which I thought she might like. In we tripped to the church and she promptly mortified me by roaring “Mass, no, pas mass” and grabbing on to the church door like something from the Exorcist. Apparently, she finds mass dull. Anyway, she was mildly interested in the cribs but fascinated by the styrofoam on the floor which served as fake snow. After a quick roll in the styrofoam, Mr. Waffle took her home while I went to mass (well, I was hardly going to take her). Mr. Waffle informs me that he spent some time removing strofoam pieces from up her nose on his return. The simple pleasures of parenthood.

Comments
Friar Tuck

on 12 December 2004 at 22:56

Good thing you didn’t feed Her Highness pea soup before going to the exhibition!
on 13 December 2004 at 18:29

Work’s going well? Splendid!Princess hates doctors? Can’t blame her!

Princess finds mass a bore? Can’t blame her!

Princess enjoys shoving styrofoam up her nose? Can’t bla….err….haven’t tried it myself.

belgianwaffle

on 13 December 2004 at 20:33

Bobble, how very exotic of you. FT, indeed. Locotes, you never know until you try..

Intercultural difficulties


Posted in: Belgium

French is difficult for me. So many words sound the same. Roue and rue for example. See, in English that’s wheel and street and quite hard to confuse. A longish anecdote follows on this point. Try to bear with me.

The other day I was on the tram with my loving husband and bouncing toddler. There was a trendy young thing sitting beside me with one of those skiing type hats with a long tail and a pompom at the end. The Princess was rather fascinated by this and started playing with it. The trendy young thing was sweet and let her. The Princess and I have been doing quite a bit of work on tails recently (she has spent some time looking between her legs for her own tail “Mama, no tail?” “No”).  So, I said that the woman had a tail on her hat. Except, I didn’t say it in English because, you know, I wanted the trendy y.t. to understand what we were saying so I said “elle a un cul sur son chapeau”. The tyt looked a bit put out and asked whether I meant a pompom waving it about. No, I said “un cul”.  I looked at Mr. Waffle, he cleared his throat and said “I think you mean “une queue”” (difference in pronounciation only discernable to bats, dogs and fraoncophones). Smiling all round. “What” I asked my loving husband, “did I say?  “Well,” he said ” you told our baby that the lady had an ass on her hat and when she protested, you insisted that this was the case”. I see. Gosh, it’s a social minefield out there, don’t even get me started on baisser and baiser.

Comments
Bobble

on 10 December 2004 at 00:17

Fish and Peach, and Cabbage and Horse, produce the same effect in Italian. All but Identical.
La mia poverina Waffly.

Mikeachim

on 10 December 2004 at 00:47

I’m hoping to start learning Japanese in the near future, in preparation for a walking holiday there at some point. And apparently in that language, the spelling can be the same but the emphasis in pronunciation can render an entirely different meaning.
Great. So you can’t even use flash-cards as an escape route.
Maybe I should just grunt and use sign language, wherever I go. Ahh, it’ll be like being a teenager again. (Oh God.)

Friar Tuck

on 10 December 2004 at 03:51

Happens to the best of us. In my early Italian years, I wanted to tell someone that we were watching “Three Men and a Baby” (Tre uomini e una culla) on television. Instead, I said “Tre uomini e un cullo”. Hardy har har’s all around.

Bobble

on 10 December 2004 at 10:24

Peccato!

NorahSplog

on 10 December 2004 at 10:53

The French can be very touchy about mispronunciations in my experience. I once asked my (French) mother-in-law why everyone I spoke to in France in French answered me in English. Apparently it was because “Eet ‘urts to ze French to ‘ave some Eenglish person making zere language sound so ugly. French eet ees so beautiful and ze Eenglish zey keel eet”.

UndercoverCookie

on 10 December 2004 at 11:06

Back when I was speaking Indonesian like an infant, I tried to say ‘You’re Lying’ (kamu bohong) but it came out as ‘you’re a tree’ (kamu pohon) so for years thereafter, tree was in the in-joke for liars.
The other language faux pas I made was not being able to rrrrroll my R in the word Kontrol… take out the R and it’s a word that made everyone blush. V. rude indeed! (my then husband wouldn’t even say it and he’s not known for his delicate sensibilities)oh and plenty of times I used the wrong word for ‘you’ (it’s context dependent) and made a complete prat of myself. Bit like saying ‘cheers mate’ to your mother in law the first time you meet.

lauren35

on 10 December 2004 at 19:48

snap! I have a dreadful time with ‘rue’ and ‘roue’ … and don’t get me started on the minefield that is ‘barbequeue’ (barbe ? cul)

belgianwaffle

on 12 December 2004 at 22:13

Thank you one and all for your mortifying pronounciation stories/sympathy. It’s all terrifying – the Indonesian sounds most complicated though. And Bobble isn’t there some way of pronouncing Dome in Italian which makes teenagers giggle?

margot

on 08 January 2005 at 20:43

i’m french if i can help you….salut.

belgianwaffle

on 09 January 2005 at 16:46

Margot, c’est gentil mais je crois que mes difficultes sont presque insurmontables!

Sleep tight


Posted in: Princess

I’m just back from giving her highness a bottle. Unlike every other 20 month old in the world, our baby does not sleep through the night.  At the moment she is choosing to wake up twice a night which is not as bad as last month’s thrice a night but not quite as good as September’s once a night which led us to hope that she might give it up altogether She likes to taunt us.

Anyway, now that I am back at work, we do the bottles on alternate nights. So Mr. Waffle did last night. And I heard a heartbreaking cry from her room “Mama, Mama, Mama”. And I lay there and didn’t go to her and I felt something tighten in my chest. It was really very hard. And when my loving spouse came back I said “was she ok, I heard her calling me”. And he said “oh, but she always calls for you when I go in”. And I felt terrible. So tonight Mr. Waffle is away for work and I am almost glad that I get to get up and give her her bottles. So in I went in with the bottle. She was sitting up in bed. I said “I’m here, sweetheart” and in a heartbroken voice she said “Daddy, Daddy, Daddy” Tell me, do you think she’s just playing with us?

Comments
jackdalton

on 08 December 2004 at 01:18

Absolutely. She knows a soft-touch when she sees one.
It’s an innate characteristic of the young and the non-male.
😐

Bobble

on 08 December 2004 at 11:22

She has a career in the media ahead I feel.

poggle

on 08 December 2004 at 11:52

Of course she is. That girl will go far.

lauren35

on 08 December 2004 at 20:43

as I thought, a true princess

Beth

(Homepage)

on 08 December 2004 at 20:45

She’s just proving who is in charge so you don’t forget.

belgianwaffle

on 09 December 2004 at 22:33

FT, yes, good comment. JD, you’re just being cynical. Bobble, Pog, quite possibly. Hmm, Lauren, I didn’t know thta they were supposed to be contrary. Beth, do you really think that’s at all likely?

jackdalton

on 09 December 2004 at 22:52

Cynical? Me?!

belgianwaffle

on 12 December 2004 at 22:13

My mistake, JD.

Modes of transport


Posted in: Princess

When we’re in the car, the Princess tends to chat away to herself. She likes to identify other road users and to compliment herself on her prowess in this regard.

“A vam, clever girl; car, bravo; tram, thas righ; bus, clever girl; bikikle, good girl.”

Comments
Friar Tuck

on 08 December 2004 at 17:20

Okay, Princess, here’s a picture of my car. Can you say “rust bucket”? Good girl!

belgianwaffle

on 09 December 2004 at 22:33

Thanks Norah, you are, as always, generous and kind with your sweeties. FT, yes she can.

Socialite


Posted in: Belgium

Belgium, as you will be aware, is famous for chocolate. And in Belgium, Pierre Marcolini is the acme of chocolate shops. And they have just opened a new shop on 3 floors at the bottom of the Sablon. And the other night, we were all out admiring the Christmas lights (“lighs, lighs, lighs!) and I thought I might check out the new establishment. And I was refused entry. It was the gala opening and entry was by invitation only. I have been refused entry to a chocolate shop. I think my social life may have reached a new low.

Comments
Friar Tuck

on 06 December 2004 at 01:00

Someday they will regret it! They will come on their knees begging you to set foot in their store. I’m sure of it.
I wonder how LJS would have handled the situation?

Bobble

on 06 December 2004 at 10:35

Isn’t that illegal Waffly – I thought you had an access all areas pass to Belgium’s chocolate shops?

belgianwaffle

on 07 December 2004 at 22:45

Cold comfort Loc. FT, you are surely right and with finesse, I am sure. Bobble, yes.

Part the Thirteenth


Posted in: The tale of Lazy Jack Silver

Bobble opened her eyes slowly. The hooded figure hovered over her but it seemed less menacing, somehow. It was also offering a cup of tea.

“I put in lots of sugar, for the shock” it said in a helpful voice.

“But, you oozed, you were a budget cutter, the Princess, LJS is coming round, Norah…”

“Now, now” said Friar Tuck kindly, for it was he, “you’ve had a bit of a shock. To be honest, we all have, Mr. Waffle was left in charge and things went a bit funny, but it’s alright now. Also, you might like to know that I’ve put on some hand cream.”

Bobble shook her head in bafflement and drank her tea. Suddenly she heard the sound of someone running up the stairs. It was Norah.

“Honestly, Bobble, you are a useless chump” she sighed in exasperation. Seeing the hooded figure she added “oh, hello Tuckers, I didn’t realise you were there, I thought you and Heather had fallen out”.

Friar Tuck drew himself up to his full height “her people and my people have been in touch and we are hammering out some kind of deal”.

“That’s nice” said Norah absently “by the by, how’s the psoriasis?”

Friar Tuck held out a scaly hand and smiled mournfully. “Well,” said Norah prosaically, “what do you expect on the NHS?”

“Anyway,” said Norah, “I can’t hang about, LJS is coming round and I have to get Waffle and Heather”.

“Oh” said Friar Tuck “so this is what this is all about” and he laughed loud and long and the sound echoed round the Schloss.  In the drawing room Heather pulled her diaphanous wrap more closely round her pretty shoulders and shivered.

***Author’s note: So this is why it was all Pam’s dream in “Dallas”. The scriptwriter went on a short holiday and found one of the main characters had been eliminated.  If you don’t get this reference, it’s not my fault that you are a mere babe in arms and too young to remember when Bobby was shot.

Comments
NorahSplog

on 04 December 2004 at 20:08

“chump”? Ooh I’ve come over all Malory Towers! 1
Sweetie(s) given

dmts

on 04 December 2004 at 20:21

oh we’re hammering out a deal are we? I need to speak to my people.

LJS

on 05 December 2004 at 12:34

And I can just whistle in the wings or whatever while this pyrotechnical blytonesque love-in goes on? Typical. Personally I thought Mr Waffle’s contribution was the most wothwhile to date in this moving tale of hope and gory.
Not it’s gone all bloody pink and smiley again….

belgianwaffle

on 05 December 2004 at 15:08

Yes, FT, good news. Norah, well spotted, I felt a bit Enid Blytony…and a sweetie too, you are kind. HJB, well only if you want to, of course. LJS, excuse me, LJS, you’re FICTIONAL.

poggle

on 05 December 2004 at 15:10

Bobby Ewing? Pam? Oh yes, I remember my Mum telling me about that …
*cough*

belgianwaffle

on 05 December 2004 at 15:13

Pog, clearly your mother was a child bride..

Friar Tuck

on 05 December 2004 at 21:32

Don’t worry Heather. Whenever there’s a deal being hammered out, I usually wind up being the nail!

poggle

on 06 December 2004 at 13:08

Of course she was waffle.
*chokes*

Bobble

on 13 December 2004 at 20:53

Hmmph.