Hi All
I apologize for doing to this to you all again, but in some strange
way, it makes me feel a little closer to home, so thanks for putting
up with it.
The month of November was very pretty aesthetically. Autumn or ‘Fall’
is just gorgeous here, with all the leaves turning color and falling.
I must say, I do feel for those who have to rake them up. It seems
as though every time the guys who do our yard rake the leaves, there’s
a massive wind that night, and in the morning the yards covered again.
A lot like housework, really.
In the beginning of the month, we went to the Ardenwood Historical
Farm, because we were assured that we must see the Monarch butterflies
gather, and that it only happens in October. So, we bundled the kids
off to see the Monarchs in the very first weekend of November,
desperately hoping that we hadn’t missed it.
It comes in December! (I know that the Daycare teachers aren’t well
educated here, but I was sort of hoping that calendar reading was a
pre-requisite – hiss, scratch, scratch!).
Despite this, we went through and had a look anyway. Fortunately, we
had arrived just prior to the animals feeding time, and they encourage
the children to help. This was unreal! Q really enjoyed it, and
kept crooning at the animals as they ate, which was cute.
V seemed to form a bond with the poultry and kept going back to
have deep conversations with them through the fence. V’s a bit
‘different’.
As time wore on, V discovered a freshly plowed field and
obviously decided that it needed a roll in by a aspiring mud wrestler.
I wasn’t anticipating a jog, but I wore flat shoes, so it was not much
of a drama.
Then V made a friend.
A woman was sitting quietly, enjoying the fact the her relatives were
running after her own kids. V went up to her and had one of her
‘deep and meaningful’ conversations with her, which the woman
(experienced with jibberish, I am sure) engaged. Once finished,
Verity made a very big deal of waving bye (I was starting to be
convinced that V was going overseas) and left. Only to return 1
minute later, screaming “Yello! Yello!” The woman said hello back.
Big mistake! V must have left and returned from this poor woman
(who was trying to enjoy a break from her own kids) twenty times.
Every time I thought I’d preoccupied her with something else for more
than a minute, she’d then run back to the woman, who was
laughing….thank goodness.
You can’t accuse V of not being consistent I guess.
Anyhow, it was a great afternoon. The girls were so exhausted they
snored all the way home, and we shall be returning sometime soon to
see the monarch butterflies.
Mark is still doing a revolting amount of hours, but I have discovered
something, the “Software Engineer Widow” is not an uncommon phenomena
here. It is quite normal to meet women, and assume that they are
single parents, only to find out that they too, have a husband in
technology.
These woman tend not to have high powered careers, because it is
impossible to raise kids with both the parents working the “revolting”
hours, especially when projects loom. Also, they tend to have family
from either overseas or in another part of the USA, and so, like me,
there is no real support network. They aren’t depressed or elated,
just accepting of the situation, and I have found that I now have
accepted it, too.
It’s not so bad now.
So, unless Mark gets a job with more flexible hours, where he can work
at home and not lose his own (very little) off days when the girls are
sick, I won’t be able to work myself. I struggled with this concept
initially, because I have always tended to work for money ( I refuse
to say that being a stay-at-home mum is not work – it is bloody hard
work!), but again, I’ve accepted it and, believe or not, I am enjoying
it.
Wasn’t that deep? Sorry. Just don’t ask me if I am ‘working’ when I
see any of you. I will say yes, because I am a “Domestic Goddess” (I
said that to a guy on the phone doing a survey, and he couldn’t stop
laughing to ask me the next question! Cheeky boy!).
Mark has joined a robotics club (the Home Brew Robotics Club, no
less). He is not being neglectful, he is networking. I found the club
for him and encouraged him to join. He works very hard and needs an
outlet, plus we aren’t here just for fun, we are here to build a
strong foundation for his career, and he can’t do it if he isn’t out
there socializing with people other than fellow employees.
Besides, it’s so cute when he gets excited about his toys….
We’ve had a few more visits to Happy Hollow, but that’s nothing
exciting. We are sure giving our yearly membership a work out.
They’re going to shut it down for a few months, and all the local
parents are panicking about what we’re going to bribe our kids with
now to behave.
We’ll all think of something I am sure.
We are nearing the end of Q’s ballet/tap odyssey and I think it’s
safe to say that Q probably won’t be doing ballet when she’s
older. She’s very athletic and loves visual art, so we’ll probably
focus on that, unless she decides she wants to give it another go.
It’s not so bad, and to be honest, I am kind of relieved. Ballet
costs a lot, and I cannot sew to save my life – so the whole concert
thing would have been a drama, I am sure.
V is talking, sort of. She says phrases, like “I did it” or
“Who’s that?” or “What’s this?” but she won’t do words. She does
jibber jabber, and really sounds like a budgie. Mark says “V-tise”
back to her. It did backfire the other night.
Q had gone to bed, and V and Mark were having one of their
“V-tise” conversations. All of a sudden, Verity gets up, asks Mark a
question and he replied in her language. She sagely nodded her head,
walked into Q’s room and woke her up.
I really don’t think you should use any language unless you really
know what you’re saying….don’t you?
Here’s something a bit bizarre. I bought a “Bath Poof” today. No, it
isn’t a flamboyantly dressed bathroom assistant, just a skin scrubber
( I can’t remember what Aussie’s call them, eeeek!).
Also, Dove chocolates, have little messages in with their little
choccies. I don’t know it they have them there, but I cannot help but
add my own bit.
Enjoy them, if you like:
• Dance to your own heartbeat – it freaks out the neighbours.
• Sing along to elevator music – and increase your personal space.
• Smile before bed, you’ll sleep better – unless you snore loudly,
and then your smile-partner will wake you up.
• Naughty can be nice – but only if you can brag about it.
• Giving into temptation can be fun, or just an excuse to be bad.
• Giving into temptation can be fun, but not as much fun as being
self-righteous.
• Smile at yourself in the mirror, but avoid pointing and laughing.
• It is definitely a bubble bath day,” if you have had to suppress
the urge to throttle the life out of anyone more than twice
• When two hearts race, they both win”, unless it’s in the same chest…
• “Laugh uncontrollably…it clears the mind”…and the room
• “Find your passion” but remember, stalking is illegal
• “Find your passion” but don’t discuss it at family occasions if it
involves fur and/or whips
• “Laugh uncontrollably” preferably with legs crossed
• “Laugh uncontrollably…it clears the mind”…but avoid pointing,
it may clear the mouth….of teeth
• “It is definitely a bubble bath day” if you have been using
permanent marker to experiment with how you would look with a mustache
• “Listen to your heartbeat and dance”, but not if it is a polka.
Thanks for indulging me again!
Love
Ca