Wednesday 30 June 2010

Wait, I'm not OLD, am I?!

Me: Well, yeah, I guess we could watch Bugsy Malone sometime, but I only have the video. Do you guys have a VCR?
Neptune: What's a VCR?

Monday 28 June 2010

An OK Problem To Have...

Me: Guys, put down the books, it's time to eat.
Neptune and Clover: (remain absorbed in their books)
Me: NEPTUNE! Book down. CLOVER! Put. The. Book. Down.
Neptune and Clover: (don't even notice I am talking)

Oh, well, compared to a couple of years ago, it's pretty great:

2007:

Me: Neptune, Clover, let's do 20 minutes of reading
N and C: NO! NONONONONO! (insert moaning, whining, crying, and stubbornness here)



So you see, sometimes it's ok that they don't listen to me the first time around.

Wednesday 23 June 2010

The Biggest Compliment I Have Ever Received

Due to their mother's insane travel schedule (ie gone WAY more than either she or the children would prefer), birthday celebrations were put on hold this year. Despite the fact that the children's birthdays were way back in February, we will be celebrating their "unbirthdays" this summer. That's right-- there will be cake, a pinata, games, and crafts just about six months after their actual birthdays.

And I get to help plan it, because, you know, I'm here. With the children. During the summer.

And, well, because I'm pretty fond of such events. As it appears A has figured out by now.

SO, long story short, there are unbirthdays to be celebrated. The tricky part is scheduling. Though A doesn't have to travel to Asia anymore, that doesn't mean her weekends are completely open, and so we had to do some careful scheduling. The first available, reasonable weekend was July 10th/11th... the weekend I am going to be out of town for Aslan and Hans' wedding. I mentioned this to Clover, told her that I would not be offended in the SLIGHTEST if she wanted to have her party while I was gone, but that I wouldn't be available that weekend.

She paused, considered it, and then decided to wait an EXTRA MONTH for the party. That's right. The girl tacked on FOUR MORE WEEKS OF WAITING so that I could be there. (She thought it would be "easier." Heh. I am amused as this concept. What would I do that would make it easier? It's quite possible that she just thinks three adults are necessary to keep this birthday running smoothly.)

Anyway. There you have it. The biggest compliment I have ever received-- a ten year old delaying her (already delayed) party for a month, so I could be there to help things go smoothly. Either she likes more, or thinks I'm useful, or both. I'm good with any of these options.

Tuesday 15 June 2010

Cutlery, Cleaning, and Corkscrews, oh my!

I have a problem.

I have gone absolutely head-over-heels giddy for all things domestic. I look longingly at throw pillows. I used a birthday gift card to buy salt and pepper shakers. I used another gift card to buy a set of kitchen knives (to be fair, they are brightly coloured, so that makes them more legitimately exciting). I LONG FOR CLOTH NAPKINS (specifically the yellow "lettuce edged" ones at Bed Bat and Beyond-- $14.95 for 6. Outside of my budget for napkins). I bought half of my cutlery (service for four) with a coupon, and it was one of the highlights of my weekend.

THIS IS BAD, PEOPLE!

Well, I guess THAT part isn't so bad. After all, my salt and pepper shakers are cute. My couch is super comfy. Those kitchen knives are genuinely pretty cool.

THIS IS WHERE IT GETS SCARY:

On Saturday, I was helping my dad do a little bit of cleaning. During the process, I found myself getting truly excited when he said I could take some of the family rags (you know, old hand towels or cloth napkins that are now good for nothing more than cleaning). This is not FANCY. We are talking LITERALLY, RAGS. And I was getting excited.

But what really made me concerned? Really really?

He had a new toilet cleaning system.
And I was practically taking notes.


Is it obvious that I need an apartment of my own to fawn over?

Thursday 10 June 2010

England's just better

After a conversation about Mary Poppins...

Neptune: I wish we lived in England.
Me: Really? Why?
Neptune: In England, the nannies live with the families.
Me: Ah, that's right, Mary Poppins did live with the family, huh? You know, sometimes nannies in the United States live with families too. It really just depends on what works best for the family and for the nanny.
Neptune: Oh! So you could live with us?
Me: That would be fun, wouldn't it? But where would I stay? You don't have an extra room!
Neptune: The fold out couch is actually really comfortable!

That's actually quite generous of him-- he and his sister like that couch a lot.