Hedonism

The Fun.

The Games.

The pure joy of having an albeit temporary, live-in granny.

School starts again in the morning, but Sons#2 & 3 are awake now at 3 a.m. from the end-of-summer thunder storms that violently split the skies.

Son#3 lies prostrate like a mouse huddled under the blankets, while Son#2 gives running commentary.

Son#1 sleeps on, unawares, as only near-teenagers can.

Lucky bugger.

We'll be knackered, all of us.

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Waiting

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Goodgood

Here they are then: brothers who play and share stuff.

Miraculous.

As I write, my mother is on a plane, en route to Johannesburg.

Then on to Abbu Dhabi, final destination Amsterdam where we'll pick her up at 3 tomorrow.

We're very excited!

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Say Hello

Son#1's friend came for a sleep-over.
They stayed awake until 1 a.m. and, inadvertently, so did I.
Now Son#1, #2 and said friend have disappeared into the village and #3 is forcing me to watch Toy Story with him.

Tonight, the babysitter is coming and we're going to Antwerp.
The need for time without kids is great.
Great.
I'm going to study for a bit, sip my endless coffee supply and hope I'll wake up before our date.

The university where I teach is up and running again, and I feel this pull to start working, but I suspect it's just my normal schedule kicking in and it's not what I need now.
The fever/elevated temperature continues.
I have pain, which one gets used to to a certain extent.

The sun is shining, it's a lovely day, and we have a helluvalot of things going for us, you know?

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Agog

It's quiet.
The boys play in their respective rooms - not under duress, but because they like it.
Except for Son#3, colouring a box while I try to read.
He's busy drawing a Boxtroll, bless.

The husband is shell-shocked after the holiday.
I have appointments to make, administration to see to.
I have to start studying again.
Same old, same old.

In a week's time we'll be on our way to pick up my mom from the airport.
Something to look forward to!


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Business as Usual

It rains a lot, which doesn't boost morale if one is in need of a boost.
The poor husband has returned to work - already stressed again.
These feelings of freedom and rested bliss last but a short while.

I saw a friend whom I haven't seen for 6 years yesterday.
She felt like home.

Then this morning, a colleague dropped by, spewing information about work and changes that I couldn't quite follow.
My mind is far, far away from work.
It feels good, but it also always looms in the background.
Damn Lottery just won't come through.

Then the internal medicine specialist phoned.
She's referring me to an auto-immune specialist, but tells me they won't find anything.
She was also miffed that I saw an alternative medicine doctor, disregarding the streptococcus infection he found in a perfectly standard blood test.
If he ordered the test, then he must explain it!
Mmmm.

All the while, I'm humming Randy Crawford's One day I'll fly away in my head.
Right now, my place in this world is at home, and nowhere else.



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Back from Outer Space

It's my 41st birthday (gulp).
I got to sleep late, got drawings from the boys and flowers from the garden.

This afternoon the five of us drove to a piano shop in Breda - just to see what's on offer, but it's quite expensive, even if you can buy one on interest-free credit.
It would be lovely, though.

Then we bought sardines for the husband, wine and melanzane-ingredients for me.
The husband is enjoying a nap, the boys and I watch TV.
It's a lazy, rainy day here in the southern Nether Lands (would that then be the Nether Nether Lands??).
I'm 41, and quite tired.

Breathe.
Smile.
Repeat.


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Noblesse Oblige

We stayed up late to see the lights on Chartres' cathedral last night, and all of us feel the indulgence of that act this morning.

A short walk after breakfast this morning, a breakfast brought to our suite by no fewer than three people.
Aaaah, the good life.

But we saw the cathedral, inside and out, and it was breathtaking.
Things #1 and #2 fought on the street, bringing our snobbishness back on par with reality.
We're checking out and slowly trailing back to the Nether Lands.
The party's over.


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Once again so my mum can see

The hotel in Chartres.

Our suite's foyer (ahem).

The boys, calm and collected.

Satan, who finally fell asleep before he ruined everyone's fun (as he is wont to do).

A better bed than the one in Le Rheu.

Siiiiiiigh.

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Capital F

F for Fancy.
We are sleeping in a Fancy hotel.

It's a suite.
Our suite has a foyer.
There are bathrobes and L'Occitane bath products.
We tried not to look too impressed and come across as utter amateurs.
Son#1 carries snobbishness off like a boss, complaining beforehand that he doesn't enjoy eggs for breakfast, and he would appreciate tea as well, thankyouverymuch.

First, a nap with Son#3 who has been naughty since Rennes, saying naughty words and biting his brothers.

Later, a small dinner and looking at Chartres' cathedral.
The boys (and us) will have to stay awake until at least 10.

Tomorrow the holiday will really be over.



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