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janestarzThe barbeque at my mom's was great. It was all organized so my mother and Luc could meet the parents of Carolien, who has been dating with my brother for three years or some such. My brother Jos has been prickly about the thing for a while and couldn't abide with my mom contacting the parents of Carolien behind his back. While Cobi and Joop would love to meet my mom and Luc as well!
My dad called me when we were walking towards the bus, when we were quite in a hurry. This was Friday, 5.30 pm. How we were going to go to Drenthe the following morning. "You're a bit late with that." I told him, and explained we'd be there at eight-thirty in the morning. Yes, they know about that. Then he said we didn't have to buy a present. "You're a bit late with that too, dad! But we've gotta run to the bus, see you tomorrow." Sjeez. I know couldn't sniff out we were going to go barbequeing with my moms (besides, whenever I tell him anything that has to do with my mom, he gets irky), but calling less than 12 hours before we have to leave, asking how we're going to get there and telling that we shouldn't buy a present because they have something, is a bit late.
Luc then called me on the bus (I was glad to have my cellphone charged and on me for a change), and was happily surprised to hear we were already on our way. We had to do a pitstop at the greengrocers' for bananana's for NoKey, who didn't eat something around three, but we were at my mom's nice and on time. There we fired up the barbecue and a small campfire. NoKey wanted to chop some wood, and I helped out inside some more. Around seven, when the guests were expected, I remarked that I wasn't expecting my brother to be there until eight. And how right I was... Cobi and Joop arrived at seven-thirty and things were a bit awkward at first. But they loosened up soon enough, and we enjoyed the food. Barbequeing as a vegetarian can get kind of lonely for NoKey, but as soon as the first four slabs of salmon were done, he munched and munched. Jos burned some meat as well, until Luc and I took over. All in all, things got cozier all the time. Jos was in a foul mood though, and when he sat talking to Luc as NoKey and I sang some spirits got even better.
The night was very short and very disturbing. NoKey didn't sleep to well and I lay awake for an hour at least. Around five-thirty am plans changed. My mother had a sore throat and decided not to go to the club. Which meant we didn't have to be in Drenthe at nine, so we slept some more. Packing, breakfast, and calling my family, then we were on our way. Very very bad weather between Utrecht and Amersfoort. It-never-rains-but-it-pours-kind-of-weather. Puddles of water on the highway, soon becoming entire rivers. We arrived together with my cousin Linda and her boyfriend Danny. Kissed grandma and gave her her presents. She was very happy to see us. We had promised to come over in the summer, but with our recent jobtrouble and the busy schedule ahead I will have to really find a bit of time to visit her.
The coffee was very welcome indeed, and we tried to chat a bit with relatives. Dad wanted to talk with me about the Fair, just as I was gallopping towards the ladies room. I did get a chance to enlighten him later, after coffee.
The food was good, but all in all I didn't have much to chat about with my family. I always get the distinct impression I can't tell them what they want to hear. My family is very thick-headed in a way most emphasized by my father. You have a Responsibility, which is to Pay the Bills, Be Successful, and Work Hard. While I am Happy right now, I can't pay my own paycheck from the Dolle Griet funds yet, and that makes it hard to talk about. Also: I've been coping with stresses like these for a while now, and to answer questions and hear the problems laid out for me once more isn't funny for me either. So it's hard to remain polite.
I always love seeing grandma and Oom Jan again though. And I made my aunt happy with a big hug and a nice picture of NoKey and me, and giving both cousins Gea and Linda a change-of-adress card. Gea noticed the elvish writing on there, and immediatly asked what it said. "Friendship, joy, love" I believe, but can't be sure anymore. It's been a while since I made those cards.
We asked my cousin Johan to drop us on the train, because we were both very tired, and NoKey wasn't feeling too well. We said our goodbyes, and then took the extensive train trip home. Via Deventer, because of work on the tracks. The connections were pretty good, only had to wait about 10-15 minutes in both Meppel and Zwolle. From Deventer we had a direct train to Rotterdam, and we spend the trip reading. We were home by half past six, which made the trip 2 hours 45 minutes. Not too bad, considering.
My dad called me when we were walking towards the bus, when we were quite in a hurry. This was Friday, 5.30 pm. How we were going to go to Drenthe the following morning. "You're a bit late with that." I told him, and explained we'd be there at eight-thirty in the morning. Yes, they know about that. Then he said we didn't have to buy a present. "You're a bit late with that too, dad! But we've gotta run to the bus, see you tomorrow." Sjeez. I know couldn't sniff out we were going to go barbequeing with my moms (besides, whenever I tell him anything that has to do with my mom, he gets irky), but calling less than 12 hours before we have to leave, asking how we're going to get there and telling that we shouldn't buy a present because they have something, is a bit late.
Luc then called me on the bus (I was glad to have my cellphone charged and on me for a change), and was happily surprised to hear we were already on our way. We had to do a pitstop at the greengrocers' for bananana's for NoKey, who didn't eat something around three, but we were at my mom's nice and on time. There we fired up the barbecue and a small campfire. NoKey wanted to chop some wood, and I helped out inside some more. Around seven, when the guests were expected, I remarked that I wasn't expecting my brother to be there until eight. And how right I was... Cobi and Joop arrived at seven-thirty and things were a bit awkward at first. But they loosened up soon enough, and we enjoyed the food. Barbequeing as a vegetarian can get kind of lonely for NoKey, but as soon as the first four slabs of salmon were done, he munched and munched. Jos burned some meat as well, until Luc and I took over. All in all, things got cozier all the time. Jos was in a foul mood though, and when he sat talking to Luc as NoKey and I sang some spirits got even better.
The night was very short and very disturbing. NoKey didn't sleep to well and I lay awake for an hour at least. Around five-thirty am plans changed. My mother had a sore throat and decided not to go to the club. Which meant we didn't have to be in Drenthe at nine, so we slept some more. Packing, breakfast, and calling my family, then we were on our way. Very very bad weather between Utrecht and Amersfoort. It-never-rains-but-it-pours-kind-of-weather. Puddles of water on the highway, soon becoming entire rivers. We arrived together with my cousin Linda and her boyfriend Danny. Kissed grandma and gave her her presents. She was very happy to see us. We had promised to come over in the summer, but with our recent jobtrouble and the busy schedule ahead I will have to really find a bit of time to visit her.
The coffee was very welcome indeed, and we tried to chat a bit with relatives. Dad wanted to talk with me about the Fair, just as I was gallopping towards the ladies room. I did get a chance to enlighten him later, after coffee.
The food was good, but all in all I didn't have much to chat about with my family. I always get the distinct impression I can't tell them what they want to hear. My family is very thick-headed in a way most emphasized by my father. You have a Responsibility, which is to Pay the Bills, Be Successful, and Work Hard. While I am Happy right now, I can't pay my own paycheck from the Dolle Griet funds yet, and that makes it hard to talk about. Also: I've been coping with stresses like these for a while now, and to answer questions and hear the problems laid out for me once more isn't funny for me either. So it's hard to remain polite.
I always love seeing grandma and Oom Jan again though. And I made my aunt happy with a big hug and a nice picture of NoKey and me, and giving both cousins Gea and Linda a change-of-adress card. Gea noticed the elvish writing on there, and immediatly asked what it said. "Friendship, joy, love" I believe, but can't be sure anymore. It's been a while since I made those cards.
We asked my cousin Johan to drop us on the train, because we were both very tired, and NoKey wasn't feeling too well. We said our goodbyes, and then took the extensive train trip home. Via Deventer, because of work on the tracks. The connections were pretty good, only had to wait about 10-15 minutes in both Meppel and Zwolle. From Deventer we had a direct train to Rotterdam, and we spend the trip reading. We were home by half past six, which made the trip 2 hours 45 minutes. Not too bad, considering.
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Date: 2004-07-05 01:55 am (UTC)I'd like to order a black winter cloak, though. For those cold larp nights. My costume is not very winter-oriented at the moment. If I do order, can you send it to Belgium?