Sunday, January 01, 2006

a deep thought

A DEEP THOUGHT


Nothing too profound from me today, after all, it's the first day of 2006 (yippee!) and many of you will be nursing poorly heads. Not me though, can't drink with the painkillers, but they're enough of a trip on their own! So, from the delightful Edward Monkton, a deep thought for you to ponder as you enter your New Year.



I don't know about you, but shiny things always distract me! But this year, I will not lose sight of my goals and the referee can stick his shiny and distracting whistle somewhere dark and secret.

Enough profoundities, it's too early!

I celebrated New Years Eve by watching 'Intolerable Cruelty' and a football match. Exciting, huh? Oh to have my life.

Today we're all going to see my parents for a family meal. There will be 11 of us there. Me, DH and the girls, my mum and dad, my brother J1 and his lovely girlfriend M, M's parents, and my other brother J2. Mum always does the best meals, although this year I'm sure she said it was going to be a buffet-style thing so that she gets to sit down and relax as well.

I have an odd relationship with my family. Even though I am Mrs-Average, to them I am the black sheep of the family. For starters, I live in a modern house and not in a 3oo year old listed building. Secondly, I don't have 10 dogs running around aforementioned house, nor do I keep chickens, geese, ducks , ferrets or anything else that needs caring for and smells. Well, there's DH of course but I don't think he quite falls into that category. Thirdly, although I can, I don't bake every day, nor do I make jam, chutney, pickle my own onions or make my own highly potent sloe gin. Fourthly, I don't wear breeches, dearstalker hats or Hunter wellies. I'm sure there's lots more I could add, but I'll leave it there.

Needless to say, when I roll up today in classic black pants, black beaded top and jacket, with discreet jewellery and black suede boots, my dad will roll his eyes at my unsuitable attire and mum will ask why I didn't wear something more practical for feeding the chickens. Well, mother darling, that would be because I don't intend to feed the chickens!

I love my parents, I really do, but sometimes I feel like an outsider in the family. I'm not going to rant about how mum has only been down once since I broke my foot (and they live 10 minutes away), and that visit was for all of 15 minutes. Nor the fact that they have spent several days and enjoyed several family meals with J1 and M (who live an hour away) but that every time we invite them for a meal, they have at least a dozen stock excuses in reply. No, I'm not going to rant. Don't let me. It's counter productive.

Instead I'm going to bite my tongue when dad laughs at my plans to get fit in the New Year and I won't say a word when mum offers me some bizarre game meat (think grouse or pheasant) knowing full well that I only eat chicken. Instead I'm going to hug them warmly and appreciate the time I do get to spend with them. And I'm going to escape, come home and watch 'Chicago' on the television just as soon as is polite.

My brothers are a different matter entirely. They both fit the accepted family norm. Possibly because J1 lived at home until he was 26 and J2 still lives at home. I left when I was 20. For my sanity.

J1 has a good 'country-type' job. He actually has a very prestigious job in his particular field and is often head-hunted. When we were children, his favourite sport was to wind me up to screaming point. He's grown up a lot now and I think the world of him. He's kind, sweet, funny and has turned into a damned fine man. A few years ago, his then-fiancee cheated on him and left him the day they were to move in together. It's made him wary, which is understandable but a shame as his present girlfriend, M, whom he has been with for 2 years now, is totally lovely. They now live togther and I know that one day they will have children together. Whether he will ever put a ring on her finger is a different matter. Like I said, he's wary. M puts on a brave face about the lack of ring, but she once confessed to me that all she wants is to marry him, share his name and have his children. She's an old-fashioned girl at heart, and she's a lovely one at that. I'll enjoy spending time with them today, I don't see them nearly as much as I want to.

J2 is the baby of the family - he's 18 years younger than me and was somewhat of a surprise, as you can imagine. He's also growing up to be a good man. I'm proud of him. He passed his driving test a couple of months ago, and had saved up to buy himself a little car. He's been round to see me several times and has offered to take me shopping when he is off work - he's a sweetie.

Blimey. I didn't mean to rattle on with a potted family history, but it seems that I did - hope you haven't lost the will to live!

It's 9.20am now and I suppose I should be making a move to get dressed. Yes, I'm in my jammies again! It will be 3.20am for ~S~ now and I'm hoping she'll be sleeping peacefully and soundly after a swanky night out. It will be hard, today, not speaking to her. By the time she gets home, we will be at my parents' and when we get back. I know DH will do his fruit if I so much as consider putting the PC on. Thank heavens for the technology of mobile phones - I can email her from mine and we can at least stay in some kind of touch that way. I'm missing her already.

For Christmas, she bought me a desk calendar of misheard lyrics. Its a personal joke between us - I've already managed to make it impossible for her to listen to several songs without hearing my lyrics instead of the correct ones. Today's misheard lyric, for all you closet rock-chicks and rock-dudes out there, is by none other than the late, great Jimi Hendrix Experience...

wrong lyric - 'Scuse me while I kiss this guy

right lyric - 'Scuse me while I kiss the sky

Well, I laughed.

It really is time for me to go now, I hear movement from upstairs and my temporary peace is about to be shattered.

Happy New Year.

18 Comments:

Blogger natty68 said...

I hope the dinner isnt too stressful for you df. :)

After reading about your family, and how you dont fit their preconceived idea of how you should be, that was just like reading how I want to be..lol. I would love to make chutney, pickles etc.. bake bread, make pies etc..keep chickens, geese, cows you know that sort of thing. I did once ask D if we could have a couple of chickens in the garden but I think he said something along the lines of ""WHAT! but we only have a postage stamp for a garden..lol, and you want chickens". So I didnt quite win that battle..lol. Hmm a witch with chickens, ooh can you imagine the outcry..lol. My poor neighbours and friends, I dont think they could take it.

Happy New Year sweetie. *hugs*

11:15 AM  
Blogger Mermaid Girl said...

Happy New Year darling girl!

I am so with you on the song lyrics, I am an absolute shocker :)

1:08 PM  
Blogger Deadly Female said...

natty - I suppose I am rebelling in my own little way - in my quiet moments I would love to live my life like that, but then the lure of pink sparkly things and gadgets draws me in and I am undone! I suppose I could have pink wellies and a sparkly deerstalker....

mg - So glad I'm not the only one with the song lyrics!

1:32 PM  
Blogger Wenchy said...

I really enjoyed the read. :)

1:53 PM  
Blogger Sasha said...

"....chickens, geese, ducks , ferrets or anything else that needs caring for and smells..." are you sure DH does NOT fall in this category?

i think your brothers are wonderful. and don't mind the parents. that's just how they are... well, just don't be like them, in the ways that you've described that they are to you. i KNOW you're not. you're much too loving and sweet and benevolent.

send my love to S :)

2:37 PM  
Blogger Deadly Female said...

wenchy - Thanks for sticking with it - I read it back and it was long!

sasha - *laughs* I think Dh probably does fall into this category, I was being kind though! And yes, my brothers are wonderful - they both still have the ability to wind me up from 1,000 paces but I adore them. And I will send your love to ~S~, that's a very easy and pleasant task.

2:45 PM  
Blogger ShyRocket said...

Wishing you all the best in 2006!

4:28 PM  
Blogger Scott said...

Found your blog through a comment on mermaid girls blog. Checking it out.

Here are a few of mine.

http://scottsopinion.blogspot.com/

http://bonusfamily.blogspot.com/

http://www.woodencabinet.com/

6:51 PM  
Blogger Deadly Female said...

shyrocket - And a Happy New Year to you!

scott in minnesota - Thanks for stopping by, I'll check out your links as soon as I can.

9:47 PM  
Blogger SassyFemme said...

Hope that you made it through the dinner and visit okay. Thanks for the links to pictures of the clothing items, otherwise I wouldn't have had a clue what they were! :) Hoping that 2006 brings you nothing but the best!

10:44 PM  
Blogger Michael Bains said...

I don't know quite why I started reading, but I'm really glad I did. Quite a nice li'l piece.

Happy New Year!

12:48 AM  
Blogger Lea said...

Hope the party with family went well and you didn't have to feed the chickens. *smiles*

3:31 AM  
Blogger Dawn Oglesby said...

I had no idea that there were bumpkins in the UK. Like seriously, no clue.

3:41 AM  
Blogger Evil Minx said...

Hey Deadly,

I see your Jimi Hendrix misquote and i raise you a Nina Simone:

"Just call me Angel of the morning, angel.
Just brush my teeth before you leave..."

La Minx

4:22 AM  
Blogger Bent Fabric said...

DF: I'll trade you my family for yours.

LOL @ Evil Minx.

5:19 AM  
Blogger Deadly Female said...

sassyfemme - I survived! And I guessed that some of you would need visuals for the clothing! Some of those things are very British.

michaelbains - Thanks for stopping by, come again soon!

lea - No, I didn't have to feed the chickens! I did, though, manage to cuddle some very very adorable 2 week old puppies and now I am yearning for one.

chardy may cosmo - Oh yes, we have bumpkins here over here - lots of them.

evil minx - I see your Nina Simone and raise you an Elton John:

"I even like a steak on a stack of knives..."

Actually, I love that Nina Simone song - I recently sent it to ~S~ on a CD that I made up for her.

bent fabric - What do you think then, bent, petal, shall we swap for a week? A month? I'm game...

kylz - Exactly - priorities! Do they just not realise.....?

Oh, and you have your email :)

12:21 PM  
Blogger Lil Bit said...

Well, I say hooray for Shiny Things!!

"I hear movement from upstairs and my temporary peace is about to be shattered"... OMG girl, can I relate or WHAT?!?! LOL

1:36 AM  
Blogger Deadly Female said...

lil bit - Shiny things rock!!

8:15 AM  

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