Ganeida's Knots

The thing about family disasters is that you never have to wait long before the next one puts the previous one into perspective.  ~Robert Brault,

Families.  They're great, aren't they?!  And they tend to know each other's habits well.  Embarrassingly well sometimes.  Like Liddy, I don't like everybody being able to see when I'm on~line.  For one thing being on~line doesn't mean I'm actually there & for another it doesn't necessarily mean I'm available to chat.  I keep the hidden icon on on most things because I'm anti~social like that.  I don't function well overtired & barely awake.  My propensity for foot in mouth disease increases proportionally!

However....knowing this Liddy has her methods.  Firstly she knows I am likely to be on~line & unrushed first thing in the morning between bible reading & prayer time & before Star surfaces.  And she knows I hate the t.v so there's a good chance I will be online in the evenings unless Star is performing, just vegging.  So I wasn't surprised when my FB icon informed me Liddy wanted to skype & I should stop whatever else it was I was doing & spend time with her.

Liddy has been on her *cultural experience* for 2 weeks with very limited internet so we didn't chat for my birthday & we hadn't caught up in some time.  It's not that we don't love each other, or don't care but we are both extraordinarily busy.  We have left each other brief notes on FB.  I've sent  short but newsy e~mails, posted pictures & figure the girl is smart enough to read my blog if I haven't done any of those things to see what is going on ~ & so she does.  A lot has happened while she was having her *cultural experience*.

What that was in reality was that Lid simply lived with a Chilean family for those 2 weeks & she loved it & had a ball except for one thing; she couldn't communicate!!!  This is a talkative family.  Star's perpetual cry as we travel is, Talk to me!  Right down to the cats, people in this house talk about whatever is on their minds ~ad nauseum sometimes.  We can gnaw a subject right down to the bone!  Wagging our tongues is what we do for entertainment.  Not being able to wag her tongue to some purpose is frustrating Liddy no end.

Her Chilean Spanish is coming along slowly.  She is understanding a lot but only able to mangle her responses.  Being able to Skype occasionally & rabbit on in her native tongue without fear of being misunderstood, not understood at all or constantly asked to repeat herself, is a huge relief.  I understand, having lived in places where people's first language isn't English.  Constantly struggling to understand & make oneself understood is exhausting!

Bonus, both her father & Star were up early & she was able to participate virtually in all the little, silly, in~family joking & quirkiness.  Living with a Star in the house means everybody else is dun coloured by comparison.  It's something you really miss when you are used to it & it's suddenly not there any more.  Star has a way of putting life into perspective.

Liddy doesn't know how lucky she is.  Getting me for anything this term is very hit & miss.  Star is, as always, over committed.  Being over committed meant she missed last week's extra rehearsal, called to deal with the Sinfonia, but I figured one email asking for the music she didn't have & she could rehearse herself this week. Oh, how I wish it were that easy!

The choir was printed on the program as performing music they didn't even have yet!!!  Mad scramble now to bring everyone up to scratch & the seniors are screaming.  Can't blame them.  Everyone likes to be well rehearsed & feel like they have a handle on what they are performing!  Which means, of course! that we are back on the mainland tonight [squeezing around Star's dance schedule, which is also rehearsing for a performance & which Star is reluctant to miss because, unlike singing, she is under confident & has trouble remembering her moves].  And Friday.  I need to wash her performance blacks.  I need to do a lot of things.  Every time the cats hear the car keys they both go into meltdown! *sigh*

Yes, we are schooling.  Sort of. Yes, I cook the occasional meal.  The washing up gets done when I get around to it.  The floors need sweeping.  The sheets need changing. The cats need cuddling...BUT: first things first; the show must go on!  No matter what.

And you know what I was thinking, because I let Star drive into town, not Brisbane, just locally, for the first time yesterday, a little stressed because living where we do we don't have things like street lights, round~a~bouts, traffic, street lanes, & Star will have these blond moments!; all these changes to driving licences mean I am going to be running round like a pork chop for some time yet! Yep.  It's a good thing I really enjoy rehearsals.  It's worth it when Star, quirky to the last nuance, hugs me & says, "You're such a good mummy!"  Hmm.  The child sure knows which side her bread is buttered on!