Competitive

My brother is competitive. He likes to be the best and he is not good at losing. He would never play me at Trivial Pursuit because I normally beat him. Brother preferred Scrabble, he stood a much better chance of winning that. I call it a cheap victory to beat a dyslexic at Scrabble but never mind.

We both have daughters who are roughly the same age. My niece is 3 weeks younger than my daughter. It was important to my brother right from the start that his daughter should be the better one. Somehow I was not bothered (or so I tell myself). I was not going to compete. Of course brother was not impressed when my child could sit, crawl and walk before his. In the great big scheme both girls are pretty well matched in their development.

It rankles with my brother that my daughters speak two languages. He has decided to rectify this. He is teaching my niece Dutch. My darling niece pointed out to her father that she is English and sees no need to learn the odd language he speaks to Oma. Niece has now upset both her parents as her mother is Scottish (and proud to be so). Neither parent is pleased that their daughter sees herself as English.

Broken resolutions

I made a list of new year's resolutions. One of them was finally learn to sew. Well I broke that one - again. The In-laws are coming over. I needed to take up some curtains. Well needed, as my brother puts it no one is making you do this with a gun at your head. Rather than doing it myself I gave in and called my mother. She came to my rescue. The curtains are now straight.

Oh well, at least I am now making the birth sampler for my first born (another resolution). Who knows maybe it will be finished for her 4th birthday.

PS 2

I complained to my mother that the much beloved has an i-mac. Normally not a problem but you just can't find good games to play. I have finished the Harry Potter game we have, so what do I do now? My mother offered that I could borrow her Play Station 2. She had some platform games like Tombraider I could have as well. I would love to borrow it but what about her? Apparently since my father retired she hasn't been able to play. My father does not approve of his 65 year old wife playing "computer games". Shame I thought it was sort of cool that my Mum has a PS2.

Anyway Mr Yoastie is currently trying to rescue baby elephants in Wallace and Gromit project Zoo. I guess I will just have to wait my turn.

My father also does not approve of my mother's gambling - 1GBP per week on the national lottery. She promised she had stopped. Lets just hope she never wins the jackpot :-)

Black and white cat

Our garden seems to be home to a small black and white cat. My youngest daughter loves this cat and wants to adopt her. I have tried to explain that she looks too well cared for to be a stray.

This cat has been hanging around for a while and when Bas and his family were here the cat was around as well. CS asked what it was Mrs Bas had called the black and white cat. "She called it Tuxedo cat because its black with a white front. It looks a little like she is wearing a black jacket with a white shirt. Of course we are in England, so really it should be called a dinner jacket cat." (I am sorry to admit it but I am pedant- are there support groups for that?). The girls now ask our tabby cat if he would like to have dinner jacket cat as a friend.

Yesterday DJ cat was having a nice nibble of our cat's food. He just watched. I am afraid that we may soon be feeding two cats.

Oma's Birthday

It was my mother's birthday. I promised to make a cake. The girls had other ideas. They wanted fairy cakes. I checked with mother and she was up for this idea.

Nigella Lawson's Forever Summer was consulted and I made "lemon cupcakes". My sous chefs assisted me at every step (or hindered maybe is a better word to use).

Oma's birthday arrived we came to present the cakes. "Didn't they have little lemon sweets on top when you made them last time?" Oma asked "Yes, we helped Mama and ate them!" CS replied proudly "I helped too. I licked the beaters and the bowl." CE not wanting to be outdone.

Cat's Dinner

Our cat used to be the most useless hunter in the neighbourhood. However since we moved to the country he has developed his skills and now regularly brings home birds and mice.

I am not keen on the bird killing. I have a fear of flapping wings, so when he brings home half dead birds I scream the house down. I have passed this fear onto my youngest daughter. One time the cat brought in a living robin, which decided to fly around the dinning room. In a panic I phoned my Dad to come and rescue me (or should that have been the bird). He abandoned his coffee and jumped into the car to come over. I think the screaming grandchild helped to convince him of the urgency of the situation.

This Saturday Charlie, CS and CE had just relocated to the dinning room for some juice when I heard panicked squeaks outside. The cat was playing with a large mouse or small rat. I closed the door and the catflap. I did consider rescuing the poor rodent but having seen it I felt it was best to let the cat finish what he started. The three children found all this very interesting. "Just like animal TV!" (nature programmes I think)

Charlie was later collected by his father. The most exciting thing he had done: seen the cat with the mouse. "What happens to the mouse now?"asked Charlie's father. "It gets eaten by the cat."CS informed him. "I guess the cat won't want to eat his dinner in that case." replied Charlie's father. "Well, that's his problem, isn't it?"said CS.

Frogs

CS really likes frogs. I don't know why. Maybe because they are green but she just does. Her two favourite cuddly toys are Lillypad (big green frog) and Mr Jeremy Fisher (little green frog). It was no surprise therefore when she like the frogs in "Flushed Away". However after having watched this film CS now claims that:
English frogs say: ribbit
Dutch and German frogs say: Kwaak
French frogs say: We surrender!