A rose by any other name
On Sunday morning I debate whether it is feasible to clean the fridge or not? [translation = well overdue]
I glance at my spouse with his nose glued to a computer screen. I interrupt his concentration to ask his opinion. [translation = feasibility study mate] I translate for him why I need his opinion. [translation = will you look after the children so that my time is free to attend to the rot in your refridgerator]
“Sure!” he says with enthusiasm as his face turns back to the monitor. I spend far too long fighting the fridge, interspersed with chasing my children, until I am able to pronounce that the fridge is clean and the children are correspondingly dirty.
I examine the interior of my clean and empty fridge and dither. Shall I toss everything back in there and risk food poisoning, or should I sort and dispose of the more dubious items? I glance across at my spouse deep in the mire of designing a GPS system for the children. I dither. Should I disturb his endeavours and risk losing my children, or should I attend to my own mould, [translation = shower] or should I spend far too long determining the life span of limp spinach and other sundry items? I pull over the compost bin and set to it.
It occurs to me that I appear to have temporarily mislaid the raging feminist facet of my personality.
Later, I slam the fridge door with it's nearly empty contents and skip to the big compost heap for a transfer. On my return, I dither. Should I shower or therapize someone or water the garden before it gets too hot? Maybe I could combine the first and last and skip a step completely? I wonder if my neighbours would appreciate this combination? I glance at my spouse deep in design. I interrupt his creativity to request assistance. “Is it o.k. if I nip upstairs and have a shower?” He blinks at me blankly, “sure, knock yourself out!” I translate. [translation = adult supervision of children is required] “Sure, take as long as you like.” I pout. I decide that I will not translate his missive and instead I shall take him literally. [translation = be a big fat meany and dilly dally]
I nip upstairs, three at a time and dive into the shower for my usual pit stop. Afterwards I attempt 'drying' with a damp towel, give up and dress with care. [translation = pull on an old sundress] I decide that if the feminist facet has eloped, then I shall expose the womanly wiles instead. [translation = serious personality disorder] I dither. Which one? Moisturizer, acne cream or wrinkle killer? I slap on a bit of each and hope for the best. I ram the bifocals back on and bounce down the stairs having completed my ablutions to the best of my ability in approximately four and a half minutes. [translation = getting very lax]
I present myself to my family. I decide to be helpful and give them a hint, “tad ah!” I spin, in my sundress, a swirl and a twirl.
“You are er…….dizzy?” asks one with a certain degree of uncertainty.
“You are dah princess?” is another tentative offer. [female attire always has this affect on them] They try again.
“You are dah flower?”
“You are dah colour…..ful?” We spiral down into a guessing game of twenty questions. [translation = or is that really 'up']
“Er…dah dress up?”
“No, no, no……I got it…..dah Power Ranger!”
“No, no, no…….dah hero guy!”
“Dat dog ……dah one wiv dah spots!”
“Ooo yeah, das right…….er……Lab……Lab…….Lab…..um…..Dalmation!”
I pout. [translation = I sometimes wonder why I bother!] My hands settle on my hips even though I try very hard not to adopt an attitude, as my daughter glances up at me from the sofa, “you've got white goopy blobs on yur face Mom!”
Note to self – check mirror before making next presentation






















August 15th, 2007 at 4:31 am
Harumph! So they didn’t recognize your feminine grace and wiles?! Hey, I’m impressed that you got the fridge done AND got in a shower without major interference from the kids. THAT’S a good day, right?
BTW, Yes — I’d like to borrow that shovel you mentioned in your last comment on my school woes!
August 15th, 2007 at 5:10 am
Ha! I’m afraid the MOM trumps the femme fatale every time within the family unit.
August 15th, 2007 at 5:30 am
Great post!
Regarding the refrigerator: My philosophy is “when in doubt, toss it out.”
August 15th, 2007 at 9:37 am
You clean out your fridge? Wow… I’m impressed
Sorry that no one recognized your efforts. I colored my hair yesterday and my kids haven’t noticed. Hubby gets home from a trip yesterday… we’ll see if he notices…
August 15th, 2007 at 9:50 am
I love the Power Ranger comment! That and the flower are my faves…
August 15th, 2007 at 2:31 pm
No one noticed that I cleaned the fridge out this week (I had to ask them if the glare blinded them when they opened it). You made me giggle today.
August 15th, 2007 at 6:03 pm
Decisions, decisions, what would we do without them—-how many times have I run after Charlie on a walk without getting a drink of water or attending to other “personal needs,” and he decides it’s time to go on the long walk to the far away playground……
August 15th, 2007 at 7:15 pm
Awww… I loved their sweet responses, even the daughter’s! Nothing like kids to bring you back to reality – and quickly!
August 16th, 2007 at 6:52 am
Funny how husbands just do not get it … It always seems easier for them to “watch” the children!
Always take a little longer in the shower when there is someone there!
August 16th, 2007 at 7:39 am
Ooooh, pretty dress fabric!!
August 16th, 2007 at 10:38 pm
Oh, I love all the ‘dahs’ in the question-sentences. Sometimes I wonder how much I’ll miss the idiosyncratic talk if it disappears.
February 28th, 2008 at 6:24 am
it sevenfold avenged avenged sevenfold god