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| Me and Kevin. No we're not at a party, we're just standing in the backyard. |
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| Now we're in dog poop corner. I mean literally, that's not a metaphor for the US. |
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| Preparing to make my sssingle sssolitary margarita |
I love living in the US. As David Sedaris says: "The great thing about living in a country that's not your own: you don't have to take responsibility for the bad stuff and you can take credit for the good." Or something like that.
Thought I'd tell you about the summer so far:
*On Saturday night we saw a wonderful movie called Obvious Child, the most unusual rom-com. I won't tell you about it (it doesn't have hangar appeal) as you won't want to see it and the jokes are too ribald to repeat. One funny line - the 50-something mother of the main character bursts into the room dressed in a long grey cardigan. "Oh you gave me a fright!" says the daughter "You came in like a Ninja Eileen Fisher."
*Once upon a time I used to start signing the kids up for day camps in January: summer became a military operation. This year Harley, 16, has a (well-paid!) job teaching tennis at a summer camp. Oh what sweet words "Bye Mum, I'm off to work!" He is spending three(!) evenings a week learning the Cotillion. He is in the "court" of a girl at school who is having her Debut, a Filipino coming of age. Apparently there is a feast with every practice.
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| Four years ago: Jackson, Harley and Cy at carpentry camp |
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| Showing the stuff they made |
*Jackson is playing baseball and lacrosse, a new sport for him, exciting but very violent. As with any sport, there is the usual chorus of FatDads who know everything and generously impart their knowledge at every play. After the ref threw one kid out for pushing another to the ground, FatDad next to me yelled: "They're only kids!"
*Cy got a black eye from a flyball in baseball. I went to take a picture of him to send to friends and family, as you do. "Leave it until tomorrow" he said "It'll look much worse." I like the way that kid thinks.
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| Flyball! |
I didn't manage to get to Gay Pride this year or the pink party my friends had the night before, but I have fond memories of meeting the charming Chico's Angels a few years ago.
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| Me and Chico's Angels, couple of years ago |
Cue music and loads of hair flicking. Were you Kelly, Kris or Sabrina?
I wanted to be a Kelly but my hair was more Sabrina.
ReplyDeleteYour boy is earning money - now that is worth getting the flags out for.
Happy 4th July!
Thanks Trish, and congrats on your successful new column and being a conference speaker - awesomeness. Remember us littlies won't you?
Deletealways sabrina, wanted to be Kris!
ReplyDeleteWonder what happened to Cheryl Ladd. I liked Sabrina because she was the brainy one.
DeleteNobody could do that hair flick like Jill though.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Charlie's_Angels_characters
haha great quote, never thought of it like that. Can I go to bbora bora too? lol canada day was 3 days ago, bit late, but okay haha
ReplyDeleteOopsy, time has run away on me with the Canada Day, maybe you could observe again.
DeleteEven though I am a true born Englishman I do like to cheer on the locals when in California on the 4th....good form and all that patronising? who me?
ReplyDeleteFunny. When a margarita and barbie is involved i am always patriotic to my three countries.
DeleteWe used to do 4th parties for a long time then gave it up. Those people would never leave and we were on borrowed time before some one lost a limb because of the "festivities". Tonight we are grilling burgers, although Hunter is now talking dogs too, having wine and watching the dogs shriek in fear of the fireworks and/or gun shots.
ReplyDeleteWe have the same sort of fireworks or gunshot? question here, we live in Oakland after all. Just kidding, my friends here would be horrified if I said that.
DeleteHappy Independence Day! Maybe not as much fun as Anzac Day, but, well, you're in America: Land for the free, home of the brave, and all that.
ReplyDeleteBlessings and Bear hugs!
Hi RB,
DeleteNZ doesn't really have an independence day. We do have Waitangi Day which was the day NZ split from the British Empire, but it was also the day that the Maori people had land and rights taken from them - so that day has been fraught with tension in the past.
Anyone who can explain this better please jump in here.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Waitangi
Anzac Day is the day we remember all those who fought bravely in the war.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anzac_Day
I chuckled at myself yesterday--- there I was an American (okay also a German...) on the 4th of July sitting in Singapore watching Germany take on France in the World Cup--- aren't I international? Beyond that realization I don't even think I realized it was Independence Day! Ha! Living abroad really does change perspectives....
ReplyDeleteyou've become a citizen of the world!
DeleteHad a chuckle at your captions. Hurray for children slowing becoming financially independent instead of remaining life-sucking, money-draining leeches. Theoretically speaking of course, my children are awesome.
ReplyDeleteHaha! Ditto that at my end!
DeleteGreat post I am laughing at fat dads they are at every sport and in every country I always think they live through their children and should get up and do some exercise themselves rant over. Hope you have a good weekend
ReplyDeleteThe FatDad brigade seem to be an international phenon. it's amazing that none of them were professional sportsmen, they seem to have all the skills there sitting on their deck chairs.
DeleteGreat post; I hope you had a nice 4th of July!
ReplyDelete~Sophia
http://plaidismyfavouritecolour.blogspot.com/
Jody, Loved this. What a cute pic from that carpentry camp! My youngest is doing much the same as Talullah and my Jackson is supposed to be doing an internship... Not sure how much he'll actually do. You guys looked so festive. Love Kevin's shirt.
ReplyDeleteOur fourth was a long day and my family has to stay out at our friends until everything that can possibly be blown to bits is... :P
Enjoy the weekend!! xo
That sounds great, I love those photos on your blog of everyone out on the streets in your old neighborhood
Deletesounds fab! viva la expat x
ReplyDeleteHappy 4th of July. Congrats oh so excited for you. This is such an honor and your home so deserving. I cannot wait to see you in the next issue.
ReplyDeleteLove the boys at carpentry camp, we only have sports clubs I think! And how exactly do you get a 16 year old to get a job? I need help on that one!
ReplyDeleteI'd like to think I was Kelly, but I'm sure I wasn't!
If you missed Gay Pride why not pop over to our primary school, we're having Proud Friday next week, kids go dressed in rainbow colours for the day.
Camps are a whole other money-making universe here. Most kids do them all day every day, sports, jewelry making, cooking, fishing adventure sports, horse riding, feel quite envious dropping them off.
DeleteYour son Cy is brilliant, this would have been my reasoning as well :) He got a shiner...super kid!! xx
ReplyDeleteI get July 4th off cos I work for the Americans, and I spent it going to Ikea and Decathlon. :)
ReplyDeleteI remember trying to set up summer activities too. Thankfully my kids refused to go as soon as possible which saved a packet!
Oops... you caught me... hanging out in my room with my blogging pals...
ReplyDeleteAnyhow, sometimes it's fun to celebrate with just immediate family... more relaxed.
Sx
Great Post sorry Im', late.......was checked most of the weekend........you know cooking and cleaning up a bit!THAT BOY CY........HYSTERICAL......."leave it for tomorrow!"
ReplyDeleteMy BOYS too did the DEB thing!Good experience for them all............and a MAGICAL night!Hope you get to go see it??