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Herding cats must be far simpler than looking after 16-month-old twin grand-daughters. And their parents. I sometimes wonder which is the worse.
The two girls can be absolute darlings when they want to be but can turn into the Twin Granddaughters of the Apocolypse at the slightest provocation. They are just at the age when they have realized that they can (i) affect things in the outside world and (ii) can say 'no' to any instruction... for no reason at all.
Affecting things in the outside world means that they open every door possible; press any button reachable and remove anything not screwed down. This means that a number of high shelves have magically appeared in various rooms. Oh, did I say magical? Guess who had to put them up...
They are beginning to 'get' language, though they don't quite speak it yet. They both 'talk' a lot but I doubt whether even their own sister understands anything they say. (Hmm. I know adults like that...) Of course there are certain baby words used for familiar things but they are now imitating certain words we say, mainly foodstuffs.
They are about to reach the 'terrible twos' and both are erupting their final baby teeth. None of which makes for a calm evening.
The parents aren't entirely house-trained either. They of course don't know where anything is and pull out the strangest crockery and cutlery to use, most of which probably isn't clean. We find food stuffed in the oddest places too...
It is difficult having so many people in a modest 3-bedroom semi when none of us is used to it. Both parents are looking for decent jobs but that often means we have to look after the girls full-time while they travel.
Downside is, I am finding it difficult to make progress in SEE. During the day the girls are active and I can maybe log in and read a short story or two, read emails, that kind of thing, but doing anything more means I have to wait until they have gone to bed (at about 19:30-20:00) by which time I'm too tired to write anyway.
Still, it is what it is and I just have to do what I can when I can. The only reason the last two chapters came out when they did was because parents and children went off to see relatives for a week or so. I only have three or four chapters to go and it is frustrating to be stalled so close to the end.
Penny
Comments
Cat Herding! Well.....
*giggles*
If you actually want to herd cats, you don't so much herd them as place empty boxes where you want them to end up, these "cat traps" rarely fail!
*giggles again*
Sorry I could Not resist.
Good luck on the terrible twos!
~Hypatia >i< ..:::
And it only gets better as they age! HA!
I fully understand having a full house and what it does to privacy and space. My daughter and two grand daughters moved in with us as she divorced her husband. Fortunately, they were a little older, but still are hard to herd!
Good luck and I'm waiting as patiently as possible of the next instalment of SEE!
Hugs
Gina
Electronics
I would HIGHLY suggest that things like VCR's and DVD players be under lock and key. My children loved trying to put sandwiches in them. Also, any electronic items with vent slots in the sides, the children decided that these were designed for coins.
However, you do have an eventual advantage. Eventually the parental units will find employment and start their own household sometime in the future. This means that as the Grand Parental Units (GPU's), you will be able to spoil the littles and send them right back to the Parental Units (PU's). :)
Penny, about hearding cats... and other stuff
I empathize.
Though in my case today it was two kittens and one young adult.
ALL girls.
The kittens were a bit tiffed as we kept water from them from around 6:30AM today and ALL food from before 8PM last night.
They are both over seven months and have not yet had a *cycle* . So it was the ideal time to um...have THAT operation.
And we also had them micro chipped. Doing well post surgery and we take them home around 5:30PM today.
There were some concerns as one has clumsy kitten syndrome -- a neurological condition. So they used an anesthetic used more often for elderly cats in case she did not tolerate the regular ones.
Where was I?
Oh. They were very curious why they were stuck upstairs and why they had not yet been given the moist food they get every day around 6AM.
The adult cat was curious too.
Gracie got past my sister and me twice but we caught her before she could get to our adult cat's food or water.
What a way to spend on vacation.
But the little buggers deserve it.
John in Wauwatosa
P.S. I suggested we have my sister's boyfriend "done" at the same time. Might get a cheaper "package rate for" a three for.
She seemed upset I even offered.
John in Wauwatosa
Your children and grandchildren
These are yours. Enjoy them as long and as much as you can. They have a tendency of growing up and away. Much like kittens that become cats. SEE can wait. The little ones won't. Enjoy them while you can.
Much Love,
Valerie R
only 3 or 4 chapters
*pout*
And here I was expecting a longer view of what happens on Earth.
Poor Penny !
Let me tell you about how it goes on, this being a grandparent biz... You find it tough when they are wee wains ? Wait until they become teens, and then young adults !
I managed to escape a lot of the tiny tots phase, by going off to do my biotech gypsy act. In Europe back then there was this imaginary iron curtain that was supposed to help divide and rule everybody. I managed to operate on both sides of it without much difficulty, by being purely scientist and interested in developing new diagnostic methods and treatments but having zero interest in politics. I could work with top medical professors in communist countries and take them to congresses and symposia in the West, and the polits used the opportunities to appear all friendly and magnanimous, so we all benefited from it. My being away and unreachable meant I got away with not changing nappies, trying to spoon-feed tiny tots, and all that stuff. But when I was retired I was found a house close to one of my daughters, to live in, and found I had to help with teenage tantrums and smooth ruffled feathers and help with all the boring bits of minding horses and pony-riding, with crushes and sad breakups between both parents and young couples, with explaining to grandchildren the birds and bees thing, teaching practical psychology, pacifying angry not-to-be-in-laws, being the family banker, money-lender of last resort, travel agent, chauffeurse, broken heart repair person, career advisor, etc. etc. etc..
Och aye. I guess we all get our own burdens to bear. The grass on the other side is always greener, and all that. I'm now 78 and it is only being busy that keeps me going. I am a Volunteer everything, meaning I work for nothing, because I need to feel useful otherwise I might as well walk into the sea tomorrow.
Sorry Penny, but it will go on for ever. That is Life, as one might put it.
I am sure we will all understand your lack of time and will wait patiently for the Epic to continue - it is well worth waiting for. I hope that one day, soon, it will be published as a set of books, made into a film even, so that Everyone can experience it. It deserves to be so seen and heard. Also translated into many languages, so that all people, in Anmar and on Earth, can experience it and lose themselves in wonder.
Your Epic is in a class of its own, way beyond ordinary stories. We will wait. patiently, for the rest of it. Take your time, but please do make time to finish it.
I wish you good health and plenty of quiet time for Yourself to write, free of interruptions and distractions. Bless you and thank you for creating such an inspiring work as SEE.
xxxxx
Briar
Cat Hearding and Sagas of Einland
I have three cats (I had four, but lost one in July). I have to keep them separated at all times (two fight and the third cannot have contact with either of the other two).
I just posted a comment on SEE 135 regarding the possibility of new story lines set on Anmar). Please read it if you can spare some of your time.