Re: Rob's HH #12: Sisterhood of the Pattinson
Posted: Tue Apr 09, 2013 12:27 pm
Hello, everyone! I am glad to see a few of the old faces have popped in to say hello!
I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed at the moment. I need to finish Bug’s birthday invitations and this weekend is Hub’s birthday, plus we never got to celebrate my MIL’s birthday so we’re celebrating both this weekend. Hubs and I are going to see The Host on Friday night and then we’re all going out to dinner on Saturday night. Should be fun, but we’re staying overnight at my inlaws’ house, which I don’t really like doing. And I need to make a cake for Hubs, then Monday I have a meeting for the board for Choir (I’m a board member now), Tuesday is choir rehearsal. Thank goodness we moved Bug’s swimming lessons to Monday, too, so I get both kids’ lessons out of the way in one time. I was a bit upset yesterday, though. It was Bug’s first time in the Monday group. She’s been at Seal level (next is Penguin) for a couple of months, but this was the first time with this particular teacher. I watched through the window upstairs that overlooks the pool the whole time. Bug was one of the few kids who could swim through the deepest hole, she swam faster with cleaner strokes than 2/3 of the kids, kept having to swim around them so she didn’t run into them...the only thing she was behind on was diving because her group never did that before and apparently this group does it every week. At the end of the lesson, EVERYONE in the group got the diploma to move on to Penguin level...except Bug. (it usually takes about 6 weeks per level) So I asked the teacher what I need to work with her on...he says “well this was her first time.” I said no it wasn’t and started to explain that we’d just switched times, he cut me off and said he knew that, but that it was her first time with HIM and he needed to watch her longer before he could say she was ready. I ask him what I can help her with..,he says “Nothing...I’LL do that.” So apparently he just didn’t pay any attention at all and doesn’t know how well she can swim. So then I go to get her dressed, and one of her friends, who happened to be in the same group yesterday, has the diploma to go on to Penguin and her big sister (about 16 years old) says “Guess what? M--- was in the Seal group for the very first time today, and she already gets to move on to Penguins!!!” So MY kid has to stay longer, supposedly so the teacher can observe her longer...why doesn’t he need to observe M--- longer? It was her first time in his group, too! I think he got them mixed up, personally...I think he thought Bug was there for the first time and that M was the one who had been in that level for a while, but rather than admit he made a mistake, Bug gets to be the scapegoat, and I get to pay for lessons longer. So ticked. We’re going to investigate further next week, and I hope we can figure something out, because this is just unfair to us, and dangerous for the little girl who gets moved on to a level she’s not ready for. I watched her and she barely kept her head up when they were floating, and struggled with swimming the whole length of the longer pool. She’s not ready to move on yet , and that can be very dangerous for her. But, it’s not my business I guess. I'm more worried about the complete LIE the teacher handed me.
Lynne, I am so excited about your book! The proof looked great in the picture!
Dreamworld sounds fun. Do they have shows and such like Disney, or is it all rides? And is it based on fairytales or something? Here they have De Efteling, which is like Disney, but then instead of being based on Disney characters and films, it’s based on fairytales...like Little Red Riding hood, etc.
Sarah, that’s the way my job works, too...they call me if they need me. Sometimes I wish I had regular, set hours, but I do like the flexibility, and it’s good I don’t have set hours as I wouldn’t be able to go home this summer if I did. But I work in a warehouse, and there are 2 parts...gathering orders and packing orders. If you are gathering orders, it’s non-stop walking. If you are packing, you stand the whole time, but at least then I didn’t have to walk.
Sean, glad you had a better day! Is it really warm there, then? I’m still wearing sweaters every day here. Do you have set days that you do laundry, then or it’s laundry day because you have no clean clothes left?
Suzan, it’s so good to see you! It seems like ages!
Susie, once a week is better than nothing! We’ll take it! (I haven’t been on much either, honestly.) Too bad you didn’t win the speech contest, but it sounds like you did well, and you got some experience.
My MIL is pretty decent with English, but not as good as I am with Dutch. But they figure since I live here, it’s more important that I speak well..which I DO, but they look for mistakes. And no, I don’t think she has any clue how difficult it is to learn a new language as an adult, and certainly not to be scrutinized in your every sentence, or in every aspect of your life about how you are “adapting” to a new culture. “Dutch people would never wear something like that” or “Dutch people don’t do that”. But, with my MIL it’s not just me that she does that to...she’s just very direct and opinionated and if she doesn’t like your shirt, or your makeup, etc, she’ll ask you why you wore it and tell you it’s ugly. And she doesn’t understand why people take offense. I should send you a copy of “Undutchables”...I thought it exaggerated the culture for humor purposes... then I moved here and found out it’s not an exaggeration at all.
Marielle, I’m so sorry you aren’t feeling well! That sucks! Feel better soon!
I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed at the moment. I need to finish Bug’s birthday invitations and this weekend is Hub’s birthday, plus we never got to celebrate my MIL’s birthday so we’re celebrating both this weekend. Hubs and I are going to see The Host on Friday night and then we’re all going out to dinner on Saturday night. Should be fun, but we’re staying overnight at my inlaws’ house, which I don’t really like doing. And I need to make a cake for Hubs, then Monday I have a meeting for the board for Choir (I’m a board member now), Tuesday is choir rehearsal. Thank goodness we moved Bug’s swimming lessons to Monday, too, so I get both kids’ lessons out of the way in one time. I was a bit upset yesterday, though. It was Bug’s first time in the Monday group. She’s been at Seal level (next is Penguin) for a couple of months, but this was the first time with this particular teacher. I watched through the window upstairs that overlooks the pool the whole time. Bug was one of the few kids who could swim through the deepest hole, she swam faster with cleaner strokes than 2/3 of the kids, kept having to swim around them so she didn’t run into them...the only thing she was behind on was diving because her group never did that before and apparently this group does it every week. At the end of the lesson, EVERYONE in the group got the diploma to move on to Penguin level...except Bug. (it usually takes about 6 weeks per level) So I asked the teacher what I need to work with her on...he says “well this was her first time.” I said no it wasn’t and started to explain that we’d just switched times, he cut me off and said he knew that, but that it was her first time with HIM and he needed to watch her longer before he could say she was ready. I ask him what I can help her with..,he says “Nothing...I’LL do that.” So apparently he just didn’t pay any attention at all and doesn’t know how well she can swim. So then I go to get her dressed, and one of her friends, who happened to be in the same group yesterday, has the diploma to go on to Penguin and her big sister (about 16 years old) says “Guess what? M--- was in the Seal group for the very first time today, and she already gets to move on to Penguins!!!” So MY kid has to stay longer, supposedly so the teacher can observe her longer...why doesn’t he need to observe M--- longer? It was her first time in his group, too! I think he got them mixed up, personally...I think he thought Bug was there for the first time and that M was the one who had been in that level for a while, but rather than admit he made a mistake, Bug gets to be the scapegoat, and I get to pay for lessons longer. So ticked. We’re going to investigate further next week, and I hope we can figure something out, because this is just unfair to us, and dangerous for the little girl who gets moved on to a level she’s not ready for. I watched her and she barely kept her head up when they were floating, and struggled with swimming the whole length of the longer pool. She’s not ready to move on yet , and that can be very dangerous for her. But, it’s not my business I guess. I'm more worried about the complete LIE the teacher handed me.
Lynne, I am so excited about your book! The proof looked great in the picture!
Dreamworld sounds fun. Do they have shows and such like Disney, or is it all rides? And is it based on fairytales or something? Here they have De Efteling, which is like Disney, but then instead of being based on Disney characters and films, it’s based on fairytales...like Little Red Riding hood, etc.
Sarah, that’s the way my job works, too...they call me if they need me. Sometimes I wish I had regular, set hours, but I do like the flexibility, and it’s good I don’t have set hours as I wouldn’t be able to go home this summer if I did. But I work in a warehouse, and there are 2 parts...gathering orders and packing orders. If you are gathering orders, it’s non-stop walking. If you are packing, you stand the whole time, but at least then I didn’t have to walk.
Sean, glad you had a better day! Is it really warm there, then? I’m still wearing sweaters every day here. Do you have set days that you do laundry, then or it’s laundry day because you have no clean clothes left?
Suzan, it’s so good to see you! It seems like ages!
Susie, once a week is better than nothing! We’ll take it! (I haven’t been on much either, honestly.) Too bad you didn’t win the speech contest, but it sounds like you did well, and you got some experience.
My MIL is pretty decent with English, but not as good as I am with Dutch. But they figure since I live here, it’s more important that I speak well..which I DO, but they look for mistakes. And no, I don’t think she has any clue how difficult it is to learn a new language as an adult, and certainly not to be scrutinized in your every sentence, or in every aspect of your life about how you are “adapting” to a new culture. “Dutch people would never wear something like that” or “Dutch people don’t do that”. But, with my MIL it’s not just me that she does that to...she’s just very direct and opinionated and if she doesn’t like your shirt, or your makeup, etc, she’ll ask you why you wore it and tell you it’s ugly. And she doesn’t understand why people take offense. I should send you a copy of “Undutchables”...I thought it exaggerated the culture for humor purposes... then I moved here and found out it’s not an exaggeration at all.
Marielle, I’m so sorry you aren’t feeling well! That sucks! Feel better soon!