The view from my window

The view from my window
The view from my window

Saturday 27 March 2021

Life's little pleasures!

André had his appointment in Annecy on Thursday to hand in his paperwork for his resident's permit. I was going to go with him since I've already been to the Préfecture twice and with Annecy being all dug up at the moment I thought it might help. That was when he told me it wasn't necessary as he'd be fine (he was), but I had to laugh 'cos I guess you never stop being a mom do you. I mean, I moved to Switzerland at age 21 for a job and I travelled around Australia for six months with a backpack and a $50 tent when I was 24 (the parents of every young woman's worst nightmare I imagine) and here's me fretting about my 33 year old son finding his way round Annecy, which is all of 30 minutes drive away! Ha ha, do ya think I'm turning into Howard's mom in The Big Bang Theory? Anyway, everything was in order so he should get his permit in a couple of weeks. Hats off to Annecy though because they seem to have done a great job dealing with the extra workload caused by Brexit and have been very efficient. I think he had the same young black woman handling his dossier as I did and she was a real sweetheart. So that's one thing crossed off his endless to-do list at the moment!

Today he was going to lunch with a mate and then on to band practice afterwards so he asked me if the ski pants he'd borrowed last week for the trek up to La Clusaz would be dry by this morning. They were, but it's a good job I checked them because I'd just bunged a whole bunch of dark clothes into the machine together and I found three pairs of my knickers stuck to the velcro at the bottom of the leg of the ski pants so I'm sure Max would have done a double take when he handed them back. Or maybe not - I don't know - Max might think he'd become a "kinky" dresser - who knows!

Then the other day I got a message from the MJC (community centre) where I do my Italian lessons and it looks like they'll be reimbursing us for most of the course pretty shortly. I'm assuming my other courses will also be doing the same then, although for the independent young yoga teacher who is not part of a major organization I'm more than happy to let that pass. No-one could have predicted covid and if not reimbursing me helps her then I can live with it. That being said, I should also be looking at about €1,600 in reimbursements for our cancelled trip to Holland and Germany last year. Now that I will be very glad to receive back - it's a lot of money after all. With that in mind, I decided to take a trip out to a large garden centre near here where André had gotten me a gift voucher for Christmas. So I toddled round to my neighbour as I knew she wanted to go out there and we headed out together. She never goes anywhere (even pre-covid) so I know she thoroughly enjoyed herself and since I'd managed to get her out I then told her we'd be taking a trip to the fabric store and again she was like a little kid in a sweetie shop. I think she's just grown so used to never doing anything different that it's hard for her to accept that yes, she CAN go out occasionally and NO she doesn't have to ask anybody's permission! I went a little nuts because while I was only looking for a few plants I actually went slightly crazy and bought a whole new set of wine and water glasses. Mine were ok but very much a hotch-potch and my new ones are lovely. And then, since I'm obviously going mad anyway, I stopped in at a lovely shop and bought a complete new set of dishes in very, very bright colours. I didn't need them, of course, and it does make my decluttering exercise a bit moot at this point, but I thought "why not". Since I haven't travelled in over a year, and am unlikely to do so for another year, I may as well go slightly nuts and get a few things I've wanted for some time. I then stopped in another store and bought a couple of baby things to keep at my house, as well as a flower arrangement for Jordan and Jen's balcony and a fluffy Easter bunny for Biboo's first Easter. So yeah, my bank card is creaking a bit right now but gosh it felt good!

These are the kinds of plates/bowls/dishes I bought in three different
colour configurations. They're much prettier than the picture though!

Jordan was asking me the other day how he should go about registering Biboo at the US consulate. I told him he'd got time as they would need specifics - name, dob, sex and so on, and that's when I got to telling him about my experience at the British consulate in Geneva. André was born in the US but Jordan was born in Geneva (although he's not entitled to Swiss citizenship). I handed in all the paperwork to get him a British birth certificate and passport and they told me it would be ready in about 30 minutes so to just take a seat. Thank God I checked this stuff before I left because the birth certificate had his date of birth down as 21 May, when he was born on 31 May, and when they handed his passport over he was down as "female". Can you imagine trying to correct this stuff after the event - although André said I could always have raised him as a girl and not gone through the hassle (ain't big brothers rotten)!

Then two days ago Jen sent me a message to say that Biboo had been accepted for a place at the crèche 100 metres from their home as from August so all is well with the world - 'cos ya see, Biboo is on his way. Mom and dad have been at the hospital since 4 a.m. this morning and it's now 4 p.m. and I'm still sitting here waiting, and waiting and excited as hell!

24 comments:

  1. How wonderfully exciting for your! I hope all goes smoothly and you meet Biboo very soon.

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  2. Woman! You left the best for last! Oh please let us know when Biboo arrives! And pictures? Can there be pictures?
    I'm glad you got out and got your neighbor out. New things are certainly a real treat now after this past year. Glory in your treasures!

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    1. Apparently Jen was going through a pretty rough time, throwing up every time she had a contraction and was as white as hell. A few hours ago they gave her an epidural and they are now both happy as lambs. God bless the guy who invented the epidural right. As of right now, still no news, but I keep hoping!

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  3. How nice to get out to buy things that are not edible, or even really essential, what a treat. Hope you are soon raising one of the new glass to little B.

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    1. I just thought "to hell with this" and bought a few things that would really make me happy. And as for Biboo, I already have the champagne on ice!

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  4. OMG! Your grandbaby is on her/his way? How exciting it must be! Good for you to buy those new glasses and dishes. Anything to cheer us up these days. With that said, I am hoping you are getting rid of the old set. Lol!

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    1. I long ago learned never to keep things "for best", you need to use them every day. I hope André will take most of my other stuff but if not, I'll take it to the charity store. And it's no surprise but Biboo is on his way, although taking his time, I have to say. I'll have to give him a stern talking to when he gets here!

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  5. Welcome to Biboo!!! Glad you're getting some refunds and light shopping done. Cannot wait to see your adventures as a grand to Biboo~

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    1. Well it's 18 hours later and Jen is ok because of an epidural but Biboo has yet to make an entrance. I can't wait!

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  6. At one point weren't you worried that Biboo would come too early? Crossing fingers for an easy delivery (one of the few things I remember while delivering my second son was screaming "I'm sorry I'm screaming").

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    1. Yes Jen was hospitalized for 4 nights at 29 weeks with strong contractions (which she seems to have had throughout her pregnancy) but all's well that ends well. And I'm sure the labour and delivery nurses have heard it all don't you think! I wonder how many expectant fathers got a bollocking too!

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  7. OMG this must be the longest day ever for you. As it's after 11pm here, therefore at least midnight where you are and the clocks here go forward tonight too, so anyway what I'm trying to say is that I hope your new Biboo is here already. You must come back in the morning and let us know!!
    I love your dishes. I love colourful dishes though mine are all white! If I buy a new set they will be lovely colourful ones! Sounds like you have gone on a bit of a spending spree, but it's nice to do that sometimes. I'm pretty sure you won't be able to pass a baby shop from now on, so you'd better hide your bank card methinks!! x

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    1. Yes Biboo is here - at 1 a.m. our new clock-forward time. I'm knackered (you'd think it was me that had given birth) but I couldn't sleep while waiting. And like you I really love bright colours. I unpacked everything yesterday and they are so pretty. As for Biboo, I really don't want to spoil this baby but I sense you might be right about hiding the bank card. The other day I just bought a changing mat and a nappies/wipes but I'm pretty sure it's all downhill from here!

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  8. Congratulations!!! Let me know when I can start calling you Granny? I have bought a wine glass or plate in years. I got rid of my dining room table years ago, so if I'm doing a sit down dinner it's usually at my desk.

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    1. You can call me grandma Dave as Biboo was born at 1 a.m. after a 21 hour labour (more to follow). And I still have a beautiful dining table (that I use for sewing now) that we always used as a family and now I think I officially have enough plates to host a party for about 50 people!!!

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  9. Great news about you grandchild. I hope Biboo appears with any further complications. I'm so pleased everything else in your life is ticking along nicely and NO you never stop being a caring Mum.....second guessing what could happen etc.

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    1. Biboo arrived at 1 a.m. so I can relax now (I've been like a cat on a hot tin roof all day). But you're right, you still worry about your kids even when they tower over you and (now) have kids of their own, don't you!

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  10. So exciting for you. Grandchildren are amazing. You are going to have so many happy times. Hopefully baby will arrive very soon.

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  11. That's so exciting, a new baby. Hope everything goes well for mama and baby.

    I'm getting the same way with things, fuck it, I might as well have something nice because I'm not spending money on anything other than groceries. I bought myself a pair of red shoes a couple of weeks ago and I love them.

    The dishes are lovely. I love bright colors and my ex husband would never let me pick out anything on my own, he had to agree to it. Control freak much?

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    1. Good for your for the red shoes. Oddly enough, my ex and I tended to agree when it came to decorating and stuff. There was less agreement when it came to him having a girlfriend!

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  12. Brilliant news. Congratulations and well done Grandma. Time to get out the old baby photos and decide who Biboo looks like next.

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    1. André has already decided Biboo looks like him!

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