Wednesday, October 18, 2006

A Two G&T Day

It was a two gin & tonic day today. Two because as I find my feet, get settled and happy, throwbacks from my past married life have the capacity to fling open the cupboard and set the raging tiger loose.

It's little things. Big little things. Administrative, banal and legally binding. My ability to take the boys to the UK to see their grandparents is suddenly compromised. Why? Because I need a certified signature from their father, made in his local Mairie, and he is way too 'busy' to put himself out in this way.

But it's for the boys! That won't wash. But it's an administrative necessity! That won't wash either. What will wash? Personal interest.

My life is still thus governed by unreasonableness; the singular most irritating characteristic of my ex-h. This is a bitter pill to swallow and facing it provoked the need for the first G&T.

It also ruined the pleasure of finally having the piano delivered. What should have been a moment of delight, and pure self-indulgent frivolity became a mere interjection in an otherwise painful afternoon.

I found a message on the phone this afternoon from the CAF thanking me for informing them of my change of circumstances and telling me they could do nothing about it. Fair enough. I was asking for nothing. However, I am over-sensitive to others taking the piss, and CAF fraud when I am trying to do my best is just not on. The RA is resident in my house, but the alloc for her do not come this way, not even as pocket money/clothing allowance/advance for her medical costs. Doctor's, dentist's, radiologist's, orthodontist's fees have to be advanced, and are sent to her official guardian for reimbursement. Are they sent forthwith? Are they hell. (ed 21/10: it seems I was being unjust. The alloc has been terminated. Pocket money is being sent...)

Piss-taking.

There are, theoretically, no problems; only solutions. The bugger of it is, that sometimes these lie out of ones' hands; at the mercy of others; the perpetrators of the problems.

One can have an excess of family life, but the ultimate solution is family cohesion.

Although... desert islands do sometimes have an almost magnetic attraction...

The second G&T? Social, contemplative, pleasurable. Just like tea, really.

4 comments:

  1. Well thanks for the compliments, Colin. I was intensely annoyed yesterday and it got concentrated into that blog.

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  2. Full marks for discerning that it was a compliment (I'm usually quite sparing in that department). There's probably an academic treatise somewhere entitled "The role of the morale-sapping off-day in exposing hitherto concealed depths of creative writing talent."

    PS I shall send this under your Anonymous option to see what happens. But I have to say I'm curious to know why you and other blogspot bloggers allow virtual strangers to use this option. Does it not risk attracting abusive or otherwise negative comment ? I get it all the time (as you know) although mine has names of real people attached ! Piranha people anyway, says he alliteratively. Maybe you don't Sarah. Maybe it's to do with your essential niceness (apologies to Dame Edna), which you must take in the, er, nicest possible way, if you see what I mean.

    Colin Berry

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  3. Erm, I've never had abusive or negative comments in here. I welcome comments from all. I mean, I don't get that many, do I? Maybe what I write about doesn't either attract or inspire the piranhas out there.
    Oh and I am essentially nice, thanks! :)

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  4. More than nice, is she, dear Colin Berry...for me she is quasi perfect and Godsent....I'm her EM and her children's NG...see if yu can work that out, it's a long story!!!

    Anyway, welcome to a bloggers world where we do enjoy talking to each other - but neither squashing them down or being unkind or cynical...sometimes a little witty...even clever...but never nasty.

    Just the fun of everyday life with its up and downs like reading a super diary about family life from a Mum's point of view.

    Nutty Granny

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