Silence is Golden
Without Prejudice
2am, Friday
What a fantastic day today was, a golden haze of beloved sun and warmth. We were up early at Chez femme Household as we were having an important meeting with our Worker from DHS. I will give you a little background. Two years ago P, Yvette's ex partner decided to go "Nuts", it was a long slow hideous experience and we had to look after the boys welfare first.
Yvette was pregnant with her 7th boy, and Acer was 1. P's 2 kids. He was just a nice friendly young man at first, and after a while he just stayed home. He never had really worked but Yvette thought that was just a matter of time. His Dad died just before she gave birth to Cruz and ever after that P was changed.
He gashed his arm the night his Dad died and had done it deliberately, smashing his arm through a window at his Mother's house. It went from bad to worse, we had to call the Police in the end and as young kids live here DHS were involved. They became involved for 12 months and one of the last visits was about to be happening today.
So Yvette and I worked like mad women to get everything done as we were also having a booked hard rubbish collection, and were in the middle of turning the house topsy turvy. Two boys have gone on to pastures anew but returned to give us all their clothes for the younger brothers.The pile of clothes is enormous, mostly clean and excellent quality. But there are so mnay of them.
Yvette is a hoarder after years of poverty so I have to be very mindful of what I throw out as she wants to keep everything. Its good she does sometimes because I can always find a piece of a missing toy or piece of some object that needs juat the thing she will have kept. Somewhere.
So with the school boys out of the way, we start. DHS worker coming at 12.30. We rush to remake beds that were going to be moved. The laundry, always two loads everyday gets started and I leave Yvette to the kitchen and family room and I run, literally run between my unit in the back garden and the Big house.
Yvette does all the child running around, so she dresses Cruz and Acer, aged 1 and 3 and settles them in the backyard with plenty of cars and garages. She pops a hat on Cruz and we laugh as he tilts it forward and looks like Farmer Giles. They play and we turn our attention to every room in the house.
Jai, who is 14 and a little genius is also a little pig and I make beds and trail out 3 bins of rubbish from his room. The large pile of the older boys clothes need to be hung, but I don't have time. So I stack as best as I can and hope with fingers crossed he will see fit to hang them at some later date. Probably 2015.
The middle room is the worst as we have used it as a dumping ground for all the baby stuff that is still in great condition but we are done with it and have no where to store it. I stack and shove it elsewhere and determine to have a Garage Sale at some stage. We are also "Winterising" the house and garden. Blinds come down and heavy drapes go up. Menawhile the phone is going, the boys are beating on the door to get in and we take out morning tea to them.
I have put on a pinny, a red chefs apron and as I come out from the middle room, I see Yvette
has donned one too, one that is black and has Desperate Housewife written on the front. I tell her I want her apron and she laughs and say not a chance. I bought it in a Desparate Housewives pack, ages ago and gave it to her as a present. But it looks better than my plain old thing.
We eat on the run, small bars of chocolate for the energy and fruit. I try and make Yvette sit as much as possible as she hit critical body weight a few weeks ago and needs to gain weight. She is a picky eater at best, former anorexic and weighs about 6 stone, if she's had a large meal and is soaking wet through. I leave her to her kitchen and family room area and tidy hers and the little boys rooms.
We chat and laugh and call out to each other in the work, I hate vacccing so Yvette does that and the washing of the floors. I ask her if she has seen K our next door neighbour over the last few days. His girlfriend has just left him, 18 months ago he had a son of 18 commit suicide. His girlfriend had a baby by IVF and all she wanted was the baby he said. His older son left 2 weeks ago for the Army and Darwin. K was fairly rattled that day.
"Nope", Yvette, replies, so I go and check on him. He is Ok just working night shift and I tell him I am just being a nosy neighbour and he thanks me and I hear him whistling in the yard shortly after. I worry about everyone and always want to make sure they are alright. We get stuck in really hard then, just working and finish at 12.30. The worker rings, she's sick and not coming. Bugger. Ah well we have a gleaming house.
The boys are in, one with a sore bum as he is teething and we rush his nappies straight to the bin outside, double wrapped. Saddam Hussein could have used them in a chemical warfare. I pat the slothy husky whose Kennel has been made ready for winter. Cleaned, restored, waterproofed and new blankets put in and she even has a curtain of shadecloth made and fitted. Its been full on over the last few weeeks.
The garden has to be maintained by me and I love the fact that if I don't block the boys from certain areas they will seek and destroy. They love to undo anything that we have just done. They are like chattering, moving little terrorists of destruction but they have such fun we can't be telling them off. We laugh mainly as they are learning new things every day. For the amount of work we do every day we might as well open a creche and get paid for it.
I usually write early mornings but there is no hope for that today. I have so much to do and not enough time. Once i have helped Yvette in the mornings, I usually do my own work in my unit. I have no idea how one person manages to creat so much work but it's probably because I am anal. Yvette is way more laid back and patient and I am learning to be more like her rather than so driven. I decide to treat myself instead of doing more work.
The sun is becoming and tomorrow starts a return to cold weather so I decide to get out and visit a friend I used to work with. She has just had her first grandchild and has sent me some photos that I can't get on my old dinosaur of a phone. I quickly shower and change. Acer is dressed in a Chef's apron and I decide to give him an outing and Yvette a break. I realise I haven't eaten much but am never very hungry these days. I grab some of the Easter Eggs we have after a visit to the Cadbury's factory and head off.
Acer is delighted as he hasn't been out with me on his own and he sings all the way and points out every truck, bus and car on the way there. He has gone a little backwards lately, just typical of a 3 year old who is a little jealous of the younger Cruz. He has decided he is cared of the toilet and wants a nappy on and a dummy in his mouth. We settle on the dummy and no nappy. He's fine but if need to sit on the toilet, he won't and will hang on for hours and then beg for a nappy and soil it.
I know he will grow out of it. I have had 4 girls of my own, 15 grandkids, 3 foster kids, all ages. I had one of the grand kids take a hysterical dislike to the bath plug. Another one who hated helmets, biker helmets. Acer is right on the age of night terrors and wanting everything his way and will throw tantrums to get it. Most of which we ignore. Yvette is quite happy to baby him at the moment as he has been through a trying 12 months, losing Dad a big blow.
I take the East link to get to Clayton and Acer loves it. He points all the sights with his mouth dummy plugged and I tell him to take it out. But he won't and we are soon there. I am delighted for my friend and she is delighted at my weight loss and at Acer. Acer of course turns into shy quiet Acer and behaves with good manners. I am gob smacked but run with it. He is fascinated when the receptionist gives him water in a tiny pleated paper cup.
I finally get to see my friends photos of the new bubs and she is gorgeous. My friend is just glowing, glad Mum and baby are well, being 4 weeks prem. Kyan was 5 weeks prem and we discuss tiny clothes, 5 zeros and we once dressed Kyan in a teddy bear dressing gown and it was still too big. Easter eggs are handed out by Acer, solemnnly and a little hesitation. He has two small ones and I take my leave before the sugar rush kicks in.
Home devil and outings angel. Thats what Acer was today. He's been so good I take him to Maccas and he entertains me as we eat. A man looks at me as I walk in and another and I look down at what I am wearing. A very short plain black tank dress and heels. Its hot and I think it may be the last time I can be wearing beach clothes. Its flattering to get the attention as I haven't had any in a bout a thousand years.
I know it's because of the weight loss. I've crossed the divide from obese to healthy weight and suddenly I am getting noticed. losing 24 kilos on 6 months. I've gone from fat gran to babe in 6 months. I'm facing a milestone birthday this year and I could not be happier. Losing the weight a seemingly impossible task 2 years ago. But its gone, just gone and I still can't believe it. I look in the mirror and see a person I haven't been since 16. Before I was married or had kids. I don't recognise myself. A stranger looks back at me, alean, brown, fit 60 kilo me.
I know the traffic will be bad on the way home, its 4.30, rush hour on the South Gippsland highway. I hesitate and wonder if I should go see old friend Ivan just around the corner. He's my oldest male friend, my brother George's friend at 19. I decide not to. Mainly as Clint, Ivan's nephew will most likely be there. I like Clint, he's 34 and an innocent but we went out for a short time. He rang me last week and wanted to come and visit with a friend. I told him no. He is great company and loves visiting and playing music but there's no point leading him on, I don't want to.
He is like a greek God to look at, firm brown abs, tall, healthy, white teeth, he's blinding to look at but...... he's 34, hallo.
I race back along the Eastlink, and get home, drop Acer off and get back in the car to post Ebay and shop. Deb. my oldest daughter coming over tonight. its hard for her she works full time and has two girls. One in dancing comps and rehearsals on Saturdays. One working at the Supre outlet at weekends. I make tea some how, Gado Gado tonight. I check the house one last time and the yard and pick up all the cars.
Then its Debbie arriving with the two girls and the big and little boys are all excited. We do all our business stuff and catch up on gossip. These days all the girls get along great. Past issues forgotten. We all determine to be there for Georgia, The Dancing Queen child, this Saturday, at Wellington Village. We are all so proud of her.
Asheigh has just had a spray tan in a deep mahogany and I keep calling her Indian names as she looks like an Indian Princess. But we love the colour and Deb and I determine we are having one before we go out soon. Ash scored 91% on her maths test and we are all happy for her, even though we all state we hate the subject ourselves.
We've planned for so many outings in the next month our heads are spinning. Alena's birthday 8th May. Daveys in Frankston as apparently its a scream, fairly down market but we just want to dance and get drunk, let our hair down for once.
we are having an 80's night at Deb's, over to Moonee Ponds one night for catch up with a childhood friend Of all of us, Samantha, a maybe baby shower, as it's 4 weeks to Yvette's oldest son and girlfriend to make her a grandma, she wants to be called Goddess like Priscilla Presley, by her grandkids. I tell her it sounds pretentious and she just laughs. Then we have to save and plan for September as we are going away for my Birthday, as a Family for 3 days, to Rosebud.
Deb and Yvette and I get all the business stuff out of the way, the tax thing, the dates we have to confer on. The older boys paying their rent. the new baby coming, all the stuff that running a family of 7 boys with no Dads entails. Then we discuss fashion, shopping, kids, treatments and their cost, the best bargains to be had. Then we gossip, but not about anyone personal, just Jimmy Stynes and I agree with Jason Akermanis and Deb that a State Funeral for a footballer seems a bit over the top, even one as good as he was. Then its time to pack up and go do our own things.
And its tidy up time in my place finally and I file paperwork, and finally flick on the TV, nothing on. Bummer. So it's back to the computer and write todays events and write lists of things I have to do and things I need to buy. The quiet hours approach, the Gold of Silence the reflective times, the times to just think, write, eat fruit and mourn the passing of the Summer fruit, peaches warm and juicy, the juice running down your chin, the soft nectarines with their ruby skins. I found some today at IGA as Safeway was all done with summer fruit and had only winter fruit.
We had 2 significant Birthdays this week. One for My daughter Lauren who died in 1989, and we were determined to make i a birthday celebration not a sad day, and it was very good, quiet, just family, nice. Then Georgia Lauren Hood turned 12 the day after. ah bless beautiful Georgia. She's grown so tall and lean and I can't wait to see her dance again. She illumonates the stage with a delight that beams from her. She loves the dance.... may she always,
And Its just another day in the life of..........
Love Janette
2am, Friday
What a fantastic day today was, a golden haze of beloved sun and warmth. We were up early at Chez femme Household as we were having an important meeting with our Worker from DHS. I will give you a little background. Two years ago P, Yvette's ex partner decided to go "Nuts", it was a long slow hideous experience and we had to look after the boys welfare first.
Yvette was pregnant with her 7th boy, and Acer was 1. P's 2 kids. He was just a nice friendly young man at first, and after a while he just stayed home. He never had really worked but Yvette thought that was just a matter of time. His Dad died just before she gave birth to Cruz and ever after that P was changed.
He gashed his arm the night his Dad died and had done it deliberately, smashing his arm through a window at his Mother's house. It went from bad to worse, we had to call the Police in the end and as young kids live here DHS were involved. They became involved for 12 months and one of the last visits was about to be happening today.
So Yvette and I worked like mad women to get everything done as we were also having a booked hard rubbish collection, and were in the middle of turning the house topsy turvy. Two boys have gone on to pastures anew but returned to give us all their clothes for the younger brothers.The pile of clothes is enormous, mostly clean and excellent quality. But there are so mnay of them.
Yvette is a hoarder after years of poverty so I have to be very mindful of what I throw out as she wants to keep everything. Its good she does sometimes because I can always find a piece of a missing toy or piece of some object that needs juat the thing she will have kept. Somewhere.
So with the school boys out of the way, we start. DHS worker coming at 12.30. We rush to remake beds that were going to be moved. The laundry, always two loads everyday gets started and I leave Yvette to the kitchen and family room and I run, literally run between my unit in the back garden and the Big house.
Yvette does all the child running around, so she dresses Cruz and Acer, aged 1 and 3 and settles them in the backyard with plenty of cars and garages. She pops a hat on Cruz and we laugh as he tilts it forward and looks like Farmer Giles. They play and we turn our attention to every room in the house.
Jai, who is 14 and a little genius is also a little pig and I make beds and trail out 3 bins of rubbish from his room. The large pile of the older boys clothes need to be hung, but I don't have time. So I stack as best as I can and hope with fingers crossed he will see fit to hang them at some later date. Probably 2015.
The middle room is the worst as we have used it as a dumping ground for all the baby stuff that is still in great condition but we are done with it and have no where to store it. I stack and shove it elsewhere and determine to have a Garage Sale at some stage. We are also "Winterising" the house and garden. Blinds come down and heavy drapes go up. Menawhile the phone is going, the boys are beating on the door to get in and we take out morning tea to them.
I have put on a pinny, a red chefs apron and as I come out from the middle room, I see Yvette
has donned one too, one that is black and has Desperate Housewife written on the front. I tell her I want her apron and she laughs and say not a chance. I bought it in a Desparate Housewives pack, ages ago and gave it to her as a present. But it looks better than my plain old thing.
We eat on the run, small bars of chocolate for the energy and fruit. I try and make Yvette sit as much as possible as she hit critical body weight a few weeks ago and needs to gain weight. She is a picky eater at best, former anorexic and weighs about 6 stone, if she's had a large meal and is soaking wet through. I leave her to her kitchen and family room area and tidy hers and the little boys rooms.
We chat and laugh and call out to each other in the work, I hate vacccing so Yvette does that and the washing of the floors. I ask her if she has seen K our next door neighbour over the last few days. His girlfriend has just left him, 18 months ago he had a son of 18 commit suicide. His girlfriend had a baby by IVF and all she wanted was the baby he said. His older son left 2 weeks ago for the Army and Darwin. K was fairly rattled that day.
"Nope", Yvette, replies, so I go and check on him. He is Ok just working night shift and I tell him I am just being a nosy neighbour and he thanks me and I hear him whistling in the yard shortly after. I worry about everyone and always want to make sure they are alright. We get stuck in really hard then, just working and finish at 12.30. The worker rings, she's sick and not coming. Bugger. Ah well we have a gleaming house.
The boys are in, one with a sore bum as he is teething and we rush his nappies straight to the bin outside, double wrapped. Saddam Hussein could have used them in a chemical warfare. I pat the slothy husky whose Kennel has been made ready for winter. Cleaned, restored, waterproofed and new blankets put in and she even has a curtain of shadecloth made and fitted. Its been full on over the last few weeeks.
The garden has to be maintained by me and I love the fact that if I don't block the boys from certain areas they will seek and destroy. They love to undo anything that we have just done. They are like chattering, moving little terrorists of destruction but they have such fun we can't be telling them off. We laugh mainly as they are learning new things every day. For the amount of work we do every day we might as well open a creche and get paid for it.
I usually write early mornings but there is no hope for that today. I have so much to do and not enough time. Once i have helped Yvette in the mornings, I usually do my own work in my unit. I have no idea how one person manages to creat so much work but it's probably because I am anal. Yvette is way more laid back and patient and I am learning to be more like her rather than so driven. I decide to treat myself instead of doing more work.
The sun is becoming and tomorrow starts a return to cold weather so I decide to get out and visit a friend I used to work with. She has just had her first grandchild and has sent me some photos that I can't get on my old dinosaur of a phone. I quickly shower and change. Acer is dressed in a Chef's apron and I decide to give him an outing and Yvette a break. I realise I haven't eaten much but am never very hungry these days. I grab some of the Easter Eggs we have after a visit to the Cadbury's factory and head off.
Acer is delighted as he hasn't been out with me on his own and he sings all the way and points out every truck, bus and car on the way there. He has gone a little backwards lately, just typical of a 3 year old who is a little jealous of the younger Cruz. He has decided he is cared of the toilet and wants a nappy on and a dummy in his mouth. We settle on the dummy and no nappy. He's fine but if need to sit on the toilet, he won't and will hang on for hours and then beg for a nappy and soil it.
I know he will grow out of it. I have had 4 girls of my own, 15 grandkids, 3 foster kids, all ages. I had one of the grand kids take a hysterical dislike to the bath plug. Another one who hated helmets, biker helmets. Acer is right on the age of night terrors and wanting everything his way and will throw tantrums to get it. Most of which we ignore. Yvette is quite happy to baby him at the moment as he has been through a trying 12 months, losing Dad a big blow.
I take the East link to get to Clayton and Acer loves it. He points all the sights with his mouth dummy plugged and I tell him to take it out. But he won't and we are soon there. I am delighted for my friend and she is delighted at my weight loss and at Acer. Acer of course turns into shy quiet Acer and behaves with good manners. I am gob smacked but run with it. He is fascinated when the receptionist gives him water in a tiny pleated paper cup.
I finally get to see my friends photos of the new bubs and she is gorgeous. My friend is just glowing, glad Mum and baby are well, being 4 weeks prem. Kyan was 5 weeks prem and we discuss tiny clothes, 5 zeros and we once dressed Kyan in a teddy bear dressing gown and it was still too big. Easter eggs are handed out by Acer, solemnnly and a little hesitation. He has two small ones and I take my leave before the sugar rush kicks in.
Home devil and outings angel. Thats what Acer was today. He's been so good I take him to Maccas and he entertains me as we eat. A man looks at me as I walk in and another and I look down at what I am wearing. A very short plain black tank dress and heels. Its hot and I think it may be the last time I can be wearing beach clothes. Its flattering to get the attention as I haven't had any in a bout a thousand years.
I know it's because of the weight loss. I've crossed the divide from obese to healthy weight and suddenly I am getting noticed. losing 24 kilos on 6 months. I've gone from fat gran to babe in 6 months. I'm facing a milestone birthday this year and I could not be happier. Losing the weight a seemingly impossible task 2 years ago. But its gone, just gone and I still can't believe it. I look in the mirror and see a person I haven't been since 16. Before I was married or had kids. I don't recognise myself. A stranger looks back at me, alean, brown, fit 60 kilo me.
I know the traffic will be bad on the way home, its 4.30, rush hour on the South Gippsland highway. I hesitate and wonder if I should go see old friend Ivan just around the corner. He's my oldest male friend, my brother George's friend at 19. I decide not to. Mainly as Clint, Ivan's nephew will most likely be there. I like Clint, he's 34 and an innocent but we went out for a short time. He rang me last week and wanted to come and visit with a friend. I told him no. He is great company and loves visiting and playing music but there's no point leading him on, I don't want to.
He is like a greek God to look at, firm brown abs, tall, healthy, white teeth, he's blinding to look at but...... he's 34, hallo.
I race back along the Eastlink, and get home, drop Acer off and get back in the car to post Ebay and shop. Deb. my oldest daughter coming over tonight. its hard for her she works full time and has two girls. One in dancing comps and rehearsals on Saturdays. One working at the Supre outlet at weekends. I make tea some how, Gado Gado tonight. I check the house one last time and the yard and pick up all the cars.
Then its Debbie arriving with the two girls and the big and little boys are all excited. We do all our business stuff and catch up on gossip. These days all the girls get along great. Past issues forgotten. We all determine to be there for Georgia, The Dancing Queen child, this Saturday, at Wellington Village. We are all so proud of her.
Asheigh has just had a spray tan in a deep mahogany and I keep calling her Indian names as she looks like an Indian Princess. But we love the colour and Deb and I determine we are having one before we go out soon. Ash scored 91% on her maths test and we are all happy for her, even though we all state we hate the subject ourselves.
We've planned for so many outings in the next month our heads are spinning. Alena's birthday 8th May. Daveys in Frankston as apparently its a scream, fairly down market but we just want to dance and get drunk, let our hair down for once.
we are having an 80's night at Deb's, over to Moonee Ponds one night for catch up with a childhood friend Of all of us, Samantha, a maybe baby shower, as it's 4 weeks to Yvette's oldest son and girlfriend to make her a grandma, she wants to be called Goddess like Priscilla Presley, by her grandkids. I tell her it sounds pretentious and she just laughs. Then we have to save and plan for September as we are going away for my Birthday, as a Family for 3 days, to Rosebud.
Deb and Yvette and I get all the business stuff out of the way, the tax thing, the dates we have to confer on. The older boys paying their rent. the new baby coming, all the stuff that running a family of 7 boys with no Dads entails. Then we discuss fashion, shopping, kids, treatments and their cost, the best bargains to be had. Then we gossip, but not about anyone personal, just Jimmy Stynes and I agree with Jason Akermanis and Deb that a State Funeral for a footballer seems a bit over the top, even one as good as he was. Then its time to pack up and go do our own things.
And its tidy up time in my place finally and I file paperwork, and finally flick on the TV, nothing on. Bummer. So it's back to the computer and write todays events and write lists of things I have to do and things I need to buy. The quiet hours approach, the Gold of Silence the reflective times, the times to just think, write, eat fruit and mourn the passing of the Summer fruit, peaches warm and juicy, the juice running down your chin, the soft nectarines with their ruby skins. I found some today at IGA as Safeway was all done with summer fruit and had only winter fruit.
We had 2 significant Birthdays this week. One for My daughter Lauren who died in 1989, and we were determined to make i a birthday celebration not a sad day, and it was very good, quiet, just family, nice. Then Georgia Lauren Hood turned 12 the day after. ah bless beautiful Georgia. She's grown so tall and lean and I can't wait to see her dance again. She illumonates the stage with a delight that beams from her. She loves the dance.... may she always,
And Its just another day in the life of..........
Love Janette
