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When it rains, it pours
Mar. 7th, 2003 02:03 pmIt was Grand Central Station at our house last night, between 7pm and 11pm.
Two phone calls to Rob & Muriel, finalizing arrangements for this weekend (hotel fees, timing, munchie shopping). Because Rob's more allergic to cats than last time he visited (and that's scary), we're going to attempt to decontaminate everything we take with us. This means I need to pick a project I want to start, pack the needles and pattern, and we'll buy the yarn on the way tomorrow, so it's cat-hair free. By's suggestion was I do a long scarf, knitted in the style of the Turkish socks. Tempting, and fun to design, but not a helpful suggestion. And I'm not sure how it would work, it'd be really heavy, and it would take forever. But the scope for playing with patterns.......oh, boy. I really need to start a baby afghan for Courtney. Maybe he'll let me get yarn for 2 things.....it would only be a couple more skeins........
One phone call from By's mom--his dad's in the Netherlands for 2 months, and she's bored already. She and Dad are buying a house in Watertown, NY for Granny Mudgett to spend the winter in; her current house is way too big for her, and she needs to be where people can look after her in the winter (she's 81 and frail). The new house will be across the street from where one of By's aunts works; she and her coworkers will look after Granny. The good news is that Granny is *helping* this endeavor--By says it's because she saw what By's folks went through with Grandpa and Grandma Phillips, and knew it was a battle she wouldn't win. Granny's a sharp-tongued feisty old gal, but she does know how to pick her battles.
One call from Meg, who was sure By & I would know where to find a pattern for a Civil War-era gown. We did, too.
One call from Robyn, because she wanted By's opnion before she decided to commit to being open for First Friday (that's tonight, in case you're interested). She & By agreed he'd work the 6-9 shift in exchange for chocolate.
And through all of this, an old friend of mine, S, was in on our sofa describing what appears to be the breakdown of his 18-month marriage with R. Argh. There's absolutely nothing I can do to fix anything for him, no advice I can give him, I just don't understand why R's worldview. *shakes head* R. seems to be equating large expensive presents with love, and S just doesn't work that way. And she knew that before they married. (On the other hand, I will assume he knew her equally well before he proposed. That goes both ways.) Anyway, she's been picking fights (he refuses to fight with her, another point of contention), and has been dropping the "d" word the past week.
At the risk of sounding flippant, what woman in her right mind would threaten to leave a man who fixes her breakfast in bed EVERY weekend? Hell, I told S that if she was done with him, we'd happily adopt him, just for his cooking. Room to himself, access to every book in the house (that's a temptation, for S), and lap cats. He said he'd take the offer into consideration.
What seems to be hardest on him is that his parents have a truly amazing, affectionate & respectful marriage, and I'm guessing they were that way all through his childhood. So their relationship is what he thinks is normal. He said last night he feels cheated; I can't say I blame him.
Poor guy's had a rough six months--between R's periodic rants ("you don't love me because you don't spend money on me"), and being unemployeed since Christmas.....I wish I had a magic wand to wave and fix it all. Or anything, to make it better. I just don't know how.
Two phone calls to Rob & Muriel, finalizing arrangements for this weekend (hotel fees, timing, munchie shopping). Because Rob's more allergic to cats than last time he visited (and that's scary), we're going to attempt to decontaminate everything we take with us. This means I need to pick a project I want to start, pack the needles and pattern, and we'll buy the yarn on the way tomorrow, so it's cat-hair free. By's suggestion was I do a long scarf, knitted in the style of the Turkish socks. Tempting, and fun to design, but not a helpful suggestion. And I'm not sure how it would work, it'd be really heavy, and it would take forever. But the scope for playing with patterns.......oh, boy. I really need to start a baby afghan for Courtney. Maybe he'll let me get yarn for 2 things.....it would only be a couple more skeins........
One phone call from By's mom--his dad's in the Netherlands for 2 months, and she's bored already. She and Dad are buying a house in Watertown, NY for Granny Mudgett to spend the winter in; her current house is way too big for her, and she needs to be where people can look after her in the winter (she's 81 and frail). The new house will be across the street from where one of By's aunts works; she and her coworkers will look after Granny. The good news is that Granny is *helping* this endeavor--By says it's because she saw what By's folks went through with Grandpa and Grandma Phillips, and knew it was a battle she wouldn't win. Granny's a sharp-tongued feisty old gal, but she does know how to pick her battles.
One call from Meg, who was sure By & I would know where to find a pattern for a Civil War-era gown. We did, too.
One call from Robyn, because she wanted By's opnion before she decided to commit to being open for First Friday (that's tonight, in case you're interested). She & By agreed he'd work the 6-9 shift in exchange for chocolate.
And through all of this, an old friend of mine, S, was in on our sofa describing what appears to be the breakdown of his 18-month marriage with R. Argh. There's absolutely nothing I can do to fix anything for him, no advice I can give him, I just don't understand why R's worldview. *shakes head* R. seems to be equating large expensive presents with love, and S just doesn't work that way. And she knew that before they married. (On the other hand, I will assume he knew her equally well before he proposed. That goes both ways.) Anyway, she's been picking fights (he refuses to fight with her, another point of contention), and has been dropping the "d" word the past week.
At the risk of sounding flippant, what woman in her right mind would threaten to leave a man who fixes her breakfast in bed EVERY weekend? Hell, I told S that if she was done with him, we'd happily adopt him, just for his cooking. Room to himself, access to every book in the house (that's a temptation, for S), and lap cats. He said he'd take the offer into consideration.
What seems to be hardest on him is that his parents have a truly amazing, affectionate & respectful marriage, and I'm guessing they were that way all through his childhood. So their relationship is what he thinks is normal. He said last night he feels cheated; I can't say I blame him.
Poor guy's had a rough six months--between R's periodic rants ("you don't love me because you don't spend money on me"), and being unemployeed since Christmas.....I wish I had a magic wand to wave and fix it all. Or anything, to make it better. I just don't know how.
