Whenever I think I might have misnamed the blog this sort of thing happens.
- I demand a family outing for the last day of Mr Shambles holidays. We take a drive past Crescent Head scouting out potential camping spots. Hippie Child’s surfboard is slung between the two girls because Mr Shambles is worried about it falling off the roof on the dirt road. On particularly bumpy patches it hits Princess Child in the head, repeatedly. Don’t worry it’s only mild concussion.
- Mr Shambles ordered Christmas lights from China two-and-a-half months ago for our first ever attempt at a Yuletide lighting up of the house. They arrived yesterday. He insisted on stringing them up anyway.
- I finally get the I-phone I’ve been coverting. We discover the carrier we have signed up with for a two-year-plan has lousy coverage. I can’t use it at the local supermarket (or anywhere else for that matter). Do you know how often I use the phone in the supermarket? Every time I’m there – do we need milk/bread/butter? Can someone check if there are any onions left? DO NOT LECTURE ME ABOUT MAKING A LIST BEFORE I LEAVE HOME.
- I buy the last denim jacket in the store for Hippie Child for Christmas. It’s too small. The day AFTER we drive to Forster (2 hours away) to see visiting relatives we take the denim jacket back only to discover there is one in her size at Forster.
- Nana Shambles tries to be supportive of the blog and leaves a comment. Somehow manages to log on as me which means I leave a message saying how much I love myself. Hippie Child suggests Nana might have a new career as a computer hacker.
- I discover I have three followers on Instagram. I don’t know how to use Instagram. I think I spam my followers with multiple shots of myself.
And so it goes on.
….and yet everyone in the photo is smiling!
Happy New Year to you all:)
And a very happy new year to you guys too.
OMG Janine! You always make me laugh so hard! I love the part about your mom the hacker (Lisbeth Salander?) and the instagrams. So, so, funny!. I’m glad you write blogs instead of books, because I don’t think I could take too much of Shambolics all at once.
LOL. From now on we’ll just refer to Nana as Wasp shall we? As for the instagrams – how many ways do you have to CONNECT with people???? Breath. It’s good to learn new things. It’s good to learn new things. I will keep repeating this mantra until the frustration of trying to learn new things passes.
janine, the iphone thing is a bummer. sorry about that. and the jean jacket – classic. order online. and your honey ordered the lights so long ago – i bet they are beautiful now. it’s still the christmas season! your mom is adorable. i don’t even know her, but she worked hard enough to leave you a message!
I’ve got to give her credit for trying.
The grocery store really is a common place to use the grocery phone. “Mom, can you tell me what I need to make this again”, “Mom, do you know what aisle I can find this in”, “mom, what exactly is the difference between corn meal and corn starch” … I’m working on it 🙂
I remember those phone calls to my mum when I first left home – maybe that’s what I’ll give my daughters when they leave home – a recipe book of all their favourite meals.
We might live parallel lives… but substitute a canoe for the surfboard. Cheers to a happy, healthy, and humorous new year!
Wonder which causes the most damage canoe or surfboard? Hope you have a great 2012 too.
Reading your blog makes my day also and really makes me wish I’d have been able to spend more time with you and your family when I was in Australia not quite 2 years ago. I love reading about your family and the chaotic lifestyle…
Thanks Kim – I hope 2012 is a great year for you and your family.