Wednesday, February 07, 2007

Mind the Gap

My Dad called me from Calgary last night, which absolutely made my day, retroactively of course. It was lovely to hear his comforting voice.


In Orangeville last month

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Today, before dinner, I was looking through some job listings at one of those all-purpose community sites. Then I found myself looking at the personals. Quite a few looked interesting and I was tempted to answer. But then I had dinner, and when I came back, they all looked awful.

I was supposed to go out with someone this week, but haven't heard from him.

**********

Continuing the moodiness, I have been very untalkative for the past couple of weeks.
I think my landlord and landlady (henceforth Mr and Mrs L, as I am fed up of typing their titles) have picked up on that, for they haven't asked me too many questions about anything.

Although, a few minutes ago Mrs L did need help with her TV/AV buttons. She came creeping up the stairs to my room saying my name in a piteous voice. So I went out to the landing, and she poutily said she couldn't get the TV to work. It's funny, do you know what I instinctively did, to someone more than double my age? I bent down a bit, patted my legs and said sweetly, "Come on, then." As you do when you take a child by the hand to go get cookies and milk...

...Saperlipopette!

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In slightly better news, my consultants are already putting my new CV through for a few things, and asking me to cross my fingers, so you had better join in.

And to round off the better-news section, my dear friend Jia Li in Newfoundland has made me a cool London Underground logo:


18 comments:

Beenzzz said...

Lovely picture of you and your parents.
I like how you reacted by slapping your knee. HAHAH!

The Moody Minstrel said...

"Mind...the gap..."

Ah, that brings back memories!!!!

I'm tempted to make a comment about family resemblance, but that would be awfully cliche, wouldn't it?

(Oops..I guess I just did...)

It's amazing what wonders a good dinner can work on mental clarity. Newspaper personals should always be sent through a "grain of salt" filter before opening. (Olivia, moodiness is supposed to be MY job!)

I think your reaction to Mrs. L was a good one! You were behaving as any good mature granddaughter would do! Who knows? She might've appreciated it! (Either that or she's contemplating doing something really nasty to your crockery when you're away next time.)

Olivia said...

Beenzzz - :)

Minstrel -
Here's a thought: humankind has been around for so long that nearly every phrase we use is cliche.

I know, when I typed up that bit about being moody, I thought of you. Hey I borrowed your job for a while.

"Never go shopping on an empty stomach" can be extrapolated to browsing personals.

I'm puzzled as to your use of the word "granddaughter"....
But I have lived with them for 2.5 years now, and they are used to my quirks and I theirs.

Selba said...

Hahaha... *reading Moody Minstrel's comment and Olivia's reply*

I like your family picture, very lovely :)

ML said...

Love the picture. Keeping my fingers crossed for you and really liking the logo :)

The way you responded to Mrs. L is priceless!

neena maiya (guyana gyal) said...

Your mum is from here, you say? That's a lovely photo of the 3 of you.

That was sweet, even though you're in an untalkative mood, you were kind to the old landlady.

I used to have an old landlady in Kingston, Jamaica, she understood when I being grumpy. She was a really great, understand soul.

I woke up in an untalkative mood this morning and have been trying not to be a grump to my old mother. [Is 70 old?]

I hope you get a job soon, one you really really like.

Anonymous said...

That happened to me this week too - the thing about being supposed to go out with someone but he never got in touch. So rude!

Lovely site, by the way. It's really pretty.

Olivia said...

Selba - thank you :)
And yes, Moody is quite the challenging reader!

***

ML - about time my latent mothering instinct started unburying itself.

***

G-G - Indeed she does. Port Mourant, Georgetown, and Skeldon.

My landlady is great, she has a daughter my age (married with a kid though) so she reads me well.

I understand how hard it can be sometimes not to snap at parents. It is said that it is easiest for us to hurt those closest to us. Plus living at home as an adult requires avoiding conflict.

***

Bettie - thanks and welcome!
Gosh, that sucks about them not calling back. We can but move on and try again, eh?

Anonymous said...

Loving the underground logo, Liv! I do love how you treat your landlady, hehe. I do that if we're ever racing to warm up before a football match, I turn around and run backwards clicking my fingers and goading people to catch me.

MattJ said...

hi Liv! You missed me I can tell :p

I have a theory that after people hit a certain age - soemwhere in their 50s - they start to regress. I have this with my parents, my dad asks me to look at his PC and I am constantly with the 'put that down, don't touch that, stop that i'm working!'

As far as classifieds go, it's amazing what peoople put - especially guys - on these ads. I have to confess to meeting april through a dating thingy, I think I struck lucky because I was the first guy that remotely resembled the photo and profile lol! While we were still together, some of the stories she told me about guys that turned up on dates who clearly had used 5 year old photos were hilarious.

havent cehcked newspaper classifieds to see if they are any worse, maybe take up a new competition to see who can find the worst one?

Bettie Web Page said...

Oh yes, I'm moving onwards and upwards as we speak! It meant that I got to stay in and watch ER and the lovely Dr Kovac, so I wasn't too heartbroken ;)

Olivia said...

Hey Pete!
Are you showing off that you can run backwards? :P

***

Matt - hey, missed you terribly, yes.
Haha! I've been getting more frustrated with my parents for years, but then that cuold just be coz I've learned more too.

Don't tell me you're not with April anymore?

Actually, my cousin met her hubby through newpaper personals (she never told her parents that) back in the early 90s, and they've been married for 12 years now.

The newspaper ad competition sounds like fun...!

***

Bettie - good to see you back already :)
But hey, you can't bat your eyelashes at a TV screen...

What is your opinion of the guys who try to get a date on valentine's? Would you go out or stay home?

Bettie Web Page said...

That's true - or you can, but they don't take much notice.

I don't think I'd go for a date on Valentine's Day. I'd far rather stay home than sit squished into a restaurant elbow to elbow with hundreds of other embarrassed-looking couples. If he was planning on flying me to Paris, however, I might reconsider...

MattJ said...

Valentine is a conspiracy generated my florists and confectioners. As such myself and my friend hannah refuse to acknowledge its existance. instead it is a day for horro and/or gangsta/combat flicks. This year is kill Bill 1&2 for me !

Olivia said...

Bettie - I could see that too. Embarrassed-looking couples, which is why I wouldn't go.
But Paris with a stranger? Would you? Not me! Scaredy cat...nice idea though.

***

Matt - that sounds like the cynicism of a singleton.
You wouldn't dare ignore the existence of Valentine's Day if you had a girlfriend. She'd kill you, not Bill!

Bettie Web Page said...

Hmm, when you put it like that, maybe not. I got all caught up in the romance of the moment there. No, you're right, jetting off to Paris with a stranger probably wouldn't be something that my mother would approve of me doing.

Olivia said...

Oh boogers. People have been agreeing with everything I've said today. Not that I'm usually disagreable...

a mystery Paris trip is something to dream about, though, isn't it? :)

Hah! Speaking of personals, I really did see an ad put up by a guy who had booked a holiday, but broke up with his gf before Christmas, and was now advertising for anyone who wanted to go with. Weird.

MattJ said...

I wouldn't ignore it, but I would still hate it and all it stands for. It's a poke in the ribs for crap boyfriends, a day in the year that all the inconsiderate crap they did for the last 12 months can be forgiven for the sake of one vaccuum wrapped hallmark gesture. Personally I'd ratehr take someone out a week later or some other arbitrary date, as a surprise - not some pre-ordained day when romance is prescribed. i'm quite capable of that kind of thing without interflora telling me to say it with roses! grrr! lol!