The hungry thunderbolt

It’s 6h31.  Time to go to school.

“I’m hungry”, Thunderchild says.  This just after she entered the kitchen and proclaimed “My school shoes are missing”.  I had just found them in her cupboard and brought them to her, which she promptly put on by squeezing her feet into them without first loosening the straps.

Back to the food.  “There are pampoenkoekies (pumpkin fritters)”, the wife says.  “No, it’s too late.  There’s no time”.  “Yes there is,” I say and get going.  TC and her mom head for the car so long.

I get the food from the fridge, take out the gravy that comes with it, punch a few holes and into the microwave for 2 minutes.  While that’s going (and I can hear the gate opening so that the car get out), I get serviettes, a fork to eat with and a bag in which to put everything.  Open the gravy.  Ping!  Food is done.

I put the food into a lunch box, add the gravy (the gate is starting to close by now!!!), grab everything else and run to the car.  TC had already opened the window and was in “receiving mode”.  “Thank you.  Love you Daddy.  Bye”.  I make it back before the gate finally closes on me.  All this in 4 minutes.  The wife and TC are gone, off to school.

And tonight she has a sleepover, so it’s going to be noisy.  Will have to read a book or something.

Good luck, TC.  Have a nice day.

Thunderbolt – I don’t want cheese!

I've been planning her school lunch since yesterday.  Who actually plans their children's school lunch? 

Anyways, I get up this morning and rush through my normal chores (wake up TC, get her bath ready, give Emo, the cat, new food and water).  I then check the fridge for the ingredients – all there.  Get a pot, add a little oil and put it on the stove to warm up.

The lunch consists of pancakes rolled around grated cheese and fried cold meat (ham and beef from Woolies).  While the oil is warming up I add some crushed chillies (TC likes them) to absorb just a little of the oil.  Start chopping up the meat – I’m starting to look like a contestant from Masterchef Australia by now.  Pan is warm by now so I add the meat.

Next is to move onto grating the cheese.  By now the wife has come down and starts to set the table for breakfast.  Doubt if TC will be joining us because she’s been a little tired lately. The cold meat is starting to brown and cook nicely by now:  the smell of the chillies is quite enticing.  Remove from the pot and into a waiting bowl.

Now onto the pancakes (bought frozen from Wollies – where else?).   About 40 seconds in the microwave and they’re nice and warm.  Take out, add the meat (with seasoning), cheese and roll the pancake.  Then add a little of the grated cheese on top and back into the microwave for 15 seconds.  Just right.  Into the lunch box and make another one.

About 25 minutes pass and it’s time to go to school.  I’m kinda hoping TC will appreciate and enjoy what I made for her. 

“I DON’T LIKE CHEESE ON MY PANCAKES ANYMORE!”, she shouts.

A few things happen at once.  My world collapses.  How can someone you love so much hurt you like this?  Two, the house explodes as I lose my temper.

“How the hell must I know you don’t like cheese anymore?  Must I smell?”.  I storm out the house.  It’s time for the wife to take her to school.  I decide I’ll still try and say goodbye to her.  “No, don’t come near me.”.  She’s off to school without lunch.

I really don’t know what to do:  I’ve got tears in my eye and a lump in my throat as I’m writing this.  Maybe just wait and sit out the storm (and eat her lunch myself).  Hopefully it’ll blow over in a day or two.  

Sorry Mommy!

Thunderbolt - Sorry Mommy!

So I get up this Sunday morning and notice a letter on the dresser – it says “So Sorry Card”.  What did she do wrong this time again?

As it turned out, she had just placed an online order for a DVD (box set!) called “Anne of Green Gables” (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088727/). 

What on earth?  But apparently they’re studying the story in English class at school and she really seems taken by it.  I suppose it’s important to support and encourage your children when it comes to their education, so I'll definitely make sure she gets it.

Spoke to her earlier today and she had already downloaded some of it from YouTube.  I was never this interested in the books we did when I was at school – they were just plain boring.

She’s also going to be directing a short play sometime later this year at school.  How cool is this?  The drama teacher was apparently quite impressed with her work and decided to give her the opportunity.  Just another reason she's in the school she is, and not somewhere else.

So, nicely done TC, Daddy’s proud of you.

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