Saturday 22 November 2008

Settling in

Dig is home, so there is much pissed off shouting in the house, mostly from me because, let's face it, we all get used to daddy Dig's absence, and life goes on whether he is in the UK or Korea. Quite simply, having him back takes some readjustment, and such readjustment is completed after a very big row about something significant and vital to all our lives, like who last ate cheese.

Dig probably feels we should be spreading palm leaves on the ground and slaughtering vegetables in celebration. Whereas in reality Grit huffs and puffs Can you not put the cheese away? and the children don't say anything at all because they totally ignore him.

However, if he delves into a briefcase and comes up with a plastic cabbage, modelled after the national treasure of South Korea, then the children are all over him like a rash until they have a monumental fight over possession of the cabbage.

While the gritlets are fighting, blood is flowing, and tears are streaming, Grit is tearing out her hair in despair, shouting Don't you know you have to buy THREE plastic cabbages? while Dig, legging it out of the kitchen, is snorting contemptuously that he has better things to do than carry a bag of plastic cabbages around south east Asia, thank you very much.

Thus begins a day of happy-back-together family harmony in the Grit and Dig household.

And if you doubt the status of a cabbage as emblem of South Korea, scroll down here.

Of course Dig would not have brought home a plastic replica of the other great national Korean symbol, a piece of pork in soy sauce, because we are vegetarian.

12 comments:

Kitty said...

I feel your pain (((G))) x

mamacrow said...

lol! happy, um, family time :)

Waffle said...

Fule. One cabbage is indeed a schoolboy error for the papa of triplets. I reckon about 48 hours before you all adjust to having him around again. Presumably then he's leaving again?

Grit said...

it will all be back to normal again soon folks, and the dominant female hierarchy will be reasserted from the grit corner once more. it is just an attempt by the male to try and assert territorial control.

i saw that in a programme about lemurs.

Grit said...

to answer your question jaywalker he is now back for christmas and new year. he says his schedule next year is empty. (that means he probably is not counting european tour dates.)

Waffle said...

He is omitting the weasel words "so far". You know it and I know it. Confiscate his cheese.

Irene said...

I always had to make a major adjustment when my first husband came home from a long business trip. It was hard for me to make room for him and let go of any of the control I had over the household and the kids. I felt he was an interloper and that he had no right to interfere with things he knew nothing of. After a while, I got used to him again, although it wasn't a happy marriage and in the end we each went our own way. I am not wishing such an ending for you and Dig, nor am I implying it.

Minnie said...

Ah, Grit. Give him what for!! Atta girl"o))

And brassicas!!! Phew...you know to watch out for 'fallout!!! Eeew!

sharon said...

So, no changes then?! Still Dig should be nicely broken in by Christmas he-he. Was the plastic cabbage not yours though? How can he have forgotten so quickly the sibling battles for supremacy and possession of unconsidered trifles? Actually I hope he had the sense to bring back a really classy gift for you.

Oooh, just had a thought - yes it was painful - you could use the cabbage as a weapon of mouse destruction!

R. Molder said...

I did not know that about Cabbage in S. Korea. I've been there several times and know the importance of kimchee which is basically fermented cabbage and they even eat it with breakfast! Glad to hear all is back to normal in the Grit home.

Anonymous said...

Tagged you over at mine!

Grit said...

hello all, thank you for your comments!

irene, do not worry! i am offended only by dim-witted ignorance, and that doesn't apply to you!

sharon, how should i approach this problem? lay in wait for the mouse before thwaking it over the head with the cabbage? or set fire to the cabbage in the most likely nesting area? right now both of those scenarios seem logical.

sb! fermented cabbage? yum yum yum. and mud ... i will do my best!