Monday, May 16, 2005
The mother in law
I've done my usual thing of not posting on the blog for ages, then spewing out five sides of A4 when I do get round to it. Sorry. So I thought I'd break this entry into two parts.
Previously on Suzie's blog... I mentioned my parents in law. These guys are great. I stayed with them for six days last week while Joe was on business in Germany. Although most of our evenings were spent in front of the TV, it was so nice to be part of a functional family where there's a mum and dad and they actually speak to each other and talk about mundane things.
And boy, does my mother in law know how to talk. Even if we're just sitting in front of the TV, it's not enough to just sit there and watch it. Oh no. That would mean silence. We have to conduct a conversation while I try and work out what's happening on CSI (which isn't difficult considering every episode's the same). If the conversation is about the TV show, my MIL will either (a) ask me what's happening, even though we've been watching exactly the same show for exactly the same amount of time, or (b) tell me what's happening, even though we've been watching exactly the same show for exactly the same amount of time ("Oh, so he just shot her." "Yes, ma. I kind of got that impression from the way blood is spurting from a bullet-shaped wound in her head.")
But these are superficialities. As a person my MIL is one of the warmest, huggiest people you could meet. She also makes great food, even if she does convince herself that it's healthy ("the meat's not really fried." "Yes it is, ma. You put it in a pan with oil. Then you heated it up."). I feel like I can tell her anything, and ask her any question (like "Is it possible for you to talk to me while you're driving without weaving between lanes?" Answer: no). She's my Canadian-Italian mum and I love her to bits.
The day after I got back to Hamilton (along with Joe), my article was published in the Hamilton Spectator! On the front page!!!! There, sandwiched between a whacking great photo of one of my interviewees and the article itself, was my byline: "by Suzie Chiodo." On the front page!!! And, because I'm a permanent resident now, I'll be getting paid soon (cha-ching!). From now on, in the words of Yazz, the only way is up.
Previously on Suzie's blog... I mentioned my parents in law. These guys are great. I stayed with them for six days last week while Joe was on business in Germany. Although most of our evenings were spent in front of the TV, it was so nice to be part of a functional family where there's a mum and dad and they actually speak to each other and talk about mundane things.
And boy, does my mother in law know how to talk. Even if we're just sitting in front of the TV, it's not enough to just sit there and watch it. Oh no. That would mean silence. We have to conduct a conversation while I try and work out what's happening on CSI (which isn't difficult considering every episode's the same). If the conversation is about the TV show, my MIL will either (a) ask me what's happening, even though we've been watching exactly the same show for exactly the same amount of time, or (b) tell me what's happening, even though we've been watching exactly the same show for exactly the same amount of time ("Oh, so he just shot her." "Yes, ma. I kind of got that impression from the way blood is spurting from a bullet-shaped wound in her head.")
But these are superficialities. As a person my MIL is one of the warmest, huggiest people you could meet. She also makes great food, even if she does convince herself that it's healthy ("the meat's not really fried." "Yes it is, ma. You put it in a pan with oil. Then you heated it up."). I feel like I can tell her anything, and ask her any question (like "Is it possible for you to talk to me while you're driving without weaving between lanes?" Answer: no). She's my Canadian-Italian mum and I love her to bits.
The day after I got back to Hamilton (along with Joe), my article was published in the Hamilton Spectator! On the front page!!!! There, sandwiched between a whacking great photo of one of my interviewees and the article itself, was my byline: "by Suzie Chiodo." On the front page!!! And, because I'm a permanent resident now, I'll be getting paid soon (cha-ching!). From now on, in the words of Yazz, the only way is up.
