We couldn’t really work out what to do with the day, but we ended up going to see the latest Tim Burton movie – Corpse Bride. Now, normally I fall asleep at some point when I take the kids to the cinema, but I really enjoyed this one… and although it was animated it had a brilliant cast (Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Christopher Lee, Joanna Lumley, Emily Watson, Albert Finney, Tracey Ullman… and I’m sure I caught Tom Waites singing in there too). Both of the kids had a great time, and too much too eat. They went to their Mum’s not long after we got home, and I’ve been getting “stuff” done since then so I can go wander around markets tomorrow.One of the things I did was to put a cash-flow forecast together so that I can secure my overdraft facility with the bank before January 1st. It’s actually quite frightening… the first profitable month looks like being July, and it doesn’t show a positive cash balance until… November. Fuck me, that seems like a long way off. Still, the year-end looks okay, and it includes paying myself a bit more than I probably should, so what the hell?
I also have something of a dilemma at the moment. A couple of years ago, on my first holiday alone with the children in Tenerife, we hooked up with a couple of Scottish sisters, one currently living in Edinburgh and the other in Torquay, down on the south coast of England. We met up with them again this summer (I think I mentioned once that they were directly involved in the head-shaving incident), and it was clear that one of their marriages was in dire straights. I recently found out through some emails with her (the sister in Scotland) that she’s had to throw her husband out of the house – he’s an alcoholic and had been increasingly abusive, so I kind of saw it coming. She was completley distraught, worryingly so, and has suddenly disappeared off the face of the earth – no texts, emails or phone calls for a couple of weeks now. The thing is, she was scared to tell her sister – the one person who could really offer some support – what had happened. I’m getting really concerned, and might have to make a decision as to whether I tell her instead. I’m going to have to really think about that one.
23 comments:
I quite fancy going to see the corpse bride - lots of good reviews, but I doubt I'll find the time....
IMHO you should not tell one sister about anothers life - it nearly always leads to trouble for the non-family member & often screws up the family relationship too. However, talk to sister with the problem & encourage her to discuss it with her sister.
I agree with the above post. It's such a tricky situation getting between sisters even with the best intentions. Good luck.
I loved The Corpse Bride. Especially the end with all the butterflies. That was pretty.
I think you can contact the sister without going into detail. Just mention that you haven't heard from the other one in a while and wondered if she's okay.
Telling in this case isn't so bad. She'll have to find out eventually. It's not something that can be kept a secret for long.
That deleted comment was from me, as I posted it before I saw your comment and therefore looked like a narcissistic geek (which I am, but I like to openly admit to that rather than inadvertedly disclosing it).
What I meant to say was that your blog is really very well written and thought out. It reminds me of someone I used to know, but not entirely sure who. Someone I liked though, doubtlessly.
On the sister: I would call 'stable' sister and say I was worried about 'unstable' sister, but without going into detail. There might be things between them that you don't yet know about that makes important the news is broken to her in a certain way or at a certain time.
But that's just my humble opinion.
Unfortunately, I won't see 'The Corpse Bride' since, I'm almost certain, it will be dubbed. I think you could ask her sister about the 'lost' sister without causing much distress. Maybe she knows something?
Nothing wrong with e mailing Torquay sister and asking if anything is wrong with scottish sister as you haven't heard from her for a couple of weeks. Your dilemma only comes if she says that she hasn't heard from her either, and is worried about her. And if you genuinely fear for her safety then I believe you must do something about it. Sibling confidentiality or not.
Much as I love the relationship I have with my grown up daughters, I do miss small, warm, soft bodies coming into my bed for a cuddle.
Mrs A, find the time... really. I can't talk to the sister with the problem, btw, because she's "gone".
Annalis, thanks. I'm not sure there isn't a middle ground, actually.
Blue, it was Tim Burton, of course... always worth seeing. Yes, the ending was beautiful.
Jamy, that's just what I was thinking, as it happens. Thanks.
J's G - ROFL! Oh, and thanks. I agree with you on the sister issue, just about... I'd rather take a small chance of falling out with them than any chance she may really be in trouble.
Pos - yes, exactly what I'm thinking.
Zooz - you've just articulated what I woke up thinking. And I'll send sproglet round for a cuddle, shall I?
either sproglet anytime, wdky. I could always take boy sproglet to the arse-nal for some re-education
I agree with zooz on both counts. I would let sister 2 know that communication with sister 1 had ended abruptly and say something like "I hope all is well with her." That opens the door for further comment but really gives nothing away. I'm sure you'd play it appropriately once you began the dialogue.
Now, I realize that sproglets are children, and assume if there is a sproglet there must be a sprog...but what, pray tell, would the definition be? And, while we're at it, if a British friend called me a wally, that would make me a/an______?
And, yes, kiddo cuddles are the best. Not that I recall what grownup cuddles feel like...lol.
Zooz - in your dreams.
Anon, a sroglet is a sprog, but I just like the term more. I think I might have made it up, in fact. As for being a wally... well, its not exactly a rerence. But it's usually meant in a pretty light-hearted way, so I wouldn't worry too much :-)
Thank you, WDKY. I suppose I'll get used to being called things I've never heard before...lol.
Your sprog sounds adorable! I am contemplating doing a podcast but I'm stumbling over what to do it on but also my voice is a little distinctive with my weird accent. It's a fine line that you tread there with the sister confidentiality issue. However you said she was scared to tell her sister not that she had said that *you* couldn't say anything. Follow your gut x
Thanks NML - he is!! And I know just what you mean about podcasting, as I've mentioned in a previous post. Still, why not give it a go... I'd love to hear your voice.
Wandered over from chez nml, pressed the button ten times, then saw your comments lurking behind my other wanderings. There is something alarming about Burton and the Bonham Carter anyway, let alone combined in a kiddie film. Perhaps it was quite good. I'm looking forward to a watchable version of Narnia. Nothing replaces that man's W-a-r-d-r-obe. :-).. Far reaching, pointless overdraft calcultions are a definite sign of middle age. Dump your bank and on to the next. Remember? ...;-) Power to the People.
Hi fjl... nice of you to stop by :-)
The film was superb, well worth seeing. As for my ramblings about overdrafts, you might not have read back through my previous posts (can't say I blame you) but I'm starting up my own business at the end of the year, so it's not something I'm able to ignore, unfortunately. I will ignore your reference to middle-age though, as I don't do labels. And I won't be labelled!
Incidentally, The Lion, The Witch and The wardrobe was my all-time favourite book from my childhood... I'm about to start reading it to the children.
Thanks, Toupacz... I'm paying myself mostly in dividends, which are tax efficient, and I've estimated that I'll be moving into profit on a monthly basis around July. The cash-flow isn't too much of a problem as I've more than covered what I need to get thropugh to the year end (he say's, hopefully). If things go according to plan, I'll make an 11% margin or more at the end of year one, after I'm paid... I'll be happy with that.
I haven't seen the movie yet but so want to go. As for the missing sister, I agree with some of the other posters that it wouldn't hurt to just call the sister and ask how the MIA sister is...that you haven't heard from her in awhile.
So, I don't recall, but did we ever get details on the headshaving incident? You know I love details.
Errr, no! But I will oblige, possibly this evening (it's a sorry tale).
Just don't ask for a photo.
You are such a good dad...it's rather sexy.
Tell the sister, you'll feel bad if something happens to her and you never said anything.
Thanks, NWC - you always say the nicest things.
Blither, no - we're very close. And she's scared at what her sister and brother-in-law might say to her husband (making the whole situatuon iretrievable).
Post a Comment