The last few days

[taimatsu]

On Monday, as I mentioned, I went to yoga for the first time. It was good, although the hall is very cold and when the webpage said 'towel' they meant 'blanket'. I managed most of the poses quite easily, although Corpse Pose (flat on your back, legs slightly apart, palms up) hurts my back. This is annoying, since it's supposed to be the 'rest' pose. I think it comes of sitting slouched at computer monitors for so many years. But I do have flexible hips. You win some, you lose some.

Yesterday I had BSL level 2. I was incredibly nervous, because I haven't studied or even used BSL for over a year. I'm very rusty. The teacher is nice, if a little intimidating, and my classmates seem friendly. The entire thing is done in sign, though - no voices allowed at all. It was pretty intense - before we were half-way through I had a headache from concentrating so hard. I need to practise reading fingerspelling. I will do some revision before next week, now that I have found my old notes.

Japanese doesn't start till next week, so tonight I am free. Robert, however, has an extra band practice, so I will be predominantly tidying up by myself (although he will try to cut it short as I was expecting to spend time with him tonight).

I got somewhat enraged this morning as my dad phoned me at about half-past seven to guilt-trip me. He phoned to ask when I was coming back to Wimbledon as he had made plans to go out tonight and wanted someone to be in the house with Hugo, and sounded very disappointed and aggrieved when I said I was planning to travel early tomorrow. There are several things wrong with this picture. First, I was not definite about when I was coming back and always mentioned Thursday as a possibility, so assuming I'm available is a bad plan. Secondly, Hugo is SEVENTEEN and should not need a babysitter. Thirdly, if he *does* need one, why not PAY for one instead of expecting me to do it unpaid? Just because I'm in the area does not mean I have no plans for the evening. Fourthly, phoning me at that time in the morning is never going to cause me to be sympathetic to your self-inflicted screw-ups.

The real problem, I think, is that my dad seems to go out and then *stay* out, not getting back till the small hours of the morning. I don't know what he's doing or where or why, but that's what happens. So while Hugo would be fine (no, really) in the house by himself (or if he's not, he'll damn well have to learn to be), he does need someone in the house overnight. So my dad will just have to do the parent thing, and actually get home when he says he will for a change. Pigs might fly. But I'm not going to get involved. I'm going to be back in Reading permanently very soon, and they'll just have to get used to it. Grrr.

Comments

[borusa.livejournal.com]

Mmm. I noticed from the phone message that your Dad seems to believe that you live in Wimbledon and come to Reading for a holiday.

[taimatsu]

What did he actually say? I never listened to the message he left!

[borusa.livejournal.com]

Basically, that he wanted to know when you were coming back, and that he hoped you were returning refreshed and stuff. Sorry, I deleted it in a fit of housekeeping.

[taimatsu]

Grrrr.

Maybe he just meant 'before the funeral' but who knows?

*sigh*

[lanfykins.livejournal.com]

Seventeen is easily old enough to be alone in a house, even overnight. Hell, I was living in halls at that age...

[mirabehn.livejournal.com]

Grrr. No wonder you're enraged. I would be too.

And I agree with lanfykins - 17 should be fine overnight.

[tea-cantata.livejournal.com]

Ditto to what the others have said -- I was staying alone overnight at 13, and it didn't worry me. I had actually thought Hugo was significantly younger than 17 because you always described him as your smallest brother, so I was thinking something like 9 or 12 or something, but at 17 I think he can stay overnight alone, though I don't know if there are other factors?

[taimatsu]

The other factor is that while my mother was ill (in the early part of her most recent illness, ie six/seven months ago) Hugo was the only child in the house and my dad travelled on business quite often. Hence, when bad things happened Hugo tended to be the one around having to deal with them. There were a couple of really not-good incidents and Hugo once had to get the neighbour to call an ambulance. So maybe some insecurity, especially now, is not unjustified. But I shouldn't be the one called on to deal with it.

And he's always been treated as definitely The Youngest (which annoys me, but hey) so he does act younger than he really ought. So it kind of adds up, but he's got to deal with it some time.

[beingjdc.livejournal.com]

Oh man, Hugo is seventeen already?

[taimatsu]

'Fraid so. Typical moody teenager; has recently grown his hair into a weird collar-length mop that makes him look like a 70s footballer.

[beingjdc.livejournal.com]

Tch, these long-haired types. Don't trust 'em.

[evilbun.livejournal.com]

I'd love to learn BSL. I kinda a bit speak macaton (not sure how it's spelt) which is for children with learning disabilities. It's similar but less 'full' no fillers like 'and' 'if' whatever, more like 'I want biscuit' and simple phrases.