Weekend on the Farm

Shoo. The weekend just flew by! Varen & I spent it on the farm with his whole fandamily. The drive there on late Friday afternoon was a bit more hectic than usual. We spent a lot of time driving towards a massive electrical storm (seriously, the lightning was amazing! I have never seen "star lightning" before!) and just after Senekal, we hit the rain. Boy did it pour. And then there were flooding dirt roads to contend with, but we all made it safe and sound.

The weather cleared up quite nicely for the rest of the weekend - thank goodness, was a little worried about Coal & Lily having gone all that way and not getting any decent run-around time, especially since they really do not seem to enjoy being in the car! I spent a lot of the weekend just relaxing, with the bunnies and my book.

Let me explain something here, I do like Varen's family, but sometimes it's hard for me. Aside from the fact that they're Afrikaans and I'm not (there are a lot of unwritten rules that I don't even know exist) and aside from the fact that there's a cloud of drama hanging over the family currently, there's the fact that when there's a mere family event, there are 9 *nine* people there. And there's still the potential for 2 more (currently Varen's youngest brother & sister are single). That's *alot* of people. In my immediate family, there's Mom, Dad, me & The Peeb. Even with Varen & Button that's still only 6 of us. Much more manageable ... for me. Varen doesn't notice that 9 is a crowd. So on these family weekends away I often find myself escaping to a quiet spot. It can be exhausting. My family does see the extended family (grandparents, aunts, uncles & cousins) for the usual sort of occasions: Christmas, birthdays, that sort of thing. But as much as I enjoy that, sometimes it can be exhausting too ;) And being perfectly honest, the only time we tried an entire family weekend away, I spent a fair amount of time escaping to my own space too!

Anyhoo. It's also interesting in other ways. I'm by far the eldest of the crowd (other than his folks, of course), being just less than 2 years older than Varen ... who is a whopping 13 years or so older than his sister. Being around teenagers is weird. It's now 12 years since I left school and I am beginning to wonder how parents ever manage to relate to the strange creatures that inhabit a high-school (clearly getting old here!). I mean, I can remember the feeling, of thinking that you were mature and old and definitely knew what was best for yourself, now if only you could be truly independent and not rely on your parents for lifts everywhere! It's certainly a funny stage to look back on ... because I am only realising now how much effort it must take from parents not to a) shoot their ridiculous ideas about life right down and b) not to pack up laughing all the time. Teenagers have *no* idea about real life. And in some ways I envy them ... they believe everything is possible, because they haven't yet had to consider the consequences. Imagine your biggest worry being your outfit (okay, some people my age still act like it is!) or if that Matric boy noticed you when you walked passed and if your friends think you're "cool" enough (okay, that never bothered me). It is so weird to look at someone at that stage in their life and wonder who they'll be at 30. I know at 16 you think you know who you are ... but I've learnt that you really don't. You still have a lot of learning to do ... although no 16 year old would ever believe that ;)

So yeah, it was a good weekend, generally. But I was glad to get home ... to another rain-storm! We also watched Bangkok Dangerous this weekend (I tell you, I should *never* let Varen pick the movie!)

Joe, an international hit man who follows a simple code, arrives in Bangkok for his last contract - four kills and then retirement. He hires Kong, a local street hustler, to run his errands, and he gets to work. By the second hit, Joe has started violating his four rules, losing his anonymity, leaving behind traces, and getting emotionally involved. Only one rule remains intact: don't ask questions. Can Joe regain his footing and get out alive?

It was rubbish, even Varen agreed (after putting up such a fuss to watch it :) ) I don't know what's happened to Nicholas Cage's movie choices lately. But anyway. Ridiculous, do not waste your time watching this!