12 Aug 2021

HODGEPODGE AUGUST 12

1. What's something you would say 'runs in your family'? 

In my mini family I would say that we are all multilingual and have learned the different languages just like that in work or with friends or during travels. I am the only one who has made a profession out of it and have worked my whole working life as a translator in German, English, French and Italian. Our son speaks French, English and Dutch, my DIL Dutch, English and French and the Grandson of 10 years old speaks Dutch and French and learns English at school and with friends.

2. A book, song, tv show, or movie you love that is centered around family. 

As an only child and very few relatives family doesn't mean a lot to me only my own family  my son, DIL and grandson. But we all have very different tastes and nobody has something about family. Or yes maybe me, when I read a crime story where a man killed his whole family.

3. Family matters, family ties, family tree, family man, family fortune, black sheep of the family, family values, one big happy family...choose a 'family phrase' that applies to your life currently and explain. 

 This is my family, so not much to say, you can see yourself ! No place for a black sheep though 

My son, Daughter in law and 10 year old grandson, almost as tall as his mum !

4. Last thing you fixed for a big family dinner? If you're not the cook, last thing you were served at a big family dinner? 

Fixing a dinner for five people is not a great deal, but we are not more, Mr. G's family lives in Italy and most of them have passed away and the once who remain are too old to travel. I mostly make pasta with seafood and vegetables as my DIL is vegetarian. Not a lot of work it's already prepared and I just have to put it in the microwave. At my vintage age I am too lazy to cook. Have cooked enough in my life !

5. What are three words you would use to describe your family. 

Impossible ! it depends on my mood, how they behave in short, I love them. 

6. Insert your own random thought here.

Strangely I have never regretted to be an only child. When I saw the fights between siblings I was happy to be able to go home and be alone. I always had a lot of friends and never felt lonely 

When I hear family stories around me, mostly now patchwork families, and the problems people have especially on Christmas I am happy that we are only 5 ! But we invite good friends and I always say

Friends you choose, family you inherit.

 

 

8 comments:

  1. Toby is looking so old and so like his father now. With three siblings, I am quite pleased we have never fallen out. Our close family never has a fight.

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  2. A language is a great asset! Good for you and family to be multilingual!
    I notice, however, that your son doesn't speak German and Italian, the native languages of his parents. I'm very much for parents passing on their mother tongue to their offspring.

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    1. In his case it was impossible to speak our mother tongues. He spoke German but switched to Dutch he lives in Amsterdam and both languages are very similar almost like a dialect. Nobody ever spoke Italian with him beecause we spooke German at home. He speaks a little. I don't care as long as everybody understands each other !

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  3. On my mother's side of the family there are several in the extended family who have a common trait. It's a scowl that makes us look like we're in a foul mood. In fact, we're deep in thought.

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  4. We all share some common traits such as hand gestures, and a protruding tooth, mine being the most prominent, LOL!
    My sister has a degree in German, minor in French and Italian.
    When I was a youngster, my mother taught my sister and I how to read Dutch, so now while not the best at it, I can still read it and do some writing and communicating...though my language skills are hampered by the fact that I just do not use Dutch very much anymore. It does help to read magazines in Dutch, like Libelle and Margriet.
    I took a semester of Italian in college, and learned French and German in highschool.
    Once when my sister was visiting here...(how I miss those days of free traveling)...
    We were in a store trying on clothes and being silly...and yakking away in 5 languages. We sure had the clerk confused, LOL!

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  5. I'm an only child and so is my son. But I grew up with my cousins. My son only had 2 cousins and they are in America.

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  6. I didn't know your own child. I am also and only child, although plenty of cousins. But my husband is oldest of 6. We had two sons. Both sons have 2 daughters each.
    Coffee is on and stay safe

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  7. The picture in your blog header is so pretty. My in-laws were both only children so wanted a large family. And I know people who come from large families who only want one : ) Hope you've had a nice weekend!

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