This last week I had 'the' chat to my lovely Jodie about what she wants to do as regards the Vereeniging. Just to remind those of you who have forgotten or who haven't been visiting me for long, Jo moved onto my barge, the Vereeniging, a year ago this month. At the time, we agreed she would have a year to decide whether she wanted to make barge life a permanent thing, and added to that, whether she wanted to stay on the Vereeniging.
Well, one thing is clear. She wants to live on a barge. She loves it despite the inevitable inconvenience that such a life brings. The second thing is that she realises it cannot be the Vereeniging. My little barge is too small for my daughter's myriad interests. She is bursting out of it at the seams. I saw this coming almost from the first and I am not surprised. Her books, musical instruments and art work alone take up more than all the room there is. What there is left to live and cook in is less than her ambitions in this department will allow. I know she was worried about telling me, but it was clear to me in many ways. I am only glad she's had the experience and decided what she wants.
The other and good part is that I get my barge back. And in truth I'll be very happy to receive it again. I've missed it dearly, and I'm already dreaming about what I'm going to do with it in the coming years. One thing I've learnt is that the Vereeniging is too much part of me to relinquish, and come what may, my barge and I will be cruising off into a French sunset one of these days.
Koos will of course be my first mate...
How lovely to get Vereeniging back, that'll keep you busy (like you do not have enough to do!). Where do these kids get all their stuff from? I have stuff but that's been accumulated over 50+ years, but my son and his girlfriend live in a three bedroomed house that is overflowing! Hope you and Koos are well and don't have this horrible cold, white slushy stuff that we've got xxx
ReplyDeleteFran, my daughter has never believed in less is more! She does everything with enthusiasm, so if she starts a new hobby, she gets all the 'stuff'. Last time I looked, she had two violins, two guitars, two or three amps, a turn table and a stack of records , not to mention a library's worth of CD's and DVD's. Then there's the painting stuff (easels, oils, watercolours etc). All this on a barge with living space the size of a 45ft narrow boat, then you get the picture! And yes, we have got that cold, white stuff here too. We woke this morning to several centimetres of it ! Yuk!
ReplyDeleteHi Val .. that sounds a lovely relaxing time ahead in France or the waterways of Europe ..
ReplyDeleteAlways seems funny to have a barge named Vereeniging ... having lived in SA - where the town was and industrial hub.
Glad things are easier .. cheers Hilary
Oh, French sunsets - now there's a though to cheer freezing Sunday.
ReplyDeleteYour daughter is like my son,he finds a hobby and has to buy everything for it,he's been the same since a child. How lovely to have your barge back,will you live on it or use it for holidays?
ReplyDeleteSounds like our Lukas as well, his student box of approx 250 square feet down there in Abo is cramped with guitars, amps, my old turntable and stereo amp cases of vinyls, hundreds and hundreds of CD:s, he has to criss cross his way down to the desk to do the essays etc and there is barely room enough for a laptop... :)
ReplyDeleteSorry ´'bout the white stuff, we have enough of that here and the temperature is down to -10 to -15 C every night and there is no relief in sight... :(
Forgot to mention the flat screen TV and XBOX...
ReplyDeleteI'm happy for both of you. :-)
ReplyDeleteTom
Hilary, for me Vereeniging was a peaceful place. I'm serious! I used to sit in the park with a book and read between appointments. It was always quiet, never busy and always sunny. I was very fond of the place, but of course, that's not why the Vereeniging is called that. It was just coincidence that I found a barge with that name. It's an old-fashioned spelling here. These days a vereniging just has one 'e'.
ReplyDeleteJo, French sunsets are what keep me keeping on. It's freezing here too. And snowing!
Hans, you were absolutely right about the cold stuff coming our way! Glad I'm not the only one with squirrels in the family :-)
Anne, you too? I wonder what it is. I've never been a squirrel, except about books maybe...
Tom, thank you. We'll be happy to be re-united!
So glad you will be back on the water, can't imagine you without the Vereeniging!
ReplyDeleteMe, too, String. It would be like cutting out a part of me.
ReplyDeleteyou're a generous mother to whom I am glad the Vereeniging will return. yay!
ReplyDelete