Long phone conversation with ex-husband about daughter and granddaughter today ...
It was good. We were married for 16 years and to throw away the friendship with the marriage would have been a crazy waste of years, just for the sake of a divorce. So we're friends who occasionally disagree and don't talk for a while sometimes.
And we chatted about our daughter, her daughter, the journey they're making, about the past and I caught up on news of family back home. It was good.
This afternoon we were out celebrating Pasen with Gert's extended family ... his ex-wife, the children, his parents and brother and sister and etc.
It was a lovely few hours and only a small glass of Sambuca made walking feasible. These Belgians certainly know how to create and eat ... the array of desserts was simply stunning.
Tonight it's all about moving files between Gert's computer and our new secondhand computer. He started it up and it roared into life ... worrying us some but quietening after a few seconds.
Rooms painted, curtains hung, bed assembled, beds made, possessions streamlined, windows almost all cleaned, kitchen lovely and small gifts bought for our wonderful host and hostess to be in Paris.
Tot straks!
Ah renewal, fresh starts, spring, sunshine--all perfect for Easter.
ReplyDeleteHey v-grrl, I loved the post you wrote on Easter. It was a rather stunning day weatherwise, and the flowers aren't too bad around here in the city even.
ReplyDeleteEaster is fun, you can eat so much chocolate that your cholestrol just thinks that the sky isn't the limit.
ReplyDeleteAhh we Belgians sure know how to live life on the pretty side.
Have fun in Paris and with the young ones.
All the very best to you this easter.
ReplyDeleteHarvey
You know, the Easter bunnies didn't come to me and although we went out for a Belgian Easter dinner, I still didn't realise ...
ReplyDeleteAnyways, thanks Manic :)
And you too Harvey. I remember Easter as often being the time of the first frost back home in New Zealand, when I was a kid.
A very late happy Easter Di! I just returned from Holland (divingschool friends)
ReplyDeleteIt must be great to be able to stay friends with your ex-husband, it shows that you are both devoted and responsible parents.
When there are no children, the situation can be trickier: my (gay)ex married (another man) and now lives in Southern Holland, just North of Antwerp, but I haven't seen him since 1999. Sometimes relationships really come to a full stop.
Have fun in Paris - the temp will be way above 20° - you chose the perfect moment ;)
Welcome home Peter. You read like you were smiling when you left your message, as if Holland had been simply superb :)
ReplyDeleteMy ex-husband and I have had our moments over the years but we're doing okay. I'm less sure about devoted and responsible parents ... we've made what feels like more than a few mistakes.
I'm sorry your ex and you haven't spoken since '99. I guess sometimes it simply confirms that it wasn't going to work out.
I was thinking about your comment while I was doing the afwasen and realised that the way I have often known friends are going to stay friends is when they somehow meet up with each other and tell the same Di stories, not only that, they kind of bond over it.
Gert has promised not join in on the teasing when we go back to NZ but I know he won't be able to resist ... and he does owe me some lol.
Anyway, I'll let you know about Paris. Tot straks :)