It's been an interesting couple of weeks.

[jonesfam]

This is pretty long winded so try not to get bored.
I have a natural daughter who married a bloke & had a couple of kids.
About six or seven years ago daughter & family were visiting us at our Ravenshoe place for Christmas when our Foster Daughter became very ill. My daughter & I went to the Atherton hospital with her, meanwhile, something happened between 1 of our Grandsons & 1 of our Foster Children who is Autistic. Not sure of the actual events but either way it lead to a massive blow up between SWMBO & our Son in Law. The upshot of this was that SWMBO has not spoken to our daughter or son in law since, ever, full stop.
I always still spoke to my daughter but not the sin in law.
During this period my daughter & her family moved to Adelaide.
So, about 3 weeks ago my daughter phones me in tears that her husband has walked out. Over a few phone calls I discover things have not been going well, I suspected this, & he being unreasonable.
I mention this to SWMBO who insists we fly the daughter & grand sons up here for a couple of weeks. So, after much expense they all duly arrive in Mt Isa & I drive down & get them.

Some of you may be aware that we look after 8 foster kids 6 of who are to some degree special needs. We have 2 house dogs, & SWMBO collects cats, real ones.
So, 3 extra people in the house for 2 weeks has been, not fun, not great, not a disaster but lets say interesting.
Anyway, despite our daughter having long conversations with her husband & her talking about them giving it another try my SWMBO & daughter got on very well. SWMBO has said she will keep in contact whatever happens. Very strange animals, women?

Anyway, I decided while the grand kids were here I would take them for an overnight camp at a place called "Bella" which is a really pretty spring feed creek about 50km away. We had a wonderful time, until the morning we were to come back & the D2 went bang & we lost all drive. I, amazingly, kept my temper despite a 12 & a 8 year old giving me advice & we managed to get home after locking the center diff. That's a whole other story.

So, yesterday SWMBO, the daughter & the grand kids loaded into the Delica & headed to Mt Isa. I have just phoned SWMBO & it is all still peaches & cream, the daughter & kids fly out for colds climes tomorrow, cost me a fortune, & we will see what happens.
After about 7 years it would/will be fantastic if SWMBO & our daughter can have a relationship again? Just so long as the arsehole son in law stays out of it.

Life & family is not a simple thing.
This is a lesson it has taken me a long while to understand.
And when I figure out why Pizza is round, is packed in a square box but eaten as a triangle, I will then understand women!

Jonesfam

[V8Ian]

What can I say, Paul; family!:mellow: I hope it all comes out well, for everybody concerned.

[Blknight.aus]

Pizza is (traditionally) round as the utensils used to cook them are a spun metal plate, typically an object produced via metal spinning is round.
It is served in a square box as the boxes are folded cardboard and simple right angles are the easiest and fastest to fold .
It is sliced into triangles (wedges) as thats the shape you get when you slice a circle in the most effecient manner which is along lines of the diameter of the circle.

Now, when you work out that next problem let me know...

:P

[laney]

You can choose your freinds but who the offspring end up with is a problem at times best of luck .

[Geedublya]

Pizza is (traditionally) round as the utensils used to cook them are a spun metal plate, typically an object produced via metal spinning is round.
It is served in a square box as the boxes are folded cardboard and simple right angles are the easiest and fastest to fold .
It is sliced into triangles (wedges) as thats the shape you get when you slice a circle in the most effecient manner which is along lines of the diameter of the circle.

Now, when you work out that next problem let me know...

:P

Pizza = Easy, now solve women.

[edddo]

This is pretty long winded so try not to get bored.
I have a natural daughter who married a bloke & had a couple of kids.
About six or seven years ago daughter & family were visiting us at our Ravenshoe place for Christmas when our Foster Daughter became very ill. My daughter & I went to the Atherton hospital with her, meanwhile, something happened between 1 of our Grandsons & 1 of our Foster Children who is Autistic. Not sure of the actual events but either way it lead to a massive blow up between SWMBO & our Son in Law. The upshot of this was that SWMBO has not spoken to our daughter or son in law since, ever, full stop.
I always still spoke to my daughter but not the sin in law.
During this period my daughter & her family moved to Adelaide.
So, about 3 weeks ago my daughter phones me in tears that her husband has walked out. Over a few phone calls I discover things have not been going well, I suspected this, & he being unreasonable.
I mention this to SWMBO who insists we fly the daughter & grand sons up here for a couple of weeks. So, after much expense they all duly arrive in Mt Isa & I drive down & get them.

Some of you may be aware that we look after 8 foster kids 6 of who are to some degree special needs. We have 2 house dogs, & SWMBO collects cats, real ones.
So, 3 extra people in the house for 2 weeks has been, not fun, not great, not a disaster but lets say interesting.
Anyway, despite our daughter having long conversations with her husband & her talking about them giving it another try my SWMBO & daughter got on very well. SWMBO has said she will keep in contact whatever happens. Very strange animals, women?

Anyway, I decided while the grand kids were here I would take them for an overnight camp at a place called "Bella" which is a really pretty spring feed creek about 50km away. We had a wonderful time, until the morning we were to come back & the D2 went bang & we lost all drive. I, amazingly, kept my temper despite a 12 & a 8 year old giving me advice & we managed to get home after locking the center diff. That's a whole other story.

So, yesterday SWMBO, the daughter & the grand kids loaded into the Delica & headed to Mt Isa. I have just phoned SWMBO & it is all still peaches & cream, the daughter & kids fly out for colds climes tomorrow, cost me a fortune, & we will see what happens.
After about 7 years it would/will be fantastic if SWMBO & our daughter can have a relationship again? Just so long as the arsehole son in law stays out of it.

Life & family is not a simple thing.
This is a lesson it has taken me a long while to understand.
And when I figure out why Pizza is round, is packed in a square box but eaten as a triangle, I will then understand women!

Jonesfam

Well...you may have to ask your wife.😳

[87County]

Thank you so much for sharing that with us Paul - as I read your post I was feeling that it goes to show that you are a "legend" mate, and thank you for reminding us what the difference is between what is expendable (eg. the Disco) and what is not (family).

Your family obviously has real gems with you, your SWMBO and ALL your kids.

You are quite right when you post that Life and Family is not a simple thing and it does seem like none us get through unscathed.

It is another story, but your mention of Atherton Hospital brought to mind our time spent there when my SWMBO was quite ill last August. The staff at Atherton were GREAT.

I really do enjoy reading every post about your isolated existence and hope that I can make it up there one day.

Thanks again - Laurie :)

[trout1105]

The larger the family the more complex life becomes.
We have 8 kids and 19 grandkids so I can relate to your dramas old Mate.
Yes the preverbal does hit the fan on occasions and it can be heartbreaking at times But overall I wouldn't change a thing.
Stick with it Mate as the good times always far outnumber the bad times[thumbsupbig]

[jonesfam]

Thank you so much for sharing that with us Paul - as I read your post I was feeling that it goes to show that you are a "legend" mate, and thank you for reminding us what the difference is between what is expendable (eg. the Disco) and what is not (family).

Your family obviously has real gems with you, your SWMBO and ALL your kids.

You are quite right when you post that Life and Family is not a simple thing and it does seem like none us get through unscathed.

It is another story, but your mention of Atherton Hospital brought to mind our time spent there when my SWMBO was quite ill last August. The staff at Atherton were GREAT.

I really do enjoy reading every post about your isolated existence and hope that I can make it up there one day.

Thanks again - Laurie :)

Yes, when our Foster daughter was there the staff were fantastic, because she was very young at the time I had to stay in hospital with her, the staff looked after us both very well indeed.
As it was just after Christmas I spent my days trying to watch the cricket test on a tiny TV they had in the kids ward, after our daughter was discharged I went to a certain electrical retailer & bought a good sized flat screen TV & gave it to the kids ward, just as a thank-you. Also in case I ended up there again & a test match is on.
Jonesfam

[87County]

Yes, when our Foster daughter was there the staff were fantastic, because she was very young at the time I had to stay in hospital with her, the staff looked after us both very well indeed.
As it was just after Christmas I spent my days trying to watch the cricket test on a tiny TV they had in the kids ward, after our daughter was discharged I went to a certain electrical retailer & bought a good sized flat screen TV & gave it to the kids ward, just as a thank-you. Also in case I ended up there again & a test match is on.
Jonesfam


Well done mate !

[V8Ian]

Yes, when our Foster daughter was there the staff were fantastic, because she was very young at the time I had to stay in hospital with her, the staff looked after us both very well indeed.
As it was just after Christmas I spent my days trying to watch the cricket test on a tiny TV they had in the kids ward, after our daughter was discharged I went to a certain electrical retailer & bought a good sized flat screen TV & gave it to the kids ward, just as a thank-you. Also in case I ended up there again & a test match is on.
Jonesfam
Did you tell the kids the Wiggles' channel was broken? [wink11]

[AndyG]

1. Women are strange cattle
2. Women will automatically unite against and male who has wronged them
2.1 Males are always in the wrong

[Milton477]

Jonesfam, you make the rest of us look like we are still on training wheels with our 2 kids. Good for you mate, we can learn a thing or 2 about being good people from you.

[scarry]

Geez,you have done well!

Women,well if you can ever understand how they tick,you will have to let us all know[biggrin][thumbsupbig]

A bit off topic,SWMBO had our last son Bathurst weekend.[bighmmm]

It was '87,i was off to the waiting room numerous times,Brock was sliding around in the rain,running third,catching the cheating Sierras,meanwhile she was in labour pains wondering where the hell i kept disappearing to.[bigrolf]

[DiscoMick]

Really hope the relationships continue to be positive.
Also, you're a legend with the foster kids. Well done!
You don't have to understand it, just be the person you would admire in the middle of it.