argh. Let me enjoy my tea dammit

Have to let this out somewhere.

I accidentally closed Senor Onion's game he was playing on a laptop and oh the ire he had. He will get over it. In fact he already did. But still what a way to start the morning. THEN I get this nasty email from a guy from freecycle because he came by to pick up something and it wasn't there and no one was home. Here is the thing, someone WAS home all day long. No one knocked. AND I set the item out and it was gone. Was it stolen? I don't know. But sending me this CAPSLOCKED email about how he has been shafted a bunch of times and he was going to report me to the moderators blah blah angryman harrumph harrumph doesn't exactly win my affections. I sent him a civil email back saying, I was terribly sorry, that someone had been home all day, no one had knocked and that we had set out the item and it was later gone. And left it at that. I also sent an email to the moderators of freecycle to let them know what was up and to ask if sending abusive emails was acceptable behavior on freecycle.
I already have two kids. I don't need to deal with another.

Phew. That feels better.
So I am thinking of making a pineapple upside down cake today.

history time

At the moment I am reading We Two which is about the relationship between Queen Victoria and her husband Prince Albert. Obviously things are not always as tidy and lovely as one hopes in any relationship. There is the typical narrative about their relationship -much of it built up by Queen Victoria after the death of Prince Albert. It isn't to say that she didn't love him but there is so much more to it. All of which is really fascinating. The story of their families is really important to how they came together. Talk about serious dysfunction. I haven't seen such manipulative tactics since being in a junior high locker room. Obviously I am enjoying the book.

I admit I laughed about the first two times that V&A met. The first time they met, he had no use for girls (German culture at the time was really weird and he had essentially been raised to not really think about women) and he was kind of a pedantic dork. She did think he was kind of cute BUT he wasn't interesting and he would go to bed early and wasn't exactly exciting stuff to a 17 year old girl. The second time they met the whole lead up to it was this passive-aggressive festival. There was pressure on both sides for them to meet. She was nearing twenty and therefore getting to spinster-ville. (OMG) He was being pressured to make the deal as he was a prince without much money and if he could secure this then it would make A LOT of people in his family very very happy. Victoria tells him, "yeah sure you can visit...but not until after September because I have to meet with my privy council and so I am kind of busy." Albert writes, "ah. Well. We can't visit until sometime in October then. Busy and what not." THEN he and his brother were stuck waiting in France for a reasonable crossing and Victoria was thinking, "OMG it is JUST the English channel what is your problem." Albert wasn't good with sea travel. It made him sick as a dog. So eventually they cross the channel. And they are supposed to go and meet her at Windsor. But Prince Albert and his people are taking their sweet time. (by this point they are two weeks late) And really she is kind of on edge for a whole host of reasons. She is Queen and she is being given a ration of nonsense because of who she has as ladies in waiting (most are Whig supporters and the Tories are technically in charge and they want some Tories in there and well you know how all of that goes) AND many think that Lord Melbourne has too much influence over the Queen. So she is getting it in the neck from one end. THEN there is the fact that she has gained a bit of weight and she is being told, "you need to lay off the mutton chops." So she is having just broth at lunch, she is told to get some more exercise AND her clothes don't fit so well. THEN to add to all of this, she has a freaking STYE and her skin is acting all weird. Queen Victoria is waiting around for Albert who is on his way to dinner. He is late, she is probably freaking HANGRY (hungry + angry) and she is being pressured to marry up quick. I am surprised she didn't start throwing shit. I know I would have. Anyhow to give some sympathy to Albert, he is on his way to Windsor and his luggage has been lost so he can't even join her for dinner since his formal clothes are god knows where. (who knew that British Airways was in charge of sailing ships then. I bet those clothes were in Spain or something)
BUT he made it to Windsor and there she was at the top of the stairs waiting for him. (being a short gal, she knew the importance of using stairs and what not to her advantage.) Now in the few years between their last meeting, his tutors and family polished him up. He became good at sports and being suave in the drawing room and generally being an all round gentleman. He also grew up a bit and became pretty darn hot. So he rushed up the stairs and greeted her by kissing her hand and kneeling. Queen Victoria suddenly felt less hangry and was all, "well. hey... you are technically family. Join us for dinner. It will be fun." Obviously she was thinking, "Well hello sailor."
Three days later they were engaged.

further stuff on the Victoria and Albert

Where were we? Oh yes. So Victoria and Albert meet and get engaged.
( The book then goes and tells the story of V&A's childhood. )