Overheard at My House

They Might Sell More

10-year-old son who has appropropriated V-Grrrl's sheepskin and merino wool slippers:

“I don’t know why they call them Uggs. They ought to call them Aahs.”

The Sad Truth

8-year-old-daughter, responding to a birthday card V-Grrrl received that joked about the effects of gravity on women’s rear ends:

“Well, once you grow up, then it’s time to grow down—and out!”

Maybe They Take Baths In It

In Belgium, utility meters are only read once a year. Residents receive a monthly utility bill that estimates what they might be using, and then later receive what is known as the annual catch-up bill, which is based on their actual usage.

V-Grrrl, who lives in fear of the catch-up bill, says to E-Man:

“S told me they  just received a 3,000 euro ($4,000) catch up bill!!!”

Little E-Grrrl exclaims, “You’re kidding! They sure use a lot of ketchup.”

February 3, 2006

Comments

[Flubberwinkle]

Very amusing comebacks from the mouths of babes!

[Ash]

Hehe, we must use a lot of ketchup. Our catch-up electricity bill came on Saturday last week and almost felled me - 800 euros to pay in excess of our monthly payments! Gah! Love the comments :0

[V]

Wow, I had no idea that kethcup was such a hot commodity in Belgium! Too cute!

[Shirl Grrrl]

Too cute! Why don't my kids ever say cute things that I can write about?! Let's see, oh, M-Grrrl says excitedly to me this morning, "Guess what I learned last night?" I ask her what and she proceeded to make armpit farts. What a proud moment for me! She will also ask her Daddy to rate her burps, A-F. She aspires to burping the alphabet. Her 9 wiser, 9 year old brother just shakes his head and rolls his eyes at her.

[Shirl Grrrl]

Oops, I wish I could edit! Sorry for the typos!

[V-Grrrl]

Hey V,

Did you know that you pay for ketchup in the fast food restaurants here? It's the equivalent of about 45 cents a packet! No wonder E-Grrrl thought it was possible to have a large ketchup bill. When we get fast food, we pay almost as much for ketchup as we do for the fries.

[V-Grrrl]

Ash,

You know what's scary--I live in the exact same model house as my friend with the 3000 euro catch-up bill. I won't even look at the mail. I'm afraid!

[TB]

That is so strange about the ketchup. Is it more expensive to buy it at the grocery store too? I would just make a habit of bringing my own ketchup.

[wordgirl]

The monthly electric bill here is scary enough that, if we had to pay it yearly, they'd have to "get out the paddles" and shock me back to life the moment I opened the envelope. Electricity companies here are criminal. Totally.

[Melanhead]

The utility meter method is positively puzzling!

[Denice]

Oh, my! That would require a loan to pay around here. I would cry and then, freak out.

lol, yep, that's a lot of ketchup....all those poor tomoatoes slaughtered in their prime....

[Ash]

We also pay for ketchup at McDonalds here in Holland and what's even worse - if you go to a real sit-down restaurant and request ketchup its possible they may make you pay for it!

Now, my kids are ketchup fanatics - they have large piles of it for their fries. So, I bought one of the smallest bottles of Heinz ketchup and I sneak it into the restaurant in my handbag LOL

My husband is mortified, but I think of it as a way to save up for my real 'catch-up' bill ;0

[V-Grrrl]

Ash,

A ketchup smuggler! You bad, bad woman! ; ) But if it helps you pay your catch-up bill and keeps the kids happy, you're the smartest "bad"woman I know.

Next time I go to the States, I'll buy a box of ketchup in packets and share with you.....

[Melanhead]

Where's the descriptive February month posting??? I was lookng forward to reading it... :(

[V-Grrrl]

Melanhead,

The "February" addition to the "Seasons" collection is still perking in my subconscious. I'm jotting down bits and pieces. Soon I'll add boiling water, pour into a mold, and set it in the refrigerator and see if it gels : )