Well I had an eventful fortnight, Passover is over and now after cleaning and cooking my daily duties are back on schedule..

My visitors went and we saw them again briefly the following week as my daughter wanted to go to some activities they had in Jlm that day for children ages 6-13 , on Australia..

I took my daughters and an American friend with her daughter with us, I don't know but I've been contemplating the friendship as her daughter told one of my twins that she didn't like her because she wouldn't give her her way and my hubby and I refused to be cooerced into ignoring my daughters request to make this spoilt girl have her way..

A few weeks earlier we visited a Kibbutz up North , one of my closest friends organised a place for us to sleep and my daughters played and had a great time with her daughters around the same age as my sisters daughters, and I wonder why I have nieces the same age living only 30 mins away that don't  treat my children as I expect family should..

I get a call from my sister and we have a wonderful meal last week , once a year she invites us over and she expects an invitation from me annually around my childrens Bday , when she comes bearing gifts to buy our affection.  I wonder what is it that is so wrong having expectations of a closer family with a sister whom as a child used to protect me...

I realise that the South African guests were a way for me to provide my children with companionship for a weekend of hosting teenagers from what I thought was a similar background. Obviously the South Africans are more different to Australians than I thought and they expect others to serve them as do their servants in South Africa.  I thought I was doing a good deed giving two young adults a homely meal and showing them the sites  and whilst the girl was grateful the guy felt I owed him something...

When I was growing up I learnt that if you visit people for a meal, not to mention an entire weekend, you bring a small gift chocolates, flowers and show them appreciation for letting you into their home and treat them respectfully , but I guess these two felt it was sufficient to be polite as they really only wanted a weekend away together..

So here I was looking forward to seeing my sister and her daughters, we had a delicious meal and since my sister rang me all upset because she is due to go to Australia for a visit and my other sister doesn't understand why? 

A whilst ago my friend put things right she said hearing stories of my family is liking hearing a good soap opera,  and you know she is probably right, I have unrealistic expectations and my sisters daughters whom only live 30 mins away have no interest in their family  and my sister today after 20 yrs wants me to treat her as a sister , care and give her advice  and one thing I have learnt is that I cannot erase 20 yrs of being treated as a stranger would be and today she is paying the price for ignoring me and our other cousins and I am only a telephone call away but will not cater to her needs unless it suits me!!

My children will learn to appreciate my distant relatives cousins, uncles, aunts but my sisters and their children will have to earn their place in my family...

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