Day 312

English lesson this morning, and the kids were all influenced by the full moon. Not one of them could sit still or shut up today! So it was quite a difficult 45 minutes, but we all survived, and maybe one of them now knows that "Auto" is a "car" in English! I'll find out next week!

Straight after English I went shopping for three things, I managed to forget one of them! Why does that always happen! Oh well, it wasn't a huge problem, I just had my Gyros at lunch without Tzatziki (garlic dip), the boys never want to try it anyways!

Robert came home from school happier than he has all week. Apparently he had been on the recieving end of some teasing, which is never nice, but today was a good day. So he was in a good mood.

Richard went back to Kindergarden in the afternoon and Robert made his Xmas list (even longer than Richards) and did his homework. Then it was time for Taxi Mum to get into action. Pick Richard up, then Robert's friend and head to the Sports training. Well, that all turned out different to what we were expecting. The road into the next village was closed right before the next village (in other words we were nearly there) - there had been a terrible accident (see here) and the police told us, that the road would be closed for the next 2-3 hours, so I cancelled sport for the kids then and there and we drove home, where we had a play date instead. I phoned up everyone who needed to know and then when the kids were playing nicely set about making a surprise for Florian, for when he comes home tomorrow! As it is a surprise I can't show you the end result or tell you what it is, but I can show you the kids enjoying the "leftovers"!

I spent the evening on the phone with a friend and my ear is still warm, even though I put the phone down 30 minutes ago!
CU tomorrow

Day 311

This morning it was time for some "me time" and I went to my appointment for a reflexology foot massage. I was quite nervous about it, as I really can't stand anyone or thing near my feet, and that includes me! And here I was on my way to let someone poke and prod my feet for 30 minutes!!
I surprised myself then even more, by actually enjoying it! Some areas hurt a bit, but she was mostly kind to my feet!

This afternoon Taxi Mum was back in business, today was art school for the boys. We took his angel along to show the teacher and she was very pleased with it. Apparently the art school are supplying the pictures for their Xmas card, and Richard's angel might be chosen! That would be exciting!
Today the kids got to see the Picasso exhibition that is on in the museum (the art school is part of the museum), and they were quite impressed that Picasso could draw a picture in 5 minutes! Apparently next week they will be drawing like Picasso - that will be interesting!

Before we left for art school, Robert did his homework, and Richard - armed with scissors, paper and glue - made his Xmas list!

This is just the first page of it! There are three in all, and apparently he needs to do one more page with writing on it, for all the things that weren't in the toy catalogue! Watch out Father Xmas!

I have just ordered my calendar, and it should be here at the beginning of the coming week! Can't wait to see what it looks like!

CU tomorrow!

Day 310

Back to work this morning and it was a good thing I went, cause for once they would have struggled without me being there. We got work at 10.30am that needed to be finished for 12 and it took both of us to do it on time! And to think that yesterday they sent me an email asking me to stay home! Good job I am stubborn!
I did have my laptop with me too, expecting no work and I got October finished (my calendar). So all in all the morning was quite productive!

And the afternoon was bliss, for once in I can't remember how long, I didn't have to take anyone anywhere, no one was coming round, it did me good! Robert and I, after practising his dictation, went into the garden and started on what will be a long job of clearing the leaves! Robert really enjoyed it, see! (sorry couldn't make up my mind on which picture to post, so here are "the best of"!

After that it was time to pick Richard up at Kindergarden. We walked to get him, but when we got there he was out for a walk and we had to wait.
Whilst there I got chatting to a Mum and the other waiting kids played. So when it was time to go home the kids wanted to carry on playing, but they wanted the Mum's to go. So we did! I went home with the other Mum and the kids were told to come home, when two of them were picked up! It worked really well. Although when it started to get a bit dark, we did start walking towards them. But they really were on their way!

This evening I finished all the layouts for the calendar so tomorrow I will be ordering it! Can't wait to see the finished product!
Now I am off to bed
CU tomorrow!

Oops nearly forgot, Richard's finger is looking better and better, today the new fingernail pushed the old one off (it was only doing a balancing act anyways) Richard still can't bear to look at it, and wants a plaster, but slowly but surely his finger is looking like a finger again!

Day 307, Day 308 and Day 309

Can you tell, I had a VERY busy weekend. I hope I can remember all we did... here goes

Day 307 - Saturday
Saturday morning we were invited around to Sabine's for breakfast, it was a birthday breakfast for her girls, and it was delicious! The kids all played quite nicely whilst us adults sat and ate and chatted. About 12.30 we all left and headed home, but skipped lunch after all the rolls we had eaten!
Florian then put on the winter tyres for me, and the boys played outside (well they were in and out really but for the most part they were outside!)

I went in and set to work on my calendar. It is coming on nicely, although it wasn't easy with Richard helping me! (he chose some of the pictures on the March page!

I made Zucchini and rice for tea, and then it was time for me to get ready, yep, I had a night out! We went to see (we being Sabine, Katrin and I) a German comedienne. She put on a good show, we got 2.5 hours for our 30 Euros, so that is a bargain! She was quite rude in places, which the parents of the kids in the audience weren't expecting I bet. Still can't believe that parents took their 8 year olds to see her! This is a picture of the stage and audience. They ask you don't take photos during the show, so I didn't! It was sold out, but I took this in the interval and lots of people were out getting merchandise and drinks!

After the show we went for a cocktail in town and didn't get home until nearly 1am! No wonder I am still tired!

Day 308 - Sunday
The boys made sure that I didn't really get a lie in, they were up nice and bright and early as always! But I did stay in bed as long as possible! At 11.30 we were invited round to Florian's sister for an English Breakfast. Ooh it was delicious! We stayed there until about 3pm then headed home, and Florian and Robert did a quick turn and went to the swimming pool. Robert had to swim 50metres to get his "Deutsches Sportabzeichen" (some sport certificate) and HE DID IT!! So proud of him!

Whilst they were swimming Richard and I were going to go to the bird exhibition in the village, but half way there we bumped into Sabine who told us that this year it wasn't worth going. They had run out of cake, the coffee was cold and the raffle prizes had already all been won! So we did turn back. Once home, Richard wanted to "do painting" and he proceeded to make a pencil case like Mr. Maker, a light sabre in blue, and some bumerangs - I could have sworn I took pictures, but they aren't on the camera, so I must have only thought about taking the pictures, I'll add them to the post tomorrow, when I am more awake!

In the evening I then went out again! This time I was meeting my friends for a meal in Hanau. It was a lovely evening, it was great to catch up again! And hopefully we can get to see oneanother again this year! We'll see!
I got home in time to watch the DVD that Dad had made of Center Parcs with Florian, it was really good. Although my knees went to jelly and I felt slightly sick, watching Florian be rescued from the high wire again!

Day 309 - Monday
No work today, and from the sounds of an email I got at lunch time telling me they have no work for me tomorrow, I think they were glad I didn't go in today! Anyhow I was home because Richard had an appointment at the opticians. Today he had to have the drops that make your pupils widen and I had to give them to him at home! Oh dear. The things the poor boy has to endure lately. I know that the drops burn, so I can't even blame him for fighting me with all his might. But I had to get them in for him!
His eyes are slightly worse, but the doctor didn't prescribe new glasses yet, in 6 months when we have to go again, he will need new lenses and by then probably a new pair of glasses as well - they said these frames are getting a bit small for his face now! We'll see in May.
Richard then decided he didn't want to go to Kindergarden at all today, so I let him stay home.
In the afternoon I had my pupil round for an English lesson and then I made some more popcorn and we sat and watched the Center Parcs film. (here they are engrossed).

Mum was a bit worried that watching Florian dangling on a rope might upset them, but they thought it was hilarious and were most upset that Pop didn't get the actual fall, but the did enjoy the rescue mission!
I worked hard on the calendar and I now only have 3 more months to go, so I think I will get it done in time to use my voucher!
OK, off to bed now!
CU tomorrow!

Day 306

Hihi, I think maybe I am a bit stressed this week, a bell just rang on TV and I jumped up to let Florian in....oops! It didn't even sound like our doorbell really. Oh well, gave me a good giggle!

Anyhow about today. This morning I thought I would treat myself and I phoned up a Thai Massage place and wanted to go this morning for a foot massage, but unfortunately today they weren't working, some sort of party I think, so my treat didn't happen. But I did make an appointment for next Wednesday morning. I'll let you know if it is as good as my colleague says it is!

So instead of a treat, I got on with the housework, there was enough of it! Richard went back to Kindergarden in the afternoon and at 2.45pm Robert and I went to pick him up. It took a lot longer to get there than planned as we were cornered by the Telekom outside, saying that we could have our fast DSL for €10 cheaper. We'll see what Florian says to that offer later.
Well when I got to Kindergarden Robert was already there, and the Kindergärtnerin called to me, that Richard wanted to go home on his own, so off he and Robert went and I took a leisurely stroll back with Sabine, who had just taken her daughter to dance class.

At 4pm it was time for football and some things just sort themselves out if you let them! Yep, Richard's football was cancelled! Woohoo! (not that Richard thought so) but this way I only had Robert to get to training. We took Richard's sports shoes too, and he did have a little kick about, but he didn't join in the actual training. He preferred to sit next to me and do some drawing! Anyhow here they both are before the actual training started!

I have done one more page for my calendar, 11 to go!
CU tomorrow

Day 305

Another busy day, which as so often started completely different to planned. I was changing Richard's bandage this morning and his finger looked really yucky, I was also struggling with the bandage that I had got from a friend who had some left over. It was not as wide as our bandage had been and I just couldn't get it wrapped properly, so I decided that a trip to the doctor was a good idea! And it was really, even if Richard wasn't too thrilled about it. The doctor took one look at his finger and said that he was pleased with how it looked and then quickly proceeded to pull the dead skin off! Oh it looked so much better then, but Richard did scream. But it really was over in seconds!
The doctor then said, that that was it, he didn't need a bandage anymore. Richard wasn't having that, he cried and cried, until the doctor gave in and put a plaster on it for him. I must say I was glad that Richard did kick up that fuss, cause I wasn't really thrilled to think that he would be off to Kindergarden with no protection whatsoever over the new skin! But he now has a plaster and the doctor gave us two more, but then Richard should try and go without! Now the poor boy has to relearn to use the finger, he is so used to holding it up and out of the way, that today I think he bent it once and only when I asked him to.

After the doctors both Richard and I had to go to Kindergarden. I only had 5 kids for my English lesson today, I thought it might make it easier, but they were still as fidgety! BUT they are finally remembering some of the words - not the new ones of course, but happy, sad, angry, sleepy, scared and silly are slowly sinking in!

This afternoon it was time to put my organising skills to the test again! At 3.45pm we picked Richard up at Kindergarden, then it was on to pick up Roberts friend who also goes to the sports group. At 4.15pm we were there and Richard and I went off to tutor my pupil. We finished there at 5.30 and it was back to the sports hall to pick the kids up again! They had had a great time and looked quite worn out.

Back home it was time for a shower for Robert and whilst showering his broken toe nail came off, so that is a trip that I don't need to make now, that one sorted itself out, just as I had hoped it would!

I have won the chance to make an A3 calendar (I just have to blog about it when I get it) and it has to be finished and uploaded by Thursday so I am busy making that now! Fingers xed I get it done on time, it would be easier if I knew what sort of look I am after, oh well, I'll just see what happens!

And today you get the picture I promised myself I would take yesterday. Here are Richard's skinny and proper angels. The angel on the right is the one the art teacher drew for him. Next to that are the too skinny angels that he wasn't happy with and the one coloured in is the one he was happy with!

CU tomorrow

Day 304

Let me think, now what did I do today...ah yes today was library day! This morning I had to do something different there too, we had new books to enter into the system, I hadn't done that before, but I managed to get them into the system, and a couple of kids borrowed the new books and it all went through correctly, so I was well pleased with myself.
After the library, I took a trip to the supermarket and got Florian some new rasorblades and new toothbrush heads for the boys, so that it added up to over €20,-- so that I got a card game to match the boys sticker books! I suppose the marketing trick worked on me! But it was worth it, Robert was over the moon playing trumps with me this afternoon. Richard thought the game was rubbish, but that's OK, he'll enjoy it more when he can read the cards himself!

We spent the first half of the afternoon practising poems and dictation. Both Robert and Richard have something to learn off by heart, it was really cute to see them sort of competing against one another! Then at 3.45pm we were off out, first we went to a friends house to pick up some more stickers for the books - what was supposed to only take 15 - 20mins took about 35 minutes, cause the people round here can't drive! (can you tell I still have road rage!) At one point we were stopped for no apparent reason, whilst a car let the traffic lights change TWICE before he decided to move on the third green phase! Despite all that we still got to art school more or less on time! And again the boys had a great time. Richard learnt how to draw an angel (note to self - take a picture of them all!)

This evening I have been preparing my English lesson for tomorrow (still have to learn a new song to sing with them) and I also had to write the invitation for St. Martin for Kindergarden. Keeps me busy! And Lucky keeps me company, today I got a picture of him laughing (well, I think that is what it looks like, Dad says "what, its a cat!")

CU tomorrow