Contact with the natives

Oh, what a difference a day and some extra-strong Swiss NyQuil make!  I'm feeling infinitely better today, and thank goodness.  We still got a slow start of the day--I've told the kids that tomorrow we'll start practicing waking up early so that we can get to school on time.

We did manage to go out for another walk up to Ella's school playground.  The weather was warmer, perhaps around 40 degrees, and there were unattended children out everywhere.  Our apartment complex is across the street from a price-fixed family housing complex, which is probably the reason for the many, many playgrounds within walking distance.

There were three little girls at Ella's school playground, and, feeling brave, Ella finally got to try out her "Sprechen-sie English?"  And you know what, they did.  But only a little.  They tried to ask Ella some other questions, but couldn't quite manage, talked amongst themselves for a while, and finally sent an ambassador to speak with die mutter to find out how old Ella was.  (The girls were 10.)

Meanwhile, Ella was dancing around, giggling, showing off her gymnastics skills by shimmying to the top of the bars and leaping down.  She's fluent in monkey, anyway. The girls, once they'd determined how the pecking order stood, age-wise, assured Ella that they would help her learn German, smiled at her, patted her, and grinned at Alex, who was doing his own little antics in the background.  At one point Ella skipped back to me and whispered with all the earnestness of a 7-year-old, "Mom, this is going really well!"

So Ella, having met some kind girls, is feeling reassured about school next week.

After the playground, the kids and I trucked up to the supermarket once again.  Since I'm carrying everything in my arms, it's hard to get enough food in the house.  Especially when Joey falls asleep inside my would-be shopping cart, as he did again today on the way to the store.  I just added a stroller to the shopping list.  But I bribed the kids into good behavior with the promise of a Kinderegg, which is, by far their favorite treat here so far.  It's a hollow chocolate egg, about the size of a little plastic Easter egg, with a toy tucked away inside: a little car, a tiny doll, a stamp, an hourglass.

When we got home I set about making some chicken broth (unavailable at stores, and sick me is craving soup). I realized, while I was cooking, that the kids have gone without watching television for more than a week.  And the kids have a lot of time on their own: I've been putting the house together, cooking, and so forth.  They play a lot of card games together, Ella and Alex, and sometimes they include Joey, helping him with his hand.  And when they need time apart, Ella's still reading voraciously.  And they've made innumerable structures out of the cardboard.  Alex has spent a lot of time at the kitchen table, coloring and and writing "letters."  (His spelling's not so bad.  For example, there's a little note in front of me that says "I lev yo Joy.") And Joey is my little shadow, sweeping when I sweep, handing me forks and plates when I unload the dishwasher, and occasionally wandering off to play with his trains. They all still bicker at times, of course, but they're generally peaceful.  I have a feeling things will get more complicated when school starts and they find their own friends again, but I think there's something about being each other's only pal that really encourages Ella and Alex to get along.

I’ll enjoy it while it lasts.