Im Wald

Lucky Ella got to go on a field trip today, into the woods.  She had to be at school a half-hour early, and they spent the entire day outside, tromping around looking at this and that along the trail.

Unfortunately, I didn’t realize that she couldn’t leave her backpack at school, and so poor Ella had to carry her pack, which was heavy with books and school supplies that she’d intended to return before the vacation started, all day through the woods.  I feel like my daughter is having to put up with quite a lot because of my ignorance.  But she survived and came home coated in mud and utterly exhausted.

First term report card:
Ella's totally acing English.

Funnily, the field trip was BYOB (bring your own brat: how very appropriate for this corner of the world) because the kids built a campfire. Ella was a little flustered about the whole campfire experience, though. The teacher gave her a match so that she could help light the fire, and she told the teacher "I don't think my mommy would want me doing this." But (and, given, this is a 7-year-old reporting) the teacher told her that it didn't matter what her mother thought: she, the teacher was in charge. Huh. "So I lit the fire, but I felt very uneasy." And then her hot dog fell into the fire...isn't that the wurst? Happily, I've had hot dog roasts with Ella, and was thinking clearly enough to pack her two. "And mom, it was so smoky! I could scarcely breathe! Believe me, I savored my juice!"



Joey and Alex and I didn't have to work quite so hard for our lunch: since Ella wasn't coming home for her midday meal, we were free to go up to Google for lunch when Alex came home from school.  We ate piles of yumminess, so much that I'm still not hungry now, at 7:30 at night. But we still found room for ice cream, somehow. At that point, Alex and Joey started crawling around on the ground and turning the furniture over, so we made a hasty exit to the closest playground.

This pear was either enjoyed by a caterpillar
or a 2-year-old.

It was a beautiful day: the temperature was already above freezing when we woke up, and it just kept getting sunnier and warmer.  So I got to lounge on one of those big basket swings that are so popular here while the boys did laps on the slide, snatching a little vitamin D up until we had to head to the train station to pick up Ella from her big adventure.

But I skipped over my morning: when we got home from the grocery store, our upstairs neighbor was waiting with an invitation to come upstairs and play.  She has a wee newborn daughter and a little boy slightly older than Joey.  She and her husband are both Swiss, but she was raised speaking Italian as well, and so they're teaching their children both Italian and German; she and her husband also recently spent five years in New York, so her English was perfect as well.

How nice it was to sit and have a little chat. Joey was so excited, too, to have the chance to play with a friend: he was a little blur, running to get his shoes and socks. Although, her son was wary of Joey. You could tell he was an oldest child: with one eye on Joey, he quickly gathered all the toys he could hold into his arms.  Joey looked confused for a minute, and then started laughing and handing him more toys. Although he was a little piqued that there wasn't a single fire truck left for him. Her son was also fiercely, adorably protective of his little sister, whispering urgently to his mom every time I got to close to the baby.  His mom was really good with him, though, and I'm sure he'll find his way.

I miss being able to talk with the little kids here.  One morning I was out walking and went past a little kid about Alex's age who, right in front of me, fell on the ground and scraped his knee.  I had a band aid in my bag but didn't have the words to offer the weeping child help. Incredibly frustrating.

I hope that will get better: Google has offered to give Dennis and me both German lessons at the company. They will only be once-per-week Berlitz classes, but they will definitely help.  I haven't heard yet when the classes will be, but we requested the morning so that Dennis would be able to watch Joey while I'm in class.

We finished our afternoon with some painting and tidying up, and now the kids are curled up watching their Friday night movie.  Apparently one hot dog does not a lunch make for Ella.  She just finished an entire pizza and is starting in on her second. I think I'd better go and get my dinner while there's still some to be had!