Last snow?

8 Feet 2 Tyres.

So it did get warmer but it was snowing when we woke up this morning. So still under O degress but so beautiful. The Monkey was so excited when she opened the curtains. "Mum you have got to look at this, you will be surprised!" We all were.

Ahrrr Brrrrr

Wishing for Spring -Danke Familie Noel

This week has been cold. Even the Germans were cold. Just as we were hoping that spring may come at the appointed time this year (not May like last year) a cold snap saw us all shivering and adding the layer of clothing we had only just shed. Tomorrow it is meant to get a little warmer. Anything over OoC would be nice. The trade off for the cold weather has been some glorious sunshine which was much needed and even a little warm if you really thought about it. We started this week off (or finished last week with, whichever way you want to look at it) with an odd weekend. We all had colds and didn't want to admit it so we tried and failed to do anything but stay at home avoiding the outside world. Except me as this sort of activity nearly sends me crazy. I went to see an art exhibition and had a late lunch with a the lovely B and L. On Sunday I did give up and stay home as I think I ate something that may have had a bucket of MSG in it and I had the most insane dreams and woke up on said Sunday sure the entire family had gone insane. It must have been how the Hungarian soldier who was captured by the Russians felt. Long story short, as they couldn't understand him they put him in an asylum. I read this in a newspaper once and recently got it confirmed by our Hungarian neighbours. The up shot is he was release in the end and lived for about 7 more years....possibly a little insane from the whole experience.

But I digress. Herr Fitz went hunting in the north for dusty books about the Danes. While at home we stocked up on tissues, baked and made soup (I must be feeling better), thanked God for the invention of TV (though I think it is one he doesn't claim fame for) and hunkered down. The Bear is our canary down the mine shaft and seems to get things first and gets hit the hardest. He has slept every afternoon and is still looking pretty lack lustre. The Mouse is all snotty and blotchy, luckily the Monkey keeps on soldiering on or I'd have no one to talk to. In desperation to speak I even called the council to repond to a letter about the Bear going to school and talked to the gardener. It isn't that bad I have lovely friends here who have rung to check on us and offered to buy milk and bread. Best just to say we are looking forward to the coming weekend where we may be able to do something fun.

In somewhat more interesting news I crumbled to the pressure and bought Easter products this week. It is terrible, normally I have limits but this year they have gone out the window. I am looking at it as research so the children don't tell stories like the 'candy egg' story of the Family Fitz but with the great German chocolate laws no chocolate is bad so I have no excuse. Oh YUM, there is something about chocolate in egg form that makes it taste even better.

Moved garden chairs to catch the sun.

Watching the Mariners, the kids call soccer football...sorry.

Homemade marble run, a good hour of fun.

Our favourite game is being played lots at the moment.

Flowers and Cellos

It was freezing cold and really, really rainy on Saturday morning so we stayed inside watched cartoons, chatted with Grandma and baked honey jumbles until it stopped raining. Then we headed into town for the afternoon. The Monkey and I had an engagement to eat a ridiculous amount of ice cream with a friend as the Monkey had missed her birthday party a couple of weeks before and Herr Fitz decided to take the Bear and the Mouse to the City Museum. All the ice cream eating training of late summer paid off as the Monkey managed to eat her two scoops, the cone (that was on top) and the waffle dish it was in (I am pretty sure it was edible). We then had a lovely ladies shopping hour and met back up with the boys and the Mouse. Herr Fitz had left with 4 euros in his pocket and a grand dream of buying hot chips and mayonnaise but the Bear had other thoughts. Upon seeing the flower sellers (flowers are ludicrously cheap here) he stated, "I think Mummy would really like some flowers." With the sweet smell of chips just around the corner and the earnest eyes of our first born before him Herr Fitz gave up the dream and asked which colour flowers. As we met up the Bear released his clutch on the beautiful flowers and handed them to me with the sweetest look on his face. Herr Fitz asked for some money and took the Bear for an ice cream as it was too late for chips. Then we all came home on the bus and had a great evening with Frau F and Herr M eating pizza, reading all the German books from the library (can't pass up a fluent German speaker even if she does come via Australia) and generally muckin' around.

Sunday with the temperature a much more satisfactory 5 oC we chatted with Grandma and Grandad, baked the "Shazza Choccy Cake", Herr Chip went jogging and we cleaned up for a coffee and cake visit from another kindergarten family. We inhaled the cake and coffee then the mums and the big kids went to see a very sweet concert. 12 cellos, a piano and a dancing school performing the "Carnival of Animals". It was just perfect and the Monkey nearly fell off he chair trying to see the ballerina on point dancing the Swan part. Apart from the elephant in a tutu who was revealed to be a very short man underneath to the amusement of all the kids, all of the other dancers were young kids from a dancing school. Just the right mix of beautifully played music and kids ballet (they all looked like they were having fun) all held together by a very sweet narrator.

We took the night ride home on the bikes to Herr Fitz and the Mouse who had spent the afternoon reading books and playing.

February: Back to normal

Since the great plague of late January finished promptly at the beginning of February we have just been going about our day to day lives and having a very nice time doing so. Not a lot of pictures have been taken but lots of very plain, very lovely everyday moments have occurred (I am choosing to forget the sporadic tantrums of a 5 year old, whining of a 4 year old and worry about the nearly 2 year olds skin problem). February began with a couple of sunny but freezing days then proceeded to get very warm (around 7oC) and very grey for a week. So even though it was easier to get dressed and out the door on time as there was a layer less and no need for gloves we still spend a bit of time indoors as it just wasn't inviting to go out and play. Lucky for us we had lego castles and space ships to build, tear down and rebuild, bugel perlen (ironing beads) creations to make. There were new words to learn in both English and German, swimming to be done at the indoor pool, dancing and bike riding. Not to forget all the old books and crazy hand writing Herr Fitz has been wading through and my trip to the cinema and a very lovely ladies breakfast.

The kids love doing these but I am totally hopeless at it. I have had start saying "Mummy doesn't do bugel perlen her fingers are just to big" This now means the Bear and the Monkey say this to each other as an explanation to point out the pointlessness of the other asking me for help. Not great for my self esteem as I imagine myself with hands like those foam hands given out at sporting events. It's a small price to pay for not having to do bugel perlen. I get so tense even just carrying it to the kitchen to iron it that I inevitably bump a few beads off when I put it down then have to put them back in add in a nearly 2 year old opening and closing the bottom drawer on my shins and any whistling while I work goes out the window.

There has been some beautiful sunny weather over the last few days. Cold mornings but when the sun hits you you feel the planet is rotating slowly closer to the warmer side. We lingered in the backyard where we played soccer and spent time at the playground to soak up some rays before the predicted rainy weekend sets in.

Nearly forgot to mention the highlight of my week. Yesterday I read an English book to the kids kindergarten class. "Giraffes can't Dance" (dance with South Australian accent) was well received and I don't think I scared any kids with my German explanations. I did get them up and dancing as I thought it might have been a bit boring if they weren't understanding the story. We waltzed, rock and rolled and tangoed. We attempted a Scottish reel but really that was just jumping up and down as I had no idea. I really enjoyed doing it, the Bear and the Monkey seemed very thrilled to have one of their books read in their language, the Mouse got to come along and be a real kindergarten kid and the teacher and a couple of other mums gave me some really lovely comments. Really, I have to say a big thanks to Zita and HOG as I heavily relied on theatrics to please the crowd. There were photos taken but I dread them as I was having to much fun for the photos to be flattering.