Aug 31
The last day of August. Tomorrow September starts.
Speak of which, my birthday is next month. You ought to write me a letter.
Here is my address:
The last day of August. Tomorrow September starts.
Speak of which, my birthday is next month. You ought to write me a letter.
Here is my address:
Margaret Hubert c/o Familie Coddron
Chemin des Cerisiers, 5
CH-1273 Arzier
Switzerland
That's right, get out a piece of paper and sketch me a quick note. I'll write back with a postcard. I love getting mail and for those in college, this is a great way to insure that empty post box get's filled up.
Today was my first day of doing what I will be doing.
I woke up at 8:45 to try and establish a routine.
Empty the dishwasher.
Eat breakfast.
Clean up my mess.
Blog.
Tidy up my room.
My breakfast was one piece of bread with butter and jam, Twinings English Breakfast tea with sugar and cream, rhubarb yogurt, a pear, and two tiny plums.
11:40 - time to pick up Oleann from school. I arrived. Sat with the other moms. Out she came! I love our walks together. Even if I can't speak French, we find ways to communicate and laugh together. Always laughter.
At home, most of lunch was set up. We were going to have bread, meat, cheese, and carrots. I got out my curried chicken leftovers and ate that. We cleaned up afterwards and then listened to a book on tape.
Time to go back to school. We rode our bikes this time. I held the little red paper for her as she put in her combination. After a few tries, she gave it to me to open, I succeeded. I rode back. The air was warm. I felt good, free. I was in Switzerland again on a bicycle and it was to early to think about the end.
An hour and a half? What to do in such an awkward amount of time? I began my solo French studies by learning some conjugations of words I knew I needed to know. I must have eaten a few plums.
Before I knew it ,it was time for me to pick up Ollean again. So I got on my bike and made the 3 minute trek to her school. We got her bike free and rode on. I'm glad I can bike up hills. When we approached the last stretch, she was going fast towards the road and I yelled out, "Attent" or, "Slow down!" She didn't and a car was coming, Luckily she fell to the side, knocking the chain off her bike and shoving her onto the gravel. The car had seen her, relief. It waited for a moment to make sure she was ok and we signaled it to move on. I wasn't too pleased. Not mad, just not pleased. So we had a quick English-French talk on stopping at the gate. My intent was understood.
We went home for a Balisto, me carrying her bike with one hand and pushing mine with the other. Balistos are so good, like a cereal bar with a whole lot of chocolate. Time to start English time.
The host rents have requested that I work with Oleann for at least 10 minutes a day on English. 10? We can do more than that. I didn't have the English coursework yet so we played our own games. To get her excited about making accomplishment, we developed a handshake that we did when I thought she had accomplished something worth noting. 30-40 minutes later, we decided we were done.
This is the point when my time with her is optional. I have to be in the house, be with her, but not play all the time. But I'm still in the honeymoon phase and life is new, we played some more. We played Petshop and then she went to play with Floriane. Floriane was loaded with homework but Alice came over instead. We went inside with the intent of seeing the Guinea pigs. We checked them out and then Oleanne got out a few books and had Alice and I each pick one from a series. I picked one out that turned out ot be about girls making a band or something. Without reading the title, Alice picked out one about, well, I'm not sure. Alice was talking with Floriane, who had just arrived. I finally was picking up on some words, "Sexuelle." Which was repeated multiple times. In a kids book? Then I finally I asked for a translation. Turns out Alice's book was about a boy and his penis and vaginas. I'm still not entirely sure but I put the book away.
Floriane and Alice when home. Oleanne and I set the table. Then, I let her play and I tidied up my room a bit.
Someone came home and I was off duty. Dinner was these wonderful sausage roll-ish bundles called "Bird Heads" in Belgium. Delicious.
It was a bit after 8:00 and time to go for a walk. I do so like going for my walks. Floriane asked me if I had taken my medication, which I hadn't. I got to say good night to her and then Alice and I set out on our miny adventure of a walk. I wanted to go down hills, so we could walk up them in the end.
We got home.
Time for bed.
Just another day in Switzerland.
That's right, get out a piece of paper and sketch me a quick note. I'll write back with a postcard. I love getting mail and for those in college, this is a great way to insure that empty post box get's filled up.
Today was my first day of doing what I will be doing.
I woke up at 8:45 to try and establish a routine.
Empty the dishwasher.
Eat breakfast.
Clean up my mess.
Blog.
Tidy up my room.
My breakfast was one piece of bread with butter and jam, Twinings English Breakfast tea with sugar and cream, rhubarb yogurt, a pear, and two tiny plums.
11:40 - time to pick up Oleann from school. I arrived. Sat with the other moms. Out she came! I love our walks together. Even if I can't speak French, we find ways to communicate and laugh together. Always laughter.
At home, most of lunch was set up. We were going to have bread, meat, cheese, and carrots. I got out my curried chicken leftovers and ate that. We cleaned up afterwards and then listened to a book on tape.
Time to go back to school. We rode our bikes this time. I held the little red paper for her as she put in her combination. After a few tries, she gave it to me to open, I succeeded. I rode back. The air was warm. I felt good, free. I was in Switzerland again on a bicycle and it was to early to think about the end.
An hour and a half? What to do in such an awkward amount of time? I began my solo French studies by learning some conjugations of words I knew I needed to know. I must have eaten a few plums.
Before I knew it ,it was time for me to pick up Ollean again. So I got on my bike and made the 3 minute trek to her school. We got her bike free and rode on. I'm glad I can bike up hills. When we approached the last stretch, she was going fast towards the road and I yelled out, "Attent" or, "Slow down!" She didn't and a car was coming, Luckily she fell to the side, knocking the chain off her bike and shoving her onto the gravel. The car had seen her, relief. It waited for a moment to make sure she was ok and we signaled it to move on. I wasn't too pleased. Not mad, just not pleased. So we had a quick English-French talk on stopping at the gate. My intent was understood.
We went home for a Balisto, me carrying her bike with one hand and pushing mine with the other. Balistos are so good, like a cereal bar with a whole lot of chocolate. Time to start English time.
The host rents have requested that I work with Oleann for at least 10 minutes a day on English. 10? We can do more than that. I didn't have the English coursework yet so we played our own games. To get her excited about making accomplishment, we developed a handshake that we did when I thought she had accomplished something worth noting. 30-40 minutes later, we decided we were done.
This is the point when my time with her is optional. I have to be in the house, be with her, but not play all the time. But I'm still in the honeymoon phase and life is new, we played some more. We played Petshop and then she went to play with Floriane. Floriane was loaded with homework but Alice came over instead. We went inside with the intent of seeing the Guinea pigs. We checked them out and then Oleanne got out a few books and had Alice and I each pick one from a series. I picked one out that turned out ot be about girls making a band or something. Without reading the title, Alice picked out one about, well, I'm not sure. Alice was talking with Floriane, who had just arrived. I finally was picking up on some words, "Sexuelle." Which was repeated multiple times. In a kids book? Then I finally I asked for a translation. Turns out Alice's book was about a boy and his penis and vaginas. I'm still not entirely sure but I put the book away.
Floriane and Alice when home. Oleanne and I set the table. Then, I let her play and I tidied up my room a bit.
Someone came home and I was off duty. Dinner was these wonderful sausage roll-ish bundles called "Bird Heads" in Belgium. Delicious.
It was a bit after 8:00 and time to go for a walk. I do so like going for my walks. Floriane asked me if I had taken my medication, which I hadn't. I got to say good night to her and then Alice and I set out on our miny adventure of a walk. I wanted to go down hills, so we could walk up them in the end.
We got home.
Time for bed.
Just another day in Switzerland.
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