Along the lakeside

Started the morning at the market for scrumptious pastries and coffee, and spent the day alongside the lake . . .  fish spotting, feather collecting, swan feeding, ice cream eating, bike riding, coffee drinking, sun soaking and shade seeking. Settled in a cafe by the lake while the children played around (near the Henry Moore's "Sheep Piece" sculpture) and papa skipped the office for the afternoon and joined us for a lunch. Got a bit on the hot side for the little ones and they just about held out. Took the boat back across the lake to Bürkliplatz. The second Hof grill tonight, and all ended up on the roof watching the sun going down. A lovely day.

Grandma arrives

Managed to catch up with Marianna this morning, and Ili and Miya run around in the park together. Girls getting on nicely, so all good there. Weather warming up. Bea, Ili and papa all headed out to meet Gay at the airport this evening. After much excitement and a late night for the kiddies, Bea finally went to bed with his new welly boots that grandma bought him. Ili slept the night in her wellies too. (Mama spent a boozy evening out with Sarah).

Miya and Ili.

When it rains it pours

The kids managed to get out for a bit today in between downpours and sheltered in the tree house in the Hof. Looked very cosy.

Wet wet wet

Rained all day. Walked with Bea under dripping umbrellas to Kindergarten to speak with his teacher this morning as there has been a few more scuffles on the walk home (not with Bea, but with his friends this time). She had heard of other incidents and was sad as it's been such a good group this year and was going to talk to the children today. Ili and I got drenched on our bike going to music and singing, and drenched on the way back. We met Bea walking home from Kindergarten with his umbrella all torn but he was having fun with it folded tightly over his head like a tall pixie hat so as not to get wet. Viktor came over to play with Bea this afternoon, but far too much indoor play, we need to get out!

Ili standing on a 'puddle' as part of the 'Regnet Mütze" (rain cap) song.

Bea off Kindergarten

Bea was feeling 'krank' so he stayed at home today. Raining . . .  Where's summer gone?

Yet another birthday party

Papa took Bea to his turnhalle (sports hall) for Majalis' 5th birthday party, where the big trampoline was brought out, hoops let down from the ceiling, and crash mats plopped on the floor. No pics of Bea, but here's Ili swinging on the hoops. The kids had an active session before heading back to the Hof — didn't see Bea until close to bedtime.

Chilling on the roof

All quiet in the house today (neighbours in Germany) so we had the roof terrace to ourselves. Here's Bea and Ili in our homemade hammock.

Friday painting

Met up with Sarah (Irish buddy) and we all went to the Friday afternoon painting session at Shigu. Bea wanted to paint another dinosaur. Ili and Olivia played in the park together afterward and cutely pushed each other on the swings. Bea was a sweetie and helped them both in and out in between riding around on his bike — giving lots of time for Sarah and I to exchange camping stories. 

Riding in the rain

Bea and Ili (with a little help from mama) have successfully raised frogs! Great excitement when a froglet was found jumping around in the loo at lunchtime (the aquarium is kept there). Still tiny and with tail, but now with four legs and able to breath oxygen and eat meat (the next challenge). Then after reading books on the roof and Bea's music and dance session, we all cycled to the allotment for a sausage grill. Today was pretty hot and we had the first flourish of raspberries arrive this week (I've been secretly snacking), and Bea and Ili had their first taste this evening. After the heat, however, came the storm and we got packing just as the thunder started. Half way home it completely lashed it down! Can't pretend we didn't enjoy cycling through it though, we all had a giggle as we arrived back like soggy rats.

Bea and the froglet.

Some of our first raspberries this year.

Grilling at the garden.

Cycling home in a storm.

Sopping wet! (camera wet too).

Another school holiday

Another holiday from school (teacher's development day) and although I was planning to take Bea and Ili on one of the ferry boats on the lake to the beautiful Ufenau Island, the weather simply wasn't up to it. No point in freezing their butts off on deck. Bea was invited to a friend's house for lunch which turned into a full day and he was very excited running around in the Hof with some of the bigger boys and we didn't see him until super time (when his friend James came with him). He was then invited for a second super (fondue) and was so wired he could sleep. No pics, but here's a silly one from late last night making elderflower cordial.

Walk in the woods

Music for Ili went well, and she certainly gets into the swing of things and enjoys. This afternoon was a great day for the woods and we invited Bea's friend Viktor to join us (which meant his Bulgarian grandmother came along too as his mother is still with newborn—I now know how totally frustrating it is when you don't share a single word of a common language). We walked to the frog pond and back and picked elderflowers on the way home. As there is no school tomorrow (another holiday) Bea and I made elderflower champagne and elderflower cordial later this evening.

Ili and others with their little watering cans.

Ili spotted a smart little frog.

Little frogs

Bea back to Kindergarten this morning and Ili to Spielgruppe—all well there. Bea announced his first school trip which is next Monday. They'll take a boat on the lake, then walk through the woods to visit a waterfall. He is to take his swimming gear and something to BBQ, so it all sounds like great fun! Antonia was over this afternoon, and they all made a new home for the tadpoles which now have tiny legs developing. Ili made the frogs a little diving board! It will be time to start taking them back to the woods shortly (we've had them nine weeks now).

Dodging the rain

Bea was with James most of the day, and Chris took them out on their bikes in between rain showers. Think after Italy I'm all photographed out — I'll get snapping again.

More parties (for big and small)

Bea was out to a birthday party all day (another one!) for Miya the youngest one in his Kindergarten who he is fond of. There were around eight girls . . .  and Beathan! I think he had fun. It was a balmy warm evening, and kids were tucked up in bed exhausted while Chris and I sneaked out to a roof terrace leaving party at a neighbouring apartment. Sublime views across the lake with the city lights (and a popular full-on whisky pud made by Chris— thanks Scotland!).

Zurich at night.

Sun flowers and late nights

Ili and I went to the market for some more seedlings this morning — the slugs have been busy on the allotment, sob sob. The evening we went out for 'after work' beers at the Alten Löwen (old lion) around the corner with a new colleague of Chris' (Claude, a nice chilled Spanish guy with two kids), plus a few others, and we sunk a few beers too many. It was the local Open Air Zürich festival this weekend just around the corner, and in a happy state we decided it would be fun to wobble round with the children — people do, it's in our local park and has a bit of a family reputation. But it was way too noisy (I presume we missed the quieter bands), so headed back to the roof. Late night for the kids—too drunk for pics, sorry!

Ili, fresh as a daisy at the Bürkliplatz market.