Mother's Day

Sweet little Bea hatched a story trying to convince me that he was the only one NOT to bring home the Mother's Day present all the children made at Kindergarten this week. Then, Sunday morning he woke me up saying he'd just heard the postman, and we'd had a delivery! At some point on Saturday, he'd hidden his pressie in the postbox with this little plan up his sleeve. Very cute. Then, in the afternoon we all took the bikes the garden, and Bea cycled all the way — very impressive indeed, and I think I'll really have trouble keeping up with him before too long. We planted his pumpkins (he has great expectations from these giant pumpkins so I hope they are enormous) on his own part of the garden.

Bea and his own little garden — potatoes and pumpkins.

The first of this year's rhubarb.

Sophie's pirate party

Another birthday party, this time Sophie's 5th is celebrated with a pirate party at her place. Here's a little pic of Bea and Juan before the little pirate headed over there.

Lakeside birthday

Ili was invited to Emily's 2nd birthday party today — Jake and Phina's little girl—and as the temperatures continued to rise, it turned into a BBQ and cake party by Zurich lakeside. Papa and Juan joined us after work (bringing beers), and papa had his first dip in the lake this year—even Bea went in above his knees. May madness. Sadly, I forgot my swimming gear. The 'boys' stayed down by the lake until after way after dark and on walking home managed to catch some jazz musician street performers and fire jugglers.

Emily opening Bea and Ili's present.

Cooling off.

Jake, Emily, Ili and Bea light the grill.

First lake swim of the year in May — must be a record for us.

Raising the roof

Such a beautiful hot sunny day today — 26 degrees. Unbelievable! Ili and I took Bea's 'Big Max' pumpkins and our other seedlings to the garden this morning, to be faced with a jungle when we got there (our first visit in three weeks), so spent time scything the weeds down. Bea would have found it interesting as they were lifting the roofs of the neigbouring apartment blocks prior to knocking them down. After lunch the kids stripped off and splashed around on the roof terrace before heading to Bea's music and movement session. Juan arrives this evening, and Mama is out to see some music with Irish drinking buddy Sarah tonight. Yippee!

Singing and swinging

I took Ili to the first session of our music group sessions this morning—a parent and child group for pre-Kindergarten. She loved it! Lots of instruments, plenty of space and a nutty music teacher jumping between the piano and guitar and singing away in Swiss-German, so great for both our language learning. It was done really well and organised by the city's Zürich Musikschule who offer all sorts of affordable (by Zürich standards) music lessons. I'm hoping to start Bea on an instrument with them next term.

First to arrive, so Ili got stuck into the Glockenspiels.

In the afternoon, I arranged to meet up for a picnic at Rocket Park with Bea's friend Viktor and his mother (who is due her first daughter any day now). The kids played in the sand, and Viktor is into football so I was in goal while him and Bea gave me their best shots.

Viktor, Bea and Ili.

And Bea came home with his dashing school photographs this lunchtime! This was the morning he had them taken. 

Back to Kindergarten and Spielgruppe

Bea eased back into daily routine this morning, and Ili was back to Monday morning Spielgruppe without too much difficulty. I thought after the break (it's been four weeks in all) that she might find it tougher, but after a few complaints on the way, she was all smiles when I collected her. Antonia was over this afternoon and I devised a reading game with some 'gentle competition' between the two of them to get them into it. It worked, and we had fun with it.

Under their umbrellas

Bea has been playing with his friend Zinnia all weekend, including another Saturday night sleepover. Her mother has started to call them Beathathons. They then both joined a friend for her 5th birthday celebrations this morning. Viktor came over this evening and they all happily splashed around in a warm downpour. Back to Kindergarten tomorrow.

Last day of Spring holiday, but the sun shone

In the absence of the pool to splash in, we filled up a good ol' plastic tub. Surprisingly, Bea and Ili could still both fit in together and played away merrily. Chris headed to the airport with Gay and Bri, and mama did the final pack and big tidy up. We had our last supper outside, but we will return in the summer. Can't wait!

May holiday Tuesday

Headed into Entraygues today, but being the May Day holiday everything was shut with the exception of the ice cream parlour, so there was only one thing to do. . .  Yum! Back at the house, Chris shinnied up the ash tree clearing branches to allow more sun to fall and hopefully warm the pool this summer. We watched—Bea had the best spot reclining in the hammock. Later on, we all headed out for evening strolls to the viewpoint towards the church at Le Fel and down the Lot valley working up a small appetite for a very large pizza supper.

The square in Entraygues.

Frith up the ash tree.

Watching papa in the ash tree.

Bea gets hold of the iphone and takes some family portraits.

Bea and Ili on an evening stroll.

Monday Gardening

Frith got up the Cherry tree to lob off a few limbs, opening up a beautiful window down the valley towards the vineyards at Le Fel. Gay and Bri exposed the wall behind the roses we planted last visit, and mama finally finished transplanting the raspberry bushes brought over from our fab raspberry patch in Zurich—hopefully we'll have a pot to eat in the summer!

Ili watering the raspberrys.

Bea and Ili in Grandma and Grandpa bri's hats.

Catching rays then hailstorms

More sun seeking today, but then the skies grew angry then threw the most gigantic hailstones at us. The biggest I think I've ever seen. Bea got one on his nose, but it didn't put him off running around collected them in his nice new pinny from Grandma. Certainly a very dramatic place.

Catching a few rays.

Catching gigantic hailstones.

Saturday shop

We'd a long list of things to replace in the house for the new rental season, so while Gay and Bri looked after the kiddiewinks, Chris and I headed off to the stores. A fab new bench later gave Chris and Brian a hard time as they assembled it (but a cool beer was waiting). It was the first real warm day so it pulled us out in the garden while we busied ourselves. Brian spotted the resident lizard (I think this is the species) and we saw a pair of cuckoos whizzing through the valley. Brian and Bea where searching for fossils in the garden rocks, and Bea was impressed that he was the first person to see inside them.

Bri and Bea bash some rocks in the hunt for fossils.

Grandma and Bea looking over the valley.

Jazz night at the Chou Rouge

Grandma Gay and Grandpa Bri arrived today, and we'd booked a table at the Chou Rouge for a lively night out in Entraygues. The live band was great (Bea particularly enjoyed watching the musicians), and we squashed into the corner for tapas style food and some fine wine. As it's run by a high-spirited English pair, the atmosphere was fun and we met with some people we've got to know over the last year. Nice for us to be able to take the little ones out and not stress over 'improper behaviour' as is the norm in Zurich.

Chocolate river and mango ice cream

Headed into Entraygues for ice creams and supplies. The river was super high and chocolate brown. A roaring fire and warm baths were a must.

First day at Neuvic

Since we left Neuvic two weeks ago it has bucketed down with rain, so we were lucky it finally ceased when we arrived. Just enough to have a lazy day settling in, saying 'hi' to the horse at the bottom of the garden and a spot of tree climbing.