Another quick Mommy Adventure before school starts (and thank you Andy for financing the fun). This one quick photo shoot at a nearby nature park. This had all the cute stuff, such as deer that come and eat from your hand, and some not as cute stuff (a Mongolian yak), but some vicious stuff as well. Bears and some of the few remaining European wolves. These are more aggressive than their larger but calmer relatives, the timber wolf.
And note, you never, but never want to be a former Alpha. I've never seen wolves at feeding time before. A large bucket of raw meet in the middle. You can see the dominant ones, tails up and patrolling to make sure they eat what they want. Lower status, tails between legs and circling around for a chance to dart in and grab something.
A former alpha wolf is the one wolf that no one allows to eat. His son has taken over the pack now. When he would dart in for a hunk of meet, another wolf would promptly steal it. He survives only because the staff overfeed the pack periodically so there is enough that they won't care if he gets some. Beautiful hawks and falcons as well. Not many photos of these as they are considerably further away than my lens can get a good shot.
We can with my friend Andrea and her children, including TG's German twin, Rebekka.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Black Forest Open Air Museum
As mentioned, we hit a few places before the start of school. One was the Black Forest Open Air Museum. It is a large ground in the northern tip of the forest with gardens, houses, barns and mills from about 1600-1800, plus modern bathrooms and a biergarten.
Mommy time
The children are off, scootering to school with fresh faces, new backpacks and curly hair. But what of Mommy?
Andy suggested locking myself in the apartment with a case of wine. A fine suggestion and one worthy of his wife. However, gentle reader, I have chosen a different path. I cleaned the apartment to a sheen worthy of a German housefrau, and having massaged my environs to my favorite condition, have adjourned to the sofa with Jane Eyre, Graham Greene's Travels with My Aunt, and As you Like it. This is folly, I know, and folly of an unproductive nature. Teaching starts next month. Indeed, I have my first meeting with faculty this very Thursday.
But, as with Rochester I say, "... man meddle not with me."
Andy suggested locking myself in the apartment with a case of wine. A fine suggestion and one worthy of his wife. However, gentle reader, I have chosen a different path. I cleaned the apartment to a sheen worthy of a German housefrau, and having massaged my environs to my favorite condition, have adjourned to the sofa with Jane Eyre, Graham Greene's Travels with My Aunt, and As you Like it. This is folly, I know, and folly of an unproductive nature. Teaching starts next month. Indeed, I have my first meeting with faculty this very Thursday.
But, as with Rochester I say, "... man meddle not with me."
Thursday, August 27, 2009
First day of school
Below are photos of the first day of school. By popular demand, I also enclose an "after" photo of Maddie's new hairstyle.
Click on the photo to view the rest of the pictures.
Click on the photo to view the rest of the pictures.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
(Another) Quote of the Day
"Mmmmm..... Grease is dripping off of mine."
(said my son as he lifted his taco to his mouth)
(said my son as he lifted his taco to his mouth)
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Quote of the Day
The kids had a meet the teachers day at school today. Tess's classmate Max is thrilled with their new teacher. Quote from Max's mother below:
"Max was thrilled with the new teacher - evidently she passed the cool test when she told them that she mountain bikes, rock climbs.....and finally let them leave via the emergency exit. She then went beyond cool when she said that perhaps one day they could climb out the window to go to recess if they did an especially good job on a project. Max now wants school to start tomorrow!"
"Max was thrilled with the new teacher - evidently she passed the cool test when she told them that she mountain bikes, rock climbs.....and finally let them leave via the emergency exit. She then went beyond cool when she said that perhaps one day they could climb out the window to go to recess if they did an especially good job on a project. Max now wants school to start tomorrow!"
36 hours
36 hours until school begins anew.
Tess is excited at the social prospects. I'm not entirely sure why since she's winding down a whole week of non-stop play, parties and sleepovers. She's looking a little glassy eyed from all the activity. Kind of like a college student at the end of final exams. (A very rational, articulate, emotionally centered, 9-year-old college student).
Maddie is nervous. She's worried because she doesn't know how to count to 20 by 2's and is sure that all the other first graders do. I've actually seen the competition and it's not that scary. (Not as cute either but my biases are well known).
Micah's thoughts are harder to discern because he can't sit still long enough to explain them. He appears to believe that 36 hours is nigh unto forever and that the heat death of the universe will arrive before school resumes. Personally, I think that his presence in this corner of the universe generates more than enough random energy to keep the universe expanding until well after the doors open Thursday morning..
All of them are in agreement that their new school backpacks are awesome.
Piper is easy. After I drop the kids off Thursday, I predict that she's going to lock herself into the apartment and plow through a whole case of wine.
Tess is excited at the social prospects. I'm not entirely sure why since she's winding down a whole week of non-stop play, parties and sleepovers. She's looking a little glassy eyed from all the activity. Kind of like a college student at the end of final exams. (A very rational, articulate, emotionally centered, 9-year-old college student).
Maddie is nervous. She's worried because she doesn't know how to count to 20 by 2's and is sure that all the other first graders do. I've actually seen the competition and it's not that scary. (Not as cute either but my biases are well known).
Micah's thoughts are harder to discern because he can't sit still long enough to explain them. He appears to believe that 36 hours is nigh unto forever and that the heat death of the universe will arrive before school resumes. Personally, I think that his presence in this corner of the universe generates more than enough random energy to keep the universe expanding until well after the doors open Thursday morning..
All of them are in agreement that their new school backpacks are awesome.
Piper is easy. After I drop the kids off Thursday, I predict that she's going to lock herself into the apartment and plow through a whole case of wine.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Dumbest thing I've done in weeks...
I just finished using a cordless circular saw to cut a coconut in half. My kids watched from outside the minimum safe distance. They think it was the coolest thing ever.
Definitely not a bright thing to do.
I do marvel at how hard the thing was. The saw was smoking and grinding until it bit through the husk. Almost like cutting metal.
Not sure how they managed to eat so many of them on Gilligans Island without power tools.
Definitely not a bright thing to do.
I do marvel at how hard the thing was. The saw was smoking and grinding until it bit through the husk. Almost like cutting metal.
Not sure how they managed to eat so many of them on Gilligans Island without power tools.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Grant James
Waaahoooooo!!!
Grant James finally arrived. Do we need to point out that he is a boy? By all accounts, Leah did great; John did not pass out. We thank the Lord that our second summer baby arrived healthy and strong.
Grant James finally arrived. Do we need to point out that he is a boy? By all accounts, Leah did great; John did not pass out. We thank the Lord that our second summer baby arrived healthy and strong.
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Guilty Pleasures
5fordhams are still alive, still well and still in Germany. We spent last night at a Biergarten, quite possibly the pinnacle of human culinary innovation. Soon, I shall post a definitive post on the total awesomeness of German Biergartens. But that's not what I came to talk about. I came to talk about mindless summer time wasters.
This week, the Kinder of 5fordhams are particularly fascinated with 2 such activities. The first is this game, discovered by accident. It's a typical internet flash game in which you, the leader of a minor world power, compete to launch your national mascot into space. Earning points lets you upgrade rubber bands, rockets, and goggles. until your hedgehog is in low elliptical orbit. The kids love it.
Their second addiction is Wipeout. This is their first (and hopefully only) excursion into reality TV. It's quite good fun though it's but a thin hair away from watching the lions eat people in the Coliseum. I rationalize that it's OK because the obstacles are padded and the contestants have signed medical release forms. Video below. I'll let you judge.
This week, the Kinder of 5fordhams are particularly fascinated with 2 such activities. The first is this game, discovered by accident. It's a typical internet flash game in which you, the leader of a minor world power, compete to launch your national mascot into space. Earning points lets you upgrade rubber bands, rockets, and goggles. until your hedgehog is in low elliptical orbit. The kids love it.
Their second addiction is Wipeout. This is their first (and hopefully only) excursion into reality TV. It's quite good fun though it's but a thin hair away from watching the lions eat people in the Coliseum. I rationalize that it's OK because the obstacles are padded and the contestants have signed medical release forms. Video below. I'll let you judge.
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Jet Lag Update
I put the kids to bed at 8:00 as usual. Much whining that they weren't tired but they (eventually) complied.
When I went to bed at 10:00, they were more or less in bed but not asleep.
At 3:00am when Piper got up to go to the bathroom, Maddie and Micah were playing in the living room making paper airplanes together.
I got up early this morning and ran. As of 10:00, they're all still asleep. Even Micah. This is surreal because Micah is usually out of bed well before 6:00.
When I went to bed at 10:00, they were more or less in bed but not asleep.
At 3:00am when Piper got up to go to the bathroom, Maddie and Micah were playing in the living room making paper airplanes together.
I got up early this morning and ran. As of 10:00, they're all still asleep. Even Micah. This is surreal because Micah is usually out of bed well before 6:00.
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