Chickens

And.. just so you know, poor ole Ems has gone spotty, chicken poxy.

Thankfully, she doesn't have a fever...

and, I guess, she'll soon have company because surely it won't be long before her brother's keeping her company.

je speak en German

Okay, so things are beginning to get a little confusing!

Jack was just perfecting his art of speaking Franglais (or Frenglish, if you prefer). You know 'je veux cake' and 'où est ma car' (I want cake and where is my car).

He was just beginning to count in the two languages 'un deux trois cinq' and, equally with the 4 missing in English 'one, two, three, five.'

He was enjoying Dora - who speaks French but has (in imaginary cartoon world) an English Dad and so who tries to teach her audience English. Like any French kid, he was enjoying shouting 'We did it' (Dora's catchphrase) and calling for 'sac à dos' ('backpack,' Dora's trusty companion).

Then we did two things.

First, I showed him a Dora DVD in English.. where Dora's Dad is Spanish. Ola! You try explaining, to a 3 year old, that 'maman' in English is 'Mum' in British English but 'Mommy' in American English and that with Dora's American accent, yes, it seems like she's calling her Mommy, Mamy.. which is French for grandmother. And so, non, Dora's Maman isn't really that old... it all got kinda messy.

So, from now on we're going to watch Dora in only French.

That is, unless I meet his demands to watch it in German.

Now, don't panic, he wouldn't understand it if it was in German but as we are living in Alsace, which is part of France, we are only 20km from the German border. What does that mean? It means half of his schooling is done in German. He has a French teacher on Mondays and Thursdays and a German teacher on Tuesdays and Fridays. It's all quite fun and he seems to be really enjoying it. As our TV receives French, German, and British stations, he often plays the 'the man speak German?' game.. and what is pretty cool is that he often 'gets the concept' when there's an English man speaking with a French voice over. He's also dead proud...

which is funny especially as I heard him counting 'eins, zwei, drei, funf' yesterday.

Apparently, 4 doesn't exist for him in any language which might just make his next birthday a little bit complicated!

Hoping your numbers are adding up, wherever you are in the world!
love n hugs,
Robyn
ps/If anyone reading this knew me at school, let me reassure you, I have NOT transformed from the awkward dunce in languages into some multi-language beast! Each day in French is still a challenge.. and Jack probably knows more German than me now. Heck, he knows how to say 'nose' in German and that's the bee's knees to me ;-)

A week in Provence

Back in August, Ben suggested that we spend a week in October in Les Omergues, Provence. His folks have their second house there - they bought the house as a near ruin 25 years ago and have spent every summer ever since renovating it. When Ben made his suggestion, I thought he was daft. 'Provence? In October? Emma will only be 3 months old. It's 7hours drive away. It'll be cold and wet (and miserable). No way.' Then he talked me into it....

and, my goodness, I'm glad he did.

We went with 2 dear friends and their 3 year old daughter and had such a lovely outdoorsy time. The weather was wonderful: 19*C/66.2F and sunny, sunny, sunny. We went for walks and talks. We roasted chestnuts by the fire. We had long lazy siestas on the porch. We watched the kids running, playing, laughing in the open air. It was just grand.

And now there are only a few weeks left until the Christmas holidays.

I like life - and I hope you do too, wherever in the world you are just now!

hugs,

Robyn

au-pair

Hello,

Do you know of anyone who would like to work as an au-pair in France for a few months, starting in April?

I have a French friend, who speaks fluent English, who is looking for an au-pair because her husband will be serving in Afganistan from April.

She has 2 adorable boys aged 5 (twins) and a baby girl... and lives in a house just down the road from me!

Just let me know if you know of anyone who might be interested...
hugs,
Robynx
ps/students, in particular, might find this a good way to spend the summer.

3 months old

Our Princess!

Cornerboys.

You should not go walking where Cornerboys lurk

Late at night in the heart of the city

The goblins wear leather as they wait in the murk

And they know neither kindness nor pity

My excellent friend Jamie Ridenhour recently produced a short film, Cornerboys, based on a long poem he wrote a few years ago.

It's ruddy excellent!!

Check it out now...