scribblings

Important Lessons

2012-01-22T22:03:00.005+02:00

Okay, as we tackled another day of taking down wallpaper, I learned a few important lessons.

1. Taking down wallpaper can be fun. When you're standing on the ground.

2. Watching someone else who is taking down wallpaper while standing on a stepladder is much easier than being the person who is taking down wallpaper while standing on a stepladder!

3. That, even me, a girl (!) can take responsibility for taking down the wallpaper in a whole room*. My room was the bathroom (soon to be the kitchen) and I am ever so proud tonight to know that I did it all by myself, stepladder and all!

And so, while our pile of 'taken down wallpaper' grows ever higher, we are inching our way towards the end of the first 'thing to be done' on our list.... and that feels good!

Hoping you're feeling good, too,

Robynxxxx

*Though, okay, I didn't need to do the ceiling...as we're going to add insulation.

Let the games begin!

2012-01-15T22:30:00.007+02:00

Hello there!

Okay, so the kids are fine!

Emma's convinced she's a 'georgeous princess' and Jack is as happy as ever on his bike, and all the more so because he can now pedal freely around the garage underneath our "new" house.

We've now started work on our "new house." We haven't done much so far. We've only pulled the wallpaper off the walls in the stairway and a bit in the living room. Goodness, though, it feels good to have started!

Emma and Jack are helping as best they can... soaking the old wallpaper with water so that Ben and I can tear and scrape as best as we can. Reassuringly, this first task is moving relatively quickly... and that's a good thing because we have a lot more left to go before we're done.

The electrician should hopefully be starting up soon and then from there the plumbers and builders should follow suit. If everything goes to plan, that is....

Hoping your plans are going, well, to plan where ever you are in the world,

Robynxxxx

Happy New Year 2012

2012-01-02T13:46:00.003+02:00

Hello there!

I just wanted to take a minute to wish you all a very happy New Year!

I hope 2012 will be a peaceful and meaningful year for you and that you'll be able to fill the hours, days, and months with both projects and quiet moments of rest.

For our part, our BIG project is the house... as we returned from our holiday with Ben's parents, we swung past the house to collect the mail and to say hello to its quiet walls. As we drove away, to come back to our rented home, we couldn't help imagining how good it will be one day to come home to our true home.... for that dream to become a reality, though, we have to wait... and realise the hours, days and months of 2012 will also be spent being together as a family, working madly, and resting peacefully. At least, that's what I hope for us!

And so, however you spend 2012, I hope you spend it well!

hugs,

Robynxxxx

Snow is falling, all around!

2011-12-19T11:08:00.004+02:00

Hello again,

Okay, smile, when Ben read my blog yesterday and realised that I didn't think that it felt like winter, he packed us all in the car and took us for a drive.

I would like to say that it was a long drive.

But it wasn't.

We were only in the car for 20minutes or so but, because we live at the foot of the Vosges hill range, we quickly gained altitude and came to the Champs de Feu . Only the fields were anything but on fire... as they and the roads were filled with snow!

We didn't stay for long (as I hadn't brought the right clothes....) but we we had enough time for a snowy walk, to make snow angels and to realise, yes, it truly was winter in the Vosges.

Then, after a change of clothes and some hot chocolate back home, we met up with friends in Obernai to visit the Christmas Market... and so, after cups of hot wine, watching the kids going round on the carousel, petting Santa's donkey, snacking on bredele and mannele, and visiting the local church with all it's Christmas decorations, I finished the day well and truly feeling we were in the heart of an Alsacian winter!

Love n snowy hugs,
Robynx

Moving Times

2011-12-18T12:20:00.003+02:00

That's it!

Our lives have changed. We are no longer living in our apartment in Mutzig and we've bought an old house to renovate in Molsheim. As the renovations will take at least 6 months, we're renting an apartment (just next door to our old apartment) until the summer holidays. There's so much to be done that it's hard to imagine that we'll be able to live in the house by July but then, as my dear friend Melanie recently wrote, "if your dreams don't scare you, then they're not big enough!'

In the meantime, all is well. The Christmas holidays have just started, though it's so mild that I'm having a hard time we're realising that we're actually in December. One sign that the months have passed is that the kids have changed again. Emma can now get out of her cot, go to the loo, and get dressed by herself. It's really funny to get up in the morning and to see her living her own wee life. I told her recently that she was my "sweet pea" and she replied curtly, "No, Emma, Princess Gorgeous. No Sweetpea!" Also, she'll tell anyone who listens that she'd like a "bigger, better bed." For that, though, she'll have to wait until we're in the 'new' house. Thankfully, she has her big brother to distract her until then. Jack is doing grand and has written a full list of requests to Santa Claus, via one of Santa's helpers.. who, helpfully, also works at Jack's playschool. He's still living in the world of Flash McQueen but, now Cars 2 has been released, his world goes far beyond Radiator Springs. The upside is that he can recognise the French, English, Japanese, and Italian flags. The downside is that he looks at me strangely if ever I try to tell him that the 'Stars and the Stripes" is the flag of America and not of Flash. Mums, what do they know?

Well, what I do know is that we're going down to Cagnes sur mer to spend Christmas with our French family! So, if I'm having trouble believing it's December now... just wait until I arrive in the land of palm trees and walks by the sea. I can't wait, though, and I'm sure Santa Claus will find us wherever we are and despite the fact we rather seem to be on the move at the moment!

And so, wherever your home is right now, know that I wish you the very best of Christmases and a very Happy New Year :-)

love n hugs,
Robynxxxx

Rock the Statue Green!

2011-11-26T19:31:00.001+02:00

I am really (really) proud of my high school students who made this video so they could enter the 'Rock the Statue Green' competition, a competition which calls upon French and American schools to produce art to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the Statue of the Liberty. The theme? The Statue of the Liberty and the Environment.

I hope you enjoy it!

Smiles,
Robyn

Happy Birthday Jack

2011-11-26T19:12:00.005+02:00

This is Jack's "YES, I'm FIVE" smile...

and

"yes, I've got a Cars' sticker stuck to me forehead but I don't care" smile :-)

Jack had a grand birthday, with presents and cake and a cool party with some of his friends... but he also had a cute wee sad moment. It was the end of the day and he was getting ready for his bath when he caught sight of himself in the bathroom mirror and starting crying: Maman, look, I'm not five... I'm still four. You lied to me, I can't be five...LOOK, I'm the same as yesterday. I'm still four!"

Then, one week after his birthday, we moved from our apartment to the apartment at the other side of Jack's bedroom wall. The reason is simple, our apartment is sold and our new house is just about bought (we should get the keys in the next couple of weeks). As we've about 6months renovation work to do in the house, we're going to be renting until (at least) the summer. So far, so good as our new apartment is very similar to our old one, cosy, comfortable and a complete mess of kids toys most of the time.

:-)

hugs n all that,

Robynxxxx

October Holidays!

2011-10-26T11:17:00.004+03:00

Hello there,

Some of you might be wondering if I've stopped this blog.... but, no! It's not true! It's just that the days are so busy that I just don't have time to scribble down the details (at least, that's how it feels at the moment).

Stop shaking your heads... I'm not being slack, honest. The days really are that busy. Let me explain...

To start with, we've sold our apartment and so we're in the midst of packing up our things and getting things ready for the BIG move.....

Next door!

What? Yes, we're moving into the apartment next door... or, rather, across the wall. That is, we're going to rent the apartment which is located at the other side of Jack's bedroom wall until....

The old (read: 1759) house that we're in the process of buying in Molsheim is renovated... or, at least, is in a fit state for us to live in safely and happily. I'll tell you more about that 'project' once all the paperwork is finalised, as I don't want to jinx anything.

In the meantime, life continues at its usual hectic speed!

For instance, can you believe that Jack will be 5 in just a few days time? I can remember writing the blog announcing his birth as though it were yesterday and so I can hardly believe our big kid really will be, officially, big. And not just big, grand too. For I continue to adore him in all his proud and joyous daftness. The best thing is that he's (finally) discovering Emma as a friend and not 'just' as a little sister. Of course, what that really means is that he's discovered that he can boss her around and position her as his 'underling' in all things game and play.

Emma, though, doesn't care... as she loves feeling BIG, too. She loves dressing herself, going to the loo, and generally being Emma. She so different (and yet also somehow similar) to Jack. She goes to bed with 2 babydolls, 1 talking doll, Noddy, Lala, and an armful of other teddies and toys. She can spend an afternoon dressing them up and feeding them... but is equally happy playing with Flash McQueen as Jack plays out life in Radiator Springs (from the film Cars). Emma's sitting beside me now, colouring in a 'beha' (bear), as Jack watches Tinkerbell on TV. The fire's on and the trees outside the window are as orange and brown as the flames licking the charred wood that's warming us all on this cold, clear day.

Later on today we'll go for a walk... or, at least, I'll walk while Emma and Jack take their bikes. We have time for such fun this Wednesday because we're on school holidays (myself like the kids) and, goodness, it feels good to forget the alarm clocks and packed lunches for a week or two!

So, wherever you are in the world, I hope you're doing well and that your days are as busy and as rich when you want them to be and calm and quiet when you're ready for a bit of rest!
hugs,
Robynxxxxx

Trees

2011-08-24T01:44:00.000+03:00

In honour of the trees which have grown

when we weren't looking!

Summer's Close

2011-08-24T01:14:00.004+03:00

Hello there,

I guess for all of us (except you over there in New Zealand, Australia....), summer's drawing to a close. Not in the sense that the nights are drawing in and the leaves are turning, but in the sense that it's time to pack school bags again and to quietly realise that time will no longer, entirely, be our own again.

Yet, I know now that however busy and mad the months ahead may be, we've got memories to keep us going and to energise us when the going gets tough.

As I write, we're still in New Deer where, and here you may think I'm mad, the weather has just been perfect : 20*C cloudy with sunny spells. Now that's what I call good summer weather! We can sleep easy at night under cosy blankets and yet go out and play during the day. And each day has found us outside, not only doing the tour of the local playparks (there are some good ones), but also having barbecues on different beaches.... and that has meant the kids have discovered the fun of splashing in the sea, digging around in rockpools, and how the word 'sandwich' got its name!

In the last couple of weeks, I've had the chance to catch up with a number of great friends. Incredibly, 20 years have passed since I left school and 30 years have passed since we moved into the village. Yet, I still feel about the same as I did back then... and so the only way I can really 'sense' that time has passed is by looking at groups of children playing - for they contain my children, which seems incredible - and by looking at the trees. What? Yes, it's the trees which give the game away... for those trees which were young and spindly and not worth climbing when I was younger have grown tall and handsome. They're lovely to see... but they are the final signposts that so many years have truly gone by... and I do need them for I do still feel much the same as I did when I was six!

So, here's to the six year old inside all of us,
hugs,
Robynxxxx

Kite Flying Days

2011-08-16T00:17:00.005+03:00

Ben and Jack, flying their kite

Jack's in the bottom right, filling his bucket with sea water.

Emma's watching her Dad's kite

Emma heading out to sea!

Print your Photos

2011-08-12T17:06:00.003+03:00

Hello there,

My brother-in-law - Régis - recently set up a photo printing company: Tirages Pro.

They print professional photographs which can render your images absolutely and simply beautiful!

At the moment, he's running a competition from his facebook page which would allow you to win a 40*60 copy of one of your photos!

To me, that sounds like a great excuse to go on over to his site....
hugs to one and all,
Robynxxxx

Annette's Patchworks

2011-08-12T16:59:00.004+03:00

Hello,

While we were in Les Omergues, Ben's mother - Annette - ran a week long exhibition of her patchworks.

As you'll see if you follow this link and this link, she designs and creates her works of art in a quite breath-taking fashion!

hugs to one and all,
Robynx

Summer Holidays!

2011-08-12T16:28:00.007+03:00

Hello there,

Just wanted to let you know that we're enjoying our summer holidays!

So far, we've spent 2 weeks in Provence, a long weekend in the Alps, time at home in Mutzig, some days in the Wirral in the north of England, and now we're in Scotland for 3 weeks!

Yep, French summer holidays are long and brilliant!In the meantime, we've also just put our apartment in Mutzig on the market, as we're in the process of buying a house in Molsheim (just a couple of miles away). I'll tell you more about that project later on, but for now... if you're looking to buy an apartment in Mutzig, you know where to look :-)

Hoping your own projects are going well, wherever you are in the world!

love n hugs,

Robynxxxx

Almost Free....

2011-06-30T11:24:00.006+03:00

Hello there,

I just wanted to let you know that I did my entrance exams to become a high school teacher in France last week. The results are due out next Wednesday....

In the meantime, I'm savouring the first taste of freedom after a very busy year.

And, what a delight - to wake up in the morning and eat a lesuirely breakfast (you know, the kind where the cup of tea isn't left to go cold as I dash out the door) and then to curl up with Emma and Jack in front of the morning's cartoons before planning a picnic in the park.

Yep, if this is what the summer holds for me and for the rest of our family - whatever the results of the teaching exams - I'm looking forward to it.

Hoping your summer is looking promising, too!

love n hugs,

Robynxxxx

Be sure to buckle up!

2011-06-05T12:03:00.004+03:00

Hello again,

As spring warms into summer, life continues in its daft and wonderful way :-)

Emma following in her brother's tyre tracks :-)

Brother and sister!

And Jack continues to enjoy drawing ..... roads and cars! His description of the picture above? "So, Maman, here are two race cars (tractors?) and, see, the two people are wearing their seatbelts!"

So, although things are as daft and as wonderful as ever, at least Jack's making sure we stay safe!

love n hugs and hoping you are safe wherever you are!

Robynxxxx

Firing into June!

2011-06-02T23:23:00.005+03:00

Hello,

Just a quick word as we go into June to say that life is, as usual, firing on all cylinders. The Master's degree in Teaching is 'done', insofar as the exams are behind us and we're waiting for the results. High school's drawing to a close, after a wonderful year. And the CAPES (National Teaching Exam), gulp, let's just say that I'm due in Lille in 3 weeks. And the kids? Grand, grand, grand! Jack's busy drawing people in cars, complete with their seatbelts, and Emma is learning to speak. Heaven help us! And all that, as usual, means that Ben and I are hanging on for dear life as the roller coaster continues!

hugs to one and all,
Robynxxxxx

ps/For those of you being irritated by spam sent from yahoo, I've closed my account with them and so things so should start calming down.

May Madness

2011-05-08T16:24:00.003+03:00

Hello there,

This is just a wee message to say that all is well and , ouf, my Master's exams are now behind me and that my CAPES (national teaching) exam is now scheduled for the end of June. Until then, we'll all be lying low... but, don't doubt, we're all good!

Emma is full of garbled chat and trouble while Jack is learning how to draw cars, complete with aerials, radios, engines, lights and, you know, all that stuff boys see in cars that girls don't!

So, as the sun comes back into the world, I hope your days are full of light and happiness,

hugs,

Robynxxxx

Decorating Life

2011-03-05T16:12:00.004+02:00

Hello there,

We've just returned from a wonderful week spent with my sister-in-law, Juliette, and her family at their house in the Alps.

While Emma had great fun running around their garden, climbing onto chairs, touching all she shouldn't :-), Jack had a shot at both downhill and cross country skiing and at building snowmen and sledging!

I've really enjoyed spending time with 'my family' and collecting some of Jack's funnier little insights, dreams, and experiences.

For example, the other day he announced at the dinner table that "life was hard and so we had to decorate it." When we asked him how he wanted to "decorate life," he said with "red oil that we can buy at the supermarket. I would paint all the trees and grass and walls and telephone lines red!"

Then, the other night, he dreamt about fixing a problem. The problem was pretty sad, as last time we were in the Alps we say a baby marmot being run over. Don't worry, though, in his dream, Jack chilled his magic sword in the fridge before going with the marmot's mum to find the baby marmot, which he duly transformed into a witch so that the "witch" could then transform herself back into a marmot! Cool, huh? I wish I had such powers.

Just now, as I've been typing, he told be "we have to work hard as life is so beautiful!"

For that, I have to agree with him. So, wherever you are, I hope you are working hard (but not too much) for life is, indeed, a beautiful thing!

hugs,

Robynxxxx

Our Growing Kids!

2011-02-21T11:12:00.005+02:00

Hello,

I do know its been a while but things have been 'oh-so-busy!'

Now it's the holidays and I've two weeks to hang with the kidz :-)

As you can probably tell from the pictures, they've been agrowing up. Jack no longer lives in Mutzig but in Radiator Springs with all the crew from Cars. He lives and breathes the world of Flash and Sally but still manages to keep those of us in the 'real world' laughing at his insights and antics. Even as I'm writing Jack is telling me 'I love Flash too much. He's my best friend!' Emma, meanwhile, is over a year and a half old and is a cheeky chirpy little chimp. She's trying to potty train herself at the moment, so that she can be big like her brother, and is pretty cute about going to bed ('Bye, bye, Maman. Bye, bye Papa,' she'll sing out while cuddling down with her baby-doll and its milk bottle).

Meanwhile, Ben and I are running to keep up with them, and life, and are looking forward to spending next week with Tata Juju and Tonton Régis and cousins Antoine and Charlotte in their house near Albertville.. and who says Albertville says the Alps and snow and maybe even some skiing.....

Hey, I love the holidays!
Hoping you're all loving life, holidays or no holidays, wherever you are in the world!
Robynxxxx

Merrry Christmas!

2010-12-25T23:56:00.003+02:00

First of all, Merry Christmas!!!!!

Second, goodness, it's been a while, hasn't it?

Most of you were probably thinking that I'd got lazy and given up on this blog. The truth is that Ben and I have just been so darn busy lately that I haven't had the time to do anything but the essentials in life.

Thankfully, kids grow by themselves and so, while Ben and I have been running around like mad things, they've gone and got all big.

Jack's now 4 and can draw basic pictures, recognise letters, write his name, and count - and all while charming the pants off anyone within a ten mile radius! He's currently in love with Selenia and Katy Morag.... as there are worse girls out there, I'm happy with his choices so far.

Emma's now 1 year and about 4 months and is a cheeky wee dafty! Although she doesn't say much for the moment, trust me, she makes herself understood and completely gets whatever we tell her. She's still a 'baby', though, and so quickly left the toy babies she received today so that she could 'feed' herself the bottles of pretend milk and sit in the toy push-chair herself. Obviously, she doesn't think she should be looking after anyone else but herself yet!

I'm glad she's still a big baby because these days are flying by and time just seems to be disappearing. For the moment, then, I'm very very glad to be back home in New Deer for Christmas. We're deep in snow and enjoying every minute....

because every minute does count at the moment!

Hoping your moments are counting, too.

love,

Robynxxxx

Emma's Walking!

2010-09-28T22:14:00.002+03:00

I don't have any time to upload my photos of Emma at the moment but, as I've just posted on Jack biking, I thought you'd like to know.... Emma's walking :-)

Jack Biking :-)

2010-09-28T22:10:00.000+03:00

La Rentrée / Back to School

2010-09-08T22:16:00.006+03:00

Hello,

You've probably been wondering why I haven't written anything about Jack's return to school yet. The truth is his 'rentrée' has gone really well but I just haven't had time to sit down and think as I've also gone back to school.

What?

Yep, now I can tell you the wonderful news that I've been hired to teach Language and Literature classes at the Lycée International des Pontonniers in Strasbourg. It's a gorgeous high school and the students are so motivated and alive that teaching there really is an honour.

In the meantime, though, Ben and I are also working and playing hard with Emma and Jack. Emma's beginning to walk without the aid of our hands and Jack still the apple of my eye! Here's my first 'video blog' of Mr Jack 'mountain biking' in a local forest. At the end he's shouting in French, 'Did you see what I did?' Personally, I don't think you'll be able to miss it!

hugs to one and all,

Robynxxxx

Maureen O'Brien

2010-08-23T17:28:00.003+03:00

Hello again,

I just wanted to let you know that during Les Omergues' very first literary festival , I had the chance to meet with the writer Maureen O'Brien. As well as previously 'being' Vicki in Dr Who, she is also the author of the Inspector Bright detective novels. Donna Leon believes she is a 'real talent' and i would agree. I've only read 'Close Up on Death' so far but I really like the way that she presents Inspector Bright and, indeed, the rest of the world through the eyes of only one of the characters. Close up On Death kept me guessing until the very last pages and, supposedly, the rest of her books are also known for being cliff hangers...

Just thought you'd like to know....

smiles n hugs,

Robyn

Six Years Later

2010-08-21T15:05:00.005+03:00

We've just come back from paradise - as we've just spent 3 weeks in Les Omergues under the warm provençal sun. As Ben and I were married in Les Omergue's six years ago, it's always nice to return. This time, though, we were able to show Jack the inside of the chapel. 'It's too cute,' he exclaimed before going on to 'remind' us that he'd married us just last week! You see, time is still a bit vague for Jack and so something that happened yesterday will be referenced as something that happened a month ago.

I can't really criticise him as time itself seems to be playing tricks on me. Emma is now a year old and so full of mischief that we can't help but smile when we're beside her. She's learning to walk and stands up by herself and all that means that she's always into trouble: sucking stones, eating lego, going where she's not allowed....

Jack, meanwhile, is just himself. He rides his bike (without stabilisers) like a beast, jumping off the pavement, hurtling down dirt tracks and, inevitably, falling off. He's just grand and seems to have changed so much recently. Good thing, too, as he returns to school in a couple of weeks and now will be in the 'moyen/middle-sized kids' section. Good luck to us all!

Hoping you're all doing well and are having a fantastic summer, wherever you are in the world,
:-)
Robynxxxx

Changing Directions

2010-07-25T02:04:00.005+03:00

Hello there,

New directions are being taken... as Mr Jack has definitely turned a new page for he's become much gentler and a little calmer in the last couple of weeks. He listens more and seems more attentive to reality. Now, that doesn't mean that he's a wee angel for he's not. It does mean, though, that I'm chuffed with him and hope that we'll stay 'on this page' for a while before the winds picks up and the pages start aturning once again.

Miss Emma, meanwhile, is turning from a little monkey into a wee chimp! She'll giggle and wag her pointing finger at us if we tell her 'No' for something. If she hears us telling her not to do something (for example, climb the stairs, touch the fireplace, go into the kitchen) she'll do everything in her power to do that 'thing' all the faster. Here she is surrounded by all the tissues she emptied out of a box last week. See that smile? That's our new Emma!

Hoping you're all smiling as you own lives twist in their new directions,

Robyn

Lisa Doby

2010-07-02T10:26:00.003+03:00

Hello there,

I recently met Lisa Doby , an American living nearby in Strasbourg, and I thought y'all would like to hear some of her music.

Enjoy!
Robyn

Summer's coming close

2010-06-30T14:00:00.004+03:00

As I type, Emma's standing up holding onto the chair and chattering away to herself. Yep, she's growing up and moving onward with her wee life.It's all incredibly cute, as she's staying as sweet and calm as ever.

Jack's life is, as usual, just a bit more complicated. For example, recently, he's been both a tree and a tiger!

He was a tree last Friday, at the school production of 'little red round hat' (petit chapeau rond rouge). I was sitting happily with the other parents when Jack and his friends came out to play the 'forest' -with Jack waving his arms and making 'I'm a tree on a windy day' noises. Then, all of a sudden, Jack spotted me and came running across the room shouting: Maman, I love you too much!

But, for all the love in the world, I have to admit that Jack is also as much a tiger as a tree and so things haven't been easy for him in the apartment. Ben and I are both very tired of his rather too proud behaviour (we don't ever doubt that he's a good lad but he is too quick to reply ever so cheekily!). So we're being strong with him and calling him on everything. And, it's calmed his game. Last night I asked him what he had to change. 'Direction' was his rather apt response. Pushed, he admitted he needed to be more polite/'purlhlite' but not tomorrow, 'the day after tomorrow.'

And so, for all your todays and your tomorrows, and for all your tigers and your trees, I hope you're doing well wherever you are in the world!
hugs,
Robynxxxx

The Write Way Forward

2010-06-05T16:44:00.003+03:00

Okay, so you've got to peer at the pink envelope below as though it were an echography to see Jack's spidery representation of his name: that must be the J, and is that the A, and there's a C that looks like an S, and, well, that must be the K. But if you peer, and squint, you can see Jack is becoming a writer. Of course, several months ago I celebrated Jack becoming an artist and he hasn't drawn a darn thing since (not an eye, not a nose, not a mouth and certainly not a face) and so it may be months again before we see him writing. But, and it's an important but, the idea is there... and as we all know it's the idea that counts!

Phoenix Cards

2010-05-15T13:45:00.003+03:00

Hello there,

I just wanted to let you know that I've recently become a trader for Phoenix Cards .

The reasons are simple:

I love their cards

I love sending cards

It's difficult to find good cards at a reasonable price in France

I want to play shops and see how it feels to sell a product I like!

The rules are also simple:

I can't sell these cards over the internet

I can't do 'mail ordering'

I can only sell them 'from my home'

However, I'm already having great fun distributing the cards to friends and colleagues because Phoenix do have a great range of cards for all sorts of people and all sorts of occasions.

So, should you and I ever have a chance to have a cup of tea together or should you ever see me and want a card, don't hesitate to ask me either for a card from my 'ready to sell' collection or for a catalogue (from which you can order cards and so have the cards in a week!).

love n hugs n nice smiley cards,

Robynxxxx

Paris (darling!)

2010-05-11T10:06:00.008+03:00

We went to Paris last weekend to visit friends who have an apartment just minutes from the Eiffel Tower. We could only stay for the weekend but, goodness, it was great to be back in the capital. The last time I was in Paris was 7 years ago when Ben lived in Vincennes.

Paris hasn't changed since then (obviously) but our lives now include Emma and Jack. Indeed, their presence changed everything because after visiting the Eiffel Tower we then went on a tour of... Parisian parks! Did you know Paris has some great places for kids to play? Jack had his choice of carousel and he climbed and slid his way around 3 different playparks.

The highlight, though, still has to be the Eiffel Tower. We walked from our friends' apartment to the Trocadero which sits high, lording over the Tower with all of Paris at its mighty feet. We all had that moment of WOW and Jack definitely got a shock. The photo above shows that he just didn't know what to do with his eyes :-)

And Emma? Unfazed by everything! Me, cute? I know it (darling).

So, I hope wherever you are that you are feeling cute and you are the centre of your own world,

hugs,

Robynxxxx

Stability

2010-04-30T23:59:00.003+03:00

What can I say? Life's been busy this last month.

Dear friends from university days came to stay for a week, renting a gîte in our town to give us all a little space and filling our life with laughter and happiness. Jack fell in love with the ten year old girl who came with them and who was with him as they all went to a treetop adventure park where he learned how to 'Death Slide' in style!

Emma's been busy.. growing cuter and cheekier by the moment. Just look at the photo above and you'll see the life - the growing, crackling fire of life - that blazes in her eyes.

And Jack? He's a wee -awkward, overly passionate, overly determined - charmer. Last week, he watched as one of bestest friends learned to ride her bike. During a pause, Ben put Jack on the bike and explained how it worked.. and away Jack cycled. Seriously! He's always had his small bike that doesn't have pedals and so he found how to keep his balance months ago but I was still awed/amazed/gobsmacked that he could just cycle off on his own. The photo below, mark, was taken that very first time - when he immediately left the safety of Ben to go off on his own. Of course, he doesn't really know how to turn or to brake but I'm sure he'll learn how to do such things later....

And Ben and I? We're so busy just getting on with life that we are a bit like Jack: we've found our balance and are moving our 4-person family happily through time and space without really knowing how to turn or to brake.

Helterskelter, here we come!

Hoping your life is either bringing you the stability you're looking for or that it is soaring you along that crazy old path called life!
hugs, loads of hugs,
Robynxxxx

Moving times

2010-04-02T11:01:00.008+03:00

Emma's now eight months old and moves around by rolling from her pudgy tummy onto her back. Nothing is safe anymore!

At the same, being with her can be very 'moving' as she often bursts into (theatrical) tears when I leave the room....

only to smile again when I come back in.

I guess she's not a girl for nothing!

Hoping you are well and that things are moving along nicely for you,

Robynxxxx

Lucy Kitt

2010-03-23T01:29:00.004+02:00

Hello again,

This is just a quick and dirty message as it's already past midnight... but, please, don't let the scarcity of my words stop you from following and playing this link to my friend Lucy Kitt's songs..If she gets enough plays, she wins some studio recording time.

How? Via 'Live and Unsigned':

Live and Unsigned is the biggest original music competition for unsigned bands and artists in the UK. The competition has attracted over 30, 000 entrants in the last three years and has proven a huge success with original musicians across the country. Auditions travel across the country in a bid to find the UK's ultimate unsigned act. Live and Unsigned is like no other competition because each act auditions live, there are no demos or submissions. Musicians line up to face the scrutiny of the judging panel, all in the hope of being crowned the winner and becoming signed. Those that make it through the auditions battle it out on stage at the Regional Finals in front of a live audience and judging panel, for the chance to perform at the Live and Unsigned Festival and Grand Final. The Finale of the competition will see acts perform on the main stage of the Festival.

So, go check her out at http://www.muzu.tv/liveandunsigned/lucy-kitt-times-they-are-a-changin-loud-and-clear-music-video/613883?country=gb

And, if you like her music, why not listen to more of her stuff on http://www.myspace.com/lucykitt

cheers and happy listening!

Robyn

School Days

2010-03-17T11:44:00.008+02:00

'Maman, are you happy?' Jack asked me this morning while coming out of his bedroom.

'Yes, it's Wednesday and there's no school so I'm at home with you and Emma,' I replied while cuddling Emma on the couch.

'Why's there no school?' he demanded, now walking down the stairs and towards the table.

'Because in France children go to school only on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday,' I said, not really knowing what else to say.

'Why?' Jack continued, now sitting down at the table.

'To learn things. Your teachers want to teach you things,' I continued, kinda wishing I could have come up with something a bit more profound.

'I'm not learning things, excuse me,' Jack said, quite simply.

'Why?' now it was my turn to question.

'I not like thinking. I not think at school. sorry,' Jack reached for his breakfast bowl, looking less sorry than his rely might imply. 'Can I have some breakfast?'

And so he had his breakfast and so life went on with itself, just with a little less thought...

hoping you're having a more thoughtful day than Jack!

love n hugs,

Robynxxxx

Daisy Chains

2010-03-04T12:03:00.007+02:00

Last night, sitting on the couch quietly as Emma slept beside me, I played with my new (awesome) iPod touch. 'I wonder if I can find something to do with 'Kindle' in the applications?' I thought to myself while tapping in the necessary letters in the search function. A few seconds later, I was pleased to be downloading the function for free (yes, free) and surfing around the amazon.com Kindle site. 'Let's start with the Bestsellers,' I muttered while scrolling through the list of famous and yet still tempting books. Then, there it was, at number 50: my old writing colleague - Mary DeMuth's book 'Daisy Chain.' For a little while, when we both lived on the French Riviera, we were part of the same writing group. More important than that, though, is Mary is now not only a published writer but also recognised for her Christian fiction and for her determination to explore the darker sides of our relationships with others. As I've already read not only drafts of her earlier work but also her book, Ordinary Mum and Extraordinary God, I didn't hestitate to make Daisy Chain my first (but surely not my last) Kindle purchase. Now, as you probably all know I'm hardly 'Christian material' but I do enjoy Mary's blog and, in general, her refreshing directness and generosity with words and ideas.

Why not check her (and Kindle?) out today!
hugs to one and all,
Robyn

The Artist as a Young Baby...

2010-02-25T13:15:00.002+02:00

... didn't care about being an artist, she was too busy being cute and gorgeous!

So, okay, there's not much to write about Emma at the moment - you all know she's about 7 months now and so you can imagine that she's beginning to sit up, to reach for things, and to eat solids. You can imagine she's a delight and that I love her more than breathing...

but that still won't stop me from telling you that she's awesome, incredible, and beautiful, and that I do, in fact, love her more than breathing!

love n hugs to one and all,

Robynxxxx

The Artist as a Young Man

2010-02-25T13:05:00.003+02:00

'Okay, Jack,' I said - all motivated that this was the moment I was going to show him how to draw a picture of a face - 'first you draw a circle.'

'Oui, Maman, and then the 2 eyes, the nose, the mouth, the 2 ears,' he said drawing swiftly and without a care, 'Voilà!'

And later he added a cake, because - you know - because the man was hungry.

So, I guess the cherry on my cake is that my son can now draw!

Back home

2010-02-12T13:41:00.006+02:00

Back home in New Deer for a couple of weeks, I'm savouring the chance to stop and relax with family! We're having a gentle time, hanging out in the house and going out for the odd walk. Mum's out with Jack just now at the Singing Kettle Pyjama Party. Wish her luck!!!

While they're together today, Jack is sure to ask a hundred 'why' questions as he's thick in the midst of asking why, why, why about life. So, why not have a shot at answering some of his more pointed questions (remembering, of course, that every answer you give is echoed by other why questions!)

why doesn't his blood disappear when the sun goes down?

why was it a pilot and not a pirate who was flying our plane to Aberdeen?

Why do we eat?

Why does snow melt?

And, the killer question which appeared a couple of weeks ago, why don't we take Emma back to the hospital... as he doesn't need her anymore!

The answer we gave Jack is obvious.. Emma is here to stay and, not least, as she is growing into a delight, full of giggles and smiles and an incessant need for cuddles and attention.

She's with me as I type just now, talking to her teddy and playing with her dummy!

Yep, I love holidays and quiet times at home with family.

Hoping you are well and that life is giving you all the answers you need,

Robynxxxx

Caught at last.

2010-01-29T14:12:00.003+02:00

Go mourn J.D. Salinger, you big phony!

V

2010-01-15T10:28:00.003+02:00

Jack's learning his alphabet and how to draw objects. Great stuff, right? Well, it should be except it reveals a little more of the world that's inside Jack's crazy head. Take this morning, for example:

Drawing on a piece of paper, Jack said 'ça, c'est le 'V' de vendredi' (that's the V of vendredi/Friday).
'Wow, well done Jack. I'm really impressed,' I said, really impressed.
'And that's a big bum of Mother Hubbard,' he added while drawing a big bum-like semi-circle.
(Nervous laugh) 'Oh, you mean like Mother Hubbard in the book Each Peach Pear Plum?'

'Mais oui, bien sûr!'he replied.

And me, well I couldn't say much for, indeed, his drawing (his first human drawing no less) did indeed resemble the big bum of Mother Hubbard, who is sitting in her yellow dress on the left side of this picture which is taken from the classic, Each Peach, Pear, Plum.'

I mean, heck, at least.... well, you can finish my sentence!

Hoping your bum doesn't look that big,
Robynxxxx

Snow Angels

2010-01-15T10:24:00.002+02:00

My Snow Angel is no angel, but I love him all the same.

Molly's Venture

2010-01-14T00:14:00.003+02:00

A dear friend of mine from Asheville, Molly, has just set up her own venture - to provide postpartum doula services to families in the Asheville area.

As her website explains:

The word “doula” comes from ancient Greek and means “a woman who serves.” There are two types of doulas – birth and postpartum. A postpartum doula assists new mothers and families in the postpartum period by coming to the family’s home during the first three months of a baby’s life. The goal of a postpartum doula is to support the parents in their new roles, by allowing them time with their new baby and by offering advice on infant care.

In short, she's designed her company so that she can help families adjust to those breath-taking first few months when a baby arrives. I support and herald her for, goodness, I can tell you, everyone needs a Molly at that moment!

So, why not check out her website and, if you're in the Asheville area, why not think about offering her services to a mother-to-be as a baby shower gift?

Hoping someone is caring for you today,

Robynxxxx

Happy New Year!

2010-01-13T12:16:00.004+02:00

After a lovely Christmas down in Cagnes, we're back up in Alsace watching the snow fall and getting used to our new, busy routines.

Jack now goes to school in the morning, eats with his nanny, Sylvie, for lunch, goes back to school for an afternoon siesta, and then onto after school care until 6pm. Thankfully, he seems very content with such a busy planning and the various moments of the day balance each other nicely.

Emma now goes to a nanny, Tatie Lili, who is the same great woman who used to look after Jack and, of course, she goes to Tatie Lili because I am now officially back at work. Going back to work this time seems to be much easier than when I went back after Jack. That might be because I know what I'm going into or it might just be because I don't have that much work to do yet (most of my classes will really begin in February). Yep, not having to work that much definitely seems to be the solution to stress at work. I'd recommend it to all of you ;-)

Meanwhile, homelife is as funny and quirky as ever. Emma is now almost 6months old and is as wonderful and funny as ever. She's full of chat and seems to love giggling and blowing raspberries. And Jack, well he's just Jack! He's full of 'why?' questions and funny ideas about life. He loves watching 'Ice Age' at the moment. Last night, he said (while chomping away with his mouth)he was a baby dinasaur... but, we pointed out, dinosaurs aren't allowed in the house and, anyways, dinosaurs don't have fun - they can't eat chocolate or watch cartoons! Jack's reaction? Okay, I'm a crocodile! And when we told him crocodiles live in cold, dark rivers, he said that was 'fun'... so I'm not quite sure what kind of beast he's turning into but if he starts to grow scales and a tail expect to see signs for 'Adopt a Kid' appearing quickly on this blog!

Until that moment, though, stay warm and safe where ever you are in the world,

Robyn

Happy Holidays!

2009-12-23T01:01:00.006+02:00

Just a quickie to say that all is well here!

We dipped down to -18*C this week but, like a seagull soaring down towards the ocean and then tilting back up again at the last moment, the temperature has already risen back up to around the zero mark.

Not that we really care, as we're heading down to the south coast for Christmas!

I've packed loads of T-shirts in case it gets too warm ... and maybe one or two presents as well. You know, just in case Santa Claus gets confused about where we are....

Hoping that Santa finds you safe and sound,

Merry Christmas!

Robynxxxx

East toward Dawn

2009-12-15T09:07:00.005+02:00

So many months have passed since I last picked up anything more exciting than the latest issue of 'Woman and Home' or a cookbook, that I was beginning to feel a bit word desperate.

Looking through my bookcase, I just couldn't bear the idea of picking up books that I'd left behind to read later: The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak, for example. Such books just seemed too heavy and too congested with ideas for my life at the moment.

Then I saw, sitting quietly and calmly beside the others, Nan Watkins' 'East Toward Dawn'. Nan used to work at Western Carolina University's Hunter Library and was a friend to many an international traveler. Whilst I was working at WCU, she published this gorgeous travelogue which not only explains her solo journey around the world at the age of 60 but also explains her relationship with life (and hence our relationship with life).

I'm now making my way through its gentle pages, and so am traveling with her through Ireland, Germany, Nepal and now India as she visits the various International students who stayed with her when they were in the US. As she travels she muses on her life as a child, as a women, as a wife-mother, and then as an older single woman. Such an approach allows the reader to tap into these differennt layers and to draw the messages needed at the time of reading. It's a delicious process, especially as she doesn't so much question her life as she does examine it as one does a stone found on a beach or, indeed, a flower found on an Irish hillside.

Read:

"Turning my head, I saw a yellow wildflower bobbing in the wind. It made me think of Joseph Campbell, who once held up a daisy and, with a broad smile, asked, 'Meaning? People want life to have meaning? Does this flower ask, 'What is the meaning of my life?' No! It just blooms. It just is!' And that's the way I see my life. Just being; no questions asked."

So, however you're seeing your life at the moment, I hope you're just not asking too many questions but more just 'bobbing in the wind.'

;-)

hugs,

Robyn

ps/want to buy a copy? Try http://www.amazon.com/East-Toward-Dawn-Journey-Adventura/dp/1580050646/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260860750&sr=8-1 or http://www.amazon.co.uk/East-Toward-Dawn-Journey-Adventura/dp/1580050646/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260862372&sr=8-2 (with the UK site you have to wait a bit longer but I would say that this is a book that is not only worth the wait but is about the wait!).

pps/If anyone is in contact with Nan today, can you please say a heart warming hey from me...

St Martin and his friends...

2009-12-14T09:08:00.012+02:00

December is a crowded month in Alsace. There are lots of folks to meet and greet. I'll keep it short here... but you'd better take notes as it gets kinda confusing.

So, the first guy is Saint Nicolas. That starts well: Jack's afraid of him. So afraid that he refused to go up and collect the biscuit St Nicolas wanted to give him during our local Christmas market. Yesterday, randomnly at the table, he said 'I'm Saint Nicolas and you, Maman,you afraid.' Hmm, recognising I had work to do, I told him, No,Saint Nicolas is the good man. Père Fouettard was the bad man.

Who? The incarnation of the bad Father Christmas. His history is troubled as he's reputed to be an incarnation of the devil...but all you really need to know is that you don't ever want to be 'the bad kid' when he's around. Translate Père Fouettard and you get 'the whipping father'. Need I say more? Jack definitely din't think so. He got it!

Thankfully, bringing light to such dark tales, Saint Lucy (sainte lucie) also floats about these parts. As Wikipedia nicely tells us: As her brief day brings the longest night of the year by the old reckoning, John Donne's poem, "A Nocturnal upon St. Lucie's Day, being the shortest day", begins with: "'Tis the year's midnight, and it is the day's," and expresses, in a mourning piece, the withdrawal of the world-spirit into sterility and darkness, where "The world's whole sap is sunk." This timing, and her name meaning light, is a factor in the particular devotion to St. Lucy in Scandinavian countries, where young girls dress as the saint in honor of the feast."

Jack doesn't care about all that for he's scared of her, too!

Then, of course, there's Mary, Joseph, and Jesus. We know they exist because they had a little stand at the back of the Christmas maket and were accompanied by a petting market to attract the kids. I tried to explain who they were but, as I haven't yet got onto God and as they were accompanied by lamas, it all got a bit complicated.

Joseph

Complicated, yes because, if you're following the plot, we also celebrate Saint Martin and so have only just tucked away our lanterns!

And Santa Claus... and the reindeer.. and all that?

Well, hopefully we'll get onto them before them before they start flying across the midnight sky, before Santa comes down our chimney, and long before the presents appear magically under the Christmas tree.

For, heck now, we wouldn't want Jack to be afraid of him too now... would we?

love n hugs n Christmas stories,

Robynxxxx

Lumberyard

2009-12-02T22:36:00.002+02:00

Go on, treat yourself.

It's almost Christmas afterall.

What am I talking about?

Well, an old university friend of mine, Jen, and her brother have founded a literary magazine, 'The Lumberyard,' and I think you'd like a copy!

It's published in the US but with Paypal you'll feel like it's been published just down the road.

Why not give it a try today? http://www.lumberyardmagazine.com/

(Get this issue and you'll find a poem by Jamie, of Cornerboys fame, inside its delicate covers).

happy reading!

Robynxxxx

ps/with Wood for a last name, its probably not surprising this brother and sister pair founded a lumberyard!

Are we mad?

2009-12-02T13:13:00.003+02:00

Yep, it's possible that I and my friends are a little crazy as we're opting to do what our Mums hated best: washing nappies!

Okay, so I'm only using one a day and so I'm hardly saving the planet but, hey, at least it's a start and many of my friends are doing much, much better than me.

Interested? Check out: http://www.bumgenius.com/index.php

love n hugs n nappy rash cream,

Robyn xxxx

Chickens

2009-11-18T23:58:00.004+02:00

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

2009-11-18T23:36:00.002+02:00

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

2009-11-16T09:55:00.009+02:00

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

2009-11-12T15:24:00.002+02:00

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

2009-11-02T16:41:00.003+02:00

Our Princess!

Cornerboys.

2009-11-02T16:29:00.002+02:00

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...

Cars, cars, cars

2009-10-18T18:13:00.010+03:00

Okay, so I knew having a boy would involve talking about cars and guns and things. Just as I hope that having a girl will involve talking about fashion, and fun, and, well, boys.

But I didn't think it would get this crazy!

The boy has over 50 cars and knows all the important brands. He also memorises constantly which cars he's playing with, which cars are 'broken', which ones are in the garage and so on.

If I take a couple away as a punishment for a minor offense, then he'll come back to me later on and say, 'I would like my Mercedes Benz van and my blue Opel car please!'

And going for a walk around town has become a car watching session. Yesterday, I made the mistake of crossing through a large parking lot. The walk turned into him running from car to car and tapping their car badges: Voltzwagon, Fiat, Ford....

I don't even like cars.

I mean I was that girl who never knew the names of cars.

AND, yes, there's an AND.

I'm also that girl who never knows what kind of car her friends drive.

Well, Jack is that boy who does. 'Look, Maman, it's Melanie/Jean-Pierre/Tata Lily.'

The end result? I'm now that Maman that can name cars and knows exactly what kind of cars her friends drive.

So, to finish up, I knew that boys would involve 'snails and puppy dog tails' but not an increase in Match Box car sales.

Want to join in the fun? Name the cars below:

It's a Volvo

It's a Rover

It's a Fiat Tipo

It's a Renault 5

It's a BMW

And Emma? Ach, she's fine.. sleeping through the night, eating well, dressing in pretty pink clothes but not yet talking about boys!

Ouf.. because if I need to learn as many boys names as I do car names then I'm in trouble ;-)

Hoping you're all well... whatever you're talking about,

Robynxxxx

2009-10-04T15:42:00.006+03:00

Hello there,

The good news at this side is that Jack is settling into both being a big brother and going to school.

I have to say I understand why he's more motivated now to go to school - when he arrives in the morning a little girl runs forward shouting 'Jack' and reaching out her arms for a hug! A second, more dubious reason is that he's making friends. Why am I dubious? (Smile) because he came home last Friday and proudly announced that he'd played with 'le boys' and that they'd done lots of 'bêtises' (stupid things). Now, to be honest, I'm not so worried about the 'bêtises' as I am by the associated pride that he'd done such things!

Meanwhile, Emma continues to grow into a smiley and happy wee chunky monkey! She seems perfectly happy with her little life and grins away to herself, whether someone's watching or not . As she's beginning to sleep longer at night, I'm also to be found grinning to myself.. that, though, may just be the long term results of sleep deprivation!

Whether you're smiling or dreaming of sleep as you read this,
stay well.

much love,

Robynx

Eight Weeks Old!

2009-09-25T12:27:00.006+03:00

The smiles have started....and they're infectious!

Have a happy smiley day wherever you are!

Robynx

ps/Infectious, yes, but much better for our health than 'Gripe A/H1N1 flu.' Catch them today!

French Films

2009-09-16T11:44:00.006+03:00

When I was growing up, whenever someone mentioned French cinema I thought of dark, quite seedy, films that were full of overly heavy symbols and neurotic storylines. Arriving in France, I kept that impression and stayed away from watching such stuff. Then, over the last 7 years, I've kept up the habit of zapping away from French TV films as they seem to be full of ludicrous situations and unsympathetic characters that rush around busy-bodying in each other's lives.

When I started my maternity leave, though, a dear friend brought over a whole stack of DVDs of recent French films and tried to convince me that they were worth watching by extoling the virtues of their stories and of the worth of their actors. Not really convinced I would like them, I put them on the shelf and got on with other things.

Well, you know what, a good number of the films are simply excellent:

Two Days to Kill: A man with the quintessential happy family is watched as he accepts a birthday present from a strange woman and then returns home to his wife and children to insult and eventually leave them... so he can travel to see his estranged father, who is living in Ireland. It's a grand film I first saw over Ben's shoulder in a plane. I started the film in the middle but waited for it to loop back round again so I could see the beginning and so was ever so chuffed when my friend brought me her copy.

Dialogue with my Gardener: A painter from Paris returns to his childhood home in the country to recharge his batteries and falls into conversation with his gardener. The film is the continuation of that conversation, as they discover that there lives are interlinked and important. 'Dialogue' is by the same director as 'Two days,' Jean Becker, and so it's no surprise that having liked one I liked the other!

Want to see them? In English? Click here!

Un Secret: A jewish boy lives with his imaginary brother...and so discovers that his imaginary brother is not just a figment of his imagination but really part of his flesh and jewish blood.

Fauteuils D'orchestre: Cecile de France is the lead actress in Un Secret.. and also stars in 'Fauteuils' as a young waitress serving in a café opposite 2 theatres and 1 auction. During the films she encounters the actors and actresses, rich men and poor men who are involved in making such businesses work. Her challenge is to make her own life work... and as she weaves her own life stronger, we really get drawn into all of their lives.

But, I'd best stop now... as Jack's awakening from his siesta and Emma smells suspicious....
Hoping whatever films you're watching, you're enjoying them!

love n hugs,
Robyn
ps/If I have time, I'll come back and tell you about Avril, Detrompez Vous, and La Môme!

Seven Weeks

2009-09-16T11:31:00.003+03:00

After a little more than seven weeks as a 'real family,' things are still going well... but when people ask 'are you doing okay with a baby that cries and stays awake at night?' my first reaction is 'Emma's fine.. it's Jack that's doing all the crying!'

Yep, in reality, Emma is still very gentle and easy while Jack is worn out by all the changes.

Things at school are going better (now that he's completed the grand total of 4 mornings) but it's tiring for him. He has both a French and a German teacher, with classes in French one morning and then in German the next morning. I asked him yesterday what language Petra, his Greman teacher, spoke. He looked confused for a moment and then smiled: ja. His way, I guess, of expressing the idea that she says things differently. There are, of course, Arabic kids in the class and so he'll hear their langauge as well... and then this morning I realised that one of the cartoons he was watching was trying to teach him how to say 'Dinasaur' in Chinese. Given that he still thinks most dinasaurs are crocodiles, I think we've still a long road of us.....

Hoping that whatever language you do or don't speak, you're doing well!

hugs,

Robynxxx

Six Weeks Old Today!

2009-09-08T19:28:00.002+03:00

Here's our little monkey growing into a big monkey.

She was born weighing 2.8kgs (6.17lbs) but now wieghs 4.2kgs (9.2lbs) and she has grown from 47cms to become 52cms long.

Such dramatic changes are very reassuring for me, as there is just more of her to handle and less of her to break. I have to say, though, that she's being a very 'easy baby' so far as she continues to eat and sleep and generally be happy about her little life. Ask her how she feels and she'll say 'heureux,' *which means happy in French.* And me how I feel, and I'll say much the same as she hasn't yet given us one real moment of concern and we haven't yet walked the floor boards at night to help her to sleep.

As, no doubt, that will change... I plan to celebrate the moment and not to worry about the future (tears and worries and nightly floorboard walking).

And so, whereever you are, I hope you are celebrating the moment and not worrying about the future!

much love,

Robynxxx

* Okay, so she more likely say 'urrrr' but one can imagine that she's saying 'heureux'

**Though, of course, we really need to teach her to say 'heureuse' which is the feminine form of the word! That'll come later... much later!

Je n'aime pas l'école!

2009-09-08T19:12:00.003+03:00

Jack started 'maternelle' yesterday, the French equivalent of preschool. Here he is with his school bag and labelled clothes. Here he is before he sat down on the classroom floor crying, 'I want to go home. Don't leave Mum. I want to go home.' That while all the other children were playing happily. Here he is before he tugged at my heartstrings, making me want to pick him up and make everything alright. Here he is, happy, before Ben and I and Emma left him and went home.

And Emma? Yes, okay that was THE mistake, I thought it would be cute for us all to go to the school together. It wasn't cute: it was torture for Jack who, I think, felt he was being abandoned so that rest of us could go home and be together without him.

Today was Jack's second day at school. Ben took him along while I stayed at home with Emma. They arrived earlier than yesterday so there were fewer kids in the classroom and so Jack was less intimidated. And Ben reassured him that I would come and pick him up, without Emma, at the end of the session. Which I did...so that he and I could go eat chocolate icecream together. Walking home with me he told me peacefully about how he'd played and sung and danced. Ouf.

Seems like he might like school, afterall.

Hello there!

2009-09-03T11:20:00.001+03:00

Just another daft photo to make you smile :-)

A little more than a month old..

2009-08-31T15:56:00.003+03:00

Thankfully, Jack seems to be coming out of his 'NO, no, no' phase and into a moment when being beside Emma seems to interest him more. Now, he'll press her belly button, touch her hair, bring her toys...and that's a relief as it was sad for us to see him so sad. What does Emma say about it all: urrrr. Yep, she's started squeaking (she's hiccuping and urrring as I type) and she remains a very calm and gentle baby. The only time she really cries is meal times. Her meal times? No, our meal times, as she seems to have a special sensor that tells her the instant that we sit down to eat! That means we either eat with the 'symphony of Emma in Major' in the background or in rotation (Ben goes first and then me). For the rest of the time, though, she is really quiet and'funny' (Jack just said to me 'Emma is funny'). She's definitely good to have around...

..especially in Jack moments.

Jack moments? Yes, like earlier today when he called through to me proudly 'I painted the wall.'

And, yep, indeed, he had 'painted' the wall.. with a small blue pencil.. leaving a scribble of blue lines where once there was only white.

A good dose of severe words and a few minutes later, both he and I were painting.. at the kitchen table with paper and real paints. In his 'franglais/ Frenglish' he told me that it wasn't good to paint on the walls.

I agreed.. while thinking 'but it is good to hang out with Ben, Jack and now Emma'

I hope you're having fun hanging out.. where ever you are in the world :-)

love n hugs,

Robynxxx

Almost One Month Old!

2009-08-27T18:26:00.002+03:00

Here's Emma checking out the world, safe in her Papa's arms !

Just to make you smile...

2009-08-20T10:36:00.007+03:00

In the midst of all this summer heat (the temperature regularly rises above 35° at the moment), we've passed the 3 week mark and all is well. Emma is a funny wee thing that pulls at our heart strings and makes us smile all the time. Jack's doing much better but still does have meltdowns from time to time ('No, no, no, je n'aime pas' - 'No, no, no, I don't like it' he'll cry, stromping his little feet and beating his fists). Thankfully, Ben's around fulltime now and so the boys can go for bike rides, walks in the forest, and work on their project: building new shelves in Emma's room. Jack also now only has two weeks until he starts school...and I reckon that's one projct that'll keep us all busy for a good time to come!

Hoping you're all well and that all your projects are going well,

hugs,

Robynx

15 days

2009-08-12T15:12:00.002+03:00

Okay, so we have a normal baby afterall. One that doesn't systematically 'do' her nights but instead sometimes sleeps for 5 hours and sometimes sleeps for an hour and a half. I thought I'd given birth to a miracle baby. It's not the case but I'll love her all the same!

The really good news is she's doing just grand and when she opens her eyes and looks around she's the funniest of wee things :-)

And so the days keep ticking by... and the shock of being a 'two kid' mum is beginning to hit (How will I ever manage to go shopping again? Not glamourous shopping but basic shopping. With TWO kids. Will I ever be able to shower on a regular basis again? As soon as Jack gets up, Emma starts to open her eyes and so I'm busy until lunchtime? I look and smell terrible but, as Ben's at work at the moment and Emma and Jack clearly don't care...well, you know, there are better things I can do with my time!).

I reckon it'll take some getting used to! At least, Jack's on fine form - he's just told me the washing machine has finished because it's just finished making a noise). I guess that's my cue to get on with other things.

But, I hope wherever you are that this wee message finds you safe and well (and cleaner than me!).

Hugs,

Robynxxxx

Suddenly nine days have gone by already...

2009-08-05T16:01:00.004+03:00

Hello again,

Good news: we're surviving!

Reason: (at least for me), Emma sleeps, wait for it, between midnight and at least 7am each night. I don't know why and I don't know how long such generous sleeping habits will last, but I don't need to know the reason to be happy about things. Just hope for me that it continues for at least a little bit longer.

Here's Emma with her brother Jack. He's been doing pretty well since her arrival - helping to change nappies, bringing her toys, cuddling her - but, all the same, the green-eyed monster has bitten deep and we've already seen our fair share of tantrums and tears. All we can do is explain that, at least, Emma doesn't want to play with his toy cars because the lad has become a car fanatic - not only citing ALL the Peugeot, Citroen, Audi, and Voltzwagen cars he sees on the road but also playing non stop with his own collection of matchbox cars (Ben found a good deal whereby we got 30 second hand matchbox cars for a really small amount of money. Jack loves them and is constantly, and I mean constantly parking them, cleaning them, and organising massive car crashes).

And then, here's Emma - the star of the show.. and all quite happy about life and what it contains so far for her (food, sleep, and clean nappies).

Hoping you're all well,

Robynxxx

Emma Cnockaert

2009-08-01T15:27:00.003+03:00

Just the shortest of little messages to announce the biggest and the bestest of news:

Emma Cnockaert was born, gently and beautifully, on Tuesday 28 July 2009 at 9.37am.

We brought her home last night and now our family of four is complete.

More later, once things calm down... if they ever calm down again!

much much love,

Robynxxx

The Waiting Game

2009-07-25T23:34:00.004+03:00

Hello there,

I just wanted to let you know that we are still playing the waiting game as our baby girl continues to tumble and dance in my tummy but doesn't seem ready yet to make an appearance... she's not officially due until August 1st but I'm so impatient about getting to meet her that it already feels like she's overdue!!!

Thankfully, her big brother Jack is there to keep Ben and I amused as we count the hours and days. Here he is, first having just drunk some homemade yoghurt and then playing with an abricot.

Are we sure we want another one as crazy as him?

YES!!!

love n hugs,

Robynxxx

And the boy?

2009-07-09T11:44:00.005+03:00

Jack? He's doing as grand as ever!

Here he is wearing his Papa's new hat.

Ben's new hat?

Yes, he lost his old one a couple of weeks ago on the way to the train station. Jack and I went for a walk to try and find it but without success. So, when I got Ben his new hat yesterday, Jack looked at me and asked if Papa was going to lose his hat again. I was too busy laughing to reply!

Getting Ready to Go...

2009-07-09T11:35:00.002+03:00

Well, the baby's pink clothes are drying in the bathroom and my bag for the hospital is sitting in the hall waiting for me, and so now I guess it's only a question of time.

A question of how much time? Officially she's due on August 1st 2009 but, as nobody was able to reach her by telephone to tell her, I'm not sure she'll know to come on the exact date.

And so, really, anytime in the next two to three weeks would be good!

I went to visit the hospital yesterday and I have my last meeting with my doctor this Tuesday and so things are wrapping themselves up... but very calmly because everything is going so well. Sure, I'm sleepy but for the rest everything is trundling along as planned and when I feel her turning and shifting and stretching inside of me she feels ever so healthy and ready to join in this game called life!

And, heck with such a pretty bag and such pink pink clothes, who can blame her?

Let's move it, move it!

2009-06-26T16:50:00.003+03:00

I was busy dreaming this morning when I heard Jack calling to me through the dream. I ignored him for a while and then awoke to hear him say 'Maman, I wake up. You come?' Stumbling through to his room (okay, so it was already 8h30 but stumbling was all I could manage), imagine my surprise when, coming through the door, I walked straight into his bed. 'J-a-c-k, how did you do that?' 'j'avance' (I move forward). How? 'mur' (with the wall). I don't really think he used the wall, I think he put his feet on the floor and pushed until he could push no more! Oddly, he hadn't realised he could now use the big bed to get out.. but as soon as I suggested it he was out of his bed in a moment.

Hmm, I think he'll soon be out of his 'little bed' and into his 'big bed,' don't you?

ps/obviously, the littler bed is meant to be in the top right hand corner of the room/photo.. not in the middle, darn it!

Ode to Benoit

2009-06-11T22:48:00.003+03:00

I just wanted to give a shout out to my Benoit, for he has been and continues to be a wonderful companion throughout this odd journey called life. More specifically, I just wanted to let you know how excellent he's been about not only pushing through all the apartment's renovations but also redecorating the living room and bedroom. In the last few months, he's been painting walls and puting up shelves, and spending time thinking about how he can best improve our living space. And now our wee girl is only 7 weeks away from arriving (she's turning about in my tummy as I write), we're really about ready to welcome her into her home. Once Ben's finished the next stage of redecorating - which involves repainting our bedroom and installing a walk-in closet - I'll post pictures to remind you of just how dramatically we've transformed our apartment. For the moment, though, let this picture of Ben and Jack also herald their relationship.. for, goodness, that's one worth celebrating too.

Cooking up Trouble!

2009-05-15T11:49:00.003+03:00

With only one month left with his Nanny (as he'll stop when I start my maternity leave) and with the word 'l'école' entering his vocabulary (he'll start preschool in September and follow a bilingual French-German education..), our wee boy's world is very soon about to change...

And, not least, because his sister is now due to make an appearance in about 2 and a half month's time. For the moment, she's just a vague idea for him but pretty soon we'll begin organising her new bedroom.. and talking about how Jack will become a BIG brother. For my part, I can't wait to see how he will be with her and to see them together because I really feel now is a good time for him (and Ben and myself) to grow into the next chapter of our lives together :-)

Hoping you are all well and enjoying the changes in your own lives,

love n hugs,

Robyn

words, words, words...

2009-04-29T11:52:00.007+03:00

A while ago I read René Barjavel's 'Le nuit de temps' (or 'The Ice People') and really enjoyed it. However, while in Scotland at Christmas I tried to buy a copy and was unsuccessful. None of the bookshops I tried stocked Barjavel, even though he is recognised as one of the greatest science fiction writers of recent times. Returning to France, a colleague suggested one reason why Barjavel wasn't in print in the UK: He had plagairised the idea for 'Le nuit de temps' from the Australian author Erle Cox who wrote 'The Golden Dome' (or the 'Le Sphère d'or). I'm now in the midst of reading Cox's book and it's really interesting to see how Barjavel really does seem to have adapted Cox's ideas to fit his own book...

And why am I telling you about all this? Well, cos both books are good to read and second because the central subject of both books is a woman who is awakened after thousands of years of 'sleep' in an underground dome. The men who wake their sleeping princess in both books are charged with the task of teaching her modern English (or French) and are surprised by the speed at which she learns and applies her new language.

And so I arrive at the reason I'm telling you all this.. for it is one thing to read in books about how fictional creatures learn and apply language seemingly overnight and quite another to see how Jack's use of language has flourished over the last few weeks. It really is miraculous, having now spent 2.5years with him, to hear him begin to express himself as a little boy. Of course, Jack's learning process is as slow and as decadent as any other little boy or girl's processs but, because I'm experiencing it for the first time, it seems just incredible (and, darn it, not least because I've now spent the last 6 years struggling to pick up and apply French in a coherant manner!).

Here are some examples of new Jack talk:

Yesterday morning he called from his bed 'Maman, tu-es là?'
'Oui, Jack'
'Je veux sortir'
'Je veux changer couche: peepee dans couche'
'je veux manger'
'Maman, tu viens?'
(Maman, are you there? I want to get out; I want to change the nappy: there's peepee in the nappy; I want to eat; Maman, are you coming?').

He know says 'je t'aime' (I love you)... particularly when he's just got something he wanted ;-)

Recently, his Papy JC explained the he was 'français' and that I wasn't. Even though Jack hadn't appeared to be listening, he later looked at JC and asked 'Français?' and then checked with each of us. When I said I was 'Scottish' he seemed puzzled but accepting that the others were French but I wasn't.

Similarly, his Mamy Annette told him something was 'rouge.' When he said, 'No, red' she (obviously as she's French) repeated 'rouge'...to which he replied 'c'est le même' ('it's the same'). So, it may be that our wee lad is beginning to grasp what this whole dual language thing is about!!

Last week, Ben and I took Jack out for a bike ride along the cycle path in the evening sunshine. The walk was really pleasant and ended with us standing by the river by the bakery. 'Tata Lily là-bas,' (the nanany, over there). Jack said pointing in the direction of TL's house. 'Jack école là-bas' he than said pointing generally in the direction of his future school. 'And where's Jack's home?' I asked. Turning around, he pointed at the apartment: là-bas. This game has now developed to include all sorts of places, including the swimming pool and his cousins' house.

Oddly, yesterday, while I was changing him on his table, he looked at the zigzags in the curtains and said 'M, N, M, N'. I couldn't say he was wrong as, indeed, the shapes resembled Ms and Ns. Then, this morning, we glued his name J-A-C-K to his bedroom door. He now gets a silly delight from repeating J, K, A C...and, to tell you the truth, we get a silly delight listening to him.

And so I hope, wherever you are and whatever words and letters are filling your head, that you are well and that your reality often feels as strange and as marvelous as fiction.

Easter Egg Hunt

2009-04-17T22:57:00.003+03:00

While we were in the Alps, Jack enjoyed the fun of a real Easter Egg hunt with his two cousins, Antoine and Charlotte. As well as scoring loads of chocolate, he received a hand-made elephant pillow from his Aunt Juliette. I tell you, he's a lucky lad!

In other good news, My tummy keeps getting bigger as I approach the 6 month mark of the pregnancy. My last doctor's visit was funny:

'How are you,' he asked.

'Fine, thank you,' I replied.

He checked and I was fine.

'See you next month,' he said.

'Yes,' I said, and we both agreed with smiles that this pregnancy seems to be going well, thank you very much!

Ouf!

love n hugs,

Robyn

The Alps

2009-04-17T20:02:00.005+03:00

Hello,

This is just a quick message to say that we spent a wonderful Easter weekend in the Alps with my sister-in-law Juliette and her family. We only had four days but what a breath of fresh air as we were able to pass most of our time outdoors, basking in the sunshine and enjoying the beautiful scenery.

How much does your shopping cost?

2009-04-04T19:19:00.005+03:00

Recently, I decided to compare the prices of 5 simple products in 2 of my local supermarkets... and the results are quite dramatic.

Butter - 250g
Shop A = 1.99
Shop B = 0.99
Difference = 1.00

Olive Oil - 1 litre
Shop A = 6.75
Shop B = 5.99
Difference = 0.76

Milk - 1 litre
Shop A = 0.75
Shop B = 0.60
Difference after 10 litres = 1.50

Muesli - 750g
Shop A = 3.69
Shop B = 1.69
Difference = 2.00

Rice - 1kg
Shop A = 1.25
Shop B = 3.10
Difference = 1.85

So, the difference in price for just these 5 items is 7.11 euros.
That's an average of 1.42 per item.

So, here's the question: do you have the time to also find out the cost of these 5 items in your supermarket? You can transfer the prices to euros here. Then, copy my shopping list into the 'Comments' section and add your 'Supermarket America' or 'Supermarket Scotland.'

If you do have the time, it would be interesting to see the results..

Hoping you're all well,
Robyn
ps/Just in case you're wondering - no, there's no dramatic difference in the quality of the products. Each product is the supermarket's 'own brand.' Afterwards, if you would like to do a real comparison (eg: brand to brand/kellogg's cornflakes to kellogg's cornflakes) just let me know :-)

Some Funny Stories...

2009-03-27T11:25:00.005+02:00

This week, Jack and I left the comfort of Spring and drove from the plains of Alsace up into the wintry hills of the Vosges to visit with a friend. Everything was going well until I started to make my way up her driveway, where there was so much snow that I almost lost control of the car. As the car skidded a little from left to right, I entered a zone where I was more focussed on keeping control of the car than what I was actually saying. Indeed, it was only once I'd calmed down and reentered the normal world that I realised Jack was in the backseat muttering to himself 'oh shit, oh shit, oh shit, oh shit!' Then, when he realised I was listening to him, he said in a high-pitched and rather nervous voice, 'Maman, oh shit, a lot (of snow), car boom? oh shit' ... Needless to say, I calmed down after that, and was soon in the warmth of my friend's house, eating a delightful dinner with her family and catching up!

Last week, as I tucking Jack into bed and wishing him goodnight, he was busy giving Teddy an imaginary bath - turning on the taps, making the noise of the water, rubbing his hands with soap, cleaning Teddy's 'zizi, bum, neck, head..' and, well, you get the picture. He was 'towel' drying his hair as I closed the door....

A couple of days ago, Jack came into the bedroom as I was getting dressed and saw that I was putting on a new blue T-shirt. After looking at me for a moment, he said 'Celà, pas bonne' (That one's not any good) Then he walked over to the cupboard, opened the door, and pulled out a new T-shirt. 'Change.'

Don't you think these are signs that our wee boy's growing up... and that possibly he might just be in need of a little sister to keep in him company?

love n hugs,

Robynxxx

La Vie en Rose

2009-03-18T13:08:00.005+02:00

We had another scan last night and..........the gyneo thinks that we're going to have a girl!

Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees.

Of course, I'm most happy that 'she' looks healthy and that her evolution is normal...but, I have to admit it, I am overjoyed at the idea of having a girl to complement the Jack!

I've posted a picture of the scan... it's not the best as 'she' had her back to us, but we still saw her wriggle her feet and rub her head :-)

Now I'm approaching the start of the 5th month, we have 4 months left to prepare ourselves to the idea of having a little girl in the family!

I'm looking forward to it!

love n hugs to you all,

Robynxxxx

Thannenkirch

2009-03-14T10:39:00.006+02:00

Last weekend, as well as sledging at the Donon, I went for a good walk in the woods around Thannenkirch (thann = pine tree / kirch = church) with a friend. We only walked for 2.5hours but the our main objective was to get to this charming shelter for lunch, not to reach the top of the Taennchel. Such a walk, we decided, would be done later.. when I was in a lighter condition. The walk we did was just grand, as it took us from the valley, with its whispers and smells of Spring, up into the cold shadows of Winter where we could find the tracks of deer and wild boar stamped in the snow.

Between seasons

2009-03-14T10:24:00.005+02:00

As the snowdrops and the crocuses push their humble way out of the cold earth down here on the plains of Alsace, great amounts of crushing snow cover the upper hills of the Vosges. And so it was last Sunday that we left the sunshine of early spring and retreated back into the winter of the hills. And, it was fun. We dressed Jack up in his finest winter gear, rented a sledge, and got down to some serious skidding action. Jack was fair game for, after a few hesitant first attempts, he got going by himself... both sledging alone and bringing the sledge back up the hill to start again. Of course, the day wasn't all about Jack.. and Ben and I also had some sledge time and we made sure that once the day was done we retreated to somewhere cosy for warm food and good chat. Driving back down out of the snow and into the sunshine felt odd though.. as we really felt ourselves on the cusp of a new season and another new chapter in our lives.

things, big and small, that make me happy

2009-02-25T21:39:00.003+02:00

Big things:

I've got to say that the size of my tummy makes me laugh becomes it seems so enormous given I'm only at a little over 4 months. However, that is not the whole truth.. as I'm also left wondering just what size I'm going to be in 5 months time! Heck, I was this size at maybe 6-7months last time. I guess what they say about your body having a memory is right... the upside is that everything is going so well. The tiredness of the first 3 months has worn off leaving me generally energised - that is when I'm going I'm on fire and when I stop I'm tired and ever-so-slightly grumpy! Ben's looking after me, though, and Jack is all about being independant so that helps. 'Jack fait' (Jack do) is his motto at the moment.. as he takes off his jacket, goes to the potty, and generally as he controls his own wee life.

Small things:

It's daft, but Sunday was a proud day for me .. as I successfully made my first loaf of homemade bread (the one from the day before was not successfully: it was a stone wearing a furry brown coat). And the feminist in me hid away, as I relished the feeling of serving butternut squash soup and homemade bread on a Sunday afternoon.

And so, I hope you are all well.. and that both the big and the small things in life are making you happy today :-)

hugs,

Robynxxx

I've done something silly...

2009-02-23T11:50:00.004+02:00

Well, I haven't...

but Mr Jack is more than proud these days to announce 'je fais une bétise' (I've done something silly). There's a long list of silly things he can do in a day (spilling milk, making a 'mess,' crashing his cars, tearing paper) but last night he topped them all.. as he partied, with his toys, all night long. He normally sleeps from around 8pm to 8am (it's normally bliss). Last night, though, he woke up around 1am and kept the party going until around 3am. Luckily for me, Benoit was on duty! I slept through everything but now it's Jack's turn to sleep through everything for it's already 11am and the wee boy still isn't awake!!

His other cute expression at the moment is 'c'est mieux' (it's better)... going to the swimming pool is 'mieux' than staying at home, a tidy living room (surprisingly) is 'mieux' than a messy one, and eating yoghurt is, well, 'meiux' than anything else!

Tonight, I might just explain to him that it's 'mieux' to sleep at night, to let his old man rest, and to actually wake up before lunchtime the day after.

hoping you are all well!

love n hugs,

Robynxxx

Light, maman!

2009-02-15T23:38:00.003+02:00

Well, the snow's descended on us.. but that's really just a great excuse to go for snowy afternoon walks and then to curl up inside with hot chocolates.

Meanwhile, Mr Jack is continuing his march towards baby boyhood. Now when he goes to the potty he shouts out 'laisse, maman' (leave me to do it, mum). Then when I point out that it's dark in the bathroom he shouts out again 'mettre, light' (put light on) before reiterating 'laisse, maman'. Yep, the wee boy's becoming more and more independant!

And that, my friends, is no bad thing as my tummy continues to grow and the baby inside, too. We're almost at the 4month mark.. and have a meeting with the doctor tomorrow to check that all's going well :-)

So, all is well and all with be well.. as the snow continues to settle on Alsace and as the swans, storks, and herons begin to drift back into our lands - readying for Spring and the warmer days ahead.

much love,
Robyn

Our little Puppy

2009-01-26T23:55:00.002+02:00

Jack has been like a little puppy all week: rough, rough, rough (ruff, ruff, ruff). He caught a nasty cold last Tuesday night and so has needed lots of 'med'cine' and 'calin' (cuddle). He keeps telling us 'Teddy pleure' (Teddy is crying) and is all about being curled up on the couch with us, under a blanket - of course. The upside is that Ben took last Thursday off just to be with him and found time to paint that nasty yellow wall in the backround white. So, I guess our dark cloud has a silver lining and our yellow wall now has a white finish! Not only because of the wall but also because he was pampered all week, he is feeling better now.. and -ouf - we're all glad!

BIG news

2009-01-20T12:20:00.004+02:00

I have some good news for you. All going well, Jack should have a little brother or a little sister by the beginning of August.

Yep, that's right! I'm three months pregnant and everything is going well so far!

We had an echography last week and saw its head, legs, arms, heart, stomach, back bone. You know? All the usual stuff that makes up a baby yet seems so miraculous when you see it on the screen for the first time. What's cool is that we'd had 2 previous echographies and so have really seen the foetus evolve from a little-pea like thing to a wrigglinng grub to the full 65mm 'baby.' It's incredible.

We have told Jack that there's a baby in my tummy and he seems cool with that...but he doesn't understand why he doesn't 'have a baby' in his tummy: Jack, baby? He'll say, lifting up his T-shirt and pointing at his tummy. Jack, baby!

At the moment, he's also creating lots of funny little sentences:
'Jack flush' - when he wants to flush the loo after using the potty.
'Jack drive?' - ever hopeful, when we get in the car
'Jack bum, bum, bum - he says with delight whenever he pulls down his trousers.

He can also tell us little stories. For example, when I asked him recently how his day was at the Nanny's, he said of another baby: 'baby pleure' (baby cry), Lily calin (the Nanny cuddled him), Lily kiss, teddy kiss, baby dodo (baby sleep). Then he smiled, as if content that his story ahd a happy ending.

He also likes the word 'big' - to describe his big spoon, his big bike, and himself, BIG, when he stands up to the sink to wash his own hands.

So, while our baby-in-making isn't very 'big' for the moment, know that we are getting ready for the BIG changes having 2 kids in the house will bring. What's that I hear you saying? We have to get ready for BIG trouble! Ah well, bring it on!!!

lots of love,
Robynxxx

ps/okay, I know the echography isn't great quality - but you have to imagine the baby is lying on its back with its legs in the air. It's head is on the left hand side and its arms and legs are slightly white-ish and bent at angles pointing upwards. You can see part of the backbone at the bottom of the screen, where the black ends and the greyish part starts.

Alsatian Games

2009-01-10T11:13:00.006+02:00

The whole region seems to be playing the same game at the moment.

The rules? When you meet someone you boast about the lowest local temperature that you've seen.

My lowest is -8*C but then I'm only a beginner as Ben's seen -13*C and heard talk of -15*C.

Jack can't tell us the temperature (he can only count to two at the moment) but, when we go walking, he repeats ever so quietly but ever so surely: froid, froid, froid (cold, cold, cold).

I hope wherever you are, that you are nice and warm!

hugs,

Robyn

ps/What's temperature where you are today?

Happy New Year!

2009-01-05T18:27:00.007+02:00

Hello,

Our New Year has started with a snowy and cold return to Alsace: it's -5* outside and snowing hard. That's not to say we're not happy to be back, we are, but - brrrr - it could be a bit warmer!

We had a great 2 week holiday back home with my folks in New Deer. It felt really good to be 'home' and to wake up each day knowing I would spend the day with my family. You know what I mean? :-)

Jack also had a lovely time and really seemed to enjoyed being surrounded by English (Scottish!) voices. At any rate, the number of English words he can say has increased. He likes the most important words like plane, bus, tractor, cow, and without surprise the world's most important word, 'gateau,' became cake. As his 'grandma' had also bought him a life-size car, he learn key verbs like 'car drive' and 'car park'... and can now do a three point turn better than me!

Christmas was a right laugh, as he had his own stocking and later got a (noisy) stovetop that makes the appropriate or should that be inappropriate bubbling and sizzling noises.

To try and burn off everything we were eating, we took walks along beaches and in parks and we visited the Macduff Aquarium. A funny moment came when we went to Haddo House: Jack spotted the playpark wayoff in the distance and set off on his own, even though the path led uphill and way away from us. When Ben called to him in French to 'come here' he shouted back 'no, come here' and kept walking. You can tell from the photo that he got pretty far before he realised his game was up!

So, all in all, we had a lovely festive period and I do dearly hope that wherever you are reading this blog from (whether it be in the States or Iceland, China or Egypt, Scotland or South Africa, New Zealand or Brazil) I hope you are well and that the New Year 2009 brings you all the joy and happiness you deserve.

much love,

Robyn xxxx

Merry Christmas

2008-12-28T19:03:00.002+02:00

Hello there,

I know it's a bit late but I did just want to say that I hope you are all having a lovely Christmas, spending time with your family and friends.

For our part, we're back home in New Deer: taking walks on the beach, relaxing by the fire, and enjoying each others' company.

Jack's having a grand time and, not least, because he can now encourage people to 'Have Fun!'

So, please do follow his advice and know that I'll be back in the New Year with more photos n stuff.

:-)

much love n Christmas cheer,

Robynxxx

2008-12-04T22:57:00.004+02:00

Jack went to bed without his dummy on Monday. He's outgrown (literally) all the dummies we could find in the shops. We'd been telling him for days that Monday was the big day. When the moment came to go to bed he realised the end was nigh, and threw a complete tantrum... A bit at my whit's end, I promised him 'gateau' for breakfast if he went to sleep without the dummy. Immediately, he was all smiles and fell asleep.

After a full night's sleep, he woke up and had his cake.

Now it's Friday and we've had a full week without the dummy.

Sounds promising, huh?

Yep, except that he's got an outbreak of what looks like stress-related eczema.

Equally, though, the eczema could be the result of him eating something that's not good for him...

you know, like too much cake?

:-) Either way, the boy's fine and will be fine.. and we're rid of that darn dummy.

Mamas and Papas

2008-11-15T16:36:00.003+02:00

Just a quick message to say all is well here, as autumn lays her colourful patchwork blanket over these hills and as the mornings bring a silver breath of frosty air.

----------------------------

Mr Jack is doing just grand - though he's a little confused about the definition of "maman" and "papa."

Last week, he turned to Ben when he saw Victoria on the French equivalent of The Wheel of Fortune:

Papa, c'est une maman!* He said, while tapping Ben on the knee: Papa, it's a maman. **

*I'm afraid that my son will be dearly disappointed later in life if he thinks all 'maman' are built like Victoria

**Later versions of the story may suggest he said: Papa, that's a Maman!

Also, every time he sees a photo of a man on a mountain bike, he's sure 'c'est un papa!'

------------------------------

At the same time, he's also learned two other lessons about life:

1/ That when you climb over the bars of your baby bed, it hurts when you hit the floor.
and

2/ When you push our bike down a hill (even a small hill), you are likely to fall at the bottom

Where have the last two years gone....?

2008-11-11T16:02:00.002+02:00

... and where will the next few years take us?

Some Photos from our Trip

2008-11-08T20:18:00.007+02:00

Being daft with me at Max's Patch in North Carolina.

Walking in the sea in Florida.

On the swing at Lake Junaluska, North Carolina.

Fish-watching at the Georgia Aquarium.

Lining up with the lights in Savannah, Georgia.

Playing with his friend Jack in Florida

Preparations for Leah and Joel's wedding in North Carolina.

Play it again, Jack

2008-10-29T17:29:00.011+02:00

If only we could 'play it' again, we would. Our 18day journey through North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida was absolutely perfect because, aside from Ben being ill for a couple of days, everything really worked out for the best.

We did loads of things including:

Playing Wii with Shawn and Cara in the wee hours of the morning

Celebrating Leah and Joel's beautiful and heartfelt wedding on the shores of Lake Junaluska

Dancing to pop music on a wooden porch under a dark night sky

Walking a pretty pug dog in the open-ended woods with Mimi in the Smoky Mountains

Driving with Jada, talking about birth and death and the bits inbetween in Sylva

Singing to children's music with Molly and Oscar in Asheville

Boating with Chris and Howie on Lake Norman, as Jack both drove and controlled the music

Visiting the White Water Centre in NC with Chris, so everyone - in their own way - could follow the mountain bike trails

Paddling with Lis over turtles and by cormorants drying their black open wings

Swimming in Rainbow Springs, which are crystal clear, with Jack and Jack

Wading through endless shallow waters in the gulf of Mexico, finding crabs and scallops and that days doing nothing else but being together are worthwhile

Staring at shuttles at the Kennedy Space Centre, even though it was closed

Admiring (what else can you do?) at surfacing and diving manatee as pelicans flew overhead

Talking politics and travel and alligators in swimming pools with Joan and Bob

Visiting with Jen, alligators, spiders and oh so many wading birds on Merritt Island

Chasing Jack around and up trees in Savannah, Georgia

Gasping at river and sea otters, beluga whales, and whale sharks in the Georgia Aquarium

Sleeping, and that's a precious word, as we flew over the Atlantic on our way home

Yep, we have to thank our friends, our dear friends, for making our return to the States just so memorable, so breathtaking, and just so worthwhile.

Cheers!

Robyn (Ben and Jack)

splashing around

2008-10-20T04:10:00.002+03:00

Hello again,

Since I last logged on, I've been boating with Chris and Howie on Lake Norman, North Carolina and been paddling with Lis at Rainbow Springs, Florida.

As we boated with Chris and Howie, Jack turned the steering wheel (and us), all while dancing to the music. As he danced, we relaxed in a boat that was dancing over the evening waves as the clouds turned a lighter shade of pale.

As we paddled today, Lis and I watched as cormorants dried their outstretched wings and turtles swam under our canoe and then surfaced just ahead - their wee heads turned peacefully towards us. And as we paddled, we thought of our boys - Jack and Jack - who had swum with us earlier that day through the crystal clear and cold cold water.

Yep, these are good indeed!

love hugs n watery stuff!
Robyn

Travelling Days are Here

2008-10-15T05:32:00.003+03:00

I'm sorry I've sacked off writing anything recently but I have a good excuse: Ben, Jack and I are in the States, travelling through North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. Right now, we're in Asheville, North Carolina.

If you're reading this blog from any of the northern or western states that know I really am sorry that I either haven't told you I'm here or that I haven't taken the time to come visit. This touring holiday really is about catching up with old WCU friends as the trip started with Leah and Joel's wedding. Trust me, though, I wish we had the energy and the gas to come and see y'all!!

Today we went out for a hike to Max's Patch - if you've the time, google images of 'Max Patch NC' and you'll see that this fantastic crown of land sticks, like a bald man's head, up over the sea of blue that is the blue ridge mountains! It was a really cool walk, especially as our heads are full of happy memories of all the people and places we've visited during this last week in NC and SC in Inman, Lake Junaluska, in Sylva, in Cullowhee and now here in Asheville.

It's lovely to be back to one of our 'homes,' for this was where our hearts resided for so many years.

hug,
Robyn

Now he knows what he wants...

2008-09-22T16:56:00.004+03:00

Jack broke a little part of my heart this morning as he constructed one of his first complete sentences. It even had a subject, verb and object. The only problem was that I was the object and I was going in the opposite direction to him.

You see, he said: je veux maman (I want Mum).

And that, as I was getting in my car to go to work.

Ouch!

Otherwise, he can now say 'chickchicken' and 'baby' and the last time he went to the potty he peed consecutively no less that 7, yes, 7 times.

Here he is puting teddy to 'dodo', bed...with his make-believe dummy, comforter over his eyes, and a night-night song.

:-)
I hope you are sung night-night songs as sweetly!
hugs,
Robyn