SEE YOU AT THE WEDDING

So off on my holidays and there better be a TV for the Royal Wedding on Friday.  All my friends and family in various parts of the world are gearing up.  Manu of course raises his eyebrows and phfffttsss to the sky so just to show how serious I am I ordered a celebratory china Kate and William mug to drink my tea in everyday.  Wonder if he'll still make me tea when he sees it.

So my friend Sharon is having a friend around; the menu: Cucumber sandwiches and Strawberries in Johannesburg, my Mom is having a lunch; the menu: Chili Con Carne but wait an English Trifle to end in good British spirits in Cape Town and my friend Heather is having only girls over; the menu: Pimms, Cucumber sandwiches, and Sausage rolls in New York State.  What are you doing for the wedding?

Wonder if they sell Pork pies and Branston Pickle in France.

HUBBY'S HOME

What gives it away - ha the camels, yip he's home, came home yesterday to two very excited boys and a tired wife.  He's spent most of today recuperating from jet lag.  Tomorrow we head off to the Ardeche for a week for the first holiday ever where it is just the four of us.  We have never been on holiday on our own since Benjamin was born so should be relaxing and fun.

I went to buy a bbq today, ok - electric grill, we can't bbq in the chalet, but it works well and smells bbq-ish.  As you can see he's not convinced.

SNEAKY BUNNY

Well the Easter Bunny came and went leaving us with rather a large stash.  It was a rainy day so I made Bobotie and invited my friend Steph with her two boys Axel and Dylan.  The kids enjoyed a nice Easter lunch and it passed the time without dad.

Breakfast

Lunch

PEOPLE WATCHING

Well this week we saw Shirley and Alan coming to France by train, in fact they went from London and are going all the way to Venice by train.  How civilized.  The children were very excited to receive more visitors, I think it gives them an excuse to stay up late and sleep in different beds.  So with a little help we made the house all spic and span and then it was off to fetch the visitors.

Our house upstairs

Samuel went to a friend but when trains are involved Benjamin is there so of we went the two of us.  I had never driven to Geneva Airport before so was a little worried but shouldn't have been it is very straight forward and straight for that matter.  The station is in the airport so nice and easy.

Waiting for a train

Shirley and Alan and an elated four year old

Shirley had hurt her back so we took things very easy and did what Alan likes to do - People watch.  What a lovely thing to be with a couple who just take it easy.  So we wondered around, sat in bistros and had a very relaxing time.

A thirsty pussy cat in Megeve

Best time in France - April

 People watching

Having a raclette

I dropped them off in Chamonix on Friday and after being caught in a traffic jam they actually missed their train which gave us just one more excuse to people watch - very interesting in Chamonix, so we sat with our coffees watching the world go by.

The boys are back to their usual tricks and are eagerly awaiting the arrival of their Daddy on Monday.  Gotta go and hide those Easter Eggs before I fall asleep and have two very disapointed children in the morning.

Making castles in my bedroom



12 YEARS

Well, my friend left on Friday leaving me feeling quiet alone and the house considerably quieter with now only two boys soI decided to fill my weekend.  Friday was Gouter (tea and cake) as usual at Stephanie's house and then Saturday we set off.

I discovered a rather large lake in Passy which is about 12 km from here and I only heard of it through Samuel's doctor who mentioned it for a picnic spot.  So we went for the morning and it was lovely if not a little fresh at times as it is right under Mount Blanc but made a change from our park. 

Vero and her boys bought Samuel and Benjamin this lovely goal and ball set.

Watching the train fly by

What are you doing?

Then we went to L'arene du Jeux which translated is Arena of Games.  It is held for one weekend a year in Sallanches which is next to Passy and is a great big hall filled with games.  Board games, scalectric, puzzles etc.  Samuel and Benjamin were a little young for most and I found trying to understand the instructions in English hectic let alone in French, but there were people to help so we had fun.

Playing the fruit game, incorrectly probably but it was fun.

Then is was off to Macdonalds, Manu would have a fit, to have ice cream.  Do you know how much an ice cream is here at Mac Do's.  2.50 euros.  That's 25 BUCKS for one.  A burger is 4 euros, that's about 40 Bucks, and thats for the basic one.  Needless to say we stuck with two ice creams.

Sunday was my Anniversary and without Manu felt a little low.  It really is the one day he never forgets, his family always - you are forgiven - but he never does, so that made me feel even more low.  12 years, not to bad so I celebrated with the kids and took them to the orchestra of Megeve who were playing in the evening.  It didn't last long......... they got bored, started kicking each other, yawning loudly you get the picture, so we left.  The evening was spent with a crying 7 year old with stomach cramps because he hasn't gone to the toilet in I don't know how long until 11pm at night.  At which point I wished, secretly, I was living a single life sipping on a Pina Colada in I don't know maybe Bali or Fiji or Cancun or or or or...........

FRIENDS TO STAY

Well we are on week two, the third weekend coming up without Manu, one more to go.  We have had visitors this week from Paris.  My friend Vero who I met 12 years ago has come with her two boys - Tom and Germain.  They are 7 and 9 so have made friends with my two and we've had fun together.  Vero and I drinking wine by the fire late into the night, and the boys constructing lego and playing soccer together.

Tom in the orange T-shirt and Germain in the red, and yes Ben really eats that much broccolli -strange child.

Poor Samuel falling asleep at the dinner table.  Tom and Germain are on holiday this week and we are on holiday in two weeks time as France splits up the regions, and of course Samuel can't understand why they get to stay up late.  So it's been lots of late nights.

We've also taken them to the river, all the parks we can think of and swimming.  They've had fun I think.



Last weekend Benjamin insisted on fish for lunch.  Usually that consists of fish fingers but he wanted a whole fish head and everything so being the obliging mother that I am I bought a whole trout, actually two one for me.  Guess what he hated it.  It took me three days to eat two trout, it's the last time I oblige my kids.  Hahaha serves me right.

I don't know if you remember my disaster cake baking sessions because I was using all South African recipes and they weren't working.  Well I've been making Madeleines now from a French recipe.  They're great for the kids after school and my mid morning snack. 

TAKEN FROM WIKIPEDIA...........The madeleine or petite madeleine is a traditional small cake from Commercy and Liverdun, two communes of the Lorraine region in northeastern France.
Madeleines are very small sponge cakes with a distinctive shell-like shape acquired from being baked in pans with shell-shaped depressions. Aside from the traditional moulded pan, commonly found in stores specialising in kitchen equipment and even hardware stores, no special tools are required to make madeleines.
A génoise cake batter is used. The flavour is similar to, but somewhat lighter than, sponge cake. Traditional recipes include very finely ground nuts, usually almonds. A variation uses lemon zest, for a pronounced lemony taste.

SINGLE PARENT

Well I'm a single parent again, not for the faint hearted and I take my hat of to those of you out there who do this permanently.  It's the pure fact of never having a moment off, because you just don't. 

Having dinner on the patio

Monday was busy for me because Samuel goes to a different school 17 km away, which sounds nothing but it's down a steep mountain pass which takes 30 minutes times 4 because I take him in the morning come back, fetch Benjamin and go back to fetch Samuel.  Now Manu is away I take Samuel late and fetch Benjamin early because they start and finish at the same time.  I need a clone.

Tuesday however was better because it was school here so I even had chance to get out.  So I dumped the ironing and went walking around Megeve.  It is so different without snow.  Not nearly as much charm because it's bustling with people, stands selling mulled wine and horse drawn carriages but in the summer it still has a nice quality about it.  I bought a little skiier to celebrate my time in France, everyone seems to have a bit of Christmas around no matter what the month so I now have a little Christmas Skiier on my fire place. 

Isn't she cute

A window shutter on a chalet in the centre of town

This was in someones' garden

I liked this old building, it's actually an antique store, when I have more time I shall go in

Last night was Tottenham V Real Madrid, what a disaster, Manu watched the game in Miami.  He skypes every night so it's nice to catch up.  Thank heaven's for Skype because it makes the time go quicker especially when you can see the other person.

It's still light here and the birds are singing, and it's 20h00.  I can smell the perfumes from the flowers.  Europe is amazing in spring, I love it, everything is such an incredible green and the fact that it stays light for hours is a bonus.  It plays havoc with the kids bedtime though because it's still day to them.  Hummmm try explaining that to a know it all 4 year old.

Tonight is grilled chicken but on Monday it was Steak.  I promised my friend Mel ( on skype) I would post a pic of my dinner.  You remember my disaster with the butcher when I went for pork and came home with chicken, well this time I played it safe and bought ready prepared steak.

Looked better on the packet, but never the less was delicious.  A cool R 38 for 205 grams.  Ouch.

NO!!!!!

THE INFAMOUS BENJAMIN

What is it about a four year old that gives them the right to say NO?  So this is the favorite phrase of Benjamin's right now.  A flat down right NO.  He's driving me nuts.  I wouldn't be surprised actually if I found out that Manu is actually skiving off on a beach in Miami somewhere and not actually working as an excuse to escape Ben.  He is driving us both nuts and I think it's because he is completely fearless.  You don't want a fearless child.  Afraid of nothing. Not afraid of the wooden spoon, not afraid to jump in the deep end of a pool even if he can't swim, not afraid to cross a main road on his own.  You have to be one step ahead every time and when you have another child who is terrified of everything, you are actually to tiered to be one step ahead. 

So today I took them to the park in Combloux.  As a treat for bad behavior because I can't exactly say the behavior over the weekend has been good.  But what the hell I needed fresh air, and a trip out of Praz was just what the doctor ordered.

Flowers in the park.

WEEKEND NO. 1

First weekend out of four alone.  Manu left Friday afternoon for London and then Saturday morning for Miami.  This is my first time alone in France with the kids so a test I fear.  Hate tests.  My first test was the butcher, I failed miserably and left with a Chicken instead of a loin of pork because I couldn't understand what he was saying about the loin of pork,   looked all very interesting.  My second test, I gave up on my sister in law, who I think is still in bed, and phoned the sports centre to ask about a pass I wanted to buy.  PASS.  I understood the whole conversation more importantly she understood me.

I was very busy this weekend and now need another one just to recover.  Saturday was hot hot hot, so up the mountain I went with my friend Stephanie for a picnic. 

Donkeys up on the hill

A view over Praz

My friend Stephanie in the middle of a field where we ate our sandwhiches



Then it was off to the river, it was 23C so everyone was out and about

Then in the evening my sister in law invited us to the river for night time bbq.  The kids were very excited and we ended up having a great but late evening which was kindly finished off by Seb bringing fire works for the kids.  What a treat.  Actually Seb is the butler for a very wealthy swiss business man so maybe we should be thanking him for the fire works.