Life: Idiotropic

Tuesday was Constitution Day at the Elementary school (GKES), so I went to take pictures for the yearbook. The student council sat on the stage and did a nice skit about our U.S. constitution and how we should have a school constitution... and then they went through the school constitution... things like:
"I have the right to have school books that are in good condition so that I can learn. I have the responsibility to take care of my books."

It was a nice little event and towards the end the whole school sung the constitution song - a nice little song that is helping them all memorize our U.S. constitution - something that most adults can't claim to do.

Tuesday was also Tiara's first swim lesson with our neighbor, Gaby, a wonderful German lady who teaches swimming at the pool in GK. Tiara really enjoyed her lesson and will now start swimming every Tuesday. This is, of course, to replace her advanced ballet class that she is no longer attending. Shocked... yeah... I'll deal with that in a later entry.

Wednesday is still horse day. Elise and Arianna both have decided that though they love to brush horses and to talk to them, they don't want to ride. So, Luci's having lessons on Wednesdays now and doing well. Last Wednesday was a bad day for the horses - they were all jumpy and off. Kentucky kept jumping and rearing around really quickly trying to throw Luci. It scared me and her teacher, but Luci held on tight. Through an entire 30 minute lesson of horse antics, Luci held on and never at once acted afraid (though I was nervous the entire time and wondering why the teacher wasn't taking my baby off that horrible horse). Tanya was shocked that Luci didn't get thrown and started calling her a "super-rider" - in the bit of English that she knows. Tiara rode Holiday - her favorite horse, but a horse that the German riders are scared of. Holiday was abused and is very skittish. She doesn't do well with other horses and will not allow men near her at all. Tiara loves her though and other than the stable owner who is working with Holiday, Tiara is the only one who rides her. On Wednesday, Tiara made history by being the first "kid" ever to trot Holiday alone. Tiara controlled Holiday really well and trotted her all around the stable. I am proud of Tiara. She loves horses and is doing really well. Tanya - her teacher - was very impressed.


On Thursday, the kids all got to see the NATO AWACS. I wasn't allowed to take pictures, so I didn't both going... but AFN was there. My kids aren't in the video clip, but still, there is a clip online and that is fun. Go to: http://www.af.mil/, then scroll down to "latest videos," then click on the arrow until you get to "AWACS kids" from 28 September 2007.

This morning was Spanish morning where we enjoyed a freshly pureed tomato on crackers with freshly ground salt and a drizzle of Spanish olive oil. Sounds remarkably simple, and it is, but it was also remarkably delicious. So, I tried it later using good Italian olive oil and it wasn't the same. The flavor just wasn't right.

I had to cut short my Spanish time to rush back to Elise' school for the Erntedank - a mini-Thanksgiving of sorts where we appreciate the fall bounty. The children sat on the benches in a half-circle. The adults stood behind. We sung songs and watched as each child brought up fruits and vegetables to the table. At the end, the head schoolmaster put a bottle of wine on the table - strange, I thought - for a school function. Then freshly baked bread was passed all around. Elise sat with her friend, Hattie, and seemed very happy.

Tonight was wine club - a once-a-month function where a bunch of ladies bring a wine and a food and we all sit together and blab. Not too exciting this month. I think I enjoyed people watching more than anything.