My Circus

This week, I had every intention of taking pictures of our new home, and some more things I have learned about the Dutch culture, but my forty year old body just got plain old tired.  Guy left this week for a week long intensive Dutch language class, and that meant the kids and I were flying solo this week.  On Sunday evening after he left, I realized that yes indeed, these were my monkeys and this was actually my very own circus!

This week has been a blur of packing lunches, soccer practices, piano lessons, and other appointments...so I thought I would list off the many circus acts the kids and I performed this week!

1) I drove the car all the way to Elizabeth’s piano lesson and back WITHOUT hitting any cyclists!!! WOO HOO for me!!!

2)  I managed to go to the grocery store this week and not speak English.....I am not saying I spoke a whole lot of Dutch, but no English was spoken by me!! Guy says we are very fluent at “Grocery Dutch”!:)

3)  I REMEMBERED to bring my own reusable grocery bags!!! I know I am VERY late to get on the “green” wagon, and I probably should have been using reusable grocery bags in the U.S., but let’s face it...Super Walmart made it so easy with those flimsy little plastic bags. They DO NOT bag your groceries here, and there are no “free bags”.   I have remembered to bring my bags to each shopping trip and I am learning to bag my groceries with the efficiency of a factory machine.  The checkers here show no mercy in letting the pile of groceries pile up like the leaning Tower of Pisa here!:) LOL!

4)  I successfully managed to get both the kids and myself on time ( a little bit early in fact) to both our Municipality appointment and our immigration appointment this week.  Those of you who know me know what  huge feat that is!

5)  I successfully rode at night with my lights on my Dutch bike to two parent information meetings this week.:)

6)  I have learned through the help of You Tube how to properly bait and set a mouse trap because I may have accidentally left a door open downstairs all night, and a mouse may have wandered inside our house....maybe...  It is very reminiscent of this situation in Lagos.  I sure am missing Happiness right now...I have been sleeping with my bedside lamp on at night...just in case I hear a strange little noise...hence my wonderful bags:)

7) I have had to look up the game of cricket and what it really mans to score a century.  ( It was on Jeremy’s math homework this week)

8)  I have learned that in the British education system, the proper way to say a math textbook is a “Maths textbook”.

9)  I have remembered when I was driving to yield to the driver’s to the right....they have the right of way....but in all honesty...there is no freakin’ way to have a clue where the cyclists are going to go...

10)  The people who work in the wine store recognize me as soon as I walk in.:)

Which is why I needed to pick up a pre packaged six pack of some awesome sauvignon blanc I have discovered since moving here. HONESTLY, WHO DOESN’T LOVE A BOX OF WINE PACKED UP AND READY TO GO WITH A HANDLE ATTACHED??  After being the ringleader of this circus all week, I am ready for some down time...

 It may get me through the weekend....I said, maybe,:)
Have a great weekend!