Family biking in London, School possibilities, the British Museum...

 

After a great deal of waiting, searching, and being patient, we finally have some school options.  AL will begin school on June 6th (I know, weird, it's when most MN schools are ending) and just attend the last 5 weeks of the year (the second half of the last term).  She'll end July 8th. The school is the sweetest school just around the corner.  I sent an email long ago and didn't hear anything and just assumed it was full!  Until one day when AL and JP and I just walked in to check it out...and learned they actually had space.  Probably because the school ends at age 7 for boys and age 11 for girls.

 

Two have places at a school this Aug/Sept and I have high hopes that Jonah will get a place as well.  However AL may fall in love with this other little school, but we'll wait and see....I'm sure they will all be enrolled somewhere, so I feel I can breathe now and enjoy this time until the fall.

 

We've enjoyed navigating London on our bikes this past week.  A bit scary with a 6 year old rider and cars zooming literally right up next to you.  We biked to church, a restaurant, the British Museum and Coram's Fields.   A great day out in London.

 

But the subway is tricky too - one day this week we thought we could all get onto a train (I knew it was cutting it close).  JP and I were holding hands....he stepped on...but then the doors closed ON MY ARM and we were all screaming as we saw poor JP on the train and the rest of us off the train and my arm in the closed door..there was no way I was letting go...there was a massive moment of deep despair (if you could have seen JP's face! he was completely freaked out & screaming) but the doors did then reopen and JP jumped off... it took us an hour for our hearts to start beating normally again.

 

I've found a babysitter who is French; she'll only speak French to the kids.  I figure I can knock off two things at once - keep up their French and get a date with hubby or a chance to run errands alone.  She'll come Wednesdays for a couple of hours and once every other weekend, so not a lot, but should help avec le francais, not to mention my sanity.

 

We discovered the British Museum this week - it's fantastic, and free.   When you visit, we will have to go.  They've got some of the greatest treasures from the ancient world.  We followed an audio tour - and spent 3-4 hours viewing some absolutely fantastic treasures of the world.

 

Looking ahead, we get to finally host our first American guests!!  My cousin will be here Sunday for a short one night stay on her way back after visiting Scotland; and D's brother will be here the following weekend Friday - Sunday, he has work in Denmark.

 

Oh, I told some of you we were interested in the house across the courtyard (American family moving home in July).  The very nice property manager met with me; they are listing it quite high and expect it to rent immediately...so, unless it sits there until October (very unlikely), which is the earliest we can get out of our lease, we won't be hopping over that way.  Oh well!!  It was worth an inquiry.