Le corps et l’esprit

Nous avions envie d’aller nous degourdir les jambes et voir si nos velos etaient toujours en etat de marche, malgre un ciel menacant. Premier arret pour un petit concert de cuivres sous Story Bridge

puis partie de foot. Apres une heure a pedaler le long de la riviere, notre retour fut precipite par un beau grain!

Samedi matin au soleil

Cette premiere semaine d’ecole s’est terminee sans soucis. Les enfants sont epuises par ce nouveau rythme mais contents de la transition. Meme debarquant en milieu d’annee scolaire ici, ils ont ete accueillis tres chaleureusement par les eleves et leurs instits respectifs. Victor est en « grade 6 » (equivalent de la 6eme), Felix en « grade 4 » (equivalent du CM1) et Clea en « Prep ». Ils a'appliquent pour faire leurs devoirs et leurs premiers resultats sont tout a fait satisfaisants. En tant que parent, c’est un plaisir de les voir aussi enthousiastes et deja bien a l’aise dans leur nouvel environnement.

Un beau week-end debute ici. On profite du soleil pour laver les uniformes.

Les enfants nettoient le ponton.

Back to school!

After 3 years of French home schooling, Victor, Felix and Clea started their Australian school today. Ready in their uniforms, excited and unsure, they discovered their new teacher, classroom and most of all, their new friends. Yawning away, their 1^st impression was that the school day was very long. However, the three of them were very happy and couldn’t remember the knot in their stomach that had when we left Merlin earlier this morning. They are now impatient to go back tomorrow, discovering more of this new life. We, as parents, are relieved that everything went so well.

Our French escape (by plane).

We, Emmanuelle and the kids, are back for a few days from our French holidays. Moving a lot during these 6 weeks, we visited family and friends on the East and West sides of France. It was always so nice to meet up with everybody … the French way of course which means around good food and wine.

Victor, Felix and Clea really loved their time spent playing and laughing with their cousins. Firstly with their 3 French cousins, Melissa, Romane and Carmen, then with their South African/British cousins, Max and Rebecca, who flew from London to see us in Royan. They even had the privilege to have their 2 grand mothers around together. What a special treat! They found the sea so much colder and less clear than the island water they were used to these last 2 years. However, they played with the same energy and enthusiasm in the waves or on the beach. We did a lot, trying to show them what France was about. They (re)discovered what land life could be.

It is easy to imagine the emotions every time I was meeting up with family and old friends not seen for at least 4 years. I enjoyed speaking French from breakfast to bed time, enjoyed the fresh baguettes and all the delicious cheeses (I came back with few extra kilos and not only in my suitcase). It was great to stroll again in the old streets of Strasbourg or Paris, going back to well known places and simply feeling at home.

We can now officially say we’ve been around the world … unfortunately we cheated for the last 1/3 using planes. But it was so nice to have done it! Thanks to all who made these holidays so special and unforgettable.

(Photos in the gallery)

9 ans et si content

Revenus juste a temps pour feter en famille les 9 ans de Felix.

Une journee a surprises et cadeaux pour un Felix heureux d’avoir, entre autre, son dessert prefere comme gateau d’anniversaire (une simple tarte aux pommes).