3 kids at Christmas

Christmas Day 2011

A happy day that included opening stockings from Santa (stuffed animals = big hit!) and a walk in Manito Park. You will have to trust that Timo is in the stroller! Later in the afternoon we went sliding on the hill in Manito Park. It was perfect sliding conditions and elicited many infectious giggles.

Mum-time

Having Mimi in preschool has meant that I have designated times to do things for myself! I am super fortunate to make a connection with the folks at the church that is beside the preschool and I have arranged to practice in the sanctuary on Monday mornings. This has meant a few things. I don't have access to the space until 10 (Mimi starts preschool at 9) so I have an hour to find things to do. I have been going for coffee on Solano Avenue most Mondays which is fun and a different slice of Berkeley than the "Gourmet Ghetto" area that I live closer to. A couple of Mondays ago I was walking back to the church and I saw a little sign on a path (Berkeley specializes in neat walking paths) that said "Indian Rock". I had wondered where it was as a friend and I wanted to find it to watch the sunset last summer. I still don't really know where it is other than from that little path!! I didn't have my camera with me so had to find these pic online. I think the rock must be very hard to take pictures of because it is so HUGE and there are houses and trees all around it.

the path to Indian Rock

Indian Rock

stairs carved into the rock

The view from the rock

Unexpected Milestone

Today was Ami's first day riding the bus this school year. It seems to take forever to get permission to ride the bus. In the mean time we have been enjoying riding the Radish to and from school. All September Ami asked me (not incessantly but almost) about the bus and whether he could ride it. Finally the word came from on high that Amiel was permitted on the bus starting last Friday. He and I decided (before I told him that he could ride the bus that day- was that fair?) that he would stay at home for the day as he was still getting over his cold and I figured that he could do with a little break from school. So today was the first day back on number 20 with Ms Erin. Getting to the bus stop with Dad was no problem. We have an eager bus-rider.

For some reason I wondered whether he would remember to take the bus home from school. I did a lot of calling around to let his teacher and the school know that I was expecting him to take the bus home. I also phoned the transportation department to check in with them about his ETA at the bus stop. They said 3:21. That seemed pretty exact. I set my watch to head up to the stop at around 3:10. I decided to send Martin and told him to ask the bus driver if she would let him off the bus if there were no adults waiting for him at the stop. Last year if there was no-one waiting for him they would take him back to the school. I wanted to know what the ramifications were if we were late on pick-up. I didn't have to wait long for the answer to my question because about a minute after I had asked Martin to inquire, Amiel walked in the door. He walked home by himself from the bus stop!! He looked a little surprised but quite pleased with himself. Martin and I just could not stop chuckling. I guess he can do it but I plan on meeting him at the stop in the future!!

Walkies!

Being in Berkeley means that we will have buns of steel by the end of our time here. It is so hilly that even though we are basically at sea level, both Martin and I likened our experience here to being in Banff or Aspen where we blamed our exhaustion on the altitude. We figure now that we really just were not used to climbing hills.
Because we don't have a fenced yard it means that Bohdi goes for walks a couple of times a day. This is a wonderful place to take little strolls. There is a wee ravine about a block from our place with a little creek running in it. The streets tend to follow the geography which is really refreshing. I realize how little of our natural geography we enjoy in Vancouver - with all the streams paved over and all...
Another benefit of walking Bodhi is seeing all the amazing flora around here. Who knew that jade trees could possibly be weed-like! There are gardens around here with MASSIVE succulents and unusual black flowers and cacti with fruit on them. I will photograph them soon.
Walking also allows you to take part in the Berkeley tradition of free-cycling. Even on my second day here I partook of it! I figure that I freecycled so much of my own house in Vancouver that I really aught to get as much as i can on this "network"! So far I have acquired

note cards
salt and pepper in grinders
a playground style ball for the kids
an original copy/box of the game of Clue with only the miniature knife missing!
2 wire baskets now holding my linnens and shoes
a present for Panos!! (an unopened package of dog biscuit cutters and recipes!)
a purple vase
literature (!)


Amiel
Climbed a rather substantial tree in our courtyard today and climbed down again! Organised his friends here to play diggers with him and they started making a worksite...

Ami is still waiting for his package from Uncle Panos. He predicts that our big boxes will arrive the day after his package does... we shall see.

Miriam
Chattering away all the time --loves the baby (and all its accoutrements) that are on loan from Frances.
I think she is getting molars. I have thought this before but she is wakeful in the night (it is really cute though because she just talks and talks and talks to me... i wish i could let you know what about specifically...)