Only 2 more school days left!

Hello! Hope you are well! I have a stinking cold but the children are not too bad!

We have had torrential rain this week, it has been awful! It has been hard to drive in and you have got soaked just getting out of the car. The girls and Silas are now back to wearing their 'spring - season' clothes without complaint, even Naomi, which goes to show how miserable and cold it has been! However, there is hopefully an end in sight with better weather being forecast tomorrow; let's hope so! Ulrike and I both agreed that we are looking forward to the children not being in school but that it will be much easier if the weather is good!

We have not done too much as a result really, we went to Jo's house on Monday afternoon which was fun and yesterday Silas, Esther and I did a bit of shopping before collecting Naomi and then the girls had swimming in the afternoon. We went to Target after swimming so that Naomi could buy a little goodbye present for her friends tomorrow, which was good!

Last night, I had a HOA meeting that included a vote to increase the dues from $95 to $150. It was an unpleasant evening with people making wild and untrue statements like "no-one told me what this vote was for" and "no-one told me that there was a website", all of which was a total load of rubbish!! However, for once the board was unified and we went for a beer afterwards which was actually quite fun. It was a proper American bar and I was glad that I didn't have to open my mouth and that I was there with 4 other Americans! It was a local bar for local people if you know what I mean!

I am going to resign from the board of the HOA at some point in the not too distant future but can't leave just now when there are so few of us and a secretary is important!! At least having made the decision is helpful. I don't deal with conflict very well and take unpleasant comments far too personally! I am also way too passionate for most people!

Today, Ulrike and I took a slow walk around the Bellevue Botanical Gardens and then went for a coffee. I am coughing badly but the fresh air did me good and at least it was dry! We let the boys have a lovely play at a park nearby and it was so funny watching Silas copy everything that Felix did!! They are very sweet but Felix is a year older than Silas and so can do a lot more! Silas kept up though!

This afternoon we did a bit of shopping and then went next door to look at the pet shop, which Silas loved! This evening we have been hard at work with John, planning our kitchen and working out which units go where; it took forever but it is mostly done now and we can go ahead and order them in the next couple of days!!

Silas is a right pickle! He has been dragging the blue chair across to the side and pushing the button of the loud carbon monoxide monitor! I put it there so that he can't reach it! He also likes to wear his Thomas the Tank Engine Apron and do the washing up! Funny boy! The girls are fine but tired and are looking forward to the holiday!

Well, that is it for now and I must go and do the ironing!