Tuesday, 29 November 2016

3

As you are no doubt aware it was Ilona's third birthday on Sunday. Here is a short video I put together of the main events - present opening and eating pizza. More pictures and birthday action to follow, but at least this will let you all experience the vibe


Sunday, 27 November 2016

Actual Dinosaur Museum

Then on the Sunday of the business trip I took Bluet to the Dinosaur museum half an hour from Zurich HB - some eccentric Swiss millionaire who loves dinosaurs spent his fortune renting some land in Montana and digging for dinosaurs - they have a very impressive collection of real dinosaur bones (see pictures below, these are real),  it may be the best one in Europe. I would be able to tell you more but Bluet went through the museum so fast (in excitement) I did not manage to read all the available info.

Ever since Bluet has been fascinated by how the dinosaurs all died - according to a film we watched there it was because of a thunderstorm, which presumably caused floods and left hundreds of dead dinosaurs buried in a pit in a remote part of Montana


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Saturday, 26 November 2016

Business Trip

A couple of weeks back Emily took Ilona on her business trip to Washington DC. There she was met by Nana (and Wayne for half the trip), who watched Ilona whilst Emily did business. I don't know exactly what they got up to, but there was a big wheel and some kind of Zoo, at National Harbour. I think Ilona had a great time

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Meanwhile I stayed here with Bluet who still had to go to kindergarten. On the Wednesday there was a lantern fest - traditionally these are carved from turnips, but Bluet's class made them from tissue paper and cardboard. I went with her to KG in the evening after work; sadly it was raining or else they would've walked with their lanterns through the local streets, instead they were confined to a covered portion of the playground. Then the parents and kids sat down to eat soup and sausages. A good Swiss tradition.


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Thursday, 24 November 2016

Happy Thanksgiving, America

Happy Thanksgiving to all in America. We celebrated the same on Sunday with some American friends we have met here in Zurich. Here are Bluet and Ilona at dinner, anticipating chocolate cake, no doubt.

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Wednesday, 23 November 2016

Cartooning

A couple of days ago, Bluet drew this Charlie Brown and Snoopy cartoon. I think she has almost mastered the form. Ilona likes to ask to watch Charlie Brown at every opportunity (when she isn't asking for Peppa Pig)

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Friday, 18 November 2016

Rainbow

This morning as we were getting ready to leave the house I noticed there was a rainbow. Although Bluet has thought rainbow's fascinating for a long time, she claims to never have seen one in real life. This is not true as we definitely saw them in Texas, but she cannot remember that, so these pictures are basically the first rainbow Bluet (and Ilona) saw in real life. Obviously she was very excited, as was a sleepy Ilona. However, by the time she was dressed and out the door, waiting to go to kindergarten it had vanished. Kind of surprising we haven't had a Zurich rainbow before, given how much it rains here, but there you go

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Friday, 11 November 2016

The Gallery

We bought Bluet and Ilona an easel the other week. So far it has proven a sound investment

Ilona announced she would draw Veronika. This is what she produced

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Bluet meanwhile is into drawing Swiss mountains. I believe it is Veronika on skis in the first picture

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This was Bluet and Ilona in their bunk bed, although Bluet in the top bunk has mostly been erased

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This is our family, unfortunately drawn in yellow, by Ilona
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And finally, here are our pumpkins

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