back to the pirate playground

The weekend after Della, Gus, Simon and Angela left, Bluet needed a stapler. As we knew of a stationary shop near the house we stayed in when we first moved to Zurich, I decided to take Bluet there on the Saturday to buy one. We then stopped by the English language bookshop, and I showed Bluet where our house used to be (not surprisingly, she doesn't remember). However, she does remember the pirate playground next door, and there she happily played for an hour or so, as you can see. It's a great playground, but unfortunately it is about as far away from our house as it is possible to get in Zurich, so we don't go often.

The Gallery

Since Bluet got back from York, and was inspired by Della, her favourite hobby is to draw. For hours she draws various things. A new thing every day, and the pieces of paper with sketches on them accumulate all over the house. Ilona also likes to sit and draw, so often they will both quietly sit around the table drawing with crayons or pencils. Here are some of our favourites

Bluet and Ilona eating dinner

Our garden

Butterfly and Aeroplane

Last weekend we went to the Pirate playground (which is near our first Switzerland house) and found some abandoned chalk lying around, so Bluet and Ilona decorated the tables.

Afterwards, both kids were covered in chalk, ready for the journey home

Back to the old house

'The other Switzerland house' as Bluet calls it, where we stayed when we first arrived, is not that far away, but because it takes a change of tram/bus to get there, we haven't been in the area for a while. This is a shame as the pirate playground there is rather splendid (actually, it might be the best playground we've found in Zurich, or maybe it is just we haven't been there for so long). So yesterday morning, while Ilona was sleeping I took Bluet there by myself. This was great, as after I had enjoyed a small coffee (and Bluet had climbed the pirate ship), I helped Bluet collect branches from around the playground (ones with leaves still attached particularly prized), and then Bluet stuck them in the mud and created a forrest (all her own idea). This was so impressive that a smaller child came and stood in it, and uprooted a few trees, which did not go down well with the architect.

Stick fishing

Applying the finishing touches

posing with the masterwork I

posing with the masterwork II

Then Ilona and Emily came and found us and we went back to the new house.

Rain

Today it rained. Apparently it rains a lot in Zurich (a metre a month, perhaps), but so far the rain in Zurich has mainly fallen at night. Not today. When we eventually made it out of the house, when the rain had stopped its torrentiality, we went to the pirate playground. While Bluet was happy to play in the mud (as expected) I found the best place for Ilona was inside a barrel, as it was dry.

Progress

In the last few weeks Ilona has been getting better and better at sitting up by herself. While we are out at one of the myriad Zurich parks, it is nice to let her sit in the grass. This can only last so long, as eventually Bluet tires of whatever she is playing with nearby, and start to disappear off into the distance. Ilona has also become very adept at picking things up (she is particularly fond of trying to pick up Bluet's blanket, or pulling Bluet's hair, neither of which are very popular. Still, Bluet is becoming more and more interested in Ilona, asking to help feed her, or talking about how they will play together when Ilona is big. And of course she likes to push Ilona gently on the baby swing.

Bluet plays hide and seek

Bluet got a new Stylewild

The end of a tough day at the playground