heat wave

Summer has come to Zurich, and it is far, far too hot and humid - often exceeding 28C, which I am reliably informed is as hot as it has ever got in Aberdeen. Which is why I often suggest we should move there, for the weather (if I mention it in front of Ilona, she is very keen on this idea as she would like to live there with Uncle Nick). Anyway, this awful heat means that we have to spend lots of time taking the kids to water. e.g. this weekend:




Bring on the autumn, I say

But at least sometimes the girls can entertain themselves by swinging in our garden, so we don't have to go anywhere

Last week

It is getting a little colder, so Bluet has been wearing her winter hat to go to the playground or run errands. Here, Bluet helps do the shopping (amazing how much joy a child gets from a little shopping trolley)

Bluet also did some indoor activities including splatter painting (her own idea, but I think inspired by Charlie and Lola, her latest favourite TV programme)

We also made some cardboard glasses

Meanwhile there are always playgrounds and swings

And trips out dressed as some kind of film star. NB in this case Bluet finally realised it was cold and asked for trousers, which fortunately I had packed

Local Playground

We have already found our closest local playground. We go there rain or shine. It has swings. What more do you need?

Chasing a "beautiful butterfly"

York (sun)

While we were in York, Bluet and Della spent a lot of time together and although there were a couple of incidents when both kids wanted to play with the same toy, it mainly went swimmingly. They slept in the same room together, held hands at the railway museum, watched Frozen, and bonded over their shared loves of Peppa Pig and swings. There are more pictures here and here

Even Owly and Gordon Lambsy are friends now

Swinging, still in pajamas

Bouncing together

Sleeping beside Della

Sharing peppa pig

Meanwhile, Uncle Nick would prove to be a big hit with Ilona

Zurich One

We are still getting acclimatised to Zurich. It seems that there are a lot of places to take kids. There is a playground with a wooden pirate ship a minute or two from our house, and we have already been there several times. Zurich is built around a lake (or as Bluet said 'A pond' - when I corrected her, she said, 'No, I think it is a pond') and on Sunday we went to a place where the edge of the lake is fenced off for kids to swim. It was very nice. Still, it is weird being surrounded by people speaking foreign, I can't help thinking that Zurich (and the world in general) would be greatly improved if everyone spoke English. But we will learn German fast enough, I'm sure, especially from trying to work out what to buy to eat - as you can see we have successfully purchased ice cream.

The world famous Zurich pond

In Zurich, it is impossible to get homesick

One of the nicest things that has happened at the park is that Bluet is very keen to push Ilona on the swing, which Ilona loves. Bluet even knows not to push it too high

(NB Bluet does not like Swiss Cheese - I gave her some, and she said 'I don't like this cheese, can I have some cheese that I like'. I concur.)