Home at last?

Sorry it's been so long since an update - seems to be a family failing... Time seems to have accelerated, and it was only on Monday that we finally finished cleaning the flat. It's always the last little bits that take ages, perhaps because you're psychologically prepared for the big stuff, and then when it drags on and you want to be just in the new place, it takes a lot of effort. Still done and almost dusted, I can hear the fat lady warming up in the wings already. Although we have only lived in this house for two weeks, it has already taken on a real sense of home. I suppose that a somewhat itinerant lifestyle leads to being able (having to) put down roots quickly, but there you are. Most of our belongings have a place, and it feels refreshing to have so much space, a garage, store-room, sauna, workroom, and space for the kids to run around in, while we can sit inside and watch! Rather mysteriously a playhouse seems to have appeared in our back garden for them. Thanks to my mother-in-law for a very big and combined birthday present, and an endless THANK YOU to Mr & Mrs VL, who spent their weekend here sawing, digging, painting, planning, roofing, laying paving stones, and generally doing far too much. We had a wonderful time with you, hope you have returned safely and that you have not yet reached American shores (!?!). Mr. VL worked from morning to night (14 hours!) building the playhouse, and he must have been really hard at it, because even his wife was suggesting taking a break!!! I have him to thank for the fact that one more hole to chisel and I will also have my very own, unique, unbreakable, solid wood, handmade workbench. It's been designed to be freestanding, and when I have brutalised the surface enough, I can replace it, without taking the whole thing apart. WOW, and thank you. It was suggested that we had projects ready, and we started the workbench before the playhouse arrived, so ended up with... too many projects. Typically, the playhouse sat in a warehouse down the road for two weeks, as the morons had lost the shipping address, and just left it, without thinking to phone someone and ask where it should go. Only when the Psychologist phoned them did things set in motion, and it arrived an hour later. I thought this was an efficient country... It is, when my dear wife gets involved.

Again, we have spent lots of time getting familiar with the workings of the local hospital. The little one had the same ear infection, and we went back to ENT again, to discover that it was the same bacteria, and that they wanted to prescribe the same antibiotics. Luckily, the same day the Pysch. had a phone consultation with the head of the Paediatric infection department, regarding one of our may previous visits, and she suggested that the ENT doctor should consult her, before going too far. So the little one had to have a IV inserted (luckily by a very kind and skilled doctor, who got it second time - I don't know who was more traumatised, him, me or the patient!), and daily visits to have much stronger antibiotics intravenously and cortisone. It's so incredibly frustrating to have to go through all of this, and to have her pumped full of drugs, but she seems incredibly tough and spirited, is still growing and developing normally, so lets hope that we have a bit longer than 4 days without antibiotics or infections. The hospital are doing all they can, but whichever angry and vindictive God is in charge seems to have better answers! On the positive side too, as I am now spending more time with her (4/5 hours a day in hospital waiting rooms!) her English is coming along strong. Always look on the bright side...

Tomorrow is the last day of my first year of study. Where did it go? I can say that it has been really fulfilling, I've learnt a shedload (plus enough to fill a medium-size skip), and am really convinced I'm doing the right thing. Still lots to learn, but ain't that the truth? I shall wax philosophically about the matter at a later stage.

Pictures will be posted, but we have no internet connection at home right now, so do not adjust your set...