Between yesterday and today

Oh, it's a beautiful day today - the blue sky and the smiling white clouds - the fog has lifted and one feels warm, inspite of the the cold weather. Surely, my application has been processed fast (direct translation from Hindi :D).

Today was the result and celebration feast of my Dutch class. It was kind of nice - we all had to bring food from our country. So we had Thai coco-milk soup, cake from Iraq, Russian blini and chocolates, Indian faux samosas  (courtesy me). Also a 3 week gap can do a lot of damage to your language. We were struggling and miming profusely, anything to avoid using English. We took group photos and thanked our teacher, who is a real gem. But whatever had made her assume I am Nepali? I used to wear my bindi pretty regularly. Well, some of them have to repeat the level, and I feel sorry for them, because language cannot be done the way it is done via these classes. I genuinely feel I am not better than them either. And I will in all likelihood not be seeing them again. That feels strange. I has steeled myself not to feel very emotional whilst saying goodbyes.

Yesterday got the news of the father of our Belgian friend has passed away. He was in poor health. I think we will be expected to attend the funeral. I am very nervous - because one is not sure what to say and also it is another culture. Our friend will be hear by the weekend and it should be after that. I am happy for him that he was visiting in September and spent time with his parents. The husband and me got talking about couples and love and we always have an animated discussion on couples and love and expectations, etc. And got me to thinking how much we take our spouses for granted. I thought of extending the same thought to family etc but did not want to flounder in a pool of my tears so pushed those thoughts away.

Which reminds me I have to get to the swimming pool again, but I really need someone to watch me the first time. Otherwise I will go the noodle way again and that will be a catastrophe!! (Also a popular Dutch usage for extremes).

The husband impulse bought a Nintendo for Big G. This is a belated birthday gift to her. I am not very happy about it. For one, it is too early for her and also it's pretty expensive. I could've bought us all enough books for a year or clothes for that matter, or a really neat handbag, a bicycle for myself maybe (I know, I am thinking of me only). Jokes apart, this is a kid who has to be coerced to do her daily homework and this is going to be a big distraction for her. Not to mention, the fights that are going to take place on sharing and using between the two sisters. And lil G all of 3.5 is too small to even play with this. She is not even willing to learn to write o or a the simplest of alphabets. I have to modify the reward chart etc right now.

Hope you all are having a nice and productive day.