Will my kids ever have a full week at school?

Okay this is the first week the kids are suppose to be doing full days; that is to 1.30pm but there was a general strike today, which shop keepers decided only to strike pm (i.e not open after siesta) and buses, teachers etc were off. The bin men have been striking all week which is highlt unpleasant in this weather over some pay dispute. Needless to say the deckchair man on the beach put a full day in. So I sat on my mat as per norm.

Next week the kids are off on Monday for a Fiesta and the week after Tuesday for a Fiesta. Then I think they may have two full weeks until the next Fiesta. (so whats the bet another strike day inbetween!)

My interview went okay on Monday but I think I might have asked too many awkward questions and he probably wanted a monkey. I have two interviews lined up in the next few days Sol Melia and Diamond, so we will see.

James got his first deal with Diamond which is good and we are out tomorrow evening at the companies expense entertaining clients.

Pictures are from beach today.

Weather

What a week weatherwise it has been this week, is chucked down most of Wednesday, was humid Thursday and Friday. Yesterday was overcast, locals were complaining that thge weather was dreadful, at this point I would like to point out we were at a pool bar sitting in shorts and tee shirts and the kids were in the pool and the themometer read 23 degrees celcius. ?I can cope with dreadful, it was very pleasant (although if this had been my holiday week I would have been disappointed). Today it is blistering again.

We are off to the market, I want a large black bag for my interview tomorrow. It is a guy who has set up office space and wants sales reps. Not sure how viable it will be in the South but I will go to Gulf de Sur and see what he has to say, I liked him on the phone but that is his job to be likable. The concept is great, just the loction I have doubt about.

James' job seems to be going well so far.

We might go to the beach later if we manage to plough through Ethan's homework early afternoon we will go about 4 when its cooled off a bit.

Kids start full days at school tomorrow which means they finish at the grand time of 1.30. Parents evening tomorrow as well, they have twice monthly sessions, you are not expected to attend them all.

Better start building Noah's Ark

Our terrace is so wet it is like an ice rink and kids are playing hockey with brushes. Just waiting for someone to get hurt. Rain is a total novelty for them both at the moment. At least it is still warm.

James' luggage has now arrived and today is his first day in the office. I had butterflies in my stomach for him but so far so good from what I can gather.

Needless to say James won the crazy golf the other day, beat the rest of us put together.

Yesterday was a girly day by the pool with Zoe and her daughter Lizzy, Karen and her daughted Kiara (she's from Wallsend originally but last lived in Hartlepool) and Georgia came with us, it was a nice day.

This morning Natalia and I went to the market, Natalia bought yet another doll with her pocket money; she has called it Julie. She needed her arm sewing back on before we got home.

Now we are jus chilling watching Harry Potter, which reminds us of Universal Studios.

Another week. James is back after a successful week in Lanzarote, unfortunetly his luggage with his work clothes and luggage isn't.

The kids are settling in amazingly well at school. Ethan has loads of Spanish friends and is not phased by the fact they speak a different language. Natalia has made a friend in her class called Amanda, she is not Spanish, British are Chinese, we are still trying to establish her nationality. The Chinese kids at the kids school as a rule of thumb are vicious and best avoided, which suprised me!

We are going mini golf this afternoon and then to the beach, taking a picnic. the weather dipped for a day or too earlier in the week meaning I needed a tee shirt as opposed to a vest and we had a couple of light showers but it is now scorching again. I hate doing the ironning in this heat but at least I don't have to worry what to wear.

Ethan has taken to having a fetish for being tied up and tying his sister up; this is all related to watching Captain America. When I expressed my concern he replied straight faced, I am practising for when I am older. Then added incase he was kidnapped.


We really hope Nana Linda had a great 60th birthday, not that she looks anywhere near 60.

Well better go and iron.

First day at school & in school uniform

They really didn't need their jackets on but it was a novelty. I really don't know why these pictures have insisted on coming out this way, I did rotate them before uploading them!

Will I ever have a normal life?

Okay two suicidal lizards later and we are at the weekend, both were saved. I found one swimming in the dregs of my cup of tea, despite sterilising my cup several times I can't bring myself to drink out of my favourite disney cup. The second was a tiny one which was nearly vacumned; my husband being the hero he is left me to catch it in a matchbox.

Kids have started school this week, 8.30 - 12.30 until the end of September. They seem to be settling and have made friends with Spanish, English and Chinese, Ethan takes great pleasure in telling me that there is a Chinese boy in his class called Ifukya. Natalia has asked for extra Spanish lessons and got bored during the English lesson. Natalia has also made friends with Georgia who goes to the same school, is 8 and lives on our complex which is great, but boy can her nana Betty talk.

James went for an interview with Diamond Resorts, Tuesday and is now training in Lanzarote for a week, what he will be doing is a step up from Resort Properties (long story!) although between his juants and Resort Properties playing silly buggers with my hours I am job hunting, though after finding out kids are half days for a while it is a blessing in disguise.

Dead Lizard

What a strange couple of days. School has finally been sorted I think and they start on Wednesday as CEIP Perez Valero, Los Cristianos.

Ethan's wardrobe as the Tardis has been completed. Much to his delight.

Yesterday and today we went to the local pool, it has been overcast today and yesterday evening but still warm.

There a fantastic firework show last night which we watched from the terrace, some festival, not sure what.

This morning I found a dead lizard in Natalia's bed, thought it was a kids toy at first, imagine the horror at discovering it to be real. I kept hoping it was pretending to be dead, an was worried it was going to dart when I tried to move it'sadly not. Natalia has insisted on a proper burial and keeps checking it's grave to see if it has gone to heaven. I think it must have been attached to a bag that I put on Natalia's bed.

September Already

I can't believe kids are supposedly starting school next week and I am starting work just after. Where has summer gone. Getting them into school has been a beauracratic nightmare, We will find out Monday if we have achieved our goal, so fingers crossed. The local school was an institute by name and building when we went and I was kind of relived when they had no places for Natalia, they reason they had no places was a third of the year above were resiting the year. I refused point blank at the suggestion they went to Las Americas school, I've heard too many bad things. So we went to Adeje which had places but a different catchment. They said Los cris would have to contact them to say they were full, Los Cris refused because they had a place for Ethan. i said there was no way I was splitting them when they were in a new country and the schools were in different directions. The upshot is we did find another school a cathlic funded one, which the Institute had failed to mention exsisted and the head will allocated places on Monday but if they don't have them they will contact Adeje. Nightmare!!! Very fustrating especially when you don't spaek the lingo, though I am improving. Thank god for Sharon.

Just when I wonder what the hell I am doing here; I remember when I see the beautiful scenery and the sea; then read about the british weather and culture. Kids have said they like it here. We are going to move somewhere more Spanish and less touristy after Christmas, probably Adeje of Gulf de Sur. you get more for you money and some fab views. We want somewhere more family orientated. Here it is like the old miner cottages. rarely seeing anyone in the estate.


We had friend round for a Mexican last night which was fun.

I will publish pictures in the near future as don't appear to want to upload tonight.