I don't like the teacher :-(

Going back to school hasn't been easy for poor little Lo! Just before summer holidays their lovely teacher Cecile had left. In the new year C&L found out they'd moved up one class, from petite section to moyenne. And there they were also faced with a new teacher: Genevieve, la directrice. Oops

It is probably not an easy job to teach 28 kids ranging from 4 to 8 all at once, but she's done it for over 20 years. After two days Lola was terrified because Mme le Mat yelled at her. Lola peed in her pants, got nightmares about a giant chicken pecking her toes "because she didn't know the word".

The teacher tried to convince me that I just had to let go of the kids (They are big now!) and put them in school all day, just like all the other kids. That would solve the problem! It's a bit like breaking in a horse the old fashioned way: to swim or to sink. Well, we have different ideas about it. The kids can go full days when they decide they want it.

My french is not good enough for politeness stuff. But I managed to tell the teacher that Lola loves going to school, but that she is scared of her. Back at home Lola made a drawing for the teacher to 'make her like her'. With a beautiful monster (?!) and 'Pour Genevieve' written on it.

Now most days Lola runs out of the school smiling and happy: 'The teacher didn't yell at me!'.

Charlie is not at all impressed by anything it seems. His colouring in style is just covering the whole lot with a thick layer of crayon, giving everybody a big smile and then getting on with what he likes best: His tractor.

After lunch C&L go back to school for half an hour for some extra french with the same teacher and just two other kids. That will improve their relationship too I think. And prepare them for going all day at some stage.

I wait in the car and read a french book. After they are finished I see them racing around in the square with scooters and little bikes. I ask them if they want to stay for the afternoon. No, they say. This is not where we live! We will die here because there is no food! (Actually, there is a lovely lunch in school, I'd like to eat there myself!)

I don't think it will take long before they decide to stay. In the afternoon they do more fun things in school like gym, painting and singing. In the morning it is mainly hard work with drawing, cutting and glueing.

French education has a good name, but till now it (she) feels all a bit rigid to us.

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In the mean time Rod is just working - working - working. The whole left side of the house is stripped on the inside and has now a big door to the garden en a small window where the sink will be. I ordered a new front door, but it opened the wrong way, so we have to wait another 3 weeks before the new door arrives...

I've been doing some 'pointing' at the back of the fireplace. With sand and lime filling in the gaps between the stones. I really like it! I am going to start at the outside of the house now, trying to do a bucket per day and working my way around.

Last night I had a first ride out on Milo: all by himself out on the tracks, through the river and round, ending up at our neighbours' place for a break and a chat. He is standing nice and still with mounting and doesn't worry about things too much. All the gentle work of the last three years is paying of. I'm so proud of my horse! (and me!)