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Published: September 8th 2012
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Hello all you beautiful people,
Been a surprisingly eventful week this week, which began (I'm extremely pleased to announce) with the beach trip being called off due to a broken car!! For some reason on Monday I was feeling a bit anxious and had a little panic attack and completly lost my appetite, but thankfully I used my CBT techniques and it seems to be okay now.
Had quite a bit of sun this week so we've all been chilling out at the lake, swimming with the jellyfish. Yes, you read that correctly there are jellyfish in the lake, but luckily they are very small and don't hurt you. I took three of the kids on a pedalo trip round the lake only to get attacked by a crazy swan, it came right next to us and started squawking and flapping it's wings, at one point I was worried in case it jumped into the boat and started biting everyone. The kids were screaming and running about, but after I managed to convince them to calm down the swam then got bored and swam away. Two of the kids then turned to me and said "that was brilliant, can
we do it again?" I think you'll already have guessed have reply to that one!
Also met two of the new lifeguards that day, the first one looks like Jack Nicholson in The Shining and the other one looks like a blonde Harry Potter (and he was actually quite cute). For some reason that day I thought I'd have a go at jumping into the lake from the floating boxes that are in the middle of the lake. Of course it ended up with me having to be rescued by Harry Potter (now there's a sentence I never thought I'd say) as I got a lung-ful of water, as well as water in my eyes, so I was flapping around in the middle of the lake coughing like I smoke 60 a day (we'll if that doesn't win him over, I don't know what will).
Later that day I went running with the oldest one of my kids and her cousin, I did the fastest lap of the lake I've ever done in my life, because I was trying to keep up with them (also had a minor coronary). When we got back, I put all of my
kids through their paces by holding an outdoor circuit class. Was so nice to exercise outside on the balcony with the evening breeze. The next day I woke up in absolute agony, not being able to move any muscles, whilst all the kids were begging me to do it again (that'll teach me). Also realised that I had inadvertently completed the equivalent of the Iron Man competition; swimming (in the lake), cycling (pedalow round the lake) and then running (around the lake)!
Today (Saturday) we drove upto Brusson in the mountains and had Polenta for lunch, which is a famous dish they serve in the mountains and its kind of like mashed potato but more floury. The man who owns the restaurant told us that every year there they have a battle of the cows, where the Queen cows all get together and fight each other. But what is a Queen cow I hear you ask? It's basically the cow that always enters and leaves the field first. Not only do they have to fight each other, oh no this gets weirder still, the cows also have to be pregnant! The only way is Italy!!
After lunch we
were going to go for a horse ride in the woods, which I was quite excited about, however the horses had finished for the Summer. Instead we took the kids to an outdoor roller disco, which is basically a massive square of concreate with a boombox and in the winter they turn it into an ice rink. They tried to get me to do it also, but I thought it best not to given how clumsy I am. What's quite cool though is that it is in the middle of the mountains, so while you're rolling around listening to the latest euro trash you get a fantastic view. To top off the day I went into town after we got back to buy a stamp and being the genius that I am I managed to drop my keys in a street grate! Thankfully I found a very kind English speaking woman who helped me and she managed to borrow a big stick with a hook on the end from a local shop, to fish them out.
In other news I was allowed to sit in the front of the car again this week (here come the flying pigs) and
also the mum has been opening up to me abit more. I think she gets a bit lonely because she hardly ever sees her husband and never goes out with her friends, so her life revolves around running round after the children.
I met another family at the lake on Thursday, who asked me if I'd be interested in looking after their 3 kids for 3 months next Summer to teach them English. The only problem is I have no idea if I'll still be in Italy then! If anyone else is interested in working as an au pair for 3 months then let me know its for 2 boys (12 and 11) and a girl (9). Apart from that nothing else to report for now, except that I've been reading some Shakespeare for fun (because I'm that cool!). I'm a geek get me out of here!!
Anyway I best go the mum's having another one of her 'episodes,' where she runs around yelling at everyone for not wearing shoes in the house. I'll write again next week with tales of my adventures in Milan!
Take care,
Soph
XxX
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