Day 2110. On Tuesday I had to get up at 9:30 am as I had a 10 am student. After I was done teaching, I went to the kitchen to cook. It was no typical day, as Randy was staying home instead of picking up kids. We both ate in peace, and at 1:15 pm we left the house together.
By 1:30 pm we were at Sammy's kindergarten for the year-end conversation with Sammy's teachers. Sammy usually gets picked up at 12:30, but he had no problem staying there longer. He loves kindergarten. He greeted us, then he went outside onto their little terrace with a playground, while we sat down with his main teacher and the physiotherapist. We then talked for about 45 minutes with each other. They had a written report as well that detailed all the progress Sammy has made over the past year. They were sharing how sociable Sammy is and that everyone loves him and that they are going to miss him, as he'll be in school after the summer. The physiotherapist also gave some advice and suggestions of what would be good for Sammy. Once we were done, we brought Sammy back inside and put him into his wheelchair, then left together.
We walked to the subway and got on, but Randy and Sammy went home, while I stayed on the subway to go pick up Emmy and Tammy from their kindergarten. Normally they get picked up at 1:30 pm, but today it was 3 pm. It's the only way we could both have the conversation with Sammy's teachers. I actually got there just before 3 pm, and they were happy to see me. Together we then walked to the dance school where their break dance class was starting at 3:30 pm.
As I had picked them up early, we got there at 3:10 pm already. It was a very hot day, so we went inside the building where it was much cooler and waited there. There was another kid with his mother, so they were having fun together. The teacher then texted that he was running late, but got there exactly at 3:30 pm. Minutes later the class started.
They were having fun, as usual, and learning some new moves. At 4 pm I got Tammy out of the class early and left the building with her. Randy and Sammy were outside to pick her up. Together they walked to the subway and took it all the way to the dance school where she goes to ballet class. The class there was starting at 4:30 pm, and she was going there on Tuesday because she won't be able to go on Friday and her performance is already next week. Randy and Sammy waited there while she was in class, then they went home together.
Emmanuel had another 15 minutes in break dance class. And he got to do his freestyle dance that he hadn't done in a while. He actually did a handstand that was quite successful, but on his last move it looked like he had hurt himself a little.
I thought we were for once gonna be able stay until the class was over, but I had a student at 5 pm, so we left right after he had done his freestyle act. And I'm glad that we left, when we did as I barely made it home in time. There are several ways to get home, and I don't think I picked the fastest. We got on the first bus that came, and there was a lot of traffic. Then we got on another bus to take us the rest of the way home.
Emmy got on his tablet, and I started teaching at 5 pm, then I had another student at 6 pm. At 7 pm I was done and cut their fruit for them. After they had eaten, we went downstairs for piano practice, then they went into the bathtub. We had no time for story time, as I had a student at 8:10 pm, so I only prayed for them, and they went to bed. After I was done teaching at 9 pm, I went to the kitchen to get something to eat.
On Wednesday Sammy stayed home with me in the morning, as he had horse therapy at 10:30 am. He needed me from time to time, but I was still able to lie down and close my eyes. Unfortunately I couldn't sleep after he had left, as I had to get up at 9:30 to get ready for my 10 am student. I taught from 10 to 11 and then from 11:15 to 12:30 pm. Randy was warming up leftovers for himself and for Sammy to eat while I was still teaching. After I was done, he soon left to go pick up Tammy and Emmy.
Sammy was watching videos on the projector as well as playing with the door, while I was trying to scan and/or prepare for my upcoming student. Randy and the other kids returned home before I started teaching at 2:20 pm. I made sure they put their exercise clothes on right away, as they left just before I finished teaching at 3:10 pm. They had to take the 3:20 pm train to their exercise class. And it was the last class of the semester. That meant that the parents could watch, and at the end, they got the big sticker for the middle of their sticker books, as well as big "medal" - a band with the letter "G", the initial of the name of the school. Then they returned home.
Sammy and I were having a good time at home, and before the others returned, I went to the kitchen to make their sandwiches and cut up their fruit. Sammy and I were having lots of fun at that time as I was chasing him and making him laugh hard.
Randy and the kids returned home just before I started teaching at 5:30 pm. I was done by 6:20 pm. We then went downstairs for piano practice. Back upstairs, it was bathtub time, then story time. Randy had left for a pick-up of a second-hand item and was gone for nearly 3 hours. All three kids then did story time, then I put them to bed. I went to the kitchen to get myself something to eat, and could hardly believe it when none of the kids asked me to sit with them, but they all fell asleep quickly and easily - even with Daddy not home. I ate, and then went back to work.
This morning I had no students but Sammy's kindergarten was closed so he was home with me. However, Randy had no pick-up or grocery run, so he took care of Sammy once he got home from taking the other two to kindergarten, which allowed me to go back to sleep. At 11 am I got up and put two pizzas into the oven for the three of us. Randy then left to take the 12:27 pm bus to pick up Tammy and Emmy from kindergarten.
Sammy was watching videos on the projector and playing with the door, as usual. I was surprised when Randy and the kids returned home in record time, just before 1:45 pm. I then got ready for us to leave the house, and just after 2 pm I left with Tammy and Emmy. Randy and Sammy had to stay home, as they had to be at Sammy's therapy center at 4 pm for a consultation with the orthopedic doctor.
The three of us took the subway downtown, then walked to their music school. I was a very hot day again. They'd had to put their music school T-shirts on, and all the other kids participating were wearing them too. We had to be there at 2:45 pm for a one-hour practice time before going to the actual concert. I had asked the kids whether they wanted to participate, and they had said yes. And so we had been watching the video of the two songs with the actions nearly every night for the past two weeks for them to learn the song and the actions. They couldn't come to the rehearsal last Saturday, so this was their only rehearsal today. They went through the whole program, including one girl playing the piano and singing a song, as well as a 5-year-old girl doing a singing solo. After the rehearsal was over, we all left the music school together to walk to the location of the street concert.
And it was further away than I had thought. We walked and walked and walked and got to "Am Hof", a big square downtown where there are often events. There were tables and benches set up everywhere, and a few hundred old people sitting on them. It was an event organized by and for old people. When we got there, a group of old people were doing songs and encouraging the audience to do the movements with them. It really was quite hilarious. The kids had to wait for them to be done, and Tammy got pretty impatient waiting.
But then the time had come. I sat down on a bench up front, while the kids walked to the front and lined up in a row. They did one song, then the piano solo, then the little girl singing, then everyone sang the second song. By that time I had the impression Emmy was barely singing any more and only half-heartedly doing the movements. They were standing in the sun, and it was hot, so maybe that was part of it.
They all bowed and walked off the stage. We then all gathered in the back, where we took pictures of the kids, then with the two teachers, one being the founder of the school, and then they took a picture of the kids together with the parents. I hope I'll get that picture some time. Then we were released to go.
It was only just after 4 pm, as expected, which was perfect as I was under time pressure to get home to teach. Tammy had become friends with another five-year-old girl during the event, and as they were also going to the subway, we walked there together. Tammy and the girl were holding hands walking and having fun. I talked to her Mom a little. We got on the subway together as well, but they got off before us. That girl actually attends a class at the same time as them at the music school every week, so they'll see each other again.
By 4:40 pm we were back home; that was the time I had given my student, but I had postponed it to 5 pm to be sure, so that's when I started teaching. Randy and Sammy got home not long after us. I then had two students, teaching until 7 pm, then I cut up their fruit and gave it to them. A few minutes later, we went downstairs for piano practice, then it was bathtub time. By the time they got out, there was only enough time for me to pray for them all, then Randy put them to bed, while I sat down at the computer to teach. I taught from 8:10 to 9 pm, then I got myself something to eat. After having eaten, I went back to work. Now it's 2 am, and I have yet to take care of the dishes.
