Day 2435. What a day! My alarm went off at 9:20 am, and I got up to make sandwiches for the kids and Randy. At 10 am we all left together. We rode the subway downtown. After we got off, Randy and Sammy got on the tram while Tammy, Emmy and I walked to the nearby music school. Randy and Sammy rode the tram for half an hour, then walked to where the Royal Rangers (Christian boys scouts) were meeting to rent the canoes. They then got on the canoes together for the first half of the trip until lunch break. Sammy was on Randy's lap, and they seemed to have lots of fun.
At 10:30 Tammy's and Emmy's piano class started with the greeting song, followed by guessing where everyone was going. She started with Tammy and Emmy as they were wearing their Rangers outfit which made the answer pretty obvious. Then they did the finger warmup, followed by two of the songs they've been practicing. Next she handed out boards with music lines and magnets and gave them the first note, then they had to listen and put down the following notes. It was a little bit of a challenge. After that, they went up front to do the newer song. There was no time for a story after that. They got their stickers and stamps, and we left.
We had brought Sammy's empty wheelchair with us while Sammy had taken his old wheelchair to the canoe rental. Now it was time for Tammy, Emmy and myself to make our way to where their canoes were landing for lunch break. As I was picking up Sammy, I needed his wheelchair.
We walked back to the subway where I was gonna buy myself something to eat at the hot dog stand but they were out. They did have pizza slices so I ended up buying two for the kids and myself. Then we got on the tram that was already sitting right there. It was empty so we chose our seats and ate our pizza there.
We had the same half hour trip in that tram that Randy and Sammy had had in the morning but we did get off a few stops before they had, right there on the Danube island. From there we still had a bit of a walk ahead of us. It was the warmest day of the year at 24 degrees Celsius, and the sun was shining. We found the meeting point and walked to the edge of the river. We could see some canoes on the water and assumed it was our group. And in fact, they came closer and closer and landed a few meters down from us, so we went there. Four canoes had landed but no Randy and Sammy. They were way behind; they had two more boys in their canoe with them. Eventually they also arrived.
The leader suggested Tammy and Emmy do a trial ride so they got in a boat with an older man and did a short tour before returning. When Sammy got out of the boat, he was very excited. He had enjoyed his ride but was really happy to see me as he was very excited about me going to his music class with him. In fact, he had started to cry towards the end of the boat ride as he thought he'd have to turn around to meet up with me to go to his class.
Once everyone has landed, it was time for a devotional and a lunch break. But Sammy and I said our good-byes. Randy stayed with Tammy and Emmy and the group. They then rode the boats back to where they had started, then Randy took the kids home.
Sammy and I started our long walk back to the tram stop and sat down to wait for it. It was only 2 minutes away. Suddenly the number disappeared, and they announced that the tram had broken down, and they couldn't tell how long it would take to resolve. What should we do? It was 1:10 pm, and Sammy's class started at 1:30 pm. We would have made it. When I saw the tram going the opposite direction approach, we quickly got on it. There was another way but we were going to be late. We rode the tram for a few stops, then got on the subway there that took us to another subway that was going to our destination. I called the music school and let them know we'd be 15 minutes late.
And that's exactly when we got there. I had to ask the administrator to come out and help me carry the wheelchair with Sammy up the three steps, then we went to Sammy's classroom. The teacher had not started the class without Sammy. There was another girl there - for the firs time. She obviously had autism, and it was quite difficult to deal with her. After about half an hour of trying, the girl's mother decided it was better to leave with her. As for Sammy, he enjoyed his class and didn't mind the other girl. He sang and participated and had lots of fun. I took lots of pictures and videos, as Randy usually doesn't take any.
The class ended earlier than expected, already at 2:15 pm. Sammy and I walked back to the subway and rode it home. By 3 pm we were back home, Randy and the others were back by 4 pm. We were all tired and needed a break. I was VERY tired but they wouldn't give me a break. I made their sandwiches, then had a student from 5 to 6 pm. After that, I cut up their fruit. After they had eaten, it was bathtub time, back out time for a story and their nightly prayer. Then they went to bed at 8 pm while I went to the kitchen to get myself something to eat and finally take a break.
Today was a terrible day I'd rather blot out. Most everyone behaved terribly. By 6 pm I was so fed up that I had to get out of the house and exercise. I put my exercise clothes and went to the gym for the first time in six months, and I greatly enjoyed it. By 7 pm I was back home, and it was bathtub time. At 8 pm they went to bed, and I went to the kitchen to get myself something to eat.
As for earlier in the day, I got up at 11 am to make lunch. At noon we ate, and at 12:30 pm Randy left with Tammy and Emmy to take them to their maths club. He was back by 1:30 and played with Sammy for half an hour, then left again at 2 pm to pick them up, and by 3 pm they were back home.
