Book recommendation

I just finished reading 'Far to Go' by Alison Pick (our latest book club book) and would recommend it highly. Its set in pre World War II Czechslovakia, in a Jewish household but is written from the view point of the German nanny.
The book is all about betrayal, staring from the British/French betrayal of Czechslovakia in the Munich Agreement, leading to the giving away of the Sudetenland to Germany, and the takeover of Czechslovakia ultimately by Hitler; and on a more personal level betrayal by friends of the Jewish family because of greed, anger, jealousy and the events leading upto their ultimate death.

What was different was the way the author detailed the people's lives, how they went on living their everyday lives in the hope that things would get better. There was not so much written about the atrocities committed, it was all in the background, and all through you were enmeshed in their lives with a sinking feeling in your stomach that things are going to go horribly wrong.

There are many questions raised in this book, why would people not escape when things start looking bad, why do you just stay on assuming things will get better. How are some people better able to understand the risks involved and make better decisions and why are others not?

Also greed and betrayal. There is a character in the book, Ernst who horribly betrays this Jewish family, and in the end the author says he is a fictional character in this story, but is modelled on an actual German who befriended and betrayed close to 40 Jewish families, 'just for kicks'. When we were discussing this in the book club yesterday one of the Dutch ladies mentioned that her grandaunt had hidden and saved a Jewish family in her house in Netherlands in this period (at great peril to her life) and one wonders how some people have the courage and strength to do this, while other people degrade to their worst in such situations.

Then there was the heartbreaking Kindertransports- trains running from Czech to the UK carrying fleeing Jewish children. These children were given an opportunity to escape but their parents had to stay behind, and the children were sent to foster homes in the UK. One wonders how parents would do this, send off their children to another country, to strangers, speaking a different language with little hope of meeting again, but again at least there is a chance for them to survive.

The book intrigued me enough to search on Wikipedia about the Munich Agreement and the Sudetenlands, and that is really saying something because once i finish a book i rarely think about it again.
I haven't read any books on the Indians under the British Raj (other than the Sea of Poppies series) and if you have any good recommendations please let me know. I would love to read about something closer to my heart.

Ski break and other updates

So, the second week of February was ski break where the international schools have a one week break (the local schools have two weeks off) and the family goes off to some mountain for a week long skiing  holiday. We were pretty much stuck here since the hubby had an important conference during that week and couldn't take any time off. So entertaining the girls, in cold cold weather (which means no parks) was my sole responsibility.
I signed up S for a week's course of ice skating. She already goes once a week  but I thought it would be good to go everyday for an intensive course because she was not really learning that much in the once a week session. It turned out to be quite good, it was well organised, S went with her best buddy so she had fun and she ended up learning quite a bit. Only, it was an indoor rink and they kept the indoor area freezing so it was like sitting in a fridge for 45 mins! A and i were nearly frozen at the end of each session- S owes us big when she becomes a world skating champion :)
A did not enjoy these sessions one bit. In the weekly once skating class, the session is outdoor and we sit in a warm cafe overlooking the ice skating rink so the expectation was very different here. The first day A ran up and down a bit, but the cold got to her and by the fifth day she just wanted to sit in my lap throughout wearing her cap and gloves.
Other than the daily ice skating, we managed to go swimming twice, once just S and me when A was in school (her playschool had no ski break holidays) and the other all 3 of us, alongwith some of S friends from school. Another day was a playdate at a friends place, where all the moms who were stuck in Zurich for the ski break got together in one person's house and let the kids go crazy for a couple of hours. Another day we all went back to Spielzaenti (the indoor play area) and the kids were busy the whole morning playing on the cars, on the trampolines etc. So the week passed off more easily than i expected.
But post school reopening its not been such good going. First S got the stomach bug last week and was home for 2 days. Just when she got better, A got it and she suffered for 2 days. Then when both seemed alright, I suggested that we go ice skating over the weekend and S ended up falling badly and spraining a ligament in her leg. Her leg really hurts when you put weight on it so she's been unable to walk for the last 4 days. The doctor said it was not so serious, and should get better soon, but its been 4 days already and no real improvement over the first day. For these muscle sprains you need to exercise the muscle and make it strong again but S is so afraid of the pain that she really resists trying to walk. We finally ended up postponing her birthday party which was supposed to be this weekend as I doubt she'll be able to run around by then. Poor thing is getting quite bored at home, but there's no point sending her to school if she can't walk at all. A also ended up missing a day at school and her musical class since S was home and between the two of them, being cooped up in the house all day, and S resisting any phycial activity, tempers are flying high and nerves are stretched!
Keeping fingers crossed that things settle down soon. On the positive side, my parents are expected here in 2 weeks, can't wait to see them!

Happy birthday dear A

A turned 3 yesterday,  3 already and still my sweetie pie little baby. She refuses to admit that she's a big girl and insists that she's still a baby and therefore entitled to all the benefits that come from it- being carried around, fed milk, getting the toys she want in a fight with her sister, sleeping with her mum and dad and ignoring the new bed for her. But dear A all that is going to change very soon.

This year you graduated from the creche and moved to the playgroup which is for 3+ children. Where they no longer have afternoon naps and you start learning English and German. And you love your new school and keep telling everyone that its for big children and only babies go to the creche. And next year you'll move to the big school where Akka goes (albeit in the separate EY 1 campus) Wow, it feels just like yesterday that i was dropping Akka to that school and carrying you on my shoulder.

You have quite a distinct vocabulary for a 3 year old thanks to Akka, the movies you watch and the TomTom in the car. Its so cute to hear you say that we have reached our destination! And even more to hear you quote from movies - "Life's not fair" from Lion King, or sing your favourite song " Girl on Fire" which you keep hearing on the radio. And copy Akka doing Gangnam style!

You are extremely set in your ways and nothing can change your mind once you've decided on something. Be it, the kind of food you want to eat, and no amount of coaxing or tricking can make you open your mouth if you don't want something, or the clothes that you want to wear, or the clips that you want to remove from your hair, or not wanting to go sledding after the one fast experience. But you are willing to try new things.

You are a happy trooper and accompany Akka for all her activitites, be it swimming, where you sit with the IPad and listen to mum and her friend gossip away, or ice skating where again you sit with the IPad and listen to mum and her friend gossip away. You love the musical class I take you to, must take you more often in the next few months! All of Akka's friends are your friends, and when you fight with Akka "She is not your best friend anymore".

This year you got your favourite doctor set for your birthday and spent the whole day examining and treating your dolls. Never mind that you gave them all injections in their ears! And you got the Captain America Lego doll with you made with dad and again proceeded to inspect with your doctor set. Your favourite is Hulk from Avengers, but we could only find Captain America. You helped bake your own cake, ice it and decorate it with teddy bears. Didn't help too much in the eating of it though. On your birthday we went to Kinderzaentli, a fun indoor play area where you and Akka had lots of fun. You insisted you wanted to go to a place with trampolines but when we got there you refused to go on the trampoline and went instead to the balls section for babies and spent a happy hour going up and down the baby slide. Remember what i said about being set in your ways! Anyway, whatever makes you happy dear, your birthday comes but once a year.
And today you have another celebration in your school. Since its Weinacht celebration week they have asked all the children to come dressed up, so you went as a fairy today with your wings, crown and wand. And we've taken cupcakes for you to celebrate with your friends. Have fun dear, hope this year is filled with love, fun, good health and happiness!

Happy birthday dear S

Happy birthday my sweet potato. I can't believe you're already 5. This year has been such a big year for you. You've started full day school - from 8:30 in the morning till 3:15 in the afternoon. At the beginning of the year you were so apprehensive about being in school the whole day. Kept waiting for your best friend from last year to come to class, and getting upset if she didn't come. And now you've adjusted so well, and look forward to school. You've made new friends and adjust with everyone however different they are from you.
You've tried so many new things this year  -skiing (you're already a blue queen, much better than your mama), ice skating and of course continuing with your swimming. You can read and write now and happily write your name in all the cards we give for your friends on their birthdays. You love your family, from your Ajja and Ajji to your cousins and keep talking about them to your friends and can't wait to meet them. And of course fight like cats and dogs with your little sister A. You've figured out that now A is too old to 'get away' with things anymore. But i still catch you hugging and helping her amidst all your fighting. And A adores you. Of course when you take away her balloon, you are "not my best friend anymore"  but you must know that daily she waits for the time we have to go and pick up Akka and how she changes when you are around.
It's true, sometimes i lose my patience with you, because you can be extremely demanding, but you are so sweet and loving and kind that I resolve everytime to be more patient. You feel the peer pressure and  want to be more like your friends, but your inherent nature is so different that it makes it so difficult for you. I must learn to recognise and manage these situations better.

So what are your favourite things now  -you love to draw and paint (and you are lucky to have friends who realise this and gave you an easel for your birthday!) and you love to swim, bake, do crafts, do lego, dress up as a fairy, watch Madagascar 3 and dance Gangnam style! You love having playdates, playing board games, playing in the snow and reading books (you've memorised all your favourite books).

This year, since your daddy was travelling on your birthday we had a series of celebrations for your birthday. The weekend before, we  baked and cut a cake and gave you your present (a Dora pullalong suitcase). On the day of your birthday we celebrated in your class with cupcakes. You were so shy when everyone sang happy birthday to you. Then we got your 2 best friends N and M to come home for a playdate after school. And at night we went to a friend's place where you cut a cake and got presents and everyone pampered you. Your party with your school friends is on March 3rd, with the ski week holiday and other birthdays coming up I couldn't schedule it earlier! Rightly you are confused when your actual birthday is, but it doesn't matter, you can celebrate on all the occasions!

Happy birthday sweetie! 

Drawing tips

S loves to draw and paint. So much so that daily at home she will make at least 2-3 drawings and ask to paint at least once, and same if not more at school. She also loves to distribute her drawings and paintings and her Ajja, Ajji and cousins are beneficiaries of this kindness. Am not sure what they do with all these 'gifts' but at least a couple of them have got preserved thanks to the cunningness (is that a proper word) of the hubby and I. We hit upon an ideal christmas gift for S and A's cousins - framed drawings/paintings by S. Two of the cousins were kind enough to accept it graciously and be excited about it (yeah, I'm sure!) but the other two left it right where S had given it to them and my sis in law had to intervene and take them and thank us politely for it. Well, they will thank me when S becomes the next Picasso and they sell those drawings/paintings for millions.

Another set of beneficiaries of S generosity are her friends in school. Early enough she learnt that the boys in her class are not so impressed with her drawings (one of them refused to take it) so now she restricts it only to the girls. I didn't know how many drawings S was generating on a daily basis, until I was at the home of one of her friends, and the mom showed me a stack of drawings and said that daily S gives 2-3 drawings to her daughter N who faithfully brings it home. I thanked the mom for kindly keeping the drawings and not throwing them away, until the mom admitted that she was planning to throw them away as soon as N stopped paying attention to them. Then another mom chipped in saying that S gives some to her daughter as well and has even made a couple for the mom (which the daughter brings home).

Well, my drawing skills are also flourishing under these circumstances. Most of the time S draws her own pictures but sometimes she asks us to draw something which she will colour in. I am terrible at drawing and all requests for drawing animals, vehicles etc etc were diverted to the hubby who is much better at it than me. Unfortunately he is travelling quite a bit these days and I find it difficult to avoid S repeated requests so I luckily stumbled upon this excellent site - http://www.my-how-to-draw.com/  which has step by step instructions (actually drawings) of how to draw very basic things. Thank you - I owe you one! Now i can make a helicopter and an owl, and who knows what I will learn tomorrow. S spends a happy 15 mins elaborately colouring in the drawings, adding stickers etc. This is our latest one - an owl. Sorry for the picture quality- its taken with my mobile (Nokia) which is not really known for its camera!

Which brings me to the drawing interests of A. Or rather the lack of it. Sometimes S will ask me to stick some of her drawing on the inside of my cupboard which I gladly do. A sees this and not to be outdone insists that I stick her drawings also on the inside of the other cupboard door. To which I reply that she had no drawings. A immediately enlists the hubby to draw something for her (sometimes Dora, sometimes an animal) and when we ask her to colour it in, she refuses and enlists S to colour it in for her. Super delegation!! Then she hands over the drawings to me (of which not even 1% is done by her) and insists I hang it on the cupboard and proudly proclaims it her drawings!

Of Princesses and Superheroes

I've been struggling to find cool female superheroes for S. The struggle starts with Halloween. S is not really that into princesses (thank goodness) though she likes pink, fairy costumes and dresses. But somehow she's not that taken with the entire princesses thing and we don't have any princess dolls, dvds or any other such stuff for her. The only princess costume we have is of Belle, which was given by her close friend's mom before they moved out of Zurich last year. So this year, we asked her what she wanted to be for Halloween and she very excitedly said pirate- her inspiration being Captain Gutt in Ice Age 4. So when we were in Legoland we picked up a cool pirate sword, eye patch, hat and shield for her and she was very excited.
Then the countdown to Halloween began and all the girls in her class said they would going to be princesses. One was Snow white, the other was Belle and so on. When i asked S to put on the pirate costume on the day of the Halloween celebration at school she looked very downcast and sad. So I allowed her to wear her fairy dress but made her promise that for the Halloween party at school on the following Saturday she would wear her pirate costume. I didn't want her to think that she can make us buy stuff and then get away with not using it because she changed her mind.
This led to a big disagreement with the hubby. He felt I should have forced her to go as a pirate and that she would have learned individuality and how she can be cool on her own terms. I felt that it was too early for these life's lessons and if she wanted to be the same as her friends that was fine. What do you think?

Anyway the dilemma continues. Her friend is having a birthday party with the theme -Princesses and Superheroes. I am really not that keen on S going as a princess. What does being a princess entail- you sit and look pretty and wait for a prince to come and rescue you and marry you? That you don't do any of the cool interesting stuff yourself? But I'm struggling to find any cool female superheroes I can tempt S with. I can think of the princess in Brave but she doesn't really have a costume like Spiderman, or Captain America, except for the long curly red hair. Maybe i should just put a wig for S :)
Or even the Black Widow in Avengers. Do you think I can dress S in tight leather pants and teach her to pout like S Johansson?
I like Dora for not being too princessy and girly. She is an Explorer - she wears shorts and a T shirt and is more concerned with exploring and having adventures than looking pretty. But unfortunately she is not a superhero. We really need more women superheroes- any suggestions anyone?