Odds and Ends

We've all been a little sick, Ben especially, who woke up night before last at 2 a.m. with a raging fever. It hasn't broken yet, but he's eating today (even though it's cinnamon toast and girl scout cookies), so things are looking better. The rest of us are popping Ibuprofen and making it through the day. Damn European bugs; I spent so much time at McDonald's when the kids were young trying to build up their immunity, and then my hubby scores a sweet job in Germany and I'm back to square one!

A bit of funny graffiti. I don't know who Bob is, but don't you wish you were him?

I understand that the drug laws in Europe are more relaxed than in the states, but isn't it a little dangerous to be hooking them so young?

Kegan, Claire, and Julia, the inseparables since the moment they met.

My girls, Joslin and Kim. They are keeping me sane during the week and drunk on the weekends. There's a rumor the three of us will be heading to Ikea next week (I know that some of you can appreciate this!), but my poor Joslin has done something to her legs (long story) and she can't walk right now. She's been stuck in her apartment for days, so maybe the thought of an afternoon at Ikea will speed her recovery.

A couple of very cold Sundays ago, we all gathered at an indoor playground called Gaudi Park
(as in "rowdy" but "gaudy" would work just as well) to let the kids run amok. One of the biggest attractions there was this giant whale that swallowed kids in its mouth about every five minutes. You could go down in his belly and come out his poop shoot, or just hole up in his mouth until he opened it again. Our kids liked to jump out of his mouth as it was closing. Even though there was a thick inflatable pad below, the drop was at least ten feet and I kept waiting to hear the crunch of breaking bones. This place was huge and fun and it would absolutely never fly in the states because of all the possible law suits. Kids are a lot more free over here.

And lest you think the grown-ups didn't have much fun at Gaudi Park, I present to you this picture of a little friendly slide competition amongst the scientists. Jonathan went for the aero-dynamic tuck that sealed his win, but since he IS the director we can't be sure the others didn't throw the race.

Plans are in the works for the island of Crete. Can you say Gyros on the Mediterranean?