voodoo panenky

At the start of school, we noticed that all over kids had these little dolls, often hooked to their bags or belts or keys.  Of course, who wouldn't want one?  It didn't take long to realize that Kofola- that favorite crazy Czech cola (spicy & sour & yet delicious)- was a big promoter of the making of the little creatures.




One day Nikolaj came home with one from a friend, & the next day, in the true spirit of the little voodoo dolls, one appeared in Lily's bag & made her very happy.  Sometimes it's the little things that get you through...

(Hi I'm Rudolf I. If you like it and you don't have any friends you can have me.)

spotacular

It's warmer today. The sun is out.  I'm already back from a work-out. With all of this positive energy I was able to freshly appreciate the happy spotty cement mixers.  I love that cement mixers are often painted in this incongruously cheery way, providing a great backdrop for their gritty, somber handlers.

nohejbal

Yesterday we headed out to a nohejbal tournament, Blexcup, in celebration of a friend who, tragically, took his own life six years ago . It was out in a garden community on Libeňský ostrov- industrial flood plain/ island- & (quite nicely) a single tram-ride from us.
Nohejbal is played on a tennis court, three on each side, kicking a soccer ball back & forth using only feet or body (no hands).  The net they were using was tennis-height, but they had pictures from somewhere in Asia where players were jumping up & kicking the ball over a volleyball net.  Crazy.  Zdeněk brought some t-shirts (finally we have some shirts! Yeah!) & after the tournament they had a "mini tournament" for the shirts (congratulations, Blextars!).

Lemony Goodness

I don't think it's possible to overstate how super-fabulous my Lululemon work-out clothes are.  The best exercising clothes ever.  Ah, if only all of my clothes fit so well. If only I could afford to buy more of them.  If only.

 That said, I think that I should get to enjoy some comfort, however fleeting, as by this afternoon I'll probably be having to gingerly lower myself into chairs with my arms, due to my trainer's hearty enthusiasm (cruel obsession?) for weighted lunges.  I'm just glad that, when I was coming home, I managed to avoid stumbling out of the tram onto my knees- although said knees threatened such an action. Fallng from the #18, while the little old lady next to me hopped down with ease, surely would have done nothing good for my self-esteem, let alone my lovely Lululemons.

To be a True Bohemian

Last Sunday Zdeněk decided to take the kids to a march.

The Bohemians 1905 (soccer) fans were marching in protest against the Bohemians Praha (infringing soccer team).  It seems that, a few years ago, the club was facing bankruptcy & the name, logo etc was sold to another club- but, in the end, the fans stepped in, formed a cooperative & rescued the team.

They've been fighting over the name, logo etc ever since.  It looks like, eventually, the originals will prevail- but for now, they march.

On Sunday, the two teams played each other- with the usurpers supposedly insisting on an unusually-inflated ticket price- & so, they marched (&, with marching comes beer-drinking & excessive public urination,  naturally).

After the (school) drop-off: 8:00 am...

Funny morning on the #2.  There was a crazy drunk old man in the back of the tram.  He was dressed like a merry woodsman from a (frightening, old German) fairy tale, complete with dog & box of wine.  He was arguing so loudly, first with himself & then a young passenger, that he cleared the back of the tram.  When he got off of the tram (unfortunately, at my stop) all eyes were on him to see if he'd stumble off the little island & directly into traffic.  He didn't.  So ends our story.