Jack & the Pineapple

Antonin lost two teeth in one day & now looks a bit like a jack-o-lantern.  We've also learned that our boy will do almost anything for his own pineapple (which then must be extensively photographed before it can be eaten).

Has it already been that long?

Last weekend, Lily & I (& Lori) finally managed to meet up with Jessica, a friend from the days before we'd moved from Prague. Jessica is great in general, but one particular greatness of hers: she has a daughter Lily's age: Sophia. 
Yeah!  Because Jessica is Czech & Swedish & her father, Angel, is Chilean, Sophia has grown up speaking three languages & has recently started learning English as well.  Of course, already knowing three languages has given her an amazing head start & this fourth language, although new to her, seems to be causing her no problems at all (happily for us).  When we met up, near Můstek, the girls were both shy- but by the time we sat down in Velryba (a cafe that Francine & I used to frequent in 1992 which was chosen this time because last week Lori ran into Havel, & that seemed like a fortuitous sign)- the girls at their own table- they were warming to each other & chatting away.  A week later, on Friday, Lily had her first Prague sleep-over at Jessica & Sophia's in Žižkov.  It seems that good things are afoot (except that instead of coming to our house last night, Sophia ended their date with the flu).  Lily continues to hold out hope that, she too, may become afflicted & get to miss some school... 

sweet buttery delight

How could I resist that sweet little voice imploring me to make the beloved sour-cream bundt cake? 

Obviously, my soul has not hardened to such a degree.  Luckily, it appears to be a good temporary cure for the Physics-Taught-in-Czech Blues.

Euroween

Here in Prague there seems to be a new found acknowledgment of Halloween- Lily's class had a Halloween party-with-cake/ adults headed out to parties (it was a Saturday night, after all), but there will never be a way to match the American fervor for the day- & we, naturally, missed it. Or, more precisely, we missed the trick-or-treating. It's hard to collect candy from the unsuspecting.  To make up for that (if only a little) we devised a treasure hunt for the kids- they carved pumpkins & dressed up & then we gave them clues- rolled-up rhymes complete with burned edges for effect- that lead them to some sort of treat & their next clue.  The final clue took them to the entrance of the nearby cemetery- dark & sprinkled with candles (in preparation for All Souls Day on the 2nd)- & a fitting ending.  Afterward we stopped in at our neighborhood pub for Kofola & beer. Not the madness that is the LaConner trick-or-treat frenzy, but we managed to hit the main points & they seemed to have fun- & it's probably not a bad thing that we won't have those tubs of candy around until Christmas (Really.  Not a bad thing. For the best. I don't want a bowl of delicious miniature candy bars sitting next to me right now.  So tiny & tasty. Really.  I'm glad.).