The last remnants of ice (& the cold, very cold) are melting from my memory...

It is a gorgeous sunny day- Zdeněk has volunteered to do the florbal drop-off AND pick-up (where he'll, of course, be productive & fit in a long run) - a perfect opportunity to engage in my favorite spring activity- flowers!

Now that it's spring (no longer dark & cold), I'm able to freshly appreciate our neighborhood- & that we have a nursery about a 5-minute walk from our house.  I am slowly trying to acquire pots & dirt- no small investment- so that I can plant.  Today I bought some feel-good plants: lavender, jasmine, hydrangea (I feel like I've missed my sweet pea opportunity!)- & the prettiest little freesia. Unfortunately (because of the expense- not the work), I'll need about 50 more trips for my terrace to even begin to look as lush & green as I'd like it...

*and here is a bird that flew in disguised as a bee. It was at least 2 feet long, maybe 100lbs.

The Secret's in the Service

On Monday, after we'd returned from the village, I got a call from a traveling CrossFitter.  He explained that he & his friend were here from Washington, staying at the Hilton, & they'd like to come work out.  Always pleased to have people visit, and especially from our home state, I asked him where exactly he was from- he said his CrossFit was in Arlington- I was a little surprised because I didn't know there was a CrossFit in Arlington- & I told him we were originally from Mt. Baker CrossFit.  I didn't get much of a reaction to that, which was fine.  That was that.

The next day, after Zdeněk got back from the gym, he explained why: they aren't from Washington State.  They are from Washington D.C. (okay, there are more important Arlingtons, I get that)- & are secret service agents here with President Obama (well, will be with him once he arrives).  They gave Zdeněk some cool little secret-servicey doodads & bought some CrossFit Praha t-shirts.  I hope they come in again, or at least send us a photo of them in their new shirts (standing next to the president, of course, with him sporting one as well)...

Because Nothing Says "Easter" like The Whipping Stick.

We decided that the kids were ready for a Real Village Easter, so we packed up & headed to Dejvice on Saturday evening where we caught a bus bound for the village (or, as near to the village as the bus gets).  In the Czech Republic Easter is Monday, which left us Sunday for some village time (fresh air & work). We chipped/sawed/cut. The kids got to practice with beloved not-to-be-used-around-people weapons.  Build a structure. Play with fire. The important things.  

To prepare for Monday, they also dyed eggs & braided willow branches into switches, which were then adorned with ribbons.  Lily, as a girl, was initially not welcomed into the willow-switch club- but she was having none of that & ended up with the largest & most decorative switch of them all.

On Monday- after waking to American-style Easter baskets & an Easter egg hunt- some village boys & men (& a mother or daughter here & there) started coming around for the traditional "whipping" of the women & girls.  They were then given eggs & coffee or shots of alcohol for their troubles.  An obvious pagan spring awakening/ fertility ritual- sweet in its tradition, & yet, awkward & strange.

I missed the gathering of my family & our lavish brunch (& mimosas & Sees chocolates), but I was glad the kids were able to participate in a traditional Czech Easter- because, in the end, one really needs to experience it to (maybe someday) appreciate it.

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.).