Since I last wrote, Dena came to visit from Israel. It was a bit like a vacation. We went to the Tate Britain (my first time), ate good veg Indian food, saw Six (again! it's so fun!), went to the V&A (first time for me) and an Africa Fashion exhibit there - super cool. We went to Camden Market with the kids and walked and walked and walked. And she walked even more without me when I had to go pick up the kids. It was a lovely visit and so good for my soul to have someone here whom I love and who loves me.
Related, Elie had a playdate with a friend (he said it was like a private birthday party, because it was SUCH a generous playdate! an ice skating lesson, ice cream and pizza back at his house), and I really like the mom. She invited me to come chat when I picked him up, and it was so so nice to connect with someone here. It was one of the first times since I got here, and it was almost like having a friend...
Last weekend we hung out with Jess and Rich and their kids again, and that was so fun. Our kids love each other, and we went to a super cool playground in Brent Cross.
Matt had a busy week in Ghana, Ivory Coast and Nigeria and came back on Friday just in time for conferences. The boys' conferences were in person for a half hour (without the kids). Sam had online conferences, 8 minutes with each teacher, WITH Sam. It was really interesting. We didn't talk very much at all. Listened mostly to the teachers but also a lot to Sam. The teachers must be exhausted, doing this all day, because they were intense, but it was interesting and good.
This past week there was an interesting presentation on technology at the Lower School. They talked about how they use technology, using it at home, setting limits, and their perspective is that it's not always negative - imagine that! It was really helpful, and I enjoyed learning what they do with iPads etc in school. Between this, the support from the counselors, the tutoring Sam gets from teachers to catch Sam up from what they didn't learn in 5th grade, we continue to be BLOWN away by the American School in London. Truly. Amazing.
Because of conferences, they were off school on Wednesday afternoon, Thursday and Friday all day. Wed Koby had a playdate, and Elie and I schlepped to Hyde Park for a riding lesson for Sam. Thursday we all checked out the Science Museum (eh) and Sam had a playdate (and made it home most of the way on their own). Friday we weren't able to have the kids do anything, because we were in conferences and couldn't supervise, so they watched a lot of tv, read and played a lot of games, until Matt took the boys to Primrose to play soccer. (Sam thrives on not leaving the house).
Yesterday Matt took the boys to soccer, Sam had play practice, I went to shul and then lunch with a friend from business school and his colleague he wanted me to meet - she works in gender and finance, and it was really great for me. Hopefully something will come of it - we will see. It was a lovely lunch, and I got to walk all around London Bridge, Tower Bridge, check out a potential place for Sam's BM celebration and then pick Koby up from a playdate in Queen's Park. Then Matt and I went for a date. We had gone for dinner in our neighborhood and left the kids alone, but this was glorious - we left them all and had GREAT food and really important and nice conversation. We walked a long way downtown after. So nice.
Today we went to Hever Castle. I was looking for a day trip, since there was no cheder (hebrew school), and we had all day. This place is close to London, and it was the childhood home of Anne Boleyn. AND they had archery. So it ticked everyone's boxes. Boom. It was really cool. There was a great family audio tour of the castle, cool grounds to walk around, ice cream and archery that the boys tried. It was a lovely day. We had to navigate the train system too - after we had royally failed that trying to go to Greenwich a few months ago, this felt like a better success. We tubed to Victoria Station, and we even switched trains to get there. I know. Impressive.
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