fever

Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday I was stuck home with the boys because they apparently had a fever. 98.6 F is 37 C but in celcius, temperature is normal up to 37.3. Well the boys both had fevers of 37.4 and therefore couldn't go to school or sport and had to stay home. However, I'm sure a 40 degree fever (104 F) couldn't make these kids stay still much less a 37.4. The amount of destruction they cause is immeasurable. Maybe it's just because they are boys or because they are French (other au pairs seem to agree that French kids are the absolute worst), or because they are French boys but they are just little 110 and 120cm torpedoes that bounce off the walls for hours on end wrecking everything in their path including each other. And of course if one accidentally steps on the others foot (literally and figuratively), that is an automatic excuse to pound the other to smitherines. But honestly I think the worst things they did over the past few days were a) disconnecting the English tele and b)disconnecting the internet. Nigel had to call Sky in order to fix the television, and although most of the time I was able to fix the internet with a few clicks of the mouse, the last time, Wednesday morning, I was not able to do so et alors, the kids couldn't watch their trains on the computer the rest of the day and I didn't have internet until this morning after fiddling around with it for another half hour. I think they finally got that they aren't to touch the livebox after a whole day without the train, camion, and pompier youtube videos that they adore so much. That was actually really unfortunate for me too because it is one activity that keeps them quiet.

Anyways, they were finally able to go back to school today and it finally stopped raining. So I had quite a lovely day to myself. After fixing the internet, I went for a short jog and then spent the rest of the day reading outside and trying to do laundry. Christine actually just knocked on my door about ten minutes ago and told me the laundry machine is broken, which would explain why I had so much trouble today. Luckily they have two, I just can't figure out how to use the other one.

Today is Nigel's birthday and we had what I would consider a nice celebration. Christine and the boys made a cake when they got home from school and then after baths we did presents. He got a shovel, a garden hose, two pencils, a pair of garden shears, and a massage chair. We had steak and asparagus for dinner and Christine made a comment about how I don't eat the flower part. I always seem to do things a little differently than she does. Part of it is the culture, but I think it's also just us. We are both set in our own ways, although I am always trying to adapt, it never occurs to me to do things differently until someone says something about it. But considering that I never even ate asparagus until I got here, I think I can get away with not eating the flowers. Of course after she said that you are supposed to start with the flower, I tried it and from now on I will eat the whole asparagus.

Also today, the boys both came down with ear infections. Christine is taking them to the doctor in the morning, but I sincerely hope that I will not have to watch them again in the afternoon. Tomorrow is going to be the start of an absolutely gorgeous weekend in the greater Saint Tropez area and I was looking forward to spending the day at the beach. Plus there is plenty of thing that I didn't get to do this week because I was home with the kids, like mailing post cards, and registering at the language school, etc. If I do have to stay home tomorrow, I'll probably be in the worst mood. I don't think I'll be able to look at the kids the rest of the weekend. It doesn't help that I feel like it's my fault that they are sick since I'm sure had an ear/sinus infection for a couple weeks. Even worse, I hardly took anything for it, and had to stick it out with the kids while they were on holidays even though I felt like I was going to die any second. Both Thomas and Matthew have at least 4 medicaments that they are taking in addition to their vitamin regimen.

Mais, c'est la vie. Luisa is still coming Saturday and she is staying the night so we will have the whole weekend together again :)