Too much work, the younger child's birthday is tomorrow and the dog (what else).

New day, new challenge. I went in for my second stint of observing classes at my very soon to be workplace. Different ages again. Finally found a teacher that isn't yelling all the time, that was nice. The kids are good, and are going to find it challenging to have to actually learn the English in English...they speak Catalan all the time. Hee Hee Hee. Should help them no end.

My latest challenge is that they are now talking about asking me to work four nights a week, which I am not willing to do. A bunch of reasons. First of all, my family matters most, and I will simply be living an alternative life if I do that, they will be gone all day, except those blessed lunches, and then I will be gone all night. No thank you. A family does not move onto a 27 foot sailboat and live there for years unless they value spending time together, and the insane school hours that go on and on forever already do not help.

The husband would also have to drop his Castillian classes. This would be very bad. I have had to drop out of my Catalan classes, although spending time with these Catalans may help, but here's the plan. We are working on the assumption that we will try to stay here for a couple of years, and then when the eldest child is getting into those teenage years we will have to make a decision about where we want to spend the next decade while they both work their way through this growing up thing. I don't want to HAVE to go back to Canada because the man's Castillian skills are too poor, and he doesn't want to continue in the current job. His lack of Castillian in simply too limiting, and I like to have my choices wide open.

When I interviewed, they asked when I could work, but that is not the same as how much I am willing to work. I have to clarify the difference for them. Fortunately I will be meeting with them tomorrow afternoon, and then they want me to come in and teach a class on Friday, and be observed in the process. Should be fun. I don't know what age it will have to be. We'll see.

So far so good. I will tell them that I am delighted to have the work, and will do any time at all that they offer in the day, but that is the limit for the evening work. Unfortunately most work in this industry is evening work. We'll see what happens.

Chuck the dog is growing more confident and happy, which is good. He is coping with cars better, sitting on demand better, but also jumped up twice, that will not continue, and barked twice, stunning us wildly. That will also have to be narrowly controlled. He is the best mannered dog we see when we are out walking, and I intend to continue to encourage these behaviours as he becomes more comfortable with us.

'nuff said.

The elder child stayed home for a mental health morning, well used and much needed. She was a happier person overall by the end of it. The teacher seemed reasonably cool with it too. Yippeee. Although she may have been taking the easy route because it is so hard to communicate effectively with me.
*bobbing head with nailed on inane smile* "Si, si, si, no probelmo..."

Here's a question that as been puzzling us for some time. There is a basic central and frequently used plot line in fairy tales, and indeed in story telling as a whole globally that places the youngest of three siblings as the wisest and noblest and most beautiful yadda yadda yadda, and is invariably the last one sent out on the quest, as a desperate final option, and the only one with the skills to succeed. King Lear on down. It is a tradition. But why? Really, we have been pondering this for a while, and not come up with anything really convincing. Cinderella is a kind of pathetic party girl version thereof. Hmmmmm. Any comments out there? Why is it sooooo often the youngest of three who is the only truly loyal, capable, good, kind blahblahblah child?

Someone out there, I cannot for the life of me remember who, was recently complaining about their inability to remember birthdays. Well low and behold, a friend asked me to file in this site which will send her an e-mail as every registered birthday approaches. Haven't used it myself, and it is a little irritatingly commercial, but still.

Also, I have been lurking over at this site and I am really enjoying her blog. She is living in western Africa with four kids and a French husband, and though she doesn't post super frequently, well more accurately she seems to post in fits and starts, it is very good in my humble opinion. She has pieces that fall into the this-could-only-happen-here category right next to totally typical parenting stress comments. I guess I like it because it is so true for what life is like when you are living the dream... crap still happens, and you still have to handle it. What do you call it when you stop lurking? Revealing yourself? Sounds wrong. Well anyway, I did finally comment over there, because she had so many good posts up.

PS. Another birthday tomorrow, the little one turns 8!!!! My babies are getting bigger and bigger. How amazing.