Princess Odette

Princess Odette at Annecy

Odette has been acting the Princess lately. She's even had the paparazzi following her around (Sophie and Bonnie with cameras). You may have noticed the gear she's been wearing, and she has a lady in waiting (Sophie) who prepares her for each outing. She is right into fashion accessories like scarves, hats and jewellery. I managed to snap a gorgeous picture of Princess Odette yesterday, just seconds before Hugh tackled her to the ground.

Tackled! Knocked off her pedestal by Hugh.

Last Saturday of School

The children had their last Saturday morning at school last week. When school resumes in September there will be no more school on Saturday mornings.
On Saturday Bonnie had school as usual, but with sport (learning rugby), while Odette had a singing concert for parents and Sophie's class put on a little performance and display about their vélo citoyen project.

The children at l'école maternelle at La Flachere, performing for parents

Happy memories: the parents' view of the performance

All the kids in the three classes at Odette's school (3 1/2 to 6 1/2 year-olds) sang some little songs sitting on benches (tall ones at the back standing) in their gym room. Odette was sitting in the second row so I could hardly see her, and neither could I hear her very well - I'm sure she wasn't singing as loudly as she has been singing at home!

Odette, sitting in the second row

After the singing the children each had a long-stemmed rose to present to their teacher. That was a great idea as each child got to present a flower, and the teachers ended up with a big bunch. Then everyone filed outside for a drink and some lovely looking (didn't try one!) chocolate treats.

I wanted her to pose for me, but Odette's friends dragged her off to play!

Views of Besancon

A couple of photos of Besançon, with and without Odette.

Le Lapin de Pâques (Easter Bunny)

The Easter Bunny came to Odette's school yesterday. When I rang up to say that she was sick and would not be coming to school the teacher said that it was a pity because they had a special surprise in the morning. I had to go to the school to visit the "cantine" office so I made sure that I went at 9:30 and took Odette with me.

Le lapin, and the special Easter duck (Odette assures me it is a duck) that the children made at l'ecole maternelle (pre-primary)

The kids sang some little songs with actions, but of course Odette didn't know them. There was a big basket of eggs that came with the rabbit and when the teachers ran away with the basket and said they were going to eat them all there were loud protests from the children.
The rabbit was very well behaved and all the children got to pat him, though Odette was a bit scared to touch it at first. When she did touch it she said that it was very soft. At the end the teacher asked Odette how we say "Merci" in English, only she asked in French so Odette didn't know that she was meant to say "Thank You" to the rabbit for the visit.
At the cantine office I booked all three girls in to eat at school on Mondays and Thursdays. Monday will be a holiday for Easter so they will have their first school "cantine" meal next Thursday. Each meal costs 4.20 euros. Roger is hoping it will make them appreciate his cooking!! I am hoping that spending more time with other children instead of coming home every lunchtime will help them learn to speak French more quickly.
And we both hope that they will eat the food (we have at least one fussy eater at home) and have good manners in the cantine!

Having the kids eat at school two days a week will give Roger a break - he has been managing the kitchen since we have been in France, as well as driving the girls to and from school. It appears the work is quite tiring because this is a picture of him asleep on the sofa before the girls went back to school yesterday lunch time.

School times

Now that all three girls are going to school we are battling to juggle their comings and goings.
Their schools all have different times for arriving and leaving and the timetable looks a bit like this:

8:30 Bonnie starts school
8:35 Sophie starts school
8:50 Odette starts school
11:45 Odette comes home for lunch
11:45 Bonnie comes home for lunch
11:50 Sophie comes home for lunch
13:05 Odette returns to school
13:45 Bonnie returns to school
13:50 Sophie returns to school
16:10 Odette finishes school
16:30 Bonnie finishes school
16:35 Sophie finishes school

But now Odette can go to school in the morning and come home again in the afternoon on the bus, so we only have to drive to her school at lunch times. BUT it means we have to remember the bus times which are 8:40 and 16:17. Bonnie will be able to take the bus when she has approval, and that will make it easier too. But Odette's lunch break is fairly short, and doesn't give much time to get home, have lunch and return to school. So she will eat at the school "cantine" as soon as we can arrange it. Then to be fair we will probably have the other girls eat at the cantine too, at least a couple of days each week.

On Wednesdays there is no school, but on Saturdays there is school in the morning. But the Saturday mornings have different times from the weekday mornings so we have to remember another set of times:

SATURDAY
8:30 Bonnie starts school
8:35 Sophie starts school
9:00 Odette starts school
11:30 Bonnie finishes school
11:35 Sophie finishes school
12:00 Odette finishes school

























Odette at L'Ecole Maternelle at La Flachere on Saturday morning