Mr Potato Head

A struggle for me at the moment is just not getting enough school done. We are being constantly interrupted by neighbours. When K goes to afternoon school (twice a week) her friends often come over to pick her up but they get here sometimes 45 minutes early which is when I'm reading a novel to the children so  we're not really doing anything, right? When she gets back from morning school (three times a week) they come over to play and don't get that we're still doing school (not helped by the fact that in their mind it doesn't look a thing like school- we're generally doing history or science by then and it sometimes doesn't  involve sitting writing which is their only model of school). 

At other times ladies come over to bake cakes. This happens a lot. I make two very basic cakes which they all love (sadly!) and which anyone could make but they always feel they need me to help them. I'm still rubbish at saying no.

But really, I wouldn't have it any other way. I deep down love the culture and the ease there is in popping in and out of each other's houses and just the general sociableness and semi-chaos!

An example of our school day with extra 'students':

Science experiment:
learning about chemical reactions

History: learning about Sir Walter Raleigh
(we made Mr Potato Head to commemorate his introducing of potatoes to Ireland.
As you can see, we're very academically rigorous in our schooling!)

First water balloon fight of the year. We're certainly enjoying the beginning of Spring!

A new experience for us here is taking Tigris to the vet.
We thought she might have broken her leg, which thankfully she hadn't.
The vet refused to take any payment!

Scenes from the bazaar: