Day 2040. After Randy left with the kids to take them to kindergarten, I lay back down, but at 9:30 am my alarm already went off. I got up to get ready for my 10 student and then taught until 12:30 as I had two students in a row. Randy had actually left half an hour earlier in the morning, as he had to go to the dentist after dropping them off. He picked up Sammy on the way home, so that they were home a little earlier than usual.
I was very tired but had work to do. We had one portion of food left over that I left for Randy, while I made myself a simple soup. I then had to prepare for my 2:20 pm student. Randy returned with the kids a few minutes before that, and he had to get Sammy ready to leave with him only minutes later - after having eaten. He took him to a private physiotherapist where he goes every other week.
I finished teaching early as we simply didn't have anything to do. That gave me some extra time to get myself and the kids ready. Just after 3 pm the three of us left the house. The three of us walked to the train station and got on the 3:20 pm train, then we rode our scooters to where their weekly exercise class was taking place. It was raining and there were puddles everywhere. Both kids had gotten their pants quite wet, and Emmy's socks were completely wet as well. After they took their long pants off, they also took their socks off and ended up doing their class barefooted for once. They had just as much fun.
As for me, I was sitting in the locker room and waiting for their class to be over. I read the free daily paper for a while, until I was simply too tired and closed my eyes instead.
At 4:45 pm their class was over. They always have to get their sticker card to get their weekly stickers. When they came out of the gym, there was Emmy running all excited to me that he had been given the mascot for the week. Every week another kid gets to take it home and keep a diary for it. Tammy had it a few weeks ago. Last semester Tammy got it, then I gave it to Emmy for the second week, as it was two weeks until the next class. And so it was Emmy's first time getting it handed to him, and he was excited.
The kids put their wet pants back on, and we left to go home. We took the 5:01 pm train and were home ten minutes later.
I was extremely tired but I went to the kitchen to make their dinner, then gave it to them. Randy and Sammy were already back home. At 6:40 pm I started teaching and finished at 7:30 pm, and so Randy put the kids into the bathtub instead of me. After I was done teaching, I prayed for them, and still read them a story, and put them to bed. Then I sat down at my computer for my 8:10 to 9 pm student.
This week I have something going on every single night, four out of five nights it's a student. I was glad, when I was done teaching, and went to the kitchen to get myself something to eat.
This morning Randy left with Tammy and Sammy only; Emmy stayed home with me. I was extremely tired, but at 8:45 pm my alarm went off. I had to crawl out of bed. At 9 am Emmy and I left the house and took the subway downtown, then we walked to the dentist's office. It was Emmy's third trip there, and his second time ever getting a filling. We got there on time, registered and sat down in the waiting room. I don't think it was even a minutes before we were called in.
We walked in and Emmy sat down on the dentist's chair, while I sat down in the corner. Then the young, female dentist walked in. Emmy had brought his mascot so I told her why I was taking his picture with it. That was probably the mascot's first visit to a dentist! Then she looked at Emmy's teeth and proceeded to do the filling, always telling Emmy what she was going to do. Emmy later said that it had hurt.
After he was done, we switched seats. Emmy got his tablet out and was watching something, while I was being worked on. The doctor removed a deep filling of mine, removed the bacteria, put a cap on the nerve and refilled it. It took a while. After I was done, Emmy still got his lollipop and was allowed to pick a gift out of a gift basket. He then asked whether he could also get one each for his siblings, and they said yes. Emmy ended up with three bouncy balls.
We went to the reception desk, where we were given our next appointments and where we had to pay. Then we could finally leave.
It was about 10:45 am so I knew I'd be able to do my 11:30 am student and let him know. We walked to the subway and rode it home. I quickly got a few bites to eat - the first ones of the day - and got ready for my student. I then taught until 12:20 pm, while Emmy was on his tablet.
I was very tired, but I needed to cook. But first Emmy and I needed to quickly play our song for the talent show tonight. So we walked downstairs and did our song together. Emmy has so much more fun when we play together.
Back upstairs, I started cooking and I was not done yet, when Randy and Sammy got home at 12:40 pm. Randy left again to pick up Tammy. I finished cooking, and Emmy and I ate. Sammy was enjoying his headset. After I had eaten, I went to work preparing for my afternoon students. I was extremely tired, but I had so much to do. Not only to prepare for my students, but I needed to make sandwiches for tonight.
I was surprised when Randy and Tammy got home just after 2 pm. That was probably a new record, as Randy had left just an hour earlier. I showed Tammy the nice dresses I had found and asked her to pick out the dress to wear tonight. I also got Emmy's clothes ready. Then I went downstairs with Tammy so she could do her song as well.
Back upstairs I had to sit down for my first student at 2:20 pm, then my second student at 3:30 pm, my third student at 4:30 pm, and my fourth student at 5:30 pm. Randy had left with Sammy just before 4:30 pm to take him to his wheelchair kids class. I told my last student that I had to end our class early tonight and did so at 6:05 pm.
Time was short. I got the kids and myself dressed, then we left the house together. Randy and Sammy were only gonna get home at 7 pm. I was very tired as we walked to the subway, then rode it downtown. Then we still had to walk a bit to get to their music school.
The time for their talent show had finally arrived. It was their first time taking part. We got there early, about 15 minutes before it started at 7 pm, so there weren't too many people yet. They had already set out some food and drinks and set up chairs in the biggest room where the Bösendorfer grand piano is located. I chose a seat in the back row so I'd be able to get up and film without bothering anyone. Tammy and Emmy headed to the first row and sat down there. There was another girl on their level that is part of the Thursday class, but they know her, so they talked with her and had fun with her. The room was filling up more and more until it was completely full. I got myself a program and a drink. I saw that Emmy was third and Tammy fourth on the list.
The founder and director of the school opened the evening with a short talk. Soon it was Emmy's turn, as he was third. Originally he was going to play by himself, but then he wanted me to play it with him, and I thought that would be quite original and unique, maybe improving his chances of a good result. We went to the front, where the teacher leading through the program held the microphone to his mouth, asking him to say his name and what he was playing. When he said he was playing "See-Saw Motion" with his Mom, an "ah" went through the whole room. I put the mascot on the piano, then we sat down on the stool.
It was Emmy's turn to start. He made a mistake right away and said to me to start. I then told him to just start over again, and he did, and this time he did great. We played the song twice, switching roles the second time, and he made only one more little mistake, besides one pause that was a little too long. He had done a great job. We both bowed, and he went back to his seat in the first row, while I went to my seat in the back.
I had asked a parent there to film Emmy and me, which he did. I was thankful for that. I grabbed my phone from him and stood, ready to film Tammy's performance. I thought I had started recording but I guess I hadn't. I was holding the camera up the whole time, only to find out later that I had no recording of Tammy. What a shame.
Tammy said her name and that she was playing and singing "Shining Stars". She wanted the sheets to make sure she was playing the song right. However, the music rack on the big piano was high and far away - too much so for Tammy to be able to really see the sheets.
She started playing and singing beautifully. Then she made a mistake and couldn't see the music to know what to do next. She continued but made another mistake, and this time she was stuck. The teacher then put his finger on the paper where she was, and she finished the song - without singing. She bowed and came to me in the back.
Many more kids played and sang. Tammy and Emmy came to me and left again a few times. Once everyone had performed, the director and the teachers left to deliberate. Thy were going to rate all the 18 performers and put them in an order from first to last. The rest of us got to eat some food and have some drinks and wait. The kids ate some, then had fun on the stage and playing the big piano together with other kids. It took a while, but then the teachers returned.
We all sat down, and the director started talking. She said that Tammy was going to come up first and that she was getting a ribbon for the greatest comeback, having completed the song. She was the only one to get a ribbon. The next few performers got medals, and the top five Oscar statues.
A few kids were called up, then it was Emmy's turn. If Tammy was in 18th place, I think Emmy was in 12th or 13th place. He got a medal for the best mother-son team (the only one). He was very excited about the medal. The director stuck a mic into his face, and he said, "thank you". Then he also came to me, just like his sister, and I took their picture.
Tammy was not happy. She wanted a medal as well, not a ribbon. They had both received a ribbon at the concert in January. The handing out of prizes continued. Winners were three siblings that had all played together on the piano and had added some comedy to it. They deserved it.
It was 9 pm and high time for them to get to bed. They were both tired, which meant that Tammy was whining the whole time about not getting a medal. We put our coats and shoes on and walked to the subway station, then rode it home. By 9:30 pm we were back home. Sammy had been asleep for a while. I helped them to put their pj's on, and they went straight to bed, where they fell asleep quickly. As for me, it was time to work on the pictures and write. Just after 2 am I could not go on any longer and minutes later, I went to bed.
