5 years 7 months 30 days

Day 2068. Yesterday Randy left with all three kids, while I went back to bed. I had my alarm set for just before 9 am, as the cleaning lady was coming at 9 am. I let her in and went back to bed. At 10:30 am the alarm woke me again, and I got up to get ready for my 11:15 am student. I taught until 12:30 pm. A few minutes later the cleaning left, and then Randy and Sammy returned home. They had still run into her on the street. She always leaves three surprise eggs for the kids at our house that they are eagerly anticipating every time.

Randy left again to go pick up the other two kids, while I went to the kitchen to cook. I hadn't eaten anything yet and it took a while before I could sit down to eat. Randy and the other kids returned home around 2:20 pm. Just after 3 pm they left again to go to their exercise class. Sammy and I stayed home. I did some scanning and worked as much as I could while giving Sammy what he wanted which was constantly the case.

Randy and the kids returned home just before 5:30 pm. I had their sandwiches ready for them to eat, and at 5:30 pm I started teaching. After I was done, I cut up their fruit and gave it to them. After they had eaten, we went downstairs for piano practice. Then they went into the bathtub and got ready for bed. I managed to read them a story before I had to teach at 8:10. They went to bed, while I sat down to teach. At 9 pm I was done and went to the kitchen to get myself something to eat.

This morning the alarm went off at 6:30 am, and Randy got up to make breakfast. Tammy and Emmy had an excursion planned with their kindergarten group. Emmy was whining and saying how much his belly was hurting. He had been coughing a lot all night. He didn't want to go to kindergarten, and in the end, we gave in and let him stay at home. At 7:45 am Randy left with Tammy and Sammy. He dropped Sammy off first, and then Tammy.  He then found out that the excursion was canceled; I guess too many kids were sick.

My alarm went off again at 8:45 am. I got up and got ready to leave the house, which I did at 9 am - together with Emmy. We rode the subway downtown, then walked to the dentist's office. I had an appointment at 9:30 am. There were a lot of people there, and we sat down in the waiting room. Soon my name was called, and we went into the doctor's office.

Our new dentist is a young lady who is very nice and friendly, and she explains things. A week ago today the rest of a crumbled tooth was removed, and it was still hurting. Also, I had an issue with teeth on the other side of my mouth that I brought up to her as it had been rather painful this week. She decided to tackle those two teeth. It took a long time, and the anesthesia didn't work out that well so that I had some pain. And then it cost me over 400€, which I had not anticipated. She also removed the stiches where the tooth was removed a week ago. The receptionist then gave me the temporary bridge/braces for my mouth for the next two months. I had never seen anything like it before. They're fitted to my teeth, and I had to put them on my bottom teeth like a sleeve. It was rather unpleasant, and I was wondering how to wear this all the time for two months (except for when I'm eating). I couldn't even properly talk at first. I was given some instructions, then we left the dentist's office.

We walked back to the subway and took it in the direction of home, but got off three stops later. I had to print out some Mali pictures, then we went to the post office to mail them, then to the pharmacy to pick up a prescription. Only then did we take the subway back home, where we arrived just before noon. 

I was hurting on both sides of my mouth, and I hadn't eaten anything yet, so I warmed up some leftovers. Emmy didn't want to eat yet. I turned my computer on and ate. Then I had a message from Randy. He had also been to a doctor's office today - an eye doctor. He needed new glasses since he couldn't tape his broken frames any longer. Today he had that appointment and got the prescription. He texted me that he was on his way back and picking up Sammy en route. When he got to Sammy's kindergarten, everyone was outside and the fire department was there. They'd had a fire alarm, but nothing was visible.

By 12:45 pm they were home, and Randy left again to pick up Tammy. Sammy and I had fun, while Emmy was watching stuff. I also did some work. Randy and Tammy returned home around 2:20 pm. Randy then informed me that they had found lice eggs in Tammy's hair - again! Good thing she has not slept in our bed the past two nights.

A few days ago our washing machine died after 12 years of service. Randy saw that one store had a special sale starting today where they had a good washing machine for little money. It was his first chance to go try to get one before they were all gone. I looked it up online and it said that they still had machines there. And so Randy got his big cart out and started walking to that store. He got the previous to last one and brought it home. I had started teaching at 3:30 pm but could hear him come home. Sammy's sandwich-to-go was ready, and before I was done teaching at 4:20 pm, Randy had already left with Sammy to take him to his wheelchair class.

My other students had canceled so I had no more students immediately after. I was doing office work for Mali and ended up calling Paul. I then talked to him for half an hour which had not been planned at all. Then I started working on a newsletter, incorporating what he had told me but time was way too short. I had to make dinner for the kids. I was still in the kitchen, when Sammy returned home at 7 pm. They then went into the bathtub, after I had done piano practice with Emmy. Tammy had already done it earlier. After the bathtub, they got ready for bed, and I still had time to read them some stories. Then they went to bed, while I sat down to teach until 9 pm. After I was done, I went to the kitchen to get myself something to eat. Now it's after 1 am and time to take care of the dishes.