Beautiful Dolomites

I have just come back home from a long business trip to Italy, Süd Tirol / Trentino Alto Adige, where the beautiful Dolomites are. They are just breathtaking beautiful! 

I was away for a whole week. I spent some time alone, travelling around the region, visiting clients. And some on an event, where many colleagues that I have known for years were.

Since I am  over 40 and since my hair started turning grey (and I haven't started dyeing my hair yet), I don't get silly questions about my reproductive plans any more. But, I still get many stupid questions.  One colleague asked me: "So, is your coworker X pregnant yet?" (explanation: my coworker has been in relationship for some years now, she is around 30).

I hate questions like this. So I just responded that I don't know, but that probably not since she just returned from travelling to Asia. Stupid woman commented: "Oh, I just thought she she should be pregnant by now, it is already the time."

I avoided company of this narrow minded colleague for the rest of the time.

But as always,  I didn't let  this silly question ruin my mood.

I enjoyed practicing my languages. I was talking half of the time in Italian, half of the time in German. It was a great practice! Sometimes, when I was tired, I just started to mix both languages.... but it didn't matter since the vast majority speak both languages.

Then, there was another, very kind spirited colleague whom I feared meeting after almost 5 years. The last time that we met, we talked about our struggle how difficult is to try for a child unsuccessfully for a decade. I knew she is a mother of 3-year-old boy now.  What I didn't know is that her little boy has mild version of cerebral palsy.  I wish him all the best.  I loved talking with this colleague. This hard experience made her wise.  We talked about many things. And our conclusion was many times that life isn't easy. And all we can do is to be strong and solve the problems the best that we can.   

I am attaching many beautiful photos. I hope you will enjoy them. 

My kids will be raised well

This was the sentence that my 15-year-pupil wrote in his latest English test. They had to use the verb "to raise" in a sentence and this is the sentence he wrote.

This sentence made me think. Would I write a sentence like this when 15? Probably yes. Would my DH write a sentence like this when 15?

The boy's sentence hurt.
I wish that all his dreams come true. 
It just hurt to be reminded that my husband will remain childless because of me.

Priceless

Some things are impossible to throw away, even when old and completely worn out. Like the rope that I used for walking my beloved Wolf. I use it for Wolfie now.

I took the photo today, on our afternoon walk. Wolfie is a great motivation to finish work asap and to go outside with him.

Reading with a small child? Priceless.

I visited my uncle who was babysitting his granddaughter, aged 6. She is very bright, but she doesn't really like to read. I told the little girl a story how I taught to read her mother and that I would love to read together with her too.

She was reading to me for about 15 minutes, I helped her only with long words, the rest she can already handle. It was just priceless.

I believe in moments like this, that I am building ties with next generation. I don't believe in buying things (I buy gifts only for birthdays).

***
There is a 15-year-old boy, I have been teaching him English and German for the last year. But the school stuff is getting already a bit difficult so I mentioned his mom already couple of times that they should find somebody who studied English and German. But the boy's mom wants me to continue (since I managed to change her rebellious teen to polite and kind teenager, at least during our hours together). I was chatting with the boy's mom the other day and I said that I had learned so much lately (for example all details  present simple / present continuous). The boy's mom said: "Isn't it good that you have a high school pupil in your life, you will learn so much in the next three years with him."

Yes, it is good to have him in my life. I know it is only for now (or for the next few years). But it feels good anyway.

Have you ever watched the movie Intern with Robert de Niro? It is an easy comedy. I liked it a lot.
Robert de Niro found a new job too. Not because he needed money when retired. But because he wanted to be connected. Needed. Appreciated. Cherished for who he is.

Pathetic?

Not many families with kids visit my husband and me. Or to write it differently, we don't get many visitors at all.

Friends from Austria, who have a young daughter, visited us last week. I know that the girl was already bored a bit in the past (I don't blame her, it is boring to sit all evening with 4 adults. Also cartoons and colouring get boring after a while).

I got an idea that it would be fun to borrow a kid.
I asked my sister-in-law if I could have my niece (who loves me) for couple of hours. My wish was declined, as usually. It hurt for the first few years, now I am just used to it.
So I asked my cousin (who feels like my sister) if I could have her daughter for the evening. My cousin was thrilled for her child to be exposed to German and English for the whole evening. So I asked the little one (she is 6 and a half) if she would love to meet a new girl from Austria. She said yes (only later on I found out that she understood me that I was inviting her for a trip to Austria, that's why she needed 5 seconds to confirm :)

It was a lovely evening. It was nice to have two girls at our home.

The evening itself was lovely. But then, out of the blue, came the comment of my friend: "What do the people of that town do besides working, going to library and making babies?"

Such a silly choice of words. (Phrase Making babies brings back many sad memories, that include many needles, many suffering, many disappointment).

I didn't let this comment to spoil my good mood.

I know that to outside word this might seem pathetic, borrowing someone else's kid.
I don't care. I just know I really enjoy being cool and fun auntie to a lovely smart girl. Who was thrilled that she learnt some completely new German words. Like "Danke".