End of term round up

The end of term has been rather hectic with not much happening until this weekend. Reports, end of term performance and lots of tidying up.

Here are the children all lined up to go on stage as ducks. More and more were away so we had to keep moving parts so rather messy at the end.

The last day of term was interesting as we were invited to take the children to a company called Schlumberger who work in the oil industry. We were invited to do a presentation on the enviroment by one of the dads who didn't tell his colleagues he had children coming. We made posters about litter, wrote 'Put it in the bin' in about 10 languages and wrote a group poem. Here they are in reception waiting to go in.

This is all of year 2 - the rest had gone on holiday!!

Had a lovely weekend. Saturday saw us at Irina's dacha again for the MIC picnic. Fewer people than last year but very pleasant. It was just good to be out in the countryside. Admire Irina's new roof and the decorated bathroom waiting for fittings!!

While she had the roof off she found these interesting dolls in the attic. They are made from tissue paper, Under the paper clothes is folded paper. Fascinating.

Julian brought his mum who came out for a visit before Julian leaves for Oman later in the summer. We shall miss him. Marion was great fun and it was lovely to talking  about her adventures. The sign says Platform 42 km and is the name of Irina's station. 

Yesterday Alla from school took Peter and I to the village of Zvenigorod. As ever there are interesting churches and monasteries to see. This monastery was built by a follower of Sergei of Sergei Poscad and was used by one of the Tsars as a religious retreat. It is still an active monastery today. 

The main entrance used by the Tsar.

Rebuilding a tower using traditional methods

Tsarina's appartments

The well for Holy Water

Above the chapel built on the cell the founder lived in at the end of his life

Alla then took us for lunch to what had been a Soviet sanatorium for workers in the atomic industry. It had a spa, swimming pool and other activities. It is now run as an activity centre. You can horse ride, cross country ski, have spa treatments and a banya. The accomodation has been maintained but it is still in the Soviet style. Still very reasonably priced. We had a basic but filling lunch. The docor reminds me of the fifties.

 Dining room

In the lobby outside

 Children's activities

 The front line in the Battle for Moscow was near here during WW2 and this is the war memorial.

The original family house built at the end of 19th century

Inside

And so our interesting day came to an end. Just one post script. By the MKAD ring road there is a pyramid. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union chaos ensued. One chap said he could bring order if he covered the country in pyramids. The government actually gave him some money.  He built several before the money was stopped.

So one more adventure before I go home for the summer. Mum is coming to stay for a week. Her bag is packed and she is checked in. This time tomorrow she should have landed and I will be waiting anxiously at International Arrivals.

Yes I am coming back for another year.