Int'l speak

This morning Ellie called me a "cheeky monkey". Surprised, I asked where she'd learned that. In my mind, cheeky monkey is vintage Saturday Night Live--a Mike Myers phrase as he plays Simon, the bathing British boy who hopes his audience aren't a bunch of "bum lookers". Anyway, Ellie said her teacher (a fine British woman) uses the phrase. Who knew it was real Brit speak?
It hailed again this morning, twice and violently, but the sun is temporarily out and we're about to make a mad dash for Ellie's dance class which takes place in Dutch, English, French and German. It's good to be in the middle of the world, even in bad weather.

PS--In the time it took for me to get my shoes on, it started hailing again! I don't know about a two mile trek in on again/off again hail . . .

PSS--Back from a disastrous attempt to get to dance class--wind so strong that the huge jogging stroller (knew better than to attempt the bike) was pushed over and hanging on by one wheel before I could right it. Meanwhile, I felt like an aspiring Mary Poppins as my big black umbrella threatened to lift me off the ground before I could get it closed. Ellie, having dried her tears of fear after taking cover in the grocery store said, "We're having a hard day, mama." The whole Dutch equation of using this incessant wind (via windmills) to move the water from the saturated fields into canals makes total sense to me now. The accompanying tulips must be God's consolation for this kind of spring. Happy Easter!