European Vacation - Required Elements

 Allen and Kyra have come to accept that no matter where we vacation there will be two things they always do on a vacation.

1.  We will visit a castle.
2.  We will visit a cathedral/really big church.

It is inescapable.  As loving parents we do give them a break though.  Usually we only visit the biggest castle and the most renown cathedral.  After a while all the stained glass begins to blur and  so much historical furniture one can look at.

Mallorca's castle was an interesting short visit.  The castle was circular in shape.  Thus the courtyard was circular.  I found it quite pretty.  From the top of the castle we had some lovely views of the capital city of Palma and the Mediterranean Sea.

Options for cathedral/church visits abound.  We visited the cathedral called La Seu. It was built over almost a four hundred year period beginning in the early 1200s and finished in the 1600s.

It was surprising to encounter such a large cathedral on an island in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea.  We couldn't imagine that there was such a significant population on the island of Mallorca to support such a massive building.  And yet there it was and as cathedrals are a required element, we visited it.

Tomorrow - optional elements of a European vacation...

I Miss Buffa's

Recitals are a major production.  There are multiple classes, types of dances and ages to mix into a performance of reasonable (ish) length.

Schedules for rehearsals need to be worked out.  Decisions must be made about make-up, hair, costumes, the color of tights and various accessories.  Space and time have to be set aside for rehearsal and performances.  There are many many moving pieces.

By the time we left the US, I had the Buffa's Dance Studio recital mostly figured out.  I had all the necessary equipment - brush, gel, hairnet, bobby pins, hair pins and all important safety pins.  I knew which brand and color of tights to buy.  Kyra was in the right place at the right time with the right stuff.

Now we are a bit of a mess.  We have to learn the recital routines of two studios - in French.  To add to that neither studio is helping us out with clear communication.  At the beginning of recital season Buffa's would mail out the recital packet - about 8 pages of color coded information - everything a mom would need to know to successfully navigate the craziness.  These studios provide us with a sheet of paper with some information on it every now and again.  Some information is announced orally in class in French behind closed doors (Kyra doesn't speak French).

I'll have Kyra in the right place at the right time.  She'll have a costume (rented - much cheaper - I like that).  She will know her dance and be able to perform it.  After that all bets are off - her bun might not be at the right height, her make-up will probably be different and tights and shoes who knows?

Kyra and I will both be glad when this is over.  It stresses us out to just see how things go but without information we can't prepare so things will be as they will be.  No matter what Kyra will dance beautifully and her mom will be proud.

Hurdles

 First he ran in the JV hurdles.  Don't know why - that's how the race officials classified him.  The hurdles were lower and closer together.  He won the race no problem.

Then the officials and/or coaches realized that Allen isn't JV.  So he got to run again, against bigger guys, over higher hurdles, spread further apart.

In between races, he ran up and down the field to check in, and get in place in time - no rest.

He barely was at the start before the gun went off for the varsity hurdles.  Nonetheless, he shaved a second off of his best time.  At 18.1 he has to shave off less than a second to qualify for Europeans.  Qualifying time is 17.3

We'll keep you posted on his progress