Rugby and Shopping

The orchids have started blooming even more, and they look wonderful!

It's been an interesting week.  School was good, as it was a Shakespeare themed book week for Primary, ending with a fancy dress day on Friday, which was fun.  We're still busy getting everything sorted for China.  I had some more injections on Tuesday, which went fine.

Things started going badly for this area of the state on Thursday evening, starting with a man attacking people with a machete at Dusseldorf main train station.  Several people were seriously injured.  It's the same platform that many people from school use, so everyone was a bit shaken up by it, especially those who got the train the next morning - there was still blood all over the station apparently.  Police caught the man as he was trying to escape.

On Friday it got even worse, with our school being put on what was essentially a 'terror alert' in the afternoon.  There was another (un connected) man in Kaiserswerth (just a few tram stops down from school) who had attacked an old man with a machete.  He hadn't been caught, so all nearby schools were on the alert.  At home time, we put the whole of Primary on our smaller, and most secure playground that only has one gate in or out.  Kids had to be picked up directly from there.  Those who leave on their own weren't allowed to go until someone picked them up.  The kids who get the bus had to be escorted to their various buses, and we had to man all the doors in and out of the building.  Our 'homework club' room is very near a door, so that was moved, and all of the clubs were put in together, so the kids could be watched closely.  The kids didn't know what was going on, but the teachers were told pretty quickly.  It was horrible.  Matt was on duty with the older kids.  They were allowed to go if they were heading in the opposite direction, but not if they were going towards Kaiserswerth.

On Saturday, I went shoppping in Dusseldorf with my friend Sian.  We ran into two other friends from school, who were also shopping.  They told us that they were originally going to the big shopping centre in Essen, but had to change plans because the shopping centre was closed due to a terrorist attack threat.  It's got everyone pretty spooked, and lets just say that i'm quite glad to be leaving Europe in the summer!

I actually had a lovely day shopping with Sian.  My purchases are in the bottom photo - just a few bits for Mexico.  It was another friend's birthday, so we went for Thai food in the evening.  Both Laura and Sian have interviews tomorrow for other St. George's schools, so it was quite a subdued meal, as they were both very nervous  I myself am quite stressed about not having a job yet.

Matt had a lovely time in England watching England Vs Scotland at Twickenham.  He's due back later this evening, so I'm looking forward to having him back, and hearing all about it.  He managed to leave his passport at school on Friday, because of all that was going on, so he had a rather stressful rush to the airport!  But he made it in the end!