TGIFriday!!

What a crazy week it has been! The mornings have been filled with various things and the afternoons have been taken up working with the 16 kids from the foundations family homes. Let me say it has not been a walk in the park having them altogether every afternoon! Although, I have had a great time with a few of them, plus today Court and I took a few of them on a walk and that was a lovely way to round off the week. I am thankful however that tomorrow is a free day. I feel I need a rest!!

Joyful ones

I was painting the girls nails and of course the boys wanted some funky lightning bolts on their nails - much to the dismay of the workers! But how can one refuse this joy?!!

curly haired beauties

"Katie take a picture of me too - look how good my smile is" Oh Claudiu - this boy makes me smile!

So excited to hold a kitten

as of course was Alex

A moment to relax

Love them!

Apuseni Mountains

This weekend we took a trip up into the Apuseni mountains with the Bjork's and our friend Martin (who is visiting from Sweden). We camped in between two small idyllic villages on a quiet grassy bank beside a river. It was beautiful! Peaceful and relaxing, the boys fished in the river and were able to play happy and free. Camp fires and hotdogs, marshmallows and starlight, night time forest walks and collecting berries for breakfast, fishermen and fun laughter. Cristi loved helping pitch the tent and cosying up beside the camp fire in his Spiderman pj's. He even got to chop wood for the fire which he thought was extremely exciting. I caught the moment on film. If you want to see photos of our trip click on this link :)

Black Forest with Old Volunteers

This Summer has been quite filled so far with many visits from old volunteers. It has been so lovely to catch up with so many who have been here over the years that I have. Fun to see them and their little growing families and learn about what is happening now in their lives away from here. This last week 2 families were visiting here, from Sweden, so we took a trip up to the Black Forest (to escape the heat of the town) for a BBQ.

We rounded off the trip with a few games of Kubb. I managed to knock a few down but I think Cristi may have had the best aim out of us all! I mean he was on the winning team - I sadly was not!                  

  

                                    

Mini Summer Day Camps

In previous years we have held day and overnight camps for the adults at the state run institution where I have the fortune to work. This year sadly our camps (allowing us to take the adults out of the institution for the day) were not approved due to varying administrative reasons. We didn't let that stop us though so my friend Brenda and I have been visiting the institution twice a week since mid July. Most of the 48 adults who live there have been in institutions all their lives and have varying psychological and or physical disabilities. We have done various activities with them which have been lots of fun and they seem to have enjoyed. It is such an important time for them to have someone to talk to and show them that they are loved and worth something. It is tiring and emotional but I love the opportunity to work there with them.

Things are slowly beginning to change for the better there though. Finally the previous Director of the place was fired and to many cheers of happiness as his rule was oppressive and sadly abusive. Now the adults (who are mostly like small children/teenagers trapped in adult bodies - some of whom call my friend and I mum) delight in telling us how good things are especially because they can have a shower any day and at any time (until now they have only had hot water to wash for a few hours once a week - can you imagine to live that way?). I am happy for them that they have a few new joys gracing their lives. I wish life was different for them but I am blessed to be able to be a small part of their lives and a small part of their joy.

Some of the activities we have done have been extremely simple for example colouring and puzzles which is an activity that they love to do! One day we made chocolate oat balls with them. Thanks to money from the sale of 1 of my picnic blankets I was able to buy all the ingredients needed for this activity. They so rarely have the opportunity to make anything as all their food is made and served to them. One girl didn't think she should participate telling me that she had never done anything like this before and she would only do it wrong. I told her we were there to teach them and do it together so reluctantly she joined in. After a while she LOVED it! She was so proud of herself. A bittersweet moment to be part of (she is 34 years old).

Here are a few shots of our time. I can not show you photos directly of their faces but seeing as we were dressed up in some - I think its OK :)

I gave some of them manicures and pedicures. I had some very happy girls that day I tell you.

Mini Clown school - we were left a box of fun by a group The Flying Seagulls who visited us a few years ago. They are some amazing people with great energy! We had a day of fun using the stuff they left dressing up, playing instruments and attempting to juggle and spin plates. Laughter all round!

This one's laughter is the best! He makes me smile every week but oi this week he was so happy to be dressed as a clown!

I was also working last week with some of the children from the foundations family homes. The parents are on vacation just now so we have been hanging out with the kids. They are beautiful! Many of them also lived in the orphanage with Cristi so I have worked with them for many years. It is fun to have the time to have some summer fun with them all :)

Playing in the park - how many children can you fit on a see saw?!

Out for a walk

RODEO Yee-haw!

Yesterday we took a trip to the Rodeo. The first time it has traveled to Romania apparently although it still managed to have an undeniable Romanian feel. It was much smaller than I expected and apparently not quite like Rodeo's in America (as I was told by my 2 American friends). Country music played between a weird mixture of 90's rock and metal and as soon as the rain started everyone disappeared and hid under the tents - yes we are not used to these weather conditions in August here, we must stop all proceedings! The rain, and what turned into a crazy thunderstorm, came in periods but let up enough for us to watch the bull riding. Adrenaline rush!! In true Romanian style there was just 2 sets of wobbly fence barriers separating the bull riders from us so after watching the first rider up close Cristi spent the rest of the show hidden behind me telling me "It's not funny mum I could be killed or at least get a red bottom if he decides to come out!" Although by the end he told me he'd like to ride a bull one day - hmmm I think we'll stick to the mechanical one shown below! It was a good day out though. Great fun to do something different and let our kids see a little of a different culture. Here's a bit of our day out.....

My Little Bull Rider

Hunk of beef anyone?

Rodeo Beauties

At the ranch

This little pony was giving rides to little ones until it went crazy and ran uncontrollably with a toddler on it - he spent the rest of the day tied up :(

A little scared - even though we live in a country where horses and carts are still on the road I don't think he has been quite this close before. 

My little Cowboy! He bought himself a REAL cowboy hat!

Sheltering from the rain

As were we - but it won't stop us smiling!

So was this guy

The bulls - looking quite docile before the riding began

O.K. Corral

Another downpour

I had neither a cowboy hat or an umbrella but hey when you're Scottish what's torrential rain when you have a plastic bag and a front row view of the bull riding ring?!

Bull Rider

The perils of Bull riding. This Cowboy got his hand stuck in the rope and proceeded to get stamped on by his bull - eek! Scary to watch. But, although he was carried of on a stretcher he came back to bow to show the crowd he was OK.