Mr. Pancake Returns

Last week was a very strange week for Fiene…

First her mom went with her friends Leonie and Jacqueline to New York, and Fiene missed her very much. After four long days mommy finally got back, with many stories and pictures to show (see photos). But if you think everything went back to normal for Fiene, then you’re wrong!
The days remained far from normal, because at school there was someone special waiting for Fiene.

Mr. Pancake!

With a freshly washed face, and in his bag his diary and a good book to read, Mr. Pancake sat in Fiene’s cubby till it was finally time to go home with her. It had been a while since he visited Fiene and her family, but he still remembered his stay, and the trip he made with Fiene’s family to New York.

Mr. Pancake also remembered that he had some problems on that last stay with Fiene. He had found it difficult to understand her, because he didn’t speak Dutch. Over the last few months, Mr. Pancake had been practicing some words, and he learned about Sinterklaas at school (!), and he was all ready to really impress Fiene! He couldn’t wait to see her face when she found out how his Dutch improved.
Mr. P. was so happy with himself when indeed it was so much easier to talk with Fiene….. until he realized that they were not speaking Dutch.
Oh no!
No, they were not speaking Dutch at all…. they were…. speaking English! Incredible. It was not Mr. Pancake who understood more Dutch, no, it was Fiene’s English that improved so much that she could tell Mr. P. many many stories! Wow!

Fiene told Mr. P. how she went skiing, and how she learned to go up on the magic carpet and ski down the slope. And how she learned everything about penquins, and how slowly they walk; and about polar bears – do you know that a polar bear could have a meal the size of 3 little kids (at least that is what Fiene says that Ms. Deb says……).

They had a lovely time together, and Mr. P. slept with Koetje on Fiene’s pillow; and Fiene carried him around when she was playing with Lena, Nynke and Tijmen. One day after school, Fiene took Mr. Pancake to the big toy shop to help her pick a present for her friends Sophia and Simon, who both celebrate their birthday’s soon. And she used that opportunity to discuss with Mr. P. what she would like for HER Birthday, next month.

On Superbowl Sunday, Fiene dragged Mr. Pancake along to the White family, to watch Baltimore win from San Francisco - but by that time they were both long asleep.

Fiene also had told Mr. Pancake how excited she is about starting violin lessons with Ms. Michelle! She has to wait four more weeks before her lessons start - first her mommy has to get instructions about how to help Fiene learn to play the violin and to practice. But this week she went to the music shop to get a violin and to buy the first Violin Book by dr. Suzuki. Back home Fiene immediately demonstrated Mr. Pancake everything she had learned at school: how to hold her violin, how to pick up the bow, how to strike – really fast, just like Ms. Michelle. And Mr. Pancake loved watching her! Boy, he was impressed with her joy and her concentration. And he was also seriously impressed when Fiene explained to Tijmen that the piece they were listening and watching on Youtube was Mozart. ‘He is a comsonist’ (ed: componist in Dutch or composer), said Fiene, ‘he makes violin (music), and so does Beethoven. And Bach. And dr. Suzuki!’

Tomorrow Mr. Pancake is going back to school, to prepare for a visit with one of his other friends at Suzuki. And for Fiene other adventures lie ahead: we are bracing for a big snow storm (2ft expected on Friday) and it seems that after a slow start, winter is now really kicking in.

Bye Mr. Pancake! Big kiss from Fiene.