COLD DARK ROOM

[Kristoff]

@Lyn W You said wanted to see the garden, so I did a video this morning.

You have a lovely voice, Linda! I can imagine you voicing some of those BBC documentaries Joe had a wonderful domain to rule over.

 

[Kristoff]

Even worse....Scottish midges aka “no see ums”. I remember staying in a cottage way up north in Scotland...and literally had to run to the car to keep from getting eaten alive!

I had the same in Canada in Gatineau Park. Only the things eating me were giant yellowish striped flies (?) and equally giant mosquitoes. Everything seems to be bigger in North America.

 

[CarolM]

For the most part, Toretto’s garden is done... I think he likes it. I monitored temps in his box for two days now and this morning I put him in. He was scared of the plastic door but after a couple hours he found his way out. He will sleep there tonight and tomorrow I will start my little ones’ upgrade.
View attachment 268111View attachment 268112View attachment 268113View attachment 268114

It looks absolutely stunning. And Toretto looks extremely happy.

 

[CarolM]

View attachment 268115
A pretty visitor.

So beautiful.

 

[JoesMum]

Even worse....Scottish midges aka “no see ums”. I remember staying in a cottage way up north in Scotland...and literally had to run to the car to keep from getting eaten alive!

Midges are pretty horrible, but for me I just end up itching all over. They can’t bite through clothing either!

I react to mosquito bites and swell up. And the :censored: insects can bite through clothing!

 

[JoesMum]

You have a lovely voice, Linda! I can imagine you voicing some of those BBC documentaries Joe had a wonderful domain to rule over.

Really?! Like everyone else, I hate hearing my own voice ... it sounds weird!

 

[Reptilony]

Translation needed. What’s cégep for those of us not in Canada?

Sorry they actually only exist in Québec, im not sure how to represent it...everywhere else it’s not the same...so « maternelle » is the first year, then there is 6 years of « primaire », then 5 year of « secondaire », I think in US and rest of Can that is high school but for them it last longer maybe 6 or 7 years, but then for us there’s « cégep » which can last 2-3-4 years depending on the program and then a « Baccalauréat »(2-3years), then « maîtrise », then « doctorat » but im pretty sure these are the same everywhere.

 

[Kristoff]

Really?! Like everyone else, I hate hearing my own voice ... it sounds weird!

Telling you as a trained journalist, you have a good voice. The English accent helps too.

 

[Reptilony]

Like "paradise"?

View attachment 268129
(Danish paradise )

Just saw you're in Canada -- our future home. Been just reading a bunch of Russians complaining about Canadian winters on forums.

lol if the russians says so... What do you mean by « your future home »?

 

[Kristoff]

Sorry they actually only exist in Québec, im not sure how to represent it...everywhere else it’s not the same...so « maternelle » is the first year, then there is 6 years of « primaire », then 5 year of « secondaire », I think in US and rest of Can that is high school but for them it last longer maybe 6 or 7 years, but then for us there’s « cégep » which can last 2-3-4 years depending on the program and then a « Baccalauréat »(2-3years), then « maîtrise », then « doctorat » but im pretty sure these are the same everywhere.

That’s probably like “gymnasium” in Denmark, which is usually 1-2 years after “secondary” education (after Year 10 or 11).

 

[CarolM]

Yeah I bet she chose these far far away place on purpose lol She must be very smart to go in biology, I’ve never been good at school and never really studied so if get accepted it will be the biggest challenge of my life.

Good luck, That is something I have never enjoyed.

 

[Reptilony]

That’s probably like “gymnasium” in Denmark, which is usually 1-2 years after “secondary” education (after Year 10 or 11).

Oh cool we’re not alone! Omg I translated « gymnasium » to french and it’s « lycée » and that for the French is the equivalent of high school...lol so complicated, but yeah do you go to university after « gymnasium »?

 

[Reptilony]

Good luck, That is something I have never enjoyed.

Studying?

 

[JoesMum]

Sorry they actually only exist in Québec, im not sure how to represent it...everywhere else it’s not the same...so « maternelle » is the first year, then there is 6 years of « primaire », then 5 year of « secondaire », I think in US and rest of Can that is high school but for them it last longer maybe 6 or 7 years, but then for us there’s « cégep » which can last 2-3-4 years depending on the program and then a « Baccalauréat »(2-3years), then « maîtrise », then « doctorat » but im pretty sure these are the same everywhere.

In England and Wales (Scotland is different), we start with primary school in Reception Class the year a child turns 5. Then a further 6 years in Primary School (Two years at Key Stage 1 and 4 years in Key Stage 2)

Move to Secondary School at age 11. Three years of Key Stage 3 and then 2 years if Key Stage 4. At the end of KS4 (age 16) all students sit GCSE public exams.

At this age, youngsters can then leave school for employment or an apprenticeship. But if they don’t have passes at GCSE maths and/or English then they must continue to study these subjects as well.

Or youngsters go into Key Stage 5 for two years where they study A Level subjects (typically 3 or 4) which is the qualification level needed to go to University.

KS5 usually takes 2 years (occasionally 3), so students are free to move on to university or the world of work aged 18. I am guessing this is equivalent to your cégap?

In some schools the International Baccalaureate (IB) programme is taught in place of A Level and the Middle Years Baccalaureate (MYB) in place of GCSE.

Most youngsters start university straight from school and do a 3 year Bachelors degree. On completing that they have 3 levels of nationally recognised qualifications.

Some take a gap year before their degree. Son did a 4 year degree programme with a placement year working which counted towards his study programme.

From talking to a British friend of mine now living in Texas, I understand the USA doesn’t have a public exam system like we do. Her children went to a school that did MYB and IB, but that wasn’t the norm. She said that American degrees have a mandatory foundation year probably due to this.

 

[CarolM]

Welcome to the dark side..?

I wrote about coming over to the dark side in my summary, and I had not even seen this comment yet. Great minds think alike. He He he he

 

[JoesMum]

Telling you as a trained journalist, you have a good voice. The English accent helps too.

I have a very neutral accent because we moved round the country so frequently when I was young. Everywhere we moved I had the wrong accent! (We have many regional accents in the UK and they’re all quite strong) The result is something nobody can pinpoint apart from my pronunciation of certain words

 

[CarolM]

Good mornooning everyone. It’s catch up time for those of us East of the Atlantic as we wonder what happened overnight


JoesDad’s plane still hasn’t made it to Delhi. Flights are being rerouted to avoid flying in Pakistan’s air space due to the political tensions between India and Pakistan at the moment. Hopefully he’ll arrive in the next half hour or so.

It’s lunchtime in India (5.5 hours ahead) and JoesDad has to go to work once he has checked into his hotel. I hope he got some sleep!

i hope all went well and that he landed okay?

 

[CarolM]

I must have missed that one. My school German (well it was 40 years ago[emoji33]) couldn’t translate Klee, but Google could fortunately!

“Christmas in Clover, Easter in Snow.”

I like it

We have “March winds, April Showers, bring forth May flowers”... We have certainly had March winds this year, I wonder if we’ll get April showers?

Has anyone else got weather related folklore sayings from their geographic area?

Well it used to be, that if you couldn't see table mountain then it must be raining and if you still cannot see table mountain then it must be going to rain. But not anymore.

 

[Kristoff]

Oh cool we’re not alone! Omg I translated « gymnasium » to french and it’s « lycée » and that for the French is the equivalent of high school...lol so complicated, but yeah do you go to university after « gymnasium »?

Yep. Though I’m by no means an expert on Danish education — this is only my second year here. But I communicate a lot with other parents, as part of the school’s parents committee, and many have older children who choose between the international IB or the Danish gymnasium before going to university. I’m sure it’s the European (French?[emoji6]) influence on your school systems. [emoji4]

 

[JoesMum]

i hope all went well and that he landed okay?

He got there! I haven’t heard anything since he texted to say he landed. I won’t until he can get on wifi. Phone calls and texts from India cost a fortune (no EU free roaming out there) ... and because he’s a contractor he doesn’t have a company phone!