Elijah's First Day at School

Der Erster Schultag von Elijah!!! (Endlich!)

Today Elijah had his first school day, (he will be 7 in 3 weeks!)
Traditionally they go to the school , on the erster schultag ,with parents and grandparents and maybe Godparents. We all met in the entrance hall, and the children's names were read out to go with their teachers to their classroom. Elijah's name like Jemima's is so hard for the German's to pronounce it as we Christened them! After that we all trooped up to the local church, St Lukas, for a service, at the end of which each child was blessed in prayer.
Like all the other children, Elijah hadwith him, his Schulerantzen(Backpack) and Schultute (cone filled with gifts). Jonah made the present-cone, as his contribution to the day, being still in Belgium on his school trip. It was filled with chocolate,and some gifts.

All children walk to school on their own, but of course we were with him today.

Elijah and Hendrik:

Elijah's teacher Frau Muminovic:

My lovely German friend Annette, whose daughter also started school today,( her third, like me!)

 Elijah with Jonas

 In Church:

Finally the chance to open the presents!!

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Jemima also got a new teacher and classroom:

 Her desk:

And of course, in the interests of fairness, a smaller schuletute with chocolate for the sister of the Ersteklassekind!

 (One is waiting for Jonah when he gets back too...just in time for his birthday!)

Where we live.

Bubenreuth

I have been meaning to take some photos of our village for a while now, and looking for a good reason to get out of the house during the holidays, Jemima and Elijah and I went for a tour around on our bikes yesterday. We took photographs along the way. The Village is well known for violin making, so there are many references to stringed instruments around!

Many of the houses have a plaque on them with the occupants profession advertised. An artist lives here:

This is the shop we call 'Lotto' because of the sign outside! It sells, lottery tickets but also, newpapers and magazines, toys, all the school supplies recommended by the school, some clothes, decorations, cards and allsorts!

Eichenplatz, is the nearest we have to a village green. It's where the lollipop person stands for the school journey, and is at the bottom of a steep hill. Off it, apart from Lotto is a bakers, and drugstore, old  peoples home, butchers and bank.

My local post office and lovely gift shop (where they gift wrap so beautifully):

Sun Pharmacy ( I love how the sun is shining in this one..how appropriate):

Our dentist:

Catholic church, with Kindergarten attached:

Fields in the middle of the village:

The way to school is painted on the road and pavements:

Grundschule, Bubenreuth. (Where Jemima will be in 3rd Class and Elijah will start in the 1st next week):

Protestant Church:

 

My favourite house in Bubenreuth:

Bakery and cafe:

Our doctors with a bank underneath:

Train station:

Our Supermarkets:

Indoor football and squash courts:

Sports club:

Back of the school:

Fire Station:

 The fields in the middle of the village again from the bottom this time:

 Our favourite play place in the woods: