Getting A Present From Your Bank...

What are the odds, in this day and age ?

Every year, this is the second time for us, our local Bank, Raiffeisen Bank, gives a little back. Somehow I think this happens all over Austria, but I can only vouch for us here.

From one day to the next, a little tented area with benches and tables was put up. Right out front of the Bank entrance. Just dandy in case someone forgets about it, although in a village our size, the bush telegraph had already done its job. My Mum had phoned and arranged for us all to meet there the next morning.

Knowing that everybody would get two sausages, breadroll and a drink of their choice, we tried to be hungry ( hard to do as it was just after breakfast ). But before even queuing up for the food, we went inside the bank and got a present each !

Wow, can you imagine getting a present, any present, from your bank ? A little something that says that they appreciate our custom. How ingenious to do that. Oh I know, that ultimately we have paid for this present, but it is the thought that counts. I mean, we never question who really paid for a present that our spouse gives us...!

This brought back memories of getting a " savings piggy " ( piggy bank ? ) as a young girl in Germany. But I must say, that all my years in South Africa, I can't remember ever getting a present from a bank. In fact, they loved to still charge me, when I gave them a present. What else would you call depositing money ?

Biggi

Bob posing with our bounty...

Food...

Discovering A New Use For Clothes Pegs.

Making a Pizza dough with help from a few kids

Yesterday was rather an action day for us, as we had a bunch of kids over. The order of the day was to only speak English, a sort of English holiday camp. Great stuff for us. Bob and I were pleased as punch to have them and planned different activities to keep them interested for six hours. The ages ranged from young to just pre-teenager.

Anyone who has children, knows that it is not so easy to keep them riveted for such a long time. Especially since we took the computer away and did not use the TV...Yes, quite a feat ! We played a lot outdoors ( I even did a stint as goalie, not realising how hard these guys kick a ball ) but we also played the different board games inside.

For lunch we made a pizza from scratch. I wasn't sure whether any of them would be interested in watching, yet alone helping me. Boy, was I pleasantly surprised. They all fought to help out. From kneading the dough, stirring and seasoning the tomato topping to artfully placing the grated cheese on top.

Now this was rather educational for me. Not having children, I did not realize how precise they are in certain things. The cheese for example. Each bit of cheese ( grated Mozzarella has many ) had to be place strategically. Considering there were 7 boys and only 2 girls, I think that the whole Pizza making could be called a success !

Of course I was silly enough to make the dough with the live yeast. The boys bravely volunteered to crumb it in, with the one proviso... they all pleaded with me to give them clothes pegs for their nose ! It was the funniest thing to watch. The boys bravely did their job and afterwards asked me to take the peg off.

Even though they were all involved in the whole process, when it came to eating it a few unfortunately remembered the smell of the yeast. You could hardly taste it, but you know kids...! One win for me was that they all tried it and a few had seconds. It was fantastic to see how they all helped but while they were eating it, I heard a shout of " I rather make a frozen pizza ". Oh well you can't win them all.

When the parents came to collect them, I warned them that a they might hear a moan or two about the kids not being able to use the computer. Just in case we came across as " baddies " for denying access to the computer. There are a lot of things I need to learn...one of the Dads almost did a dance of joy at hearing that his kids did not use a computer all day !

Biggi