Off to School and the Hospital

Sunday was a beautiful day with blue skies, sunshine, and lots of breeze. We all slept late- especially since the little guys went to bed so late. We had a great relaxing time together. Bill is rejoicing because he has had one whole day with no emergency phone calls from work. 

Jim hurt his hand somehow as we traveled on Thursday. He walked down to the Boots Pharmacy and got an ACE-type bandage and wrapped it. Doesn't seem to be getting any better. 

Michael, Jack, Bill, Katherine and 

I played a rousing game of Clue-

 which naturally Michael won. We had a good time together. Jim and Ethan played and read. What a great day!

The boys played in the garden while Katherine and Bill walked around the neighborhood. Jim and I napped. I think we are both about adjusted to this time zone- just in time to change on the first day on our cruise to one hour later.

Monday Jack was off to school in his wool uniform. He also has a set with long pants and a long sleeve shirt. He has a friend coming over this afternoon for a "Play Date" which in British tradition also includes serving "tea".....and that means dinner for little people. We decided the little people return home, go to bed, and the adults get to have a nice adult dinner. Language and traditions are really different. The learning for me is a clothes pin in England is a "peg." Sure makes it tough for Jack to learn to spell simple household and clothing words.

After Katherine returned from walking Jack to school, Bill, Katherine and Jim went off to find an Urgent Care place. Katherine hurt her little finger and Jim has his hand injury  to be checked out. Bill and Katherine decided they needed to know where the closest Urgent Care place was anyway....... just in case and "for future reference." Ethan and I played and Michael read. The walking wounded troop was gone from home about an hour and a half. We certainly got an opinion about FREE British medical care- even for this bunch of Americans. 

The taxi driver encouraged them to go to the Royal Free Hospital which was very nearby. Katherine decided not to have her finger checked out. They really checked Jim's hand. The doctor poked and twisted and then they x-rayed his hand. Turns out his hand is sprained. He returned home with a splint and a sling. The opinion of all three is medical care in Britain is excellent. They only gave their names and addresses. There was no worry about insurance cards or request for a proof of identity. Sure wouldn't happen like this in the US.