Shelli's blog: Even Quiet Days Can Be Exciting.

Yesterday our number one goal was to get groceries. With having to call a cab for a ride and trying to choose food that looks familiar at the grocery store. This still feels like a big chore and if you don't believe me you can ask the kids. Two out of three were really not excited about my plans for the day.

Tesco shopping was a little easier this week because we knew of products that we liked from last week. I am finding that somethings have sneaky ingredients added that are not what I was looking for. Like red kidney beans, and in tiny writing in chili sauce. Oops, makes the chili really spicy even when you rinse them. And pure fruit juice may have a good addition of sugar in it.

We managed to fill the cart and it only took about 2 hrs. We found a sponge soccer ball for the kids. And another drying rack for all our clothes, which have been drying on the backs of chairs. I found a paring knife that looks better than any in the apartment and I have dreams of it actually being able to peel a potato.

Upon arriving home we unloaded our groceries and realized we need to be careful how much we buy our freezer is tiny. We can not put any more than seven nights worth of meat in it and a box of ice cream. The cupboards are full again so we are all happy.

Just before supper the kids all went to play in the garden. Between each water facing apartment and the one behind it is a garden. It is built over the parking area of the two apartments. The garden is reached by exiting the first floor, which is up one story. It is a more secured area because you have to have a key to get into the building. The best part is I can check the kids by looking out the hall window by the elevator. Sarah and Samuel decided to take their new soccer ball and play a game. With Samuel wearing big heavy runners and Sarah wearing flip flops they decided to play in bare feet. At home it would be no problem but there is so much broken glass around that it was a problem even in our nice little garden.

Samuel stepped on a piece of glass and it stuck in his big toe. I tried using my tweezers but there was just no way it was going to come out. So while I finished supper he soaked his foot in a tub of warm water. I tried once more to remove the tiny bit of glass but gave up when his screams were to loud. He was even covering his mouth with one hand to try not to scream poor guy.

After our supper I asked Steve to call a guy he is working with who is from Ireland and has small boys. I wanted to know where he would take them for such a thing. He recommended the hospital A&E, Accident and Emergency. So we called a cab and headed to the hospital.

On the way our cab driver asked me a question that I just couldn't get. We had been visiting on the drive so I was understanding his but this time...? It sounded like "ow oold is a" my expression in the rearview mirror said it all. He tried repeating it, then tried another way. "Whats his age?", he asked. When I said eight. He said you are going to want the Childrens Hospital.

We had to wait about 2 hrs in the the waiting room until we could see a doctor. When she started probing Samuels foot there was only a bit of pain. It seems the warm soak and wrapping it in a kleenex pad had some how dislodged the glass. Or maybe it was him stuffing his shoe on when we left. He just couldn't wear one shoe and a sock out to the cab. Two socks yes, two shoes yes, but one of each no. They still decided to do an x ray just in case there was something more in the toe. So by 10:30 we were in a cab and heading home. We had met some really nice hospital staff and some very naughty kids, in the waiting room.

This morning he is walking on the foot fine and the hospital gave us more iodine pads and plasters to cover his toe with. Samuel had his translation moment when the nurse asked him if she could put a plaster on his toe.
"A what" he asked?
"A band aid", I told him.
The nurse smiled "right, a band aid", she said.

The best part was they don't charge for their ER visits, not even foreigners. That was a relief.

Some more picture from Bangor. =)