Sick Puppies

The wee boys have picked up a nasty, coughing, sore throaty, maximo snot cold... just in time for Allie's birthday (yesterday). He openned his presents before creche (luckily) and when he came home at lunch, we decorated his cake. Then he went into a sharp decline, falling asleep at 4pm and sleeping through the night! Since Walter was travelling for the rest of the week we had his cake this morning..... mmmmm... breakfast cake ;)

See the chocolate round his mouth? That's why he wanted to decorate!


Intense concentration on every detail. Allie decided on a worm motif.


I've been avoiding the (numerous) pharmacies around here. Inside, the shelves are full of useless 'young forever' creams and such. One must ask for anything necessary. It seems to be at the discretion of the pharmacist too. Now, I could be more understanding about cultural peculiarities, but all these places tout homeopathy... big time, and this is the land of pharmaceuticals. Maybe that's why people here are into homeopathy, as a reaction to all the big pharma. Anyhoo, I don't trust pharmacists or doctors selling it (nice mark-up on water too). A couple of days ago I finally went into one as we had run out of children's ibuprofen. The girl behind the counter told me (seeming shocked that I had asked)that ibuprofen for children can only be sold with a prescription. What???? This seems to be the only country in the West that won't let you buy it otc. She had plenty of Tylenol (paracetamol), which is much more dangerous. I am particularly p%**@d off about the pharmaceutical situation. Costco here we come in Feb!