Catching Up--Again!

16 December 2012

I am dogsitting for one of my friends and so I've been doing lots of stuff and this is my...and oh!  This is my third tooth I've ever lost, the first one on the top.  I've lost three teeth in total.  I am attaching a picture here:

You can see the rectangular hole because one top tooth and one bottom tooth is missing.  The tooth fairy came last night and left me a euro, but she didn't take the tooth.  Nikolaus came and he brought me a Skylander named Pop Fizz.  I've had a couple of soccer matches out of town.  We haven't won too many.  I am still practicing three times a week but I don't always make it to all three.  I didn't go yesterday because there was a party at school.  I can sing some Portuguese Christmas carols, at least partly.

There aren't any Christmas trees here in Portugal, but we will decorate the lemon tree that is here in the courtyard.  After Christmas we will tour some of Portugal that we haven't seen yet, like Lisbon and we will do some hiking.  Tell me if you ever want to learn any Portuguese and I will teach you.

For Christmas I want new black paint and new mustard paint.  Mommy says that's a pretty easy list.  I've also decided that I am finally ready to learn to ride a bike, so I also asked for a bike for Christmas.  I've been painting quite a lot.  I even did a pretty cool one that has this man trying not to get attacked by a monster.

My dad is trying to invent something called the NapFlap.  I don't really know anything about the NapFlap, to be honest.

My Super Week (but not a super week)

3 November 2012

Funny name for this post, isn’t it?  I went to the zoo last weekend, the Zoo de Lagos, and I saw a turkey and a bird that had a rainbow and a wild cow from India, farm animals, a pygmy hippo and lots of apes, chimpanzees, the rhino hornbill.  I even saw a sign that said that human beings are the most dangerous creatures on earth.  Great, isn’t it?  I’m being sarcastic.

I also spent some of my birthday money from my grandparents.  I bought some Pokemon figures.  One of them looks like a bird.  It has pink feet, an orange beak, orange, white, and black eyes.  Its tail has a V on it.  The next one has hands that are back as if he’s holding them right next to his eyes; he’s got red and black eyes, a sort of blackish-gray back, and he has sort of a necklace that comes from his back and hangs to where his nose is, right near the top of the eyes.  The teeth are like they have upside down Vs and right side up Vs.  So anyway, the next Pokemon has an orange flower on the top and is mainly pink and has pink and yellow ears and it has black and white eyes.  Its tail is pink; its hooves are black.  The next one is a special one.  It came in a special box.  It’s got a pink tongue and a red mouth.  You can sort of see the red mouth and the pink tongue.  It’s mostly green and has its hands in the air and it’s got yellow and green ears.  The next one mainly looks like a sitting cat and it has green, black, and white eyes and pink eyelids and it has two purple paws and two sort of tannish-yellow paws.  It has a black little nose.  Now it’s time for my favorite, the last one:  this one has a black bunched-up tail and white, brown, orangeish-yellow and orange arms that are showing their muscles.  He’s got brown ears, a red and black nose, black and white eyes, two white teeth that are close to the eyes.

I went horseback riding last week and got my face painted as if it were a leopard.  Have you seen the picture on Mommy’s Facebook page?  Did you see the dripping blood?  The leopard had just eaten.  It’s not real blood; it’s only red paint.  

Today I had soccer practice in the pouring rain.    

My Super Week

14 October 2012

Lots of things happened this week:  getting Jade, getting the convertible, having my seventh birthday.

Jade:  she is a dog, just in case if you are not on Facebook and you still read my blog.  She's not a big dog.  She's mostly black.  She has a tiny bit of brown and white paws and her muzzle is gray, even though she's only about five months old.  She is a Portuguese Podengo cross, although we're not sure crossed with what.  She's about two feet tall and Mommy says she weighs about 20 pounds, although she should weigh at least 25.  She had some very bad experiences before she came to us, but they are over now.  She's friendly.  I only taught her to sit on the boat.

She's learning about the boat.  She doesn't like the steps, but she likes my bed.  I don't want her on my bed, but she's learning where she can be and where she can't.  She has a bed in the guest room and she uses it.  That's where she goes when she wants to take a break.  She's been a pretty well-behaved dog, but after lunch today she stole a chicken breast which was full of ham, cheese, and bread crumbs too.  Mommy says it was her fault because she was the one who left it out.  She should have known better.  Her bad experiences were that this girl's parents left her outside alone without any food and water, so she's way too skinny.

She is a test dog, which means that she's not ours yet because the person who was fostering her let us borrow her from Saturday to Tuesday to see if she likes us and we like her.  Then if we decide to keep her she'll come back on Thursday because Mommy and Daddy have some things to do on Tuesday and Wednesday which can't be done with a brand-new dog.  Here is a picture of her and me.

Convertible:  there's not much to say about this one.  Very very very little.  It is red.  I like having the roof down.  Here is a picture of it.

My birthday:  I got loads of presents:  a remote-control boat, magnetic chess, money, gift cards for iTunes and Amazon, a motorcycle, some little animals for my zoo.  Mommy brought a cake for my birthday to school and everyone sang to me in four languages:  German, English, Portuguese, and French. My class burned a heart with the number 6 on it and replaced it with one with a 7.  When I am 8, I'll get a bigger one with an 8 and burn the 7.  And the first class was lucky on the day after because Isabella, my friend Dylan's sister, gave us the rest of her birthday cake that her mom had brought to school for her birthday.  After school, my friend Finn and his family and my friend Bea and her family helped me celebrate.  We had cake and opened presents.  Then later we went out for dinner and I ate spaghetti.

School and Other Fun Things

7 October 2012

I'm sorry about the last two weeks, but now I am going to catch up and pretend that I wrote them by writing three posts.

School:  I've been in school for two weeks now. My favorite part of school is lunch, but my favorite day is Thursday and then Friday.  But I like Friday better.  Although it doesn't have my favorite food, we get rice cakes (that's what we think they are) for dessert.  Thursday we get pizza (my favorite food!).  Someone named Sara cooks.  I am learning about St. Michael and also I am learning Portuguese.  One of my classmates is a polyglot.  Artur and Mathilde are monoglots.  I think that's how you spell their names.  I don't know it, I think it.

Other stuff:  Today I am going to leave Estoi with Bea and Vasco.  We've been at their house in the country this weekend.  Friday we got the day off because it was a Portuguese holiday.  We came here and now we've been here for three days.  They even have a pool and we went swimming.  They also have cacti.  We went to a swimming hole yesterday, but there had been a fire and there wasn't much water.  We still got to swim at the swimming hole, though.  There also wasn't the waterfall that we expected.  The fire happened in August, but I'm not sure when.  Maybe the 26th, I think.  But I doubt it.

I fell in the water of the marina the other night. Daddy got me out and then I had to take a shower.

My birthday:  Tomorrow is me birthday!  I am going to be seven. 

Last Post From Vacation

September 23, 2012

Today is my last day not doing school.  Sniff, sniff!

We went to the water park last week and I held a boa constrictor.  I am attaching a picture of me at the water park with it. I held three parrots but I don't have the picture.  I went on a creepy roller coaster that ended in the water.  It wasn't crowded, so I got to sit in the front seat three times, but not in a row.  There were sea lions at the park too.  We went on almost all the rides, except two rides that I didn't go on, but Mommy did and she went upside down.  There was also one water one that Mommy and Daddy said was too dangerous for me.  I was tall enough but I didn't want to; it was too scary.  I'm usually not afraid of scary stuff, but that time I was.

We also went to Sagres this week and we saw the end of the Algarve and the end of Portugal.  We also went a cool beach where the river flowed into the ocean.  The river was salt water--you know how I knew?  I tasted!  And the waves were HUMONGOUS!

We also went to Silves and walked up to a very cool castle.  The castle even had this underwater part where the people who lived there got their water.  It was called a cistern.  It was really big.

I've been playing soccer this week.  I scored a goal in our scrimmage and that was our winning goal--well, no, it was the second goal, which made it the winning goal because we won 2-1.

Today is the first day of rain.  We haven't had rain in so long we almost forgot what to do.  I was trying to take a shower on deck when it started.

Next week I'll post all about school and being in first grade!

Boat Fun

September 15, 2012

Sleeping on the boat is fun because you have these portholes, which are windows.  And you also get to press buttons to get stuff out.  The handles on the cabinet doors all push in so that when the boat is sailing, the doors don't open and have all our stuff fall out.  My room is in the stern of the boat on the starboard side.

My soccer team colors are blue and yellow.  Mommy is going to buy my shirt and shorts today.  Today we went to the market.  We saw hamsters, rabbits, chickens, dogs, and all these other herbs, vegetables, and fruit.

My school and other things

September 4, 2012

I finally got to see my school.  They've got a treehouse which is about to be under construction--all by me! Me me me--and the workers.  The teachers and the parents are working on getting the school ready to start the year.  I am going to get some help from my classmates making the roof.  I am going to try and make the treehouse the Tree of Paradise.

The school is a little ways away from the boat--about ten miles.  The school is not that big and they are adding another classroom.  There is a teepee and an oven that was made one year ago.  There is also a garden.  The new classroom is going to be for the fifth year and maybe the sixth, but we are always working.  The kids get to play while the grownups work, which I think is cool.  Mommy says that once school starts I'll be working too.

I like the teachers because they are nice and also that somebody who knew what s/he was doing built the treehouse.

I am going to play soccer starting next week.  I don't think I'll be the best player on the team.

We've been to some really nice beaches and I went in a cave.

Just a few things...

Here is what I have been doing.  I have been sleeping late.  I get to pick the restaurant where we eat every third day.  Mommy gets to pick and Daddy gets to pick.   One of my new favorite foods is this Japanese kabob with beef and cheese.  I ate it so fast that Daddy blinked and it was gone.  I've been writing a book and Mommy will post it on Facebook when it's done.  At the Mini-Club we play games, go swimming, make stuff.  There was one day where it almost took us all morning to finish painting noodles.  I danced at the mini-disco to "Poker Face."  My partner decided he didn't want to do it so I did it alone.

We've got some catching up to do...

July 18
We've been to Seville and saw Christopher Columbus' grave.  I didn't know that he was buried in lots of places before he was buried in Seville.  We also saw the Rose Window, which many people believe is a sign of Jesus.  That's also where we saw Christopher Columbus.  I had an audio guide which was made for kids so I could learn about what I saw.  I really liked the Rose Window.

We found a boat!  It's brand new and it will smell like brand new.  While we wait for it to come, we are in this resort in Empuriabrava.  It even has a club called the Mini-Club.  Anki and Ivan are the ones who run it.  They are really nice and fun.  When I am there, I play "Color" with Ivan.  This is a game he made up.  When we play, Ivan says a color and he rolls the big block with different colors on it.  And when he says a color, he moves the big block.  To lose, I have to fall off (I forgot to say that I am on the block when he is moving it).

I made a Pokemon (you can see a picture of him in Mommy's blog) and Ivan named him Ivan.  We go swimming in the afternoons in the pool and Mommy and Daddy and I have been to the beach a lot.  There is a river that runs into the ocean.  Daddy has seen some fish but I haven't seen any.  They were small fish that Daddy saw.  There are lots of waves in the ocean and there are usually a lot of people.

Daddy is teaching me to play Sheepshead and I keep winning.  There was only one time so far that I've lost.  Mommy won.  It was the first time we played without open hands.

The Car Elevator

9 July


I went in this thing called a car elevator. It was totally cool! The elevator was near our hotel in Granada. We are still in Spain.

We ate at some really good restaurants and heard some people playing some really good music.  And today we even went to a castle called the Alhambra and it was totally cool.

The old inscriptions from the Koran on the walls and the lion fountain were neat.

We also saw Roger Federer win Wimbledon. I thought Federer might win. We are driving right now, which isn't even that interesting.

The car drives into the elevator and someone (the worker) presses the button and you go to the floor you need. Only one car can fit at a time.

8 July

Today I ate the wings of three chickens.  I also had TWO desserts!  Now that's rare!

I even tried a potato but I didn't like it.  We are eating dinner at a tapas restaurant that is playing my favorite music.  They were even playing Lady Gaga (Daddy says I have bad taste in music!  And I actually do!  I even like rap!  Can you believe it?

I'm happy here in Europe. Daddy is happy too.

We are still in Spain and we will be for a while.

7 July
Yesterday we didn't drive anywhere.  We stayed in Xavia and went to the beach.  Daddy and I swam all the way out to the raft.  I was really scared because I was afraid there would be a shark, but there wasn't.  I built a volcano out of sand at the end.  And I saw some fish while I was using the snorkel.

We Found Our Boat!

July 5

We found our boat!  It is the one we saw yesterday--the 40-foot Oceanis with automatic furling and automatic pilot.  I already chose my from.  One of the cabins in the back of boat has an entrance to the bathroom but I didn't want that one.

I liked that the boat smelled like new.  I liked that the faucet in the sink is also a shower.

I am going to have a sign on m door that says, "Danger!  Keep Out!  Private!"  I am going to have dangerous machines in there, like a dangerous pump.

But then someone else bought it.

Catching Up...

July 2

I finally swam in the Mediterranean.  The water wasn't cold.

I got a weapon at Carcassonne.  The game Carcassonne is named after the town Carcassonne.  Cool!

We toured the castle, which had lots of ways to defend itself.  It even had a drawbridge which is now just a bridge.

The other day we looked at three boats.  The second was the most useful because it had a button to press to tell rescuers in case someone fell overboard.

Now we are in Spain eating lunch.

Daddy and I swam naked in a very cold river.  There was no one around, though, except Mommy.  It was fun, but I was afraid someone would come.  I wasn't afraid of the current and Daddy was right there with me.

We looked at another boat today.  I still might have to go with Boat #2 from Saturday because of the button.  Buttons are becoming one of my favorite things.

July 3

Last night I slept in a castle that was built by Arabs a thousand years ago.  I am staying up ridiculous hours every night and my dad falls asleep before I do.  People in Spain eat dinner very late, like at 9:00.

You should know about the foods I've tried, like this thing I ate at dinner last night but we don't know what it is.

Right now we are sailing on the boat that we saw this morning.  The people who are showing the boat are taking us out so we can see what the boat feels like on the water.  The boat also has an automatic pilot.

Swimming in the Ardesche

June 29

I swam yesterday in the Ardesche River here in France and I swam against the current.  It was really fun.  I also went over some rapids.  My dad and I got out of the water and then Daddy and I skipped rocks.  Daddy was teaching me how to skip rocks.

Then we went to a cool restaurant that had a patio.  It was even bigger than Rick's pergola.

Later we watched Germany lose to Italy by one goal.

New Foods

June 29

I have tried lots of new foods.  I decided to start trying different foods because we are going to be living on a boat.  I tried Fish and Chips when we were in Dover and I really like them.  I also tried peas and honey there but the man running the restaurant had never heard of that.  He said that British people don't eat their peas that way.  I also tried pastrami in New York.

In which Max arrives in England...

June 24

It is fun here in England.  The morning was a little disappointing because I got up so early so I could eat Eggs Benedict one more time at the restaurant but it wasn't available.

We are sitting in a pub drinking a pint.  I am having water and Mommy and Daddy are having beer.

Thursday at Sea

June 21

We are still at sea (Thursday).  We are getting closer and closer to England.  Doesn't that sound exciting?  And I just played in a golf tournament.  Daddy played too, but we didn't win.  My friend Sar beat me 5-6.  My dad keeps getting second in competitions.

We are just finishing lunch and then we are going swimming.  Sar and I are going to swim laps.  I am going to beat him.

Just before the fancy restaurant

June 20

We are just about to go to the fancy restaurant.  I am going to wear a suit and a tie.  I will attach a picture of myself in the suit once Mommy figures out how to do it.

If I am still hungry after the fancy restaurant we will go the buffet at the King's Court (note several days afterwards:  I wasn't).

Right now we are in our room and Daddy is watching the news.

We finished reading Dinosaur Habitat, one of my books.  The main characters are Nathan and Ryan, who are brothers.  They get stuck in the dinosaur world of Ryan's terrarium.

On Board the Queen Mary 2

June 20

It's fun being on the Queen Mary 2.  Tonight we are going to a fancy restaurant.  Daddy and I were there for lunch yesterday (Tuesday), and I tried the Duck Liver Pate.  I didn't really like it, though.  I liked the liver but I didn't like the raspberry that was with it.

The boat is really big.  It has lots of restaurants--the Princess Grill, the King's Court, the Queen's Grill, etc.  We've been going to the King's Court almost every day.  The chefs are really good.  Last night they had a special of Pasta Primavera.

The people on the boat are very nice, both the people who work on the boat and the passengers.

Yesterday England played Ukraine in soccer but Ukraine lost.  Everybody was rooting for England except for Mommy, Daddy, and me.

First Entry

June 14

I wonder what Portugal will be like.  I hope it will be cool.  We are moving there because my dad has always wanted to live on a sailboat when he retires.  In the Mediterranean.  Portugal really isn't on the Mediterranean, but it's close enough.  It has a good school for me.  It will be fun; I just know it!

Since we left Natchitoches we've just been driving.  There's only one thing I'm nervous about: swimming with a Great White Shark in the sea!

We are leaving New York on Sunday on the Queen Mary 2, so I will write more from there!