Sanki

With one car in use by Misiu and the other one at the mechanic, I empowered this morning another mode of transportation, our sanki. Sanki means sled, well actually it means sleds but it is referring to one sled only – you know like trousers or leggings.

Last year we totally missed out on the sanki thing because right after the first snow the stores were cleared out of sleds. This year, we received a second hand sled from our accountant. It is better than any sled I have seen in the shops. It is very solidly made and has got a back support which is important for us with 2 kids.

Lizzie loves to go on the sled. She loves being pulled around the neighborhood and sliding down hills. Rosie on the other hand hates the sled and I have no idea why. Knowing that Rosie hates the sled, I still decided to take Lizzie to Pre-school (with Rosie tagging along) on the sled. The Pre-school is about 3-4 blocks away and due to lax snow removal you can sled practically all the way there.

These pictures are not from today. They are from Babcia’s house where we made a kulig or parada of sleds as Lizzie calls it.

The morning started like this. We all got dressed and outside about 7:30 am. Packed the girls on the sled, Lizzie in the back, Rosie in the front with Lizzie’s bear (she calls him Dziś Miś) in the middle. Rosie is screaming. We set off for school. Rosie is crying and screaming for me to take her off. I do and we continue on with Lizzie and her bear on the sled and Mommy and Rosie on foot. Rosie decides she needs to be carried and as it is almost 8:00 now and we are not anywhere close to the school, I oblige, but I cannot then pull Lizzie on the sled. So that leaves Mommy carrying all 10+ kilograms of Rosie and Lizzie pulling Dziś Miś on the sled. We finally get to school after what seems like an eternity and as it was 8:20 it really was a long time for such a short walk.

Thankfully, Lizzie was on her way to her classroom with Pani Ela and Rosie and I were on our way back home on the sled. Except that Rosie wasn’t havin’ it. She screamed and cried but I managed to get her part of the way home on the sled until she had a fit. Her fit was so loud and dramatic that one older gentleman first beeped his car horn at us (as if that would help) and then stopped the car and got out to look at us (I’m totally serious). I had to carry Rosie in one hand and drag the empty sled home in the other and then carry Rosie up to the top floor of our apartment building. No amount of promising to watch Bolek i Lolek na Dzikim Zachodzie would appease her (Bolek & Lolek in the Wild West is the current top DVD in our house). I, by the way, was exhausted and covered in sweat. I’m sweating right now just thinking of the return trip to bring Lizzie back home.

Let’s look on the bright side. It could have been worse. It was neither snowing nor raining. No one pooed or vomited on the way there or back. We were on time. And I got some well needed exercise. Next time, I’m taking the stroller.