Paul, Matthew and I breakfasted at the Phams at about 9:30. I had a breakfast muffin plus a Fillo. Matthew had boiled eggs and salad. Paul had some avocado creation. Something Matthew said at breakfast interested me. He said that he always finishes what he starts instead of leaving the finishing to another day. That is a statement at a high level of generality for an 8-year-old and is another sign of his high IQ
After breakfast we went back to my place. Paul left me alone with Matthew so we could get to know one-another a little better. I had heard that Matthew liked classical music -- again unusual in an 8-year old and again an indicator of a high IQ. Even most adults don't like classical music. It's much more complex than popular music
So I played for him on YouTube some of the favorite classical pieces -- Sibelius Musette, Nimrod; Mache dich mein Herze rein; Chiome d' Oro; Karelia Suite; Sheep may safely graze; Largo from Xerxes; Stabat Mater etc. I asked him towards the end if there was one piece he particularly liked. He said "I liked all of them"
After that I went on to teach him a bit of German, which Paul wants him to learn. An unexpected obstacle was the Ach Laut. He could not say it. Yet he lives in Scotland where everybody can and does say it. He himself does not speak Scots. He does a reasonable version of RP. He will eventually move to England so that is all rather a good idea. Anyway I gave him some very basic vocab, got him to say it and gave him a list for him to practice some time.
Then at just after 6:30 we had our Nandos visit. Paul, Matthew, Susan, Elise, Joe and I were there and Ken and Maureen joined us a little later. The six-year old Elise was looking glamorous with her wonderful hair. Some women pay a fortune to hairdressers to get hair like that.
The talk was mainly about Joe's new house. It's costing him a bomb but he is getting a large modern house in an immaculate state of repair. It's a 1950s timber house on low blocks that has recently been done up.
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