Busy week
It's not beyond the realms of possibility that some friends have been tuning in after hearing that I've been keeping a journal here. If you've just tuned in, you haven't missed much!
The birthday was pretty much as expected - slightly chaotic. Having bought a bike earlier in the year I had to say that was an early present because it was a bit expensive. Susi topped that off with a bike computer as a smaller gift on the actual day. My challenge now is to break speed limits (and try to get caught on speed camera by those ever-so-diligent people at the "Ordnungsamt" (the authority in charge of keeping order in Germany - i.e. enforcing every tiny little rule, at which the Germans are quite good). I did hear from a friend from uni days to that was nice - and "old faithful" Regi.
Turned back to the kitchen on Wednesday - trying to sort out the ripples that appeared in the lino after I shoved a kitchen unit in a bid to gain precious millimetres to allow the fridge to fit. No quick way of doing this: everything had to be taken out of every cupboard again, then various items removed from the kitchen to allow the lino to be laid flat again. To make matters worse, Susi made it very clear she thought I was wasting my time and that there were greater priorities BUT we now have no ripples AND unhindered access to the light switch.
We were both allowed to vote on where the new state parliament should be built, although as I wrote before the question should be whether a new one should be built at all. I still fear they councillors will push through their plans come what may.
Up to Berlin yesterday - we try to keep visits there to a minimum because it's a different world there and quite stressful for us provincial folk. Boysie loved the train journey of course and the VW Group showrooms, he was a bit scared of the "tower with the ball on top" - i.e. the television tower - when we stood underneath it though.
Finally it does now appear as if the "mother-in-law" and her sister will visit us for Christmas - good. This was in doubt because the pair of them had fallen out. It's right though and should make for a better Christmas for both of them. Susi's aunt is particularly important because she paid for most of the fridge which caused me/us so much hassle during the last week!
If I'm not back before, have a good Christmas.
The birthday was pretty much as expected - slightly chaotic. Having bought a bike earlier in the year I had to say that was an early present because it was a bit expensive. Susi topped that off with a bike computer as a smaller gift on the actual day. My challenge now is to break speed limits (and try to get caught on speed camera by those ever-so-diligent people at the "Ordnungsamt" (the authority in charge of keeping order in Germany - i.e. enforcing every tiny little rule, at which the Germans are quite good). I did hear from a friend from uni days to that was nice - and "old faithful" Regi.
Turned back to the kitchen on Wednesday - trying to sort out the ripples that appeared in the lino after I shoved a kitchen unit in a bid to gain precious millimetres to allow the fridge to fit. No quick way of doing this: everything had to be taken out of every cupboard again, then various items removed from the kitchen to allow the lino to be laid flat again. To make matters worse, Susi made it very clear she thought I was wasting my time and that there were greater priorities BUT we now have no ripples AND unhindered access to the light switch.
We were both allowed to vote on where the new state parliament should be built, although as I wrote before the question should be whether a new one should be built at all. I still fear they councillors will push through their plans come what may.
Up to Berlin yesterday - we try to keep visits there to a minimum because it's a different world there and quite stressful for us provincial folk. Boysie loved the train journey of course and the VW Group showrooms, he was a bit scared of the "tower with the ball on top" - i.e. the television tower - when we stood underneath it though.
Finally it does now appear as if the "mother-in-law" and her sister will visit us for Christmas - good. This was in doubt because the pair of them had fallen out. It's right though and should make for a better Christmas for both of them. Susi's aunt is particularly important because she paid for most of the fridge which caused me/us so much hassle during the last week!
If I'm not back before, have a good Christmas.