Shark Down!
No wait, I'm up.
Yep, let's get going. Plenty of candy to get tonight.
Candygram....Plumber.......
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Friday, October 27, 2006
Update...
OK, so I have some good news and some bad news to report. First the bad news -- we do not yet have our home phone or internet set up. I know, I know, I told you all we were going to get it installed this past Wednesday, and Eliot and I waited all day long for them to show, but no one did... that is until about 8pm that night when our neighbors came over with papers in hand, that showed Deutsche Telekom had come promptly at 11:35 to THEIR house!!! You see, they live at 59 Hauptstrasse, and we are at 59a Hauptstrasse. Never underestimate the importance of a small little isolated letter!!!
So, now we are back somewhere in the waitlist of people trying to get hooked up, and we are hopeful that since the company screwed up the address, we will get it next week, but that would be **fast** by their standards?!?!
Well, enough moaning and groaning, now on the good side, we picked up our new "sports wagon" yesterday. Very exciting!!! We are back to being a 2 car family and mobility out here is key, considering we live out in a cowpatch (as our German teacher put it!)
We are also getting very excited about our first visitors - Mitch, Molly, and Roman are coming to visit next week! We should have a grand time (if they don't mind sleeping on mats, no tv, and other limited services)! Four star hotel we are not!!! :)
That's all for now folks!
OK, so I have some good news and some bad news to report. First the bad news -- we do not yet have our home phone or internet set up. I know, I know, I told you all we were going to get it installed this past Wednesday, and Eliot and I waited all day long for them to show, but no one did... that is until about 8pm that night when our neighbors came over with papers in hand, that showed Deutsche Telekom had come promptly at 11:35 to THEIR house!!! You see, they live at 59 Hauptstrasse, and we are at 59a Hauptstrasse. Never underestimate the importance of a small little isolated letter!!!
So, now we are back somewhere in the waitlist of people trying to get hooked up, and we are hopeful that since the company screwed up the address, we will get it next week, but that would be **fast** by their standards?!?!
Well, enough moaning and groaning, now on the good side, we picked up our new "sports wagon" yesterday. Very exciting!!! We are back to being a 2 car family and mobility out here is key, considering we live out in a cowpatch (as our German teacher put it!)
We are also getting very excited about our first visitors - Mitch, Molly, and Roman are coming to visit next week! We should have a grand time (if they don't mind sleeping on mats, no tv, and other limited services)! Four star hotel we are not!!! :)
That's all for now folks!
Monday, October 23, 2006
Car Clarification
Okay, I've heard some concern over this alleged "station wagon" that we are buying. I don't mean to sound defensive, but this is a finely tuned machine, not some grocery getter. It has "sport seats". Not that we actually have the car yet. We continue to learn lessons regarding transactional speed here in Germany. The combination of Germany thouroughness and military red tape is quite amazing. Since my last post, we are two steps closer and hoping for a Thursday pickup. After that we begin the long process of inspection and registration, but at least it will be in our possesion.
Okay, I've heard some concern over this alleged "station wagon" that we are buying. I don't mean to sound defensive, but this is a finely tuned machine, not some grocery getter. It has "sport seats". Not that we actually have the car yet. We continue to learn lessons regarding transactional speed here in Germany. The combination of Germany thouroughness and military red tape is quite amazing. Since my last post, we are two steps closer and hoping for a Thursday pickup. After that we begin the long process of inspection and registration, but at least it will be in our possesion.
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
Misc German Update.
Let's see, what's going on here....
Last Saturday we went to Ikea. There was something comforting about being in a somewhat familiar store even though everything was still in Deutch. As typical for an Ikea trip, we spent 4 hours in the store.
We finalized a deal on a car purchase yesterday. It a 2002 BMW 320d station wagon. Very nice with low miles (actually low km). We're pretty excited about picking it up this weekend. Here's a link if you would like to check it out. (this link will probably only work a day or two since the car is now sold) I had it up to 200 km/h during the test drive. Very smooth, and I wasn't even breaking the law.
I played in a Texas hold-em tournament on one of the bases last Friday. Not too bad of a result finishing 8th out 44.
Eliot's nap schedule is starting to sync up with that of the on-base child care. It was a tough transition though. He was still at two daily naps and they are at only at one. That and he had a tough time napping with other kids in the room. Today's report was very good with him sleeping through the entire nap and almost no fussiness all day. Way to go Eliot.
Next week we start our German language classes. It's mandatory for Renee, but they'll let me participate as well.
We still don't have a phone line or DSL, but they are now scheduled to come next Wednesday (10/25). They only have us listed to set up phone then, but hopefully they can go ahead and do DSL at the same time.
Finally, I will get back to posting photos soon. I know that's more fun to see.
Andy
Let's see, what's going on here....
Last Saturday we went to Ikea. There was something comforting about being in a somewhat familiar store even though everything was still in Deutch. As typical for an Ikea trip, we spent 4 hours in the store.
We finalized a deal on a car purchase yesterday. It a 2002 BMW 320d station wagon. Very nice with low miles (actually low km). We're pretty excited about picking it up this weekend. Here's a link if you would like to check it out. (this link will probably only work a day or two since the car is now sold) I had it up to 200 km/h during the test drive. Very smooth, and I wasn't even breaking the law.
I played in a Texas hold-em tournament on one of the bases last Friday. Not too bad of a result finishing 8th out 44.
Eliot's nap schedule is starting to sync up with that of the on-base child care. It was a tough transition though. He was still at two daily naps and they are at only at one. That and he had a tough time napping with other kids in the room. Today's report was very good with him sleeping through the entire nap and almost no fussiness all day. Way to go Eliot.
Next week we start our German language classes. It's mandatory for Renee, but they'll let me participate as well.
We still don't have a phone line or DSL, but they are now scheduled to come next Wednesday (10/25). They only have us listed to set up phone then, but hopefully they can go ahead and do DSL at the same time.
Finally, I will get back to posting photos soon. I know that's more fun to see.
Andy
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
We're mobile!
We both passed our driver's tests today. Evidently, this is not a small feat. There were several people in our class on their 4th or 5th attempt. Renee scored a blistering 97% while I followed with a respectable 91%. 85% required to pass. I figure that I just optimized my studying level a little beter than she did. So then we bummed a ride with some other Army people to a car rental spot, and rented ourselves a '97 VW Golf. Sweet deal at only 350 Euro/mo. Tomorrow we'll go car shopping. In another big accomplishment, Eliot got a rental slot at one of the on-base child care facilities through the 1st week of December. He had a great time there today. Evidently, he is temporarily replacing an "Amber". I bet they'll like Eliot better.
We both passed our driver's tests today. Evidently, this is not a small feat. There were several people in our class on their 4th or 5th attempt. Renee scored a blistering 97% while I followed with a respectable 91%. 85% required to pass. I figure that I just optimized my studying level a little beter than she did. So then we bummed a ride with some other Army people to a car rental spot, and rented ourselves a '97 VW Golf. Sweet deal at only 350 Euro/mo. Tomorrow we'll go car shopping. In another big accomplishment, Eliot got a rental slot at one of the on-base child care facilities through the 1st week of December. He had a great time there today. Evidently, he is temporarily replacing an "Amber". I bet they'll like Eliot better.
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
First Day of Work
Renee went off for her first day at the hospital today. It was still dark out when she left. Eliot slept in until 8, and then woke up about 3 minutes before the movers came with all of our "borrowed goods". The army lent us a fridge, washer/dryer, dining room set, couch, 2 loveseats, full size bed, 4 wardrobes, 2 dressers, cofee table, 2 end tables, and 2 night stands. Pretty darn nice of them if you ask me. They even sent someone out from civil engineering to hook up the washer/dryer. Combine that with the bed and kitchen table we borrowed from the neighbors and we're not doing too bad.
Tomorrow is the big day. Driver's license examination. Once we pass, we'll go buy a car and then finally....FREEDOM. It has been tough without our own transportation.
Haven't heard anything from the phone company yet. Hopefully they'll still show up today.
Renee went off for her first day at the hospital today. It was still dark out when she left. Eliot slept in until 8, and then woke up about 3 minutes before the movers came with all of our "borrowed goods". The army lent us a fridge, washer/dryer, dining room set, couch, 2 loveseats, full size bed, 4 wardrobes, 2 dressers, cofee table, 2 end tables, and 2 night stands. Pretty darn nice of them if you ask me. They even sent someone out from civil engineering to hook up the washer/dryer. Combine that with the bed and kitchen table we borrowed from the neighbors and we're not doing too bad.
Tomorrow is the big day. Driver's license examination. Once we pass, we'll go buy a car and then finally....FREEDOM. It has been tough without our own transportation.
Haven't heard anything from the phone company yet. Hopefully they'll still show up today.
Monday, October 09, 2006
We're here.
We have finally moved into our own place in Germany. Here's a quick rundown on our activities to date:
Thursday Oct 5. Dmitri picks us up at the airport. We drive to some location North of Frankfurt to check into something. Then we drive to Kaiserslautern to check into her unit, but the guy was going to lunch and said to come back later. So then we met the realtor and and landlord at our new house. It was exciting and disappointing in many respects. We still love the house, but there way a lot that was unfinished. Still waiting for the shower walls to be installed for example. We have already decided to take Dmitri up on his generous offer to stay at his place. Later, Renee checks into her unit and we head back to Dmitri's for dinner and bed.
Friday Oct 6th. Renee, Eliot, Dmitri, and myself head to a famed grocery store in Luxembourg to pick up good beer, wine, cheese, seafood, and meat. Only an hour a way. Nice to have that in our back pocket.
Saturday Oct 7th. Renee heads into town to make appointments for telephone and dsl and to buy initial groceries and supplies. I stay back with the kids( Eliot and Dmitri's) It was a sacrifice worth making. Dinner include oysters and a huge salmon filet. I am now skilled at shucking oysters. No major injuries to report.
Sunday Oct 8th. We finally make our way to our new home. Fabulous new neighbors help out wherever possible (including sharing this wireless net connection). Dinner is canned soup cooked on our stove.
Monday Oct 9th. We took the train into Kaiserslautern today. Fabulous. It's only a 5 min. walk to our station. From K-town, we can go anywhere, Paris, Berlin, Prague, ect. Very easy. After getting back we spent the afternoon/evening with our neighbors. They have a 18 mo. old who gets along wonderfully with Eliot. We finalized a deal to share a cleaning lady every Wednesday. (very important) and had a nice bottle of wine (or two) on their patio along with dinner (wings and green beans).
Renee checks into her unit at Landstuhl tomorrow. I will stay at the house to recieve our much anticipated borrowed goods shipment ( fridge, microwave, bed, shelves, ect.) in addition to our dsl and phone connection. With any luck, our old phone number, through Vonage, should be back up and running soon.
Andy
We have finally moved into our own place in Germany. Here's a quick rundown on our activities to date:
Thursday Oct 5. Dmitri picks us up at the airport. We drive to some location North of Frankfurt to check into something. Then we drive to Kaiserslautern to check into her unit, but the guy was going to lunch and said to come back later. So then we met the realtor and and landlord at our new house. It was exciting and disappointing in many respects. We still love the house, but there way a lot that was unfinished. Still waiting for the shower walls to be installed for example. We have already decided to take Dmitri up on his generous offer to stay at his place. Later, Renee checks into her unit and we head back to Dmitri's for dinner and bed.
Friday Oct 6th. Renee, Eliot, Dmitri, and myself head to a famed grocery store in Luxembourg to pick up good beer, wine, cheese, seafood, and meat. Only an hour a way. Nice to have that in our back pocket.
Saturday Oct 7th. Renee heads into town to make appointments for telephone and dsl and to buy initial groceries and supplies. I stay back with the kids( Eliot and Dmitri's) It was a sacrifice worth making. Dinner include oysters and a huge salmon filet. I am now skilled at shucking oysters. No major injuries to report.
Sunday Oct 8th. We finally make our way to our new home. Fabulous new neighbors help out wherever possible (including sharing this wireless net connection). Dinner is canned soup cooked on our stove.
Monday Oct 9th. We took the train into Kaiserslautern today. Fabulous. It's only a 5 min. walk to our station. From K-town, we can go anywhere, Paris, Berlin, Prague, ect. Very easy. After getting back we spent the afternoon/evening with our neighbors. They have a 18 mo. old who gets along wonderfully with Eliot. We finalized a deal to share a cleaning lady every Wednesday. (very important) and had a nice bottle of wine (or two) on their patio along with dinner (wings and green beans).
Renee checks into her unit at Landstuhl tomorrow. I will stay at the house to recieve our much anticipated borrowed goods shipment ( fridge, microwave, bed, shelves, ect.) in addition to our dsl and phone connection. With any luck, our old phone number, through Vonage, should be back up and running soon.
Andy
Sunday, October 01, 2006
Friday night, we went to Ben and Evelyn's going away party (friends pictured above). They are moving to Turkey in 2 weeks -- we hope to visit them soon!Today, we had a little going away gathering ourselves, out at a local park. It was a beautiful day, and we spent a wonderful afternoon with our friends. It was so nice to all be together! It will really be hard to leave behind all of our great friends and family here. But we know you'll all come visit us overseas!!! :)
Germany, here we come!!!
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