Day 116: TGIF!

It’s the end of the week and it’s cloudy and cool. I decide to check the garbage bins to see if they are picked up so I can throw away some paper. I run into the caretaker. I ask him about the gelbes sacks (yellow recycling bags) and he says he will get me a roll. I’m ecstatic! I didn’t know where I was going to find them as the bakery did not have them yesterday when I zipped in there to check. I also told him that we needed to have the door to the telecom panel opened on Tuesday and I explained about hurting my leg on the slippery marble at the entrance to the garage. He said it was dangerous and that he had mentioned this to the landlord but the landlord blew him off. I was disappointed in hearing that but I know I have to write an email to the landlord explaining the situation and respectfully request that something be done about it. Even the caretaker said that it is dangerous…for him as well. I suggested that a large mat would do the trick and he agreed.

We definitely need to become members of the tenants association. It’s an association for all tenants and it handles any disputes that a tenant may have with their landlord. It is made up of attorneys who speak German and English. I like that! The price is unbelievable cheap (60 Euros the first year = $75 and 50 Euro every year thereafter = $65). I think if the landlord wishes to blow off the suggestion of getting a mat which cannot cost more than 50 Euros, it will be worth it to have the tenants association handle it. I don’t want anything other than to keep me from getting hurt again. I don’t think that’s unreasonable.

Ted and I decided to go to Kelley first to check for email before having dinner so we don’t have to think about it. I cannot WAIT to have internet at the apartment so I don’t have to think about going to Pancho Villas anymore. It’s a pain to have to lug our laptops back and forth there. Not to mention up and down the steps! There’s 22 steps from the basement garage to the storage area (and laundry room), 8 steps to the front landing (where the mailboxes and front door are), 8 steps to the first landing (and the basement apartments – I don’t know how they can say they are the basement when they are above ground, oh well!), 8 steps to the middle landing, and lastly 8 steps to our front door (which is supposedly on the first floor).

We have decided to make Fridays Pizza night at Mamma Maria’s. And although it’s cold and rainy…I actually am wearing my fall clothing…we’re going to go anyways. Since it’s right across the street, I’ll get the umbrella and Ted will wear his German/American cowboy hat and we’ll be fine!

As I was leaving the building, once again I slipped…this time at the FRONT entrance way and injured that same muscle again. I’m batting a thousand here. Thank goodness for the anti-inflammatory drug! I’m hurting again but I don’t want to miss the opportunity to hang out at Mamma Maria’s for the evening. There’s nothing else to do!

There were not many people at Mamma Maria’s and it was probably because it was so ugly outside. There were a few people in the back room playing darts. We ordered our dinner, talked and waited. We asked Anna, Michele’s wife what the name of the store and the town was that had the great deals on washers and dryers. I also asked her where to recycle the glass and where she got the wonderfully soft woven tablecloths that were on her tables. I think they would be great to have.

After we had eaten and the folks from the back room had departed, Michele came out and we talked a bit. It was fun to have a conversation about how much the British and the Germans can drink beer!

The reason for that conversation was that there was a guy at the bar who spoke English. It turned out that he was from New Castle, England and was working in Stuttgart. His name was Phillip and he said he was looking for an apartment. He was living at the hotel across the street from Mamma Maria’s and across the street from us. Phillip is 27 years old and speaks with a very thick English accent. Sometimes Ted and I couldn’t even understand him! We had a long conversation with him and Michele. We were there until almost 10:30 when it was time to go home.

We still weren’t ready to go to bed so we decided to watch a video. After all, it was Friday night and tomorrow we could actually sleep in…at least for a little bit!


Friday 07/17/09