I had to get up really early to go with Ted to take the VAT forms to the dealership. He wanted me to translate for him. When we got there, the service guy was busy so we didn't get to talk to him but the lady at the "Kasse" (pronounced Casa) or Cashier was also Italian from the same region as the service guy. She not only spoke German but also Italian and English. I was totally impressed!!!
We completed the necessary forms and saved ourselves 60+ Euro. I was a happy camper. Ted then took me home and he went to work.
I was totally cold when I got home and bundled under a warm blanket and fell asleep. The sun came out and it's beautiful out. It could be Spring and not Fall...however, I know as soon as the sun goes down it gets cold.
I have been rearranging the office and taking more boxes down to storage. Today I'll wash the dish towels and the rags I use for cleaning. It's a bit disconcerting going into the office. The construction next door is now level with our floor. Soon they will have another floor done and more walls up. We cannot believe how much rebar goes into these buildings!! But it makes sense since all of the floors are made with concrete. We think we know where the entrance to the basement garage is but it looks SO small!!!
I can't wait for that crane to be gone but I know it probably will not be gone until next year sometime.
I decided it's such a nice day that I'm leaving the sliding door in the living room open and the window in the bathroom open. Later in the afternoon before the sun goes down, I'll close them both.
Day 220: Thursday 10/29/09
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Day 219: Car is repaired
I spent the day reading. I had no energy to do even the most mundane chores. Although I did manage to get a few loads of clothes washed and a few of the floors scrubbed.
The sun is shining and it's a beautiful day and when I looked out the sliding glass door, I was appalled at how dirty it was. So I got my handy-dandy sqeegee and a small bucket with Dawn dishwashing liquid and went to town. I couldn't believe how dirty they were. And the inside was dirtier than the outside. It looks like black greasy soot. Dawn does the trick, though. And they are sparkling clean once again. Unfortunately when I was on the balcony, I dropped the bucket and spilled most of the liquid on the balcony and on my pants and slippers. I was mad at myself and started to get cold. But I hurriedly washed the window and decided that I also needed to do the one in the bedroom but that's going to be for another day!
Ted came home because he forgot his work phone. I sent him an email but I don't think he got it. He came home around 1pm and asked if I wanted to go to lunch. I asked him where and he said across the street to Mamma Maria's. I'm not turning down the chance to have a mushroom pizza at Mamma Maria's!! So off we went to have pizza and salad. He left around two.
Later on Ted called and said the car was ready and he wanted to take the company car back to the office. He said the noise in the car is gone and the heater is working great. He absolutely loves that little car. I would never have believed it but he does. It's an older model but it's in such great shape we are going to check into having it prepped to bring it home. We have a very small loan on it that will be paid off in the next 6 to 8 months so we are loathe to part with it.
He forgot the VAT form to save us the 19% tax so we will have to do that tomorrow.
We drove to the dealership and picked up the loaner car form the office, then dropped it off at the office and moved all of Ted's stuff from the loaner back into our vehicle.
The dealership was great! They even washed the car without charge!! I was totally impressed. They also swept the inside of the car as well (but that I understand because they were working under the dash.)
We then went to the Rewe (pronounce Rev-a) in Bonlanden to get the Ja!(pronounced Yaw) mineral water that Ted loves so much and while we were there got some Ja! yogurt that Ted wanted to try. We thought we would stop and get some ice cream but they were closed until the 31st. We were totally disappointed.
We went to get gas becasue Ted said the gas mileage would probably improve. We went home and I spent the rest of the evening reading and Ted was working on company stuff as well as his home computer.
Day 219: Wednesday 10/28/09
The sun is shining and it's a beautiful day and when I looked out the sliding glass door, I was appalled at how dirty it was. So I got my handy-dandy sqeegee and a small bucket with Dawn dishwashing liquid and went to town. I couldn't believe how dirty they were. And the inside was dirtier than the outside. It looks like black greasy soot. Dawn does the trick, though. And they are sparkling clean once again. Unfortunately when I was on the balcony, I dropped the bucket and spilled most of the liquid on the balcony and on my pants and slippers. I was mad at myself and started to get cold. But I hurriedly washed the window and decided that I also needed to do the one in the bedroom but that's going to be for another day!
Ted came home because he forgot his work phone. I sent him an email but I don't think he got it. He came home around 1pm and asked if I wanted to go to lunch. I asked him where and he said across the street to Mamma Maria's. I'm not turning down the chance to have a mushroom pizza at Mamma Maria's!! So off we went to have pizza and salad. He left around two.
Later on Ted called and said the car was ready and he wanted to take the company car back to the office. He said the noise in the car is gone and the heater is working great. He absolutely loves that little car. I would never have believed it but he does. It's an older model but it's in such great shape we are going to check into having it prepped to bring it home. We have a very small loan on it that will be paid off in the next 6 to 8 months so we are loathe to part with it.
He forgot the VAT form to save us the 19% tax so we will have to do that tomorrow.
We drove to the dealership and picked up the loaner car form the office, then dropped it off at the office and moved all of Ted's stuff from the loaner back into our vehicle.
The dealership was great! They even washed the car without charge!! I was totally impressed. They also swept the inside of the car as well (but that I understand because they were working under the dash.)
We then went to the Rewe (pronounce Rev-a) in Bonlanden to get the Ja!(pronounced Yaw) mineral water that Ted loves so much and while we were there got some Ja! yogurt that Ted wanted to try. We thought we would stop and get some ice cream but they were closed until the 31st. We were totally disappointed.
We went to get gas becasue Ted said the gas mileage would probably improve. We went home and I spent the rest of the evening reading and Ted was working on company stuff as well as his home computer.
Day 219: Wednesday 10/28/09
Day 218: Car repairs
Ted took the car in to get the fan fixed and to figure out what the awful noise is in the car. I had to drive the car to Ted's office and pick him up and drive to the dealership to drop off the car. It turns out the man in charge of service is, you guessed it, Italian. So I was able to translate what was happening with the car. We already had an estimate from them for the fan. It turns out it's the wheel bearings and while not inexpensive to fix, it needs to be done. The tires are also worn because of it. However, it's getting close to winter time so we will put the winter tires on the car for now and worry about getting all-season tires in the spring. That will give us a little bit of time to put away the money needed for that purchase.
The service guy is a native Sicilian but has lived in Germany since he was a little boy. There are a LOT of Italians in Germany. It's amazing how handy having a second language has become. Ted is even starting to pick up some words based on the conversation and hand movements, he's starting to understand the gist of the conversation. Good for him!!!
He tells me I love it when I can speak Italian...and he's right.
It wasn't too late in the evening but Ted had a hankering for Pizza so we went to Domenico's for Pizza. He seems to like it better than Mamma Maria's but I don't care for the waitress there as she seems too phony for me. And, for me, the food is not all that good.
We went home and I continued to read. I think I"m now on the fifth book of the Left Behind series.
Tuesday 10/27/09
The service guy is a native Sicilian but has lived in Germany since he was a little boy. There are a LOT of Italians in Germany. It's amazing how handy having a second language has become. Ted is even starting to pick up some words based on the conversation and hand movements, he's starting to understand the gist of the conversation. Good for him!!!
He tells me I love it when I can speak Italian...and he's right.
It wasn't too late in the evening but Ted had a hankering for Pizza so we went to Domenico's for Pizza. He seems to like it better than Mamma Maria's but I don't care for the waitress there as she seems too phony for me. And, for me, the food is not all that good.
We went home and I continued to read. I think I"m now on the fifth book of the Left Behind series.
Tuesday 10/27/09
Monday, October 26, 2009
Day 217: Monday cleaning!
Ted left early to go to the dealership to schedule the car maintenance. Luckily there are people there that speak English! We really DO need to get on the stick and get back to learning our German.
The phone ringing woke me up at 7:30pm. I was confused because I didn't recognize the ring. It sounded like Ted's cell phone but it wasn't. By the time I got to the phone in the Living Room, it stopped. I checked and Ted had not shut off the internet last night. It's a good thing we didn't get any of those darn phone solicitations in the middle of the night!!
I have a lot of work planned for today. I need to finish taking stuff down to storage, do laundry, put up the rest of the drapes, clean the master bedroom, sweep and scrub the floors. I also want to work on the blogs and get those caught up, iron Ted's collars on his new shirts that I washed on Friday, and do some TESOL work. I don't know how much I'll get done but I'm going to try!!
Monday 10/26/09
The phone ringing woke me up at 7:30pm. I was confused because I didn't recognize the ring. It sounded like Ted's cell phone but it wasn't. By the time I got to the phone in the Living Room, it stopped. I checked and Ted had not shut off the internet last night. It's a good thing we didn't get any of those darn phone solicitations in the middle of the night!!
I have a lot of work planned for today. I need to finish taking stuff down to storage, do laundry, put up the rest of the drapes, clean the master bedroom, sweep and scrub the floors. I also want to work on the blogs and get those caught up, iron Ted's collars on his new shirts that I washed on Friday, and do some TESOL work. I don't know how much I'll get done but I'm going to try!!
Monday 10/26/09
Day 216: Movie night!
We got up and went to church. The regular chaplain wasn't there but his substitute did a great job with the sermon. We ran into Ted's boss in church and Ted explained that he would have to go to the dealership in the morning. It turns out that Ted's boss speaks Italian. So whenever he sees me, he speaks Italian.
We stopped at the BX/PX and I stayed in the car and read. I didn't need anything in there, Ted did.
Then we went to Patch to finish up the grocery shopping (things I couldn't get on the economy like cereal and crackers and soups). After we were through there, we went home and I made Ted his favorite breakfast of bacon and eggs, English muffins and German Potato puffers.
After breakfast we did some emailing and I read some more. We decided to go back to Patch to see a movie at 7pm.
We left for the base at 6pm and got there at about 6:45. We went in and bought our tickets $5 each (cheaper than in the states) some popcorn and a drink. What impressed me was they played the national anthem before showing the movie and had everyone stand. I thought that was REALLY cool!! The movie was "The time traveler's wife". Neither one of us liked the movie because it was a downer. We like light and "feel good" movies. This one wasn't.
We got home around 9pm and I called both girls, my best friend and my mom all in the states. The only person I reached was my best friend. After talking to her and leaving messages for everyone I finished up the third book of the Left Behind series: Harvesting of Souls. On to book four and the next book of the series: Apolyon.
It was way past bedtime and I stopped reading and went to bed.
We stopped at the BX/PX and I stayed in the car and read. I didn't need anything in there, Ted did.
Then we went to Patch to finish up the grocery shopping (things I couldn't get on the economy like cereal and crackers and soups). After we were through there, we went home and I made Ted his favorite breakfast of bacon and eggs, English muffins and German Potato puffers.
After breakfast we did some emailing and I read some more. We decided to go back to Patch to see a movie at 7pm.
We left for the base at 6pm and got there at about 6:45. We went in and bought our tickets $5 each (cheaper than in the states) some popcorn and a drink. What impressed me was they played the national anthem before showing the movie and had everyone stand. I thought that was REALLY cool!! The movie was "The time traveler's wife". Neither one of us liked the movie because it was a downer. We like light and "feel good" movies. This one wasn't.
We got home around 9pm and I called both girls, my best friend and my mom all in the states. The only person I reached was my best friend. After talking to her and leaving messages for everyone I finished up the third book of the Left Behind series: Harvesting of Souls. On to book four and the next book of the series: Apolyon.
It was way past bedtime and I stopped reading and went to bed.
Day 215: German Red Cross
We have a lot of errands to run today. I'm still on the third book of the Left Behind series because of all of the stuff that had to be done yesterday.
Our first stop is Kelley base to get Euros for the weekend. This doesn't take too long and we are on our way. Interestingly, they have this GIANT straw man at the entrance. It's made out of the rolls of hay and bales of hay and has pumpkins around it. It's so cute! I'm going to have to take a picture of it!!
Second stop is ATU (the car place) to find out about the car's fan and the door lock. Ted bought WD-40 and applied it to the lock. It still sticks. We'll have to deal with that another time. When we got to ATU, the place is packed and we are having a tough time finding a parking spot. We finally find one and I sat reading while Ted went inside. They told us we would need to go to the dealership because this is a special part that only the dealership could install. The dealership is right around the corner but by the time we got there, it was closed. That means Ted has to schedule the appointment to get the car fixed early Monday morning.
Then on to the German Red Cross to scope out the remaining furniture we have to buy (entertainment center for storage and for TV, wardrobes for the master bedroom and the hallway and a love seat). We also have to hit the Base thrift store at some point but not today.
When we get there, there's a tent with "flamkuchen" and of course, Ted wanted to eat first. So we stopped and got two of them along with two glasses of Coke. Flamkuchen is this unleavened bread with ham and onions and cheese with some sort of cream as the sauce and they are baked in an oven. It was good as usual.
We went inside and found out that they only accept cash (no credit cards) and they would store the purchases for one week for free and then 10 Euro per item per week after that. They also deliver and it was somewhat expensive so we decided that we have to buy everything at once and then have everything delivered at once.
We looked at wardrobes and sofas and entertainment centers. All of them were nice and I wish we could have bought them right then and there but we are not prepared to do that this week. We have to get the car fixed and funds were earmarked for that this week. We can do this in two weeks when we've saved enough to take care of it all. Ted and I were at odds with one another. He wanted a TV stand and I said, absolutely not! We need the storage because there is none right now and we have stuff that needs to be put away and no where to put it. I told him we have a plan and we need to work the plan.
We decided to take a side road back to Reutlingen (we have to go get the rest of the drapery hooks). It actually was a beautiful drive and a beautiful day for it!! While the trees are turning colors, they aren't the brilliant reds, oranges and golds of the Ohio valley but it is beautiful. And the trip was shorter than trying to go on the autobahn even though it was only a two-lane road.
When we got to Reutlingen and Rieters (the store), we found they had already put up Christmas decorations (they wouldn't have Thanksgiving...so no decoration for that). It was a nice display and we walked around looking at Christmas stuff. Ted wanted to know if I wanted anything. I said no I was going to wait until we went to the Christmas market in Nuremburg sometime in December.
We finally found the hooks and Ted wanted another tieback for the Living room drapes so we got the last one they had. We weren't sure if it was the same one but we bought it anyways.
He also wanted to go to the store across from Rieters. I thought it was a supermarket but it turns out, it's the discount version of the Rieters store. We went inside and looked at furniture (just to verify that the prices were all higher here than at the Red Cross) and of course, they were!! There was at least one item that if we cannot find it at the Red Cross we will be back to get it. It's the hallway wardrobe. It was 118 Euro which is about $175. If the Red Cross doesn't have one, we'll get it there. We also picked up an iron for 14 Euro which is about $21.
I was done shopping but we still had to go to the German grocery store today since I kept putting it off all week long. We went home first to get my "granny cart" and some bags and we took the few purchases that we had upstairs with us.
We went to LIDL instead of to Netto because Ted had to recycle plastic bottles that we had been accumulating for the past few weeks. It turns out we had 4.50 Euro (about $7.75) in refunds that will apply to our LIDL purchases. We shopped and got everything on my list then we went home.
We had a dinner of leftovers and then sat and watched Snow White (another Disney movie I'd never seen and that Ted felt I was deprived of). Although they are classic Disney movies, my all-time favorite Disney movie will always be the Beauty and the Beast.
Saturday 10/24/09
Our first stop is Kelley base to get Euros for the weekend. This doesn't take too long and we are on our way. Interestingly, they have this GIANT straw man at the entrance. It's made out of the rolls of hay and bales of hay and has pumpkins around it. It's so cute! I'm going to have to take a picture of it!!
Second stop is ATU (the car place) to find out about the car's fan and the door lock. Ted bought WD-40 and applied it to the lock. It still sticks. We'll have to deal with that another time. When we got to ATU, the place is packed and we are having a tough time finding a parking spot. We finally find one and I sat reading while Ted went inside. They told us we would need to go to the dealership because this is a special part that only the dealership could install. The dealership is right around the corner but by the time we got there, it was closed. That means Ted has to schedule the appointment to get the car fixed early Monday morning.
Then on to the German Red Cross to scope out the remaining furniture we have to buy (entertainment center for storage and for TV, wardrobes for the master bedroom and the hallway and a love seat). We also have to hit the Base thrift store at some point but not today.
When we get there, there's a tent with "flamkuchen" and of course, Ted wanted to eat first. So we stopped and got two of them along with two glasses of Coke. Flamkuchen is this unleavened bread with ham and onions and cheese with some sort of cream as the sauce and they are baked in an oven. It was good as usual.
We went inside and found out that they only accept cash (no credit cards) and they would store the purchases for one week for free and then 10 Euro per item per week after that. They also deliver and it was somewhat expensive so we decided that we have to buy everything at once and then have everything delivered at once.
We looked at wardrobes and sofas and entertainment centers. All of them were nice and I wish we could have bought them right then and there but we are not prepared to do that this week. We have to get the car fixed and funds were earmarked for that this week. We can do this in two weeks when we've saved enough to take care of it all. Ted and I were at odds with one another. He wanted a TV stand and I said, absolutely not! We need the storage because there is none right now and we have stuff that needs to be put away and no where to put it. I told him we have a plan and we need to work the plan.
We decided to take a side road back to Reutlingen (we have to go get the rest of the drapery hooks). It actually was a beautiful drive and a beautiful day for it!! While the trees are turning colors, they aren't the brilliant reds, oranges and golds of the Ohio valley but it is beautiful. And the trip was shorter than trying to go on the autobahn even though it was only a two-lane road.
When we got to Reutlingen and Rieters (the store), we found they had already put up Christmas decorations (they wouldn't have Thanksgiving...so no decoration for that). It was a nice display and we walked around looking at Christmas stuff. Ted wanted to know if I wanted anything. I said no I was going to wait until we went to the Christmas market in Nuremburg sometime in December.
We finally found the hooks and Ted wanted another tieback for the Living room drapes so we got the last one they had. We weren't sure if it was the same one but we bought it anyways.
He also wanted to go to the store across from Rieters. I thought it was a supermarket but it turns out, it's the discount version of the Rieters store. We went inside and looked at furniture (just to verify that the prices were all higher here than at the Red Cross) and of course, they were!! There was at least one item that if we cannot find it at the Red Cross we will be back to get it. It's the hallway wardrobe. It was 118 Euro which is about $175. If the Red Cross doesn't have one, we'll get it there. We also picked up an iron for 14 Euro which is about $21.
I was done shopping but we still had to go to the German grocery store today since I kept putting it off all week long. We went home first to get my "granny cart" and some bags and we took the few purchases that we had upstairs with us.
We went to LIDL instead of to Netto because Ted had to recycle plastic bottles that we had been accumulating for the past few weeks. It turns out we had 4.50 Euro (about $7.75) in refunds that will apply to our LIDL purchases. We shopped and got everything on my list then we went home.
We had a dinner of leftovers and then sat and watched Snow White (another Disney movie I'd never seen and that Ted felt I was deprived of). Although they are classic Disney movies, my all-time favorite Disney movie will always be the Beauty and the Beast.
Saturday 10/24/09
Day 214: News from home!
I had a to do list as long as my arm. I never got the appointment to get our hair cut and I really need to do that next week. It's a pain to have to schedule a hair appointment. I'm just so used to going to one of those "walk-in" places in the US that having to make appointments is very frustrating!!!
I did company work most of the morning and then cleaned the apartment and took some stuff down to the storage area as well.
My daughter and I spoke on the phone for about an hour or so (interrupted by the baby falling with glass measuring cups and pinpricking his tiny, little fingers - but he's fine! I reccommended that she keep anything glass out of his reach).
We discussed their trip at length. When they would come in, the auto logistics, the bed for the baby, what to see and do. I promised her I would research the various places and get back to her with the results via email. It took me the rest of the afternoon to do the research and get PFDs made of the various information not to mention the URLs of websites she might want to look at. So of course my "to-do" list went right out the window!!
She also told me that my other daughter was in an accident. She said she was fine but of course, Mama worries. I'll call her when our conversation is through because it's early there and she said to let her sleep a bit before I call her.
I called my youngest daughter after I spoke to my eldest daughter and she told me the whole story. God was with her!!! She's banged up and bruised but has no broken bones or internal injuries. It's a bizarre story though...A police golf cart was being loaded onto a truck and somehow the mooring broke lose and it rolled off the truck and into the crowd. Before the police could stop it, it had run over my daughter and dragged her some distance as well as hitting other people. They took her to the hospital and kept her overnight and then released her in the morning. She's home and resting but is very sore and has an appointment with the orthopedic doctor just to make sure.
Ted and I decided we wanted to go out to the Haubenbrau in Bernhausen. It was cold and rainy. We were able to get a parking spot near the place. We shared a salad and Spaetzel. There was an Italian family sitting opposite us. They were on vacation.
We came home and watched the newest episode of our favorite television series NCIS whichwe were able to get on I-tunes! How cool is that??? After that Ted had me watch Sleeping Beauty. I had never seen it as a child and he felt I was deprived so he bought me that and Snow White. What a sweet guy!!!
After that it was time for bed!!
Friday 10/23/09
I did company work most of the morning and then cleaned the apartment and took some stuff down to the storage area as well.
My daughter and I spoke on the phone for about an hour or so (interrupted by the baby falling with glass measuring cups and pinpricking his tiny, little fingers - but he's fine! I reccommended that she keep anything glass out of his reach).
We discussed their trip at length. When they would come in, the auto logistics, the bed for the baby, what to see and do. I promised her I would research the various places and get back to her with the results via email. It took me the rest of the afternoon to do the research and get PFDs made of the various information not to mention the URLs of websites she might want to look at. So of course my "to-do" list went right out the window!!
She also told me that my other daughter was in an accident. She said she was fine but of course, Mama worries. I'll call her when our conversation is through because it's early there and she said to let her sleep a bit before I call her.
I called my youngest daughter after I spoke to my eldest daughter and she told me the whole story. God was with her!!! She's banged up and bruised but has no broken bones or internal injuries. It's a bizarre story though...A police golf cart was being loaded onto a truck and somehow the mooring broke lose and it rolled off the truck and into the crowd. Before the police could stop it, it had run over my daughter and dragged her some distance as well as hitting other people. They took her to the hospital and kept her overnight and then released her in the morning. She's home and resting but is very sore and has an appointment with the orthopedic doctor just to make sure.
Ted and I decided we wanted to go out to the Haubenbrau in Bernhausen. It was cold and rainy. We were able to get a parking spot near the place. We shared a salad and Spaetzel. There was an Italian family sitting opposite us. They were on vacation.
We came home and watched the newest episode of our favorite television series NCIS whichwe were able to get on I-tunes! How cool is that??? After that Ted had me watch Sleeping Beauty. I had never seen it as a child and he felt I was deprived so he bought me that and Snow White. What a sweet guy!!!
After that it was time for bed!!
Friday 10/23/09
Day 213: Music night at Mamma Maria's
I did more company work and now I'm on the third book of the Left behind series: Harvest Souls (and yes, I'm a fast reader)
I did another load or two of laundry and cleaned as well.
Tonight is music night at Mamma Maria's and of course dinner too! We got there late so we ended up in the next room. I had my favorite mushroom pizza and Ted had salmon which he loved. We have decided that in two weeks (the next time the band will be playing, we will be there much earlier...like at six pm!!
I talked to Joe about what he charges for voice lessons during the break. It's not all that expensive...just 25 Euro for an hour to an hour and a half. That's a pretty good deal. I'm still thinking about it but Ted said it was OK for me to do this. It's something I've always wanted to do and never had either the time or the money to do it. I want to get my TESOL out of the way first then I'll think about when I want to start the lessons.
Halfway through the night we moved into the other room (because people left) and listened to the music. We closed the place down and came home at almost midnight! But it was fun listening to music from the 60's and 70's. While I never liked the song Hotel California, these guys have their own arrangement for it and it's beautiful!!
When we knew the words, so we sang along. It was fun. Jerry, the lead singer, a throw back from the old James Brown days...sat at our table and asked us to bring a list of songs with us the next time. He wanted us to sing with him. That should be fun!
Thursday 10/22/09
I did another load or two of laundry and cleaned as well.
Tonight is music night at Mamma Maria's and of course dinner too! We got there late so we ended up in the next room. I had my favorite mushroom pizza and Ted had salmon which he loved. We have decided that in two weeks (the next time the band will be playing, we will be there much earlier...like at six pm!!
I talked to Joe about what he charges for voice lessons during the break. It's not all that expensive...just 25 Euro for an hour to an hour and a half. That's a pretty good deal. I'm still thinking about it but Ted said it was OK for me to do this. It's something I've always wanted to do and never had either the time or the money to do it. I want to get my TESOL out of the way first then I'll think about when I want to start the lessons.
Halfway through the night we moved into the other room (because people left) and listened to the music. We closed the place down and came home at almost midnight! But it was fun listening to music from the 60's and 70's. While I never liked the song Hotel California, these guys have their own arrangement for it and it's beautiful!!
When we knew the words, so we sang along. It was fun. Jerry, the lead singer, a throw back from the old James Brown days...sat at our table and asked us to bring a list of songs with us the next time. He wanted us to sing with him. That should be fun!
Thursday 10/22/09
Day 212: Plans for the weekend
Ted keeps asking me what we're doing this weekend. I have plans for us but we are not going out of town. It will be all in-town errands that we need to get accomplished before the kids come in November.
I did more company work and more reading. I really do need to work on my TESOL. I need to get to Netto for groceries but I keep putting it off.
Wednesday 10/21/09
I did more company work and more reading. I really do need to work on my TESOL. I need to get to Netto for groceries but I keep putting it off.
Wednesday 10/21/09
Day 211: More Reading!
I had more company work to do and also did some laundry and cleaned. I finished Left Behind and now am on the second book in the series: Tribulation Force.
Tuesday 10/20/09
Tuesday 10/20/09
Day 210: On a reading spree!
I had some company work to do. And I decided with all that is going on in the world, I wanted to re-read the Left Behind series. The first book of the series is "Left Behind".
We have the two Left Behind movies but I wanted to read the series again. We also have books one through eight on CD. I will listen to those at some point but for now, I want to read.
I made chicken soup as it's cold and rainy outside.
Monday 10/19/09
We have the two Left Behind movies but I wanted to read the series again. We also have books one through eight on CD. I will listen to those at some point but for now, I want to read.
I made chicken soup as it's cold and rainy outside.
Monday 10/19/09
Day 210: Brunch at the Offcer's Club
We got up, packed our stuff in the car and went to the officer's club for brunch. There was a big selection at the brunch and we met up with some of Ted's co-worker's who drove from Stuttgart just to have brunch.
The brunch was good. There was anything and everything you could think of...from freshly made eggs and omeletes to waffles to salads to crab and shrimp to deserts. Anything you could possibly want and then some. We were shown to "our" table. You pay for your meal and they give you a table number. We found our table and was served water and juice. We then went to get our food. I stood in line behind an officer in fatigues. He didn't say anything to me but he got his omelet and then I got mine.
I found out later that he was the commander of Ramstein. Fancy that...me being right behind the commander. I didn't know his rank because I don't know the military ranks all that well. Ted, I'm sure, would have known.
After brunch, we left Ramstein with the proviso that we would come again but not stay on base. There are all kinds of hotels outside of the base compound and we didn't need to be on base.
Traffic was rerouted due to construction and "Julie" was confused. There was no way she could have known there would be ramp closings. This two hour drive turned into three with the traffic and the detour.
We were glad to be home but now we had to lug all of that "stuff" we bought upstairs to the apartment. We parked in the "besucher" (Guest) parking and I took up as many bags as I could. I grabbed the folding hand truck to bring up the dishes. Ted brought up the suitcase and some other things and I loaded the dishes and the heater onto the handtruck and trudged them up the stairs. I then went and got the wine. I didn't want to break the bottles as the vendor did not pack them so they wouldn't "clink".
We spent the rest of the afternoon and evening putting stuff away. He even put together the heater! We checked email until bedtime.
Sunday 10/18/09
The brunch was good. There was anything and everything you could think of...from freshly made eggs and omeletes to waffles to salads to crab and shrimp to deserts. Anything you could possibly want and then some. We were shown to "our" table. You pay for your meal and they give you a table number. We found our table and was served water and juice. We then went to get our food. I stood in line behind an officer in fatigues. He didn't say anything to me but he got his omelet and then I got mine.
I found out later that he was the commander of Ramstein. Fancy that...me being right behind the commander. I didn't know his rank because I don't know the military ranks all that well. Ted, I'm sure, would have known.
After brunch, we left Ramstein with the proviso that we would come again but not stay on base. There are all kinds of hotels outside of the base compound and we didn't need to be on base.
Traffic was rerouted due to construction and "Julie" was confused. There was no way she could have known there would be ramp closings. This two hour drive turned into three with the traffic and the detour.
We were glad to be home but now we had to lug all of that "stuff" we bought upstairs to the apartment. We parked in the "besucher" (Guest) parking and I took up as many bags as I could. I grabbed the folding hand truck to bring up the dishes. Ted brought up the suitcase and some other things and I loaded the dishes and the heater onto the handtruck and trudged them up the stairs. I then went and got the wine. I didn't want to break the bottles as the vendor did not pack them so they wouldn't "clink".
We spent the rest of the afternoon and evening putting stuff away. He even put together the heater! We checked email until bedtime.
Sunday 10/18/09
Day 209: Shopping at the BX/PX at Ramstein
Both of us were extremely tired from the trip, the very dark night, the struggle to find the building and room, strained both of us. The fan makes an incredible noise and that didn't help the trip much. He was supposed to get that fixed last week but couldn't get an appointment. Hopefully it will be fixed soon.
As a result of that incredible tiredness and having stayed up a few hours watching television, we awoke late in the morning. By the time we were showered and dressed it was 11 and just about time for lunch. We decided to go to Chili's for lunch because not having had dinner the night before both of us were starved!!!
But before we could go to Chili's, we had to get gas. The tank was nearly on empty. We filled up on base and Ted used his fuel card.
We ordered burgers and I finally got a glass of honest to goodness Iced Tea. Instead of leaving tonight (Ted was loathe to drive in the dark as the roads were incredibly dark and the markings on the roads were only faintly visible). We decided to stay since our room was paid for until tomorrow and we'd leave after breakfast. We were told by some of Ted's co-workers that the officer's club had a fantastic brunch so we decided to go there for brunch in the morning.
After lunch we went straight to the BX/PX. The place was packed and we ended up parking behind the BX/PX and walked around to the front. It started to rain a little but it was not as cold as I thought it would be.
We got inside and started looking around. By the time we left the BX we had bought dishes (I didn't bring any from the US because all I had were really old dishes that needed to be thrown away and my really good dishes and I didn't want to risk breaking the good ones, so they were stored) We also bought a terabyte disk drive to back up the laptops, clothes for Ted (long-sleeved shirts and two pairs of pants) and an oil heater for the apartment for this winter along with some movies.
We spent more than I wanted to spend but aside from the movies, it was all things we needed. The BX/PX was like the anchor store in a Mall and there were a lot of little stores along with a huge food court with American and German fast food places. We also bought some Reisling wine since we were in the Rhein valley and I love the Reisling wine.
We looked at shoes and the Christmas store but since one of us had to stay with our purchases, we traded turns going into shops. When I got tired of doing that we both took the purchases out to the car. When we returned, we looked in more stores; from jewelry stores back to the shoe store and a pottery store. It was fun but shopping can be tiring. We stopped at the Ben & Jerry's ice cream stand and had some ice cream. Their selections were limited and I was not impressed by them. I'm not sure if it was because they were out or just didn't have it. Ted said that's the way it is on base...when it's gone, it's gone and you have to wait for another shipment. We don't know how good we have it until we don't have it anymore. I sure do miss the convenience of getting what I want when I want it. That's what free enterprise does for you!!!
Neither of us were terribly hungry so we decided to buy one salad from Chili's and take it back to the "apartment" and watch one of the movies I bought. So that was the plan.
I waited about 20 minutes for the salad to be ready and then off we went to the "apartment". We munched on the salad and watched the movie "Knowing" with Nicholas Cage. We both were disappointed by the movie because it was somewhat of a downer and because we know the truth of God's plan.
By this time both of us were really tired from the long day of shopping and walking so we went to bed.
Saturday 10/17/09
As a result of that incredible tiredness and having stayed up a few hours watching television, we awoke late in the morning. By the time we were showered and dressed it was 11 and just about time for lunch. We decided to go to Chili's for lunch because not having had dinner the night before both of us were starved!!!
But before we could go to Chili's, we had to get gas. The tank was nearly on empty. We filled up on base and Ted used his fuel card.
We ordered burgers and I finally got a glass of honest to goodness Iced Tea. Instead of leaving tonight (Ted was loathe to drive in the dark as the roads were incredibly dark and the markings on the roads were only faintly visible). We decided to stay since our room was paid for until tomorrow and we'd leave after breakfast. We were told by some of Ted's co-workers that the officer's club had a fantastic brunch so we decided to go there for brunch in the morning.
After lunch we went straight to the BX/PX. The place was packed and we ended up parking behind the BX/PX and walked around to the front. It started to rain a little but it was not as cold as I thought it would be.
We got inside and started looking around. By the time we left the BX we had bought dishes (I didn't bring any from the US because all I had were really old dishes that needed to be thrown away and my really good dishes and I didn't want to risk breaking the good ones, so they were stored) We also bought a terabyte disk drive to back up the laptops, clothes for Ted (long-sleeved shirts and two pairs of pants) and an oil heater for the apartment for this winter along with some movies.
We spent more than I wanted to spend but aside from the movies, it was all things we needed. The BX/PX was like the anchor store in a Mall and there were a lot of little stores along with a huge food court with American and German fast food places. We also bought some Reisling wine since we were in the Rhein valley and I love the Reisling wine.
We looked at shoes and the Christmas store but since one of us had to stay with our purchases, we traded turns going into shops. When I got tired of doing that we both took the purchases out to the car. When we returned, we looked in more stores; from jewelry stores back to the shoe store and a pottery store. It was fun but shopping can be tiring. We stopped at the Ben & Jerry's ice cream stand and had some ice cream. Their selections were limited and I was not impressed by them. I'm not sure if it was because they were out or just didn't have it. Ted said that's the way it is on base...when it's gone, it's gone and you have to wait for another shipment. We don't know how good we have it until we don't have it anymore. I sure do miss the convenience of getting what I want when I want it. That's what free enterprise does for you!!!
Neither of us were terribly hungry so we decided to buy one salad from Chili's and take it back to the "apartment" and watch one of the movies I bought. So that was the plan.
I waited about 20 minutes for the salad to be ready and then off we went to the "apartment". We munched on the salad and watched the movie "Knowing" with Nicholas Cage. We both were disappointed by the movie because it was somewhat of a downer and because we know the truth of God's plan.
By this time both of us were really tired from the long day of shopping and walking so we went to bed.
Saturday 10/17/09
Day 208: Trip to Ramstein AFB
I made reservations for new hotel on Ramstein AF base. I thought it was in Frankfurt but it turns out it's more than an hour west of Frankfurt. So all of the planning I did yesterday for the trip had to be shelved for another time. You hear about Ramstein in the news all the time and it's incredibly HUGE...a small city really! What I didn't know was that it was once two separate airbases that were combined into one. I don't remember the exact year that this occured but I think it was sometime in the 70's.
It was an incredibly dark night and Ted had trouble seeing the road because the lines in the road were so faint. That and the fact that the windshield was terribly dirty...he finally let me use the rainex wipees on the windshield while we were waiting in traffic on the autobahn but it just made it worse. I wanted to stop but I was not about to say that to him. He was already angry that it didn't clean it too well.
We were within 10 km of the base and we saw these HUGE lights. I thought it was some kind of stadium. Ted said, "No, that's the runway. I'm sure of it!" Those lights bursting through the inky darkness were amazing.
I was disappointed that Ramstein wasn't in Frankfurt and a little perturbed that Ted didn't tell me. I had plans to see certain sites while in Frankfurt but that was a bust because of the location. We will just have to visit Frankfurt another time. I thought we were staying on base at the new hotel there. However, upon check in we were informed that it was first come, first serve and we get whatever housing they have available. We can't beat the price, though. We were put in officer housing: sitting room, kitchen, bath & bedroom in an older location. But we had to find it. The map that the clerk gave us was of the entire base. I had no idea how big this base was. It was SO incredibly dark we had difficulty finding the building that we were staying in.
We drove around aimlessly trying to find the building and apartment we were assigned and both of us were testy. I decided the best thing to do was to keep quiet and let the driver (Ted) do what he wanted to do. Even with the map, I couldn't get our bearings because Ted just kept going and didn't stop to look at the map to see where we were. It was incredibly frustrating and we were low on gas.
We thought we'd be there early enough to have dinner on base. Luckily we brought cookies and water because by the time we got to the base, it was late (after 10) and all of the base restaurants were closed. We were disappointed to say the least.
When we finally found the building after stopping and asking directions twice! We realized we were on the third floor with no elevator. So we trudged our one piece of luggage, coats, blanket and bag of water & cookies up those steps.
Before we could trudge up those stairs, we had issues with the key to the car. It was stuck in the door and Ted could not get it out. We worked it and worked and finally after about 10 minutes we finally got it out. Then Ted had trouble locking the door from his side. When he finally was able to lock the door, we were able to go up to the room. What a night!!!
Ted was thrilled to be able to watch television but didn't like the accommodations. He said he felt he was back in the military. No kidding! Ted called the housing "ability" whatever that means...and was thinking he wanted to go back to Plieningen after we saw the BX/PX (which was just built and is the largest BX/PX in the world!!!)
I was so tired that all I wanted to do was sleep. I watched TV with Ted for awhile and then fell asleep. This room had the one thing I can't stand: a TV in the bedroom. Ted was in his glory because he could watch TV and be in bed too.
The other goal (he had) was to get an honest to goodness U.S. American hamburger at Chili's on base. His co-workers suggested it. And while we were supposed have done that tonight, we will do that tomorrow.
Friday 10/16/09
It was an incredibly dark night and Ted had trouble seeing the road because the lines in the road were so faint. That and the fact that the windshield was terribly dirty...he finally let me use the rainex wipees on the windshield while we were waiting in traffic on the autobahn but it just made it worse. I wanted to stop but I was not about to say that to him. He was already angry that it didn't clean it too well.
We were within 10 km of the base and we saw these HUGE lights. I thought it was some kind of stadium. Ted said, "No, that's the runway. I'm sure of it!" Those lights bursting through the inky darkness were amazing.
I was disappointed that Ramstein wasn't in Frankfurt and a little perturbed that Ted didn't tell me. I had plans to see certain sites while in Frankfurt but that was a bust because of the location. We will just have to visit Frankfurt another time. I thought we were staying on base at the new hotel there. However, upon check in we were informed that it was first come, first serve and we get whatever housing they have available. We can't beat the price, though. We were put in officer housing: sitting room, kitchen, bath & bedroom in an older location. But we had to find it. The map that the clerk gave us was of the entire base. I had no idea how big this base was. It was SO incredibly dark we had difficulty finding the building that we were staying in.
We drove around aimlessly trying to find the building and apartment we were assigned and both of us were testy. I decided the best thing to do was to keep quiet and let the driver (Ted) do what he wanted to do. Even with the map, I couldn't get our bearings because Ted just kept going and didn't stop to look at the map to see where we were. It was incredibly frustrating and we were low on gas.
We thought we'd be there early enough to have dinner on base. Luckily we brought cookies and water because by the time we got to the base, it was late (after 10) and all of the base restaurants were closed. We were disappointed to say the least.
When we finally found the building after stopping and asking directions twice! We realized we were on the third floor with no elevator. So we trudged our one piece of luggage, coats, blanket and bag of water & cookies up those steps.
Before we could trudge up those stairs, we had issues with the key to the car. It was stuck in the door and Ted could not get it out. We worked it and worked and finally after about 10 minutes we finally got it out. Then Ted had trouble locking the door from his side. When he finally was able to lock the door, we were able to go up to the room. What a night!!!
Ted was thrilled to be able to watch television but didn't like the accommodations. He said he felt he was back in the military. No kidding! Ted called the housing "ability" whatever that means...and was thinking he wanted to go back to Plieningen after we saw the BX/PX (which was just built and is the largest BX/PX in the world!!!)
I was so tired that all I wanted to do was sleep. I watched TV with Ted for awhile and then fell asleep. This room had the one thing I can't stand: a TV in the bedroom. Ted was in his glory because he could watch TV and be in bed too.
The other goal (he had) was to get an honest to goodness U.S. American hamburger at Chili's on base. His co-workers suggested it. And while we were supposed have done that tonight, we will do that tomorrow.
Friday 10/16/09
Day 207: Laundry and storage runs
Another day of company work and up and down the stairs to do some laundry. I also took more stuff down to the storage area. Having to go to the laundry room (which is on the same floor as the storage area) makes it convenient to carry down a small load of clothes and stuff that has to be stored. Already all of the luggage has been brought down to storage and now I'm working on the remaining broken down boxes!
I also managed to plan this weekend's trip. I made reservations and we are planning to leave tomorrow night after Ted gets home from work.
Thursday 10/15/09
I also managed to plan this weekend's trip. I made reservations and we are planning to leave tomorrow night after Ted gets home from work.
Thursday 10/15/09
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Day 206: Another cold day
It was a slow day but I did manage to do some company work today. I didn't leave the apartment since it's been cold and rainy.
Wednesday 10/14/09
Wednesday 10/14/09
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Day 205: Cold October day
I can't believe the October is almost halfway over! It seems to have flown by! I guess that happens when you get older. The days just seem to disappear into one another.
It's very cold today and I have my flannel jammies and a heavy sweater on and I'm still cold. Ted has to find out when the heat will be turned on.
I made hot chocolate for Ted to take with him to work this morning. But I spilled some on the cooktop when Ted distracted me with his questions. The stove was hot so of course the hot chocolate burned on the cooktop. I'm going to have a hard time getting it off without damaging the cooktop! In fact it took me almost two hours to get the cooktop clean without damaging it. It turns out, I had some special cooktop cleaner that I brought from our house in Rocklin so that was a good thing. Ted is NOT getting anymore hot chocolate in the morning before he goes to work. I will, however, make his favorite Chai Tea since that only involves water and the tea kettle.
I have some company work to do today along with some laundry and phone calls. And I'll put up the sheers if I have enough hooks. It turns out I have enough hooks for one panel but I have three panels left; one in the living room and two in the second bedroom. I dislike dragging this project out but there's nothing I can do. No car and not knowing which store may or may not have those hooks is a pain. We'll have to schedule some time to go get those hooks!
Tuesday 10/13/09
It's very cold today and I have my flannel jammies and a heavy sweater on and I'm still cold. Ted has to find out when the heat will be turned on.
I made hot chocolate for Ted to take with him to work this morning. But I spilled some on the cooktop when Ted distracted me with his questions. The stove was hot so of course the hot chocolate burned on the cooktop. I'm going to have a hard time getting it off without damaging the cooktop! In fact it took me almost two hours to get the cooktop clean without damaging it. It turns out, I had some special cooktop cleaner that I brought from our house in Rocklin so that was a good thing. Ted is NOT getting anymore hot chocolate in the morning before he goes to work. I will, however, make his favorite Chai Tea since that only involves water and the tea kettle.
I have some company work to do today along with some laundry and phone calls. And I'll put up the sheers if I have enough hooks. It turns out I have enough hooks for one panel but I have three panels left; one in the living room and two in the second bedroom. I dislike dragging this project out but there's nothing I can do. No car and not knowing which store may or may not have those hooks is a pain. We'll have to schedule some time to go get those hooks!
Tuesday 10/13/09
Monday, October 12, 2009
Day 204: Sheers are up!
Ted is exhausted so he stayed hom from work today. I did three loads of laundry. I still have whites and towels to do but they are going to have to wait until tomorrow. I put up the sheers in the master bedroom. They look terrific. I just wish I had all of the hooks I needed so I can get the other sheers done and up.
I did some company work this afternoon and wanted to work on my TESOL and personal finances but I found myself working on the blogs. I had almost three weeks to catch up on.
I also forgot to make a call for next weekend's trip. It's about time we left this apartment for a weekend. I'm tired of being cooped up and tired of trying to get things accomplished that I can't get accomplished.
I decided that it was cold enough (and rainy enough) to make hot chicken soup. Ted is happy about that. He loves my chicken soup and I'm making it with his favorite pasta (Orzo).
The rest of the evening I blogged and folded clothes while Ted worked on his German. The winter time will be a great time for us to buckle down and learn the language!
Monday 10/12/09
I did some company work this afternoon and wanted to work on my TESOL and personal finances but I found myself working on the blogs. I had almost three weeks to catch up on.
I also forgot to make a call for next weekend's trip. It's about time we left this apartment for a weekend. I'm tired of being cooped up and tired of trying to get things accomplished that I can't get accomplished.
I decided that it was cold enough (and rainy enough) to make hot chicken soup. Ted is happy about that. He loves my chicken soup and I'm making it with his favorite pasta (Orzo).
The rest of the evening I blogged and folded clothes while Ted worked on his German. The winter time will be a great time for us to buckle down and learn the language!
Monday 10/12/09
Day 203: Cold and blustery Sunday
We went to church this morning and the message was riveting! Chaplain Santiago let it be known that his job was not to be tolerant but to get us to heaven. I'm sure he stepped on some toes and made some people squirm but we couldn't have agreed with him more. And it turns out, the message was very appropriate for something that had happened earlier in the week to Ted.
We went to the BX / PX because Ted needed something and we ran into Ted's boss (who I found out speaks Italian) and his wife and three children. On the way out, we ran into Chaplain Santiago. We told him how much we enjoyed his message. It's one of the few times Ted didn't fall asleep in church. He says he feels so peaceful there that his eyes just close on their own! LOL!
We then went to the Commissary to pick up a few things and have some lunch. We then went home. It was very cold and windy and we wished we had a fireplace now. The trees are staring to lose their leaves but they are beautiful.
I took down the curtains in the Living room on the sliding door and replaced them with the other two panels that I put the hooks in. I put the hooks in the sheers that were to go in the master bedroom. But it was late and I was tired so I didn't put them up. I will need to do that tomorrow along with the rest of the laundry.
Sunday 10/11/09
We went to the BX / PX because Ted needed something and we ran into Ted's boss (who I found out speaks Italian) and his wife and three children. On the way out, we ran into Chaplain Santiago. We told him how much we enjoyed his message. It's one of the few times Ted didn't fall asleep in church. He says he feels so peaceful there that his eyes just close on their own! LOL!
We then went to the Commissary to pick up a few things and have some lunch. We then went home. It was very cold and windy and we wished we had a fireplace now. The trees are staring to lose their leaves but they are beautiful.
I took down the curtains in the Living room on the sliding door and replaced them with the other two panels that I put the hooks in. I put the hooks in the sheers that were to go in the master bedroom. But it was late and I was tired so I didn't put them up. I will need to do that tomorrow along with the rest of the laundry.
Sunday 10/11/09
Day 202: More household shopping!
I figured out I need 486 drapery hooks to put up all of the sheers. UGH!
We were going to go downtown to the main department store (suggested by the lady at the craft store on base last week). We had planned to drive to the train station and take the train down to Koenigstrasse (It's the big Stuttgart shopping street. But the word itself but because it was cold and raining, we decided that it would be more prudent to go to Ruetlingen to get what we needed. We decided to go to the store where we bought our mattresses because they had underground parking and we wouldn't be out in the rain. (One would actually think we didn't want to get wet!)
I was bummed out when we got there for a couple of reasons: 1) their drapes were less expensive and 2) they only had 350 hooks. This means I will have to make another trip at another time to get the other 136 hooks I need to finish the job. It is SO, SO frustrating. The clerk, who didn't speak much English, even checked her stockroom. It was a no go!
I wanted to find out if they had a tieback and I had NO idea what the word for tieback was. So I took the clerk to the drape samples and said "Haben si ??" (do you have ??) and I made the motion for a tieback. She knew exactly what I wanted. Ted was amazed and proud of me for thinking on my feet and showing her what I wanted. She took us to the place where the tiebacks were and they had a black and white circle but I wanted the wood one. I asked if she had a "brun" (brown) one. She looked in the stock room and she said only Schwartz und Weiss (black and white).
Ted had to use the restroom so I wanted to look at European pillows (they are square) and I have European pillow shams for our bed. They were on sale (15% off because the company has been in business for 30 years!). As I was looking for the pillows (I didn't want expensive ones, just something to put into the shams), I found a comforter that was SO soft! It was microfiber cloth and the interior was down and feathers. The clerk showed me what it was stuffed with and it was completely washable (although not at home because a home washer isn't big enough).
I was using the savings from the 19% VAT tax to buy what I needed. Ted wanted place mats so we got those as well. I let him pick them out. Lucky for me, I liked what he picked! LOL!
We also got a bread box because it was on sale as well. I was tired of seeing plastic bags with bread in them laying on the counter...not that the counter top is busy enough without it. Too much stuff on the counter right now. As soon as we get our entertainment center from the German Red Cross, then I can rearrange everything so that there's not a lot of "stuff" on the counter.
We decided to go see the guy that sold us our mattresses and tell him how happy we are with them and thank him again for selling them to us. We sleep SO well with them that we don't want to get out of bed in the morning! LOL! So we decided to put our "stuff" on the holding counter and go see Klaus.
It turns out Klaus was injured and had a broken hand. We stood and talked with him for about 10 minutes. At this point, we were ready to leave.
We decided that it was time for dinner and that we were going out again but this time we would go to Amalfi's for dinner. I'm glad we got there when we did because it was SO busy within 30 minutes of us getting there! Finally they had the broccoli and sausage Pizza that I had been wanting to try. It was on the menu but the sausage comes from Italy so I had to wait until it was shipped to them. Ted had fried calamari (his favorite) and a beer. I had water.
By the time we got home, I was totally ready to relax.
Saturday 10/10/09
We were going to go downtown to the main department store (suggested by the lady at the craft store on base last week). We had planned to drive to the train station and take the train down to Koenigstrasse (It's the big Stuttgart shopping street. But the word itself but because it was cold and raining, we decided that it would be more prudent to go to Ruetlingen to get what we needed. We decided to go to the store where we bought our mattresses because they had underground parking and we wouldn't be out in the rain. (One would actually think we didn't want to get wet!)
I was bummed out when we got there for a couple of reasons: 1) their drapes were less expensive and 2) they only had 350 hooks. This means I will have to make another trip at another time to get the other 136 hooks I need to finish the job. It is SO, SO frustrating. The clerk, who didn't speak much English, even checked her stockroom. It was a no go!
I wanted to find out if they had a tieback and I had NO idea what the word for tieback was. So I took the clerk to the drape samples and said "Haben si ??" (do you have ??) and I made the motion for a tieback. She knew exactly what I wanted. Ted was amazed and proud of me for thinking on my feet and showing her what I wanted. She took us to the place where the tiebacks were and they had a black and white circle but I wanted the wood one. I asked if she had a "brun" (brown) one. She looked in the stock room and she said only Schwartz und Weiss (black and white).
Ted had to use the restroom so I wanted to look at European pillows (they are square) and I have European pillow shams for our bed. They were on sale (15% off because the company has been in business for 30 years!). As I was looking for the pillows (I didn't want expensive ones, just something to put into the shams), I found a comforter that was SO soft! It was microfiber cloth and the interior was down and feathers. The clerk showed me what it was stuffed with and it was completely washable (although not at home because a home washer isn't big enough).
I was using the savings from the 19% VAT tax to buy what I needed. Ted wanted place mats so we got those as well. I let him pick them out. Lucky for me, I liked what he picked! LOL!
We also got a bread box because it was on sale as well. I was tired of seeing plastic bags with bread in them laying on the counter...not that the counter top is busy enough without it. Too much stuff on the counter right now. As soon as we get our entertainment center from the German Red Cross, then I can rearrange everything so that there's not a lot of "stuff" on the counter.
We decided to go see the guy that sold us our mattresses and tell him how happy we are with them and thank him again for selling them to us. We sleep SO well with them that we don't want to get out of bed in the morning! LOL! So we decided to put our "stuff" on the holding counter and go see Klaus.
It turns out Klaus was injured and had a broken hand. We stood and talked with him for about 10 minutes. At this point, we were ready to leave.
We decided that it was time for dinner and that we were going out again but this time we would go to Amalfi's for dinner. I'm glad we got there when we did because it was SO busy within 30 minutes of us getting there! Finally they had the broccoli and sausage Pizza that I had been wanting to try. It was on the menu but the sausage comes from Italy so I had to wait until it was shipped to them. Ted had fried calamari (his favorite) and a beer. I had water.
By the time we got home, I was totally ready to relax.
Saturday 10/10/09
Day 201: Oktoberfest or Dinner out?
We had tickets for the Oktoberfest in Stuttgart. The tickets were courtesy of Ted's company. They were very specific in that we had to be there by 4:30 to ensure seating in the tent. We would get 2 liters of beer each (or the equivilant of somethine else to drink) and a half a chicken.
Ted came home late because of work and said a co-worker was saving us seats. It was almost 5 when he got home. He had to stop at the office for something and to get directions on where we were going. Of course, he couldn't do that earlier in the week. Of course not.
His co-worker told us to take the train. Since we had NO idea where we were going and she gave us directions (and an address) to the place next door, we weren't taking any chances on getting on the wrong train and ending up in Timbuktu.
With traffic being what it was (a Friday night and Oktoberfest) it took over an hour to go 13 km (about 5.5 miles). We came to a large area where there was an amusement park. Ted seemed to think this was it...but I had my doubts. I reminded him his co-worker said the place we were going to was right next door (now he tells me nearby) where we were supposed to be. And Julie was telling us it was over 2 km away!
There was no way I was walking, in the cold and light rain, for 2 km!) It turns out that co-worker gave us totally BAD directions. What a jackass! When Ted FINALLY broke down and asked for directions, we were told it was 2 km back where we came from. It was indeed at the amusement park area. I told Ted, why in the world did she not tell us, "when you get to the amusement park, you're there." But NO, she gave us the address of this off-the-wall location and we're supposed to guess? NOT.
By this time it's almost 7pm and I really didn't wnat to go, not to mention if we DID go, there was no guarantee that we would be admitted because of us being so late regardless of the fact that a co-worker was saving us a seat.
And I was getting cranky so he needed to make a decision fast. So we decided to can the whole thing and go to dinner somewhere else. I know he would have liked to go and there always is next year!
We decided to dinner in Bonlanden. It's a restaurant that's right across the way from the Cafe Venezia where we get the wonderful gelato. It was a little more expensive than I would have liked compared to free beer and free chicken. But to fight the crowds and to get there and not even know if we'd be admitted, was not an option.
Ted decided to go another way. To take the 14. It turns out the majority of the time we were in tunnels under Stuttgart. It was very interesting but I was getting nauseous with all of the exhaust. I couldn't believe they had on and off ramps underground not to mention stop lights! If it hadn't been for going downtown, we would not have had an opportunity to see this.
Dinner was fabulous of course! We had stuffed zuchini flowers for an antipasto and Ted had sole and I had gnocchi. We topped it off with splitting a panna cotta. And I was cold so I had a latte cafe (which I never do). The waiter said cappuccino? I said no...more milk than coffee. He made it perfectly!
By the time we got home it was almost 11pm! The Europeans really DO believe in taking their time with dinner. They savor it and have a love affair with it!
Friday 10/09/09
Ted came home late because of work and said a co-worker was saving us seats. It was almost 5 when he got home. He had to stop at the office for something and to get directions on where we were going. Of course, he couldn't do that earlier in the week. Of course not.
His co-worker told us to take the train. Since we had NO idea where we were going and she gave us directions (and an address) to the place next door, we weren't taking any chances on getting on the wrong train and ending up in Timbuktu.
With traffic being what it was (a Friday night and Oktoberfest) it took over an hour to go 13 km (about 5.5 miles). We came to a large area where there was an amusement park. Ted seemed to think this was it...but I had my doubts. I reminded him his co-worker said the place we were going to was right next door (now he tells me nearby) where we were supposed to be. And Julie was telling us it was over 2 km away!
There was no way I was walking, in the cold and light rain, for 2 km!) It turns out that co-worker gave us totally BAD directions. What a jackass! When Ted FINALLY broke down and asked for directions, we were told it was 2 km back where we came from. It was indeed at the amusement park area. I told Ted, why in the world did she not tell us, "when you get to the amusement park, you're there." But NO, she gave us the address of this off-the-wall location and we're supposed to guess? NOT.
By this time it's almost 7pm and I really didn't wnat to go, not to mention if we DID go, there was no guarantee that we would be admitted because of us being so late regardless of the fact that a co-worker was saving us a seat.
And I was getting cranky so he needed to make a decision fast. So we decided to can the whole thing and go to dinner somewhere else. I know he would have liked to go and there always is next year!
We decided to dinner in Bonlanden. It's a restaurant that's right across the way from the Cafe Venezia where we get the wonderful gelato. It was a little more expensive than I would have liked compared to free beer and free chicken. But to fight the crowds and to get there and not even know if we'd be admitted, was not an option.
Ted decided to go another way. To take the 14. It turns out the majority of the time we were in tunnels under Stuttgart. It was very interesting but I was getting nauseous with all of the exhaust. I couldn't believe they had on and off ramps underground not to mention stop lights! If it hadn't been for going downtown, we would not have had an opportunity to see this.
Dinner was fabulous of course! We had stuffed zuchini flowers for an antipasto and Ted had sole and I had gnocchi. We topped it off with splitting a panna cotta. And I was cold so I had a latte cafe (which I never do). The waiter said cappuccino? I said no...more milk than coffee. He made it perfectly!
By the time we got home it was almost 11pm! The Europeans really DO believe in taking their time with dinner. They savor it and have a love affair with it!
Friday 10/09/09
Day 200: No music tonight!
All day long I was looking forward to going to Mamma Maria's for pizza and to listen to the live music. But it turns out, I was TOTALLY disappointed because they had the live music on Wednesday night (I thought I had heard music but I didn't think it was Mamma Maria's because he said Thursday.
I did, however, get to use the Washer & Dryer for the first time today. It took 2 hours to translate the instructions. UGH. And I can only put in 10 pounds of clothes at a time and it takes an hour to do one cycle!
With the water pipe leaking, I had to put a towel around the pipe and I'll have to close the water valve every time I use the washer until it's fixed. Water is way too expensive here to waste.
Thursday 10/08/09
I did, however, get to use the Washer & Dryer for the first time today. It took 2 hours to translate the instructions. UGH. And I can only put in 10 pounds of clothes at a time and it takes an hour to do one cycle!
With the water pipe leaking, I had to put a towel around the pipe and I'll have to close the water valve every time I use the washer until it's fixed. Water is way too expensive here to waste.
Thursday 10/08/09
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Day 199: Washer & Dryer delivery
WOW! What a gorgeous, gorgeous day!! It's sunny and mild out. Now I have to get my short sleeves back out again. I walked to the store to get a few things and took some photos of things I thought you might like to see along the path to the store.
Hotel on the way to the store
Domenics Pizza on the way to the store
This is the exterior of Netto Market where I go grocery shopping on the economy
Here are some interior shots of the grocery store:
The meat case
The yogurt case
The soda and water aisle
The produce aisle
The checkout aisle. The round cylinders above the cashier is where they keep cigarettes. The Germans smoke. A LOT!
The building next door is going up quickly and I get distracted by the crane moving back and forth. It's moving big steel girders and cement slabs. I feel a bit vulnerable even though I know they do this all the time...it's just that I'm not used to it!
What you are looking at is the walkway to our apartment complex front door. The construction is literally inches away from the walkway. The wooden barricade that you see is actually on the retaining wall that separates our walkway from the construction!
I opened the windows as well because it is so beautiful out today. There won't be too many days like this left so I want to take advnatage of it while I can!
The doorbell rang at exactly 7:30pm. It was the delivery man bringing us our washer and dryer!! Hooray!! He brought them in quite easily with a hand truck. There was a lot of packaging (styrofoam and bubble wrap - which I kept).
He was a really nice guy and tried his best to speak English. He said it had been years since he used his English. He put the water hoses in and unlocked the washer drum. He explained (at least what we understood with his broken English) is that when the washer is transported, the drum has to be locked).
It turns out this is one of his two moonlighting jobs. He works for Deutches Post (The Post office) driving truck and on the weekends and nights he either does deliveries or drives a taxi. What a hard-working man! I asked him when he sleeps. He said very little and that he works 7 days a week.
He did say that he and his family (wife and three children) go to Greece. He said they used to speak German ten years ago. Now all they speak is English.
We went to turn the water on and the pipe before the meter leaks. We're going to have to get Gilgen (our building maintenance guy) to get it fixed.
I can't wait to use it BUT I'm going to have to translate the cycles first! UGH!
Wednesday 10/07/09
Hotel on the way to the store
Domenics Pizza on the way to the store
This is the exterior of Netto Market where I go grocery shopping on the economy
Here are some interior shots of the grocery store:
The meat case
The yogurt case
The soda and water aisle
The produce aisle
The checkout aisle. The round cylinders above the cashier is where they keep cigarettes. The Germans smoke. A LOT!
The building next door is going up quickly and I get distracted by the crane moving back and forth. It's moving big steel girders and cement slabs. I feel a bit vulnerable even though I know they do this all the time...it's just that I'm not used to it!
What you are looking at is the walkway to our apartment complex front door. The construction is literally inches away from the walkway. The wooden barricade that you see is actually on the retaining wall that separates our walkway from the construction!
I opened the windows as well because it is so beautiful out today. There won't be too many days like this left so I want to take advnatage of it while I can!
The doorbell rang at exactly 7:30pm. It was the delivery man bringing us our washer and dryer!! Hooray!! He brought them in quite easily with a hand truck. There was a lot of packaging (styrofoam and bubble wrap - which I kept).
He was a really nice guy and tried his best to speak English. He said it had been years since he used his English. He put the water hoses in and unlocked the washer drum. He explained (at least what we understood with his broken English) is that when the washer is transported, the drum has to be locked).
It turns out this is one of his two moonlighting jobs. He works for Deutches Post (The Post office) driving truck and on the weekends and nights he either does deliveries or drives a taxi. What a hard-working man! I asked him when he sleeps. He said very little and that he works 7 days a week.
He did say that he and his family (wife and three children) go to Greece. He said they used to speak German ten years ago. Now all they speak is English.
We went to turn the water on and the pipe before the meter leaks. We're going to have to get Gilgen (our building maintenance guy) to get it fixed.
I can't wait to use it BUT I'm going to have to translate the cycles first! UGH!
Wednesday 10/07/09
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Day 198: Delivery notification
I waited all day for the call from the delivery company. It appears that most companies here farm deliveries out to independent companies. It was late when we got the call. Ted was already home from work and we had already eaten dinner.
It turns out the person who called is the niece of the man who will be coming to deliver the washer and dryer. She had lived in Washington D.C., Philadelphi and New York City. She said she decided to return to Germany because she felt safer on the streets at night here in Germany.
She offered to teach me German. I may take her up on that. The software is great but it would be wonderful to have someone who is a native assist with local usage.
I can't wait for the washer and dryer to be delivered tomorrow evening between 6:30 and 7:30 pm.
Tuesday 10/06/09
It turns out the person who called is the niece of the man who will be coming to deliver the washer and dryer. She had lived in Washington D.C., Philadelphi and New York City. She said she decided to return to Germany because she felt safer on the streets at night here in Germany.
She offered to teach me German. I may take her up on that. The software is great but it would be wonderful to have someone who is a native assist with local usage.
I can't wait for the washer and dryer to be delivered tomorrow evening between 6:30 and 7:30 pm.
Tuesday 10/06/09
Day 197: Buying a washer & dryer
Ted came home a little later than I would have liked. The weather was nice so I fixed a nice salad and we ate quickly because MarktKauf closes at 8pm.
I took the money and the VAT form (to save us 19%) on the sale price of the washer and dryer (over $100). The paperwork is a drag but the money is not ;)
We got there and the clerk didn't speak English. She recognized the VAT form and explained to her co-worker how to complete it. She called her boss to see if he was still at the store. He was and it turns out, he was the same guy that had answered our questions on Friday night.
His English is good enough to answer my questions. We wanted the tubed dryer but it turned out there were no dryers in stock or in the warehouse that had the tubes so we ended up getting the condenser unit. All things being equal I went for the Whirlpool washer and dryer as they were less expensive than the hoover.
The manager talked to the clerk and he rang us up and took our information for the delivery. We specifically asked for someone who spoke English.
I checked for the hooks and they were still out. That meant that I would have to wait until Saturday to get the hooks. This is really ridiculous but it is what it is. I can't wait for it to get done but it's a drag to have to wait.
We also bought a portable clothes dryer for those ocassions when the dryer doesn't completely dry clothes (like jeans). It will be in the second bedroom until it's occupied.
By the time we got home it was after 9pm and I was more than ready to go to bed. It's getting dark at 7:30 now and it's only Octoboer!! What will it be like in November? I'm not sure when Germany does the time change but I know they do it because we changed the time when we were living in temporary housing.
Time will tell.
Monday 10/05/09
I took the money and the VAT form (to save us 19%) on the sale price of the washer and dryer (over $100). The paperwork is a drag but the money is not ;)
We got there and the clerk didn't speak English. She recognized the VAT form and explained to her co-worker how to complete it. She called her boss to see if he was still at the store. He was and it turns out, he was the same guy that had answered our questions on Friday night.
His English is good enough to answer my questions. We wanted the tubed dryer but it turned out there were no dryers in stock or in the warehouse that had the tubes so we ended up getting the condenser unit. All things being equal I went for the Whirlpool washer and dryer as they were less expensive than the hoover.
The manager talked to the clerk and he rang us up and took our information for the delivery. We specifically asked for someone who spoke English.
I checked for the hooks and they were still out. That meant that I would have to wait until Saturday to get the hooks. This is really ridiculous but it is what it is. I can't wait for it to get done but it's a drag to have to wait.
We also bought a portable clothes dryer for those ocassions when the dryer doesn't completely dry clothes (like jeans). It will be in the second bedroom until it's occupied.
By the time we got home it was after 9pm and I was more than ready to go to bed. It's getting dark at 7:30 now and it's only Octoboer!! What will it be like in November? I'm not sure when Germany does the time change but I know they do it because we changed the time when we were living in temporary housing.
Time will tell.
Monday 10/05/09
Day 196: Peaceful Sunday!
We went to church today and that was about it. We rested for the rest of the day. We decided to forgo going to the base to do laundry since we will be buying the washer and dryer tomorrow and having it delivered the next day or so.
I'll have a bit of catching up to do but the flip side is that I can do my towels and linens without having to carry all of the linen AND the clothes to the base!
I'm a happy camper!
Sunday 10/04/09
I'll have a bit of catching up to do but the flip side is that I can do my towels and linens without having to carry all of the linen AND the clothes to the base!
I'm a happy camper!
Sunday 10/04/09
Day 195: More shopping!
Today we went to the BX/PX to get the safety pins to put on the sheers. We also needed to stop at the bank and get the cash we needed to buy the washer and dryer on Monday as well as get the German routing number so we could get our electricity refund. They don't do checks here, only direct deposits and transfers.
The BX/PX didn't have safety pins. Some things are compartmentalized on base. So much so that for one item, you have to go to to a totally different store. So off we go to the craft store at Patch. (I really wanted to go there anyways ;) I bought 100 small brass safety pins (because they won't rust out in the wash) but they were incredibly expensive!! I couldn't believe it cost me $7.50 for this purchase. But...it is what it is. And they do have to bring them from the states so, I guess I have to be quiet about it!
We decided to have lunch at Subway on base. I haven't had Subway since we left the states. Ted has it mostly every day as it's the most healthful food the base has for his lunch. I want to make his lunch but he doesn't want it.
The hooks we bought last night at MarktKauf worked on the rails we have but they only had two small bags (25 in each) I bought both of them with the intention of getting more and hoping their stock would be replenished on Monday. I hung the sheers in the Living Room but they look awful because I didn't have enough hooks. I'm going to have to go get more. It's really frustrating to have to wait an entire week to get the things I need to complete this curtain project. If I had been in the states it would have been done already. No car and nothing open on Sundays really cuts down on the things you can get accomplished.
All I know is that this apartment has to be completely done before my daughter and her family come to visit in November!
We also needed to check the laundry room in the basement to see if we needed the condenser type dryer or the dryer with the hose that goes outside. Luckily our apartment is new enough (2003) that each unit had its own opening to send the steam out of the building via that big accordian-like tube.
Ted seems to think that the Hoover dryer was the kind that requires the tube. Having said that, I'm still debating over the Whirlpool and the Hoover. We'll see.
Saturday 10/03/09
The BX/PX didn't have safety pins. Some things are compartmentalized on base. So much so that for one item, you have to go to to a totally different store. So off we go to the craft store at Patch. (I really wanted to go there anyways ;) I bought 100 small brass safety pins (because they won't rust out in the wash) but they were incredibly expensive!! I couldn't believe it cost me $7.50 for this purchase. But...it is what it is. And they do have to bring them from the states so, I guess I have to be quiet about it!
We decided to have lunch at Subway on base. I haven't had Subway since we left the states. Ted has it mostly every day as it's the most healthful food the base has for his lunch. I want to make his lunch but he doesn't want it.
The hooks we bought last night at MarktKauf worked on the rails we have but they only had two small bags (25 in each) I bought both of them with the intention of getting more and hoping their stock would be replenished on Monday. I hung the sheers in the Living Room but they look awful because I didn't have enough hooks. I'm going to have to go get more. It's really frustrating to have to wait an entire week to get the things I need to complete this curtain project. If I had been in the states it would have been done already. No car and nothing open on Sundays really cuts down on the things you can get accomplished.
All I know is that this apartment has to be completely done before my daughter and her family come to visit in November!
We also needed to check the laundry room in the basement to see if we needed the condenser type dryer or the dryer with the hose that goes outside. Luckily our apartment is new enough (2003) that each unit had its own opening to send the steam out of the building via that big accordian-like tube.
Ted seems to think that the Hoover dryer was the kind that requires the tube. Having said that, I'm still debating over the Whirlpool and the Hoover. We'll see.
Saturday 10/03/09
Day 194: More company work!
I'm still scrambling to get company work completed and worked all day to get it done before the weekend.
Tonight we're going to scope out the Washer & Dryer again because we really need to get this accomplished before bad weather sets in. And since we had to wait for the washers at the base when we did laundry this week, I am MORE than ready to shell out the cash to get the washer and dryer.
It turns out they have two types of dryers: an Uplauft (much like the US version of the dryers with hoses out to the outside) and the condenser type which gathers the extracted water into a basin and you have to empty it every time you do a load of clothes.
The issue is what brand do we want to get. The most these washers will do is 10 - 12pounds of clothes in a cycle. This means I will be doing laundry pretty much every day. And the laundry room is two floors down (7-8 steps on each set of steps and two landings). Oh well...the steps will do me good! ;)
We were able to speak to the manager of Marktkauf (the store) and he spoke English. He told us that they could do the delivery for us and we explained that we would be back on Monday to purchase the units.
There were two brands that we recognized: Hoover and Whirlpool. We haven't yet decided on which brand to buy. We'll think about it over the weekend.
Friday 10/02/09
Tonight we're going to scope out the Washer & Dryer again because we really need to get this accomplished before bad weather sets in. And since we had to wait for the washers at the base when we did laundry this week, I am MORE than ready to shell out the cash to get the washer and dryer.
It turns out they have two types of dryers: an Uplauft (much like the US version of the dryers with hoses out to the outside) and the condenser type which gathers the extracted water into a basin and you have to empty it every time you do a load of clothes.
The issue is what brand do we want to get. The most these washers will do is 10 - 12pounds of clothes in a cycle. This means I will be doing laundry pretty much every day. And the laundry room is two floors down (7-8 steps on each set of steps and two landings). Oh well...the steps will do me good! ;)
We were able to speak to the manager of Marktkauf (the store) and he spoke English. He told us that they could do the delivery for us and we explained that we would be back on Monday to purchase the units.
There were two brands that we recognized: Hoover and Whirlpool. We haven't yet decided on which brand to buy. We'll think about it over the weekend.
Friday 10/02/09
Day 193: October days!
It's the first day of October. And it's still nice out! The trees are just barely showing signs of changing colors. I'm sure within the next week or two the trees will be changing colors. I didn't realize how much I missed that aspect of our beautiful Ohio autumns. What I don't miss is the cold, snow and ice but I'm about to get that again, here in Stuttgart!
I really didn't expect to have to do company work until Monday but my boss fooled me! So I'm scrambling to get company work done. Nothing else is going on!
Thursday 10/01/09
I really didn't expect to have to do company work until Monday but my boss fooled me! So I'm scrambling to get company work done. Nothing else is going on!
Thursday 10/01/09
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