Saturday, April 4, 2009

Weeks 5 - 6: SPRING IN MUNCHEN

I am very happy to say that SPRING HAS SPRUNG in Munchen.
We have WiFi (as of this week).
We have a phone (as of last week).
The crocuses are popping up everywhere.
I saw my first naked man in the English Gardens.
And Miles spent his first full day at school last week!

I've come through the tunnel of homesick and a little pissed off and it's all good right now. A lot has happened in these 2 weeks, so here are the highlights (and a couple lowlights):

1. Went touring March 28 - 30th to Colmar, France-- a 4 hour drive west from Munich. For me, it was great to speak a little French, but even better, to be able to eaves drop a little and understand something. I've always loved people watching, but I didn't realize how much I actually eaves drop to entertain myself. I'm missing this in Munich, cause I can't understand anyone yet. :) We had an attic apartment in a family run winery- their home was 300+ years old. We brought the bike, and had a great day riding around Colmar (a really old town), through vineyards to Turckheim (an even older town). I've tried to control myself with the slideshow, but I have to say I have at least 50 pictures of just shutters. Gorgeous, cool, old buildings with amazing shutters. (sigh)

2. Vivian lost tooth #2, and the Deutsche tooth fairy brought her 2 Euro for it! It was big news the next day at school.

3. Miles killed a tooth. Remember the bloody lip from the bump at the castle in Week 2? Well, his top front incisor has turned gray. :( We went to a well-liked and 3x referred dentist (Dr. Ana, who I have to say has the DEEPEST voice of any woman I've ever met) and the thought is that we'll have to pull it. However, Miles was completely terrified of Dr. Ana (refers to her as the "dentist man") So I think we need to find someone else to take care of it. I've always loved that phase where kids have a toothless grin. Um, I guess we'll get to see Miles' for about 3 years...

4. The German teacher was sick from school, so the Irish teacher said- hey, sure, bring Miles in for the day. TADA- didn't hear from them all day! That was it! Game over. Now I feel a little more sane, able to get some work done during the day, have a little time to myself and a much better time with the kids when I pick them up at 2.

4. Rothenburg ob Tauber. We took the train to Rothenburg, bordering the Mosel Valley and along the "Romantic Road" and had an amazing night there in the walled city. Completely lucked out getting into the Goldener Hirsch hotel for under 100 Euro / night, got upgraded to a double suite with a deck and seriously fell in love with the place. This was the town where we took gazillions of timberframe and wall pictures. :P) Again, tried to control ourselves, but.... We went on the Night Watchman tour, which scared Miles but totally fascinated Vivian (should we be worried that she likes long haired, bearded men who wear black capes? it was a little goth....) This is also a fantastic shopping town - known as the best in Germany- for everything German. So I went a little nuts here.
5. Lastly, then I got slammed by a sinus infection. And the only reason I bring this up, is because I tried the "Bavarian Prescription" of a warm beer, 3 layers of clothes, many blankets, and you "sweat it out." I enhanced all this by wearing damp cotten socks under 2 pair off wool socks (suggested by a friend - thanks WZ :)) This is popular, and actually gets prescribed by some docs. So I did it, sweated, tossed and turned all night and felt like more crap in the morning and had to do a lot of laundry. I went to a doc that day and got a great concoction of antibiotics and herbal drops - a nice, quick but holistic approach. Feeling much better after a couple days.

6. Since Miles is giving me some time back now, I have started my DE lessons! Sabine is our instructor, and meets E and I separately for a really intense 1 1/2 hour lesson. We get about 40 hours of language from MS. She's great, and I look forward to being a bit more comfortable language-wise.
OK-- glad to be a bit caught up on this blog business! Some quotes, again from Mr. Miles:
  • "I am the captain- Mr. Captain" (says this all the time..)
  • When I say no to something I get "Maybe next time... no fair."
  • and.... definitely lots of body talk... and comments about how big his little man part is. that's always fun to hear about. :)
  • And then we caught him shaving his chin in the bathroom and got "I'm a big man. Really, really big man." Then he told his teacher "I shaved. Big man." did I mention I think he has a crush on his teacher?
Tschuss!
LEVM
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