Sick again...

Thing2 had a bit of a Durchfall on Sunday, so today I kept her home from school, which meant that I needed to stay home from school as well. With only 2 more teaching days left, I guess it barely matters. I hope that this semester at least the girls don't take ill on the last, party, day. Especially because that is the Purim party day and the evening that we will be leaving for the Sauerlands, preparatory to our London trip...

• And it snowed (but did not stick)
• 2 loads of laundry
• No cat vomit, but Thing2 vomited last night

My class Trip to Dresden

We were scheduled to leave at 7:31 from the Berlin Hauptbahnhof. Because of the U-Bahn strike I was concerned that it might take me a while to get there, so I left home quite early and was bummed to discover that the S-Bahn to the Hbf is quite sppedy: I was there 30 minutes early. That gave me time enough to become concerned when I didn't see anyone else and when the destination notation at the platform we were meeting at was not Dresden. So I called the information line but the gentleman at the other end, when I asked him to speak "Langsam, bitte" send me to the main information booth at the other end of the station, rather than simply telling me, more slowly, that the reason the destination was not Dresden was that we would be switching trains part way. Sigh. Some Germans just can't deal with speaking to non-native speakers slowly and clearly. Luckily, when I ran up the stairs I bumped into a classmate and he was able to get the information gentleman to give him that information.


This is the August the Strong bridge: it's very pretty. I also want to point out the sunshine. the entire day was beautifully sunny: it was almost like being in an entirely different country. I took off my jacket and unzipped my sweater and sat in the sun eating soft ice-cream (as did all the Germans I could see).


I think that this is a cherry tree- all over Dresden trees were blooming, flowers were blooming, and people were basking in the sun. One of my classmates said that there was a Mediterannean feel but I think that she was just drunk on sunshine.




A view of the Schloss across the Elbe. That's the boat next to which we sat and ate our cones.






Statue of August the Strong on a horse on the boulevard leading to the Aldtstadt.






The Frauenkirche. And it really is. All baby blue and baby pink with trompe l'oeuil everything. So pretty and non-threatening. Not a tortured body in sight. Interestingly, this is a Protestant church but my teacher (German Protestant by birth, professed atheist) thought it seemed more Catholic, because of the general ornateness and opulence. I said that to me the absence of the crucifixion was proof of the Protestentness of the building and that the opulence was simply due to the building having been built for the wife of an Emporer (although of course this is completely a recreation, as almost all of Dresden was completely destroyed in February 1945).

Some of my class mates went to the museums in the Schloss (which looked lovely) but Y and N and Y and I instead decided to find a table in the sun and grab a bite to eat: it just didn't seem like there was enough time to make it worthwhile to go to the museums.

We kept on looking but couldn't find an open table so we wound up approaching some older Dresdeners and asking if we could share their table, which they very kindly agreed to.

I had been wanting Linsentopf (I love lentils)and two classmates chose the same. When it arrived, it had meat in it and Y asked if it was Schwein, because she doesn't eat trayfe. I hadn't thought so, because I generally read all descriptions in Germany in re food to be sure that pig is not in the product, but one can never be certain here. So she asked the kellnerin, who, in a very unbehilflich way said yes and then left. Y agonized for a bit and other Y and I were concerned and then Y called over the kellnerin and asked to exchange the soup for another because she could not eat Schweinfleisch. I was amazed at how passive aggressive the waitress was, but she finally agreed and we all ate when the new soup came. Of course, by that time I had reacquired the menu and noted that the Linseltopf did not include swine: it was beef.

Well, that broke the ice and the Dresdeners asked where we came from and we had a lovely chat for the next half hour or so, culminating with the gentleman buying us all a round of a local Dresden white wine. It was so nice, he and his wife and their friend displayed such Gastfreundschaft, that it more than made up for the information man and the waitress and made me realize again how nice some people are here and how appreciative so many Germans are to those of us who try to speak German! We wound up being a few minutes late to meet the others, having to run, and then we had to dash for the Dresden Hbf.

So, I was up at 5:45 and I got home again at 21:00. A long day. I will definitely do it again, but next time I think that we will go and stay for the weekend.

The German and the Things also had a great day, they spent most of it at the Zoo.

Free books and e-books

In a lighter vein, I hope that you folks have discovered that Tor books has a great new sign-up, in preparation for the future launch of its new fansite/website where they are posting free e-books of current listed novels by writers whom I enjoy (although I was not invited to be on the selection list).

John Scalzi explains it well here and today's novel is an alternative world novel by Jo Walton. It appears (just downloaded it, haven't read it yet) to be a mystery in the style of Josephine Tey in a world where the Third Reich was only contained at certain borders. the protagonist is an actress in London in what appears to be the late 40's or early 50's. I will look forward to reading it. Earlier books have been from Scalzi, Lackey and Wilson.

I have a temper...

and I know how to use it.

Yesterday there was a great confluence of events that lifted me over the edge of my self control. I know it may be hard for some to believe, but I used to be rather volatile.

Yesterday, when I went to my German class, the theme was cliches and Meinung. This was perhaps a bad idea. I had arrived late and I had noticed a strange atmosphere in the class, which had not been there last semester and had started in a minor way in the last few weeks, but which had apparently blown up while I was gone. Some weeks into this semester we had had several new folks join. One in particular, let's say A, has a habit of taking the class off tangent and not using what we are learning. When I am partnered with A in exercises I have flatly said that I am interested in doing the exercises and will not add to them or attempt other grammatical structures: I learn through repetition and I am quite happy with my teacher and her pedagogical method. But I told A to A's face.

Another person in my class, B, has taken to eye-rolling, slumping, sighing and acting like a put-upon infant in response to some of A's behaviors. While I was gone, this apparently turned into such a habit that when A is absent, B turns this behavior on others, passing notes to C, whispering in their common third language, and generally showing tremendous disrespect.

During the break, my friend shared with me that person B had written a note about something my friend had said, which my friend had seen, and had passed it along to C. The note was dismissive and rude. I was very angry. What had started as an amusing development of cliqueish behavior had now, in my opinion, turned to bullying.

So after the break, when the assignment was to discuss what each of our nationalities had as cliches in rethe other's nationalities, it was a dangerous topic. It allowed individuals to air what in some cases were ignorant and hurtful beliefs and in others actually devolved into misogynist and racist cliches. Rather than discussing cliched behaviors (loudness, drunkenness) they discussed physical characteristics. I wonder whether it is because I am American that I find discussing things that are not actually behavioral (color, hair, eyes, weight, height) to be offensive. I come from a melting pot and I am proud of it. But I let that go.

Then, to be non-specific, a friend aired a term which she thought was a cliche about Americans (as the teacher had requested) but which was rather both misogynistic and anti-Semitic. I was certain that she did not understand the connotations (being herself both Jewish and a woman) and I rather clearly explained why that term 1. was not pertinent in a discussion of cliches about tourists from different countries and 2. was offensive and should not be used. My friend understood this, but B, an American whose family emigrated to a third country and is thus cognizant of the term in all its aspects, smirked. I'm not certain whether she was smirking at my passion (and I assure you, I am passionate about responding to slurs against my religion, my gender and my nationality) or whether she was smirking at my friend, but I turned to her and unleashed my +5 Tongue of Vitriol, stating that I was old enough and had worked long enough to have been discriminated against as both a woman and as a Jew, and that perhaps she hadn't, which would explain why she found my explanation and passion amusing. She said nothing, and C, who has done human rights work, agreed, perhaps undercutting whatever response she might have made if she had the gumption to actually speak face to face rather than traduce behind backs. I needed to leave at that point to pick up the kids and apparently after I left, B turned to C and in her language said that she was offended by what I said.

Whew. So I was still frothing and simmering after I got home. My friend stopped by to drop off a paper that I had missed and told me that she no longer wanted to go on our class trip to Dresden because she didn't want to be on a train trip with B and C and my anger notched up another level. I said that I would speak to our teacher about this that evening.

Then I called my Dad to say hello, and I can't even go into how that led to an argument with my mother and how she then used her +10 Tongue of Vitriol against my dad. I got her acid and quickness to take offense and my Dad's volcanic temper. My gosh, the German is a brave man. Luckily my general happiness usually keeps the lid on and I do try! While she was hanging up on me (her general reponse when her bad behavior is pointed out) I heard a muffled noise from the other room and found Thing1 strangling 2 with a plastic cord that my landlord's workmen had left after putting up blinds. Not that she was doing it on purpose, of course. Rather that she was using it as reins on her sister the horse and unfortunately had twisted it so tight that the screams of 2 were being muffled. After I yelled and 1 still did not drop the reins I actually picked her up and tossed her on her bed, then comforted 2. Then 1 was in hysterics because I had yelled at her and thrown her in her room. Then we were all crying.

Then I called the German to vent and he couldn't talk. And that was after he couldn't talk after class either, or in the morning. So then I yelled at him and hung up.

Then I put the Disney channel on and read blogs while both kids sat on me.

Then I made dinner and did another load of laundry.

Then I fed the kids, the German came home with flowers and we ate, and this morning I spoke to my teacher about the atmosphere and my discomfort, she said she felt it as well and would speak to B and C and she apparently did. At least C made a real effort today to be friendly and my friend says that B and C have changed their demeanor to her. But I usually sit by B and C and I sat by A today and I am not sure whether the feeling I had toward class, that it was a refuge from the kids, has not been ruined.

I am sour right now. And I needed to vent, as Thing 2 still won't sleep at night and is padding around the apartment at 11 pm. I need my nights child-free!

The mundanity of life

• Sunday: 3 loads laundry, sunny, cat vomited
• Monday:2 loads laundry, 1 trolley food,1 wurst dinner, class cancelled so unloaded and put away suitcases. Chicken dinner, raining, cat vomited
• Tuesday: 1 load laundry, 1 bag food, 1 beef/noodle dish, 1 batch chocolate chip cookies, German class, grey, cat vomited on chairs
• Wednesday: no laundry, German class, 1 bag food,chicken soup and chicken dinner, massive argument with my mother, who doesn't fight fair, telephone problems, blinds installed (3 months late!), flowers from my husband xxxooo, intermittent rain, cat vomited on bed
• Thursday: 3 loads laundry, German class, cleaning trashed apartment, 1 bag food, raining, cat has not vomited (yet)

It's raining again...

Wow, after two days of sunshine I had begun to think that my belief that Berlin is grey and rainy was wrong. But it's pouring out there, whipping rain and wind. Lovely.

Twelve Steps...

75%How Addicted to Blogging Are You?

And I had actually thought that I was addicted--- clearly I have a way to go! I saw this over on Maria's blog.

I will fill in the space between posts later

but right now I am just luxuriating in having finally unpacked. 6 suitcases, three carry ons, two lap top bags, a purse, a double stroller, two toddlers and a husband through multiple flights and airports. There were a few times we thought that we had lost an item here and there, but we did all make it back to Berlin (although we left the suits and toiletries at the in-laws by accident).

Came back to a general transport strike here in Berlin and my class was cancelled yesterday, so I was able to finish the unpacking we started Sunday morning and do my 5th load of laundry. I am sorry that I didn't run about a little in the highly unusual sunshine, but I just wanted to get things done. Hopefully the sun was a harbinger of days to come.

Also came back to find that my landlord had taken care of some odds and ends we had requested, which was great. Unfortunately, while setting up the phone system to be slightly different (allow for caller ID) something happened which makes all my incoming and outgoing calls cut off somewhere around the 3 minute mark. This is especially frustrating when calling the US. I am hoping that can be fixed today. Also, the lack of curtains in the apartment, which was to be rectified in January, has become a serious problem: it is too bright in here! With the glare on the screen, I can't look at TV in the day and the kids are being awakened too early. I'll need to be following this up today as well!

For amusement's sake, this is a partial list of what we brought back from the States:

• molasses
• baking soda
• baking powder
• chocolate chips
• brown sugar
• corn meal
• vanilla and lemon extract
• ginger snaps
• cream of tartar
• ground pepper
• swim diapers
• camcorder
• eagerly awaited, back ordered zoom lens for D70
• 12 dresses for the girls from Costco (each no more than $8), 2 sweaters and 4 pajamas as well
• wet wipes from Costco
• Pampers from Costco
• Diego sippy cups from Costco
• 2 nanopods- 1 from Costco, 1 from Apple (with an inscription- thanks, hon!)
• 12 T-shirts, 12 undershorts, 2 shorts, 3 shirts for the German from Costco
• 2 shorts, 2 capris, 6 socks, 2 shirts, 2 sweaters from Costco for me
• Advil, children's motrin, dental floss, tampons,toothbrushes, Desitin, neosporin, 1% hydrocortisone cream from Costco for all of us
• 3 suits and a tie from the Hugo Boss outlet for the German
• 2 shirts for me, 1 for the German from the Hilfiger outlet
• backpack, sweatpants from Adidas outlet
• Swimmies and a noodle from the KB outlet
• Snow White costume, gloves and purse from Disney
• Cinderella gloves and purse from Disney
• Earrings for me from Disney ;-) (have to love the little Mickeys)
• miscellaneous Disneyana, scrapping materials, pens, cups, t-shirts, gifts
• extra suitcase from Walmart!
• and Connect 4
• 5 lbs of Decaf Dunkin Donut's coffee
• 5 lbs Jamaica Blue coffee beans

You can see why we had trouble keeping track of things and why we hit the weight limit! Luckily, we went over with 5 suitcases, but mainly with all the suitcases inside each other and empty- ready to be filled!

This leaves out the 59 pounds of books that I send back by M-bag: I am looking forward to seeing them soon! And the car seat that we sent over to be a spare for the school bus. Whew. I hope to start downloading pictures tonight and start filling in posts this week, but it has been a little difficult with the jet lag: Thing 2 seems to want to get up and start playing around 2 am.

Dear Friends...

What a day we had, leaving Florida.

First, we set out really early, because we know what it
is like to travel with both lots of stuff and children.

In this case it was extremely lucky that we did, because after we dropped the rental off and were ferried by van to the airport, we discovered (after curb checking our bags) that we were missing a bag. It was the laptop, so that was bad. It was in the new backpack we had gotten at the outlets, and apparently it had missed our bag count.

(Things were a bit hectic: 6 suitcases, two backpacks, two carseats, a purse, a diaper bag, two children with their backpacks and bottles and sippycups and snacks, a double stroller and a (swim)noodle- which kept wapping people as we went by, but which Thing1 didn't want to give up.) So we had a bit of stress going, looked around, asked around, talked to security and then called the rental place. That wasn't easy because, of course, our cell phones did not work in the US and we were using pre-paid calling cards. Luckily, it was still in the van and the driver was able to circle back and meet the German at the gate. And luckily we had given ourselves enough time that we could actually get the bag and still make our way through security without missing our plane.

When we flew into the local airport in NY it took us quite a while to diembark and then even longer until our minivan was pulled up. At least the service rep was courteous and apologetic (something I found soothing and extremely strange after my time in Germany, where customer service is relatively non-existent).


After we finally got our Toyota Sienna (and boy, did it make us miss our old one- this was even better with two automatic sliding doors) we loaded up and set out to visit our dear friends (and Thing1's best friend). J greeted us with, as you can see above, themed treats;-), as well as a smorgasbord of food and warm wished. She is so unbelievably talented! Thing1 was overjoyed to see everyone and most especially Princess and her daddy A. This family is what we miss most about the States: our other friends are further away and we can always talk to them by phone or e-mail, but we miss walking over to their house just to say 'hi'.

And, of course, the opportunity to enjoy the fruits of J's labors: she is the most talented baker (amongst other skills) that I have ever known. Just look at those cookies- aren't they amazing? And better yet, my favorite: Gingerbread! They fed us and played with us and then sent us on our way with all these goodies. I spent the next several days watching my stash dwindle as first my parents, then my husband, and then my in-laws ate my luscious gingerbread: I'll be needing to figure out how to do them myself with the molasses and vanilla that I brought back from the States with me.

Sunny and 73...

It was (and is) raining in Berlin and snowing in upstate NY, but here was cool, clear and sunny. The Floridians keep apologizing for the cold, but the pool is warm and we are enjoying ourselves. Thing1 is getting comfortable in the water again and Thing2 is enjoying the heck out of it.

Today was a lazy day, breakfast, swimming, playground and some shopping (nowhere interesting for me- SuperTarget) and the German is off (still) at Prime Outlets. I expect that he will be coming back with a suit or two. Tomorrow I hope to hit Oililly for the girls and maybe the Gap outlet for myself.