Cookies

Hi folks.

Just testing the waters to see how far back I really want to go with this blog. Not sure I want to write from the 4th of July to today. I might just fill in the details with this post and potentially one other.

Since arriving in Berlin we've had lots of bumps in the road. This is to be expected when one moves family from St. Paul, MN to Berlin, Germany, and besides life is never easy nor should it be I think. Bumps give us character and stories to tell.

So on with the show.

Yes when we got to Berlin we were not able to get into our new apartment. It took many many days but we finally actually moved in I think on July 24th. We still on August 25th do not have a complete working kitchen. We have the old stove/oven and sink from the previous tenants. Both are gross but we've managed to clean them up a bit to be usable while we wait.

So you aren't going to believe this but right now it's about 20 after 10 p.m. The apartment manager who has caused us nothing but trouble since we signed the contract is outside in the hallway of this building vacuuming the wooden stairs. I just can't believe this guy. He told us (and I'm having a hard time believing him but...) that Logan was loud and here he is on a school night vacuuming. I should go out there right now and ask him what the hell he is doing but he doesn't speak English and I can't waste my energies on folks that can't understand me. What a dork. Sorry.

Okay where was I...Oh yes we don't have a real kitchen. Hopefully Chris talked to our apartment manager earlier this evening and I'll find out soon whether or not we'll get our kitchen this year. ha ha

I found some really good cookies. I can't remember what the brand is but they are called "chocosticks". Cookies with chocolate on them. Very good. I also like the prince cookies. Dark chocolate sandwiched between two cookies. Yummy!! I just had two very tasty.

Poops & Cigarettes
Two things that bum me out; all the dog poop on the sidewalks and the cigarette smoke. Apparently they have laws here. No one picks up their dog's poop. I saw this guy in a little truck; you know the little ones that fit on sidewalks, with a big hose and he just sucked up the poop and that was that. No wonder no one picks it up.

Everyone smokes here. In another 20 years everyone is going to have some sort of cigarette related disease. I hope I don't from all the 2nd hand smoke. BLAH!!! They do have a law here just like in MN. No smoking anywhere expect outside on patios. That is good and so far everyone is abiding by that law.

Oh no here comes Connor. He'll do something to my computer and then I'll lose my post. I'm going to post now and come back later.

What day is it really??

Well it's not July 4th but that is where I'm going to start.

July 4, 2008
Friday
Tegal Airport
Berlin, Germany
Sometime in the afternoon
It's raining.

Chris, Logan, Connor, Grandpa Pete, Grandma Sandy, Tom, Ted and myself arrive at the Berlin airport. Kids made it okay. So did the adults. Tom and Ted seem fine but really want to get out of their kennels. For those just tuning in for the first time; Tom and Ted are our cats.

Airline lost one bag; it was Jennifer's. So it begins....

Later that day...

Told we can't get into our new apartment. It's not ready. Apartment manager nowhere to be seen. We must stay in apartment on 2nd floor. One word for this apartment: NASTY!!!

How soon can we go back to Minnesota??? Oh shit, we've rented out our house and stored all our stuff. Looks like we'll have to endure. We are told only until Monday. We can live with that.