14 January 2012

Where has the month gone?

2012 ( without a checking account— they don't exist in Germany) I haven't really had to type that date very much. The German was helping T1 with studying during the holiday break and kept couching her on writing the date properly: perhaps that has helped me remember it!

In any case, I actually started this on the 10th and looked up and it was 4 days later, so I need to break my blogging log jam and get going again!

The first half of January has just been non-stop.
  • My verein has been having a bit of political upheaval and the folks I like best won't be standing for re-election, while those who are remaining seem to be mainly the obstructionists and the ones who talk a lot of work but whose hands remain unturned. I'm trying to decide whether to stay on or go, as I enjoy the work, but not the politics.
  • First the washing machine pump went (and was replaced) and then the dryer had some intermittent failures. Miele gave a few trouble-shooting tips which worked.
  • Then my tenants' Miele had the same issues and when I gave them the same tips, they decided to go ahead and get a repair call without responding to me. Now I have to decide whether to allow the unauthorized repair because we would probably have simply purchased a replacement dryer (complete with 4 year warranty, free delivery, install and removal) rather than do a "fuse replacement" that was 30% the cost of a new machine, on a 14 year old Miele. I have to make that decision and write the letter this weekend.
  • My apa in the US was due the same weekend as the largest annual newsletter for my verein and several contributors were late or simply not there, so I needed to chase them for what had to be entered and tell the others they would not be in the issue.
  • Two birthday parties for the girls. Same day, far enough away from each other that I was running madly on the U to get one child after dropping the other off. After trying to get presents that they would both like and that I did not disapprove of. (One mother was kind enough to give me guidance, the other told me to ask T1: who said "Monster High"- or "hig", as Germans pronounce it. But that toy theme is far too old and sexual for that age group, so I looked for things that weren't icky. Wound up with a charming (non-MH) tattoo set and then a bunch of associated items, like a pen case, notebook and eraser set.)
  • Tomorrow an art exhibit that we are excited about, with a childrens' mitmachen program afterward.
In goal news, I've succeeded at working out 4-5 times a week and I'm pleased about that. I'm getting a bit faster and I find the statistics motivating. My German class starts next week, but only once per week, so I hope that will still allow me some time for fun.

Decluttering continues apace and I try to do it a bit a day and update that blog when I get a chance to upload the pictures.

We changed the girls' swimming classes, as T2's teacher went back to school and the replacement was to be the girl who was just- horrible! The one who wouldn't get in the pool with the non-swimmers, who made T2 cry, and who was the reason we actually had to change days last time (to get away from). T2 loves her new teacher and keeps telling us that she's the best teacher ever: I told I. that last time and she said "practice helps"- she has been doing it for 30 years! I also noted that she spent the whole time in the pool with the children. T1 is also enjoying her new class (she made Silver level before the holidays) and it's a win-win all around.

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