April 25/Monday was yet another exhausting day, as I still wasn't caught up on my sleep yet. I worked my morning hour, showered, and went to German class. I had a hard time staying awake, but I was proud of myself for not falling asleep. I went back to Nürnberg after class and wandered around downtown for a bit. I bought a couple of toiletries I needed, people watched, and enjoyed being out and about. I went home to start work in the evening. HM and I were sitting in the kitchen talking when all of a sudden, Two projectile vomited all over the kitchen floor. It was definitely a sight to see. Luckily I got away without any vomit on me, but HM got a bit on her clothes and in her hair. However, she deemed Two healthy enough to leave him with me when her and One left soon thereafter. I watched Two while HM took One to swim class. I was relieved of my duties relatively early when HD got home from work. As I was leaving, HM and One were getting home. One smiled at me and said, "Farrah?" I said, "Yes?" and he said, "HI!" It's these little encounters that make me happy. I made a quick trip to Meg at work to bring her some things, stayed for a quick chat, and then went back home. I rounded out the evening by watching some Friends with HP before I went to bed early.
Tuesday was spent at home with a sick Two. He hadn't thrown up again since the incident in the kitchen, but it was obvious that he still wasn't feeling 100%. I worked from 7am to 5pm. Luckily, Two took a three hour nap in the middle of the day, during which I also slept two hours. It was the first time I woke up feeling refreshed in at least a week. It had snowed, sleeted, and rained all morning, but the sun finally broke through the clouds that afternoon. I was itching to get out of the house, so I bundled up Two (it was in the low 30s), put him in his stroller, and set off on a 3 mile walk around the neighborhood. We got home shortly before HM and One got home from school. Once the two of them were home, I was done for the evening. I sat around and chatted with HM a bit before I left the house to meet up with Meg. We went for an actual sit down dinner and then for a drink afterwards. Meg left to head home and I met up with Alan for a few drinks at some of my favorite bars around town.
Wednesday was a typical day for me. I worked an hour in the morning and then got ready for my German class. I only got four hours of sleep the night before, so I was still pretty exhausted. It was a struggle to stay awake. I am not someone who functions well on little sleep. I'm fairly useless when I'm not well rested. Class itself was typical: not much interesting goes on and I often find my thoughts wandering. I would say it's still helping me better my German, though. I went back to Nürnberg with the intention of walking around downtown, but as I walked past Finnegan's I saw Fitzy standing outside. I went and joined him and Jason. We sat around talking for an hour. I got home in the afternoon with the intention of doing chores, but HM texted me at the exact moment I walked in the door. Two was still sick and needed to come home. M picked him up from school and brought him to me. I worked from about 3pm through 7pm. I helped HM get the kids fed and ready for dinner. HM and I spent a good 30 minutes talking about what I should/could do after I'm done as an au pair. Though the talk was a little helpful, it also stressed me out a bit. There are so many things up in the air right now, and all the endless possibilities just stress me out even more. I left the house again around 8pm to head over to Fitzy's. Him and Meg had invited me over for dinner - a home-cooked meal by Fitzy. He cooked schnitzel, white asparagus, and potatoes. It was fantastic to have a home-cooked meal for dinner. I didn't stay too late, and made it into my bed by midnight.
Thursday both the boys stayed at home with me. There's a bug going around their school and HM didn't want either of them getting sick again. HP have guests coming into town for the weekend, and it wouldn't end well if anyone was sick. HM left the house at her normal time, and the boys and I had an average day. They played and watched tv while I did chores and cooked lunch. HM came home around lunchtime and told me I had the rest of the day off. I was already tired of sitting around the house, so I took the opportunity to head into town. I met up with Meg and we walked around for a couple of hours before she had to work. When she left for work, I met up with Alan and we did some exploring of the city. Alan also eventually had to go to work, so I had a drink at Finnegan's and then went over to Molly Malone's to see Meg again. I didn't stay at either place very long, as I didn't want to be out late. I got home around 8:30pm and finished packing before crawling into bed at 10pm.
Thursday, April 28, 2016
Wednesday, April 27, 2016
Lesen ist denken mit fremden Gehirn.
I had typed up a detailed post about my weekend, but it was deleted and I have lost the motivation to re-create it. Here are the high points:
-My friend, John, got back after being away for three months and we all celebrated accordingly.
-One had his 5th birthday party on Saturday, which wasn't as bad as I expected.
-I didn't get nearly enough sleep, and was basically exhausted the entire weekend.
-My friend, John, got back after being away for three months and we all celebrated accordingly.
-One had his 5th birthday party on Saturday, which wasn't as bad as I expected.
-I didn't get nearly enough sleep, and was basically exhausted the entire weekend.
Friday, April 22, 2016
Du lebst. Erinnerst du dich?
April 18/Monday I was able to sleep in an hour, though I still had to get for my German class. I had a hard time concentrating in class and nearly fell asleep a number of times. I took the train back to town and walked around the city a bit. It was mostly cloudy and a little chilly, but the sun peaked through the clouds long enough for me to get some Vitamin D. I also did a little shopping for some things I needed, like ziplock bags and patches for my ripped jeans. I went the long way home, as I often do, to prolong my time out of the house. At home I finished some small odds and ends, like homework for Wednesday and putting away some miscellaneous things. I later rode my bike to the grocery store. Work was the same as usual. HD was gone for the day, so I stayed home with Two while HM went with One to swim class. I finished working when HM and One got home. I then took a train into the city and visited Meg at work. I stayed a couple of hours before heading home early.
Tuesday was a good, yet busy, day. In the morning, I drove with HM and the kids to work/school. HM had to work late, and therefore I needed to pick up the kids. I came home and went back to sleep for a couple of hours, as I was still exhausted from Monday. I got up, went for a run, did some chores, ate lunch, and got ready. I was back at school to get the kids at 4am. We had to wait for HM to be done with work, so the kids and I went to the bakery for a little treat. I was pleased at how well they behaved. Sometimes when we are in public, they misbehave more than usual. The three of us went to the playground and waited for HM to text me saying she was done. We were there about an hour before we left to get HM. The four of us got home about the same time as HD. The five of us ate dinner together. HM left shortly thereafter to go to dance class and I went to Molly's. At the end of the night, I went downtown with Meg to see what shenanigans we could get into. We went to the Dubliner, but not many people were there. We decided to go to Die Bombe, a really terrible night club. They played old radio hits and the floor was sticker than a child's hands. Meg and I had fun regardless. We danced and made fools of ourselves. I ended up catching the 4:30am train home.
Wednesday morning I accidentally overslept. I slept completely through my alarm, my morning working hours, and my German class. This was the first time I've ever done that. I woke up at 10:30am feeling absolutely terrible that I slept through work. I immediately texted HP apologizing, and they said it was fine. I spent the afternoon doing a long list of chores, including baking a cake for One's birthday. I only worked a couple hours that evening, and they were mostly while HM went to swim class with Two and I stayed home with One. I got off work around 8pm and went into town to meet up with Meg. We said we were only going to have one drink and go home, but that's the exact opposite of what happened. We went to Finnegan's first, but it was packed and there wasn't any room for us to sit. We went over to the Shamrock and had a drink and chatted with some friends there. We then went to the bar where Fitzy works. We talked with him while he worked. He got off work around 1am and the three of us took a taxi into town. We went to the Dubliner, where a few friends were already hanging out. We stayed there for a couple hours until we all went back to Fitzy's to hang out some more. I caught a train home in the early morning.
Thursday was One's 5th birthday! I made it home just in time to work in the morning. One was thrilled. He opened presents and ate cake at breakfast time. HM took the kids to school and I went to sleep for a few hours. In the late afternoon, I finally got out of bed. I did yet more chores to prepare for the day, like vacuum, bake a cake, and clean up the mess from the morning. I finished just in time as everyone got home. M, T, and L came over for dinner to help us celebrate. We ordered schnitzel from the restaurant down the road and it was simply delicious. I was so overly hungry that I probably ate way more than I should have. I had barely eaten anything all day and I was in desperate need of some nutrients (though I suppose schnitzel isn't the best for that). M and L left shortly after dinner, but T stayed for a bit. I got changed and headed into town. I met Meg at Finnegan's for a drink. Some other friends were there, and we chatted with them for awhile. I went home rather early. I was beyond exhausted and needed a good nights sleep before the weekend started.
Saturday is One's birthday party at the house. I have to work all day long, and I am certainly not looking forward to that. Hopefully it won't be too bad.
Tuesday was a good, yet busy, day. In the morning, I drove with HM and the kids to work/school. HM had to work late, and therefore I needed to pick up the kids. I came home and went back to sleep for a couple of hours, as I was still exhausted from Monday. I got up, went for a run, did some chores, ate lunch, and got ready. I was back at school to get the kids at 4am. We had to wait for HM to be done with work, so the kids and I went to the bakery for a little treat. I was pleased at how well they behaved. Sometimes when we are in public, they misbehave more than usual. The three of us went to the playground and waited for HM to text me saying she was done. We were there about an hour before we left to get HM. The four of us got home about the same time as HD. The five of us ate dinner together. HM left shortly thereafter to go to dance class and I went to Molly's. At the end of the night, I went downtown with Meg to see what shenanigans we could get into. We went to the Dubliner, but not many people were there. We decided to go to Die Bombe, a really terrible night club. They played old radio hits and the floor was sticker than a child's hands. Meg and I had fun regardless. We danced and made fools of ourselves. I ended up catching the 4:30am train home.
Wednesday morning I accidentally overslept. I slept completely through my alarm, my morning working hours, and my German class. This was the first time I've ever done that. I woke up at 10:30am feeling absolutely terrible that I slept through work. I immediately texted HP apologizing, and they said it was fine. I spent the afternoon doing a long list of chores, including baking a cake for One's birthday. I only worked a couple hours that evening, and they were mostly while HM went to swim class with Two and I stayed home with One. I got off work around 8pm and went into town to meet up with Meg. We said we were only going to have one drink and go home, but that's the exact opposite of what happened. We went to Finnegan's first, but it was packed and there wasn't any room for us to sit. We went over to the Shamrock and had a drink and chatted with some friends there. We then went to the bar where Fitzy works. We talked with him while he worked. He got off work around 1am and the three of us took a taxi into town. We went to the Dubliner, where a few friends were already hanging out. We stayed there for a couple hours until we all went back to Fitzy's to hang out some more. I caught a train home in the early morning.
Thursday was One's 5th birthday! I made it home just in time to work in the morning. One was thrilled. He opened presents and ate cake at breakfast time. HM took the kids to school and I went to sleep for a few hours. In the late afternoon, I finally got out of bed. I did yet more chores to prepare for the day, like vacuum, bake a cake, and clean up the mess from the morning. I finished just in time as everyone got home. M, T, and L came over for dinner to help us celebrate. We ordered schnitzel from the restaurant down the road and it was simply delicious. I was so overly hungry that I probably ate way more than I should have. I had barely eaten anything all day and I was in desperate need of some nutrients (though I suppose schnitzel isn't the best for that). M and L left shortly after dinner, but T stayed for a bit. I got changed and headed into town. I met Meg at Finnegan's for a drink. Some other friends were there, and we chatted with them for awhile. I went home rather early. I was beyond exhausted and needed a good nights sleep before the weekend started.
Saturday is One's birthday party at the house. I have to work all day long, and I am certainly not looking forward to that. Hopefully it won't be too bad.
Monday, April 18, 2016
Alle guten Dinge müssen enden.
April 25/Friday was much busier than I anticipated. HM had to be at work by 7:30am, much earlier than normal. To be able to be sitting in her office by then, she had to leave the house at 7am. Due to this, the morning routine was completely up to me. One had just woken up when HM left, and Two was still sleeping. It was my first time doing everything completely on my own in the morning. I was a little worried about having to wake Two up, because he's prone to crying when he realizes HP aren't around. I was surprised by how smoothly everything went. Two didn't cry at all and both listened relatively well. I made it to Kindergarten shortly after 8:15am, dropped the kids off, and then went back home. I napped, as I hadn't gotten much sleep since I was out with friends the night before. I didn't have time to do anything but shower and eat before I had to leave again. One has his little "Ballschule," or literally, "ball school" on Friday afternoons. I left the house at 1:45pm, picked up One, and came back home. We decided to ride our bikes instead of walk. That was the first time I had ridden my bike while One also rode his. I was a bit apprehensive, as we had to cross several streets. At first, One was freaking out. He kept looking down at his feet and therefore came close to falling a few times. I calmed him down, told him to focus on the street ahead of him, and assured him that he could do it. It seemed to work, as we were soon there with no real problems. We got there about 15 minutes before the class started. We sat on the steps and waited with the other kids and their moms. When the instructor showed up, One offered him some of his cookies. I helped One get changed, dropped him off with the other kids, and then left. I came home, did the kids laundry, and watched some tv. I had to leave again soon to go pick up One. We rode our bikes back, again without incident. As we got home, the next-door neighbors also were arriving home. They have a daughter who is one year older than One. Whenever the two kids see each other, they want to play together. One asked me if he could go over and play, and I said yes. He was there for the next hour. I used the time to do some more chores, like finish the laundry and vacuum. HM got home with Two around 5:30pm and told me to take an hour off. I took the opportunity to go for a bike ride along the river. I came home and started working again at 6:30pm when HM left to go to her dance class. I fed the kids and put them to sleep. HM got back about 20 minutes once the kids were out, and I was done working. It was too late to go out and meet up with friends, so I spent the evening watching tv with HM. HD got home late that evening from his work trip.
Saturday morning I was up and working around 10:30am. HM left early that morning for her step-dad's funeral somewhere 4.5 hours north of here. I watched the kids and made lunch while HD went grocery shopping and ran some errands. I finally finished working at 1:30pm. I spent some time relaxing at home and then I went for a run. We all went over to M and T's for dinner in the evening. They had a friend in town who HP are also friends with, and they all wanted to get together. In the late evening, I went to Molly Malone's to hang out with Meg. She was supposed to get off around 12:30am, but didn't end up getting off until nearly 2am. In order to hurry the process along, I helped her complete some of her tasks, like washing dishes and restocking the refrigerators. There was an older Russian man sitting at the bar who had been watching me a little. He couldn't speak much German or English, and was having trouble communicating with us. At one point, he came over to me and took out his wallet. I thought he wanted to pay so I got Meg's attention. He kept shaking his head and pointing at me. He said, "Good barman, good barman," and then gave me 3€. Meg finally got off at 2am and we walked to the Shamrock where we met up with Fiona and Kaley. We stayed there for a couple of drinks before we headed to a bar called the Green Goose. I had never been there before. The best way to describe it is that it's grungy. We stayed there for a drink and then went to the Dubliner to see if we knew anyone there. There wasn't, so we went back to the Shamrock. We stayed there until the wee hours of the morning, grabbed some McDonald's on the way home, and then went back to Ina's. I fell asleep almost immediately and slept for four hours.
Sunday I woke up at Ina's around 10:30am. I got up and made my way home. I went back to sleep for a few hours once I was in my own bed. When I woke up, it was time to skype with my mom. At 5:30pm I left the house to meet up with Simon and Mike. There was some live jazz music at a bar in town that Mike had been wanting to go to. Those of you who know me, know that I have a loud voice. I can't help it, it's just the way I am. Meet my family and you'll understand. Anyways, at one point Simon said that he might need to change seats so he could hear me better. Simon is partially deaf in one ear and was sitting with his bad ear towards me. As soon as he said this, the 40-year-old British woman at the table next to us shouted over to us, "Really? You can't hear her? She's so loud that everyone in here can hear her. She's obviously American." As I said, I know I have a loud voice. I often need to be reminded of this in order to keep my volume down. However, there was no need for her to be rude about it. Had she come up to me and said, "Excuse me, but you're being a bit loud, and I would appreciate it if you kept it down a little," I would have been happy to oblige and I would have even apologized to her. The fact that she handled the situation so poorly and without any class instantly made me want to punch her in the face. I simply looked at her. Mike took the opportunity and asked them about where they were from and how they all knew each other (she was sitting with two other people). I think the fact that he was so nice made them feel a little uncomfortable. I was glad he was there, because if he hadn't immediately started asking them questions, I probably would have said something rude back to her. I felt uncomfortable the rest of the time we were there. We left after two hours to meet up with Meg at Finnegan's. Mike stayed for one drink and left. Meg, Simon, and I went to the Shamrock where some other people like John, Fitzy, Allan, Connor, and Paddy were already hanging out. We stayed there for the rest of the night until we all went home.
Saturday morning I was up and working around 10:30am. HM left early that morning for her step-dad's funeral somewhere 4.5 hours north of here. I watched the kids and made lunch while HD went grocery shopping and ran some errands. I finally finished working at 1:30pm. I spent some time relaxing at home and then I went for a run. We all went over to M and T's for dinner in the evening. They had a friend in town who HP are also friends with, and they all wanted to get together. In the late evening, I went to Molly Malone's to hang out with Meg. She was supposed to get off around 12:30am, but didn't end up getting off until nearly 2am. In order to hurry the process along, I helped her complete some of her tasks, like washing dishes and restocking the refrigerators. There was an older Russian man sitting at the bar who had been watching me a little. He couldn't speak much German or English, and was having trouble communicating with us. At one point, he came over to me and took out his wallet. I thought he wanted to pay so I got Meg's attention. He kept shaking his head and pointing at me. He said, "Good barman, good barman," and then gave me 3€. Meg finally got off at 2am and we walked to the Shamrock where we met up with Fiona and Kaley. We stayed there for a couple of drinks before we headed to a bar called the Green Goose. I had never been there before. The best way to describe it is that it's grungy. We stayed there for a drink and then went to the Dubliner to see if we knew anyone there. There wasn't, so we went back to the Shamrock. We stayed there until the wee hours of the morning, grabbed some McDonald's on the way home, and then went back to Ina's. I fell asleep almost immediately and slept for four hours.
Sunday I woke up at Ina's around 10:30am. I got up and made my way home. I went back to sleep for a few hours once I was in my own bed. When I woke up, it was time to skype with my mom. At 5:30pm I left the house to meet up with Simon and Mike. There was some live jazz music at a bar in town that Mike had been wanting to go to. Those of you who know me, know that I have a loud voice. I can't help it, it's just the way I am. Meet my family and you'll understand. Anyways, at one point Simon said that he might need to change seats so he could hear me better. Simon is partially deaf in one ear and was sitting with his bad ear towards me. As soon as he said this, the 40-year-old British woman at the table next to us shouted over to us, "Really? You can't hear her? She's so loud that everyone in here can hear her. She's obviously American." As I said, I know I have a loud voice. I often need to be reminded of this in order to keep my volume down. However, there was no need for her to be rude about it. Had she come up to me and said, "Excuse me, but you're being a bit loud, and I would appreciate it if you kept it down a little," I would have been happy to oblige and I would have even apologized to her. The fact that she handled the situation so poorly and without any class instantly made me want to punch her in the face. I simply looked at her. Mike took the opportunity and asked them about where they were from and how they all knew each other (she was sitting with two other people). I think the fact that he was so nice made them feel a little uncomfortable. I was glad he was there, because if he hadn't immediately started asking them questions, I probably would have said something rude back to her. I felt uncomfortable the rest of the time we were there. We left after two hours to meet up with Meg at Finnegan's. Mike stayed for one drink and left. Meg, Simon, and I went to the Shamrock where some other people like John, Fitzy, Allan, Connor, and Paddy were already hanging out. We stayed there for the rest of the night until we all went home.
Saturday, April 16, 2016
Du wirst bald sterben!
Phew! It's been a whirlwind week for me. I worked a record 36 hours from Monday morning through Saturday afternoon (I'm only supposed to work 30 hours per week). I was at the kids school every single day, which I believe is a first for me.
April 11/Monday was actually rather enjoyable. HM left super early in the morning for a work conference in Portugal. I worked an hour in the morning with HD. After the kids were done eating, I was cleaning up the kitchen while they played in the living room. They started playing with a huge glass vase that we had near the window. I saw them doing this and quickly went and told them to stop, saying it would break. Both seemed to understand. I went back into the kitchen, continued doing the dishes, and then heard a huge crash. Two had knocked over the vase and it shattered. One promptly ran upstairs to tell HD what had happened. They all finally left and I was able to to shower and head out to my German class. I stopped in Nürnberg on the way back, as I typically do. I bought a sandwich and ate my lunch on one of the bridges in the middle of the city. The weather was gorgeous and everyone was taking advantage of it. I couldn't stay out too long, as I had to pick the kids up from school. Both kids are always excited to see me when I get them from school now. One usually yells my name and runs over to me to hug my leg. Two usually laughs and smiles, and often runs over to me with his arms open for me to pick him up. I brought both kids home and we hung out until HD got back. HD and One left for swim class, and Two and I hung out at home. When HD and One got back, I was relieved of my duties for the evening. As I was chatting with HD about the day, he told me a funny story. When he was dropping the kids off at school, he told One to say goodbye to "his old Papa." (HD is 47 - a bit old to have a 5 year old and a 2 year old, in my opinion). One looked at him and said, "Yeah, you're really old. You're going to die soon." HD said all the other parents around just stopped and stared with horrified looks on their faces. Anyways, I knew I'd have a busy week ahead, so I took the opportunity to leave the house. I went up to Molly's to see Meg and have a drink.
Tuesday was one of my busiest days. HD left early that morning for a day trip for work. He was home long enough to get the kids up and dressed, but he left right after that, around 7:15am. I fed the kids and then brought them to school. I finally made it home around 9am. I took the opportunity to get some more sleep, as I hate being tired. After my nap, I went for a run and then to the grocery store. I spent the rest of the afternoon cooking some soup for me to eat throughout the week. I eventually had to leave to pick the kids up from school. We came home and it was business as usual for us. I fed them dinner and put them to bed. HD got back around 9pm, about half an hour after the kids had fallen asleep. I spent the rest of the evening doing my homework for German class the next morning.
Wednesday was the longest working day for me. I worked an hour in the morning and then HD took the kids to school. I got ready and went to my German class in Erlangen. I again stopped in downtown Nürnberg on my way home, doing a little window shopping. HD left for a business trip in England late that morning. I had to pick the kids up from school again. I brought them home and we had our usual night: playing, dinner, and bedtime. HM got home from Portugal around 10:30pm that evening. I was exhausted and went to bed almost immediately.
Thursday was busier than I originally anticipated, but still not bad. HM had to be at work early for a conference call. The kids can't get dropped off at school before 8:15am. When HM needs to be at work early, I always go along and drop her off at work before taking the kids to school. Ergo, Thursday morning I dropped her off at work and then the kids off at school. I came home, napped, and went for a run. Since I dropped them all off, I had to go pick them all up. The kids are often outside in the playground when I pick them up, especially on sunny or warm days. When Two saw me walk in, he got so excited that he started throwing sand around. It was adorable, though I cringed thinking about how I'd be finding sand in his shoes for days. On the way home, we had to stop at the flower shop so HM could order some flowers. One announced that he wanted ice cream, so we made an impromptu trip to the ice cream shop in our neighborhood. As we were driving home, we ran into M and decided to go to her house for a little snack. Upon our arrival at M's, HM announced I was done working for the day. I stayed for an hour and talked with them anyways. I left around 6:45pm, came home, ate dinner, and then left to meet up with Simon. As I was getting ready to go out, Two was taking a bath. Several times I heard HM tell him to stop drinking the bath water. When I was downstairs eating, I heard One screaming my name over and over. I went into his room to make sure he was ok and to ask him why he was screaming my name. He just looked at me and said, "Nothing, I just wanted to say your name." Kids are strange. Anyways, Simon and I had a couple of drinks and then went to meet up with Fiona. The three of us had a few drinks before Simon headed home. Fiona and I went to the Shamrock, where a few other friends were drinking. I stayed there for an hour or so, catching the 1:30am train home. After such long days at home, I was glad to get out and see my friends.
April 11/Monday was actually rather enjoyable. HM left super early in the morning for a work conference in Portugal. I worked an hour in the morning with HD. After the kids were done eating, I was cleaning up the kitchen while they played in the living room. They started playing with a huge glass vase that we had near the window. I saw them doing this and quickly went and told them to stop, saying it would break. Both seemed to understand. I went back into the kitchen, continued doing the dishes, and then heard a huge crash. Two had knocked over the vase and it shattered. One promptly ran upstairs to tell HD what had happened. They all finally left and I was able to to shower and head out to my German class. I stopped in Nürnberg on the way back, as I typically do. I bought a sandwich and ate my lunch on one of the bridges in the middle of the city. The weather was gorgeous and everyone was taking advantage of it. I couldn't stay out too long, as I had to pick the kids up from school. Both kids are always excited to see me when I get them from school now. One usually yells my name and runs over to me to hug my leg. Two usually laughs and smiles, and often runs over to me with his arms open for me to pick him up. I brought both kids home and we hung out until HD got back. HD and One left for swim class, and Two and I hung out at home. When HD and One got back, I was relieved of my duties for the evening. As I was chatting with HD about the day, he told me a funny story. When he was dropping the kids off at school, he told One to say goodbye to "his old Papa." (HD is 47 - a bit old to have a 5 year old and a 2 year old, in my opinion). One looked at him and said, "Yeah, you're really old. You're going to die soon." HD said all the other parents around just stopped and stared with horrified looks on their faces. Anyways, I knew I'd have a busy week ahead, so I took the opportunity to leave the house. I went up to Molly's to see Meg and have a drink.
Tuesday was one of my busiest days. HD left early that morning for a day trip for work. He was home long enough to get the kids up and dressed, but he left right after that, around 7:15am. I fed the kids and then brought them to school. I finally made it home around 9am. I took the opportunity to get some more sleep, as I hate being tired. After my nap, I went for a run and then to the grocery store. I spent the rest of the afternoon cooking some soup for me to eat throughout the week. I eventually had to leave to pick the kids up from school. We came home and it was business as usual for us. I fed them dinner and put them to bed. HD got back around 9pm, about half an hour after the kids had fallen asleep. I spent the rest of the evening doing my homework for German class the next morning.
Wednesday was the longest working day for me. I worked an hour in the morning and then HD took the kids to school. I got ready and went to my German class in Erlangen. I again stopped in downtown Nürnberg on my way home, doing a little window shopping. HD left for a business trip in England late that morning. I had to pick the kids up from school again. I brought them home and we had our usual night: playing, dinner, and bedtime. HM got home from Portugal around 10:30pm that evening. I was exhausted and went to bed almost immediately.
Thursday was busier than I originally anticipated, but still not bad. HM had to be at work early for a conference call. The kids can't get dropped off at school before 8:15am. When HM needs to be at work early, I always go along and drop her off at work before taking the kids to school. Ergo, Thursday morning I dropped her off at work and then the kids off at school. I came home, napped, and went for a run. Since I dropped them all off, I had to go pick them all up. The kids are often outside in the playground when I pick them up, especially on sunny or warm days. When Two saw me walk in, he got so excited that he started throwing sand around. It was adorable, though I cringed thinking about how I'd be finding sand in his shoes for days. On the way home, we had to stop at the flower shop so HM could order some flowers. One announced that he wanted ice cream, so we made an impromptu trip to the ice cream shop in our neighborhood. As we were driving home, we ran into M and decided to go to her house for a little snack. Upon our arrival at M's, HM announced I was done working for the day. I stayed for an hour and talked with them anyways. I left around 6:45pm, came home, ate dinner, and then left to meet up with Simon. As I was getting ready to go out, Two was taking a bath. Several times I heard HM tell him to stop drinking the bath water. When I was downstairs eating, I heard One screaming my name over and over. I went into his room to make sure he was ok and to ask him why he was screaming my name. He just looked at me and said, "Nothing, I just wanted to say your name." Kids are strange. Anyways, Simon and I had a couple of drinks and then went to meet up with Fiona. The three of us had a few drinks before Simon headed home. Fiona and I went to the Shamrock, where a few other friends were drinking. I stayed there for an hour or so, catching the 1:30am train home. After such long days at home, I was glad to get out and see my friends.
Monday, April 11, 2016
Willst du krank werden?
April 8/Friday proved to be busier than I anticipated. I worked an hour in the morning and then tried to go back to sleep. As I was laying in bed, I heard the door bell ring. It was the delivery man bringing the supplies for the section of the fence that has to be replaced. I had to open the gate to the driveway so he could bring in the ginormous delivery which was wrapped over two wooden pallets. Luckily it didn't take too long and I immediately crawled back into bed. I went for a run in the early afternoon, and then showered and ate. HD came home with One at 2:30pm and the three of us went to One's soccer class. It was the same one he participated in during the fall, just in a different place. Neither HD or I had been to the new location and didn't know how to get in the entrance. The building was a gym located behind the elementary school. The gates were locked when we walked up. We walked the entire circumference of the gym trying to find a way in. When I say circumference, I mean on the sidewalks and streets around the building. We couldn't find any path actually leading up to the gym. By that time, we were late. In order to speed up the process, I put One on my back so HD and I could walk at a more brisk pace. Half way into our quest around the building, it was already 3pm. HD took One from me, threw him over his shoulder, and we started running. We made a full circle around the building and found the first entrance we tried to then be open. Finally! One quickly got changed and joined his class. The instructor was the same from last time. I waited for One to finish and HD went back home to work some more. One was quite apprehensive the entire time. He doesn't like trying new things and feeling out of his element. He eventually warmed up to everyone by the end of the class. Him and I walked home together, stopping at the ice cream shop on the way. We both had a scoop of chocolate on a cone. On the walk, a couple with four little dogs came up behind us. One was very curious about the dogs, and kept turing around to look at them. Three of the dogs were off their leashes, but one was still attached. One noticed this and said something to me. I commented back, saying that dog probably didn't listen very well, so he wasn't allowed to be disconnected. The woman holding the line and heard me, and then replied, in English, "No, he doesn't listen at all!" I was totally surprised by this, as most people who hear me speaking English to the kids don't talk to me in English too. Anyways, we went home and hung out for awhile. Around 5pm, HM told me I had the rest of the night off. I spent some time ironing the kids clothes before dinner. The five of us all ate together. I left shortly thereafter to meet Adam and Eddie at the train station. The three of us hopped on a tram and went out to the Volksfest. We meandered around the fest for a little bit, even stopping to go on a roller coaster. We eventually settled in at the Rock n' Roll tent, had a drink, and enjoyed the live music. We didn't end up staying too long, as they wanted to get back to Ansbach relatively early. We took the tram back to the Hauptbahnhof around 10:30pm. Adam and Eddie jumped on the train and I walked to Molly's to see Meg. I didn't stay long at Molly's, just long enough to say hello and catch up. I made my way home and was safely tucked into bed around midnight.
Saturday was exciting. I worked in the morning from 10am to 2pm. I took the boys to the playground while HM went grocery shopping and HD went to pick up a desk for One. We all ate lunch together and then I was done working. I spent some time relaxing in my room before I got ready and went into town. I went to Ina's where Fiona, Meg, and some others were hanging out. I hung out with them for an hour before I continued on to the train station to catch a train to Ansbach. Adam met me at the train station and we walked to a restaurant where we met with my old friend, Marc, and his girlfriend, Christina. Marc and I studied together at my university in the US, though he's German. He's from a village outside Munich and his girlfriend is from a village outside Ansbach. I hadn't seen him in two years. The four of us enjoyed dinner together and then went for a drink afterwards. It was awesome to catch up. So much has happened in both our lives since we first met nearly four years ago. Eddie, Basti, Patricia, Eve, Felix, Marcel, Paula, and some others eventually showed up at the bar we were at. Unfortunately, it was too late and I had to go shortly after they all got there. Everyone was sad to see me go, or they at least pretended to be. Marc and Cristina also left when I did, and we made tentative plans to hang out again soon. I caught the last train back to Nürnberg at 12:14am. Once back in town, I met up with Meg and Fiona at the Shamrock. We spent an hour or two there and then left to go meet Ina at Kloster, the bar where she works. Ina was closing up the bar and the three of us waited for her to be done. By the time she was all done, it was 5am. The four of us walked back together to Ina's. I only stayed there for about 30 minutes before I left to catch my train. I didn't want to wait in the Hauptbahnhof at 5am on a Sunday morning alone. On my walk to the train station, I ran into Allen, an Irish guy who works at Finnegan's and who I have chatted with on several occasions. He was also on his way home. We talked a little, including him if I had any craic. "Craic" is a word they use in Ireland to mean "fun, stories." What I heard was him asking me if I had any "crack," aka the drug. I was pretty taken aback and didn't know what to say, so I just laughed it off. We eventually parted ways. I immediately texted Fiona, Meg, and Johnny relating my weird experience. They laughed at me and informed me that he had said "craic" and not "crack." I guess you learn something new every day! I made it home around 6:30am and climbed into bed just before 7am.
Sunday was a day of catching up. I slept from 7am until 2pm. I got up, skyped with my mom, and then went for a run. When I come back from my run, I always spend 15 minutes stretching in the driveway. HD walked outside as I was doing this and gave me a funny look. I looked back at him quizzically, and he asked me, "Why are you laying on the stones? Do you want to get sick?" I informed him that I was just stretching and that it only took a few minutes, and that usually the grass was wet, so I wasn't going to sit there. He continued to give me a funny look, then went back inside. One time a few weeks ago, I went to sit down on the stones when we were outside by the fire. HM quickly scolded me, telling me that I shouldn't sit on cold stones in Germany, especially during the winter, because it'll give me a bladder infection. I personally have never heard this and I chalked it up to be an old wives tale, but I got up anyways without arguing. I assume this is what HD was referring to when he asked me why I was sitting on the cold stones. This isn't the first time they've said something to me that I found to be stereotypically German, especially related to health. I couldn't help but giggle. I showered and then the five of us all ate dinner together. After dinner, I skyped with three of my best friends from home. We talked for nearly two hours and it was fantastic. I was still tired from the night before, so I was in bed rather early.
Saturday was exciting. I worked in the morning from 10am to 2pm. I took the boys to the playground while HM went grocery shopping and HD went to pick up a desk for One. We all ate lunch together and then I was done working. I spent some time relaxing in my room before I got ready and went into town. I went to Ina's where Fiona, Meg, and some others were hanging out. I hung out with them for an hour before I continued on to the train station to catch a train to Ansbach. Adam met me at the train station and we walked to a restaurant where we met with my old friend, Marc, and his girlfriend, Christina. Marc and I studied together at my university in the US, though he's German. He's from a village outside Munich and his girlfriend is from a village outside Ansbach. I hadn't seen him in two years. The four of us enjoyed dinner together and then went for a drink afterwards. It was awesome to catch up. So much has happened in both our lives since we first met nearly four years ago. Eddie, Basti, Patricia, Eve, Felix, Marcel, Paula, and some others eventually showed up at the bar we were at. Unfortunately, it was too late and I had to go shortly after they all got there. Everyone was sad to see me go, or they at least pretended to be. Marc and Cristina also left when I did, and we made tentative plans to hang out again soon. I caught the last train back to Nürnberg at 12:14am. Once back in town, I met up with Meg and Fiona at the Shamrock. We spent an hour or two there and then left to go meet Ina at Kloster, the bar where she works. Ina was closing up the bar and the three of us waited for her to be done. By the time she was all done, it was 5am. The four of us walked back together to Ina's. I only stayed there for about 30 minutes before I left to catch my train. I didn't want to wait in the Hauptbahnhof at 5am on a Sunday morning alone. On my walk to the train station, I ran into Allen, an Irish guy who works at Finnegan's and who I have chatted with on several occasions. He was also on his way home. We talked a little, including him if I had any craic. "Craic" is a word they use in Ireland to mean "fun, stories." What I heard was him asking me if I had any "crack," aka the drug. I was pretty taken aback and didn't know what to say, so I just laughed it off. We eventually parted ways. I immediately texted Fiona, Meg, and Johnny relating my weird experience. They laughed at me and informed me that he had said "craic" and not "crack." I guess you learn something new every day! I made it home around 6:30am and climbed into bed just before 7am.
Sunday was a day of catching up. I slept from 7am until 2pm. I got up, skyped with my mom, and then went for a run. When I come back from my run, I always spend 15 minutes stretching in the driveway. HD walked outside as I was doing this and gave me a funny look. I looked back at him quizzically, and he asked me, "Why are you laying on the stones? Do you want to get sick?" I informed him that I was just stretching and that it only took a few minutes, and that usually the grass was wet, so I wasn't going to sit there. He continued to give me a funny look, then went back inside. One time a few weeks ago, I went to sit down on the stones when we were outside by the fire. HM quickly scolded me, telling me that I shouldn't sit on cold stones in Germany, especially during the winter, because it'll give me a bladder infection. I personally have never heard this and I chalked it up to be an old wives tale, but I got up anyways without arguing. I assume this is what HD was referring to when he asked me why I was sitting on the cold stones. This isn't the first time they've said something to me that I found to be stereotypically German, especially related to health. I couldn't help but giggle. I showered and then the five of us all ate dinner together. After dinner, I skyped with three of my best friends from home. We talked for nearly two hours and it was fantastic. I was still tired from the night before, so I was in bed rather early.
Thursday, April 7, 2016
Irren ist menschlich.
April 4/Monday proved to be non-stop action. I worked an hour in the morning before I got ready and headed to my German class. Class itself was as usual. My teacher asked us all if we planned to take the official C1 test at the end of the term. She asked me again personally as I was getting up to leave. I expressed my hesitation, saying that I wasn't sure if I would pass the test and that it was also a lot of money. She told me that she thought I would be able to pass it, and that I should take it. It was awesome to hear she believes I could do it, as I trust her judgement on this topic. I went back to Nürnberg after class. It was a gorgeous day, in the low 60s and sunny, so I opted to grab a sandwich and walk up to the castle to have lunch with a view. I was happy about my decision as soon as I got to the top. I slowly made my way home. I got home with 20 minutes to spare before I left again with HM. Two was home sick all day, and HM and Oma stayed home with him. HM and I left Two with Oma and then drove into the city. I dropped her off at her doctors appointment and then continued on to pick up One from school. We drove back home and arrived at an empty house. Oma and Two arrived shortly thereafter and the four of us hung out outside for awhile. HD got home 10 minutes later, and him and One planed some bushes together. Eventually HD and One left together for swim class, and I was relieved of my duties for the evening. I spent the evening working on applications and went to bed early.
Tuesday was quite the busy day, I was active from 7:30am until 12midnight. Exhausted would be an understatement. Two was home sick with me all day. I drove with HM to take One to school while Oma stayed home with Two. I dropped HM and One off at work and school and then came home. Oma passed Two on to me so she could finish packing. Two and I walked to the bakery to get some fresh bread. Two walked back the whole way, even insisting on carrying the bread for me half of the way. When we got home, it was time to cook lunch. Once Two was finished eating lunch, we packed up the car and Two and I drove Oma to the bus station. She was safely deposited at the bus station and waited for her bus back to Berlin. I drove home with Two, who fell asleep on the way home. I put him down for his nap. I quickly got started on cooking my soup. My soup took longer than I hoped, so I didn't have any time to relax, as I also had a few chores to do. 3pm quickly rolled around and Two wasn't awake from his nap yet, so I woke him up so we could leave again. We drove back to the Kindergarten to pick up One, then the three of us drove to HM's office and picked her up. We finally got home around 5pm and my nine hour work day came to an end. HM informed One that I had the evening free, something One was not happy to hear. I got changed and left to go for a run. Now that the time went forward an hour and the days are getting longer, I'm able to go for runs in the evening. This excites me more than it probably should. After my run, I showered, ate, and went into the city to meet Simon. Upon arriving at home from my run, One ran over to me and hugged me. It was adorable and unexpected. I went to say goodnight to the boys when I left the house. One expressed his frustration that he had only seen me twice that day. It was again adorable and unexpected. Small things like this definitely reflect how much better my relationship with the boys is. Anyways, Simon and I went for a drink at Hanneman (a bar), and then walked over to Molly's to see Meg. We stated there until about 10:45pm, when we both went home. I knew I had another long day on Wednesday and I didn't want to be too tired.
Wednesday proved to be yet another day on the move. I was up at 6am, showered, and then started working at 7am on the dot. We had to leave the house early so HM could go to a parents meeting at the school. As I was getting Two dressed for school, he excitedly engulfed me in a hug. I was completely surprised at his display of affection. It's clear he's finally come around to me as well. HM jumped out of the car at Kindergarten to go to the meeting and I brought the boys to their classrooms. Two was definitely happy to be back at school. I didn't wait around for HM to be done, instead I walked to the bus station nearby and caught the bus to the train station. Keep in mind, the Kindergarten is in Erlangen, as is my German class. It was 8:30am when I caught the bus, and my German class didn't start until 10:15am. I walked around downtown a bit, purchasing a few toiletries and a little snack. I eventually made my way over to the building where my class is. There's also a little cafe in the building, so I bought myself a hot chocolate and finished some remaining homework before class. Class itself was about as usual. For whatever reason, I was feeling more motivated than normal and paid more attention than usual. Class ended a few minutes early and I made my way back to Nürnberg. I walked around downtown a little before I made my way all the home. I stopped at the hairdresser and had them trim my bangs for me. I got home, ate lunch, did some chores, and then relaxed a little. HM dropped One off with me and left immediately with Two for swim class. One and I hung out and ate dinner while they were away. HM and Two got back and ate a little with us. HM then relieved me of my duties. I spent the night working more on applications and relaxing. After three long days of going going going, I needed an evening doing nothing.
Thursday was supposed to be more of a relaxing day for me, but that didn't end up being the case. I got up in the morning to get the kids ready for school, but HM surprised me by asking if I could also drive them to school as well. We left the house much later than usual, and I didn't get back until 9am. I took the opportunity to take a short nap, as I didn't have any real plans for the day. I lounged around the house in the late morning before I finally went out for a run in the early afternoon. HM called me around 3:30pm to ask if I'd be able to pick up the kids from school. She went somewhere with M, and they were stuck in traffic on the way home. She knew she wasn't going to make it home in time. I went and picked up the kids from school. HM got home shortly after we did, and she told me that I had a two hour break. She watched the kids until 7pm when I took over so she could go to her dance class. I got the kids ready and tucked them into bed. I spent the rest of the evening relaxing and enjoying the quiet.
Tuesday was quite the busy day, I was active from 7:30am until 12midnight. Exhausted would be an understatement. Two was home sick with me all day. I drove with HM to take One to school while Oma stayed home with Two. I dropped HM and One off at work and school and then came home. Oma passed Two on to me so she could finish packing. Two and I walked to the bakery to get some fresh bread. Two walked back the whole way, even insisting on carrying the bread for me half of the way. When we got home, it was time to cook lunch. Once Two was finished eating lunch, we packed up the car and Two and I drove Oma to the bus station. She was safely deposited at the bus station and waited for her bus back to Berlin. I drove home with Two, who fell asleep on the way home. I put him down for his nap. I quickly got started on cooking my soup. My soup took longer than I hoped, so I didn't have any time to relax, as I also had a few chores to do. 3pm quickly rolled around and Two wasn't awake from his nap yet, so I woke him up so we could leave again. We drove back to the Kindergarten to pick up One, then the three of us drove to HM's office and picked her up. We finally got home around 5pm and my nine hour work day came to an end. HM informed One that I had the evening free, something One was not happy to hear. I got changed and left to go for a run. Now that the time went forward an hour and the days are getting longer, I'm able to go for runs in the evening. This excites me more than it probably should. After my run, I showered, ate, and went into the city to meet Simon. Upon arriving at home from my run, One ran over to me and hugged me. It was adorable and unexpected. I went to say goodnight to the boys when I left the house. One expressed his frustration that he had only seen me twice that day. It was again adorable and unexpected. Small things like this definitely reflect how much better my relationship with the boys is. Anyways, Simon and I went for a drink at Hanneman (a bar), and then walked over to Molly's to see Meg. We stated there until about 10:45pm, when we both went home. I knew I had another long day on Wednesday and I didn't want to be too tired.
Wednesday proved to be yet another day on the move. I was up at 6am, showered, and then started working at 7am on the dot. We had to leave the house early so HM could go to a parents meeting at the school. As I was getting Two dressed for school, he excitedly engulfed me in a hug. I was completely surprised at his display of affection. It's clear he's finally come around to me as well. HM jumped out of the car at Kindergarten to go to the meeting and I brought the boys to their classrooms. Two was definitely happy to be back at school. I didn't wait around for HM to be done, instead I walked to the bus station nearby and caught the bus to the train station. Keep in mind, the Kindergarten is in Erlangen, as is my German class. It was 8:30am when I caught the bus, and my German class didn't start until 10:15am. I walked around downtown a bit, purchasing a few toiletries and a little snack. I eventually made my way over to the building where my class is. There's also a little cafe in the building, so I bought myself a hot chocolate and finished some remaining homework before class. Class itself was about as usual. For whatever reason, I was feeling more motivated than normal and paid more attention than usual. Class ended a few minutes early and I made my way back to Nürnberg. I walked around downtown a little before I made my way all the home. I stopped at the hairdresser and had them trim my bangs for me. I got home, ate lunch, did some chores, and then relaxed a little. HM dropped One off with me and left immediately with Two for swim class. One and I hung out and ate dinner while they were away. HM and Two got back and ate a little with us. HM then relieved me of my duties. I spent the night working more on applications and relaxing. After three long days of going going going, I needed an evening doing nothing.
Thursday was supposed to be more of a relaxing day for me, but that didn't end up being the case. I got up in the morning to get the kids ready for school, but HM surprised me by asking if I could also drive them to school as well. We left the house much later than usual, and I didn't get back until 9am. I took the opportunity to take a short nap, as I didn't have any real plans for the day. I lounged around the house in the late morning before I finally went out for a run in the early afternoon. HM called me around 3:30pm to ask if I'd be able to pick up the kids from school. She went somewhere with M, and they were stuck in traffic on the way home. She knew she wasn't going to make it home in time. I went and picked up the kids from school. HM got home shortly after we did, and she told me that I had a two hour break. She watched the kids until 7pm when I took over so she could go to her dance class. I got the kids ready and tucked them into bed. I spent the rest of the evening relaxing and enjoying the quiet.
Sunday, April 3, 2016
Ah, meine Liebe!
Phew! It was a busy weekend. April 1/Friday morning I was up and working as usual. I went back to bed, of course, once everyone was gone. I did chores and went for a run in the late afternoon. HM got home with the kids around 5pm, and HD got home shortly after her. We all went over to the neighbors for dinner. L had his confirmation on Sunday. About 35 people came into town for the occasion, many of which slept at M's house. Most of M's family came, many of whom I'd met before. After dinner, I went into town with "the boys," aka Fabio, Adrian, Marcel, and Phillip. Fabio, Adrian, and Marcel are all M's nephews, and Phillip is the son of one of Maria's friends. They range in age from 20-24, so all close to my age. I'd already spent time with Fabio and Adrian, and I feel like I know them well enough to go out with them, especially Fabio who lived in Nürnberg for a month and who I hung out with a few times. Since they'd never really been out in Nürnberg, I wanted to show them around. It was obvious from the start that we had different ideas of a good time, so the evening was a little difficult. Whereas I am more interested in "chill" bars or techno clubs, the boys were more interested in packed bars or hip hop clubs. Alas, we ended up going to a few different bars and one club. I think they had a good time. We all made our way home sometime between 2am and 3am.
Saturday was a gorgeous day. It was in the upper 60s and sunny. I had to work in the morning and early afternoon. I took the boys to the park, where we played for about two hours. We came home and played outside for a bit while HD unloaded the car. He had gone shopping for groceries and other supplies while I was at the park with the kids. HM and Oma (HM's mom) went into the city to do some shopping and have lunch. I think it was nice for them to have some time alone together. I cooked lunch while HD continued unloading the car. The kids, HD, and I all ate lunch together. I helped HD get the kids ready for bed and he put them both down for their nap. I took the opportunity to nap myself, as I was still exhausted from the night before. Once awake, I showered and got ready. Two of HP's friends from Munich, who were also going to the confirmation, arrived around 6pm. They were to sleep at our house, as M's house was packed to the brim. We all sat together and had a drink after they arrived. We then went over to M's for dinner with everyone. I stayed until around 9pm when I left and made my way into the city. I first went to Molly Malone's to see Meg. It was Tony and Shawn's birthday party, and the pub had a band playing downstairs. Needless to say, they were super busy. I only stayed for an hour or so. I met Adam and Eddie at the train station. They came into town with Basti, Patricia, Marcel, Till, Eve, and Sarah. I guess they all wanted to get out of Ansbach and have a crazy night in town. Unfortunately, I couldn't stay out late with all of them. I did spend a couple hours with them anyways. Eddie wanted to go back to Molly's, and so we went. It was so busy that Meg asked me to wash and dry glasses for her as she got my friends drinks ready. I left around 1:30am and caught the train home.
Sunday was the big day! The weather was absolutely perfect, again in the upper 60s and mostly sunny. L had his confirmation. I went with Oma and HD to the church to see the whole thing. I wanted to see what the ceremony would be like. We sat in the second to last row, so I couldn't actually see anything, just hear it all. HD is L's godfather, so he got to sit in the first couple of rows with M and T. "The boys" all sat in the row behind me. They must have been bored too because they spent the entire time giggling. When it was over, I walked back to help HM with the kids. We then spent the next five hours at the neighbors with everyone. I think there were about 40 or so people there, most of whom were M and T's family (as previously stated, and many of whom I have met before). I had nice conversations with a number of people, particularly with M's brother and brother-in-law. When saying goodbye to everyone, many members of M's family asked how much longer I would be here. When I told them it would be another five months as an au pair, they smiled and said they were sure they'd see me again before I finished. It was heart warming to hear this. Being around an entire family unit for a special occasion definitely made me miss my own family. Such is life, I suppose. I made my way home around 5:30pm. It's 7pm as I write this, but I know I won't be doing anything else the rest of the evening. My German class starts meeting again tomorrow (it didn't meet for two weeks due to the Easter holidays), and I need to get a full nights sleep. I'm looking forward to an evening of watching Netflix and laying in bed.
Saturday was a gorgeous day. It was in the upper 60s and sunny. I had to work in the morning and early afternoon. I took the boys to the park, where we played for about two hours. We came home and played outside for a bit while HD unloaded the car. He had gone shopping for groceries and other supplies while I was at the park with the kids. HM and Oma (HM's mom) went into the city to do some shopping and have lunch. I think it was nice for them to have some time alone together. I cooked lunch while HD continued unloading the car. The kids, HD, and I all ate lunch together. I helped HD get the kids ready for bed and he put them both down for their nap. I took the opportunity to nap myself, as I was still exhausted from the night before. Once awake, I showered and got ready. Two of HP's friends from Munich, who were also going to the confirmation, arrived around 6pm. They were to sleep at our house, as M's house was packed to the brim. We all sat together and had a drink after they arrived. We then went over to M's for dinner with everyone. I stayed until around 9pm when I left and made my way into the city. I first went to Molly Malone's to see Meg. It was Tony and Shawn's birthday party, and the pub had a band playing downstairs. Needless to say, they were super busy. I only stayed for an hour or so. I met Adam and Eddie at the train station. They came into town with Basti, Patricia, Marcel, Till, Eve, and Sarah. I guess they all wanted to get out of Ansbach and have a crazy night in town. Unfortunately, I couldn't stay out late with all of them. I did spend a couple hours with them anyways. Eddie wanted to go back to Molly's, and so we went. It was so busy that Meg asked me to wash and dry glasses for her as she got my friends drinks ready. I left around 1:30am and caught the train home.
Sunday was the big day! The weather was absolutely perfect, again in the upper 60s and mostly sunny. L had his confirmation. I went with Oma and HD to the church to see the whole thing. I wanted to see what the ceremony would be like. We sat in the second to last row, so I couldn't actually see anything, just hear it all. HD is L's godfather, so he got to sit in the first couple of rows with M and T. "The boys" all sat in the row behind me. They must have been bored too because they spent the entire time giggling. When it was over, I walked back to help HM with the kids. We then spent the next five hours at the neighbors with everyone. I think there were about 40 or so people there, most of whom were M and T's family (as previously stated, and many of whom I have met before). I had nice conversations with a number of people, particularly with M's brother and brother-in-law. When saying goodbye to everyone, many members of M's family asked how much longer I would be here. When I told them it would be another five months as an au pair, they smiled and said they were sure they'd see me again before I finished. It was heart warming to hear this. Being around an entire family unit for a special occasion definitely made me miss my own family. Such is life, I suppose. I made my way home around 5:30pm. It's 7pm as I write this, but I know I won't be doing anything else the rest of the evening. My German class starts meeting again tomorrow (it didn't meet for two weeks due to the Easter holidays), and I need to get a full nights sleep. I'm looking forward to an evening of watching Netflix and laying in bed.
Friday, April 1, 2016
Keine Ursache!
March 28/Monday was yet another holiday. It was "Ostermontag," or literally, "Easter Monday." I have no idea why this is an actual holiday, but I'm not complaining since I had the day off. I slept in, worked on application stuff, ate lunch with the family, and then went for a run. I then got ready and headed into the city. I met up with Simon and we went to the Frühlungsvolksfest, which is the springtime fair. There are rides, such as roller coasters and a ferris wheel, and lots of stands to buy food. Being that it was a holiday, it was absolutely packed. We wandered around for about an hour and a half. We then caught a tram over to Molly Malone's to see Meg and to get some food. We only stayed about an hour and a half, and then Simon and I both went home. Once at home, I booked my tickets to go to Vienna with a friend at the end of April. I'm going to Vienna in April, Budapest in May, and a music festival near Leipzig in July. I'll also be going to Ireland and Italy with my mom in September. I hope to squeeze in another couple trips in June and August. I am beyond excited for all of this!!
Tuesday and Wednesday were more or less the same. I stayed at home both days, working on applications and being lazy. I worked both morning and evenings with an hour for chores in between.
Thursday was a good day. Since I'd been home the previous two days, I was antsy to get out of the house and be active. I worked an hour in the morning, slept some more, did some chores, and then got ready and left the house. I went downtown to buy myself a light jacket I'd been wanting. It's finally getting warmer here, so I won't be wearing my winter jacket much anymore. I went back home, got changed, and headed back to the train station. I didn't have to work in the evening, as HM's mom came into town. I took the opportunity to go out to Ansbach to see Adam and Eddie. I hadn't seen Adam in a couple of weeks and Eddie in nearly a month. We walked around Ansbach for a bit, ate dinner, and chatted over coffee. When I first got here, the three of us spent a lot of time together. As the months have gone on, that time has been less and less, especially now that I have a group of friends in Nürnberg. Needless to say, it was fantastic to see them and hang out just the three of us. I headed back to Nürnberg around 9pm. I stopped at Molly Malone's on my way home to say hi to Meg and Tony. I stayed for a drink, and then headed home just after 11pm.
Tuesday and Wednesday were more or less the same. I stayed at home both days, working on applications and being lazy. I worked both morning and evenings with an hour for chores in between.
Thursday was a good day. Since I'd been home the previous two days, I was antsy to get out of the house and be active. I worked an hour in the morning, slept some more, did some chores, and then got ready and left the house. I went downtown to buy myself a light jacket I'd been wanting. It's finally getting warmer here, so I won't be wearing my winter jacket much anymore. I went back home, got changed, and headed back to the train station. I didn't have to work in the evening, as HM's mom came into town. I took the opportunity to go out to Ansbach to see Adam and Eddie. I hadn't seen Adam in a couple of weeks and Eddie in nearly a month. We walked around Ansbach for a bit, ate dinner, and chatted over coffee. When I first got here, the three of us spent a lot of time together. As the months have gone on, that time has been less and less, especially now that I have a group of friends in Nürnberg. Needless to say, it was fantastic to see them and hang out just the three of us. I headed back to Nürnberg around 9pm. I stopped at Molly Malone's on my way home to say hi to Meg and Tony. I stayed for a drink, and then headed home just after 11pm.
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