The Mouse has had a cold for the last three weeks and decided yesterday to get really sick, complain about her ear and spike a fairly high temperature. So I decided to take her seriously and rang up the doctor to see if we could get an appointment in the afternoon or the next day. This is how it went:
12 30pm ring up doctor's office and babble my way through what was wrong and the possibility of an appointment.
12 31pm Receptionists listens thoughtfully, repeats questions when I obviously give the wrong answers. Asks where we live and then says they are open till 1pm so come now.
12 33 I helpfully try to explain that we are coming by bike and may not make it by 1pm
12 34 Blind optimism on the part of the receptionist and I am corralling kids into a code red situation. Grab your helmets and shoes, luckily part of psyching myself up to call the doctor consisted of finding all the health insurance paperwork and we are off.
The next 16 minutes are a blur of unlocking bikes, remembering not to ride too fast for the kids, admiring the power of nature whilst avoiding the fallen down trees from the crazy storm on Monday, pausing briefly to pick up the Monkey and dust her off as she only learnt yesterday that you can't ride through thick gravel while looking at the flooded creek, applying no first aid except for the sentence "I will buy you an appleschorle drink if you get back on your bike champ", answering the follow up question of; "A bottle of my very own or do I have to share?", and realising that my bike seat still hadn't dried properly from that storm on Monday.
12 50pm Having left the peloton far behind we pull into the driveway, all wipe sweat off their brows, race through the door of the doctor's office to be met by the receptionist clapping, the doctor grinning and the other receptionist saying "sie haben es geschaft". The winners wreath was presented to us, we popped fake champagne bottles open and went straight in for our appointment.
13 02 Ear infection confirmed and we were on our to the shop for the promised drink as the doctor's shut up shop for lunch break.
13 15 We began the much slower ride back home taking the time to look at the destruction caused by the storm.
PS schorle is the german word for 'Shandy' or more universally 'spritzer'. Appleschorle is the kids' favourite and, I am pretty sure the only reason they joined us on our trip here. At 25 Euro cents a bottle how could I say no. Also no photos as in my hurry I forgot my phone.
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