Not so technically savvy.

Ok so I tried and failed to leave a comment on my own blog. Thanks to all for the comments from last post. Will try to leave a comment again but...

Second violin lesson went well and the Bear even woke up at about 4am and declared it was time to get up as it was violin lesson day.

By the way my head is much better and up to the stage when it hurts to touch a little but I keep touching it anyway to test weather the area has shrunk. I know this is extremely childish but I thought I'd admit it anyway.

Dear Diary sorry it has been so long.

Dear Diary sorry I have neglected you for so long. It has been a really busy couple of weeks with visitors from The Netherlands and big kids starting Kindergarten. I also banged my head really hard on a post a week ago and nearly knocked myself out so hopefully I won't have forgotten to much. Yes...I do have an egg on my head and and it looks a bit funny and really hurts. I even called Matt at work and made him ring me at 30hour intervals to make sure I hadn't passed out. He was such a good nurse when I rang him after 45mins to say I was ok. I now have renewed empathy when the kids bang their heads.

I was starting to think that I was writing to much about sunny weather and picnics but there is no fear of an overload anymore as the weather has changed and it is trousers, jumpers and jackets...mostly rain jackets now. I even bought the Mouse a pair of rain trousers that look like fishing pants. Where we are living had 229% more rain than average for August (I love statistics) and that is saying somethings as it rains a lot here. Our cellar even flooded a little and I spent one morning moving the stuff of people who will be moving back in at the end of the month when we move downstairs. I hope they are nice. Matt and I are already thinking of the little house community that may be set up (WGmassig) as they have a little one too.

Excitingly we had family visit from the Netherlands last weekend. It was my Mum's cousins daughter (have no idea where punctuation goes there) and her husband and daughter. Even though we techinically know each other we have never spent anytime together so it was really nice to get to know them. We had a really lovely time with dinners, one out one at home, a trip to the zoo (with a fairly average dolphin show at the right time as it poured rain while we watched) and kids playing.

Home face painting

So with changing weather we have also changed our routine. The Bear and the Monkey go to Kindergarten every day in the morning and the Mouse goes to Playgroup. So I have some "free" time. I even went for a big swim the other day and it was so nice. I am so proud of the Bear and the Monkey. They have taken to kindergarten really well. Especially the Monkey who has never been to kindergarten so not only is the language a barrier but the routine itself. Luckily they have each other and are really happy every morning....it may have to do with the fact they get to ride their bikes. The Mouse loves playgroup (she had a week with the Monkey there and that settled her in). She grabs her bike helmet every morning and says Tschuss as she goes down the steps with Matt who drops her off.

We have added another member to our bike family and that is a little 1/4 violin. Each Monday the kids have a 15 min lesson each with the lovely Frau L. So we pack up the bike and head off over the other side of town. We even practiced yesterday afternoon and I have to remember not to be a stage mother and let them enjoy it!!!!!!! Sadly though I have decided not to have violin lessons as there just isn't enough time. I made the decision as I was riding to pick up a violin before the lesson. I just realised it would have caused me stress to not do it 100% and also I don't think I could have made it to enough lessons. So while I am sad I am also relieved, now I might even get back to making some art, after all I did spend a bit of time (and money I still owe the government) on that one.

So all in all an action packed week and a half for us. I think everyone will enjoy a sleep in and a relaxed morning morning after the first real week. I am pretty sure I didn't embarrass myself linguistically this week but who really knows. It is a good sign when nothing odd has been delivery to the house, I haven't been overcharged (there is a bakery I am not going to again after two instances) and I even managed to clear up that I was from Australia not Israel at the telephone shop, so ....I just keep on talking and hopefully I am not telling people that I like wearing brussel sprouts on my left leg on Wednesdays....or maybe I have this week due to the blow to the head.

Can't resist a good family bike photo.

The Mouse started gym classes yesterday so I am worried she may have plans to runaway and join this very sweet kid circus.

A bit blurry but a slice of life.

Cooler weather = hot chocolate (is it wrong to steal the lovely sugar bowl?)

Winding down before bed.

We miss everyone very much and are sending hugs and kisses (and of course hearty hand shakes from Matt)

moving house stories

This is probably the most boring of things that has happened lately but by far the most important in terms of the blog universe, I managed to get a surfstick up and running and am using the internet at home!!!! To most humans probably not hard but I always seem to do this type of thing the long way around. So having borrowed a surfstick from a fellow auslander it has only taken me two days to get it to work. Long story short having bought credit I then had no idea what to do. Normally in this situation I would panic and berate myself but I just waited until the next day and went back and asked more questions and resisted my impulse to say "ja ja ich verstehe" and end up at home with still no idea. Thanks to a helpful young man (yes I am old to use that expression) and many verbs in the wrong spot but questions asked nevertheless here I am.

So onto more interesting things. Our world has move a little further up the road than it was a week and a half ago. Our new apartment feels much more like a home and Bear has even stopped saying we live in a hotel. Maybe I'll just let some photos do the talking as the cockels of my heart were warmed when i looked.

View from our new rooms to our half of the garden

Must feel at home when the whole morning was spent playing with kitchen items.

Summer disappeared for a week but Matt and the Monkey braved the weather

"there is no such thing as bad weather just bad clothing"

The monthly flea market was even better as I went with a friend who has the same OCD manner of viewing stalls as I do and how made a very delious cake that was so big it lasted the whole weekend. Even though I despise haggling I did try but gave up after i realised it wasn't really the done thing. So now the Monkey has her own bike (and it was a good bargain) and is loving riding it. We also now own a very cool thermos, a spiffy apron that someones granny made, some more games and a very nice skirt that I may wear for the rest of my life. Oh and with the left over money Matt bought one book....oops.

After we each ate an icecream bigger than our heads we all took a ride around the fields. Ok, so Matt and I rode while others saw the sights and had 40 winks. Yes that is the skirt I bought. That was day one of wearing it for the rest of my life. Today was cooler so sadly didn't wear it. Not good at sticking to a fashion plan.

It has been a fairly huge week and a half but we are settling into patterns and this week has seen the Monkey and Mouse having great time at playgroup for a few hours each morning while the Bear has been doing his lessons in the morning and helping organise things.

And just one more thing. I am not meant to read crime thriller novels. But it is "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" trilogy and I can't put it down. I am trying to only read it in the daylight hours. My nerves just can't take it, not to mention my imagination going into massive overload.

Has anyone made it through them and enjoyed the series????

Oh and today was bath dolly's birthday. We celebrated with a cupcake banner (as we have no cupcake baking tins) re-gifted toys wrapped up and birthday piklets. Happy 6th Birthday Bath Dolly (aka Rosie). Tomorrow is Blue Bear's birthday.

Pizza, Pirates, Dinner and More

Free day at the Horse Show

Pinwheel pizzas take 2

Sadly I haven't got many photos from the weekend but we have loads of great memories nevertheless. It was free horsey day on Thursday so we went twice and enjoyed a little horsey dancing and jumping and take away food. More good weather saw another excellent picnic opportunity that we just couldn't pass up. The Bear rode his own bike there and back. It is amazing how lovely life is riding to places...ok, not so much when it was raining like today but the adventure level and clothing needs is just raised to a higher level.

Today was pirate morning for Monkey, Mouse and Me. We were told about a free play (looks like it was free week for us) at the park just near us. So we quickly got dressed and raced about switching washing from machines to dryers (can't mess with the waschplan) and raced down on the bike. What a fantastic tip! It was a one man Pirate play with songs and a great story. Sadly the Bear was with Matt sorting out our new apartment and arrived at the very end. Even sadder was that the 4pm was rained out. Not to mention that there has been a play on for the past 4 weekends and we only just caught this one. Oh well will have to scan the programmes better in future.

Rounded off the weekend with a brilliant dinner with friends not seen for 5 years.

Hoping that the Mouse won't cough to much tonight, as based on wikipedia she has croup, may have to do our first visit to a German doctor....better look up a few key medical words.

Moving tomorrow to bigger digs. Bear will be able to pack once more for real. Wonder how many trips on the bikes it will take to move our stuff? Luckily we don't have to move a fridge, though have been given the low down on how to do it with a shopping trolley.

Picnic, Gardens and Pirates

My version of pinwheel pizzas...look a bit 'how's your father' but tasted great.

A Friday arvo picnic with fellow antipodeans. Matt just happen to be passing by.

On the way to market!

All head up yesterday +Sunny weather= jump on the bike and head to the botanic gardens for a fantastic start to the day. Spot the Bear!

Then home for some homemade pirate fun.

Whilst trial and tribulation continue and will always be a part of life with three kids the amazing things in the days are always the ones you remember in the evenings (when the kids are sound asleep in bed). I am still waiting on my drawing book from Amazon, it got posted but delivery has proved difficult as the Hausmeisterin (office lady for the apartments) went on holiday last week which, it seems means that no parcels can be delivered as they must go through her office???? Really want to check it out and get a bit of drawing inspiration back.

I'm off for coffee with F tomorrow morning with no kids...and it is washing day... glad I chose Wednesday "sorry Mr Matt". May even go to bed early as I just realised I'm a little excited to go and sit in a cafe but have started reading "Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" so may spend an hour with that (thanks for the book donation V).

trials and tribulations

Even though my legs are stinging I will still eat blackberries.

I don't eat 'em I just pick 'em.

The poor mouse, then we burnt them...then we ate them anyway...not bad!

Bear and Monkey are nearly finished their try out week at German kindy before the 3 week holiday. After that they go every morning. It has been a fairly smooth transition to kindy but a pretty rough week at home. They must be working hard to keep it together at kindy that it all just falls apart at home. And Mouse has decided to only sleep 40mins the last two days. So we are ploughing through this week, hopeful to crest the wave again.

That said I have learnt several things this week.

a) even when cooking goes incredibly wrong, you have to use the play dough rolling pin (thanks Bear for thinking of that one) and you burn the biscuits it can still be a whole lot of fun.

b) one shouldn't wear one's hair down, wear a "puffy" shirt and ride a bike. It just feels like you are in a 1980's prog rock band who has paid extra for the wind machine.

c)always wear long pants when picking blackberries......and pick the ones up high because of fox wee. oops found the last part out a bit late.

d) kids can surprise you and eat all their dinner even after the biggest total melt down ever.

e) always take rain jackets in Germany....I actually remembered!!!!!

ladies day, new/old bike

A Great Weekend.

Monkey and Me went on a ladies shopping day on Saturday and met up with S for coffee which turned into an invitation to S to come and use our oven for her cooking project: Muesli bars which were really yummy. Matt, the Bear and Mouse made a spontaneous trip to look for a 2nd hand bike (for Bear), which they found for 20euros! And which the Bear spent an hour cleaning and "polishing" today.

Sunday, lots of riding bikes and finding new playgrounds with flying foxes....oh, and as the weather was nice we ate more ice cream. Matt and I both agree that we MUST force ourselves to order a huge 5euro ice cream dream at least once more before summer disappears.