Weird feeling....

Now that my nightly chores are done (taking compost out to the box in the backyard and cleaning the ice/snow off of our portion of sidewalk-which tonight I said to myself...spam this, I am throwing some real salt on this mess...sure I will be scolded by a neighbor tomorrow for not using 'Split')  Now, I can sit and try to remember my day.... 

In the morning, I had an the most unusual feeling when I went to get my German Driver's license.  First, the Goverment buildings can be a tad intimidating when you can't read the signs posted.  Then, I felt like I was giving up part of my US citizenship (as odd as it sounds) because I was told I had to relinquish my U.S. Driver's license. I understand that it is the law not to have 2 DL's but it was still hard handing it over to them.  But then again on a positive note, "well, if I were to get a speeding ticket while visiting the states, it would not go on my record (hee-hee)"

I thought I would include a picture of today's bakery treats I got for Jason and the kids.  I am glad I don't like sweets because these look divine.  Everyday when I go to the Bakery to buy our bread for dinner and school lunches, I pick a dessert for the rest of the family. Half of the time, I don't understand what they tell me makes up the sweet.  Which is why tonight when Karina bit into her "Brownie" she started spitting it all out.  It had big chunks of cherries inside.  Oops.  

Now on to my blunders for the past two days.....
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The first, I didn't realize was a blunder until today when talking with our Daimler contact.  So, here is the scenario in brief.  Yesterday evening went back out to car to 'slide' Christmas tree into the house. An Elderly lady was walking in the snow and ice with a walker.  She looked and me, I said, "Guten Abend"  Next thing I know, she and the walker are on my front porch.  She starts speaking very fast to me in German.  She tells me she speaks "High German and was a teacher" That is only the first 10 seconds.   I understand she wants a pen (Kugelshrieber).  So, I bring her into our house while I search for a pen. She has a 45 minute conversation with me in German! I must also note that Cooper and Karina sat looking at me wide eyed the whole time because the lady kept hugging me, talking fast German, hugging me, talking fast German, hugging me, calling me her friend, ....  Got the point.  THEN, she says in German-I live all alone and have no money.  oh no....I am beginning to think maybe something isn't right at this point and nicely tell her that I have to shower my children and cook dinner.  Today, my contact told me around the holidays for me not let people randomly come in my house.  Yep.  Got the point. 

Second Blunder. ....I was warned about this one by a friend that lived in Germany.  "Elderly women have no problem calling children out when miss-behaving" Well, ALL THREE (Rocky is 3rd) OF MY CHILDREN GOT "CALLED OUT" IN THE FOREST TODAY!  Boy, talk about feeling like you are not doing a great job at motherhood.  So, first I thought, even though it was 22 degrees, it would be a great idea for us all to go for a hike in the Forest behind our house.  Kids wanted to bring sled along so I agreed.  (Thought sledding would equal early bedtime-but was wrong on that one too) While kids were sledding way down in the Forest, far far away from anything, I let Rocky off the leash to play in the snow.  Hasn't been a problem so far.  Well, today Rocky decided he was going to run back to Alabama.  So picture me trying to run in the snow, dressed like the little boy from Christmas story with my snow boots, hat, gloves, and two kids running behind me screaming' "mommy, where are you going".  By the time we caught up (over 1/4 of a mile of snow field) a lady was scolding Rocky in German because he was trying to play with her dog.  All I understood (besides her tone of voice) was that he needed to go to school.  UGH....Then my other two children got scolded.  We continued our walk.  Rocky stopped to say hey to a dog (not on a leash but this dog was behaving).  The dog's owner came up and was trying to converse.  Then I notice her change of voice and realize she is talking to Cooper and Karina.  I turn around and they are fighting in the snow.  The only word I understood of this her scolding was "durfen" which means "may".  May what I'm not sure....May get spanked, May not see Santa, May get kicked out of Germany, May have to go home with her.......

Well, off to (sand) the sidewalks once more before bed.