to finally be able to sit down at the keyboard. To hear and feel the quiet clicking of the keys as they respond to my touch. To connect with myself and my inner world. To share.
I recently read an article called "New Bloggers: The Statistics Are Against Us" It was a whiny piece about how new bloggers often don't get the number of readers they think they deserve. Cry Cry Sob Sob. I don't get it. This is not what blogging is about. At least not to me. And I don't understand why people seek fame and fortune this way. Really Fortune?? For me writing a blog is like .. well.. growing my hair. My hair is a record. It holds countless memories. It records the minutia of changes in my chemical composition.. every meal every drink, every emotion making its mark, the extent of which varies. Sometimes the changes are subtle (to be read through chemistry) and sometimes profound (hair turning white from fright) but ever present. My writings are much the same. And eventually my words meet the same end.
Whether being cut short as the shears descend or eventually just splitting away...After time hair and words degrade. Disintegrate. Becomes dust dancing on the breeze and dissolving into the cosmos. I don't get the whole blogging for an huge audience.... But then I usually wear my hair up and out of the way.
But I digress. Im sitting here today.. finally.. and allowing my inner realm a voice is recount some of the observations and stories of our new life in Germany. It has been a bit of a whirlwind. When last I wrote we were on the road. Spending time visiting family and friends stateside from Portland to Reno to Monterey and all points in between. There was a house to clean (No small job) and a Car to sell (Which became a nightmare at the DMV) and other frustrations as our radiator blew on the way to pick up the kids. But the time was also filled with many blessings and the love and support of family and friends. I can't begin to say how grateful I was to my cousin Jeff who rescued us and towed us from Sac to CC. Or how dear my limited time was with my brother and his family. Or how much fun we had enjoying an evening out with Kaleb and Kira on their anniversary. And who can forget the time with D. when I danced with Daniel the Kilt wearer and Greg found out his shirt possessed much magic in picking up chicks. Then there was a farewell Dinner at Terry's where somersaults and fun prevailed. I have a boat load of pictures to sort through and forward and post but that will have wait just a bit longer.
Eventually our time came and left Reno with every intent of making our flight in SF only our car broke down at Donnor and after some delay and a taxi back to Reno our trip got pushed out another day. Sometimes I loathe technology. See it as evil. But this experience reminded me of what a blessing it can be as well. How easily (If not wearily) we were able to handle the hiccups.
Soon enough we took flight. What a long one it was. (I have no desire to make that trip again anytime soon!) Its almost hard to believe that we arrived only one short week ago. We had a lengthy layover in Dublin where we noted that the McDonalds at the airport served beer.and I enjoyed listening and trying to comprehend the thick accents. And finally .. finally.. we landed in Frankfurt. Ah to have our feet touch the ground. We made our way through customs very quickly and easily. And then I fell down an escalator while trying to manage a fair bit of luggage. (Needless to say Im still recovering but at least the bruises are fading.) We turned in to our hotel and slept deep and sound for 12 hours before heading off to Weimar. Weimar is about 3 hours from the airport in East Germany.
Our first three weeks here are being spent in a furnished vacation apartments. The kids are sharing one and Greg and I are in another. They are well appointed and our hosts are decent. Our first week was filled with chores more than anything. Trips to the government to establish residency. A trip to the bank to set up an account. Luckily with all of these things we have had the support of a translator. A trip to our new house to sign our lease. Its a lovely home and will fit us well. We pick up keys next week. A trip to tour the school and meet some of the staff. Back to school shopping. Grocery shopping. A trip to another city to the IKea to fiqure out what we are going to be sleeping on when we get to the house. Our household goods shipment from the US is not going to be arriving until October. There was an issue on the docks and our shipping container sustained some damage so who knows what might be broken. Greg in the meantime has been constantly involved with work and the kids started school on Wednesday. Like I said it has been a bit of a whirlwind. All the while drinking in the sights and sounds and adapting to much higher humidity.
The area here is beautiful, lush and green. The buildings are brick and the architecture is pleasing to my eye. In the midst of all our activities, I have walked in the park and drunk in as much as I can. I have not been sight seeing in the formal sense nor have I been taking pictures but I have taken in many sights as I walk from one place to another. ANd my senses have been a bit overwhelmed. Not only my senses but also my body. I estimate that I have been doing about 3 miles a day and while it was difficult at first (So many stairs and hills!) I have started to adjust to the exercise. In fact when I look at my legs I don't even recognize them! I will be getting to the picture taking and sharing the local color once all the crazy details get resolved and my time opens up to exploring. Which is starting to happen otherwise I would not be writing just yet. Next weekend is the Wine festival in the downtown area.
Here is another story, Greg picked up a hitchhiker yesterday. He has an hour drive to work and on his way home saw a guy with a sign that said to Weimar. Something told him to stop. He has never in his life picked up a hitchhiker. Apparently the man was a history teacher in Romania and was taking summer courses at the university in Weimar. The class went on a fieldtrip to a place he knew and he had been given permission to go his own way. But in doing so didn't realize that the there was not a way back to join his class for the trip home. (He spoke english) He was frazzled and lost. Greg was quite the good Samaritan. Plus with very little crime to speak of here, he was not too fearful of there being a problem.
Well all of that being said, I need to get going. Todays activities? I need to hang up the wash to dry (There are no clothes dryers in Germany) and make my way downtown to get some school supplies and books for the kids. Then I need to head over to the grocery store for dinner and handle a few other errands. The temperatures are much like Monterey this time of year (Except when we got here and they were in the 90's) Im ready for the hike!
Hugs and love,
V.
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