No school for the middle girls--teacher work day. ME had her friend overnight from Sunday afternoon until after lunch on Monday. Lots of playing and giggling. I took GE to Kindergarten and MK went to her school, so the middle girls had the place to themselves (J was at home while I took GE to KG and got groceries). After lunch HR's friend E came over to play. There were forts in the living room, slides off the armchair, and a general good time.
ME was supposed to go to dance with YK but YK's mom had made some appointments for her and forgotten she had said she would accompany ME to dance. Since I had the little girls at home and MK was at her German tutor I couldn't take her either, so a sad ME came home again. I'll have to communicate a little better with YK's mom so I can make other arrangements to get ME to dance if there's a conflict.
Tuesday January 15
It's freezing cold this week--not supposed to climb up past -1 Celcius until Friday. Plus snow! We awoke to a fresh 1/2 inch and more coming down. It's snowed on and off all day.
I took GE to KG on the bike and then rode to my friend, SL's house to meet up for a run in the Rheinaue. We ran all the way to the Kennedybrücke and back to her place, nearly 12 km total--through snow and along the Rhein most of the way. Great run except that my right foot started bothering me at the end. I hope it's nothing serious! I know I need to get new shoes soon and it felt like a strain from keeping my balance on the sometimes slippery sidewalks while running through the snow. I'm icing and taking some anti-inflammatories and will have to see how it goes. Would hate to have to find a foot doctor while we're here...
Other ME news: her class is learning how to play Chess and studying the pieces and the rules as part of their German studies (love how they incorporate learning a game into learning German grammar and vocabulary!). Students are allowed to bring chess sets in from home and play with each other during free study periods during the day. ME has been asking if we could get her a set too, so today we chose one online and ordered it from Amazon.de. She's so excited. I have to admit, I'll be surprised if the excitement lasts but she says she's beaten some of the other kids in her class and since Chess is supposed to be a brain stimulating, strategy, "smart" game, I couldn't resist her request for her own set. I told her she'll have to teach me to play too!
Wednesday January 16
MK went to her German tutoring as usual. There was more snow! I took GE to Kindergarten on bus because the roads were such a mess. Then did my shopping in Bad Godesberg. All the walking made my foot start to hurt again (pretty sure now that it's a mild tendonitis and needs rest and ice--hard to do when there's shopping to do and I can't ride my bike!)
ME was invited to go sledding with YK after school. They took the bus to Bad Godesberg and then walked over to a popular sledding spot. It was busy with lots of kids. She had a grand time and came home with pink cheeks. Meanwhile I took the little girls to the neighbors to play in the snow for a while. Then we came inside for some tea and more play. So thankful for these neighbors, opening their home and garden to us and being so generous.
J had a meeting with the Doctorant students in the evening. These are the PhD candidates who get together every other week to present their projects and get feed back. Very stimulating discussions and all in German. They usually go out to eat somewhere afterwards too. So, since he was missing dinner and I wanted to get off my foot, I ordered a pizza from downstairs and the girls and I had a quiet evening.
Thursday January 17
Our neighbor's daughter, R, came over to play after school. The girls got along wonderfully. Still nursing my right foot. Still snowy and cold! I've been using the bus to get around, taking GE to Kindergarten and picking her up. ME's chess set arrived. She likes to practice by playing herself and saying "the white won!"
Friday January 18
After the kids were all set off to school and Kindergarten, I hurried home and straightened up before our new neighbor came over for tea. They moved in just a few weeks before Christmas and have two small children. The husband is French and she's of Indian background but grew up in French. They speak perfect English and are working on their German. They've lived in Bonn for about 4 years but in another neighborhood. As it turns out, she works for the Fairtrade company that one of our other Friesdorf friends used to work with (he was her boss before he moved to another company). Small world! We had a nice time visiting and will try to get our girls together to play (her daughter is GE's age).
MK went to her dance class after school. Later in the evening, we got a babysitter and had a date night! Our friends from Köln were coming to Bonn because his band was playing at a Kneipe (bar) in the Altstadt. We caught the U-bahn downtown shortly after 6 and went to Frittebud for dinner. I had their homemade veggie burger and J had the Currywurst and we split the Spezial Pommes (special french fries--and they were indeed special: topped with chopped onions, curry sauce, and a garlic sauce!). Not exactly health food but I was happy to have vegan/vegetarian options. While we were waiting for our food, our friend CN showed up with his band members to get their supper. After supper we went to hear the band play at the basement bar, Stachel. The band is called "God Bless the Monkey Astronaut" (sort of a 90's alternative rock sound). CN's wife, VM, was there with a couple other friends and we sat together to talk (or yell, as it were, since we had our ears stuffed with kleenex as the music was quite loud) and listen and drink Kölsch beer. A great time!
Saturday January 19
GE: "Danke Mamma, für helping you!" (after being told it was her turn to come help with making pancakes in the kitchen).
Enjoyed a lazy morning. No running group since we're taking a week break before starting the official marathon/half-marathon training. Slept late then after breakfast took the big girls with me into Bad Godesberg to shop for Karneval (Fasching) costumes. MK chose a pirate costume and ME a Native Indian. I bought a mardi gras style mask for myself that I'll probably pair with a dressy dress as if I'm headed to a masquerade ball or something. I'll have to dream something up for J. The little girls are princesses, of course. They played in their dresses all afternoon.
In the afternoon I mixed up my trusty chocolate mayonnaise cake and took it over to the neighbor's oven to bake. Looking forward to visiting with my German "aunt" (my mother was an exchange student for a year in Germany between high school and college and has stayed in contact with them since) tomorrow afternoon!
Sunday January 20
More snow! I got up early and shortly after 8 walked through the fresh snow (and it was still coming down) to the bakery (there is just one open on Sundays from 8-11; usually open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.) for some fresh bread and Brötchen. My mom's German "sister," HB, is coming for a visit this afternoon, assuming the snow doesn't deter her. We went to church, walking through the snow. Decided at the last moment to put GE in her snow pants and snow mittens and was glad I did--she can't resist lying down and making snow angels and would have been a cold wet little girl by the time we got to church! The sanctuary was cold and the tile floor wet, so I was doubly glad for GE's snow pants when she knelt down on the floor to color during the service--I'd just left her in her snow pants!
HB arrived about 1 p.m. (it took her about 1/2 hour longer than usual because of the snow, but the Autobahn was clear.) We enjoyed a Raclette meal together and the chocolate cake I'd baked on Saturday with some fresh coffee and tea.
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| Clockwise starting at the top: corn w/red peppers and peas, steamed salmon, plate of salamis and turkey, cutting board with Prosciutto and Blutwurst, mini pickles, pickled onions, and mushrooms in the center. |
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| Salad, boiled potatoes, fresh bread, and in the far right corner of the table is the cheese plate: Raclette cheese, Gouda, and Babybel. |
Wonderful time visiting and reminiscing. She filled me in on the comings and going of the extended family who we'll be visiting in March. After she left, I cleaned up the kitchen and made our traditional Sunday evening popcorn supper--which has now been adapted to include some typical Abendbrot food as well.
Monday January 21
It snowed again over night! But temps were a little warmer during the day so the streets are messy now but hopefully tomorrow will be passable with the bike again. I miss riding my bike for my errands! Waiting for a bus is not terrible but I feel tied to someone else's timetable rather than my own!
Met my running trainer (HW) at Runners Point in Bonn center this morning. I was in need of new running shoes (I think part of my injury last week was running in shoes that didn't have much give anymore--the insoles are pretty hard at this point). My foot is feeling much better, thankfully, so I was able to run on their machine where they take a video of you running barefoot and evaluate your form and recommend a type of shoe. I'm luckily a "neutral" foot which means I can buy/wear most standard running shoes (i.e. I don't have any strange pronations or flat/high arches). I do tend to run more on the front of my foot than the heel, but not terribly and it's actually easier on my shoes in the long run (I don't wear the heels off my shoes like J does!). So, as I am typically wishy-washy and can't make up my mind, I took my trainer's recommendation and went with a standard Brooks running shoe. I did get a 1/2 size larger than my old shoes since I've learned that for running one should wear shoes that are a little bigger to allow your foot to expand when you hit the ground. I'm wearing them around the house this afternoon and tomorrow will go for a short run to break them in and see how my foot feels.Wednesday the running group starts meeting again.
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