Eliza had a great Christmas. Her big present was a bike (which she is still learning to ride).
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Monday, December 12, 2011
Krampus Time!
Ah, Germany! The fairytales are definitely a little darker than the Disney versions we get...
Sunday, December 11, 2011
A Christmas Message from Claron
This is Amanda. Claron hates, hates, passionately hates cheesy Christmas songs. I'm not talking the traditional Christ centered songs. I'm looking at you "Christmas Shoes" and even "Mary Did You Know?" Yes, Mary did know. An angel came and told her! In that spirit, here is this years' Christmas message from Claron:
Friday, December 9, 2011
Just Another Week in Germany...
I think this week should be recorded for posterity. Here is the glamour of living in a foreign land:
Sunday: Cold, Raining. Eliza slept in bed with me because she woke with an earache. Get dressed for Church. Eliza looks alright. I'm feeling ehhh. Walk to the train. Get all the way downtown before turning around because Eliza now looks like death rewarmed, and I feel that way. Sleep all day.
Monday: Cold, Freezing Rain. Call Eliza's doctor. Busy, busy, busy. Finally get through. "We can give you an appt tomorrow or you can come and wait." We go to wait. Wait almost 2 hrs. See doctor.
Dr: "Yes, her ears are infected."
Me: "So, we'll give her an antibiotic, right?"
Dr: "Well, she doesn't have a fever, and she seems in good spirits."
Me: "Sigh. She gets these often, and they usually don't go away without an antibiotic."
Dr: "I'll give you a prescription for some Emser Salts and a very strong decongestant. Please only use it at night and for a maximum two days. Also, you'll want to make her a compress of warmed onions."
Me: "I think this was caused by seasonal allergies. Could you also give her an allergy medication?"
Dr: "We'll have to allergy test her first. You should also keep her home for the next three days."
Seriously!? Guess what the "strong" decongestant was? AFRIN! OTC in the US. "Emser Salts" are salts from Bad Ems in Germany. So, I tried the onions. Didn't work! I used decongestants and motrin from the US.
Tuesday: Cold, Freezing Rain. My friend, Tamsyn, calls me and asks if I want to go shopping. Yes! Eliza is looking well. We go shopping, but by the end, Eliza and I are tired and not feeling well. We get home. I eventually get Eliza and myself to sleep and the bell rings. I figure I might have a package so I answer. A guy is at my door selling frozen food delivery. I tell him I'm not interested. He says, "Oh, no problem. Here is a catalog." I take the catalog and he starts jammering. I try to tell him I have a sick kid and need to go but can't get a word in edgewise. I try to shut the door. He puts his foot in the way and gets louder. He asks for my phone number. I decline. He yells, "Well, I need this then." He grabs the catalog and slams the door, waking Eliza up. I am FURIOUS!
Wednesday: Cold, Freezing Rain/Wintery Mix. My anniversary and the long awaiting 16 wk baby appt. Eliza comes with me. All is well. Baby looks great. Baby refuses to show private bits. At the end of the appt., I tell the doc that I've been having probs with my sinuses and ears, but no fever. I think I have a trump card and tell her I did the onion thing. Didn't work. Doc says, "Have you tried essential oils?" Me: "Yes." Doc: "Well, call if you get a fever."
Someone shoot me!
Thursday: Cold. Some drizzle. Eliza is back to school. I am babysitting my friends kids and need to get a real German license. So, I get up early and travel all the way to SW Munich (We live in NE) to the Führerscheinstelle (DMV). Get there. Wait 1.5 hrs. The lady says that my address is listing as our old address and we must not have deregistered with Munich. I show her my registration in Garching and say its the same "Landkreis" (County), it should be automatic. She says, "Yes, but the system says Munich, so you must to go the Burgerbüro and get it fixed. Also, now that you are not city Munich, just county Munich, you have to go to a different Führerscheinstelle."
So, I go downtown to the Kreisverwaltungreferat to the Burgerbüro. I wait in three different lines. Finally, the lady says, "No, Garching did fix the address. The system has the right address." I sigh and ask for a print out. "Five Euros, please?" Of course! And, so I go to a different line to pay and go get back in line to get my paper.
Next, I have to travel on a subway line and suburban train to get to the Landkreis Führerscheinstelle in the middle of nowhere (Far SE of town). I get there, walk a mile in the cold. Get the counter. One employee is checking FB. One is talking on the phone to a friend. One is actually working. Another is playing with their phone. They all ignore me. Finally, one comes over. She gives me a paper to fill out. I fill out what I can but it seems to be not in German but DMV speak. She gives me a card to go pay. I go pay and come back. She tells me that they can't process my application because I don't have a translation of my US license! At this point, I do something I never do. I cry. I am tired. I am sick. I am cold. I haven't eaten all day. I've spent all day in German bureaucracy hell only to be told "No!" yet again. She goes and talks to the lady that was on the phone previously discussing a holiday in Malta. They say they will process it, but I need to get a translation and bring it back. I tell them I live all the way in Garching, and it is really hard to get here. The lady goes and talks to holiday chick again. They say no big deal. I can drop it to the Rathaus (town hall) in Garching. She copies my US license and stamps it and says it is okay to drive.
I get on the train. It takes me about 1.5 hrs to get to Garching. Thankfully, Claron picked up Eliza. I retriever her from his office. My phone is dead. I am exhausted.
Friday: Today. Cold, Cloudy. I am afraid of the world. I think I'll stay inside. My house is a mess. I am still sick. Eventually, I have to go pick up Eliza, go hang with my friend's kids and get a Christmas tree, but somehow I can't shake the feeling that everything will end in disaster.
Please note: All conversations were in German. I can't imagine what all of this would be like if I couldn't speak German.
Sunday: Cold, Raining. Eliza slept in bed with me because she woke with an earache. Get dressed for Church. Eliza looks alright. I'm feeling ehhh. Walk to the train. Get all the way downtown before turning around because Eliza now looks like death rewarmed, and I feel that way. Sleep all day.
Monday: Cold, Freezing Rain. Call Eliza's doctor. Busy, busy, busy. Finally get through. "We can give you an appt tomorrow or you can come and wait." We go to wait. Wait almost 2 hrs. See doctor.
Dr: "Yes, her ears are infected."
Me: "So, we'll give her an antibiotic, right?"
Dr: "Well, she doesn't have a fever, and she seems in good spirits."
Me: "Sigh. She gets these often, and they usually don't go away without an antibiotic."
Dr: "I'll give you a prescription for some Emser Salts and a very strong decongestant. Please only use it at night and for a maximum two days. Also, you'll want to make her a compress of warmed onions."
Me: "I think this was caused by seasonal allergies. Could you also give her an allergy medication?"
Dr: "We'll have to allergy test her first. You should also keep her home for the next three days."
Seriously!? Guess what the "strong" decongestant was? AFRIN! OTC in the US. "Emser Salts" are salts from Bad Ems in Germany. So, I tried the onions. Didn't work! I used decongestants and motrin from the US.
Tuesday: Cold, Freezing Rain. My friend, Tamsyn, calls me and asks if I want to go shopping. Yes! Eliza is looking well. We go shopping, but by the end, Eliza and I are tired and not feeling well. We get home. I eventually get Eliza and myself to sleep and the bell rings. I figure I might have a package so I answer. A guy is at my door selling frozen food delivery. I tell him I'm not interested. He says, "Oh, no problem. Here is a catalog." I take the catalog and he starts jammering. I try to tell him I have a sick kid and need to go but can't get a word in edgewise. I try to shut the door. He puts his foot in the way and gets louder. He asks for my phone number. I decline. He yells, "Well, I need this then." He grabs the catalog and slams the door, waking Eliza up. I am FURIOUS!
Wednesday: Cold, Freezing Rain/Wintery Mix. My anniversary and the long awaiting 16 wk baby appt. Eliza comes with me. All is well. Baby looks great. Baby refuses to show private bits. At the end of the appt., I tell the doc that I've been having probs with my sinuses and ears, but no fever. I think I have a trump card and tell her I did the onion thing. Didn't work. Doc says, "Have you tried essential oils?" Me: "Yes." Doc: "Well, call if you get a fever."
Someone shoot me!
Thursday: Cold. Some drizzle. Eliza is back to school. I am babysitting my friends kids and need to get a real German license. So, I get up early and travel all the way to SW Munich (We live in NE) to the Führerscheinstelle (DMV). Get there. Wait 1.5 hrs. The lady says that my address is listing as our old address and we must not have deregistered with Munich. I show her my registration in Garching and say its the same "Landkreis" (County), it should be automatic. She says, "Yes, but the system says Munich, so you must to go the Burgerbüro and get it fixed. Also, now that you are not city Munich, just county Munich, you have to go to a different Führerscheinstelle."
So, I go downtown to the Kreisverwaltungreferat to the Burgerbüro. I wait in three different lines. Finally, the lady says, "No, Garching did fix the address. The system has the right address." I sigh and ask for a print out. "Five Euros, please?" Of course! And, so I go to a different line to pay and go get back in line to get my paper.
Next, I have to travel on a subway line and suburban train to get to the Landkreis Führerscheinstelle in the middle of nowhere (Far SE of town). I get there, walk a mile in the cold. Get the counter. One employee is checking FB. One is talking on the phone to a friend. One is actually working. Another is playing with their phone. They all ignore me. Finally, one comes over. She gives me a paper to fill out. I fill out what I can but it seems to be not in German but DMV speak. She gives me a card to go pay. I go pay and come back. She tells me that they can't process my application because I don't have a translation of my US license! At this point, I do something I never do. I cry. I am tired. I am sick. I am cold. I haven't eaten all day. I've spent all day in German bureaucracy hell only to be told "No!" yet again. She goes and talks to the lady that was on the phone previously discussing a holiday in Malta. They say they will process it, but I need to get a translation and bring it back. I tell them I live all the way in Garching, and it is really hard to get here. The lady goes and talks to holiday chick again. They say no big deal. I can drop it to the Rathaus (town hall) in Garching. She copies my US license and stamps it and says it is okay to drive.
I get on the train. It takes me about 1.5 hrs to get to Garching. Thankfully, Claron picked up Eliza. I retriever her from his office. My phone is dead. I am exhausted.
Friday: Today. Cold, Cloudy. I am afraid of the world. I think I'll stay inside. My house is a mess. I am still sick. Eventually, I have to go pick up Eliza, go hang with my friend's kids and get a Christmas tree, but somehow I can't shake the feeling that everything will end in disaster.
Please note: All conversations were in German. I can't imagine what all of this would be like if I couldn't speak German.
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Happy Anniversary, Claron!
9 Years of Marriage
8 Pets (3 Cats, 2 Birds, 2 Fish, 1 Snake)
7 Countries Visited Together
6 Moves
5 Cars
4 Yrs of Eliza (almost 5)
3 Church Congregations
2 Continents
1.5 Children
1 Marriage
8 Pets (3 Cats, 2 Birds, 2 Fish, 1 Snake)
7 Countries Visited Together
6 Moves
5 Cars
4 Yrs of Eliza (almost 5)
3 Church Congregations
2 Continents
1.5 Children
1 Marriage
Thursday, December 1, 2011
An Accounting Rant
Dear Bavaria,
I think it is absolutely awesome that you decided to give us a Christmas bonus.... HOWEVER! I really don't understand the following....
Why, why, why did you take out extra Solidarity Payments (that is another rant)*, Health Insurance, Retirement, Unemployment, and Care Insurance?! It is a one time bonus! Total Stolen: 314.78 Euro! Also, more than TWICE the normal solidarity rate! C'mon! Bonuses should not be treated as normal income.
Heck, I even understand that you taxed our entire pay in a 4% higher income tax bracket. I'm almost okay with that, but that "bonus" ended up being taxed at a rate of 45%! Thanks! I guess...
Signed,
Another German Consumer Who Won't Be Buying
*P.S. Solidarity payments are money that former West Germany pays to former East Germany to help them rebuild. Crap, I know!
P.P.S. The retirement is just money down the drain since we won't be vested. 9.95% of Claron's pay goes this!
I think it is absolutely awesome that you decided to give us a Christmas bonus.... HOWEVER! I really don't understand the following....
Why, why, why did you take out extra Solidarity Payments (that is another rant)*, Health Insurance, Retirement, Unemployment, and Care Insurance?! It is a one time bonus! Total Stolen: 314.78 Euro! Also, more than TWICE the normal solidarity rate! C'mon! Bonuses should not be treated as normal income.
Heck, I even understand that you taxed our entire pay in a 4% higher income tax bracket. I'm almost okay with that, but that "bonus" ended up being taxed at a rate of 45%! Thanks! I guess...
Signed,
Another German Consumer Who Won't Be Buying
*P.S. Solidarity payments are money that former West Germany pays to former East Germany to help them rebuild. Crap, I know!
P.P.S. The retirement is just money down the drain since we won't be vested. 9.95% of Claron's pay goes this!
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