Gruezi

Translation: hello

Coming to u from my new backyard, sitting on my beloved swing



First full week in this clean, recycling loving nation.....(small trash bag pick up $ 1.95) .......

I have learned so far that driving and getting around town is a breeze, local government works very efficiently, that although the walls are thick everything sounds ten times louder up in the mountains, shopping in Germany is way cheaper and that my high school German only gets me that far......But also that people in stores are willing to help you and that the local cell phone store has a Dutch salesman!

Today is the first day I wish I could have a kitchen table spot, my bfff's and a bottle of wine to vent....or maybe do as number 4 who has decided that screaming is the way to communicate today.

I leave you with some impressions of the garden, full of fruit which I do not know how to tend to when it does not come pre packed .....























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We moved

After two weeks of goodbye parties , goodbye dinners, goodbye hugs and goodbye tears , my liver and I were ready to move

At some point you just drank enough, cleared enough, cleaned enough and yes even shopped enough....

The drive today was long, we had company (and drinks) till midnight, left at 7am, hit 3 traffic jams and downpours so after 10 hours we got to the house...

Because all the hotels in the area are full we are camping here tonight..





But it is okay, kind of fun.

And as long as this is my view from the sunroom, who am I to complain?




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One more week

Till it is D-day.... I am getting there, half of the closets and cabinets are sorted, cleared and cleaned. We had our party, already said goodbyes to a few people.

Not sure how I feel.....I am getting tired of prepping , so on that aspect it is best to leave soon but I am so not ready to say goodbye to all my dear friends.... The last 7 months were so incredibly hard and they were there to hold my hand and listen to me whine.....wth am I going to do with them so far away????? I know Internet will let me keep in touch but I need my kitchen tables to sit at and just be near them!!!

I am hoping for some cute mountain goats to keep me company because my better half already started in his new position with the company and all he has done so far is work work work




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Expatriate guide

I'm so glad the international school's PA committee made an "expat guide" for people like us.....





Not only is there very practical information like pediatricians who speak english, how you have to buy stickers to put on your garbage bags otherwise they won't take them but also very very important info :




So I won't be buying groceries at Migros......


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Ikea is missing me

Cause these past few days they lit firework in their trashcans, trying to alert me ;)

http://www.boston.com/news/world/europe/articles/2011/05/31/fireworks_hit_3_european_ikea_stores_no_injuries/

But they have to wait, I have less then 4 weeks before the movers arrive and take over my house so I want make sure I only need to go there 1 more time.

So maybe with 4 more weeks to go it is time to practice my German, it would be nice not to make a total fool of myself in the grocery store. German is difficult, even though it has similarities to Dutch their grammar is a b*tch. And not using the correct grammar can get you in to big trouble, before you know it you are calling someone something horrible while ordering lunch. But in this time and age of course there is an App for it! So I download it and instead of listening to my favorite music while cooking i will practice german!

I have paint work that needs to be done , luckily the weather will be nice this holiday weekend (the Dutch celebrate ascension day with a 4 day weekend) so I get it all done

This desk will be transformed, it is an experimental color so let's hope it will work out ;)




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Decisions decisions....

This week I have to submit the Ikea list.....After another trip down there I am wondering if the Hemnes clothes closet is big enough....sure I know it's not big enough to hold all my clothes but I was thinking to change with the seasons but even then, I think it won't hold all my summer clothes, especially with all the retail therapy sessions I had lately.... So here I am, browsing the Ikea guide again arghhhhhhhh , on the plus side, I think I am ready to apply for a job there, I know their collection by now and where to find it.



Also I promised myself I would do some clearing everyday but I am half way thru the day and I have not done anything, babysitting newborn N and walking my friend's hyper but cute golden retriever are much more fun ;)

In the meanwhile Hubby is completely swamped with work, not being able to take anymore vaca days and even having to bail out on us one week of our two week holiday in Spain....

It better be worth it....it better be.

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Life expectancy

There is a radio commercial here that tells me that 88% of people moving are experiencing stress, add that people move 7 x in a lifetime.....

This will be my 11th move in 36 years, now I'm wondering if my life expectancy has gone down?

I'm in the "let's pretend I have all the time in the world" phase and not doing a lot....

I should be clearing, organizing , putting stuff in boxes instead I'm writing, hanging around my friend with newborn, shopping, thinking and wondering.

I'm just not in the moving mode.

Is this a sign? Am I not ready for yet another move with all things going on lately?

I don't know.....

I wish I could take a break, break from mourning , moving, parenting, spousing, house holding etc etc. Just a little getaway with cocktails and nice pool boys preferably.......

For now this will have to do




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