Sechzehn

I didn't think we had much on the plate today, but it turned out to be a pretty big day. After almost two full weeks of waiting, we finally got the right paperwork signed and turned in to Housing. At this point - although I really, really, really have my heart set on living off post - I just want an answer from the Housing Office, yay or nay. Either way, we have a place to move in to and we can get out of this transitional purgatory and move on with our life in Germany.

We decided that if we're going to live off post, we want the house with the cool wine cellar, terrace and yard. And, the landlord decided that he "liked our harmony" and Cheeseball and the house is ours if we want it. So, we'll sit down with him and the realtor tomorrow to draw up contracts for our tenancy. (!!!!)

Until we get an official answer from Housing, we don't know if we can actually live in this house or not. But, we want to have all our ducks in a row just in case we do get that yes, so we can hop right out of the hotel and into our house. So, that's all super exciting.

Today, the kids and I walked down to Ikea and the big bike store. Ikea is love, love, love. I swear I want all of it! We didn't bring either of the kids' beds with us, so I was looking for those today and for closets. German houses and apartments don't have closets. I can't get over that, I'm not sure I understand the logic behind not having closets in bedrooms. I mean, everybody has clothes, right...? But, Germans are so precise and they don't tend to act without purpose, so I'm sure there is a very logical reason behind the omission.

The bike store was huge and had dillions of bikes in every size. But, they didn't have any pretty bikes. At all. It was a very performance oriented store - and The Man reminds me that performance is important - but, I'm not trying to win any races. I just need a reliable bike with enough gears to haul Cheeseball up and down the hills, and it has to be pretty. Otherwise, what's the point? Sounds like the Lamborghini will have to be mine.

They also had a trailer that should be perfect for our purposes, I think. Now that we're getting closer to actually getting this bike, I'm excited to have some transportation but I'm getting a little nervous! I haven't been on a bike in I have no idea how long. And an episode in college looms large in my mind. I found myself out in the middle of an intersection with cars going every which way and suddenly I was frozen. And then I was on my side, bike wheels spinning, ground all over me. My shoelaces had somehow wound themselves around the bike pedals and I was attached to my bike, but without the ability to move the pedals around the circle. It was mortifying! And every time I've gotten on a bike since, I'm paranoid. So, that's gnawing at me a bit... But, I'll be fine! It's a bike! Three year olds can ride them! Right...?

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