The Babysitter Kommt

Last night saw me with sponge in hand, frantically trying to scrub Kalk off sinks and collect dust from corners. DS and DD splashed in the bath, peering over the side with interest.

DD: Crikey, Mum, anyone would think the Queen of London was coming over.
Me: Hurry, hurry, people! Get in your Pa-Jimmies! The baby-sitter is coming!

I exited the apartment as soon as the Dear Local Queen of Babysitters had arrived, to the strains of DS's over-tired histrionics. As I scooted away into the night I thought fondly of the oft-used words of my own Dear Brother whenever he exited my cacophonic, food- and toy-strewn house: 'See ya, wouldn't want to be ya!'

In this case, I most definitely did want to be me: I was off to a rehearsal for the Easter Chorale, with my new Project Choir (Projekt Chor). We were to sing Heinrich Schutz's Johannes-Passion and, frankly, I was having the best time being an über music-nerd.

Having just finished reading 'The Architecture of Happiness' by Alain de Botton, I shouldn't have been surprised to be so utterly taken aback at the vast quietness of the space inside the local spired church. As it was, my chaotic, hurried brain was stopped in its tracks, and I was rendered speechless.

The acoustics were as good as the space promised, and by the end of the rehearsal I was exhausted and entirely humbled - partly due to the fact that the choir director speaks about 7 words of English, and none of those are particularly helpful when attempting to tell a bunch of altos they need to put a bit more hatred into their words as they are, after all, singing about crucifying Jesus.

I suppose it was just lucky that I returned to find a quiet apartment with children dutifully sleeping, and a nonplussed DLQB doing her homework.

PS. As it turned out, the concert was sung on a snowy Easter Friday night, and was attended by DH and DD. Notably, DD managed to record with the video camera a few choice moments of Buxtehude organ-work and rather a lot of the final applause. DS was left in the capable hands of the DLQB, and very happily wore his Power Ranger gum-boots.

Whacky Mittwoch

Here is an example of the joys of using an online translator (for a letter I received from the Gemeinde regarding next year's schooling):

"The present kindergarten gutters, training by suns, school lines, members of the school care, the director/conductor of the school secretariat as well as further specialized persons are gladly ready to answer questions."

Currently my own brain's translation without the aid of a dictionary would read something like:

"The awesome Kindergarteners, teachers, schoolies, and other school persons including the school secretary are factual persons, and are going to be able to answer your questions."

All I can say is that between us we have a general idea of what's going on, but I can only hope my German rapidly improves sometime soon because, as you can see, life can seem a bit whacky at the best of times around these parts.

Spring snow

We woke this morning to much squealing and excitement from DS and DD as they ricocheted from room to room opening curtains and blinds.

Turns out the world was completely white. Indeed, by the time DS returned from another Kindergarten adventure in der Wald there was just under half a foot of snow blanketed around the apartment.

DS was entirely covered with mud, as usual, and on the way home he and his Dear Little Kiwi Pal happily fell onto their backs and lay in the puffy snow for a bit, making snow angels.

(DS also slid on his stomach, pushing a path through the snow until he got some down his skivvy-neck, and then he thought it wasn't such a good idea after all and proceeded to strip his clothes off and hand everything he possibly could including three sticks and a pine-cone to the conveniently nearby Hausfrau.

At this point, I also need to add that I have a pile of no less than 27 rocks of varying sizes which I have retrieved from DS's pockets over the past few weeks, thus averting a washing-machine catastrophe.)

Anyway, as the Dear Amazing Kindy Teacher pointed out as they returned with the wagon in tow, this is the first real snow we've had all season.

I'd been in the city during the morning, where the snow hadn't settled. It was just plain freezing.

One of the beauties of living a little further out, no doubt.

Ah, Spring snow!