I exceeded all expectations

I had a blast visiting MrsF and my BFF aka My Gorgeous Goddaughter (MGGD). We  spent the morning at baby music and movement class.  Singing, dancing and just generally having fun.  The class was half an hour long and there are about twenty babies/families.  The instructor handed out the instruments and said to me.  "We expect everyone to join in!" My response was "try to stop me!"  Mrs F explained I was Early Years teacher (this was basically my everyday). We began with a couple of songs I was unfamiliar with, but I followed along bouncing MGGD in time to the music. When I recognised a song I joined I with gusto. At one point I watched the others parents mumbling along to Incy Wincy Spider, as I was belting it out sans baby. I leaned over to MrsF and said "I think in this class I am the overacheiver!"

Not Mamilein too...

I was planning on visiting my parents in Germany toward the end of summer, it's a lovely way to wind things up before going back to school.  

After not working, due to clerical issues, money was tight, very tight.  Then I got a What's app message. Almost exactly four weeks after my papichen had fallen over while testing an electric bike, breaking his hip and left collar bone.  

My Mamilein had passed out (still not sure if it was a stroke or just sheer exhaustion) and was in pain. A quick visit to the Lukas hospital and she was diagnosed with a broken left shoulder and was covered in bruises.  

Mamilein felt guilty because she wouldn't be able to look after papichen.  I reassured her and then made plans to visit her.

Thirsty Meeples

What does GO do in his spare time?  Before you ask what spare time, the time when I'm busy (tutoring/keep fit).  Well he has been increasingly Invited out with his workmates.

Thirsty Meeples - games cafe in Oxford

Initially, they would all meet up and have a few drinks in the pub, before loving onto other less salubrious establishments.  

Choose a table and then your "games master" either collects your game or makes recommendations

They now however have started to try "other" things.  This is not as dodgy as it sounds.  Recently I arranged to pick GO up after I had finished a touring session with the lovely boy.  I was told to park up and join them, at Thirsty Meeples, a board games cafe.

It is always packed, booking in advance is recommended

I arrived to find them mid game, they were busy totting up the points; "he has three red, that's minus six but two brown, so he's the winner!"  GO had won, when I asked him how he had done it, he shrugged and said "I just did What I was told!"  It remainder me of the Friends episode when Joey is the host of a new game show that is ridiculously complicated.

Happy Birthday Mamilein

Happy birthday to the best mama in the whole world.  65years ago in a little village outside of Rheidahlen 'Die Kleine Hexe' was born, my kleine schluntzi.

Mama is always a good sport and loves to have fun.  The biggest insult to her would be for someone to call her boring.

Mama has been a dutiful army wife for over forty years, she has travelled the world and made many friends, who all adore her.

In her younger years, she loved clothes and fashion and would often volunteer to model for friends and colleagues.

 Mama is an animal lover, always finding waifs and strays, but she never wanted any pets.  It was the hair and dirt, too much for her OCD.

Mama can always be relied upon to take or pose for a cracking picture.  She has begun writing a memoir all about her life growing up in a family of eight children.  Keep an eye out for 'The Kleine Hexe'.

 Mama has relished being a mum, and is without a doubt the loveliest, funniest, craziest mamilein in the whole world and we love her to pieces.

Happy Birthday Mamilein, Ich liebe Dich xxxx

Happy anniversary

Four years ago this wonderful man proposed to me.  

It was such a shock.  We had been walking around the heather and decided to have a bit of a break. 

I had been sat for a while looking through my hands "if you do this (hiding my hands up around me face) we are the only people here!  I was munching on Pringles and phaffing around with the camera (I was convinced if broken it). 

When I noticed GO on the floor rummaging around in his man bag.  

He had been so possessive of that thing.  He wouldn't let me hold it, he wouldn't let me put things in it or get things out of it. 

It was getting quite annoying.  

Then he stopped, looked at me and began to say something...  The rest you know!

You're Early Lovey!

Well to say it ironic is an understatement I turned up to my Speed Awareness Scheme training course an hour early! 

I know the map said it would only take half and hour, I needed to get some fuel and I was convinced the last time I went (hmmm) it was further up the M40 than they were showing.  

So off I went and now I am sat outside building 78 waiting for the previous course to finish.  The course is being held in the grounds of an old US forces base.  Driving around is just like being in Giessen or Wiesbaden.  It's all so familiar and comfortable.  

I didn't speed any of the way, in fact I put the cruise control which made sure I stayed law abiding.  Yet still I am here early, I tried to convice the guards at the gate that is was just a coincidence 

I can hear cars arriving, but no one can take the crown for being as early as me.  In have take the opportunity to update the blog, while I listen to the biggest magpies I have ever seen chat to each other.

That's was such an interesting course, in my opinion all drivers should take the course. Every five years.  Yes I was there because I was marginally over the limIt, but what I learned today reminded me of things that I had forgotten.  I might get there earlier if I speed, but there's a Chance I won't get there at all!

Poorhouse here we come, not quite

A week ago I was looking forward to working in a nursery somewhere, I would be doing day supply.  

I was told that I would be called at about 7am and be given that day/weeks assignment.  I set my alarm for 6.30am, I didn't want to sound too groggy when I answered the phone.  

I got up Monday morning, had some tea and cereal and waited for the phone to ring, I waited, and waited and waited. By 9.30 GO was getting his thing together to go to work and I still hadn't heard anything.  

So I called them, fearing I would be seen pushy, but clueless none the less.  It turned out that neither of my referees had got in contact.  

Now my first thought was, oh they must not want to do it.  I must be awful!  My second thought, the quieter more reasonable thought (truer too), was that both of my referees are hardworking head teachers who are now on holiday.  

It couldn't be helped, my advisor said she had left messages and was confident that she would get them sorted soon.  

A week later still no references.  It is the start of a new month and bills need to be paid.  GO has reassured me that we aren't broke, or soon to be knocking at the poorhouse.  

I was worried that the major household bills wouldn't get paid.  I contribute towards them every month, at this GO snorted, he actually snorted.  It turns out I've only been paying  a few Pounds here and there for the whole year and haven't been as conscientious as I thought I had.

Cheeky Mamilein

Look what my cheeky Mamilein sent me.

She knows I love Buende.

Back to Blenheim

Our annual pass is almost up at Blenheim, it's hard to visit a place that you been so much and do something different.  Well we went up the hill and went to visit the statue.

Oh no my Papichen

We Four missed calls from Mamilein, that can't be good.  When I finally reached her, she told me papichen was in hospital!

He had been testing out an electric bike and while getting off had stumbled and the very heavy bike had landed on top of him.  He was lucky it wasn't worse, no helmet!

He was taken to hospital, and this morning was operated on.  It was a seven o'clock start and by the time Mamilein arrived at one o'clock he was in recovery and groggy.  He is now the owner of a pin in his shoulder (again) and one in his leg.  

He will need rehab/physio and will have to stay in the Krankenhaus for about ten days.

Poor papa, but also poor mama, who has been worried sick.  She has had the help of "The Brothers", hers and papa's and I am going to go over when he is out of hospital and will be more of a handful.

Get well soon Papichen, love you. Xxx

UPDATE

Mamilein has been to visit and she says he has started wingding and being rude, so nearly back to normal.

He has been complaining that he is only allowed to eat sandwiches for tea.

UPDATE

Papichen has been told that he will need to go into 'REHA' in Bad O for three weeks, it is a place of rehabilitation that will increase his mobility and build up his strength again. He has recently been taken to the pool to begin his swimming therapy.  This make mamilein laugh, she has been trying to get him to go swimming with her for years.  It is a five minute walk from the train station so mamilien can hop on the train to see him.  She says he is back to normal again, making demands and complaining about everything (it's good to know).