boxes and foxes

Finally, on Friday our boxes were delivered.  Thank goodness they came while Murilo was there as all 24 were delivered at the ground level and Murilo had to haul them up to the third floor.  Luckily, our apartment building has an elevator (worth the higher rent already).  Jessica and I spent Saturday leisurely unpacking and putting things away.  

Later, Murilo and I took Zizou for a long walk in the woods - our first venture on the local trails.  In orientation, we were warned about ticks (there have been cases of Lime Disease and Encephalitis) and also about picking blackberries close to the ground.  Apparently, there is some disease spread through fox urine - nice thought!

On Sunday morning Murilo headed off to work.  He rode the train to the Frankfurt Airport and took the Continental flight to Newark.  I'm assuming he made it as he never came back home.  We still don't have phone service although Judy and Chip let us use their phone to call moms and dads (Judy's mom was shocked that I hadn't talked to mine since we'd left Oregon).  Chip called the phone company and reported we should have service on 25 Aug (already writing my dates like the locals).

Also on Sunday, Jessica and I ate dinner at a local cafe and discovered they only carry wines from the Wasem Winery!!  I finally sampled some "rot wein" (red wine) from the family cellars and it was quite good!!  Mechtild and I are trying to schedule a time when we can get together.

Back to school today - Jessica's first day of classes (don't know how that went yet) and more meetings for me (All morning going over the school wide plan - sounds familiar - and then a team meeting in the afternoon).  I have another ESL meeting tomorrow morning and then the rest of the day to plan and prepare.  I did go around to the three first grade teachers I'm working with this afternoon and admitted I really don't have a clue what I'm expected to do this week but gave them some of my ideas.  They were all very funny about it and assured me all would be fine!

Well, that's all for now.  I need to get home and take Zizou for a walk.  OH, on our morning walk I discovered the neighbor below me (who has two dogs and speaks English) stays at home during the day and babysits.  I boldly asked her if she would mind taking Zizou out for a potty around lunch time and she agreed.  I even offered to pay for the service - we'll see!!  

More later!