Winter Returns

Well, seems that Spring isn't quite here yet. The sun has been shining, but it is getting cold! They are even thinking about pulling the dusty ice skates off the shelf. We got some new bikes for the girls, with training wheels, but we can't go far because their mittens are too thin!

I feel ready for spring break this coming week. I wrapped up a few things at school that needed to be done. Shockingly though, our team leader got fired. I thought she was great, but apparently there were a few problems that I didn't know about. A lot of people objected to the 'American' way it was done - she had to pack up her things right after hearing the verdict. The mood at school afterwards was as if someone had died. True enough, this job was her life, and she did most of it really well.

Naomi is thinking about taking a break from her work entirely. We will just have to see how she feels after the holiday, as a lot of teachers feel the same way right now...

I finished constructing the big, heavy coffee table for our Turkish friends. It is a real challenge, and I hear it cracking from time to time as it adjusts to the atmosphere in our house as opposed to the workshop. Makes me nervous. Luckily no broken bones so far, but almost. I partially dropped it when trying to move it. Broke my sawhorses and put a few big holes in the floor. Table was fine, of course. A couple fingers got crunched though. Good thing the floor is soft. Also nice that he was really happy with how it turned out! Now it just needs to be oiled and transported...

Our Neighborhood Nazi

We had a rather unexpected encounter on Wednesday after we were finishing up with our grocery shopping. Naomi was finishing up with buckling Amélie into the car, and a driver pulled up in a little white van honking his horn and revving his engine - he wanted to park next to our car. I was heading to the gym, but I just motioned to him to slow down. When he got out, he told me to stop being so aggressive, so I yelled at him in English.

Naomi was backing out at this point, but listening with the window open. At this point, this guy was brandishing a spray bottle and spouting off some nationalist rhetoric about how I was a dirty foreigner and how I had to go home because foreigners are the source of all the country's problems. At this point Naomi got mad and started yelling at him too.

He then clicked his heels together, straightened his back, raised his right arm, and shouted 'Heil Hitler' in the Aldi parking lot. It became rather surreal, like I was watching a movie. He continued to rant about how he was going to track us down and come to our house. I figured it would be a good idea to get a picture of him and his license plate, so I did, and he came after me with his deadly spray bottle, shouting about how he would spray me in the eyes. Time to go.

I reported the incident to the police, and in their overworked fashion, said we had two options: do nothing or make the guy pay a fine. They said it wasn't smart to do the fine as the nutcase would then be more likely to show up at our house. Hopefully we can just get a police officer to go talk with the guy. Seems like the best option at this point...

The girls had lots of questions about it afterward, and Amélie kept asking if the man would have to sit on the naughty bench. What a cutie!

Full House

It was nice to see Claire and Tung again, they really lucked out with some sunny weather! The visit was too taxing on our family. The girls had trouble sleeping (so we did too) and now I am sick. Naomi is not doing well. Hopefully this weekend will provide enough recovery time...at least the house is mostly cleaned up.

On Friday they celebrated carnival at daycare. When we walked in, there was really loud music and lots of strange people in costumes. Instant tears. I brought the girls to the baby group where they could play for the day. Nice that that was possible, otherwise I would have just had to bring them home. Not sure how such a sensory overload is good for two and three year olds...

I have been busy making a table out of my new santos mahogany floor. It is quite a challenge. I can't use wood bits - they just smoke and screech. Only metal ones work. The edges are so sharp that I have already cut myself a couple times, and just the top is so big and heavy that I can't lift it. The joints are also not gluing up well as it is an oily wood, but the design is starting to shape up and the wood is really pretty. I hope it turns out...

Gluing up the top.

Face paint for daycare.

Amélie giving Tung a shave.

Abigail cuddling with Claire.

Sad goodbye!

The bottom of the top.

Februar...ugh

It is now my least favorite month of the year. The cold and darkness have really gotten old by now. There are basically two good things about this month: it is the shortest one, and the days are getting noticeably longer!

School is rather busy as I need to work on weekends. Yesterday was the open day - a mild form of torture for me. It would have been much more manageable had I brought a lunch, but 5 hours of endless parents and kids with no food is not much fun. Apparently there is also a Sunday coming up that I need to work. Sunday?!

We also have some guests this week, which is usually fun, but Naomi and I are both a bit too dragged down to enjoy much of it. She is really busy with finishing up her backlog of grading and lots of therapy stuff. I have a lot going on with both jobs. The twins have to deal with some grumpy parents, and that creates a negative feedback loop.

Anyway, I guess I just needed to complain a bit. It is February after all.

Finished up Claire's knife block.