Wednesday, April 29, 2009

whopiee sledding! do you remember the JOY!



OK>.......so I am catching up on some lost video from the passed! enjoy! hey this is acting as my scrapbook...enjoy the hoots at the end of the run..remember the JOY of a long hill? I do, but my hills were not close to being this long!

Friday, April 24, 2009

LOVE THY NEIGHBOR, German Law Tells You How

04/18/2006

LOVE THY NEIGHBOR

German Law Tells You How

It can be easy to annoy your neighbors in Germany. A few too many barbeques can be all it takes. To guarantee harmony, muzzle your mutts and follow these simple rules.

A fence protecting you from your neighbors is good. A little consideration is better.
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A fence protecting you from your neighbors is good. A little consideration is better.

“Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself”

(Leviticus, xix.18.)

“Love your neighbour, yet pull not down your hedge”

(G. Herbert)

“Good fences make good neighbors.”

(Robert Frost)

“Good fences make good neighbors.”

(Robert Frost)

“Good fences make good neighbors.”

(Robert Frost)

Different Strokes for Different Folks

Our daughter had a sleep-over party with 11 11-year-olds a few years ago. It was a beautiful summer evening and the girls ran and played and made lots of noise, as kids will do, until we corralled them at about 10 p.m. The next morning they were all up and out again by 9 a.m.

That’s when our neighbor came by and complained about the noise, saying it was excessive. I immediately apologized and let him know all the trouble-makers would be carted away within the hour. As a goodwill gesture, I even tried to hush up the girls as best I could until their parents could arrive, as planned, at 10.

Worried about having annoyed the rest of the locals as well, when I saw the neighbor who lives on the other side of our house, I decided to apologize to him too. “Oh gosh, no,” he said. “That was wonderful. My wife and I really enjoyed hearing all those children playing. That was something really special.”

The German civil code states that a home-owner should enjoy his property in such a way as not to have any excessive deleterious effects on the neighbors. This rather flexible rule has landed many German neighbors in court in an effort to define exactly what “excessive” is. Some issues, tangible things like trees or bushes, are clear cut. But what defines excessive noise? Scottish bagpipes? Barking dogs? Children? What if your neighbor can’t stand the smell of grilled meat? Would that be considered excessive too?

The German courts see thousands upon thousands of “neighbor cases” every year. Some seem quite petty and almost humorous: A complaint about croaking frogs in the neighbor’s pond ended with a victory for the frogs. They’re part of nature, the court decided, and the sleepless neighbour needs to get ear plugs. The decision from a complaint about a barking dog in Cologne was a bit more nuanced. The mutt may bark for 30 minutes a day, in 10-minute intervals. As funny as the cases may seem, rest assured that behind them are weeks of arguments and a fair amount of insults being tossed back and forth across the picket fence.

Should you end up living in Germany, however, knowing how to deal with the neighbors is vitally important. The following is a brief list of the ordinances and rules you need to know:

QUIET TIME (Ruhezeit): Quiet time is from 8 p.m. until 7 a.m. and all day Sundays and holidays. A little quiet snoring is allowed, but house and garden appliances and machinery are off limits. No midnight clothes washing or Sunday afternoon lawn mowing.

The southern German state of Hesse used to have a legally mandated quiet time from 1 to 3 p.m. every afternoon. It was repealed last year, but many will still ask you to keep it down during this time. You are, of course, fully within your rights to ignore such requests -- after all, the law is on your side should you want to practice drums in the garden after lunch -- but keep in mind that you have to live with these people.

If you have any specific questions, like: Can I use my brand new Super X-G ACME chainsaw to trim daisies on sunny summer afternoons?, ask the Ordnungsamt representative (usually located in your local city hall).

WASHING YOUR CAR: Generally not allowed because of the chemicals in the soap seep into the ground water. Still, you can get away with it (use dish soap) as long as none of your neighbors complain.

BARBEQUES: The general rule is that you’re only allowed to grill once a month. Of course many of us grill much more often in the summer months. What’s important is that the smoke and smell does not bother your neighbors. If you live in close quarters, perhaps just let your neighbors know when you’re firing up the grill so they can close the windows, or move your grill to the other side of the garden.

PARTIES: Generally you are allowed to make noise outside until 10 p.m. Again, it may not be “excessive”. The “rubber-rulebook” also says you may have bigger parties up to four times a year. If you’re planning a major bash, perhaps it would be a good idea to tell the neighbors ahead of time, or better yet, invite them too.

SIDEWALK AND STREET: The homeowner (or renter) is responsible for sweeping the sidewalk and street in front of the house. You also need to pull out the weeds in the sidewalk. (Note: Keep the front of your house clean and tidy -- it will make your neighbors happy.)

SNOW: You must shovel and sand/salt your sidewalk between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. If someone slips and breaks their leg in front of your house during this time, you will be liable. (Note: if you have an elderly neighbor, go ahead and shovel their walk too. You’ll gain a bunch of brownie points for the next grill party.)

BOTTOM LINE: You can pick your friends, but you can’t pick your neighbors. It’s the luck of the draw -- they can be great or grouchy (and all you need is one grouchy geezer to make life miserable). Be friendly and helpful. Avoid conflicts if you can. Compromise. And most important of all: talk to them. If you don't, chances are they won't.

Contributed by Rasa Hiob, a self-proclaimed "lifer" in Germany originally from New York. Rasa has been in Germany for 19 years and lives in Bad Soden.

Monday, April 20, 2009

Füller shopping

On Saturday, Wils reminded us that he needed a Füller for school on Monday. Thank goodness he said something on Saturday, as all shops are closed on Sunday.

So off we go to Müller's, a local general store, that has a great school supply department, to buy a left handed fountain pen. At the store there are many choices, but the lefties are harder to find so we ask for help. Now asking for help in most US general stores, is tantamount to asking "just show me where the stuff I'm looking for is located" and getting a reply to that request:"over here". Well, in this store, it is not the case. When we asked for help, the saleslady, came over asking if this Wils' first Füller and then slides out a glass table top from the sales rack and precedes to gather several pens for Wils to try. I am snapping pictures of this poor lady to document this cultural exchange, while I know she is thinking we are the craziest Americans she knows.

Wils got his first Füller and is up and off today, after a nice Easter break to give it a try on school work.

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Sunday, April 19, 2009

Do you need translation?

Sometimes we all need a little help ... with life, with living in a foreign country, in dealing with cultural differences ... and church is no exception. So, to that point, we sometimes partake of the English translation available at our local Gemeinde ... especially when our main leader is preaching. He is a fantastic speaker, and brings a new insight to so many aspects of the Gospel based on his own personal background (he was raised Muslim) ... ok, I've gotten a little off-track ... back on track.

Our preacher talks fast, and makes a lot of side-comments that are all really interesting, so we do the half-and-half translation (one ear listening in German, the other through the headphones in English) to make sure we get the full-impact. This morning, we seated ourselves on the back-row (English translation row) and got ready to do the split personality thing when one of the workers in the church came by and asked us "will you be needing the translation?" Nothing unusual about that, right? Um. He asked us in German, and I swear that for a moment I had a complete brain dysfunction. Do I respond in English? Then obviously I understood him and don't need translation. Do I respond in German? Obviously, translation is not required. The "deer in the headlights" look should have been enough to answer, but fortunately our daughter (fluent little thing that she is) spoke up and said "yes, they will need translation" ... danke.

Granted, the guy who asked us that question was not stupid, but this was SO much like a Bill Engvall routine that I almost lost it.

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Vitra Design, George Nelson

As we are in the midst of Spring Break and we have so many museums in the neighborhood, went today to see this world famous design museum: The Vitra Design Museum.
It's focus is on modern design of architecture and furniture. There are no permanent exhibits so part of the excitement is to see what is new. Today we saw George Nelson // Architect, Writer, Designer, Teacher.
It was really a good exhibit to see because it was all so familiar. At least Paul and I felt it familiar, as being children of the 1960's, one could not have been living in that time period with out having seen his work.
For example, he was the designer of the GULF logo. George Nelson was also a main influence in the design of the modern office, with his work stations, color and surfaces. His work is all over the 1950's, 60's and even onto the seventies. He seems to me to be the forerunner to the Ikeas of the world. So in honor of his work we zipped right over to Ikea to see how the 2000's view of compact space design compares to the 1960's. Except for the colors it is pretty much the same...sleek surfaces, metal frames and pleasing use of space.
For a look at the museum here is a link:
www.design-museum.de/museum/weil/ausstellung/index.php

I found a terrific quote by him:
"I was feeling pretty smug and looking forward to a tranquil life as an academic because it seemed all so safe and pleasant. But if you are lucky, you are not allowed to stay safe. You're thrown into jeopardy." - George Nelson, 1977

music from Schüpfheim, CH

We had cousins in the area so we made the short trip over the Swiss border to visit and hear some great music.
Here is a video of the Midlothean choir in the Schüpfheim church April 5, 2009...Beulah Land. Can you pick out Tommy and Kidder?





Saturday, April 11, 2009

treehouse

Since we left Richmond, the kids have been needing a place to call their own ... I had built them a tower in the backyard back at our old house, and while they have had a pretty good time playing in the yard, something was missing ...

A couple of trees in the back of the house were decent candidates for some extra work, but as I did not want to impact the fruit trees, the birch was the best candidate.


the birch tree in question (planning shot)

Man at work

the new owners move in. It is really more of a platform built around the tree rather than IN the tree ... but they are not complaining!

cleaning crew at work - just need two more guardrails to be absolutely safe, then we're done ...

snowflakes March 2008

The Big show! This Dance school preforms a recital every three years, so they save up all of their dances and energy for one big show. "Lotte und die Reisegeist"...."Lotta and the Travel Jenie" is the result of their work. Lotta has a dream, the Jenie comes to grant her wishes and she wants to travel. During her travels to Africa and the North Pole, an evil Ice Queen steals her little dog. In order to get her dog back she must find the special crystal. So off she goes and ends up in America, dancing with Indians, then to New York and ends in Chicago. All along this journey we are treated to various dances ranging from the little first graders as bluebirds to the Adult tap and ladies flamenco dances with the ballerinas, hip-hoppers, breakdancers, jazz and modern in between. A nice variety and for the most part very good choreography .

The only differnce I could see from this and our experiences in the Sates was the language...it is a comfort to know that kids are the same the world over, they just may communicate a little differently, because they certainly move the same.


Sunday, April 05, 2009

HisKids.net: powerful. positive. radio on-demand!

Ever wonder how we spend part of our Sunday or other days?
We listen to radio on-demand for great radio theater.

HisKids.net: powerful. positive. radio on-demand!

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Saturday, April 04, 2009

Seemingly little things

I need to post this quickly before I forget to recognize the seemingly little things in life that point the way to bigger issues along life's path. What ?? ok, I am talking about miracles; not the huge parting of the sea or feeding thousands but the little miracles; the ones that because they happened they changed the course of events in life.

Example number one: On Thursday the weather had finally turned; the sunshine was warm and I was already to go for a bike ride. I wanted to go on a ride to try out my "new, recycled from the second hand shop" bike. Had been trying since 4 o'clock in the afternoon to get out of the door and take a ride with Paul. Well as things go around here, it was ten after six before we left. Vaden has just gotten home from a babysitting job, all the kids were settled so we could have some free time together.
So we are set, ready, go....bing, clink, rattle.....the chain, no, not the chain slipping off again...nope it broke this time. My miracle in this ... we were only five meters from the house and to think we could have been 5 or more kilometers away.

Miraculous happening number two, (that I am aware of for the week):
Vaden is in the midst of ballet recital weekend, "Lotte and the traveling Genie". Yesterday I watched her responsibly pack all of her things in her bag, even heard her count off what she needed...two pair of shoes, tights, hair thingies, safety pins, makeup ...
well I guess we should have had a list. When the time came to change into her second dance costume for the night there were NO suntan dance tights! My miracle now unfolds: one of her class-mates had packed a second pair! Even told Vaden that she had had them in her hand about to not bring them, thinking "nah, I won't need these" but she listened to that voice and brought them any way!

She let Vaden use them. Without those tights Vaden would not have been able to perform! Thus a life-changing event, thus my miracle number two.

Thursday, April 02, 2009

Month of Malaise, March

I am continually amazed at how it is the seemingly little things that make all the difference in the undercurrent of a culture. Take the example of attitude toward health and sickness vs school attendance. March has been our month of sickness. We have had atleast one child home, three out of the four weeks of March and as we are approaching the Easter holidays in April and I still have one in the bed and all three are finishing up their antibiotics tomorrow. So a lot of school time has been missed. I really cannot believe those words are coming from me, but I am concerned about this; I, who am a homeschooler at heart and who thinks that organized school rooms classes with 23+ plus kids is too much for sanity. But I ramble....

The point of this cultural observation:
Stryker-Ann has been sick and has missed two solid weeks of school. I have emailed one of her head teachers, and I stopped and spoke to her French teacher today. BOTH responded the same: yes she may have some work...but it is more important for her to stay quiet and to get well.
My American culture of: you must go to school or work at all cost of health peaked out and could not believe it ears. You mean really just don't worry about it and get better? What about all of those days missed? get healthy, the work will be there when you return healthy.
From Wils' teacher I recieved the same response, and I am sure if I asked Vaden's it would be the same as well.

I am really liking this attitude of: health really does mean something and the understanding that it does take time to heal some illnesses; which is a part of life. Unlike the attitude of the American culture, that illness is a form of weakness and infringes on ones independent life style. Remember in school, the kids that got an award for not missing a day of school the whole year? I have a friend who received one. I also remember a girl receiving an award for not having missed a day of school her whole high school years. On first analysis this is fantastic and it really is amazing no matter how you look at it, but underlying it is a work ethic that puts all else aside, it is one of the building blocks for future ill health. Now if the child is truely not sick then great, but it is that attitude of I must at all cost to my health and the health of others around me go to work, school, etc. What are we really saying when we do this?

The life here seems to encourage that, if you are sick you stay home and get better, there are enough sick days to cover it, you are a better worker, student if you are healthy. My home culture seems to say..hey you lazy bum, you are not really that sick, are you? It is a real inconvenience and besides you only have so many days to be sick so you better pull your self together and get in to work or school.

Please don't think that because of this attitude toward health, all is peaceful....I'll blog next about the Abitur Prufungen which are the Senior's exams.

Wednesday, April 01, 2009

Wildlife Sighting for Spring

What is that hiding behind the bench and log??

It's a black squirrel! (And no, we do not live near Mirkwood)

These guys are rare as hens teeth over here - especially in our yard! This would make the fourth or fifth squirrel we have seen in our neighbourhood - over the last three years ...