Sunday morning

Feeding the ducks

Aren't the park and pond gorgeous?!

Smiling heart and children's laughter in a village

Yesterday morning I finally went to pick up a cake plate that I had left at an acquaintances' house 2 year's ago after an Easter tea party and egg hunt for the kids. (2 years!!! It's great to have the time to do these non-priority things again).

She has also had a second child (4 months old) and is feeling rather frazzled although her second is a calmer one than her first. Anyway, this lady is going back to her full time job next week and will be traveling and has brought-in live-in help from her home town. She told me that she finds it crazy that in Europe us mothers spend so much time alone with our children; caring for them, entertaining them, cooking and preparing, transporting... Leaving us exhausted and drained with little energy to see friends or do things for ourselves - which is in fact exactly what we need to do so badly in such times might I add!
She went on to say that this is why we feel burdened by them and that we would love our children better and more if we were not so alone in caring for them. Indeed, in French we say that you need a village to bring up a child. And in the olden days. when families lived in the villages or cities - sometimes in the same house - everybody would pitch in and care for the little ones who benefited from all this various interaction.

(I definitely know that I am a more fun and relaxed Mum when I have had time for myself for Pilates or coffee with a friend or had enough time and energy to be creative. Not just squeezing stuff in but real time to do more that what just absolutely needs to be done).

For us expats with grand-parents, aunts and uncles seeing kids once or twice a year, there is no village at an arms reach and that can be really hard.
But sometimes you are lucky enough to create a little village - if you stay in one place long enough and find the right people and have the right attitude and energy...- of friends and their family who can help with the kids.

Just the other day Emma spent the afternoon with Nonna - the grandma of her very best friend- who often has her over to play with her grand-daughter. Emma knows of course this is not her own grandma, but it's so great that this woman's heart was big enough to include Emma in it and that Emma found her way in.

Yesterday there was a Genusspfad down at our local market. A kind of food fair where all the shop owners got their tables and chairs out and offered special tasting menu for 1.- 3.- or 5.- Euros. There were cheeses and breads, curries and wines, salads, gratins, various Italian antipasti, organic fruits and juices, desserts... all mouth watering, scrumptious and colourful. (I totally could kick myself for not having taken any pics!!!)

Anyway, to come back to the subject (sorry! I hope you are still with me!) when I had seen this advertized a couple of weeks back I had emailed a pic to some Mummy friends from my phone - don't you just love modern technology! - and suggested an early dinner with the kids.


So yesterday 6 of us Mummies and our kids (who all go to kindergarden together) went down to the Genusspfad and enjoyed each others' company as the kids continued to play in the little park, occasionally popping by to taste an "Erdbeer knödel" or fill up on some "semmel brot" or apple juice or show us a scratched knee. We even had a reserved table (they don't normally do reservations for these types of events) but I had mentioned we would be coming with our kids and I am a regular down there so they made an exception. It might sound silly, but I felt so happy and somehow proud to have thought of this and that it worked out so well - me the expat with all these (mainly) local Mums at a local event and a table with a "Sandra 16h00" scribbled on to bright sunny yellow paper. (Can you just imagine me smiling right noow? 'cause I am, lips, eyes and heart - a BIG smile!)

It was lovely. William was passed from lap to lap, each of us took turns running after the kids or getting the drinks or food, cutting the food for the kids etc. Each of us a Mum, each of us enjoying the banter and food and drink and company and the happy laughter of the kids in the background. The happiness of this moment is going to remain with me a long time.
It is these kind of treasures that take time when you are moving from country to country and that I miss the most when I arrive somewhere new.

Someone once told me that with each destination you get quicker at going through the initial hard stuff and moving on to the happy bits. I hope that's true.

A little sunshine changes everything

Vienna is a much nicer place in the sun!
Dare I say it? I think Spring may be on it's way! How wonderful is
that?!

Don't you just hate it when that happens?

Yesterday our cleaning lady was due in at 9am like every Monday. I wanted to mention a few things to her so Steph dropped Emma off at kindergarden and I waited and waited and waited. No call. At 9h35 I had to leave for an appointment in town so I left her some post-its around the house hoping that would help us surpass the language barrier.

I got home around 1pm and while I was waiting for my soup to warm up, I checked the little piece of paper where the cleaning lady notes down her hours so we can total them up at the end of the month.

It read 9h00-12h30 = 3h30
Mmmm... Not pleased at all.

I decide to give her a call immediately to sort things out. Speaking slowly and distinctly in my best German I tell her there seems to be a problem. I start saying "you wrote down..." and she finishes my sentence by saying 9am to 12h30. I cough a little and say I was here until 9h30 and she was not.

Immediately she replies that today one of her kids was unwell and that she in fact arrived at 9h30 before asking me to wait while she puts her German speaking friend on. Our cleaning might be fluent in Romanian by I am not.

Her friend explains to me that it was a mistake due to her being so used to arriving at 9am, that she automatically wrote down her usual arrival time.
I must admit I am a bit sceptical since she not only stated having arrived at 9h30 but also totaled up the hours to 3h30. It's kind of like lying twice.

I can hear our cleaning lady G. whispering to her friend in Romanian and her friend repeating that it was a mistake. I tell her that I will correct the times on the paper and explain that G. cannot continue working here if I do not trust her. Her friend says she understands and actually provides me with the German word for "trust" finishing my sentence. We say goodbye.

Uhmmm.

I hate that. The loss of trust. Now I can't help asking myself... G. knows I drop off Emma in the mornings shortly before 9 and often get some groceries and run errands before coming home. She knows what my car looks like. Has she been doing this long?
I don't want to have to be here the whole time she cleans. I don't want to have to ask her to call me from our land-line when she arrives and before she leaves. But don't want to have doubts and feel we are being ripped off either.

UPDATE: I've decided to give G. the benefit of the doubt - she has apologized in what seemed a sincere manner to me and I don't think it will happen again.
Moving on...

Goodbye lousy day

It's been a lousy day.

Apart from Emma being better, which is a huge relief -

Emma enjoying some post-gastritis dry bread

Emma reading a Peppa Pig book to her "loup" (wolf) friend

November 27th has been quite a series of really annoying hiccups.

The day started off with an email from Steph (currently on a business trip in Budapest) informing me that he had lost his mobile phone and was going to be unreachable except via his blackberry.

After a morning expending energy at the park and a good lunch and nap, I decided Emma and I could celebrate her getting better with a new dress. I hesitated going to town at this late hour on a Friday afternoon but I figured tomorrow would be worse, so to town we went.

I parked under the Ringstrassen galerien and hurried off towards the nearest H&M. I guess I had not completely zipped my bag closed having just used my wallet to pay the entrance of the parking (I use my direct debit to enter and then again to exit -so much more practical!) and was trying to keep up with Emma who was running off ahead of me and the buggy, when a woman I felt instant antipathy for, asked me for some Geld.
I waved her off in English saying I didn't understand but kept focusing on Emma who was running ahead - something the woman no doubt had noticed too. She got closer to my left side and repeated her request for money in English to which I exclaimed "NO!" giving her a dark look and rushing past her to catch Emma.

Having caught up with Emma who was playing independent in the Christmas shopping crowd - refusing to hold my hand or sit in the buggy - we finally get to H&M where I quickly find a pretty dress we both like and head to pay for it.

Only my wallet had vanished.

Immediately the woman's face flashed before my eyes and leaving the dress on the counter, I ran back to the crime scene as quickly as the crowd and buggy allowed. Naturally, she was nowhere to be seen.

I suddenly realized I could not get the car out of the parking without my bank cards and I could not get a cab home without a penny and no access to a hole in the wall. To make things worse, Steph was in Budapest.
On the bright side, I realized I still had my car keys and phone. And Emma was singing Frères Jacques.

What to do?
I broke out in cold sweat and fury, wishing I could find the woman and get my stuff back - she could keep the money, I just wanted my cards and wallet back!

I kept scanning the crowd but realized there was little chance I could spot her without her spotting me first, especially since I was wearing my bright green coat in the midst of a crowd clothed in black.

Hoping against all hope I ran back to our car, figuring my wallet might still be in it, what with Emma fussing about which book to take with her and then getting her into, then out of, the buggy.

No luck.

Finally, I reasoned I needed to block my cards and make sure I could still get the car out of the parking and get us home. A kind employee from the parking walked Emma and me to the nearest Police station where I made calls to block my credit and bank cards and made a deposition. All the while Emma typed on the Police department's computer and was entertained by her first man in uniform.

Emma and her sitter-man in uniform

I have to tell you that all this kindness nearly caused me to forget how upset I was at the whole incident. I do realize that a pregnant mother of a young, cute child provokes sympathy and that it is their job to help citizens in need, but I have not often encountered such benevolence in a police department. So Hurray! and a big, fat medal for the Viennese Police for being so friendly, helpful and efficient. I hope the other 100/day victims of purse theft get the same treatment. If only they could catch the thief and get my wallet back too!

While we are at the Police station, my phone rings; it's Nina from one of my favorite shops in Vienna telling me that the top I wanted has arrived in my size and that I can pick it up tomorrow. Yeah, how? I have no money, no plastic. Luckily, Nina agrees to hold it for me.

Nearly three hours after the approximate time of the theft, Emma and I headed back to the garage where the kind parking employee made sure we and our car were let out without any further ado.

On our way home, the phone rang flashing an unknown number; Steph's flight, it turns out is postponed for mysterious reasons.

Oh boy.

Well, at the rate our luck is going today, perhaps it's better that the flight technicians double check the plane...

At home, the phone rings again as I am putting Emma to bed after a quick dinner; Steph's flight has been canceled. No cars available. They are trying to get a flight back for tomorrow morning.

Well, at least he's with a nice colleague and they can get themselves some dinner and glass of wine before sleeping the day off.

And, at least Emma and I are safely home, no physical injuries, healthy and warm. Could have been worse, I guess.

But I do resent that woman for stealing from me. For picking on another woman. For picking on someone who was running after her kid and could not have run after her even if I had (consciously) noticed what she was doing. I hope she sees the smiling pics of Emma, Steph and I in my wallet and feels bad. I hope she decides to take my wallet to a shop, hotel or police station saying she found it so I can get it back.

A text from Steph; they have found a hotel room and are off to dinner.

Tomorrow is another day.

Laternefest - a year gone by

Today Emma celebrated Laternefest* with her kindergarden for the second time. Only last year she was sitting in her buggy because she was not yet walking, not really standing much and certainly not singing.

Emma holding her paper lantern at Laternefest* November 2008:

Emma at Laternefest* this November (due to the rain it was held inside) with friends Marie (left) and Isabella (middle):

*Laternefest is celebrated in Catholic Germany (and Austria it seems) on November 11th, in commemoration of the burial of Martin of Tours who ripped his cloak and gave half of it to a beggar. In celebration of this act of kindness children participate in paper lantern processions while singing about St. Martin and their lanterns.

This date is also the first of a fast period of 40 days which was later called "Advent" by the Catholic Church. At St. Martin's eve and on the feast day, people ate and drank heartily for a last time before they started to fast.
In kindergarden this celebration is also an opportunity to talk about sharing and kindness.

Beyond packaging

Had the below not been strongly recommended to me, I would not have given them a second glance. Wrapping does matter.

What are they?
Although they look like chubby sausages and are often found next to the skinnier sausages, they are in fact freshly made delicious soups. Indeed.

You can freeze them or pour them right into a pan, warm them up for 5 and serve with crunchy bread. They have all sorts; potato, pumpkin, goulash, bean, mixed vegetables, chicken... And every one is scrumptious!

Find them at your nearest "Radatz"

Café Prückel & cafés in Vienna

One of the nicer sides to Vienna is it's cafés and restaurants. which we are starting to discover on our weekly adult evening out (thanks to our wonderful Italian babysitter) as well as on some Emma-free mornings.
In most cafés in the winter or when it's cold, the smoke is an issue, but right now we're able to sit out on the terraces despite the fact that it's 13°C outside and raining.
The choice is huge. A variety of cuisines. Some places are trendy, but many of them are really old, majestic in size, charming in spirit and still authentically perspiring their past with a unique appeal.

Sometimes the waiters seem to date back to the 50's too. On more than one occasion I have had the feeling of walking into the past as if through a time machine. I love being served my espresso on a little silver colored tray with the indispensable glass of water. The original linoleum counters or floors, antique lamps, shelves, coat racks and of course, tables and chairs or benches just make you feel as if you're suddenly on the set of Bewitched and Endora is going to appear in a cloud of blue smoke.

One of my favorites is Café Prückel in the first district of Vienna. It is beautiful, has high ceilings, free WIFI, an authentic 50's feel which I am fond on, lovely cakes and coffee served on silver trays by waiters dressed in black and white, lots of magazines to read and comfy chairs. Some photos below or on their website...

N.B. originally written on June 23rd but posting now...

the weather in Vienna and weekly round-up

The weather in Vienna is nice and bright if you're up at 6am (like when I get up to go to my electric therapy for my wrist)- after that it's just:

Grey

The building en face is nearly finished and so we are hoping for a relatively quiet garden to enjoy this year -once the weather gets better and warm spring starts! (why do we seem to be haunted by construction sites, huh?)

I made the best ever ginger, celeriac and sweet-potato soup! All the more for me, since Emma would not even taste it preferring a "bouillon de poule" (note: she calls soup, "poots" and I don't think that's German).


Emma has had high fever for the past 2 days (too early to know about today yet) and we haven't quite figured out why. Only symptoms are fever, slight crankiness, mild dürchfall (diarrhea) although her appetite is as usual. Could be stomach flu or last teeth coming out. Luck would have it: it's the week-end so I hope it doesn't get any worse!

Yay! She now like clementines! another fruit is always good especially since practically all vegetables are totally "has-been".

Oh, and she now calls her dummy/pacifier the "looola"! Really quite nice, don't you think? but I don't think that's a symptom.

Titties

I knew the Germans where into kinky sex - I recall a trip to Munich during high school - but Austrians? and in your neighborhood high street? Seriously?!

Titties but no nipples

Friendly Vienna

Many locals or people who have been living here for ages , have told me that Austria and Switzerland are very similar. Well, I wouldn't really know since I know Geneva, and Geneva is not really Switzerland, but on some aspects (nature, skiing...) I see where they are coming from. A not so nice potential similarity is that they say that within each Swiss citizen lies a policeman. Well, this certainly seems to be true in Vienna.

My Pilates teacher's husband was walking back home from the local Billa (a neighborhood supermarket) carrying two grocery bags. Suddenly he was approached by two policeman dressed as civilians and asked to produce his ID card. As it happens, he didn't have his on him. The policemen asked him why he was in Vienna, what he did here, where he lived etc. as if he was a criminal suspect! Really!!! In the end, they just let him go home telling him to always have his ID on him.

Another thing: When parking on the street, often a few people stop and watch and I always thought they were kindly there to offer assistance should you need it (you know, so you don't hit the kerb or other car when the visibility is bad and if your car isn't equipped with the "beep beep" or camera). Well, as it turns out, they are absolutely not there to assist you. On the contrary. I have been told they are there to check whether or not you hit the car behind you and make sure you leave your business card, phone number if you do. Nice.

Last February (during Vienna Take 1) for our first dinner in town with visiting family, after 2 attempts at leaving Emma with the sitter, we finally parked near the restaurant in a not totally legit space next to the kerb but not blocking any entrance or exit or cars. While parking, a man was eyeing us with such insistence that we actually noticed it and commented on it among ourselves. As it turns out, we had to get home in a cab, our car having been removed. The answering machine at the other end of the number we got from the police told us to press 1 to denounce a fellow citizen and something like 6 to get our car back.

Nothing like it to make you feel welcome. Come to think of it, one of the election posters I saw this autumn read: "Vote for XXX, because he is against them". Really warms my heart.

This is one of the less likeable sides to Vienna.

Sources of Joy

Emma has been going to the kindergarten for two weeks now and so far, seems to have taken to it like a fish to water.


She gradually went from spending 30 minutes to an exceptional 5 hours yesterday (9am to 2pm including lunch and a nap) after she had caught the flu, got better and passed it on to me. I desperately needed some extra sleep.

She is the youngest of the sunshine group (there are three different age groups) and their little liebling (darling). Melanie, the group teacher and the leiterin (head) are amazed at how calmly she observes other children cry as their parents leave. I give her a kiss and we wave "ciao ciao" and off I go. They even asked me for the "recipe" for an "Emma"!
Ok, she is good, but they are still in the honeymoon phase. At home, she is much more "assertive", especially when it comes to brushing her teeth or when she is unable to achieve something she is trying to do, like to open a can - then watch the sparks fly!

I must admit though, she has always been very sociable. After she was six months old, I regularly left her with her tata yéyé (my sis-in-law), her Gogo (my mum), her baba Aka (her adopted gran) and Bruno (adopted granpa), for whole afternoons at a time. She also actively participated in lunches with my girlfriends in Geneva (Sev, Nicole, Tania, Léo, Nora...) and weekly ice-creams with Baccarha. She came to the hairdressers with me, was breastfed at the dentists while (yes, while) the hygienist was cleaning my teeth (a first for the hygienist she told me afterwards) and was regularly involved in any other social activity I participated in before her bedtime. (Another benefit of not having been in Vienna this whole time - who knows? she might have become a hermit like me!)
At school, for now, she only goes so far as showing staunch determination when retrieving her dummy, water bottle or a toy from another little one's paws.

Emma is also the only one in the sunshine group who does not yet know how to walk. So she crawls enthusiastically from "corner" to "corner" (the tree corner, where they read stories, the play corner, the meal corner, the nap corner, the cooking corner...) often pausing to extend a new-found toy to the teacher or to a "colleague" as we have come to call them.

Apparently, Emma's new non-spill water bottle (with built in straw so you don't need to tip it) is a hit among her class mates! (thanks for the reco' Lind.)
Steph and I also went to our first Elternabend** (parent-teacher meeting all in German!) on Wednesday. It made me feel so grown-up!

We learned that the three pillars of her "school", as we call it, are hygiene, routine and independence.
Kids are taught to wash their hands when coming in and before meals which always take place sitting down at the table be it for a snack or lunch.
Naps are preceded by relaxing music and play is adapted to children's biorhythms and is gradually calmer as lunch time then nap time approach.
We were told about the leiterin's wish to put a stronger emphasis on musical activities and the calendar system for each group, where we can find out about planned events (excursions and outings mainly for the over 3 year-olds) and unplanned ones like a bout of Kopfläuse (lice) for example.
We also learned that Emma is good at putting things in boxes but did not wish to participate in the baking of cookies and that she responded to "Viens!" following many unsuccessful "Komm!".

Oh-oh, I am definitely going to have to learn German.

Anyhow, Steph and I are very happy about how things are going. Emma seems to agree. Let's hope it continues this way so we can both (Emma and I) grow independently and I can have something more interesting to tell Steph when he gets back from work than what I read on the Internet or what novelty Emma came up with (not that she's not interesting, but you know what I mean).

I read a quote from a Harvard University psychology professor Daniel Gilbert on another Expat mum's blog (Did I Sign Up For This? An Expat Mom's Life). It really echoed in me:

"Parents tell me all the time that: 'My child is my greatest source of joy'," he said.
"My reply is that: 'Yes, when you have one source of joy, it's bound to be your greatest'.

So here's to finding other sources of joy.


**A parte on the parent-teacher meeting dress code: Contrarily to Singapore, there were no Gucci handbags, Todds shoes or Dior sunglasses to be seen. This was more like big woolly sweaters, casual shoes and jeans. Steph was among the most formal having come straight from the office. Phew! what a relief! Honestly, how can you manage the In Style look with a toddler?)

Emma's first ever drawing. Looks like Arabic to me, no?

What do you know!?

Tomorrow is Emma's first day at Kindergarden! and I just sent out my resume for a part-time position in Vienna... who knows? life might not be so grey here this winter!!

I'm pretty excited about Emma going to "school" tomorrow. Her first week will be all about induction so she'll be there a little longer each morning. Today I ironed her name on some of her clothes and prepared her bag with a change of clothes and nappies.

I look forward to an hour of peaceful window shopping in the area of the kindergarden tomorrow morning. Cross fingers that the new routine won't totally mess up her sleeping.

By the way, what's with the winter weather in September? today was freezing in Vienna!

back to Turkey...

No, we're NOT moving back to Izmir! but it sort of felt like being there on Saturday.

We visited Brunnenmarkt in the 16th district of Vienna. Lots of veggies, fruit, shoes, cheeses...

and lots of people from the Balkans and surroundings. We heard languages from the former Yugoslavia, Romanian, Polish, Turkish and saw stalls held by Indians.

It was a lot messier than Bostanli market but hearing stall holders calling out "buyurun" and seeing signs with the price indicated next to "ekmek" (bread) felt familiar even without the sun and the sea. When we saw a Turkish restaurant in the middle of the market it made us nostalgic for the food, so we went in for lunch.

I had some "sarma" and veggies, and Steph had a "tavuk" (chicken) kebab and couldn't resist the baklava and çay. Wouldn't you know it, the owner of the place comes from Izmir.

While we were there, we tried out Emma's new portable "high-chair" in preparation for our holidays in Croatia. Actually, it's pretty handy having our own portable baby highchair wherever we go since a lot of places don't keep them and especially now that Emma can eat most of what we eat and wants to "participate" a bit more.

On Sunday, we went to another restaurant we had spotted a while ago, off Mariahilferstrasse: VaPiano. A really nice environment with a good concept: Pizza, Pasta and Salads (as well as drinks and desserts) tailor made with the toppings/content of your choice. Yummy, central, affordable, non smoking (there is a small smoking area), ideal for a quick lunch, and - they have highchairs for kids!

VaPiano in Vienna: Theobaldgasse, 19, Wien 1060 - Tel:01/581 12 12

Poop Show - 2nd Installment

Some of you may recall this post where I wondered about the "landing" in the toilets in Vienna.
Jonathan Davis had contributed a comment including a link to an analysis of a Dutch toilet (apparently what this "model" is called) pointing out the same downsides as I had had the pleasure of experiencing:

The first encounter with a toilet in the Netherlands can come as a shock to visitors from abroad. The platform upon which the result of the digestive process lands is what shocks. The construction of the Dutch WC ensures that the smell of the product of human digestion spreads further and that the visitor to said place is confronted with his or her own 'end product'

Well, it looks like the Dutch doctors are not the only ones to reason that being able to examine one's faeces was like getting a photography of one's health.

Interested in learning to distinguish a "good poop" from a bad one?

old rituals, new places

In Geneva, Emma and I got into the habit of going for a weekly post-nap ice-cream with a good friend of mine at this fantastic ice-cream place in Carouge called GelatoMania.

They have a huge choice ranging from unique ice-cream flavors to the more traditional ones. Most are yummy, yummy, yummy although some I find just too oxymoronic (like the calypso = shrimp cocktail or the ham and melon one with real bits of parma ham in it!). Happily, they are kind enough to let you have a taste of the weirder flavors so you don't have to buy it to find out it's just too weird for your pallet. I, for one, could just not swallow the chèvre and the one with pepper.

My preferred flavors over there was "ananas-basilic" (Pineapple and basil - so refreshing!), the ginger-chocolate (mmm...) as well as the more classical "Fior di latte". I also quite liked the black chocolate (very intense!) the green tea and the "pistacchio".

Since we've been in Vienna, Emma and I have been striving to keep up the good habits and so after her afternoon nap and a detour by the fruit & veg market (held by Turks! yummy, if expensive fruit) for some raspberries, we head over to de Rocco's for some "After-eight" ice-cream (my current favorite).

I'm sure this little routine is doing wonders for my post-preggie bikini silhouette...

Vienna take 2, week-end N°1

So how was our first family week-end back in Vienna?

We went bicycling with Emma for the very first time and lost her hat.
As you can see, I was a bit wobbly in the beginning, but in my defense, Em' kept kicking my bum and tugging at my top.

I was a bit disappointed by the lack of bicycle lanes in Vienna, I thought there would be at least as many as in Geneva and I haven't seen any so far!

***

We discovered Emma had played Indians with her nappy cream during her nap... (hadn't realized she'd taken it to bed with her from the nappy station)

***

She also managed to stand for the first time (doesn't she already look computer literate?!)

notice the cute "déhanché"

***

We decorated and improved the garden wall:

Before

After

Better, no? What do you think?
***

We had a yummy macchiato at Bar Italia (not the London one!)

Finally, the sun came out and we visited the MUMOK (Museum Moderner Kunst) and saw and exhibit ironically called Bad Painting good art which was interesting.

The pictures below show the MQ (Museums Quarter) with lilac concrete sun-beds, classical architecture and cafés.

A really interesting mix and in my opinion, a great idea to avoid culture getting that old and dusty feel. There was even a DJ at work in the centre of the "platz" and Mojitos going round. Nice!

Back in Vienna!

So, we have been back in Vienna since Sunday 10th. ... So far no major disasters. Yippee!

A close call though; the newly acquired Mummy-car, a second-hand black automatic Polo, refused to start on Monday afternoon when I decided that it would be nice to get out after Emma's morning nap and lunch. Turns out the portable GPS had sucked the life out of the battery. Luckily we managed -did I say we? Uh, I meant; my star of a husband and the VW service (Emma and I were sending good vibes) to resolve the issue speedily enough and on Tuesday morning the car started on the first attempt.

Emma has adjusted rather well to her 5th bedroom (!!!!) since birth (and I am not counting the maternity ward or family visits) and is generally sleeping ok (although last night she let out a few screams I think might be due to more teeth pushing out).

The new flat is super nice, lovely and bright and spacious, surrounded by our own garden which is accessible from all the bedrooms and the living room. Very best of all (aside from the fact that we never have to go back to that horrible construction area we thought was going to be our home in Vienna) is that there is NO UNPACKING REQUIRED since my star of a husband did it all (with a little hired help) so that we could land running and not get bogged down in boxes. What more could I ask for to make "Vienna take 2" a totally different experience? Cross fingers people!

Today is "Mariä Himmefahrt" so we'll be enjoying a long weekend with Daddy/hubby and getting out and about.

Tune is soon for more...

with love from Singapore

So with all that's been going on and to cut to the chase, let's just say that:

• the work that needs doing in the flat is bad enough for them to have offered to send the three of us to a thermal spa for a week - all expenses paid (Oh! God! something tells me this time it is worse than bad)
  
• we refused the offer and have decided to start searching for a new home in Vienna
  
• but since the work needs doing now and we have been unsettled for the past 8 months, we figured a little more wouldn't harm us and so we decided to take the opportunity and visit family in Singapore!
  

So here we are, enjoying the sticky warm weather, sushi, shopping and a well deserved break from it all. (may I say that in all immodesty, I am patting myself on the back for moving ahead on my 2008 resolutions and doing my best not to spend too much time dwelling and moping as I did when we first arrived in Izmir, determined as I am to turn this ongoing disaster into an opportunity!) 

So, Emma took her first long distance flight with Singapore Airlines, no less, where she had the best and most comfortable bed of all.

Shortly after arrival, a dip in the pool 

and a nap in the shade helped us recover from the jet-lag

Moving on up and out

Basically, an update on here we go again, AGAIN:

• the latest is a leak from our bedroom bathroom to the flat downstairs
• the coordinator came by and explained that
  

1. it would require 7-10 days work
2. they would need to basically demolish our bathroom
3. they would be happy to send us to a spa hotel to recover and relax

• opposite us an apartment whose bathtub has been filling up with rain while sitting on the terrace, its kitchen cabinets and furniture stored on the landing while the floor is stripped open by desperate plumbers trying to find the source of the leak... this never ends!
  
• more neighbors moved to a hotel -these people bought their place! so all things relative we are lucky!!!
  

Need I say more than WE ARE MOVING OUT OF HERE!?? Because no matter the compensation, the niceties, the motivated repairmen and skilled working crew, we will never be sure that next week/month/trimester something else won't urgently require seeing to and I have no intention -at least for now, of taking up baumeister-ing as a new career choice.

Here's to us finding somewhere nice, safe, cosy, and perfect for the new family that we are, in Vienna to call home

for background on the nightmare of this flat you may have a look at:

here we go again,

here we go again, AGAIN,

nasty november