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| Christmas 2008 |
Until next time,
Jon
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Christmas Update #1
Sorry, not much to write about. I am uploading some pics that have been taken since Mom and Dad got here last Friday and much family time is being had! Enjoy. There'll be more to come after the next downloading frenzy.
Until next time,
Jon
Until next time,
Jon
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Still waiting...
It's now Thursday, late afternoon. Had things gone as scheduled, Mom and Dad would be here and I wouldn't be writing. But alas, they are probably sitting in the Wichita airport waiting to board their flight to Dallas. Yesterday, they got to the airport and their flight was cancelled because the plane was being maintainced, yet there was no substitute. It's funny, because when a teacher is sick, they get a substitute. When a player on the field gets injured or tired, they get a substitute. Why not an airplane?
Now, they'll arrive tomorrow morning, a day later than scheduled. Hopefully recovery from jet lag will be quick and it'll be a great holiday.
As for my knee, I went to the orthopedic doctor on Tuesday and he believes that it's just a case of tendonitis. I now have anti-inflammatory pills and a knee brace, hoping those will remedy the problem.
Until next time,
Jon
Now, they'll arrive tomorrow morning, a day later than scheduled. Hopefully recovery from jet lag will be quick and it'll be a great holiday.
As for my knee, I went to the orthopedic doctor on Tuesday and he believes that it's just a case of tendonitis. I now have anti-inflammatory pills and a knee brace, hoping those will remedy the problem.
Until next time,
Jon
Monday, December 15, 2008
Waiting, waiting, waiting...
It seems like this might be the time of year to be waiting. Waiting on a lot of things. Waiting on trains, rides, meals, people, doctors, and many other things.
On Friday, I finally hung out with people (near) my age. Unbeknownst to me, across the street at the rivaling (not really) Dettweiler Weingut, is a girl who is 21. I don't know how the plans started, but Heike got it set up so that I would go with the girl, who is a member of the Mennonite church, and I'd join the youth group to decorate cookies. (I'll get to what the cookies were for in a bit.)
It was fun being able to practice some German I'd been learning while slapping marmalade onto cookies. It was probably a much better night than I could have had. Honestly, aside from soccer, I haven't gotten to hang out or be with anybody my age for awhile and it was starting to get kind of depressing.
On Saturday, we...and by we, I mean myself...went to Worms to try and finish Christmas shopping. I was successful in finishing for the kids, but I haven't found anything yet for Mom and Heidi. [Question of randomness: have you ever tried to make a sentence without using the word "the"?] Don't worry, Mom and Heidi, something awesome will be found. I also went to Worms to test out my knee and tried to walk more than I usually do. However, after awhile I became good friends with benches throughout the day. I will see the orthopedic doctor tomorrow and keep everyone posted with how that goes. Back to Worms. There wasn't a lunch here in Wintersheim, so I was left to fend for myself in Worms. I attempted to go to the Doner stand that I enjoyed, but it had newspaper in the window and the door was locked. So I went to the stand next door and was happily greeted by the Turkish guy with a smile AND a fist bump. He's probably happy from all the extra business he's getting. Anyway, this stand has quickly became my favorite...and not just because of the fist bump. For one, the kebap tasted much better than the one from the other stand. And two, they have a stamp card where your tenth kebap is FREE! Oh yes.
Sunday was a generally lazy day. But in the evening, the kids in the church had a Christmas program with the usual speaking parts and songs...and all the entertainment of the combination of kids, speaking parts, singing, microphones, and costumes. Daniel was still too young to participate, but Paulina and Lukas are at that ripe age. Lukas (12) a group of the older crop of kids in the program, had some narration parts. Paulina (8 or 9) also had some speaking parts, but she also played recorder in the 'band' that led the singing. Afterwards, everyone crowded in the kitchen where the cookies were spread on the table. To drink, Heike had made a Kirch Kinderpunsch...hot, spiced, non-alcoholic, cherry drink. It was tasty, as were some of the cookies.
Today, Monday, was a normal day of work. Heiko got back yesterday from delivering wine and today he was walking hunched over, although nothing ever seems to slow him down. He said that he lifted over 4 tons (not at the same time...) this weekend with all the wine. Tonight was my last German class before the christmas break, although they're meeting on Thursday (when Mom and Dad come!) but I won't be there. We had a Christmas party, which we were told to bring music and food relative to our country. I brought the leftover Kirch Kinderpunsch...not American at all but enjoyed by all who drank it. There was baklava from Turkey, some disgusting looking cabbage rolls that were spicy and tasted soooo good (also from Turkey), some magical potato portions, sekt (champagne), and some other random things. Since I don't have any blank discs here, I couldn't bring any American music...unless I brought my ukulele. Which I did. First, I played chords to all the different versions of Silent Night (German, Albanish, Turkish, Polish). Then I played Old Crow's Wagon Wheel, introducing it, "Das ist 'bluegrass'...das ist NICHT 'country'!" Then a Turkish lady sang some songs and it came back to me, so I countered with Four Strong Winds. Then a Kosovoan lady sang something and it again came back to me, so I finished with Little Boxes, or as I introduced, "Kleine Pakete".
Instead of learning the German language tonight, we learned about each other's culture (Syrian, Thai, Polish, Turkish, Kosovoan and German) and got to share about our own (American). I enjoyed it immensely. Here are some pictures.
These are the two teacher, Barbara and Jens. Jens and I sometimes chatted during breaks, usually me asking something about Worms. Tonight I learned that we shared the same musical tastes...including ein bisschen (a little bit) of bluegrass! They take turns teaching.
The two ladies are the two Turks in class which usually made for interesting conversation. The man is Czarek, who is Polish. He and his wife are who I meet up with to get a ride to class.
The three people in back are Emilia (Czarek's wife), Monika, and Christoph...the other three Poles in the class. In the front is Beo (pronounced like actor Scott Baio's last name)(Thailand), me (America), and Fadi (Syria).
Together, we are Deutsche Sprechekurs A1.
Now, all I have to do is wait until Thursday morning at 9:37, when I'll catch a train to the Frankfurt Airport. There, I'll pick up Mom and Dad who come in at 11:05.
Until next time,
Jon
On Friday, I finally hung out with people (near) my age. Unbeknownst to me, across the street at the rivaling (not really) Dettweiler Weingut, is a girl who is 21. I don't know how the plans started, but Heike got it set up so that I would go with the girl, who is a member of the Mennonite church, and I'd join the youth group to decorate cookies. (I'll get to what the cookies were for in a bit.)
It was fun being able to practice some German I'd been learning while slapping marmalade onto cookies. It was probably a much better night than I could have had. Honestly, aside from soccer, I haven't gotten to hang out or be with anybody my age for awhile and it was starting to get kind of depressing.
On Saturday, we...and by we, I mean myself...went to Worms to try and finish Christmas shopping. I was successful in finishing for the kids, but I haven't found anything yet for Mom and Heidi. [Question of randomness: have you ever tried to make a sentence without using the word "the"?] Don't worry, Mom and Heidi, something awesome will be found. I also went to Worms to test out my knee and tried to walk more than I usually do. However, after awhile I became good friends with benches throughout the day. I will see the orthopedic doctor tomorrow and keep everyone posted with how that goes. Back to Worms. There wasn't a lunch here in Wintersheim, so I was left to fend for myself in Worms. I attempted to go to the Doner stand that I enjoyed, but it had newspaper in the window and the door was locked. So I went to the stand next door and was happily greeted by the Turkish guy with a smile AND a fist bump. He's probably happy from all the extra business he's getting. Anyway, this stand has quickly became my favorite...and not just because of the fist bump. For one, the kebap tasted much better than the one from the other stand. And two, they have a stamp card where your tenth kebap is FREE! Oh yes.
Sunday was a generally lazy day. But in the evening, the kids in the church had a Christmas program with the usual speaking parts and songs...and all the entertainment of the combination of kids, speaking parts, singing, microphones, and costumes. Daniel was still too young to participate, but Paulina and Lukas are at that ripe age. Lukas (12) a group of the older crop of kids in the program, had some narration parts. Paulina (8 or 9) also had some speaking parts, but she also played recorder in the 'band' that led the singing. Afterwards, everyone crowded in the kitchen where the cookies were spread on the table. To drink, Heike had made a Kirch Kinderpunsch...hot, spiced, non-alcoholic, cherry drink. It was tasty, as were some of the cookies.
Today, Monday, was a normal day of work. Heiko got back yesterday from delivering wine and today he was walking hunched over, although nothing ever seems to slow him down. He said that he lifted over 4 tons (not at the same time...) this weekend with all the wine. Tonight was my last German class before the christmas break, although they're meeting on Thursday (when Mom and Dad come!) but I won't be there. We had a Christmas party, which we were told to bring music and food relative to our country. I brought the leftover Kirch Kinderpunsch...not American at all but enjoyed by all who drank it. There was baklava from Turkey, some disgusting looking cabbage rolls that were spicy and tasted soooo good (also from Turkey), some magical potato portions, sekt (champagne), and some other random things. Since I don't have any blank discs here, I couldn't bring any American music...unless I brought my ukulele. Which I did. First, I played chords to all the different versions of Silent Night (German, Albanish, Turkish, Polish). Then I played Old Crow's Wagon Wheel, introducing it, "Das ist 'bluegrass'...das ist NICHT 'country'!" Then a Turkish lady sang some songs and it came back to me, so I countered with Four Strong Winds. Then a Kosovoan lady sang something and it again came back to me, so I finished with Little Boxes, or as I introduced, "Kleine Pakete".
Instead of learning the German language tonight, we learned about each other's culture (Syrian, Thai, Polish, Turkish, Kosovoan and German) and got to share about our own (American). I enjoyed it immensely. Here are some pictures.
These are the two teacher, Barbara and Jens. Jens and I sometimes chatted during breaks, usually me asking something about Worms. Tonight I learned that we shared the same musical tastes...including ein bisschen (a little bit) of bluegrass! They take turns teaching.
The two ladies are the two Turks in class which usually made for interesting conversation. The man is Czarek, who is Polish. He and his wife are who I meet up with to get a ride to class.
The three people in back are Emilia (Czarek's wife), Monika, and Christoph...the other three Poles in the class. In the front is Beo (pronounced like actor Scott Baio's last name)(Thailand), me (America), and Fadi (Syria).
Together, we are Deutsche Sprechekurs A1.
Now, all I have to do is wait until Thursday morning at 9:37, when I'll catch a train to the Frankfurt Airport. There, I'll pick up Mom and Dad who come in at 11:05.
Until next time,
Jon
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Another Knee Update
I'll be seeing an orthopedic doctor on Tuesday afternoon next week, so I won't really know anything until then, or soon after that appointment. Like I've said before, hopefully the doctor has seen it before and knows exactly what's going on and it can be a quick and/or easy fix.
I also thought I'd update you all on my beard growth. That's right, my beard growth. If you remember at the beginning of Intermenno, I took a picture next to Johannes, a Dutch Committee Member and Menno Simons look-a-like. Compare the no smiling of Johannes in this picture to mine:
I have not shaven or trimmed my beard since August 5. So, behold 4+ months of growth:
Until next time,
Jon
I also thought I'd update you all on my beard growth. That's right, my beard growth. If you remember at the beginning of Intermenno, I took a picture next to Johannes, a Dutch Committee Member and Menno Simons look-a-like. Compare the no smiling of Johannes in this picture to mine:
I have not shaven or trimmed my beard since August 5. So, behold 4+ months of growth:
Until next time,
Jon
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Knee Update
I thought I'd update you all on my knee. Last week Heike and I went to the doctor to get my knee checked out, and the diagnosis then was that the cartilage surrounding my knee just wasn't used to the standing and working (in cold). So, homeopathic pills and some cream were prescribed and were told to come back in 8-10 days if it wasn't better.
Today is Day 9, and though some of the pain has subsided, it is not healed. So before lunch, Heike and I went back to the doctor and he took a second look at it. I believe the pain before was 'masking' another place on my left knee where there was now pain when pressure was put on a specific spot. He referred us to an orthopedic doctor in Oppenheim that I believe we'll go to tomorrow. He is a general health doctor, so he wanted us to go to someone who knows more about that area.
More updates to come.
Until next time,
Jon
Today is Day 9, and though some of the pain has subsided, it is not healed. So before lunch, Heike and I went back to the doctor and he took a second look at it. I believe the pain before was 'masking' another place on my left knee where there was now pain when pressure was put on a specific spot. He referred us to an orthopedic doctor in Oppenheim that I believe we'll go to tomorrow. He is a general health doctor, so he wanted us to go to someone who knows more about that area.
More updates to come.
Until next time,
Jon
Monday, December 08, 2008
Victory and a Weekend with the Family
Perhaps my complaining hit home or they're just concerned for my well-being, but I consider this a small victory. The Bottle Room, the place where I spend much of my workday, is not heated. When high's don't get out of the low single digits (celsius), it gets pretty cold in there. I am unable to wear gloves because then I would lose grip and the ability to label. My tennis shoes don't do well on the cement floor. My fingers and toes end up freezing after just a few minutes. So, to remedy this problem, last Thursday as I was making my way to the bottle room, Heiko was bringing in a portable heater much to my delight. There's a small room off the side of the Bottle Room that is better insulated. In there, we moved a table and enclosed the space underneath and that's where the heater went. I now have a warm place where my body is not shivering at the end of the day:
Things on the vineyard are well. The weather is cold, sometimes rainy/snowy/windy, and normally cloudy. Heiko regularly packs up the van and performs wine tastings. He's gone to Leer, where I went to the Winefest in August, for a few days for another wine tasting.
This past weekend I went to Bammental for a weekend with Heidi and Gustav. Tim was there, but he was kind of quiet with laryngitis and not feeling well, so he kind of blended into the couch upon which he was laying. Friday night, Tim and I went to Jakob's house to watch the Bayern-Hoffenheim match. They are now tied in the table after Hoffenheim's 2-1 loss, but Hoffe is still in the lead with a superior goal differential. It was a very good match, with Hoffenheim striking first just after half-time but Bayern equalized some 20 minutes later. They then took the lead in extra time, thirty seconds from when the whistle would've blown for a tie. The boys from the village looked great, going foot for foot and at many times outplaying the perennial Bundesliga power. Amazingly, Tim refrained from yelling the entire match.
On Saturday, Heidi, Gustav and I went to Heidelberg to do some Christmas shopping and gluhwein tasting. I still have a few more gifts to get, but I think people will be happy. I had fun finding things and that's part of the fun of Christmas! Plus, Gustav was with us. Pictures? Of course!
Heidi and I had fondue when we got back, which is always a good meal. Then I got a haircut...no pics of that. Gustav has been walking for some time now, so it's fun to see him waddle across the room balancing with his arms out wide and his diaper butt sticking out.
Until next time,
Jon
Things on the vineyard are well. The weather is cold, sometimes rainy/snowy/windy, and normally cloudy. Heiko regularly packs up the van and performs wine tastings. He's gone to Leer, where I went to the Winefest in August, for a few days for another wine tasting.
This past weekend I went to Bammental for a weekend with Heidi and Gustav. Tim was there, but he was kind of quiet with laryngitis and not feeling well, so he kind of blended into the couch upon which he was laying. Friday night, Tim and I went to Jakob's house to watch the Bayern-Hoffenheim match. They are now tied in the table after Hoffenheim's 2-1 loss, but Hoffe is still in the lead with a superior goal differential. It was a very good match, with Hoffenheim striking first just after half-time but Bayern equalized some 20 minutes later. They then took the lead in extra time, thirty seconds from when the whistle would've blown for a tie. The boys from the village looked great, going foot for foot and at many times outplaying the perennial Bundesliga power. Amazingly, Tim refrained from yelling the entire match.
On Saturday, Heidi, Gustav and I went to Heidelberg to do some Christmas shopping and gluhwein tasting. I still have a few more gifts to get, but I think people will be happy. I had fun finding things and that's part of the fun of Christmas! Plus, Gustav was with us. Pictures? Of course!
Heidi and I had fondue when we got back, which is always a good meal. Then I got a haircut...no pics of that. Gustav has been walking for some time now, so it's fun to see him waddle across the room balancing with his arms out wide and his diaper butt sticking out.
Until next time,
Jon
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