The little Inn by the wayside

[Tormuse]

Welcome back, Maz and Jayenkai!

And Happy Easter, everyone!

In a couple of hours, I'll be heading over to my parents' place for an Easter dinner with the family. I don't get to see my brothers nearly as often as I would like, so I'm looking forward to it.

[eMTe]

Well, I am not celebrating Easter in any way, I chose to load batteries before upcoming week, especially that I had three free days before official holidays, so it counts to five days (yay!). So I am sitting at home, playing, reading, watching and talking (writing). My friend just phoned me, but I didnt answer, because I already know what's probably going on and since I am on antibiotics I would have to decline. Antibiotics and friends coming to Cracow for Easter who call at nights dont work well together.

As for weather it's cold and ugly here as well; I had to postpone a couple of mountain trips already, because when I have free day and there are even people willing do do some hiking it usually rains or looks like it will rain.

[Chroelle]

We had some light snow as well - nothing that survived (my flamethrower) on the ground but still! WTF!!!

Today we are going out to see some apartments because we found out that we cant afford a house yet - at least not where we want a house. So now we are looking at some apartments that can secure our svings to rise, so we can move fast towards buying a house. Just hoping the prizes wont rise again.
BTW - does anyone beside Riallo in here have a house?

[eMTe]

I have a house, but I dont live in it. It's populated by ghosts. Besides, it's 100 kms from Cracow, so what would be the purpose anyway?

[Chroelle]

Why do you have it then? Is it near the mountains or something?

[Pater Alf]

Short guess: He inherited the house and is unable to sell it, because it is somewhere in the middle of nowhere. At least that would be the normal case in many parts of East Germany. If you really want a house, you should come here. Small problem: You have to bring a job and some infrastructure with you.

[Chroelle]

Well there is no problem with finding houses for sale in Denmark as well. There have never been so many houses for sale as there are right now, and the number is rising. The prizes are diving and the buyers are still reluctant to buy, so lots of possibilities - unfortunately we just got out from our debt after our last purchase, and we got started on a savings account that is doing well, but banks are getting more and more reluctant to lend money except if all their criterias are met, and on of them includes having a pretty big amount of money to spend after everything annual, monthly and quaterly is paid on the house. The problem is that we live very well for 2/3's of the amount, and have no expectations of upping our spendings - quite the contrary actually...
Good thing is that we are currently looking in a very specific area - the schooldistrict that belong to my school. May next year, Anna will have started there and that gives us a possibility of widening our search, as Molly is in automatically when Anna is in. So currently we are looking at ways to save even more money so we can buy a house within 5 years. One of the possibilities is of course to save something through buying something, so our rent will go somewhere to work for us instead of simply going to the administrator of our current apartment...

[eMTe]

Enough of this serious talks. Time for the big red writing.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CHILLUM !!!

[Pater Alf]

Hmmpf, no congratulations until he comes back and takes over his job as a game hunter again...

Ok, maybe a small one: Happy Birthday, Chillum!!! Have a nice one wherever you are!

[Chroelle]

A belated one from me to Chill.

I am home with Molly today. She is ill with some sort of viral sore threat... I have been up so many times this night that I lost count. And this morning, she woke up at 7 and I tugged her in again at 8 and she just woke up now... She is totally wasted on fever and coughing...

I hope she will sleep more times during today, so she can simply pass through the fever and illness while not being aware...

[eMTe]

You can always play Poacher, you wont fall asleep before morning...

[Tormuse]

Sorry to hear about that, Chroelle. I hope she feels better.

And a belated Happy Birthday to Chillum.

[Chroelle]

You can always play Poacher, you wont fall asleep before morning...

Dont think I didn't consider it.
Only problem is how they will accept that at my workplace when I show up without having slept....
Luckily my brother in law jumped in today and had her from 12-15, hopefully he will again tomorrow.
It seems however like she will be getting well for the weekend.

I have a parent-teacher meeting tonight that I am dreading I will nod off to. I only have a place in the program 15 minutes in the beginning of a 2-hour meeting, but I have to stay because I have to lock up the school after they are done...

[eMTe]

You sure these meetings dont look more like this...

[Railwaymodeler]

Actually, C, Maria and I do not yet have a house. We decided that for the little time we still plan to be in Illinois, it does not make sense to buy a house here. Aside from that, the houses in this area, either are run down (more than just needing a bit of work), are in a bad neighborhood, or both.

Maria and I also feel that there is no way on Earth that Skoda would attend public schools in Illinois.

Our involvement with Pace is not quite over yet, either. While out cases are, of course, settled, there is still the matter of a class-action suit (Which may bring Maria some more money. Her money was only for things that were unique to her case. She is also part of a larger suit by a number of former drivers.), and then criminal charges against the management.

We were hoping to be moved by beginning of Spring, which is not happening, but now figure end of Summer most likely.

On a much more happier note, Maria and I spent the day on the Metra commuter train. Went into Chicago, and then from there to Aurora, which is the end of the line for the train due West from Chicago.

Well, we got into the station, deboarded the train, and saw a wedding photo shoot on the platform. Looked at the sign for the company doing the photography. Of all the people to be doing it! Turned out to be an old friend from grade school. Her name is Becky. I grew up in Iowa, about 200 miles from where I currently live, and apparently she now lives in the Aurora area. I remember back when, she was always with her camera, taking pictures of nature, mostly. I guess a photography business makes sense for her.

Anyway, I walk over to her when her photo session is done. I still recognized her, and she still recognized me. Becky's husband was with her, and the four of us introduced ourselves to each other. Ended up talking over lunch.

Was fun to all get caught up, and, in the end, she will soon be doing formal portraits of Maria, Skoda, and I.

Funny how for Becky and I, our "cores" have not changed much. She's still a bookworm, still a fighter for those who cannot fight on their own (Was always quick to befriend schoolyard bullies' victims back in school), still loves photography. I'm still into trains, still working with computers, still enjoy antiques. Becky was very happy to hear of Maria and I, and our battle against the bus line. She, as others, view it as a David and Goliath story.

Such a wonderful day. Now its late at night (Which seems to be my only time to get on here lately), Maria is sleeping, Skoda is content, and I'm on my laptop. With all the walking earlier, my knee and back hurt too bad to sleep. Again.

[Chroelle]

LAst time I wrote in here I told you that Molly was ill. She finally got better, but first Anna and I had to get infected, and the buck doesn't stop there. Because of her bad cough I had to keep her close to an open window so she could breathe more easliy - doctors orders - its a condition I dont know the english name for - in Danish its falsk strubehoste. That in turn caused my neck to start hurting as I got some muscle tension from standing with her in the cold air. I went to work the next day with some trouble, but was able to go swimming with my class, and I got home and made dinner, where my neck and back was giving me more and more trouble. Finally fell asleep on the couch with Tanja resting up against me, which was cosy, but my back and neck got even worse, and when I went to bed I could hardly lie down. Next morning I woke up with such incredible pain that I felt like my head was not properly attached to my spine. I was worried it might be a discusprolaps, but did some things that would not be possible with a slipped disc, and thought a pill of ibuprofen would be good. I got up and got it, and then I wasn't able to lie down again - it was physically impossible for me to put my head down! So I woke up Tanja and told her Iw as going to the doctor, and then called my mom so she could drive me, as I didn't want my kids to go there as they were already weak from dicease both of them. After waiting for an hour I got in - he looked at me and decided that with such a heavy pulled muscle or stiff muscle or whatever I needed not only Ibuprofen but also morphine, so I have been wasted on drugs since saturday morning. Today I am home with Anna who is still ill, and she keeps pushing me and telling me not to fall asleep...
I drink like 4-5cups of coffee to try and stay asleep, butit seems that right after I take my pills (4 times a day) no amount of coffee will help me.
Fortunately I have tons of posts from this weekend in here to read over whenever I am awake. I hope Anna will be ready to go to kindergarten tomorrow, as I am sure to stay home, and then I might be able to simply sleep!

[Zyx]

I drink like 4-5cups of coffee to try and stay asleep, butit seems that right after I take my pills (4 times a day) no amount of coffee will help me.

In what universe coffee helps one to sleep?

Fortunately I have tons of posts from this weekend in here to read over whenever I am awake. I hope Anna will be ready to go to kindergarten tomorrow, as I am sure to stay home, and then I might be able to simply sleep!

No point in mentioning these bats, I thought. Poor bastard will see them soon enough.

[eMTe]

I am sure he meant "stay awake". Or maybe they have special coffees in Denmark.

[Chroelle]

I drink like 4-5cups of coffee to try and stay asleep, butit seems that right after I take my pills (4 times a day) no amount of coffee will help me.

In what universe coffee helps one to sleep?

A true evidence how much the drugs tire me. Of course the coffee was to help me keep awake. After writing this I went on to read the puzzle and brain teaser thread - talk about fighting to keep my brain awake.

[eMTe]

Speaking of physical condition...how is your running guys (Pater, Chroelle)?

I run 12 kms yesterday, just for fun, because I usually run only 1,5-3 kms max, BUT I do it everyday. I felt ok, so it looks like Ill return to the really good form earlier this year.