Friday I thought it might be spring. I know it’s still February, but I thought a premature end to winter could be like our reward for putting up with all the snow and negative teen temperatures in the first month and a half of 2012. 99% of the snow melted away this weekend, and on our way back from the Kinderkrippe I took my coat off because I was sweating. Saturday morning was disappointing because it was overcast and jacket weather again. But okay, even if it isn’t quite spring yet, Julia and Beata are both healthy again, which means this week I’ll have a big chunk of time to myself during the days. 
 
Last week I thought the same thing, but Beata was home the entire time, Julia was still sick on Monday, and Tuesday was a holiday so I had to pick her up at noon. Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday I should have had time to myself, but with Beata at home I always found myself stuck in conversations about genetically modified soy beans or origami or the bad experience her friend had with US customs with no polite way to get myself out. So I didn’t get much writing done last week which stressed me out a bit.

It also didn’t help that Gregor came back on Wednesday night unexpectedly. Gregor is Julia’s father, and he sometimes lives with us, but his exact relationship with Beata is kind of unclear. All I know is that Gregor isn’t allowed to know about Helmer (Beata’s German boyfriend who lives in the Alps), and Helmer isn’t allowed to know about Gregor. Anyway, Gregor, while I guess being what one would call a ‘nice guy’ is also kind of annoying. Last night for example, he thought it would be appropriate to interrupt my pre-sleep reading ritual so that I could come translate the French song in the movie he was watching. But Gregor does make my job easier. He takes care of Julia and takes out the biomull, which is the only trash I really mind taking out. And for the moment he seems to have himself a day job.

So I’m optimistic that this week will be better. Not that last week was anywhere near as tortuous as a typical week with my last family. And this week is my last week before my German class starts again. I’m taking the Monday-Wednesday-Friday one in the suburbs. I signed up on Friday. And Ader is coming in 18 days! And after that long weekend, we might be seeing each other over Easter, maybe in Brussels or Amsterdam? But I don’t want to think too far ahead and jinx it…