Another weekend.

I´ll try to keep this brief, but quite a bit happened this weekend. Friday night was actually very chill. I asked Claudia if I could borrow their card so I could rent a movie, and she got very excited and wanted to watch an English film with me! So we went together and picked out Into the Wild. I´ve seen it before, but I wasn´t really sure what kind of movies they like, and it seemed safe. Harry and Kristina also came over to watch. Harry was VERY excited about the movie, too! I had no idea that I´d make the family so happy just by asking to rent something! I think everyone really liked the movie. We all agreed that the last hour went very slowly, but we were a bit tired, too. Kristina and I were freezing for some reason, and shared a blanket. It was fun - kind of felt like a family night for the "adults." :)

Saturday I went to the local library here in Bordesholm. It has a little section of English books, and I picked out three. I think I might try to get a library card in Kiel after a while, though, because there wasn´t much selection here in Bordesholm. But it is fantastic for now - I was so excited to have new books to read! I also checked out a couple DVDs that I can keep for a week. I might try watching them in English first, and then switch them to German after I understand the plot and watch them again. I also went with the family to a housewarming garden party at Claudia´s cousins´ new house. Then I met Hanna in Kiel again, where we had supper, wandered around the city a bit more, and ended the night at a nice pub. Sadly, my train back to Bordesholm was cancelled due to bridge construction, and the next morning train wasn´t until nearly 5:00am! So I shoveled out 23 euro and took a taxi back to Bordesholm. Claudia told me I should have called them, but it was so late and I didn´t want to wake them up! Let´s hope I never have this problem again. I love trains and all, but it can be frustrating when the schedules change! Usually they are so dependable, so I didn´t think of having a back up plan.

Today I went with Claudia and the children on our bikes to the Middle Age Market here in Bordesholm. No, it is not a market for people in their 40s, but kind of like a smaller version of the Renaissance Festival. It was fun! For being so small, Bordesholm has quite a bit happening. There were of course fantastic reinactments, garb, and tents with people demonstrating skills, and selling crafts. We watched some dancers, listened to music, ate sausages and flatbread cooked over fire, and all that good stuff. One man deemed me "die Hexe" (witch) of Bordesholm because of my red hair... they wanted me to go to the "gallows" where I would be dropped into a trough of water. Thankfully I didn´t have to do it, but it was kind of fun to have people hiss "Hexe..." at me during the day. :) The children thought it was hilarious. For being a weekend, I spent a lot of time with the family. But there were fun things going on, and it is better than sitting alone in the garden house, I guess. I´m sure there will be times when I want to separate myself more from them and take a break, but for now it is nice to be involved - even if it is a bit exhausting. I think it is important now, though, to try to build a good relationship as part of the family - like a big sister. I´m glad they want the same. Claudia told me tonight that they feel very good about having me here, and that I am doing my job well. She said they can tell the children like me (which made me very reassured - sometimes I honestly can´t tell!), and that my only problem is that I worry too much, which we had a good laugh about. You don´t have to tell ME that - it is a huge part of who I am. A part of my personality that I sometimes wish I could change, but I could have worse faults, I suppose. Better worry too much than too little, I think. Especially where children are involved.

Now I think I´ll try to relax a bit before bed. Claudia goes to Stockholm this week for a conference, so it will be a big week!