The Lake

We had such a great day today at Schlachtensee.  I'm sad that Josie can't join us anymore on our daily adventures but someone in the family has to go to school.  Today is probably one of the last upper 80 degree days here as the forecast already says upper 70's tomorrow and then down to a mere 60 on Friday.  There is a chill in the air both in the mornings and at night. Boo!  I HATE, despise, loathe the end of summer.  Even before (and since) having the teacher lifestyle when summer meant a whole lot more than just nice weather, I have despised this transition from summer to fall more than any other.  But, every year it happens and every year I survive.  Also, it seems, every year I think it is the last "upper 80 degree day" and then inevitably, another one comes.  But just in case this really is our last warm, summer day we made the most of it.

After catching up on laundry we head for the Sbahn.  We just have to ride 2 stops and the train lets us right off within steps of this beautiful lake.  Benjamin begs for us to rent a boat again. We give in because it was so fun last time.  This time, however, I brought my swimsuit!!  And we had SO much fun swimming around and jumping off the end of the boat all the while Marty, our boat captain, would paddle the boat to us if we wanted. Mostly we just wanted to swim.  I have missed my daily swims more than just about anything else!  Aside from family and friends I probably do miss swimming the most.

In Seattle I probably swam 7-9 miles per week.  It was part of my daily routine and I'm so thankful that it is good for me because I would probably do it whether it was or not.  It is my release, mentally, physically and emotionally.  I can really think through and process life's ups and downs while swimming.  Some of my best ideas have come during my time in the pool.  That consistent breathing in and breathing out in perfect rhythm and the muted noise that comes from swimming does my body and soul good.  I know I will start again sometime soon once Benjamin is up and running at school but not being able to swim for the past 5ish weeks has taken a toll.  Today in the lake was GOOD.  Very, very good.

Julie met up with us just about when we were ready to take the boat back.  Marty had to leave to go do the radio show and Benjamin, Julie and I went back in for another swim.  Soaking it all in...who knows when we will get another day like this!  Then Benjamin walked/ran/strolled with Frida back to the train station.  A boy and his dog.  So cute.

We arrive back in Zehlendorf just about 10 minutes before Josie is dismissed from school.

Feeling a bit badly because she misses all of our daily adventures and because it is probably the last hot, summer day Benjamin and I decided to meet Josie at her bike and surprise her with a trip to get ice cream.  She comes bounding out with a huge smile.  Surprises like this can go either way with her these days.  #preteen
She happily agrees and we walk down the ramp to the city bus.
 Take the bus one stop and hop off and walk to get ice cream.  Then we ride the bus back, Josie hops off at the stop in front of the school and Benjamin and I stay on until our stop.  Josie arrives just a minute or two after us.  A very, very good end of summer day.
Oh and here are all the bikes at JFK at pick up time.   And there are a couple more bike rack areas.

Wasser Museum

Yesterday Benjamin and I decided to head to the Wasser Museum
of Berlin.  Tesh's mom, Bridget, had suggested it when we first arrived but we never made it until yesterday.  First though, we had to go the BVG to get Benjamin his student bus/train pass (did I mention he is now an official JFK'er?  YAY!!!!) And the BVG is right near the awesome Indian restaurant that the 4 of us had dinner at on Sunday.  Benjamin suddenly becomes SOO hungry he can barely hold his head up. He is "STARVING. UGH!!  So, hungry!" Funny, how he wasn't at all hungry until he noticed we were so close to Indian food.  Because it was lunch time we decided to eat here for lunch.  We are creatures of habit.
After getting the student public transportation pass (by the way, Josie's monthly pass was 29 € and today they told us that there is a sibling discount so next month Benjamin's will be 29€ and Josie's will be discounted and only 18 €.  The older child's is always discounted)

Benjamin and I board a bus that takes us nearly directly to the address.  We walk by an open gated alley.  I peer in and it looks like the place but it looks like maybe back entrance?  There are no ticket takers or anything that would make me believe I was at a "museum" other than the kids happily running around and water contraptions everywhere.  There is no rhyme or reason and it looks like a mash up of a junkyard, co-op preschool, personal backyard.  I've never really seen anything like it.  There are a few shipping containers with sings on them but everything is in German and I have no idea what any of it says.  It is pretty chill - again, like someone's backyard.  There are quite a few kids running around and parents sitting around the outer perimeter.

There are two sections.  One with the large climbing contraption with chutes, ramps and buckets, pumps and tubes attached  On one side of the climbing thing is another lower contraption with tubes and pipes and an old bathtub and shower and a door frame.  Everything here has a purpose and the kids just figure it all out on their own.

No signs, no instructions, no workers or parents showing kids how to do anything.  They just intuitively figure it out. One the same side of the "museum" is a small building station where kids can use tools and supplies to build their own toy boat and there is a bike that pedals a water wheel and a large steering wheel pipe thing with tubes attached so that when you spin it the tubes fill up with water.

On the other side of the "museum" are a bunch of "stations"  There is a window/squeegee, a water carrying station, a huge plastic bag filled with water to jump on, an old toilet with chestnuts in it (that look like poop), old toilet seats that you throw sponges throw to score points, a large sponge throwing station, a pretend kitchen area with old sink.  Even the next day I'm still thinking about this place.  I honestly have never seen anything quite like it.

The only directions were a sign (with pictures so I could understand) that the blue buckets stay on one side of the "museum" and the orange buckets on the other.  Even the signs that were all in German that I though must have been directions or instructions or warnings were just simple things like "draw your favorite station and give it a name" I took photos of the signs so Marty could translate.

Benjamin figured out with this contraption that if you pump the pump it fills up the long tube of water.  You need to plug up the holes along the side.  Once the tube is filled you unplug the pluggers and the water shoots out like a sprinkler.  

There were so many very cool but simple things for kids to figure out. When Marty saw the photos he said it looks a little hillbilly.  And it was I suppose.  There were two older couples (maybe in their mid 60's) who must be the owners.  They would randomly, occasionally walk around and fill up the various buckets and stations.  Were they former science teachers or boaters?  It really seemed like a labor of love for them.  Who creates something like this?  In what looks like their huge backyard. They would sit in chairs and read the paper.  Sometimes, but very rarely would they help a child figure out one stations and what they did. I'm not sure if we will be back but the Wasser Museum was one for the books.  So cool, hillbilly and all.

In At Last, In At Last...

Thank God Almighty, Benjamin was accepted to the JFK school AT LAST!!!  Big thanks to everyone for their prayers, finger crossing (and pressing) and sending us positive and supportive thoughts during this process.  We haven't had nary a snag in our whole move and relocation up until Benjamin not being accepted at our first choice school.  Well, he was never not accepted he just wasn't officially accepted until today.  When we started this journey we had read about the JFK school and were impressed that it was a public school yet it was special in that it was a German/American school set up in the 60's to try to foster relationships between the two countries.  From everything we read it sounded like it was fairly easy to get accepted into the school if both parents had American passports.  Which we do so we thought we were a shoe in.  Apparently the school has a mandate that 40% of the student population MUST be American and you can imagine that it might be difficult to meet that quota in a foreign country. In the past apparently they have always had trouble filling the American spots while the waiting list for German students is a mile long. I don't know if there was a sudden increase in Americans coming to Berlin (Trump??) or if it never was as easy as they made it seem but this year seemed particularly difficult.  As I've mentioned before I now know several double American parent families and none of their children were admitted.  I will never understand their process for accepting.  I don't know how much a 2nd grade student could possibly have on their academic record to make or break their being accepted.

But... now that we are here and both kids are accepted I guess I don't really care but I have to say I'm still bewildered by it all.
We got the acceptance email mid morning and then Marty, Benjamin and I danced around the house cheering.  So SO happy.  I told Benjamin he could choose anything he wanted to do for his "last" day of summer vacation.  He chose the Zoo... AGAIN.  This would be my 4th time to the zoo in less than a week. But, for his last day, who was I to refuse him.  Plus we have an annual pass so it is basically free and riding the trains are so fun.  I just assumed he would start school tomorrow (Tuesday) since he has already missed over a week of class I figured they'd get him in just as soon as possible.

Well, after I promised him the zoo I read further into the email where it states "if you accept this spot for your child their first day of school will be Tuesday, September 5th" What the Hell?!?  Seriously, I'm not one to judge or get angry or question but I did all of those things.  I have NO idea why he would have to wait another week. Why couldn't he just start tomorrow?  No clue.  They never tell you why.  And now that he is in I guess I don't really care but again, completely and utterly perplexed by the whole thing.  I always thought the Germans were quick and efficient.  Well, they have been neither in this case.  I have found that Germans do not like to be rushed.  They do not rush to cross the street when the crosswalk light turns from green to red (we are the ONLY ones who pick up the pace when this happens and we get stared at for it) They do not rush to help you in a store, they do not rush to take your order in a restaurant.  They are a cool and collected bunch and will not be rushed.  But whatever.  He is IN.  Who am I to question.. you know I still do because WHY???
Shortly after getting the email Marty and I put together all of the paperwork they requested and make our way to the school.  We want to secure our spot ASAP just so nothing can happen to it.  The boys decide they are hungry so we head to lunch after.  There is some special if you buy a couple pieces of pizza you get a free ice cream cone.  Well, we are celebrating are we not??

Then Benjamin and I head to the zoo because I promised when I thought it was his last day of summer.  Now that he has another 4 I'm hoping only ONE of those is spent at the zoo.  I like it there but come on.  How much time can one actually spend at this zoo.  Every time we go, though,  we discover something new and neither of us are bored by it yet.  Amazing actually.  Today we see the Pandas.  

So SO cute.  Every other time we have been there the line is so long we never wanted to wait but today there is no line at all. I guess if you go often enough (did I mention this is our 4th time in less than a week - yep, I thought I did) that you eventually stumble upon a time that no one else wants to see the pandas.  I was also impressed by these signs as I've been feeling guilty supporting a zoo because I do believe all animals should be free...

When we get back we pull Josie's leg by pretending Benjamin was rejected from JFK just long enough before we spill with the good news.  YAY!!  She was so excited for him.
After dinner we finally fulfill one of our promises to the kids.

Before we left Seattle we told them that after the first day of school we would get one of the crazy ice cream concoctions.  And they are crazy and they are everywhere and up until now we have only ever bought a single ice cream scoop in a cone.  Well, today was the day.  We figured being accepted was just as big of a deal as the first day plus Josie has already gone a full week and a day (but who is counting)

Spaghetti Eis that looks so much like real spaghetti- vanilla ice cream pushed out like playdoh, topped with strawberry sauce and finely grated peanuts.  This one is for you, Chris Kitchener!!

So we head to our favorite local eis cafe and we are all so excited.  It's like Farrell's from my childhood minus all the loud 1920s music and theme.  But the sundae selections were as good if not better. We all order not having any idea how incredibly large they would be.

They were each around 5 Euro which is just one dollar more  than one scoop of Husky Deli ice cream in a cake cone.  So when they were brought to our table our eyes lit up and we were both excited and terrified by the sight.  Fear not. We are pigs.

Every last one of us.  I don't think we will be eating ice cream again for a very long time.  But... YUM!!  And YAY!!  We are so very happy, relieved and PROUD of both kids. Josie has been LOVING her new school.  She has made friends, she is doing well in her classes and she is enthusiastic about going each day and is in a great mood when she returns home.  And to quote Oma,  "Benjamin has been a patient hero through it all."

Farmer's Market, Zoo (AGAIN) and Weekend Fun

Saturday morning Marty and I went on a nice long walk into town while the kids had screen time.

It is definitely becoming more of a win/win situation.  Yay!!  We hit the local Saturday Farmer's Market again and I was so excited to big the bigger tub of olives this time since I ate the entire small tub by myself!! They are so SO good!! I think I went from hating them to being addicted to them.

Even in Germany he is nearly
always the tallest. 

Josie really wanted to go to see the zoo since Benjamin had a great time there twice this past week.  So... we head there for the third time for Benjamin and me.  On the way we decided to stop by the Farmer's Market for lunch.  We had the most amazing, FRESH, pasta pomodoro, a delicious bruschetta and mozzarella grilled panini sandwich and a plate of grilled lamb skewers.  Everything was SO so good.  Josie and Benjamin topped it off with a sweet treat - Benjamin a flourless brownie and Josie cinnamon and sugar and fresh lemon juice crepe.  So good.
Then we head to the zoo.  Josie LOVED it and Benjamin loved it even more having his big sis there and felt like such an expert being able to show her around for a change.  Normally she is the one showing him around.

And, of course, he just HAD to show Josie the popcorn machine. 

We got home Saturday night exhausted.  But then the most exciting thing happened.. for Benjamin.  Before we left his best friend, Callum, talked to him about getting an Xbox gold membership and somehow through this they would be able to play games together - from different houses and half way across the world from each other.  I didn't understand it and still don't really but on Saturday we finally give it a shot and not only was he able to play Minecraft with his best friend in Seattle but they were able to actually talk through the TV/Xbox to each other.  

I know I sound like a technology dinosaur but this was so freaking amazing!!  We had no idea that they would actually be able to talk to each other.  Josie and Callum's little sister joined in and all 4 were happily playing Minecraft together.  Amazing!!  It was probably the most exciting thing that has happened to Benjamin since we arrived.

On Sunday we had planned to go to the lake for the day but ended up spending the entire day working on a project.  By dinner time we were all cranky and hungry but ended up finding a DELICIOUS Indian restaurant that we all enjoyed.  

Even Josie who currently "HATES" Indian food. I know I've said it before but the cost of eating out here is SO much less than in Seattle.  We go out to Indian food quite a bit in Seattle. We order nearly the same thing but never order drinks and it normally is around $37-$40 before tip.  Last night our dinner (with 4 drinks) and they also give you 2 amazing puffed up balls of bread things and an after dinner digestif (alcoholic for us non for kids) came to $32 €
 

 Walking back to the bus surrounded by castles and steeples (you can't really see them in this photo but they were there)

 And art depicting the hardship of the division and misery of the wall.