Small Disappointments

Well, in the big picture, it really isn't that big of a disappointment but I was bummed today when we arrived at the local, public swimming pool and it was CLOSED!!  We should have been tipped off by the empty parking lot. Apparently they are STILL doing maintenance and repairs, are behind schedule,  and the public pools are mostly all closed until Monday.  Granted, Monday is just right around the upcoming weekend, but still.  Something about packing your bag and biking to the S-bahn and taking a bus 15 minutes and walking a few blocks to find out it is closed was a bigger downer than it should have been.
Marty was even going to swim with me which he hasn't done in years.  So, we regrouped and walked the few blocks back to the bus stop and decided to run a few other errands instead.  Shut down there too.  I was buying something for friends back home and the store didn't have the right size.   We regrouped again and comforted ourselves with the thought of our favorite Vietnamese restaurant for lunch. Dang!  Struck out here too!!  They were closed.  We would not give in!!  We were going to redeem this day.  We ended up hitting our favorite falafel place, Jasmin, for a tasty lunch.  Things were looking better. 
On a more positive note, I have raved before about Josie's ability to make friends easily, which is true.  I think every single day this week she has either had a friend over here or has gone to a friend's house after school.  Social butterfly for sure! But I have to give credit to Benjamin, too.  Not only has he been enjoying hanging out with his new neighbor and friend, Nils, but he also seems to have a lot of friends at school, too. 

If you judge how much fun they had based on
how messy his room is, I'd say it was a success!!

Whenever Marty or I have gone to school there are always kids passing him in the hallway and saying, "Hello, Benjamin" "Hey, Ben"  "What's up?" "Hi, Ben"  It is actually quite shocking how many kids know his name.  Maybe this is how they are with all kids but since Benjamin started 2 weeks late he doesn't know many names yet. 
He wanted to try out Chess club after school and the minute we walk in some kid says "Hey Benjamin, come play with me!"

And now Benjamin is begging me to sign him up for the chess club.   His friend, Nils, now bikes here in the morning and we all bike to school together.  He has another friend who seeks him out every day while he is eating lunch at school with Marty.  So, I shouldn't have worried.

And... several nights a week I treat myself to Happy Hour while I'm making dinner.  I think my sister, Kim, started this tradition at her house and I've happily carried it all the way to Berlin.  Prost!!