you smell like pie

I am fairly happy with myself today. I managed to get most of what I planned for the day finished. I got up around ten feeling motivated. I was determined to do things in an orderly fashion today. I’m trying to rein in the scatter-brain tendency that I have been experiencing lately. I tried to multi task, making breakfast and filling the tub at the same time. I know it doesn’t sound like much, but it’s a start. Given that the water in the tub will remain hot for quite a while, I could comfortably eat breakfast and roll some ciggys. By the time I was done the water would be just right.

It was still a little too hot, but a little cold did the trick. I look forward to Sundays because Sunday is urban beautification day. I shave and then soak in the hot water for a bit, very relaxing. I love extremely hot showers and baths. Sometimes I feel like I could stay in it all day. With that completed, I got dressed and rode through the Herrengarten to Mari and Christi’s to take care of Lolo and Morris. I put out some food for the cats and then played a bit with Lolo at least; Morris wouldn’t come out of the bedroom. I cleaned the table in the kitchen for them and figured out that they did the same thing I would sometimes do; they made a thermos full of coffee and forgot it on the table. They probably got to Fulda or something before they realized. No coffee. What a drag.

I rode back home and decided that I was not going to be lazy and bake the pies like I had wanted to. I bought a couple of small round baking pans yesterday for making mini apple pies. They don’t sell American or British style pie pans here, so I made them in one of those pans that have a release latch on the side. They worked out great actually. I could only cook two at a time, so it took a few hours. I made six pies total. I haven’t tried one yet, but I suppose I should to make sure it doesn’t taste like shit. Tomorrow we will celebrate Helmi’s birthday since he will be back from vacation. Marion passed around a card and I bought a bottle of cognac. I will also pick up some flowers at Luisen Center on my way to work. I hope he had a nice week off. I hope he likes the pie that I made for him. I hope I like the pie I made for him.

I managed to get up enough gusto to work on my presentation that I will give on Thursday. I had written out a rough outline at work on Friday that served as my inspiration. I fleshed out some of the initial points and through that developed a strategy for the rest. I have an hour to fill which to me now seems a bit much, considering the information that I have to convey. I’m also not sure if the people I will be presenting to will have a lot of questions. The last group did. I am glad I pushed myself to work on it today, when I could relax on the couch with good music and a cup of mint tee. I wish I could work at home some days, and get paid for it. I have been feeling somewhat put-off by the Japanese lately and therefore reluctant to be around them any more than I have to.

I should also drop off my suit pants and shirt at the dry cleaners tomorrow morning before work. I don’t know how long dry cleaning usually takes here. I would hope the same as in the states, 24 hours. They smell like second hand store musty leather. I made the mistake of keeping a second hand leather coat in the same closet as a bunch of woolens. I threw the coat out a month ago. Joy joy. I have to wear a necktie again and those uncomfortable shoes. It all seems absurd at this point.

I almost forgot to mention that I called the US embassy in Ffm this week. I asked how I should go about a name change relative to my travel documents. The nice man told me that I could go to court somewhere back in the states and file a legal name change and then fly back to Germany with my old passport as ID. I would then have to apply for a new passport with picture, once back in country. I will also at that point inform the German authority, and consequently my personnel department. I got a little excited and started thinking of doing the name change over the Xmas holiday. After coming to my senses I realized that I should do that sometime in the spring.

I tried calling Ma today but no one was home. I was also hoping to hear from sweet trini by now, but she is probably too busy at the moment to write. I hope her bathroom is finished soon. My new Camper boots should be showing up in the next couple of days hopefully. Yay! New shoes! All I need now are some cropped pants and a jacket. My bed is calling me though…or is it that pile of laundry waiting to be folded and put away?