A healthy Allison is a happy Allison!!!

When I first moved to Germany, I had romantic ideals about life. And for the most part, life in Germany is even better than I could have ever imagined. Unfortunately, life also came with it :) We have to go to work every day, sit in traffic every day, and pay bills just the same. I also found out that I am not immune to health problems just because I live in a foreign country.

I was diagnosed with arthritis in May. It took a while for us to find a rheumatologist that we were pleased with, and finally, 3 weeks ago, I began a serious treatment regimen. Until now, I have been mostly on pain - killers, which are a blessing, as without them, I would have little use of both hands. But now, I have started a series of injections which are meant to attack the actual arthritis. The medicine I am taking has some serious side - effects though, which has made the whole experience a little frightening. Because I must keep taking my pain killers for 6 weeks, the time for the injections to start working, the side effects can be stronger. I have to take folic acid supplements to fight some of these side effects.
Yesterday, was my first blood test to check for indications of the serious liver problems that can be caused by the medicine. The rheumatologist explained that the liver problems caused by the medicine occur early on, so I have to have blood taken every two weeks.
The great news was that my first blood test came back with great results - everything is a.o.k!!! I had my third injection yesterday, and I feel really fine. I think I am battling a slight head-cold, I am sniffly, but I think that is a side-effect of working with four year olds. Hopefully, all things will continue in this direction, and I can get some relief, and start to lay-off the pain killers.
This is a great start to our "Herbst Ferien" or fall break! Yay!!

My new good news!!!

Things here have been busy, but great. I have been very busy helping my friend Mandy set up the new apartment that she is buying. Saturday, we went to look at bathrooms and went to a few Home Depot-type stores looking at various odds- and- ends needed for a new home. Tonight after work, we drove to a kitchen store to pick out her kitchen. So much fun!! Tomorrow, we are off to pick out tiles for her bathroom and kitchen. Aahh, at least I can live vicariously through friends :)
But the Roesner family good news is that we just booked our tickets for Christmas!!! Joern, Marcel, and I will be flying in on Dec. 20th, so I hope everyone is prepared for the jolly German three! I am so very excited!!!

Payday baby!!!

I am so very excited today! I was finally paid today! True, I have been working since the end of August, but due to the lovely German pay system, I only just received my first "paycheck." Here, you´re only paid once a month! Crazy weird, I know. Imagine though, how large a monthly payment seems, then imagine the knowledge that you have to stretch it out for the next month. Yikes! Then of course, is the huge chunk that magically disappears here without explanation (that would be taxes.) I do miss the good old American pay stub that explains where your money went. The only deduction listed separately was my health insurance. Everything else simply went into this magic disappearing pot! How wonderful :)

The good news? The great exchange rate for the Euro :) And of course, the fact that tomorrow is a holiday here, and I have lots of internet shopping to make up for!!!

Celebrate fall- auf Deutsch!

Happy memories of life in Connecticut always include fall. Aahh, that marvelous season. School begins, the air becomes crisp, the smell of fireplaces used for the first time, and the beautiful lush forests of gold, red, and orange. And of course, the wonderful harvest foods- pumpkin pies, apple crisp, delicious acorn squash- just to name a few. Such pleasant memories!
Fall in Southern Germany is just as magical to me, yet in slightly different ways. School begins just the same, the weather has turned wonderfully cool, people have turned on their fireplaces, and the leaves have started to turn. Sure, we can buy lots of apples and pumpkins, but why stop there? Joern purchased 10 kilos (yup, that´s over 20 lbs!) of cabbage last week. He worked hard all weekend to make 7 Kraut Kuchen (cabbage cake!)

Okay, so kraut kuchen is like a cabbage quiche. It is so delicious, although sadly, because they are a lot of work, have fallen out of style. They taste best with another German fall favorite- Neuer Wein (new wine.) Neuer wine is wine that is bottled directly instead of stored. It´s like hard grape juice- delicious!!

Three Kraut Kuchen, some Neuer Wein and pear cider.
Starting new traditions, especially around fall, makes me really happy!