Questions and a Catch Up
We've celebrated our one year anniversary in Vienna. Our daughters returned to the States. Football training and league matches have begun. Then our first house guests of the year arrived. And now February is coming to a rapid close. 2019 is well on it's way and it seems as though Spring is making an early entrance this year. Hallelujah! I've seen more sun this past month than any other February before, in any place we've lived. Or at least it has seemed that way. Whether fact or made up truth I'm grateful for it. My training runs have been so enjoyable in the Prater. Sunshine streaming through the naked trees, fellow runners with smiles on their faces and less layers. Even the dogs walking with their owners sense the change in the air. I am here for it. Oh yeah, I should share here, Husband Jared and I registered for our first half marathon race in Vienna. On April 7 we will be running all over the city. Hence the need for training runs and pushing our bodies a bit harder and farther than we have. Now I'll just be counting the days until the shanigartens make their appearances and the sun stays awake past 17:00. Soon, I say, soon!
Thing 4 has been transferred to a new club, Austria XIII. He has been playing with the first team and the U18's. Watching him on the pitch again has been so exciting. As a player he is considered to be on loan from Rapid at this point. We are approaching a critical time for his career and future as a player. By the end of the summer there should be some big decisions made about where he will be playing next. The ultimate result of all this hard work and dedication would be a professional contract with a club here in Europe. I'll keep you posted on his progress.
Which leads me to the next commonly asked question around this time of the year, what's next for the Hansons? Well, as of right now we will be remaining in Austria. There are a quite a few variables in the decision making process, per usual, and we don't feel as though any one place or continent is calling our names, if you will. Let's just leave that one alone. Our Visas expire January 2020 but can be renewed. All that to say, we are here until we're not. Since I was recently planning a proper ball experience for next January with some friends I'd like to think I am at peace with this. For now. On the topic of language, which is inevitably the question to follow, I have not made much progress. My understanding is better but I am unable to respond in a grammatically correct fashion. In my defense, or rather, a poor excuse for this lacking, is the fact that I have not been consistently practicing. Nope. Netflix calls. Or the Prater. Laundry. Really anything other than Rosetta Stone. Since our house guests have left I have committed to my two lessons a day, per my intentions I set in January. Thank the dear Lord for new mercies. And forgiving Austrians. And English speaking Austrians. And all the expats said yes and Amen!
Let's see what else has been happening around here? I wrote about our time together as Six, our new year intentions and Thing 1's birthday. We've all been fighting an awful cold with flu like symptoms that turned into sinus and bronchial infections. Not fun. The fatigue lingered and thankfully Husband Jared and I were well by the time our guests arrived but Thing 4 is still suffering through it. Although after a week and some antibiotics I do think he is on the mend. Whew! While we're on the topic of illnesses and doctors humor me while I share yet another odd Austrian antidote. Thing 4 had experienced a knee injury during one of his matches. After stretching, icing and foam rolling and a snippet of time off from training he was not improving. He and I went to visit Dr. Shokry, our GP here in the third district. Once his knee was inspected, no broken bones were felt and the usual questions asked, she began with the remedies. First, ibuprofen, ice compresses and a bandage and here comes the kicker, topfen. Let me explain, topfen could most easily be compared to cream cheese in the States. It has a similar consistency and usage here in Austria. I had heard stories of topfen being prescribed by doctors here and had yet to come across such a recommendation. No longer. Topfen for Thing 4's knee, fifteen minutes on and fifteen minutes off. Strange? Yes, yes it is. I consulted the Google for further information. All I could find was that indeed topfen is a "grandma's" remedy that is believed in and practiced to this day. Needless to say we did not try the topfen. Although I am curious. Please enlighten me if you have in fact used it as a cure or otherwise for an injury or ailment. I want to know your thoughts.
We have a booked calendar for the Hanson B&B this year and we couldn't be more excited about it. Let me break it down for you. January, our girls. February, Husband Jared's sister and her husband. My Uncle and his girlfriend. March, available. April, friends from MN on a stop over. Dear friends from MN, who now live in TN. May, Pop and Nan. June, Jared's cousin Eliza. My cousin and her wife. July and August, available. September, Gpa and Mema. October-December, available. I'm exhausted and exhilarated all at the same time. Of course there are different itineraries for each visit and varying circumstances and timing but my inner hostess is thrilled to have some of our people in Vienna. I'll be happily fluffing and planning and baking in preparation for all these lovelies that will be gracing us with their presence.
In other news, I have become accustomed to drinking tea. A cup of Rooibos in the afternoon, nighty night tea before bed, maybe some peppermint or holy basil tea in between. I don't add milk or sugar, not even honey. Tastes a bit lighter than coffee. Don't get me wrong, I am still a believer in all the coffee but my taste buds have been swayed a teensy bit. The baking and cooking dramas also continue in our Austrian kitchen. Coffee cake fails and cookie disasters. Cakes that don't rise, cinnamon rolls that remain chewy and not fluffy and chicken that sticks to the pan. Crock pots that don't heat evenly and everything in between. An ingredient substitution gone awry and even leaving burners on or not turning the oven to the right temperature. I continue to learn from them all. And I am still laughing. Most of the time. Thankfully my two guys have a good sense of humor when it comes to all of this. Usually. Another thing I hadn't realized, until our recent house guests, is how accustomed our taste buds have become to the vinegar used here. As in everything has vinegar or is pickled. Hmm, maybe we are acclimating? I'll count it a win.
Just as a side note I am on speaking terms with our Amazon delivery guy. He speaks English, we see each other on a semi regular basis and he is aware of my lacking German language skills. It's a match made in Prime heaven! Except for when he rings our bell at 7am. Then, no thank you friend. But wait, he is usually carrying a package of something I ordered that was ten times easier to order online and not have to venture out to another store. OK, yes, I'll answer the door with a smile. This access we have to Amazon Prime here has been helpful in so many ways, I am grateful. And now conflicted too after reading an article today that as a corporation they have not paid taxes on over 10 billion dollars in revenue. What the what? More reading and research will be done.
I think that is a wrap. At least for now. I'm off to move laundry and start cutting vegetables for tonight's dinner. Maybe sneak in a few pages of the new book I'm starting and probably have a chocolate chip cookie too!
Thing 4 has been transferred to a new club, Austria XIII. He has been playing with the first team and the U18's. Watching him on the pitch again has been so exciting. As a player he is considered to be on loan from Rapid at this point. We are approaching a critical time for his career and future as a player. By the end of the summer there should be some big decisions made about where he will be playing next. The ultimate result of all this hard work and dedication would be a professional contract with a club here in Europe. I'll keep you posted on his progress.
Which leads me to the next commonly asked question around this time of the year, what's next for the Hansons? Well, as of right now we will be remaining in Austria. There are a quite a few variables in the decision making process, per usual, and we don't feel as though any one place or continent is calling our names, if you will. Let's just leave that one alone. Our Visas expire January 2020 but can be renewed. All that to say, we are here until we're not. Since I was recently planning a proper ball experience for next January with some friends I'd like to think I am at peace with this. For now. On the topic of language, which is inevitably the question to follow, I have not made much progress. My understanding is better but I am unable to respond in a grammatically correct fashion. In my defense, or rather, a poor excuse for this lacking, is the fact that I have not been consistently practicing. Nope. Netflix calls. Or the Prater. Laundry. Really anything other than Rosetta Stone. Since our house guests have left I have committed to my two lessons a day, per my intentions I set in January. Thank the dear Lord for new mercies. And forgiving Austrians. And English speaking Austrians. And all the expats said yes and Amen!
Let's see what else has been happening around here? I wrote about our time together as Six, our new year intentions and Thing 1's birthday. We've all been fighting an awful cold with flu like symptoms that turned into sinus and bronchial infections. Not fun. The fatigue lingered and thankfully Husband Jared and I were well by the time our guests arrived but Thing 4 is still suffering through it. Although after a week and some antibiotics I do think he is on the mend. Whew! While we're on the topic of illnesses and doctors humor me while I share yet another odd Austrian antidote. Thing 4 had experienced a knee injury during one of his matches. After stretching, icing and foam rolling and a snippet of time off from training he was not improving. He and I went to visit Dr. Shokry, our GP here in the third district. Once his knee was inspected, no broken bones were felt and the usual questions asked, she began with the remedies. First, ibuprofen, ice compresses and a bandage and here comes the kicker, topfen. Let me explain, topfen could most easily be compared to cream cheese in the States. It has a similar consistency and usage here in Austria. I had heard stories of topfen being prescribed by doctors here and had yet to come across such a recommendation. No longer. Topfen for Thing 4's knee, fifteen minutes on and fifteen minutes off. Strange? Yes, yes it is. I consulted the Google for further information. All I could find was that indeed topfen is a "grandma's" remedy that is believed in and practiced to this day. Needless to say we did not try the topfen. Although I am curious. Please enlighten me if you have in fact used it as a cure or otherwise for an injury or ailment. I want to know your thoughts.
We have a booked calendar for the Hanson B&B this year and we couldn't be more excited about it. Let me break it down for you. January, our girls. February, Husband Jared's sister and her husband. My Uncle and his girlfriend. March, available. April, friends from MN on a stop over. Dear friends from MN, who now live in TN. May, Pop and Nan. June, Jared's cousin Eliza. My cousin and her wife. July and August, available. September, Gpa and Mema. October-December, available. I'm exhausted and exhilarated all at the same time. Of course there are different itineraries for each visit and varying circumstances and timing but my inner hostess is thrilled to have some of our people in Vienna. I'll be happily fluffing and planning and baking in preparation for all these lovelies that will be gracing us with their presence.
In other news, I have become accustomed to drinking tea. A cup of Rooibos in the afternoon, nighty night tea before bed, maybe some peppermint or holy basil tea in between. I don't add milk or sugar, not even honey. Tastes a bit lighter than coffee. Don't get me wrong, I am still a believer in all the coffee but my taste buds have been swayed a teensy bit. The baking and cooking dramas also continue in our Austrian kitchen. Coffee cake fails and cookie disasters. Cakes that don't rise, cinnamon rolls that remain chewy and not fluffy and chicken that sticks to the pan. Crock pots that don't heat evenly and everything in between. An ingredient substitution gone awry and even leaving burners on or not turning the oven to the right temperature. I continue to learn from them all. And I am still laughing. Most of the time. Thankfully my two guys have a good sense of humor when it comes to all of this. Usually. Another thing I hadn't realized, until our recent house guests, is how accustomed our taste buds have become to the vinegar used here. As in everything has vinegar or is pickled. Hmm, maybe we are acclimating? I'll count it a win.
Just as a side note I am on speaking terms with our Amazon delivery guy. He speaks English, we see each other on a semi regular basis and he is aware of my lacking German language skills. It's a match made in Prime heaven! Except for when he rings our bell at 7am. Then, no thank you friend. But wait, he is usually carrying a package of something I ordered that was ten times easier to order online and not have to venture out to another store. OK, yes, I'll answer the door with a smile. This access we have to Amazon Prime here has been helpful in so many ways, I am grateful. And now conflicted too after reading an article today that as a corporation they have not paid taxes on over 10 billion dollars in revenue. What the what? More reading and research will be done.
I think that is a wrap. At least for now. I'm off to move laundry and start cutting vegetables for tonight's dinner. Maybe sneak in a few pages of the new book I'm starting and probably have a chocolate chip cookie too!
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