Let's see how far we've come...

The German government's approach to helping out the auto manufacturers here is pretty interesting: Instead of simply giving the auto makers billions of dollars in loans, they are offering a 2500 euro rebate to anyone who has a 9+ year old car junked and then buys a new car.  That's a pretty novel approach IMO since it stimulates new car purchases while getting the old, less fuel efficient, less green automobiles off the road at the same time. We happen to have the good fortune of owning two cars that actually qualify so it looks like we're going to be replacing both this year.

For the first time in a few years, it's truly snowed here in the Ruhr valley: We got about 6" last night and everything is blanketed in a pristine white layer. Of course the morning commute was hell and it's likely to continue to be bad for the next few days because the temperature is not expected to rise about freezing until next week.

It's a tradition here in to watch Dinner for One on Sylvester. I'm not sure where it started or why a British comedy skit is so popular here but it is and I happen to really like it too..... same procedure as every year!

You can see it on youtube and join the party.

Today, being the gluttons for punishment that we are, Sigrid and I decided to go to IKEA - it's not that IKEA is a terrible place. In fact the store is clean, well-organized, and actually has a real parking lot. The problem is that every third person within a 100 mile radius goes to IKEA on a Saturday - the store is an absolute mob scene with throngs of people to navigate, dozens of crying kids, and very llong check-out lines. However, it was the only time this week we have time and we really need some sort of cheap storage shelf for our DVDs.

Rather than subject Niklas to the experience (Timothy has no other choice), we dropped him off to play with a friend - the family only lives about 5 minutes from IKEA, just a couple of turns, and a short drive down Pferdbahnstr. (in English that translates to Horse Track Street).

What is the significance of Pferdebahnstr? It turns out that it's the place where all the street walking prostitutes hang out. Even at 4pm there were half a dozen ladies of the night (errr... afternoon) walking the street.  Ok, so no big deal. However, what made the whole situation surreal was the fact that most of them have a camping trailer (like you pull behind your car on a cross country trip), set up along the curb on the street!  In other words, these girls have cut out the motel room costs by setting up semi-permanent "shop" right there on the street. 

I've been killing myself the last few days in order to finish the tiling job in the basement:  Wow, what an enormous PITA.  Yesterday I must have broken a half dozen tiles trying to cut the last one for the room's corner. 

In addition to the tiling job I'm also putting in a false wall behind my bookcases to cut down the noise that's audible when the boiler kicks in; while it's not that loud I'd still prefer not listening to it. I'm also adding some new furniture:  Thank God for IKEA which is the source for affordable, decent looking stuff.