Alex needed a little exercise and attention, so he was my designated shopping cart puller. (Since everyone walks or buses here, everyone here has a little wheeled cart that they pull around to the stores, sort of like a tall backpack on wheels. I picked one up before I left Washington.) Alex was very chatty, talking about his toys and his games he'd played today with Joey and Ella. I asked him how he liked Zurich so far. "I don't like all the walking, but I do like everything else," he said. But I thought it was a very nice walk, with a good little companion.
But that was the end of the day--the day began with the sound of Ella shoving and pulling a very large box into her room. She spent the day making it into a little castle for herself. Alex thought this was a fine idea and did the same, freeing me up to play with Joey a little and to stab myself with a screwdriver a couple of times while putting together a dresser.
The day was punctuated by a visit from the complex's handyman, come to fix our dryer. This was a huge relief--not only had we taken up every square inch of the lines on the trockenraum, making me feel immensely guilty, but also every bit of furniture we did have (not much, I grant you) was draped with towels and jeans. I think the "drying room" is a cruel joke they play on newcomers: I had clothes hanging up in there for three days, and they still were soggy.
Anyway, the super showed up and took apart our dryer. He was an older gentleman, and spoke only spoke German, and I think he found me annoying. He asked me several times for something that I thought was a wrench--I didn't have one, so I brought him the only tools I had, a hammer, some screwdrivers, and a smile. He just rolled his eyes at me, spoke rapid German, and pointed at a puddle of water. So I scurried off and came back with a towel. He groaned and pointed desperately at the hose he was holding. Ah, a bucket! He warmed up to me after I'd proven that I wasn't a complete idiot, and even went through an elaborate charade to explain that the person who'd installed the dryer had forgotten to take a cap off the hose. Whatever...I finally have clean, dry pants! I was amused that he also swore liberally to himself while he was working ("Scheisse! Scheisse! Scheisse!") once I'd proven quite thoroughly that I couldn't understand him.
Dennis says his first day at work was just fine--he doesn't meet with his supervisor to get his marching orders until tomorrow, so he spent the day researching wifi and cable options for us, among other things. He left early because he didn't really have anything to do, and I took the kids to meet him halfway so that we could go to a mall and...ta da!...finally get a coffee pot! While we were waiting for the bus home we passed a stand with a man selling hot roasted somethings. They weren't expensive, so we decided to get some...it turned out they were chestnuts. I'd never had them before, and I don't think I care for them (their texture is a little like lima beans, but they're very sweet) and the two big kids weren't brave enough to try them, but Joey ate almost the whole bag.
Then home, and dinner, and that after-dinner walk with Alex. We were meant to go and pick up groceries for the next day (our cupboards have nothing but spaghetti, lots of spaghetti, and cheese) but Alex and I got sidetracked looking at all the different foods. We spent some time in the baking section (Alex was transfixed by the cake decorations--all kinds of marzipan shapes). And, just like that, I noticed that the store had closed around us. So we grabbed some eggs and oranges and a chocolate treat for the kiddos on the way out, but I think we'll have to return for a second try tomorrow.
I think everyone but me is healthy now (yep, my turn) so hopefully we can that outside time tomorrow.
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