So living here, the way we are living here (no car, 3 young kids) is physically demanding. If you haven't caught on to that, yet. To make things a little more challenging, this week the street construction right outside my house is now right beneath my driveway, which means I can't use my driveway. The alternative route is to walk UP to the neighbor's house and then down a lot of steep steps. Oh, did I mention this route leads past several dogs all with severe cases of SDS (small dog syndrome- you know, when small dogs bark ferociously as if to make up for their size). This TERRIFIES Johanna so that I must carry her. The narrow steps nullify my stroller (if I am alone) and make grocery shopping with my handy little shopper
(think tiny moving dolly with a canvas bag on it) daunting to say the least.
Okay, all that complaining to say that every time I go out and exhaust myself I remind myself that it's a great workout and lately I've been telling myself that Jillian Michaels (of Biggest Loser fame) would be proud of me. Why Jillian Michaels? When our internet is functioning and I have the time, I've been doing her 30 Day Shred workout video from youtube (I am THAT desperate to lose this stupid baby weight-no offense Eli).
Have I told you that I have made Johanna terrified of slugs? Forgive me if I've told this story. I write things in my brain all the time and I can't remember what actually makes it to the blog. Slugs are everywhere here- they are DISGUSTING. Especially stepping on them. So I freak out whenever I see one that one of us is about to step on. This has translated to Johanna being unable to walk if she sees one. She stands there and screams. It's somewhat hilarious.
Several weeks back, just when this fear was revealed, she and Jackson decided to hike into the backyard to the slide. Jo momentarily forgot about the slug phobia. I, of course, had to accompany them. And I, of course, am carrying Eli. We get up to the slide and Jo sees a slug. She begins to scream and cling to my leg. But that isn't good enough, so she stands on my feet, still screaming. She then tries to claw her way up my leg, still screaming. It is very difficult for me to pick her up because I am holding Eli and she won't stop screaming long enough for me to explain what she needs to do so I can pick up. It's so hopeless that I start laughing- this isn't helping. Every tried to do something physical when you are laughing so hard you can barely breath? She's still screaming. I finally move her to the small play house by walking with standing on my foot. Don't ask me how, I don't know. You probably had to be there, but now you know that if you ever want to keep Johanna from going somewhere just tell her there's a slug, but be prepared.
One more thought for this post:
The 12 year old boy inside my head.
In German, the word "fahrt" means exit, or way out, or something like that. It's everywhere, with all sorts of prefixes:
gute (good) fahrt!
extrafahrt
probefahrt
I see a sign, and I giggle. Then I think to myself, "real mature, Martha, real mature"
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