Post Christmas and New Year

Christmas has come and gone, although the Christmas tree still lights up our living room (and hasn't even dropped too many needles). New Year too, when Frank discovered that the large circle of bricks in our garden makes a perfect firework launching pad - we have a few singed brinks but nothing that can't be fixed.
We've settled in well and apart from the odd missing bathroom shelf here and stair support there and one light cable that doesn't seem to contain any electricity we're doing quite well without the builders.
Werner is getting pretty good at snow shovelling and Ella is getting cold paws while discovering her outside territory.





The question is what to do with this blog now. Continue, or have another cup of coffee?

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

shovelling snow

German law says that he who owns house has to clear a path a meter wide outside said house should it snow.
Last night it snowed. Quite a lot. The good news is that Werner was prepared - he had been to the DIY store last week and bought 40kg of grit and a snazzy Finnish made snow shovel. This morning he had the chance to use both. The bad news is he will probably be able to use them again tomorrow and the next day and the next day ..... too.

Cold cat walk

Now that she seems to feel at home inside the house, Ella is keen to take a look outside. So, yesterday we went on a cold cat walk. For now, until she knows her territory she gets to be on the lead. Maybe next week she can go out without it - although the frozen ground and occasional snow doesn't make for very comfortable cat walking conditions at the moment (for either of us).

Visitors in the cherry tree

Now that the cherry tree has been pruned and has lost all its leaves we can see the birds that visit it.
Yesterday a large green woodpecker sat halfway up the trunk watching us watching him.

Empty flat

Today is Handover Day. The day that Frau B gets the keys to our old flat. Yesterday we took away the very last bits of our stuff and cleaned and scrubbed and wiped and hoovered.

Saving the trees

Looking out the first floor window on Monday I noticed that there was a large branch hangng off the cherry tree. Having already arranged that the tree surgeon would come and professionally tend our magnolia tree and cherry tree in either December or January I called them up and asked them to come a little bit earlier.
The magnolia now has a proper shape to it, and the brokencherry branch has been removed (along with other endangered extremities) . Chain saws and safety gear were in action, and a huge trailer full of branches were driven away.

Moving day 5 - postscript

While we were moving, Zoe and Florian kept Ella shut in upstairs in the house. After everyone had left, she was allowed to come down and discover her new surroundings. She seems to be settling in well.



This photo was taken on Sunday morning.