on't let that sunshine fool you - it's freezing here! We were just so happy to have a nice, sunny Sunday after a blizzard of a Saturday, we had to get out and enjoy it. We decided to finally try some sandwiches from our favorite little coffee and cupcake place, and coincidentally, one of the very few places open on a Sunday. Aside from having some of the best cupcakes I've ever had, it has a great location - on the corner of the Kochbrunnenplatz, a little park-like center with modern sculptures and natural hot springs that's set down from the main street.

So we ordered a couple of sandwiches - one tomato, mozzarella & homemade pesto, the other Italian ham, parmesan and balsamic; both delicious - and cakes to enjoy in the park. By the time we had finished lunch and basked in the sun for a bit, we realized our hands were numb and headed for home ... for hot tea and our blueberry cupcake with french vanilla frosting!

note the white on the rooftops - that's ice from the day before's snowstorm

The weather shows sun through the week - I just hope it keeps up through the weekend for our trip to Ireland! Unfortunately, Bailey won't be joining us on this little trip. She will be staying at Sari's Hundepension for the long weekend. Hope she doesn't hate us too much for leaving her - and that she catches on quick to any commands she receives in German.

While I am still recovering from my painting project last week (entire room, by myself, in one day - now experiencing major back pain), I'm ambitiously tackling another room this week. The results are just so addictive! Aside from the impact it has changing the room and making the apartment more our own, it really cleans the place up. Renting a place is very different here - we moved into a place filled with holes, years of dust and stain marks on the wall and half-finished painting projects. So even more than an aesthetic fix, it's really a necessity.  

It's hard to believe that it's March already and that we've been here for almost three months. Things get easier every day, but there are still challenges and learning experiences to be gleaned from just about every conversation (e.g. Russ ordered "one-half" kilo of meat from the butcher the other day, but instead was served one-and-one-half kilos due to the language difference in a singular "half"). We both have our visas now and my bank card is on its way; next up is applying for our driver's licenses. I've read that we have to take a written test in German, but Russ seems to have read otherwise otherwise. Six months is our cut-off for only needing a passport, so either way, we'd better get to studying!

Five more days till Ireland ...  :  )


*Daily Drop Cap by Jessica Hische