Translation Problems???

Today I was in the Altstadt (spelled it right this time, Skip) and stopped in at Starbucks for a holiday peppermint soy mocha. By the way, the sizes here in Germany make much more sense--short, tall and grande, rather than tall (for the smallest), grande and venti. What the heck is a venti?

Anyway, most of the employees there speak at least some English and after I ordered my coffee the guy behind the counter asked, "Would you like to eat everything?" I almost answered, "How could you tell?" when I realized he was really asking if I wanted anything to eat. At least, I'm hoping that was the case.

I think my debate over whether or not we should get a second car here in Germany is over. Tonight Skip is in Amersterdam with the car. Our small Christmas tree (Maddie could just reach the top to put the star on) is leaning a bit in its pot. When I reached underneath to straighten it, my arm had some sort of allergic reaction to the pine needle pricks and my whole arm swelled up in hives. We have no stash of Benedryl or cortisone cream and it was 6:15 and the only apotheke open would be over at Wal-Mart which is not accessible by train. My friend Joy (who has four kids to feed and get to bed) drove over a tube of cortisone cream. Ahhhhh. I have never been so happy to see a tube of cream.

I think Skip may have a point about possibly needing a second car. It wouldn't get used a ton as many of the places I go it's easier to take the train or walk, but you can't get to the gym by train or to the good grocery stores. And when the weather is particularly icky, it's nice to be able to pick Maddie up in the car. Most of all, my minor allergic reaction made me realize that to be without immediate transportation in a foreign country when your husband is in yet another foreign country is probably not the best idea.