Reading list and back from Australia

So, updates from Australia. My mom's surgery finally happened, and as far as I know it went well.

Still sick; now it burns my throat to eat chocolate. :(!!! Husband went to the doctor, thinking it was strep. Test was negative. Congratulations: you can't escape all suffering in life. I had planned to travel tomorrow, but i think we'll stay home and get well instead.

Chapters and synopsis sent off to agent. Fingers crossed.

Plunger bought, toilet unplugged. Six people in one house without a toilet is a scary thought.

Computer cable still broken, but kids are healthy and happy. It's Friday so I didn't have to force anyone to do homework, and ever since the TV remote broke, the kids have been playing together much better. We don't usually have a TV in America but we do in Germany. Now I remember WHY we've never moved ourselves to get a TV. (And really, if you have a DVD player and high-speed internet access, why do you need a TV, anyway?)

This week I've read two books--American, in German translation. I stayed up the other night to finish The Empty Mirror, by James Lincoln Collier. At first I thought it was more midgrade because of the length and simple beginning, but midway through it got scarier. Nice little ghost story, and a manageable length for a book in German for me. I liked the idea of the villagers wanting to shut away feelings of guilt for their actions during the flu epidemic. Reminded me of certain things my neighbors don't like to think about. I wished there had been a bit more to the ending, though, characterwise. Nick gets rid of his problem, but the underlying problem isn't really addressed.

Then this afternoon I read The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane. I found it a nice, simple story without the annoying "Dear Reader" feature of Desperaeux. Like some at Verla's, I wondered at the intended age bracket; the level of cruelty by some of the bad guys seemed more more advanced than the language and story structure would indicate. I don't know how interested my kids would be at this point in it. Maybe when my girls are older. Even though I hoped it would turn out the way I did, I still cried at the end.

I still have more books waiting on the shelf. I keep telling myself that the more I read, the easier the German will get. Still, for someone who can polish off an average-sized book in a couple of hours, it's hard to go slow...

One more German oddity...

And before I quit, I just have to add this: My husband went to a HNO doctor--Hals Nase Ohr (throat, nose, ear) for tonsilitis today. This involved vigorously digging wax out of poor DH's ear (but, hrumpf! no ear infection), performing said strep test (nein, no strep in throat), and an ULTRASOUND of DH's sinuses. (Look at THAT! No wonder you're in my office.) Can you imagine having an ultrasound of your face??

My second son was born here, and they did a lot of ultrasounding then, too. I had one at every office visit, and after birth, they also ultrasound all babies' hips to make sure they're in there right. So have no fear of German doctors. They are, if nothing else, very, very thorough in their examinations.