There's a new cat in town!

Hi,

my name is Sasha and I am the new cat with the Bender Family.

Or as I would rather say: the Benders are with ME.

I have to admit that it was very nice of them to take me out of a crowded room with at least 20 other felines at one of Bridgeport Cat Rescue volunteers. MY new home is a huge improvement compared to that! Lots of rooms, stairs and a backyard - and I haven't really seen everything yet.

I am a Russian Blue, about 1 1/2 years old and the cutest and most beautiful cat ever. I can sleep a lot and dash through MY new house like a madwoman - once or twice a day. The hardwood floors can be a real challenge - especially after some sharp turns!

MY favorite place is the big bed in one of the upper rooms, although I have to share it with Paula. But she is a nice young lady who can also sleep a lot. I still have to teach her the racing part though. She is giving me lessons like "Come here!", "Sit!" and so on. I pretend to understand as I get treats everytime I do what she wants.

 

I really really like MY new home!

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Hallo,

mein Name ist Sasha und ich bin die neue Katze bei der Familie Bender.

Oder, wie ich es formulieren würde: die Benders sind bei MIR.

 

Ich muss allerdings zugeben, dass es sehr nett von ihnen war, mich aus dem mit mindestens 20 anderen Katzen überfüllten Zimmer bei einer der freiwilligen Helfer der Bridgeport Katzen Rettung herauszuholen. Verglichen damit ist MEIN neues Heim eine echte Verbesserung! Viele Räume, eine Treppe und ein Garten - und ich habe noch gar nicht alles gesehen.

Ich bin eine Russisch-Blaue, 1 1/2 Jahre alt und die süsseste und schönste Katze aller Zeiten. Ich kann sehr lange schlafen und wie eine Verrückte durch das Haus rasen - ein- oder zweimal am Tag. Die Holzböden sind dabei aber eine echte Herausforderung - besonders nach scharfen Kurven!

MEIN Lieblingsplatz ist das grosse Bett in einem der oberen Zimmer, obwohl ich es mit Paula teilen muss. Aber sie ist eine nette junge Dame, die auch lange schlafen kann. Das Rennen muss ich ihr aber noch beibringen. Sie gibt mir auch Unterricht wie "Komm hierher!", "Sitz!" und so weiter. Ich tue so als ob ich alles verstehe, weil ich dann immer ein Leckerli als Belohnung bekomme.

 

Ich mag MEIN neues Heim wirklich sehr!

Happy Birthday, Paula!

My first birthday in Fairfield, CT:

at Jennings Beach

birthday cake (made by Paula)

with one annoying candle (provided by Dad)

Let's make this house our home!

Finally, on May 16, the sea container arrived at our new home!

It may take a while until everything has found the right place - but then:

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Endlich, am 16. Mai, ist der Seecontainer an unserem Haus angekommen.

Es dauert sicherlich einige Zeit, bis alles den richtigen Platz gefunden hat - aber dann:

Observations after 100 days

Yes, it is really 100 days since we officially entered the United States with our visa.

Enough time to share some of our experiences.

 

Traffic

 

Speed limits:

Drive at least 5 - 10 mph faster than stated on the signs or head to your garage immediately to have your speedometer checked.

 

Traffic lights:

Green - go

Yellow - go, accelerate when possible

Red - go, ACCELERATE!

 

Stop lines:

Try to get as much of your car as possible in front of the stop line (i.e. closer to the crossing traffic).
If you want to become "Driver of the Year" be sure to be first in a row of cars stopped in front of the stop line.

 

Parking:

Park your car as close as poosible to the shop entrance. ignore markings, size of parking spot or size of your car.

 

Engine:

Make sure the engine of your car can be started by remote control.

 

Choice of car:

Stay away from micro cars like Smart, Fiat' 500 - you're sure to get lost in potholes.

 

 

Administration

 

DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles):

Getting a driver's licence is the hardest part of your immigration process. Make sure to bring lots of patience, time, documents (in case you don't have enough, mail some to yourself) and willingness to explain your lack of documents. Be prepared to come to the office at least 3 times.

 

Personnel:

DMV personnel is selected for rudeness, longest fingernails or being most uninterested.

 

Tidiness:

Ever been sitting in an office cubicle looking at the assistants Uggs (wearing flipflops in the office), uneaten food, piles of paper etc. while waiting for your request to be dealt with?

 

Registration:

Show your car registration to enroll your daughter at school.

 

 

Work

 

The USA is a very diverse country. But did you know that most of the akward jobs are done mostly by Onlies and Noblies. Thomas knows who I am talking about. Everyone else take an educated guess.

 

 

Restaurants

 

Almost 50% of all diners in Connecticut have Greek names, Greek innkeepers and offer Greek food.

 

Big chain restaurants (e.g. TGI Fridays, Outback, Chili's) are currently underpricing each other aggressively.

 

 

Language

 

When speaking German we usually are addressed by passers-by. Not so now and here. A sign of the proximity of the melting pot New York City?

 

 

More to come (including German translation).

Our house (in the middle of our street)

We finally made it!!!

Since May 2 we are the proud owners of our new home in Fairfield, Connecticut.

 

Legally:

 

 

 And practically:

 

You may come and visit us!

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Wir haben es endlich geschafft!

 

Seit 2. Mai sind wir stolze Besitzer unseres neuen Hauses in Fairfield, Conncticut!

 

Legal:

 

Und praktisch:

 

Ihr könnt uns besuchen, wenn Ihr wollt!

 

On it's way!

Good news at the first of May:

Shipment of our houshold goods from storage in Germany has started.

The container ship "Frankfurt Express" has left Hamburg harbor early this morning. Estimated arrival in New York harbor is May, 10.

Some impressive numbers on this vessel:

flag: Germany

gross registered ton (GRT): 93750

length: 335 m

width: 42 m

year of construction: 2010

Adding a couple of days for unloading, customs processing and delivery to our house we should have our stuff around May 15.

Yippee!

 

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Gute Nachrichten am 1. Mai:

Die Verschiffung unseres Umzugsgutes aus dem Lager in Deutschland hat begonnen. Das Containerschiff "Frankfurt Express" hat am frühen Morgen den Hamburger Hafen verlassen. Voraussichtliche Ankunft im Hafen von New York ist am 10. Mai.

 

Hier ein paar beeindruckende Daten zum Schiff:

Flagge: Deutschland

Bruttoregistertonnern (BRT): 93750

Länge: 335 m

Breite: 42 m

Baujahr: 2010

 

Rechnet man noch ein paar Tage für das Entladen, die Zollabwicklung und den Transport zu unserem Haus dazu, sollten wir unsere Sachen um den 15. Mai herum haben.

Hurra!

 





Best of Both Apples Sunday

Today was just  a normal Sunday, we slept in and started the day with a typical American breakfast: Eggs, Bacon, Hashbrowns and to make it healthy some Orange Juice.

Then we followed our usual routines and did our grocery shopping. The rest of the day was just lazy, a bit of crocheting, reading, playing on the ipad.

Dinner however was pork shoulder, potato dumplings and Sauerkraut, a typical bavarian style meal.

This is just the way we like it - we get the best of both apples (worlds).

Heute war ein ganz normaler Sonntag: Ausschlafen, dann ein typisch amerikanisches Frühstück mit Eiern, Speck, Bratkartoffeln und einem grossen Glas Orangensaft, der Vitamine wegen.

Dann Einkaufen, einfach ausspannen, ein bisschen häkeln, lesen, mit dem ipad spielen.

Zum Abendessen, jedoch, Schweinebraten, Knödel, Sauerkraut, richtig bayrisch eben.

So gefällt es uns - wir kriegen eben das Beste beider Welten (im Big Apple).