Thursday

Greetings once again from soggy Deutschland.

I had my first ever day of paid manual labor today. It was fantastic! I know a man - I could probably even call him a friend - who is a landscaper/gardener, and he agreed to let me help him on occasion. I moved a ton of wood (in logs), removed the dead foliage and leaves from in and around a small pond, raked a bunch, bagged up what I had raked, and trimmed a few bushes. We worked for five hours, and it only rained for two of them! Once it started raining a bit harder, we quit, but really, it was good for both my body and mind. I wish I had a bathtub to soak in, though - as you all probably know, that kind of work uses many other muscles than walking does! It was good for me, though. I may go back tomorrow after class, and then again as he needs help.

So, as I was working, I was thinking more about the German language. There are so many things here that are so normal for German-speakers, and that have become normal to me now, but if I really think about them, I still find humor in them. Gloves, for example, are called "Hand shoes," an airplane is called a "Fly thing," and when they refer to their hair, they refer to it in the plural, as in "My hairs are dirty," or "I had my hairs cut." In a way, it makes perfect sense, although I still snicker to myself sometimes.

Anyway, I have no pictures to show for today's work. Not that it would be that interesting to you, anyway. Hopefully it'll stop raining soon so I can get out and take a few more photos. Things always look better with a little sunlight.

Hope you're all well.