Berlin, 1.11.00 Yesterday (Halloween actually) I collected Annette and Madeleine from the hospital. Home we went. My honeymoon was over. I may start something vaguely journal-like again because I have a feeling I'm going to be having a few more (hopefully) quiet evenings at home this winter and god knows, it looks like Deutsche Fucking Telekom might actually get off their fat Teutonic asses and finally hook up our phone on Friday - after five weeks' wait - thus affording us the near-forgotten luxury of internet access. Jesus. Here's our new neighbourhood: Simon-Dach-Strasse So here are snippets from various emails over the past week: 26.10.00 I was round for a visit yesterday afternoon. Old Staple Gut is doing fine, recovering very quickly, already walking around, albeit gingerly. She said it's basically like having your stomach muscles feel like your legs do after a marathon. I'll go back again today of course. Madeleine is also doing well. I haven't a clue what's normal, but she seems to be pretty calm. She can't quite figure out what to do when she's awake but not sucking on anything, but otherwise doesn't cause too much grief. Not much else to add, really. I'm fine too, as is the cat, who suspects, I'm sure. She's not thrilled about being home alone twelve hours a day, but that will soon change. 1.11.00 one down, about seven thousand to go If that's an average night, this isn't going to be too, too bad. (I am trying so desperately hard not to be overly optimistic.) She's a very relaxed baby. I think I'll soon be able to sleep through a routine feeding, but as this was my first night getting used to all the various noises, I was actually waking up more often than Annette. And the cat? She slunk away under the bed for most of the day but by midnight realized that this strange little creature, who is very clearly alive and makes unfamiliar and unpleasant noises, is not planning to kill her anytime soon. By morning Vita was even willing to share the bed during feedings. The best possible outcome at this stage is probably non-traumatized indifference, and that's where we seem to be headed. Okay, back to work. I have Friday off, thank god, due our move to the new building. That will give me some time to run errands when the shops are open. And finally, if my luck holds, I'll be able to start training again. Maybe even ride my new mountainbike! (I can send you a picture of that, too, if you're interested.) 1.11.00 So the weirdest thing yesterday, after we get home, we go round to a place nearby called the Eltern Cafe (Parent Cafe) - a second-hand shop for kid stuff with an espresso machine and some day-care-like gear so that the little monsters can go ape-shit while you have a coffee. And there are all these people in there with kids and they turn and give us this warm, accepting look when we walk through the door with our little bundle, as if to say "You're one of us now." And I am totally wigged out. Then I realize that this is exactly how I would feel (well okay I'm guessing here) if I suddenly decided that I was gay and it was my first visit to the appropriate sort of bar. Exactly that. Annette laughed. Oh well, I'd better get used to it, I'm a breeder now.