It's like a little raise

As all you international finance gurus know, the dollar is in the proverbial toilet. It is at something like a millenium low in terms of value. This has a number of effects, including (hopefully) less cheap imports and more cheap exports (for the U.S., anyway). This brings me to my first point. While a weak dollar was not such a boon for J-Amy (to whom, by the way, we bid a fond farewell on Thursday), it's like David and I are getting little raises every month. At least for the money that we suppose will one day make it back to the U.S. before the euro tanks. In dollars we are making nearly $400 more a month than when we started. Now that's what I call value.

Although, once the government gets their 40% bite, it's more like a $200 a month raise. But, hey, whatever. If I were spending dollars, I'd have more to spend. Be that as it may though, we are spending euro and until we sally back 'across the pond' as the Brits like to say, wir erwerben, was wir erwerben as the Deutsch like to say. Next point. Since, with a high level of confidence David and I are pretty sure we'll evntually settle in the U.S., we are currently trying to figure out just how to get our big, strong euro back to the U.S. so that they can become wimpy, flabby dollars. This isn't as easy as one might imagine. Short of going to the nearest exchange kiosk (try finding one of these in 2007) to physically change a sack full of euro into dollars and stuffing them all into a 'fat suit' so that we can pass undetected through customs with what would surely be a sum of money that would make homeland security perk up and take notice (any sum greater than $45), I am at a bit of a loss.

Mostly, it seems like we might somehow get stuck tax-wise. Not sure how this works and I can't find a legitimate online source for information. Oh, sure, I can find all kinds of crappy dotcom advice from your choice of random 'certified financial advisors,' but there is a genuine absence of anything reliable short of paying $1000. I think the fat suit is looking more appealing all the time.

What else? As I said, J-Amy left last Thursday. We had a really great time hanging out with them. Stella especially dug having them around. In fact, she stalked them in the morning and threw stuffed animals at them as soon as they were awake. I think Stella was pretty excited to have some company while we were at work.

David got back from Azerbaijan the day J-Amy left. They may have crossed one another over the English channel, they were so close. Unfortunately, David brought back more than some very cool Azeri scarves (which are really pretty, by the way). When I got home from work, David was huddled under a blanket on the couch with an outrageously high fever and a serious case of what seems to be food poisoning. The doctors (to whom David went kicking and screaming on Friday) took blood and said 'yep, you've got an infection. Good luck with that', and summarily sent him on his way.

We are both hoping he is feeling better soon as Wednesday is his birthday. And nobody wants to feel like crap on their birthday, unless it is self-induced by one to many keg-stands and tequila shooters. We are also leaving on Saturday for a five day trip to Florence, Italy. I am really excited to see the Mona Lisa and drink espressos. More on that later.

One final point. As is typical in the northern hemisphere this time of years, I am noticing that the days are getting decidedly shorter. This led me to investigate just how little daylight there is around the winter solstice. You may be shocked and appalled to know it is right around 7 and a half hours (give or take about 5 minutes). Ouch.

I still love Hamburg (even if I won't really be able to see it come December).