Can't win for losing.

Today just wasn't my day.  I woke up at 6:30 so I could hang out with Piet after his parents left for work.  It was all fine and dandy.  I taught him the good morning song ("Good morning to you...you look like a monkey, and you smell like one too") and he loved it.  We watched some Sesame Street and did funny wake up exercises.  I was feeling like a top notch au pair as we headed out the door, to the car, and onward to kindergarten.  So, I put the key in the ignition and turned it, and I got nothing.  I tried again, and again with the same result.  Piet was getting worried, but was okay.  I called his mom and she didn't know what to tell me.  At that point, Piet began to panic because he realized we were going to be late.  We got out of the car and resorted to plan B...B as in Bicylce.  He reluctantly mounted the bike, wailing "This is a Bad Day."  We made the decently long trip, me running as he pedaled along.  He eventually stopped crying and continued singing the monkey song.  We made it to the kindergarten and he was all smiles, handling the morning like a champ.  I left and thought things were going to be totally fine, only to learn later that we had left his backpack on the table and he had no lunch.  I think that ignited another round of crying for his teachers to endure.  On the other side of the car stitch, my host mom, Catrin, expected me to pick her up from work in the car today, so she had to pay for a taxi to drive her and then had to ask for a friend to take her and Piet home.  I must mention that today the weather was worse than any day I've been here, which only added to the unpleasant events.  As it turns out, the car wasn't broken at all. Apparently, Germans lock their steering wheels when they lock the car. All I had to do was turn the key and wiggle the wheel.  Ugh.  Now I know. 

The rest of the day continued to be gloomy due to the weather, but not disastrous like the morning.  My host dad, Jorn, drove me to Oldenburg for class and I had a good bit of time to see the stores and get a coffee and a different, but tasty, chocolate chip muffin.  We had a substitute teacher in class today who was a lot nicer than the usual one.  I can finally say my name and where I come from...German is difficult to learn, I am learning.  The bus home was a little late, but I made a new friend on the way who is from the Czech Republic.  Hopefully we'll keep in touch.  So, it was a long but eventful day.  Tomorrow should be relaxed and Thursday I should see Cord, so things are looking up.  I guess it's good to get a bad day out of the way and remember that I can survive them...but what a hassle :)