Today [14.2¾]

Kari said:

Today I am totally fed up with the bureaucratic system of this country and its authorities who cannot think with their own brain but check every law and ruling ever written to see if they could find more ways to delay a simple request as long as possible.

I need a simple permission from the state to do something fairly simple. Early January I got a "letter of pre-approval" (freely translated) to inform me that the permission will be automatically granted after I have filled official paperwork for it.

I did the paperwork. Since that I have been in two official hearings explaining why I want to do this, why I think I should get the permission. Now this morning I got a phone call informing me that the permission has been granted but I need to appear in one more official hearing in two weeks time to confirm my request and everything I have presented to support it is in fact valid, in which case I will get the official permit.

When asked about this process in early January I was told it takes a few days, maybe a week. It has now taken almost 6 weeks.

My home is here where my heart is, here in Germany, by my dear Angie in her home country. I do not feel homesick often although there are things I miss from my native Finland like my kids and nieces and nephews, real sauna, snow in the winter, midnight sun in the summer and so on. But one thing I miss most is the simplicity of the society, how things work. In my native Finland this permission had been OK after one visit at city hall and paying for dues; if I had decided early in the morning I need that permission I would have had it late in the same afternoon.

Frustrated and tired,

Kari

You know how I feel my friend. Just remember...

OSX sucks!

A Guy

Today my calendar, keeps beeping at me and insisting that I "clean my windows", I agree that I have to do this, but I am not going to put on SCUBA gear to do so!!

A bit wet where you are Nigel?

I think it's just two days without rain since before the Christmas holidays, I'm safe enough here, am at a reasonable height, but do feel for all those who bought their dream houses next to the rivers, probably not considering what they would be like during a bad winter, You would think that a Street name of the like of "Water Meadows Row", may give a clue

You mean your shoes only sink an inch into the turf, instead of the usual six?

Well it's raining here again now. Yes the street names give a clue. Water Lane in Watford is flooded, it is always the first to go under.

No rain for me, but the temp is a really bitter cold -14°F, -26C.