The Labraventures of Carbón, Spanish (ex-) foster dog extraordinaire

Emily_Babbelhund

Emily_Babbelhund

Mama Red HOT Pepper
Location
Regensburg, Germany
Well, not sure how my six weeks of fixed abode passed so quickly, so I say with some trepidation: "Here we Labratour again!" My normal Regensburg apartment is being taken over by another renter next Sunday but I still need to stay in the area because of the ongoing saga of my residence permit, so I'm going to be adventuring locally. Nothing available in Regensburg, so here's the next stop, 20 minutes up the road:

Laaber , 15 Min. von Regensburg entfernt - Apartments for Rent in Laaber, Bayern, Germany

Already interesting as it's listed as having a washing machine, but as I didn't see it in the photos, I asked the owner to confirm. "Oh, the washing machine is in my house, so I take your laundry bag and bring it back to you washed."

That's called NOT having a washing machine. Grrr. Don't list it if you don't have it.

Oh well, such is the traveling life. Hopefully the next week I'll find something with a proper washing machine. This place is the only thing I could find within 30 minutes drive and not in the forest, so beggars can't be choosers. On the bright side, it has a fireplace and I'll very much enjoy that! :D

There are a ton of holiday rental options, by the way, just most of them are in the Bavarian forest and it's currently dumping snow. My little car doesn't do "Forest + Snow" so... on to Laaber we go!
 
Emily_Babbelhund

Emily_Babbelhund

Mama Red HOT Pepper
Location
Regensburg, Germany
Granca said:
It certainly looks 'interesting'! At least the bathroom suite isn't avocado...
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Except for the dubious blood red bedroom, it's actually the more normal of what was available within my price range. Holiday rentals are definitely a window into the more 'eclectic' side of decorating for the masses. You see some ghastly stuff.

Which is one of many reasons I remain in awe of @RosieC and her place in Kinsale. I always think, "Now if I had a house AND if I had taste...that would be how I'd want to decorate!" Unfortunately I'm not sure about that taste thing. My house in California is yellow, blue, purple, green, red and orange. The front door is purple with a brass dog head (Labrador!) door handle. It's unique, but not sure if it qualifies as 'tasteful'.

So while I'm rolling my eyes at Bavarian decorating styles, someone in the US is most certainly rolling their eyes at my own darling house. :giggl:
 
Emily_Babbelhund

Emily_Babbelhund

Mama Red HOT Pepper
Location
Regensburg, Germany
Carbon and I are out tonight to a Thai restaurant with Nadine and famous Fine the chihuahua Mädchen. I would have placed a bet that a posh Thai restaurant wasn't dog friendly, but Nadine has called ahead and it is, so we are all four traipsing down there.

Personally I would have rather had a lie (lay?) in and a puppy cuddle instead of dinner out, but here's me making an effort to be social. :wasntme:

On the bright side, my landlords brought in a new bed and mattress this afternoon. It's a big girl bed! Meaning finally a full Queen and at a normal height. Yahooooo! After five years of feeling like I was camping out, ding dong the yucky camp bed is gone!

I can't wait to try it out with Carbon - we're going to feel QUITE luxurious, I'm sure. :happyfeet:
 
Emily_Babbelhund

Emily_Babbelhund

Mama Red HOT Pepper
Location
Regensburg, Germany
Xena Dog Princess said:
A new bed right as you're leaving though, what a shame!
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It'll be here when I'm back at the end of June, so I'll have longer to enjoy it. :)

Xena Dog Princess said:
The little flat in Laaber looks pretty cute, so I hope it doesn't hold any nasty surprises *fingers crossed*
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You and me both - hopefully the washing machine that isn't is the worst of it. Laaber itself looks pretty cute so something new to try. For the following week I'm looking at a place at a horse farm. Labratouring without even leaving lower Bavaria!

Xena Dog Princess said:
I hope you all enjoyed a lovely evening of Thai food! Sap sap (yum yum).
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Thai food was good but we were definitely the only dogs and got some very confused looks from other patrons. However the wait staff couldn't have been more welcoming and the dogs were both excellent. It was sauna-like in the restaurant, so mainly Fine and Carbon just laid there panting and sleeping.

I'm off to try out my mega bed now. Yippee! :happyfeet:
 
Emily_Babbelhund

Emily_Babbelhund

Mama Red HOT Pepper
Location
Regensburg, Germany
While it absolutely pales in comparison to what's happening elsewhere on the forum, it was a hard day here at the OK Corral. My shiny new computer is going to take 2 weeks longer to deliver than I was original told so I likely won't be here to get it (and yes, that's definitely a low priority 1st world problem). Then the lab messed up Carbon's urine test for purine levels but we do know that his protein levels are too high. So it's back to holding a cup under him tomorrow morning and back to the vet. On the bright side, I remembered to have his rabies titre done so we're hopefully ready for Brexit if it happens.

But the really yucky, icky, nasty kick in the backside was my lawyer's appointment this evening. It turns out, through some very obscure immigration law, that I am NOT eligible for a permanent residence permit. You know, that thing that I took German language and culture tests for, ran all over Bavaria for, stood in line for 9 hours for? That I was told if I just fulfilled the requirements given to me by the immigration office that I would get? The thing that I've been told for the last three years is my 'right' after five years residency which I've now completed? Nope, not eligible.

My lawyer scrambled not to get me deported and find a solution.

He's gotten the immigration office to agree to a one year extension. Good only in Germany. For only one year.

There's a bunch of other nasty and ridiculous details I won't go into, but bottom line is just :sad:. Not even :angry:. Just :sad:.

My lawyer hasn't given up and says getting a year will let us work on something more lasting. He looked as frustrated as I felt. He's really fighting the good fight, for which I'm grateful, but honestly I'm very very tired of this mess.

To end on something positive: Carbon once again LOVED his visit to the lawyers' offices. It's a nice 20 minute walk there, then he gets treats from me for doing a downstay in the waiting area, then he got lots of cookies from the lawyers. Now he's having a good snooze on the sofa with his bunny, a good day's work done. :inlove:
 
Stacia

Stacia

Location
Malvern Worcestershire
@Emily_Babbelhund, what a bummer, that is so difficult to believe that the Germans would not want you after all the great effort you have put in. I could scream for you out of sheer frustration and deep disappointment which you must be feeling.

It does sound as if you have a good lawyer and he will do his best, but it must leave you very unsettled. When I think of the people allowed into UK and the ones not, I sometimes wonder where the common sense is.:angry:
 
Emily_Babbelhund

Emily_Babbelhund

Mama Red HOT Pepper
Location
Regensburg, Germany
Jelinga said:
I sometimes wonder where the common sense is.:angry:
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Even my lawyer was completely unsettled by the lack of sense. It's funny you know because The Guardian was running an article for the last couple weeks about how Germany is opening it's immigration doors with new open door policy.

I asked my lawyer about that and he says that is mainly a media perception - that actually the 'new' laws don't permit more or less immigration than before and that in general immigration - especially anything permanent - is a dirty word here.

:unsure: At least Señor Carboncito has an EU passport that I don't have to worry about renewing...
 
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