On to New Heights

German front doors lock automatically. Potentially, this could be a problem. Luckily, we live next to our landlord, so if this DOES become a problem, most likely, Axel will be there to let us use the spare key.

Today, however, was a different story. While getting ready to pick up Brad and Anna from the airport, I was going in and out of the house constantly, taking the dogs out, hanging the mats out, putting stuff in the car, checking the mail etc. I usually leave the side door all the way open with a door stop, just in case. Since I was getting ready to leave though, I shut and locked it. I walk out on the porch ONE more time to fill the dogs' water bowls up and here a slam. The front door closed, and being German, locked. At this point, I'm supposed to leave for the airport in 5 minutes. Axel, our landlord has just left for work. Great.

I walk around the house seeing if windows are open. No luck. The three houses in our courtyard share a HUGE cellar that connects all three of the houses. I walk to one of the other houses, go in the cellar, walk through to our house. Unluckily, (and luckily both, makes me feel a little safer) it is locked to our house. I walk back out of the cellar, up the hill to our house, and see a HUGE ladder that the workers have been using to touch up the paint on the houses. ONE lonely window is unlocked.. on the second floor... I had just put a plant out on the window sill.. lucky again, I guess. I start trying to pick up this HUGE ladder and basically fall over. It is 10x the size of me and heavy. At the same time, one of the workers walks down the driveway and asks if I need help. YES. DUH. He puts the ladder up the house to the window and tells me to go ahead. Thanks A LOT. I climb up two stories on a ladder, through the window, and let myself into the house! All in time to pick up Brad and Anna from the airport! Woohoo!

Needless to say, we need a spare key.