Paperwork and studying

Today was dedicated toward getting Etsy's travel paperwork taken care of and studying for the german driver's test.

I got most of Etsy's paperwork today.  The bilingual export to Germany certificate is so new that the veterinarian needed the day to understand it and fill it out while also attending to her other patients.  I contacted the airline baggage check I'm flying through (not their customer service because customer service won't talk to non-service members), a military vet at Fort Irwin in California (long story), the USDA-APHIS office in Indianapolis, and two other veterinary clinics to make sure that I have all of the paperwork Etsy needs.  I'm still not 100% sure I've got it all, as the rules for these papers and procedures literally change almost every year, but they all say that I have the right paperwork.  USDA has to review it first before the airline, so I'm hoping that if they say I'm okay and the vet says I'm okay, then the airline will say I'm okay.  The airline said that if something does go wrong, there is a recommended nearby vet who can help so it's best that I arrive as early as possible.  If things go absolutely horribly wrong, then I will have my parents take Etsy back to Indiana, then probably cry about it for an hour or so.

I then studied for the german driver's license test.  It seems this test is actually through the US Army, so only a written test is required.  Most of the traffic rules are very similar if not flat out identical to US traffic laws e.g. right-of-way, passing lanes, defensive driving, default speed limits, yield signs, and stop signs.  The signs that are different are pretty easy to figure out as their color and shape system is an overall simple structure.  They intentionally design it that way though because international drivers are just as common as interstate drivers in America.  They are apparently very serious about being familiar with the signs (roughly 144 of them or so), so I will need to study it again.  It feels very much like soccer referee certification all over again: the ideas are pretty simple and straightforward but the details need to be paid attention to.

I also tested an anti-barking sensor on Etsy.  It's a battery-powered device that emits a high frequency pitch when a dog barks nearby.  I think it has some impact on Etsy, but it's not perfect.  The vet suggested that training with a professional is the best way to go, but for those who don't have that time she's found that a shock collar (although she's not proud of it) works virtually guaranteed.  Downside: shock-collars are not allowed in Germany.  Looks like I'll be looking for a better high-pitched wall device for indoor purposes and get a trainer for outdoor and indoor purposes.

J must have had a tiring but good day at work.  She didn't talk about what she did at work today, but she did mention that she finally met up with her classmate D who has had limited help from his sponsor thus far.  J has been trying to help D out whenever she can, but her in-processing classes make such interaction difficult.  Their superior officer is getting promoted tomorrow, and it sounds like they will at least get a chance to mingle with co-workers in a more casual environment so I hope they get to meet more people.  D is looking forward to hanging out with me and J and his wife in the near future.  D and his wife are also recently married.  I've met them during J and D's training in Charlottesville.  D and his wife are good people.

Less than a week to be with J!  The countdown has started.  Hopefully, tomorrow I will have Etsy's paperwork ready and then I will start serious packing on Friday or Saturday.

On a final note, R and I went morel hunting one last time.  Three of the four we spotted last time were gone. We found one of them still there and another new one.  R picked those two, but they were a tad dried.  We think the slim pickings are due to someone or something else eating from the same patch and also that the crazy spring weather (started with a week of 80's when I first arrived and this past week have had two frosts) has messed with their typical spring growth pattern.  Hopefully, they will come back better next year.