Jaz Weekly: Starting Anew 🌱

Before I dive into this week’s post, a little heads-up: I’ve decided not to start a new “saga” or themed series for now (unless life throws me something wild and worth chronicling again 😅). Instead, I’ll be shifting into a more relaxed format – simple weekly updates and reflections, like an open journal. That way, I don’t end up overthinking what to write or pressuring myself to make every post profound. To be honest, I’ve recently wondered whether to stop blogging altogether – it sometimes feels like only a handful of people read these entries. But then I remind myself: maybe someday, someone will stumble on one of these posts at the right time and find a little inspiration or comfort. And for now, that’s enough reason to keep showing up.

So last weekend, we drove up to Siegburg – home of our other apartment (you know, the one we’ve been meaning to move out of for about… a year and a half now). But before diving into any sorting or clearing, we made our usual first stop: Omi and Opi’s.

They’re my husband’s grandparents – 90 and 95 years old – and somehow still sharper, wittier, and more energetic than most people half their age. They live independently in their cozy, lovingly kept house, where every corner seems to hold a memory and every conversation is a winding, delightful trip through history. I could sit with them for hours – and often do – just listening to their stories.

They speak pure German – no slang, no shortcuts – just beautifully clear, proper German (Hochdeutsch). It’s actually a gift, though my still-in-progress translation brain occasionally panics mid-sentence. I do my best to follow along, piecing things together, and compared to my earlier visits – when I mostly nodded, smiled, and hoped for context clues – I’ve come a long way. Now, I can catch the main ideas, ask questions, and even chime in with stories of my own. It’s still a work in progress, but it’s incredibly encouraging.

What makes it even better is how patient and encouraging Omi and Opi are. They’re always happy to slow down or explain a word if I need it. And sometimes they even turn it into a mini German lesson – in the kindest, most loving way. I treasure that.

As always, we ended up talking until past midnight, laughing and reminiscing like we had all the time in the world. We always leave their home with a full heart (and always with a full belly 😄).

The next day, Sunday, was less cozy and more chaotic, it was time to face the music – or more accurately, the cellar. My husband’s cellar in Siegburg had become a kind of time capsule, mostly filled with electronics from the last 20 years. Some items were still in boxes, brand new but now practically vintage. Others… well, let’s just say we unearthed a few things that probably haven’t worked since floppy disks were a thing.

I teased him that it was less a storage space and more a museum of “technological optimism.” Every cable had a purpose once. Every device had a dream. We didn’t throw much away (baby steps), but we did manage to sort through a good chunk. It was strangely satisfying – and slightly exhausting.

We drove home Sunday night, in heavy rain, and we were grateful for the clear sky that greeted us just an hour before we arrived.

This past week was a regular work week – nothing major. But Saturday meant house-cleaning day again. Technically, it was Bathroom Week, and I stayed loyal to that. But since we were in Siegburg the Saturday before and I missed Kitchen Week, I had to do a little catch-up. So this weekend turned into a cleaning double shift: bathroom and cellar on Saturday (my son helped = bonus points!), and today, I finally tackled the kitchen. That means I’m officially back on track with my rotating room-cleaning schedule. 🧹✨

If you’ve followed my blog for a while, you might remember this from my Minimalism post here: I clean by zone, rotating rooms throughout the month. I call it “rotational sanity.” It keeps things manageable – and makes sure no corner gets too neglected for too long.

So let me end this week’s reflection with a little recap of how that works, in case anyone needs a system that doesn’t involve scrubbing the whole house in one day:

Jasmin’s Rotational Sanity Cleaning System 🧼
(aka “One Room at a Time, Please and Thank You”)

🧽 1st Saturday: Kitchen
🛁 2nd Saturday: Bathroom
🛋️ 3rd Saturday: Living Room
🛏️ 4th Saturday: Bedroom
🪴 5th Saturday (if there is one): Plants get the spa day 🌿

🧘‍♀️ Sundays are reserved for “lazy day” activities:
– catching up with family & friends,
– working on my blog (or thinking about it 🤭),
– German homework (when I’m being responsible),
– or Netflix + PS5 (when I’m being… realistic).

The goal? Clean enough to feel good. Chill enough to stay sane.

It’s not revolutionary – but it works. Life is already chaotic enough. Why not give your cleaning some rhythm too?

And since the Siegburg trips are now becoming part of our “usual” weekends, I’m trying to keep my energy up in between. One thing that’s helping? I started EMS training on Tuesday evenings – that’s Electro-Muscle Stimulation training, and it’s just 20 minutes a week but whew, it wakes up muscles I forgot I had. It’s especially helpful in strengthening my back and navigating those lingering pain points. If you’re curious about it, go to ThreeSixty – and hey, if you ever think of trying it out and end up registering, just drop my name. You might get something out of it. And maybe I do too. 😉

I still go to physio once a week – mostly to keep things from stiffening up. And of course, no day ends without my Duolingo session. Still in the Diamond League, still working to stay at the top. My streak is alive and well (barely), and that little owl knows how to keep me humble.

That’s it for the last two weeks. Nothing huge. But enough to reflect on.
Let me know if you’ve ever found mystery tech in your basement too 😅
And if you’re feeling overwhelmed with chores – just take one corner at a time.

See you next Sunday. 💚