Wednesday, October 28, 2009

The Underground Halloween Bash

Our Underground group had a halloween party for the little ghosts and goblins this past weekend. It was a huge success and everyone had a great time. There were several bees this year.



A couple of kitty cats.



This one came as a Parisian college student.



OMG This gal was scary realistic against the H1N1 virus. Oh yeah she really was feeling yucky.



Not sure about the green fairy though.

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Fall Pumpkin Fest

Well it is definately Fall here. The fall festivals are everywhere.

We attended one recently and saw really big pumpkins.

Lots and lots of pumpkins,

And more pumpkins.

We even saw a house coming un zippered.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Normally Tuesday Is Luncheon Day

I am part of a group of women that came together out of loneliness. We are an Internet forum of local ladies that interacted on the "Net." We have taken the next step and are now interacting on a real life level and meet for several types of activities.

We do luncheons, coffees, a book club, and children's play groups. We had an end of Summer picnic and are in the throes of putting together a children's Halloween party.

I am looking forward to having a Christmas party

Normally Tuesday is luncheon day.

I am very involved with these Moms and their children. I am a Mother/Grandmother figure to many of the gals. So today when I wasn't at the luncheon I received several queries concerning my whereabouts.

I am touched that my absence was so noted.

I don't know if I am sorry or glad to have missed the luncheon today. One of my favorite gals who always seems to make me laugh wrote this about the luncheon today.

Her daughter was playing in the play area of our luncheon location and decided to just drop her drawers and pop a squat. This now mortified mom gets to clean poop off the playground equipment and her daughter. Seems the little lady is terrified of the automatic toilets in this facility. Luckily, with so many other moms at the luncheon, wipes, pullups, sanitizer and poop bags were readily available. Can you say moms springing into action??????

OMG.... I would have busted a gut if I was there at the time.

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Dinner With Old Friends

Its getting cold here. Too cold for this early in the year. Spousal Unit and I got up late this morning and lazed about for awhile before getting cleaned up an then ran a couple of errands.

I made chicken noodle soup yesterday for a girl friend. Her whole household has had the creeping crud that has been going around here. Knock on wood, we haven't been affected in our house yet.

Well I gave most of the soup away and now I have a really big Jones for the soup. So I will probably have to make another batch later this week.

Back on subject. So I wanted to go to the Farmer's market and get some cheese and fresh bread. We ended up having a "brat" for lunch and I found some really good Gouda with caraway and a Swiss fine herb cheese. The gals at the stand wanted to learn the English word for caraway and we told them. Did a good deed for the day.

We delivered the soup, and then picked up a new Tupperware catalog. I'm thinking about having an "old school" Tupperware party in a couple of weeks. Might be fun.

All in all a nice day, and am looking forward to going out to dinner. My ex bosses are in town and they like to keep in touch when here. Should be a good dinner with old friends.

Thursday, August 27, 2009

I Did Mention That I Am Not A Hiker

Well, we arrived in the Black Forest and started here. Triburg. The highest falls in Germany. Disputed, but who really cares, the area is beautiful and worth visiting.



At the bottom of the falls in Triburg. We are in the center of town. Not much really goes on in this town other than visiting the falls.

We are walking up the path to the top of the falls. It is really pretty and green and misty and slippery in places. I get to stop every 20 meters to admire the lovely countryside. (In otherwords my calves are killing me and I can't back out of doing this. OMG I want to die.)


Spousal Unit. Mr. Studly. Didn't break a sweat. I really want to just kill him sometimes.


OMG I made it to the top of the falls. (Think mountain.) I hurt like Hell. Yes, I said Hell in print. I usually say He"doublehockeysticks" but this really deserved the Hell designation. I hurt everywhere.

I did mention that I am not a Hiker?

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

They Just Coordinated The Rest Of The Bathroom

As you have seen in the past, when Spousal Unit and I travel, I tend to find tweeks in the rooms we rent.

This trip is no exception. Here are the beds. Clean and bright white. Crisp linens that ended up being very snuggly.


The bathroom harkened back to the 70's, ... Avocado green, with pink accents.


And more pink accents.


Even the towels were pink.

Actually we both think that the towels started out as white.

Since many innkeepers do their own wash they tend to wash and hang their laundry.

The towels end up like sandpaper.

These towels were definitely sandpaper. They took off the top layer of our skin.

They just coordinated the rest of the bathroom... to the newly colored towels.

Monday, August 24, 2009

I Really Do Have Pics To Prove It

We made it back and are still in one piece.

We did a little "ain't no mountain high enough, ain't no valley low enough."

We had some really stiff towels that scuffed off the top layer of skin.

We had awesome breakfasts and dinners.

Saw some things we hadn't imagined before. Those silly Germans have a sense of humor.

I have pictures to show the adventures, and will load them as soon as Blogger get its "stuff" in order to let me upload.

Peace out and thanks for all the prayers. I felt the prayers as I climbed the mountains for the views.

The prayers helped me get through letting Spousal Unit have some good guy time on this trip; that and the braggin' rights to be able to say that I really did do this stuff.

I really do have pics to prove it.

Friday, August 21, 2009

I'm Off

I'm off to have some adventures in the Black Forest.

Hopefully I will return refreshed with loads of pictures of pastoral valleys, roaring waterfalls, cuckoo clocks galore, and dinner delights.

In other words... pray for me. This is a hikers dream vacation. I am not a hiker.

Monday, August 17, 2009

I Gotta Figure Out A Better Way

I am so sorry for my lack of posts in the recent past. For awhile there I just didn't have too terribly much to say for lack of, Ahem, any sort of life.

The first few months here were informative, and I posted about them, but then a lull set in and I really didn't have anything to say that wasn't totally repetitive.

Now I have, what I consider a really awesome life thingee going on and the logistics are against me.

I have always posted in the early evening while getting the dinner on the table and waiting for everything to finish up. I have always posted on the fly.

Well the ole puter is on the third floor of the house and posting on the fly is a thing of the past. I have to figure out what I want you all to know about before the end of my puter time or take time away from the Spousal Unit and our time.

Decisions, decisions. I haven't figured out how I am gonna pull this one off, but I miss getting on here and letting you all know what's going on.

I'm not one to let a little thing like logistics, bandwith, pings optimal distance get me down. I don't know if anything other than logistics are applicable but they all sound good.

I'll figure something out. Nighters for now.

Sunday, August 16, 2009

I Was A Witness To A Miracle Part III

But, being a big Internet junkie I told her to take the networking aspect to the Internet. I have met some lovely ladies through the chat rooms and networking boards since I move here. In fact that was how I met her, and thought what better way to get the word out. Someone could possible know of a young girl that wanted to give up a baby for adoption.

I suggested to her that since the Yard Sale site had massive hits each month (6,000,000) it might be the place to start for her networking for a baby.

Well, she posted an entry on the site that they were a family that were looking to adopt. No specifics other than they loved each other and wanted to add a bundle of joy to complete the family.

Can you imagine the total shock they received when less than 24 hours after posting the message they received an email from a local gal who was 7 months pregnant and wanted to give up her baby to adoption. She had been working with another couple who backed out at the last minute and now she was desparate to find another couple to adopt the baby.

Everyone was floored.

The families met, the specifics were given. The craziness persued. The home studies, the legal documents signed and filed.

Then the wait for the baby to be born.

She was born in the middle of July and is beautiful.

The adoption process went smoothly and is just about finished.

I truly was a witness to a miracle. And to think it all started with a wisecrack about the local Yard Sale site. We now have our littlest Yardsaler.

We call her Sunshine.

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

I Was A Witness To A Miracle Part II

This family has two girls. A 16 YO and a 9 YO.

The girls are adorable and you can tell the Momma put in the right amount of love, and hard work to raise them properly.

Well... the Momma and Daddy have been trying to have a baby for several years. Things haven't been going exactly as planned or desired. They tried several options including the obvious. And there wasn't any babys in the foreseeable future.


Time, being that it is, tends to slip away and other issues cropped up and well, it became obvious that having a baby of their own would not be possible.

So the Momma and Daddy decided to adopt a little one. They started to attend adoption seminars and conferences. (Before I met them I didn't even realize that there were adoption conferences. Who'da thunk. Silly me.)


The family had recently moved here when I met them and they were in the process of starting the seminars and conferences circuit again in this part of the world. Networking is a big part of a possible adoption, especially if it is a local adoption.


So tongue in cheek, I was asked if I knew any young unmarried pregnant girls that wanted to give up their baby for adoption.

Actually no I do not.

TO BE CONTINUED.

Saturday, July 25, 2009

I Was A Witness To A Miracle

I was a witness to a miracle.

The past couple of months I was honored to be a part of a miracle in the making.

It started when I met a gal on the Internet chat boards locally here.

So from the beginning:

Early Spring: I asked for a couple of flower pots several months back on a Freecycle site. I received a response that just totally overwhelmed me. I received more pots than I could use in several lifetimes. The gal was moving to Turkey, ran out of time to get the pots cleaned up before the movers came and was left with all sorts of flower pots. It being a Freecycle board I promised that I would Freecycle what I couldn't use.

Being the "SheWho" that I am, I kept my promise.

I used what I needed and advertised on the boards for free flower pots.

A gal emailed me back and requested the pots. She showed up at the Ohmbachsee for me to lead her to the house since many of the roads into town were closed at the time.

We came to the house and she and her younger daughter took the flower pots and we chatted and decided that we might like to get together again for socializing.

She and her family have since become dear friends to our family.

TO BE CONTINUED.

Thursday, July 23, 2009

I Plan On Re-reading The Book Club Choice

Yesterday was a beautiful Summer day. I spent most of it either sitting in my van or outside on the patio at the Club. Reading. And waiting.

Son # 2 has a job now and is in training to actually start working. His training is all day long and I didn't want to drive back and forth from home to come back to pick him up. Gas prices keep going up and since gas is also rationed it just didn't make sense to burn it up for no good reason.

One of the girlfriends I met here told me about the Club and how she spends many days hanging out there doing just the same thing because of logistical planning. So with a little planning and a good book I stayed up on base.

Actually, I rather enjoyed the time away from the chat boards and the online games. I recently joined a book club and was savoring the monthly book choice while waiting for the Son Creature. I savored the book so much I finished it yesterday afternoon and it left me drooling for more.

I went to the library this morning and picked up three more books and plan on reading them in the next few days.

Then I plan on re-reading the book club choice to savor the book again.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

A 6-7 Day Down-time For a Fix

We are three adults down to one car.

This is distracting, disturbing, frustrating, and just plaid driving me nuts.

Spousal Unit took the van to work this morning, thinking that he was saving me from gettin up and driving him in for work and letting me sleep a little. Yes, I did sleep in a little. But, I hear him shut the front door and start the car and pull away and I am then wide awake.

So... I go downstairs, putz a little, turn on the water for coffee, put in a load of laundry, rinse a dish the boy put in the sink last night and put it in the dishwasher.

I sorted some recycleables and YUP I have nothing to do for the rest of the day.

Oh, I can make a list of all the things I need to do. That have nothing to do with being at home. The house is clean, the laundry is mostly done, the garden weeded. I don't even need "Calgon to take me away." I need a life.

I miss my van. I don't always need to go out, but the option is afforded me if I so choose. I go bonkers when I don't have wheels.

I love living in Germany. Germany is one of the Greenest countries in the world.

But... a little, tiny, eensie, teensie, almost un-noticeable oil leak should not flunk a Mercedes that leads to a 6-7 day down-time for a fix.

Monday, July 20, 2009

My Baby Is Really Growing Up

We took the boy out looking for a car.

He needs to get a job and we will be attending a job fair this week to find one. There are 90 positions to fill and the Services people are hoping that maybe 50 people will attend the job fair so its pretty good odds that the boy will get a job.

That said, we found a really good used car on the Lemon lot that will fit his needs.

He test drove the car and it is sweet for him. A little pricier that he wanted, but a good car. He called the dude back after coming home and talking to his father and me and decided that he wanted to get the car.

Heavy pacing and anguish in the house, he is growing up. "How can I afford the money? I don't have a job. That's a lot of money. I have never bought a car before."

The "First National Bank of Momma" will help.

He made the decision that he really wanted the car and insisted on calling the dude back and negotiating the deal. Coached of course. The deal was accepted and it is affordable for all. Sweet.

So Wednesdayis the drop dead day.

Job Fair, purchase car, get license, and good growth of son.

My baby is really growing up.

Sunday, July 19, 2009

Did I Mention That It Is In My Town

Have I ever mentioned how much I love living here? Probably never. NOT.

Well, the Ohmbachsee fest is going on this weekend. I love the Ohmbachsee.

I really, really like the Seefest.


We got to see munchkins flying through the air.

What seems to be two foot long sausages cooking on a grill. Boy, were they long.

Glowing beer bottles.


Two of my favorite men in my life. They are grinning because the beer fairy came down and visited them.

This standee uppeee guy kept waving at me.

People sitting down for long periods of time. Bad form of course. Need to keep moving to find the perfect beer and band. And to stay sober.

Dancing in the beer stand. The vendors like having fun too.

Love is in the air. Well, on the tush in this case. He was doing some major patting. Kinda in time with the music. LOL.


Aaaaaaah. The fireworks.

AWESOME. Lighting of the lake.
I really enjoyed this fest. OBTW. Did I mention that it is in my town?

Friday, July 17, 2009

OMG The Town Is Rockin'

I think I may have made a mistake staying home tonight.

The town is rocking and I am not a part of it.

The music that is filtering up is so good.

The climb up the mountain is still scary, but with enough beer in me, I might be fearless coming home.

Oh well, tomorrow is an even better rocking, living in Germany night.

I soooo love German fests. Especially when they are in my little town.

I Will Keep Ya Posted On That One

OK, I know its been forever since I have posted, but I have one of my dribs and drabs sorta posts to do. Life is really crazy lately. Got lots of stuff to fill ya in the next few days.

The boy has definately settled in. We are past the honeymoon period and at each others throats. Not really, but are acknowledging that he needs to make some decisions about where his life is going to go. And get out of each others space for a couple of hours each day. Momma loves him, he loves Momma, we both need a little space.

I can't blame him. He is living with the Momma 24/7 and I drive him nuts. I keep telling him its a short trip and he just rolls his eyes.

He has been living on his own for the past year so living with the parents again is a tad stressful. Ya think????

He doesn't have a car and can't drive ours so he cleaned up the bicycle in the shed to get away at times. The only problem is that we live on a mountain. Fun going down, not so fun going up.

Good news is that the public transportation in Germany is really good. We will investigate public transportation this weekend.

The really good news is that the Dad and he went down to the fest by the Ohmbachsee this evening. I kinda wanted to go but the climb up the mountain to get back home scares the Bejesus out of me. Once again, going down is cool, the climb back up is scary.

I will keep ya posted on that one.

Friday, July 10, 2009

Just As I Have Always Done

I am no longer alone during the day.

Son # 2 arrived Monday afternoon. Fresh faced and excited about the prospect of living in Germany.

His father and I put together the studio section of the house for the boy. Actually the most of the third floor, so he could have some private living space. I found a bed on a local yard sale site and fashioned a room partition out of a clothing rack and a couple of hanging, closet sweater holders. Add in a covered off-season clothing storage bag.

Viola.... a room divider. Shaky at best, but it works for now and he has a private sitting room area along with his bed.

We will figure out the other small stuff when we come to it.

But..... the boy is having the time of his life.

We took him up the street Wednesday for a schnitzel dinner; he grinned the whole evening. Da Toni, the owner greeted him like he was the long lost son who had recently returned and was missed greatly.

I sent him outside to help one of the neighbors with a really labor intense chore and he was invited to stay for a beer afterwards.

He will find his own way, much the same as I found my way. I am just here to help guide him along the journey.

Just as I have always done.

Sunday, July 5, 2009

What A Touchy World We Live In Today

For the obnoxious poster.

This is my blog. If I am unable to post for several days there must be a reason for my absence. How does this concern you?

I choose to have a blog.

You choose to remain semi-anonymous. And check in on my comments on life.

Please kindly refrain from those types of comments.

Tisk. What a touchy world we live in today.

Sunday, June 21, 2009

A New Type Of Adventure

I am looking forward to having one of my boys back with me. Us really. My baby, Son # 2, who is coming over to come live with us.

I had, we had, originally envisioned a 4-5 year, 2nd honeymoon. This isn't gonna happen.

My Son # 2 is a fledgling and is OK, but just not getting to where he needs to be at the moment, so we invited him to come here to live for awhile. He is planning getting a job and then join the service and we want to ensure that he gets steered in the correct direction while doing so.

I am so very proud of the choice that he is making and also glad he has grown up enough to ask for help in making this choice.

I miss both my boys and am looking forward to spending some time with Son # 2 while making this transition.

This may be a new type of adventure.

Friday, June 19, 2009

They Kinda Grunted At Me From Time To Time

I had a chance today to go out again, so I took it.

One of my gal pal's daughters thinks I am awesome. She's correct, but she needed a favor.

She recently had a haircut that is not quite to her liking. Its not the best cut, I agree, but you need to think, "Oh, not the most attractive cut,"

and take it further to think.... 16 year old, teenage girl, drama angst. "I can't live like this anymore.... I need my hair fixed.... and Momma won't listen to me."

Momma is busy doing other stuff right now. She is attempting to work a miracle. If and when said miracle occurs, I will blog about it. I got/get to see it all unfold and to be a part of it. So I have some sympathy for 16 year old drama and want to help my gal pal out.

16 year old girls don't understand God Stuff and miracles. They, from what I am observing, kinda live in the moment.

So I volunteered to take her about to see if we could find a stylist to fix her hair and cut into the latest fav techno style and maybe throw in some blue crap that is more than highlights and less than an all over, blue head of hair.

Forgive me. I am starting to think that I may be too old for teenage girls.

Anyway, using my best, pull it out my butt, teenage girl skills, I take her to the salon, schedule an appointment for Monday, and then take her to lunch.

OMG. I am exhausted. I get to go back Monday and pick her up for the appointment. Don't get me wrong she is an adorable kid, but.... I raised boys.

They kinda grunted at me from time to time.

I'm in for a ride with this girl. She doesn't stop yakkin.

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Getting Off This Newly Acquired Lazy Butt

The gal across the street, out of the blue, knocked on the door this morning and asked if I wanted ride with her to the base where she works. I have been wanting to go, so of course, I said yes.

She is a teacher at the school there and I am interested in becoming a substitute teacher. All this leisure is wearing me down. I am not fond of being a lady of leisure. Or being a lady who lunches.

On the other hand I have not been wanting a traditional job. The time spent here in Germany is like a second honeymoon. A regular job, even part time, would not allow me to travel like I want.

Any who, I went with her and met the principal and had a nice chat. I can start some of the process online and finish up when the gals in the office get back from vacation.

We did a couple of errands and had lunch at Popeye's. The chicken is good and I just had a breast and a drink.

I am glad I went. I determined that the drive is do-able and the school is small enough not to get lost. Now, it is just a matter of getting off this newly acquired, lazy butt and start the process.

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

I love to sit out and admire my handiwork

What a glorious day today. The sun is shining and the garden is really coming along. We had the deluge a couple of days ago, which wasn't good for our Summer picnic but great for watering everything.

Anyways wanted to keep you up to date with one of my pet projects.

My garden.

Spousal Unit, that manly man I married, tilling the soil for me. He tills so good.

Here is the garden now. I have grass mulch on the tomatoes and peppers. The tomatoes are getting huge. The peppers not so much. But....I have two banana peppers that are almost ready to pick.

My lettuce, iceberg and red leaf. I have never grown lettuce before. I don't know why but haven't. Those little green things in the foreground are my bush beans.


This is supposed to be iceberg lettuce. It is starting to form a head. I tried some of the outer leaves and the texture is different than the iceberg I know. Very flavorful though


Here is my other garden. I have yet another variety of tomato in a pot here. It is a German balcony tomato I am trying as an experiment. I also have my flowers here. I love to sit out and admire my handiwork. While the Spousal Unit bar-b-ques of course.

Monday, June 15, 2009

I Don't Know If I Am Flattered Or Deflated

We went to a picnic today. (OBTW major rain, think deluge and flash flooding)

I spent several days, combing the internet for recipes for something to take.

I found several that I combined, to create what I thought were unique and good.

Well, they were really good but not unique. Guacamole and a black bean salsa. Two dishes.

I took the leftovers to a friends house for her husband and he said they were were good, very good, but they tasted exactly as he expected.

I don't know if I am flattered or deflated.

PS. What's up with the spell check?? It hasn't worked recently and now every word is highlighted.

So how has your week been?

Friday, June 12, 2009

I've Seen Soccer Balls Before

Today was one of those hodge podge days. I went on my usual Friday morning walk around the Ohmbachsee with my walking gal pal, Teri. We caught up on the past few days and wished each other's week end to be pleasant.

I was looking forward to the late morning because Spousal Unit was getting off work early and we were going to go exploring. I have been sick most of this week and stayed home. One of the benefits of not working is the luxury of staying home when one is sick. But.... enough already. I was starting to feel really cabin fevery. Is that a word? Whatever, I needed to get out of the house.

Last night Spousal Unit suggested that we go to Zweibrucken for the afternoon. I immediately zoned into the famous rose gardens. I lived there years ago and am ashamed that I never visited them. True, I had a newborn and a very young toddler, but still. To have never gone?

He countered back that he thought that going to the new designer outlet mall might be fun.

"Who are you and what have you done with my husband"? He just smiled and said that he thought it might be nice to go and look and to have lunch there. OK, I am always up for a shopping trip.

Well, we got some culture.

We had lunch. He chose a white wurst/sausage that came with mustard and a soft pretzel.



Yikes..... that is a white wurst. A little too obscene for my taste.



I chose the salad plate with fried potatoes. Really nummy.

The fun part of the day was coming across this cutie. I've seen soccer balls before, just not quite like these.

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

He Makes His Momma Proud

One of the gals that I met a couple of months back on favorite internet chat room has two sons. Her younger son is a football player and is just finishing his junior year of high school. She and he have hopes of taking his football skills to college.

Her other son I hadn't met. He was away in boot camp.

Well, he graduated boot camp and then technical school and had the luck to be stationed back here for his first tour of duty. I offered to go along to greet him, welcome him home and to record the moment.

He and his dad after filling out the necessary forms and paperwork to get him situated on the base.


The wisdom and youth of our Air Force, all in one family.

A first hug with his Mom.

A very handsome family. He makes his Momma proud

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

More Random Stuff

I spent a lovely day with two gal pals doing nothing other than spending time with two gal pals. It was rather lovely. I haven't done that in awhile.

We met for coffee and lingered. A husband showed up and reality of life happened to one gal pal and she was off to do the necessary errands.

I lingered with the other gal pal and we ended up buying the main guy in her life coffee and taking it to him at work. Got to briefly meet him and then we did some errands together.

We ended up having a late lunch and just caught up on "Stuff." She is a recent new gal pal so catching up on "Stuff" is Huge.

After lunch she had a cigarette, with me in close proximity. Yeah me again. No urges, no... I NEED Ciggie stuff. No need for a "Hit of Nicorette" just OK with all of it.

I am really getting there.

So, I am looking forward to the Spousal Unit coming home tomorrow and have really enjoyed the me time I had this week.

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Meg You Rock... Right Back At Ya

This is what I found in my inbox this afternoon:

And that is why you are...A ROCK STAR!!!!

It's almost giving in and then finding the willpower somewhere deep down inside you that really means you're going to do this. If you can hit that point and STILL resist you've got it made!

GO NON SMOKER!!!!!


Meg http://www.megs411nosmoke.blogspot.com/ had been reading me and commenting for almost as long as I have had this blog. She is funny and sweet and she quit smoking quite awhile ago. She is healthier and has even started running marathons. She goes hiking with her hunky boyfriend and writes about her sister, mom and friends and other extended family. Right now she is my hero.

It was her I thought about last night when I almost broke down and had a cigarette and woulda probably then gone and bought a pack.

She quit and so can I.

Monday, June 1, 2009

The Great Nellie (She Who) Smoke Out

93 days and still counting. I almost lost it tonight but,..... I didn't.

Yeah Me.

More Dribs and Drabs

Spousal Unit just called. He finished up work today and then went to choir practice. OMG I am married to a choir boy. Well a choir man, actually, but you get the drift.

After practice, he drove up to Heidelberg for a conference. He had originally asked me to accompany him, and I considered it, but no other wives were going to attend and so I decided to stay home.

Don't get me wrong. I love Heidelberg. I just don't love Heidelberg enough to sit in a strange hotel room all day and wait for the Spousal Unit to come "home" and take me out to dinner.

It is rather a unique thing about me. I am rather adventuresome, but unless I know the area, I don't really venture out.

If I have a travel buddy, watch out world.

I just seem to find that I tend to widen my circle of comfort as time goes by. I am very comfortable going just about anywhere here in the local area. I now count Waldmohr, Homburg, Shonenburg-Kubelburg, Ramstein-Meisenbach, Landstuhl, and Kaiserslautern as local areas. There are other small towns, too numerous to list that I am comfortable to travel to and through.

But a big city like Heidelberg, I am not comfortable wandering alone in during the day without Spousal Unit.

So I am enjoying a little "me" time this week. I went out to lunch with some of the spouses of Spousal Unit's colleagues and then decided to visit one of my girl pals I haven't seen in a couple of weeks. The lunch and the gal pal visit were both good.

Came home and restarted the laundry and received a call from Spousal Unit. He arrived safe and sound.

He gets to hobnob with the bigwigs and I get to enjoy my garden.

Friday, May 29, 2009

Paris Part III

I love Paris.

The Paris I visited last week is so much cleaner than the Paris I visited 20 years ago. Though I was rather disturbed with some of the things that I saw during this visit.

I think there is a conspiracy theory thingee thing going on.

From the pictures that I took, I see a theme emerging. Follow me here:

The Eiffel Tower





The Code of Hammurabi

Some statue attempting to fly. Mercury??


A naked dude statue on a bridge.

Beauty in marble.



Beauty in whatever.
Did you notice that there phallic symbols and actual penis' all over Paris??
No wonder it's called the City of Love.

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Paris Part II

After getting off the ICE train we found our way to the METRO and purchased a two day unlimited pass for the METRO underground subway. We made it to our hotel in "No time" and were off for our adventures.

Well "Rent a Kid" wanted to walk. She said, "Taking the METRO, we wouldn't see anything." She was right, but there are only so many steps a day these old bones can manage. I have heel spurs, and ankle that never healed correctly, and shin splints. It's a "BIOTCH" getting old. So I say to her that, "The more you walk me the less we might be able to see. She blew me off. So I follow, limping.

Well, she walked me all the way from the hotel to the Louve. A fair stretch of the legs. The hotel was located very near the Arch of Triumph and the Louve is, well far away from there.

We made it. Welcome to the Louve:


The "new" pyramid entrance. It wasn't there the last time I visited. I still feel it detracts from the outside of the museum, but what do I know. It made entering easy.

The Winged Victory.

Cupid and Psyche.


Venus De Milo.


Artemus.
All in all it was good. We ended up eating lunch in the Cafe of the museum. I introduced "Rent a Kid" to bread with gooey, runny French cheese. She liked it.
Two French ladies wished us Bon Appetite and when they left one lady gave us a coin for an espresso in the cafe.