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.

The Boys Going To College-WTF

I was all " get the boy ready for going back to college. I was up for an adventure." I have not calmed down about the experience yet and am still fuming.

The trip up was uneventful enough. Getting used to driving the moving van and using side mirrors were the major concerns for me. We passed a really bad accident involving a tractor trailer that had traffic backed up for miles.

We arrived at the rental company just after noon and paid the rent and chatted for a few minutes with the rental manager.

After that, off we went. The boys were excited about getting into the duplex and setting up their rooms. They are both Juniors and have lots of friends on campus.

The boys went into the duplex while I was parking the truck. They were right back out saying, "Mom that place is really disgusting." I finished parking and went in.

They were right. I'll bet that you can imagine my anger and chagrin on entering the unit. We found a total, nasty, filthy disaster.

The place is really disgusting. I turns out that the cleaning people had been in the place several days before but hadn't finished the cleaning and repairs of the place. They wanted us to accept it in it's current condition.


Wires hanging of the walls in several areas.


Doors busted, door jams broken.

This is the floor in the laundry room. The washer actually worked. I was really surprised. The dryer has no lint catcher cover and no knob for starting it.

I called the management company. I asked them to move the boys into another unit. They claim that that was not possible, since the owner, think SLUM LORD, doesn't have another unit to move the boys into.

I said that wasn't my problem.

He then claimed that I was just being too picky and that I shouldn't view the unit with my standards, but with male college student standards. Can you say that by now I am really, really pissed off? I asked Son #1 to go into town and get me a notebook 'cause the Momma is going to do a real move-in inspection. I needed the extra paper 'cause the form the management company gave me wasn't going to be enough. I also grabbed my camera.

Son #1's on again off again girlfriend showed up with water, pen and paper. She is adorable and I really like her and I chatted for a moment and asked her to go visit with the boys. I couldn't do an inspection and chat at the same time.

Have I ever mentioned that as a part time job I'm a realtor???? I have followed behind lots of whole house inspectors.

Hmm. When was this complex built?? Is that possibly lead based paint flaking?

Oh! That's a lovely layer of grease on the stove hood.

The closet door is stuck in this position, can't move it.

To top everything else off, the last "tenants" had several dogs they kept in the unit. The aroma in the air was less than delightful.

We are now up in the air on how to proceed. The management company has moved the boys temporarily into another unit. We'll see how it proceeds.

When Is This All Going to End???

Sweetness,

The cell phone telephone bill is really large this month. It seems that Son # 2 has been calling his girlfriend internationally for the past several weeks. I learned of this tonight when I got a call from AT&T on your cell phone. I think it is wonderful that they called after the fact that the monthly statement has been closed.


Calling on Spousal Unit's phone they say "Mrs. 'She Who,' there has been some unusual activity on your account, and we are just verifying that you know about this international calling, because this type of calling is so unusual for your calling activity."

"No, I did not know of any activity for international calling, just what are we talking about?" I think it is rather strange that just a day or two after the closing of the bill they decide to call me.

Anyway, I was able to have them adjust 700.00 dollars off the bill and we, I guess, have to eat the rest of it.

Even so, the bill is $1010.00. I pulled the money out of Son # 2's savings account and informed him that he will have to pay for his mistake. He is not happy about this, but acknowledges responsibility.

When is this STUFF going to end???


She Who

Being the Ignorant,Non-thong Wearing Person, That I Am

I took a break with a coworker this morning. On the way out the door she said that she had a "funny" to share.

“You know how sometimes when you don’t do the laundry, the underwear gets really funky with the selection available?” Well she hadn't done laundry in awhile and had a limited selection of unmentionables left that were clean. The thought of going all Commando was not an option, so she wore a thong.

The conversation then turned to not having worn a thong in awhile and not having any normal underwear that was clean. She felt that she had a wedgie most of the morning because she wasn’t used to wearing a thong recently.

Being the ignorant, non-thong wearing person, that I am, I asked if a person gets a Heinie callus after wearing a thong for some time and if that the callus will ease thong wearability.

"No, silly you just get used to the dental floss up the butt." She then, further educated me about the different types of thongs available and the wearing of white pants... one really should wear beige colored thongs versus white to hide the unmentionables.

She said that "After awhile, the thicker versions really feel like a wedgie with all that fabric up the butt."

Yet another OMG. I got an education today.

OMG, I Just Lost My Post

I love living in a rural setting. I can Blog and save the post, and the post just disappears. YUP, I love livin' in the country.

Later, I will try to reconstruct. Right now, I am going out into the glorious MidWest heat and Sweat.

Hardware to Wear
By: Harry Sawyers, This Old House online

A Perfect Fit
Because this is a family magazine, we'll leave it up to your imagination to decide why the groom wears the bolt and the bride wears the nut in this pair of interlocking 24-karat gold wedding bands. Though the stone sits in the man's ring, when the rings are screwed together it rests against the woman's finger. It's a match made in heaven. (Or a hardware store.) Starts at about $2,500 for the pair.

Be still my heart. I am so swooning over this choice of ring to wear on my finger for the rest of my life. Or not. AND where is MY sparkly???

I'm Gonna Have to Change My Banner Statement

Loyal Readers, (If being loyal after only starting this Blog last weekend counts as being Loyal)

I received some news that blew me out of the water today. In a very good way.

My Spousal Unit applied for a new position several weeks ago. Early last week HE was notified that HE was on the short list. Late last week He interviewed and felt good about the the interview.

This morning HE called me. HE was offered the job and HE accepted.

We are moving to Germany.

OMG what have we done??????????