I'm Just Along For The Ride

Well, tomorrow morning I am off on another adventure. I will be meeting up with four other ladies to carpool to Holland and Belgium for the weekend. This will be my first girls weekend out. I believe it will be a little different than the girls gone wild weeks that I spend every year in Florida. Ya think?

The ladies that I am going with are the spouses of Spousal Unit's co-workers. The lady that organized this trip has gone out of her way to welcome me and make me feel included in their activities. I am honored that she has taken this time to include me. I also don't think that there will be too much of the "letting down of one's hair" on this trip. I may be wrong, but probably not. I may need to scale back a little of the "She Who"ness. I can be a little crazy at times. In a very adult way of course.

We are going Flea Marketing in Nijmegen and Tongeren. This is the first time that I have been to Nijmegen. A friend of ours used to go every year for the "Iron Man" March. Over 100 miles of walking over the course of four days. So I know a little about the town. It is considered to be the oldest city in the Netherlands and celebrated its 2000th year of existence in 2005.home of Charlemagne. It also has, to my understanding, a killer Flea Market.

We are driving up with just two people in a van. The better to stuff chock full with goodies. The drive to Holland will take about five hours and we should arrive in plenty of time to check into the hotel, get cleaned up and to go for dinner.

I went several months ago to the Tongeren market. I really enjoyed myself and look forward to going again. The last time, I had just arrived in country and had only been here for a couple of weeks, when a gal I met through the local online yardsaling site asked if I would be interested in going with her. Actually she wanted one more shopping adventure and she wouldn't/couldn't drive herself. I guess she thought that I was the adventuresome type. She guessed correctly and so off I went with my newly minted driver's license to drive to Belgium.

I have decided that I love Belgium. I really hadn't been to that country during my last stays in Europe and want to explore it further. If only for the waffles. I still drool about having another waffle.

I may find some treasures, or I may not. I'm just along for the ride.

Shopping For Needed Stupid Stuff

One of the benefits of being back in the States for this visit is getting to shop. Don't get me wrong, I love living in Germany. I love the markets, the stores, the way of life.

I just don't love having to shop in the BX, the military's version of a department store. There is little variety of anything. Their choices for clothing is either... it falls apart after the first washing or designer clothing.

I went looking for a pair of jeans. $50.00 for a pair of no name, can't choose the style, take it or leave it pair of jeans. The store shouts at me, "Hey, be glad we have a pair in your size." The BX can hold you hostage on stuff like this.

Shopping in the local German stores is fun. But, very expensive. The Euro is very strong against the dollar and makes shopping a luxury at times.

My understanding of German is coming back but I am far from fluent and lugging around a translating dictionary is cumbersome.

So......

I am on a shopping trip. Actually, I am here to attend a wedding. But, the shopping is like a friend with benefits.

I am shopping for some really needed items that I just haven't been able to find in Germany. Stupid stuff, really. Needed, stupid stuff.

I started putting together a list when I realized that I would be returning for the wedding.

• Vicks Vapor Cream not the rub. The cream is greaseless and works better.
• Measuring Spoons. the ones at the BX are yucky and the European ones are sized differently.
• Jeans and a couple of turtlenecks.
• Gypsy Cold Care. An herbal tea that really works when you are sick.
• Reading Glasses. Just cheaters really, but I am finding that I need a stronger pair.
• Cook top cleaner for glass.
• Vegetable seeds for my garden this Spring.
• Hair Mousse. Of course I use a brand that isn't carried.

******If there are any foodies out there please take this as a warning.******

• Chef Boyardee pizza sauce. I love the stuff. For homemade strombolli and dipping mozzarella sticks.

I found some awesome high thread count sheets and a new set of towels, all for 75% off. I also found a bird feeder pole that will hold three different feeders. The bird feeders in Germany that I have seen are shaped like a chalet house on a stand that sits on the patio. I haven't found any shephard's crooks, that I am used to having, for the type of bird feeders normally found in the States.

My shopping is done now and I am in the process of helping with the last minute details for the wedding. I get to be the "Hey Girl" and do all the running while the bridal party gets to practice being bridal.

So the shopping is done. Well, done till I hit Southern California with my SMIL.

I Just Need To Pick Up a Few Things

I have a girlfriend.

She HATES to go to the store for groceries.

She calls me. Nellie, whatcha doing for lunch?

Me: I don't know, why, what do you have in mind?

Jaki: Do you mind going to the Commissary with me?

Me: Jaki, Do you need to pick up a few things?

Jaki: YAH, I just need a few things.

So we go to the Military grocery store (Commissary) together on our lunch breaks. She just needs to pick up a few things. A full friggin' grocery cart later that takes me to pull and steer and her to push we get to leave. AND it's my fault that she needed so many items because I was unavailable last week to go shopping because of the conference. She wouldn't go alone 'cause I always know what she needs.

Woman, I don't even know what's in your pantry.

Jaki this one's for you.

Love ya more.