Thursday, December 06, 2007

Trip to the States

We will be heading to the East Coast next week. Unfortunately we will not have a huge amount of time, but we will be in the States for a few weeks. Contact us directly if you want more info.

We are working out a very busy schedule right now.

Monday, December 03, 2007

State Poster


State Poster, originally uploaded by allysther.

So did you guess correctly?

Thursday, November 29, 2007

The boy has a project to do today in class. He gets to present a poster of a state and give a bit of information regarding the state flower/bird/tree and so on. Any guesses as to the state he chose?

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

The song Issue is resolved


First Grader, originally uploaded by allysther.

We met with the school principal today. This meeting went very well, and the issue has been resolved. She was very receptive to our request to have the song removed. She promised that the song will never be sung in the school again and that she will have a long talk with the teacher about his actions.

She also apologized to us. She apologized for the song being sung in the first place and for the trouble we've had in getting it removed from the classroom.

It was a good talk. We all left feeling that we had accomplished something, and we were all happy with the outcome.

Monday, November 12, 2007

Scholastic Book Fair

Do you remember the excitement of the book fair? Did you beg your parents for a few dollars so you could go on your own and buy a new book? Did you have 25 or 50 cents left over and buy a silly pencil or a pack of stickers?

I loved the book fair. It was only for a day or so, set up in the cafeteria (the only room big enough) for an hour or two each day. I had plenty of books at home, but the thought of a new book was wonderful.

Even the Scholastic magazine was not as good as the fair. Flimsy pages showed a few options, but the fair let me hold them, touch them, and small them. I've always loved the feel of a book in my hands, and so many new ones in one spot....ahhhh, heaven.

Tomorrow I get to be behind the scenes at the book fair. The PTO meeting was awful, but it did allow me to connect with the parent in charge, who were kind enough to let me volunteer some of my time this week. I honestly can not wait.

I'm off to pick an outfit.

Tuesday, November 06, 2007

"Some of my best friends in High School were Jewish"

We met with the music teacher today. The meeting went as well as we thought it would, which was not well at all. The title of this post was something he said to me as an attempt to befriend me. He then tried to tell me about a Jewish song he had written based on some psalm or other. I explained nicely that I had no knowledge of the psalms and that the only Jewish people I'd known in High School were my family. This was at the end of the meeting, but the entire thing had been a disaster, so it only amused me when he pulled it out of his "diversity" hat. Earlier in the meeting he had called Wendall "brother" and told him that it was great to see an African American doing so well.

The only good thing that came of the meeting was that the teacher had a minder, and the minder was visibly surprised by what she saw and heard. She rolled her eyes repeatedly and was friendly towards us the entire time, even asking him questions before we could. I know that he will never understand that what he did was wrong, but she did, and I think that she will give a full report to the principal. She did promise to find an official complaint form for us to fill out, and seemed willing to work with us until we are satisfied.

I made sure to let them both know that this was the latest in a line of things that I see as problems with the school. I also let them know that I would be attending PTO meetings and any advisory meeting I could find regarding the school. We were also very clear tat we had shared this story with fellow parents, and that we were letting people know how unhappy we are with the situation.

So that's it for the time being. The form should be in our hands within the next week. I will get the chance to introduce myself to the principal at the PTO meeting tomorrow night, and the fight will get to continue. This is not how I wanted to spend the boy's first grade year, but it is keeping me busy.

Monday, November 05, 2007

We have a meeting with the teacher tomorrow.

Blogger has decided that Korea might not need to be connected, so I have not been able to update. Hopefully I will be able to connect tomorrow.

Tuesday, October 30, 2007

After School Snack


After School Snack, originally uploaded by allysther.

The boy and I pass this vendor on our way home from school. He sells waffles and a red bean filled pancake shaped like a fish. I've seen him in the afternoon with no customers, but yesterday was a nice day, and he was swamped with kids and their parents. He was falling behind on production as we left

Friday, October 26, 2007

Song from music class

The boy told us that they sing this song in his music class. It even has hand movements.

Oh I’ve got a home in Glory Land
That outshines the sun
Oh I’ve got a home in Glory Land
That outshines the sun
Oh I’ve got a home in Glory Land
That outshines the sun
Way beyond the blue


Here's the problem. I googled the song (because alarm bells were ringing in my head) and found the rest of the lyrics. Here's the part that Eva Cassidy had in her version:

Oh do Lord, oh do Lord
Oh do you remember me?
Oh do Lord, oh do Lord
Oh do you remember me?
Oh do Lord, oh do Lord
Oh do you remember me?
Way beyond the blue

And here's the part that is included in the full version of this traditional folk (gospel) song:

I took Jesus as my savior, You take Him, too.
I took Jesus as my savior, You take Him, too.
I took Jesus as my savior, You take Him, too.
Look a way beyond the blue

Eva Cassidy's version is titled "Way Beyond the Blue", and is on the "Time After Time" album. The traditional version is called "Do Lord", and I found it on quite a few Christian albums and on a Johnny Cash album.

So...can I be done? Can I run away from this awful place? Is he too young for me to turn and fight this school?

I was good. I did not get upset when he sang the song for us. I did have him repeat it to be sure I was hearing him correctly. He says that they sing it at the beginning of every music class (once a week). The moment I heard the phrase "glory land" I knew it was a gospel song. I actually really like gospel music. I just don't think it has a place in a public school.

Any advice?

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Who is Coming?

Who is coming?
Who is coming?, originally uploaded by allysther.

The photo is a page from a story that the boy brought home as homework. It is possible that this might just be the thing I've liked best about his school so far.

I think the school photo thing was made ok. I talked to the photographer who took my check and promised to find the session. It should be fine.

I also stopped by the desk at the school library. The boy asked me to ask about a certain book which he thought he might like to read. He was not sure if he was allowed to check it out. I asked the librarian and was told that he would be encouraged to leave it for another student as it was beyond his reading level. First graders are only allowed one book at a time and the book should be at their reading level, because "why would they bring home a book that they could not read?" I replied "Because their parents could read it for them!"

The library did not open at all until late September, and until it was open the kids were not allowed to touch any of the books. It looks like most of the library is off limits to a large portion of the kids, and the boy is disappointed. So am I.

This week is the anti-drug week at school, which means it was the perfect time for the elder Wendall's latest project to be delivered. He is going to try his hand at home brewing. After sitting through a lecture from his son he will set up his Mr Beer kit in the spare room. It should be fun, and will be a good alternative to spending $10 for a German beer downtown.

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

School Issues

I still don't like the boy's teacher. I just don't think she is a good teacher, and I'm starting to wonder if she is a good person to be around young kids. Let me be specific about this. I do not think she is a bad person. Not dangerous or harmful in any way, just ill suited to her job. I could never be a first grade teacher, and I know it. I am too set in my ways, would want the kids to behave in ways that six year old children find difficult, and would really really just want to have a few moments to myself. I think she is the same.

Friday was popcorn day. The entire school was invited to purchase popcorn at 50 cents a bag. The sale was a fund raiser for the Parent Teacher Organization and it was run by the parent of one of her students. She told her students that they were not allowed to purchase popcorn. She did not want them to be distracted by the thought of popcorn in their bags. Most teachers have a rule in place where students must wait until they are at home before they are allowed to eat their popcorn. Instead, her students went home with no popcorn, but just as much distraction. It was the first thing the boy told me when I asked him about his day.

Today was picture day. Will any of you get pictures? I don't know. I sent the boy with money, but she did not collect the money from the students. She did not even ask about the money. Tomorrow I will walk to the school, find the photographer, and ask if it is still possible to order the prints. The form clearly states that no money on the day of the photo = no prints, but I will stay hopeful. But what kind of first grade teacher allows her students to go to the school photographer without at least reminding them that they should bring the money?

There are other issues. I will leave them for now. These are the two which are upsetting me today. Parent teacher meetings are in three weeks. I dread dealing with her, but I am very interested in what she has to say about the boy. In our eyes he is making great progress. I hope she sees it the same way.

Thursday, October 11, 2007

Ancient Chinese Warrior


Ancient Chinese Warrior, originally uploaded by allysther.

Click on the photo for the whole story.

TargetCat and I spent a wonderful morning excavating this ancient Chinese warrior. He now stands proudly on the boy's dresser, and is one of his favorite things ever.

A huge thank you goes out to the clever Auntie who sent this to us.

Thursday, October 04, 2007

Hooters concert, 3 October 1987


Hooters concert, 1987, originally uploaded by allysther.

Twenty years go fast, don't they?

Wednesday, October 03, 2007

Yellow Belt


Yellow Belt, originally uploaded by Zanla.

YAY!!!!!

The boy is looking dapper in his 도복 dobok (uniform) and his brand new yellow ti (belt). It was a wonderful surprise, but showed his dedication. He attends a one hour Taekwondo class five days a week, and is really enjoying himself. Look at the smile on his face!

Thanks to Wendall for getting such a great shot of the boy.

Friday, September 28, 2007

Update on the school situation

Things are better, but still not good. The teacher obviously dislikes me, and I believe she does as little as possible with the boy. He is bringing home 4 to 5 sheets of homework per day, and the work is getting harder, which is good, but it still isn't what we wish he was doing.

The really good news is that his reading has improved a great deal in the past two weeks. I do believe he is learning something with this teacher. I still wish there was an alternative t leaving him in her classroom, but I have not found one, so he will stay there for now.

Thursday, September 27, 2007

Testing something new.

Monday, September 24, 2007

National Museum of Korea


Museum interior, originally uploaded by allysther.

The boy and I walked over to the museum and spent the day being wowed. It is a beautiful space.

Saturday, September 15, 2007

School stuff


We met with the teacher on Friday. She will never like me but I think she and the boy will be fine together, and we have decided to keep him in the class. I talked to as many parents as I could before we made the decision, and also spoke with the boy. We think we have made the best decision possible.

I don't have time to go into it here, so if you want more detail, please go to my LiveJournal page. I tend to write more over there, so you can catch up on other things, too.

The main thing is that all is well, and that the boy is happy.


In other news, the boy is taking Taekwando. He has class five days a week, for an hour each day. He is really enjoying it, and it is great that he comes home tired. The class is not terribly structured, but he has learned a few things, and he will be able to take this knowledge further if he wants to. Of course it does not help thatthe class is in Korean, but he attends with a boy who is bilingual, and who translates for the handful of English only kids in the class.

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

We will be meeting with the boy's teacher tomorrow afternoon. I think this can be resolved and I hope it can be done without making him switch classes, but I have a feeling that I will never actually like this teacher.

I've talked to some of the other parents in the class. I am not the only one to have a reaction to her, but the others have had an easier time shaking it off and moving on. I will do my best to do the same. I have had parents tell me that they would love to have their child in her class, and I have not heard that bout any other teacher. I have not heard much about the other teachers, which has me wondering.

The boy has been complaining that he has no friends, and that no one wants to play with him. Today he asked me to write a letter to his teacher asking her to do something about it. It is hard to explain to him that his personality is much like mine, and that casual friendships are difficult for me (and I believe for him, as well.) His friendships have all been very intense, and have run deep. They have also all been with children either older than him or different in some way, or both. There is not much I can do for him until he finds "the one" here.

Thursday, September 06, 2007

Blue Horse


Blue Horse, originally uploaded by allysther.

I am not in love with The Boy's new teacher

Flowers are Red
by Harry Chapin

The little boy went first day of school
He got some crayons and started to draw
He put colors all over the paper
For colors was what he saw
And the teacher said.. What you doin' young man
I'm paintin' flowers he said
She said... It's not the time for art young man
And anyway flowers are green and red
There's a time for everything young man
And a way it should be done
You've got to show concern for everyone else
For you're not the only one

And she said...
Flowers are red young man
Green leaves are green
There's no need to see flowers any other way
Than they way they always have been seen

But the little boy said...
There are so many colors in the rainbow
So many colors in the morning sun
So many colors in the flower and I see every one

Well the teacher said.. You're sassy
There's ways that things should be
And you'll paint flowers the way they are
So repeat after me.....

And she said...
Flowers are red young man
Green leaves are green
There's no need to see flowers any other way
Than they way they always have been seen

But the little boy said...
There are so many colors in the rainbow
So many colors in the morning sun
So many colors in the flower and I see every one

The teacher put him in a corner
She said.. It's for your own good..
And you won't come out 'til you get it right
And are responding like you should
Well finally he got lonely
Frightened thoughts filled his head
And he went up to the teacher
And this is what he said.. and he said

Flowers are red, green leaves are green
There's no need to see flowers any other way
Than the way they always have been seen

Time went by like it always does
And they moved to another town
And the little boy went to another school
And this is what he found
The teacher there was smilin'
She said...Painting should be fun
And there are so many colors in a flower
So let's use every one

But that little boy painted flowers
In neat rows of green and red
And when the teacher asked him why
This is what he said.. and he said

Flowers are red, green leaves are green
There's no need to see flowers any other way
Than the way they always have been seen.

Horses CAN be blue. They can. Why? Because he is six, and he has the most amazing imagination, and he has 24 crayons in his box. How DARE she try to stifle his creativity!?

Tuesday, September 04, 2007

A day out


What The Book?, originally uploaded by allysther.

Today the boy went to school, but Wendall had the day off, so we went out for lunch and a stroll. Our mission was to find an English bookstore called "What The Book?". I found the website before leaving Vilseck, but had not been able to track down any information on the exact location, so we decided that the best time to search would be while the boy was elsewhere.

Turns out that the store is almost at the top of a hill in Itaewon. I'm sure the street has an actual name, but it is called "Hooker Hill" by most people. It is surrounded by bars that are off limits to the soldiers. It is also just down the block from the only mosque in South Korea.



After spending an hour or so at the store, we took our bags of books and headed to a Thai restaurant nearby. The food was very good, and it completed our perfect afternoon.

For more of my pictures of Seoul, click on the Flickr thingy on the right.

Saturday, September 01, 2007

Namdaemun Market


Namdaemun Market, originally uploaded by allysther.

Monday, August 27, 2007

Ready for a new adventure


Ready for a new adventure, originally uploaded by allysther.

School started today.

Saturday, August 25, 2007

School tomorrow

I'll let everyone know how it went. He has to be on the bus at just about the time we've been stumbling out of bed, so the morning should be interesting.

Friday, August 24, 2007

The Judges were wrong

What a great performance!

Saturday, August 18, 2007

Good day

The boy and I went to the mall today. We walked, we talked, we bought toys and made plans for tomorrow. The COEX mall is the largest underground shopping mall in all of Asia, and includes a multi screen movie theater (with an IMAX screen), a convention hall, and an aquarium. It is a big weekend destination, so the subway was very crowded today, but we made it with no problems.

Tomorrow we will head back to the same mall. We grabbed an aquarium brochure and found that the sharks are fed every day at 1:30, so we plan on spending our morning there and then heading back home for the evening. No matter how hard I try, I can't convince him that katsu is the same thing as shnitzle, so we will eat dinner at home. He says he wants Korean food for lunch, so we'll see. I'm packing some pb&j just in case.

Katsu is NOT schnitzle

We did discover that in just a few weeks one of my favorite restaurants will open in the mall. There is a Todai somewhere here, but now I won't have to search.

Friday, August 17, 2007

Congrats to the winner

I'll say that I think Shred Nugent should have won, but then I may be a teenie tiny bit biased!

I'm waiting for pictures from the family....and a report. Until then, please enjoy a short clip of the performance which won him the regional title:




Awful Announcing: For Those About To Rock........FIRE!

and a follow up interview:

Awful Announcing: An Interview With The Man, The Myth, The Legend.......Shred Nugent!

Photo from last week

DSC01430.JPG

On our own

We've had a busy day.

Wendall left today. He'll be on another base (but still in Korea) for the next few weeks. This leaves us on our own for a few days. I am not sure what we will do this weekend, but I'm hoping we will have fun. Next week is the build up to school, so the anxious tics are in full force.

If the weather holds I am hoping to hit the pool. The boy is begging for us to find the water park, but seeing as the ticket prices are sky high AND they have an indoor section, I think we will wait until winter drives us crazy. For now I'll push for the free pool. I also think we will try to find our way to a different section of the city. It would be nice to see something a bit more traditional. The apartment buildings which make up 80% of our view are very modern....but not very attractive.

View from lanai

On Wednesday my cousin arrives. The plan is to have him spend a year with us. We are all hoping that it will be a really good thing. We are all looking forward to him being with us.

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

New hairdo for the boy

Late Summer's hair color

Better photos tomorrow.

Friday, August 10, 2007

Pictures of the apartment are on Flickr. They will only be available to everyone for a week. After that you will need to be one of my contacts on Flickr to see them. Flickr is a great site, and it's free, and I post pictures there every few days.

So we have been in Seoul for almost two weeks now. We have recovered from our jet lag and have turned in most of our paperwork. Last weekend we were able to explore a neighborhood near the base, and this weekend we are planning to explore our own surroundings. The boy and I have wandered around our immediate area, but today should take us a bit farther. We plan to end the day with a bowl of Bi Bim Bop, and we will need to find a restaurant. I think we are all looking forward to the day.

So our thoughts of Korea? We like what we've seen so far, but that isn't much. I can tell you that the base here is really well put together but that it really is not set up for family members to do things on their own. I've received some awfully strange looks when I've walked in and asked questions.

The boy has been great through all of it. He spent all day Wednesday walking behind me, not complaining about the heat or how much his legs hurt. We did spend one full hour in the indoor playground at Burger King, but other than that it was all walking and asking boring questions, and he was fine.

So far he thinks the best things about Korea are the playgrounds and the food. He's also very fond of our new tv. Turns out that video games look really good on a 40 inch screen.

Monday, July 30, 2007

Seoulful family

We are all together, and in our new home. It is three am, so I should be in bed, but my body thinks it is invincible. Plus the kitties seem to have a bunch of things they need to tell me, so I'm petting them while they discuss life.

Friday, July 27, 2007

Moving fast!

Today is the boy's sixth birthday.

moving!

DSC01091.JPG

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

I'm Home

On the day I went away... goodbye...
Was all I had to say... now I...
I want to come again and stay... Oh my my...
Smile, and that will mean that I may

Cause I've seen blue skies, through the tears
In my eyes
And I realize.. I'm going home.

Everywhere it's been the same... feeling...
Like I'm outside in the rain... wheeling...
Free, to try and find a game... dealing...
Cards for sorrow, cards for pain

Cause I've seen blue skies through the tears
In my eyes
And I realize.. I'm going home.

I'm going home, I'm going home.

"I'm Going Home" from the Rocky Horror Picture Show.

This song has been recorded by one of my favorite artists, Willie K. It is a great version, and the song is perfect for my mood right now.


No pictures yet. I've misplaced the connector for my camera. I'll have it sorted by this evening, though, so pictures will be here soon.

Thursday, July 19, 2007

We are in Hawaii

Words and photos to follow.

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Tchus!

That's it, we're done. The boy and I are in an overpriced hotel room at the airport. I'm about to shower and then slip in bed for a few wonderful hours before we head out.

I've slept for 5 mostly consecutive hours in the past two days. I have Clorox Cleanup seeping out of my pores. I am surviving on coffee and thoughts of Hawaii.

Hawaii

Hawaii.....

9 hours until we fly, then 23 hors of travel and I will breathe in the air of Hawaii. All of this will have been worthwhile. Hawaii

Ok, I'm off to slug down another cup of coffee so I don't fall asleep in the shower.

Wednesday, July 04, 2007

Earworm

This is stuck in my head at the moment.

Happy 4th, everyone

Here's looking forward to our day of Independence.

Monday, July 02, 2007

Have you seen the remote control?

I swear it was here a moment ago!

So two days ago I started to pack the coffee pot. I wanted to be sure that it would go all in one box, nice and clean. I put all of the small pieces through he dishwasher, placed them in the dishrack to dry, and gathered the coffee, cups, and other things that would all go in the box. Finally I placed the machine inside it's protective cardboard nest and sealed everything tight. I unrolled the kraft paper, gathered my tape, and lay the box on it's side so I could finish packing.

Then I picked up the box, got a towel, pulled everything apart and let it all dry for a day. I had managed to leave the water resevoir full.

That's just the state of my life right now. Careful planning is great, but only gets me so far. Eventually reality comes back and smacks mr around, daring me to toss my hands in the air and call it a night.

Not tonight! Not for another 10 days!! I can do this....really.

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Reasons why I'm not so sad to leave Germany

Oh hey....let's go get some ice cream!

Wow, a bunch of great choices....which one should we pick?

DSC02722


Ooh, ooh, let's get THIS one! Look, it comes with sprinkles and gummi lips!

DSC02724-1


Yum, that was good. Ok, time to hit the road. We have some errands to run. Lets go to the hardware/home products store, shall we? Again, so many choices, but I have a favorite:

Massa Haus

Just sayin'

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Saturday, June 23, 2007

Update

The days are packed with friends and chores, but we found time today to run to the annual luau on post. The boy and I chowed down on bulgogi and kalua pork, and threw in some pancit, as well. We stayed to see some of the dancing, and we left only when the rain truly started to fall. I was happy to be able to go the the luau for this final year. It is a event I truly looked forward to attending.

Wendall had a productive week in Seoul, and is now headed to the States for a few weeks. He managed to get ten days of work done in five days, all while dealing with horrible jet lag. He gets so muchmore done when he does not have to concern himself with our comfort. I'm glad we are doing the move in stages.

We will be in Germany for just three more weeks.

Tuesday, June 19, 2007

The advance party has landed

Wendall is in Korea, and all is well. Korea is 13 hours ahead of the East Coast.

Summer has arrived

Sunlight New hairdo

Saturday, June 16, 2007

Aloha!


As most of you know, it is time for our family to leave Germany. We are moving in waves, and the first wave has rolled into Honolulu. Wendall will spend two nights in Hawaii and will land in Seoul, South Korea, on Sunday morning. The cats will go next, flying on their own. In mid July the boy and I will say goodbye to Germany as well, and we will arrive in Seoul in late July, after also spending a few days in Hawaii.


I've always wanted the chance to live in Europe, and I am so thankful to have had this time. Even better was the ability to share the experience with my two favorite people. I couldn't ask for better travel partners, and we have taken full advantage of our location. We have visited countless towns in six countries, shot thousands of photos, dined in castles and at roadside stands, and had an amazing run of adventures. We saw Europe the way we wanted to, and have some wonderful stories to tell.


But Asia awaits, and so off we fly.....



Wendall has no cell phone until next week, when he finds something in Korea. He does have his laptop with him and he will check email when he can. His skype is up and running, so if you see him online, say hi.

I'll be spending the next few weeks running around like a crazy person, Boy Wendall at my side. He has finished the school year and is now officially a First Grader. He is very excited about this, as are we.

The best way to keep track of us is through our various websites. I will list them out for everyone who might want an update.
http://simplemindedintellectualisms.blogspot.com/ (my blog, lots of pictures)
http://allysther.livejournal.com/ (my other blog, not as many pictures)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/37137286@N00/ (my pictures)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/13302145@N00/ (Wendall's pictures)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/targetcat/ (the boy's pictures)

Also, feel free to pass this info along if you think someone might have missed getting this. It's been a long week, and I know I will have missed a few people.

That's about it. If you will be in Hawaii in mid July, please let me know.

Auf Weidersein
Quijana



DSC02586-1

Thursday, June 14, 2007

Monday, June 11, 2007

Done

Everything is packed and ready. We have tickets, and the cat's flight is booked. Wendall flies on Friday and we will all be gone within a few short weeks.

Please don't send anything to us. Our mailbox is still ours, but not for much longer. Mail sent now will be held/returned/forwarded. Better to just wait until we have a new address.


Moving Day 2

Sunday, June 03, 2007

Bratwurst and Bulgogi

We had a wonderful time yesterday. Our friends and neighbors threw a goodbye party for us. It started as a work party but spread to something else entirely. It was small and quiet, and everyone enjoyed the food, which included both Korean and German specialties. Daniel came over and spent the night, and he and the boy ran away from the party and spent most of the evening playing alone in our house. Then they tucked into Wendall's bed for the last time.

Today we run around like crazy people. The movers will be here in the morning, so we have to move anything that we do not want packed into one room. That will be Wendall's room, which means that the furniture in his room has to come out before everything else can go in. The boys are still asleep now, but in a few hours I will go in and empty the dresser and dismantle to bed. Tonight he will sleep on the matress on the floor. Tomorrow night he will have his sleeping bag and a pillow. I won't even have a sleeping bag. The Army will lend us furniture, but it will not be delivered until Tuesday, so we have one day to "rough it".

Ohhhh, I hear young boys....

Friday, June 01, 2007

The side no one sees...

That's it, then

Today is Wendall's last day of work in Vilseck. Monday the movers come for the rest of our things. Wednesday we race to Munich to say goodbye to that wonderful city. Friday the inspector comes to look at the house. Then Wendall runs to another base for a goodbye party (family members were NOT invited!) In two weeks the boy is out of school and the man flys. Two weeks later the cats fly. A few days after the cats go, the boy and I say our final goodbyes and head west.

It looks like we will leave Germany in mid July. Details are still being worked out.

Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Korea shipment is done

We spent yesterday with three movers. They were surprised at how small the shipment was, and were in and out in just a few hours. The main weight of the shipment was paper and clothing. What can I say...I have a bunch of clothes, Wendall is an attorney. We also had a bunch of artwork, of course, and a few books.

By a few books, I actually mean a few. The shipment will not arrive until the end of August. I will arrive in mid July. The next few days will be spent figuring out what I will mail to Korea before I leave Germany. Wendall will be there to collect the moxes, and oh yeah, it will be free for us to mail as much as we want, so the majority of our books and clothing and even some of our artwork will be mailed.

How is it free? Overseas shipping from one APO box to another is free. The boxes never leave the military postal system, so they are not charged by the USPS. Woohoo! each box has to be under 70 lbs, and they have to follow the USPS guidelines, but I will happily live with that.

This weekend is our official goodbye party. Monday and Tuesday will be the days for the main shipment, so we will say goodbye to most of our thngs for the next few years. Wendall's travel plans are set, and mine will be figured out early next week. I will let people know where I will be (and when) by email.

That's the news for now. I'm off to get the boy and to arrange for some borrowed furniture once ours leaves.

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

The move is almost here. The movers will be here in less than a week. Our lives are very full right now, and I'm finding it difficult to breathe. I'll be better in two weeks when the big part of this is done.

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

The Bambino

On the Island of Capri


DSC02350-1

We just got back from five days in Italy. It was truly filled with wonders. If you click on the photo you will go to flickr, where you will see other photos.

Friday, May 04, 2007

Sunday, April 29, 2007

HEY!!!!

I DROVE A SMART CAR!

A friend's neighbor was walking out to his Smart Car this afternoon, and she told him how much I loved his car. So he handed me the keys. And I drove it to the next town. He came with me because I was afraid I would break something.

WOOOHOOOO!!!

It was fun. Really fun. I have recently accepted the fact that I probably won't get the chance t own one, but I had a wonderful time driving it.

It gets roughly 62 miles to the gallon. He said that 4 liters of gas will get him 100km. 100km is 62.5m. A gallon is 3.78 liters. Oh, and gas around here is 1,36 Euro per liter. So 5,44 Euro, or 7.41 dollars gets you 62 miles. Have I mentioned seeing more Smart Cars on the road recently?

Gas on base is currently just over 3 dollars per gallon. I honestly don't know the exact price. I'm paying less than half of what my neighbors pay, so you will hear no complaints from me!

But back to what I was saying.....I DROVE A SMART CAR! ME! WOOHOOO!!!

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Artwork




Blue Sea

From the boy, of course. He brought this home from school ad said that he wanted to share it with everyone. I told him that it was going on our wall (I'll pick up a frame today), but that I would be happy to put it online for everyone to see.

If you want to see the original, you have to come visit. Or you can click on the picture to see it bigger at flickr.

Tuesday, April 10, 2007

Dinner at my house

Yesterday we invited friends over for dinner and games. We ate pot roast and chicken and lots and lots of sugar. The boys played with toys, had an egg hunt, and battled one another with swords. The adults played Life and Carcassonne. All in all it was a wonderful day. We went to bed very tired. Luckily the boy has no school this week, so he was able to sleep in this morning. Pictures to follow.

Wings

Someone gave me wings (it's a Bookcrossing thing) for my birthday.

Thank you.

Tuesday, April 03, 2007

Medallion Reader Award

It's official! Wendall has been awarded his medal and came home really happy and proud of his hard work. His teacher awarded him the medal and the certificate at the end of the school day.


Medallion Reader Award


GOOD JOB, WENDALL!!!

Thursday, March 29, 2007

DSC01349

Top Class Reader

Today the boy won a badge. He is the top reader in his class for the month of March. All of the work we have done for the past month has paid off well, and he came home filled with pride. We still have a few days to go in the month, but I havery little doubt that he will win the prize he has worked towards all month long--a new video game. He was challanged to read 2000 minutes in the month of March (minutes read to him count), and he is less than 200 minutes from that goal. He is also very motivated.

The best part? The past two weeks have included at least 100 minutes of time where he was reading to us.

No, I was wrong. The best part is seeing him filled with pride at doing something he really enjoyed. Congratulations are in order!

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

Who Will Win?

An exciting phonics book, read by the boy.

Monday, March 12, 2007

Books read this week

The boy's reading rquirements have us in a tizzy!






This week we have read:

A few chapters of the first Harry Potter
David Gets in Trouble
Captain Underpants
Scooby -Doo and the Mummy's Curse
Lion Boy (three chapters so far)
The Magic Treehouse books #'s 21, 22, 23, and 24
and the Sunday Comics.

Plus he listens to a book every night as he goes to bed, though we do not count those, because we have no idea how much he hears before he falls asleep. He also reads a short phonics based book to us every day.

It is wonderful, and we are all enjoying the books we are reading, but it leaves little time to read for myself!

Friday, March 09, 2007

Just to show how lucky we are....

"Currently, fewer than 3,000 of the 29,000 U.S. servicemembers in South Korea are on multi-year accompanied tours; the rest are there on a one-year rotation. But officials estimate that more than 17,000 of them are married."
From Stars and Stripes

Tuesday, March 06, 2007

Wendall Reading

The boy is quickly learning to read and write. He asked to write something today, so I asked him to read it aloud for everyone.



At school on Friday, there was a reading program in the library. Wendall read a few books to the kids who had gathered in front of his chair. A large portion of the school attended the evening read-a-long.
Pleasing the audience

Thursday, March 01, 2007

The wisdom of a five year old child

A few weeks ago I went on a wander with Wendall's class. While we walked, I spent some time talking with his classmates. One little boy really wanted my attention, so I just let him ramble. This is what he told me:

"My family has a bunch of money. My dad told me that. And wen you have a bunch of money you can go to the dentist and he will put a CROWN on your tooth! And I have one!"

Tonight we were in the middle of dinner wen Wendall looked down at his plate:

"Mama? In Germany we call french fries pommes, but it's a french word. Volcanos have it, too, but it's not french."

"Wait, what do volcanos have?"

"Pumice! It's rocks, not french fries."

Sunday, February 25, 2007

Lazy Sunday

We have planned a lazy day today. Brunch and some shopping, followed by an afternoon of cleaning. The boy is on level 3 of a video game, and will probably work on that for a good part of the day. Oh, and we have a project to do for his class.

Exciting times, I tell ya!

Thursday, February 22, 2007

Munich

Munich was a bunch of fun.

We started out early Friday, grabbed Ann at the airport, and headed down to Füssen to see the castliest castle in the world (otherwise known as Neuschwanstein) and spend the day wandering through the Bavarian countryside. Our navigator decided not to lead us down any autobahns and instead sent us in a wonderfully roundabout path south. It was a beautiful day, and we had good company, so we did not mind at all.

The castle was good fun. We were able to join an English tour and had a nice lunch afterwards. Then we made our slow way back towards Munich. After checking into our hotel we had some dinner and went to bed.

Saturday was filled wth shopping and eating. Nothing is open on Sunday, so the stores were filled with people. The boy was very excited by the crowds, and was happy to be reminded that we will be moving to a city soon. We did come across a lost child, so we also discussed the downside of moving from the country to the city. We couldn't do much for the lost boy, but we saw some women stopping to help him. He was actually the second lost child we saw last weekend, but was luckily the last.

Sunday was filled with rest and more food. We stopped at one of our favorite restaurants. It is a bar, but also has the best Tex-Mex food we have found in Germany. Luckily, Sausalito's is also a chain, so we have now been to three of their outlets. We also took a tour of the city and did some Bookcrossing, leaving the book with our tour guide.


collage

Sadly, Monday morning meant saying goodbye to Ann and heading home to Vilseck. We had a wonderful few days seeing new things and visiting with an old friend. There's not much more I want in life, really. New things and old friends.


More photos are HERE

Thursday, February 15, 2007

Cleaned up and ready to go

Kitty has had her bath. We are packed and ready to head out for an exciting weekend. We are off to Munich for a few days of Fasching fun. No idea what we will see or what we will do, but I know it will be fun. We are taking the boy's costume just in case, but I have a feeling it won't be worn until Monday, when we will head for an actual party.

We will be sorry to miss the parade this year, though. We all had a great time last year.

The boy and I had a discussion about leaving Germany. He says that he wishes we could stay here forever, but also live in Hawaii and Korea and the States. It is conversations like this which show me what a lucky life we lead, but also remind me of what a lonely life we have. It can be very diffiacult to balance the two.

Friday, February 02, 2007

IKEA

We are off for a day at one of our favorite places. Yes, Ikea. Strange, but true.



The song is also one of our favorite songs. It is by the amazingly talented Jonothan Coulton, who is also responsible for this amazing cover of an old song:



Gives you a better appreciation of that song, dosen't it.

Both of these songs are constant companions for me. They are the ring tones for my phone, and theword IKEA has not actually been said in months. It is always sung. Jonothan Coulton issues his work under a creative commons liscense, in the hopes that people will take his work and make it better. I can't imagine how anyone could improve what he does.

In other news, we had a meeting with the boy's teacher today. She had wonderful things to say about him. He is beginning the process of learning to read and write, and has progressed in many other subjects. We are so proud of him!

Saturday, January 27, 2007

Phone a friend

So I have a favor to ask.

Last week I received quite a shock when I opened the phone bill. It was almost twice what it normally is for a month. A quick review showed a number of very expensive calls. They were all by us, and they were to a number we recognised. It was the first (and last!) time we had ever called that number from our home phone. Over 80 Euro went into four or five phone calls over a few days. They were important, nessesary phone calls, and we would make them again, but they did show me just how lucky we are to live in a internet-enabled world.

We generally make calls with Skype on the computer. A quick glance at the screen tells me how much I am spending (usually 2 cents per minute) and how much credit I have available. Plus I can call another logged in Skype member for free. So computer to computer is free, and computer to phone is 2 cents. 80 Euro would be good for 4000 minutes. Even better, for the same price I can forward calls to my actual phone. Any of you who have ever called the phone # in the US and had me answer in Germany? Thank Skype. I purchased the phone number and simply have the calls forwarded to my phone. When we go away for the weekend the number forwards to my cell phone. When we move in a few months I will forward the calls to our new phone number.

Here's the best thing about the Skype number, and it gets to the favor I need to ask you. It is just a normal phone number in the US. Depending on your plan, it may be free for you to call me. If you have a flat rate for the US, or free evenings and weekends, or any other little tricks which do not exist in Germany, you can use them to call me for free.

The favor? Please call us. When we lived in Hawaii, we were behind everyone, time wise. I called people I needed to call for business early in the morning. By afternoon I could begin to call family and friends as their day wound down. My parents stay up late, so they were called later, generally as I made dinner. I know the time line for being six hours behind. It is easier to call if you are behind than it is when you are ahead. Trust me. Here, just at the time I am thinking "Hey, I'd like to call....", the boy gets home from school and life goes on and I forget to call. Then you all head off to work or whatever else your day might hold, and I might leave a message, but I know that I will forget to call again. Our weekends are generally pretty busy, so I again forget.

I'm not saying that your time isn't filled with the same million things that fill my day. What I am saying is that it is generally pretty easy for me to set things aside for a few moments so I can say hello. If it is a bad time to talk, I do not answer my phone. At night our phones stay downstairs where they will not wake us. You can call at any time, for any reason. You will always have a better chance of contacting me than I will have of contacting you. And it is either free, or the cost of a simple call within the US.

So if you have a Skype account, let me know. We can add each other as contacts, and maybe I'll see you online. If not, I'm not asking you to create one just for me. I am asking you to call us occasionally.

Don't have our US number? Need a better explanation? Please email me. As long as I actually know you I will be happy to give you the info. I am doing what I can to avoid another insane phone bill!

Thanks!

Tuesday, January 23, 2007

Vilseck sky

Clouds over Vilseck this week. The storm has cleared out, but left behind some amazing skies.

Posted by Picasa

Monday, January 15, 2007

Images from Austria

We were not in Austria long enough to update this blog, but I have a feeling that it would not have worked...
I tried to email you - honest!
So we tried very hard to go rodeling in Austria again this year, but we were thwarted. First there was no snow, and then the boy started to cough. We decided to come home early and have a quiet weekend at home instead.
No snow on the mountain this year
Unfortunately, getting home was a bit of a problem, even with our handy navigator. She tried to help us through the rough stuff, but the staus were neverending, and it took us a really long time to get home.
It was some Flucking trip, alright!
Luckily the boy was well prepared for the trip, so he watched a couple of movies and he ate a bunch of junk food. After a nap and a quick stop of IKEA to use the facilities, we were home.
Those of us in the front seat were not so well entertained.
Self Portrait
So we are glad to be home, and we have already decided to again head south at some point in the very near future, but we are hoping that we won't have to relive the traffic from Saturday.
collage

Monday, January 08, 2007

The holiday season is at an end




The boy went back to school this morning. It has been fun having him at home, but we were all happy to get him on the bus!



We spent most of the majority of the vacation at home. Our friend Ann joined us for a few days, and we spent time with Daniel and his parents. Wendall received some board games as gifts, and we all of us enjoyed playing them after dinner. I think that it is a tradition which we can build.







Prague was fun, but rushed. It is a three hour drive, so we made it there by lunch and then ran around like crazy people. We stayed as long as we could and left before we wanted to, and the trip reminded us that Prague is one of our favorite places to be. We look forward to returning as the days get longer. It was Ann's first time in Prague, and she immediately began planning a return trip. It has that effect on people.



New Year's Eve was spent at our house with Ann, Daniel, Heike, and Todd (Daniel's parents). We ate, drank, lit fireworks, and had a wonderful night. The funniest part of the night was when Ann and I were able to relive the (chemical) gas attack which drove us from our dorm rooms 15 years ago.* We were grilling at the table and I added some hot peppers to the mix. Moments later we all started coughing, and the room had to be cleared. Wendall and I opened all of the windows and ran the fans, and Heike and Todd joined Ann on the front stoop. The boys were upstairs, so missed my attempt to add spice to the evening!


On New Year's day, we dropped Ann off at the Munich airport. My navigator tells me that I live 146 miles from the airport, and that it is a two hour drive. The navigator forgets that I live in Germany. I drove 140 of those miles in just over an hour. It helped that it was early in the morning and that the weather was clear. The trip home from the airport took the standard two and a half hours.




Other than the day trip to Prague and the trips to the airport we stayed home. The boy and I did go to Playmobil Land with a friend over the weekend, and we had fun, but it was more about seeing an old friend than about being at "Little Plastic People Land"






*When Ann and I were seniors in college our dorm was evacuated after someone dropped a canister of a military grade gas. He had kept it as a souvenier of his summer interning at a military proving ground. Needless to say he did not graduate and is probably still working off the debt for the emergency services. No one suffered lasting damage, but a few hundred students were all without housing for a few days.