Wendall on the slide. This is in our communal back yard. Our house is a few yards away. 

I can drive!

The car arrived today. We spent the entire day doing car things and then I DROVE HOME!!! I have not gone farther than a mile or so at a time since our arrival, because I have only just learned to drive a stick, and I just did not feel safe. Now, with my fantabulous automatic transmission, I can move about at will! Oh, and just for the fun of it, I bought really BIG things and put them in my trunk. It felt soooo good!

So today had me thinking, why do manual transmissions still exist as anything other than a novelty? When color tv was created, people saw that as an improvement and replaced their b&w sets as soon as they could. When the tv remote was created, people again saw this as an improvement. Why is it, then, that an invention which allows the driver to see more of what is around him, while at the same time doing a great deal of the work for him, is shunned by such a large segment of the world? Why do people not want what is easy, and fun. Why do they demand stiff ankles, distracted minds, and overburdened hands? I just don't get it.

I love my car.

To the pool!

We went to the pool today. It was a lovely way to end a sticky afternoon, and we made it home just before the skies opened for an amazing storm. Wendall had a wonderful time in the water, and I had fun floating about. I suspect we will return soon.

In the morning we get to pick up the Buick. This is way more exciting than when we bought it in the first place. I can not wait to be able to crank up the AC and DRIVE.....

This shadow is cast on my bedroom wall at sunset 

This shadow is cast on my bedroom wall at sunset 

Dinner

Tuna pizza and "Hawaii Toast". 

It was honestly much better than it looks, but no, I don't ave any desire to order it again.

Artwork from school

Wendall brought home a picture from school. He had folded it and put it in an envelope as a "surprise". When we arrived home he pulled the picture out of the envelope and told us that there were pretend words on the page. These were the words he read:
"I love you Mommy very much and I love you Daddy very much. I drew these two pictures for you and I want you to be happy all the time. And I want you to be proud of me."
After wiping away tears and giving him HUGE hugs, we told him just how proud of him we both are. He really is just the most extraordinary little boy.

It's rainig again

The rain is back, and it is blustery cold rain. I am really hoping that tomorrow afternoon will be nice, as tomorrow is the boy's first day at school, and I am hoping that he will be able to play outside.

I have been really tired recently, as have the Wendalls. I personally am waiting for one uf us to catch a cold. We still have not figured out how the heater works, and it gets pretty darned chilly at night.

Raindrops  

We went to Prague for the weekend. Stunningly beautiful, and lots of fun. Thank goodness we had a two mile walk to the river from our hotel, because the food was rich and absolulely delicious. We all enjoyed ourselves, and we look forward to returning.  

The boy on his super cool excavator. It takes him about 20 min to dig up the trench, and then I sweep it back and he starts all over again. He was at it for an hour and a half yesterday! 

For the Honda lover in the family. Hey look--it's purple! 

One month from today he will be 4.  

Mail call!

I am a mail junkie, so when I get notice that I have a package waiting I become really really happy.

Today brought me THREE packages.

I recieved my latest order from Bookcrossing (the fastest I have ever had a package delivered from them!), including my new super spiffy Bookcrossing tshirt.

I recieved a surprise book from a Bookcrosser who has been sending me surprise books for the past year. (We call them Random Acts of Bookcrossing Kindness, or RABCK)

And I recieved an amazing package from a friend. It was filled with all sorts of goodies. Chocolates, books, yarn and a crochet hook (she can stay hopeful!), origami paper, and a handmade card. It all arrived in a box that we have sent back and forth across two oceans, filled with things which we know will make the other smile. We have done this for the past six months, and although it looks like it is time for the box to retire, I have to say that this concept is one I am looking forward to continuing.

I have to say that this has been the mest mail call in quite a long time. Thanks, eveyone!

Waiting Within 

Enough!

So Zanla says it much better over in his blog, but I felt the need to throw in a quick WTF??? For the day. Those of you who have never seen me curse, cover your eyes!
On our way home from some errands this evening, a report on the radio made us stop and listen. The director of the CIA, Porter Goss, was quoted as saying that he knew where Bin Laden is hiding, "...But when you go to the very difficult question of dealing with sanctuaries in sovereign states, you're dealing with a problem of our sense of international obligation, fair play...". There was no mention of the “if you harbor terrorists you are our enemy” line from Bush’s speech after 9/11, nor was there any actual new info, but the fact that we should not invade a new country, coupled with the fact that they “have an excellent idea of where he is”, leads me to believe that Bin Laden has spent most of the past three years resting by the pool at the family compound, sipping decaf iced coffee with the Royal Family. Just my opinion.
Now here’s the thing. For me, Bin Laden is no longer even a man. He has become a symbol of everything wrong with the “Global War on Terror”. The fact that Bush had to begin a second war to cover up his bungled (but almost justified) war: that he has done everything in his unfortunately considerable power to keep us from noticing his close family friends the Saudis: that the American people have allowed this to happen to us.
AMERICA! OPEN YOUR EYES! Realize that the boogeyman named Osama Bin Laden is nothing compared to the very real terror created by Bush and his friends. Bush is allowing Bin Laden to walk free today because he does not want to ruffle the feathers of the Saudi Arabian rulers. We allow Bin Laden to walk free by allowing Bush to do whatever he likes.
It is time to start listening beyond the double talk. Remember past last week, pay attention when you hear something “not quite right”. It is time to speak up.

How to get to IKEA from our house

1 Find website, translate it into English.
2 Tell Hubby the directions.
3 When he asks you to print the directions, carry the printer up two flights of stairs.
4 Find website again, but do not translate into English. Simply print directions in German. 85 to 14 to 6 to 73, easy as pie, no need for English!
5 Get everyone in car, with snacks and water, and settle in for a one hour drive.
6 Get very lost.
7 Eat all of the snacks
8 Find your way, completely at random, while attempting to retrace your steps.
9 Arrive slightly more than 30 minutes later than you expected.

How to get home:
Easy! Repeat steps 6-9. Remember to purchace replacement snacks at the snackshop before you leave the store.

On a related note, we found the city of Wendelstein. We nearly made it there during one of our senic detours, but found a way to the highway instead. We look forward to being lost there at some point in the future.

And IKEA was loads of fun. Two of us are ready to go back any time. Unfortunately our driver seems to have resigned his post.

Whew, are my legs tired...

We are in the house, and back online. I am getting used to living on multiple floors again, but wow, my calves are tight!

This is a quick post. We only have internet on the third floor, and my ice cream awaits (two floors below!)...I just wanted to get some pictures out there so that everyone had an idea of the house.

Much love to everyone. Enjoy the tour.

Our House, in the middle of the street.... 

Wendall in the half bath on the first floor. The stairs are directly to the right. 

Front door. 

dining room/ kitchen/ front door.  

first floor stairs. Leading up to the second floor. 

living room 

kitchen 

my room. This is half of the master bedroom. The door to the left goes to the hallway. To the right is the balcony. 

master bedroom. My room, featuring the ugliest lighting fixture ever created. This is only half of the room. 

view from balcony. This is the view from my bedroom. We have a amall balcony. 

boy's room. He seems happy! 

2nd floor stairs. Leading up to the third floor. 

3rd floor bedroom. It is the entire floor, and has it's own bathroom. 

View from 3rd floor 

A New Beginning

In the morning we will move out of this apartment and into the house which will be ours for the next few years. We will gain almost three times the space, and our stairs will be inside our dwelling.

I told Wendall years ago that I would feel like a grown up when I lived in a place with stairs inside One would think that it was not much to ask for, but the only houses I've lived in in the past 15 years were one story houses. Don't ask why, but the stairs are the main thing I'm thinking about right now.
~~~~~~~~~
Although we move in tomorrow, we will not have phone or internet service for a few days. I don't know if I will have a chance to get online for the next week or so.

Five things today!

"Mommy, I have five things to tell you." He holds up his hand and counts fingers as he goes....

"One. We should go to a playground.
Two. I very want to play at a playground today.
Three. If we don't go to a playground, I will be very upset, and that wouldn't be good.
Four. We could go to one playground, or another playground, or...we could go to TWO playgrounds!
Five. Which playground should you pick? Maybe the spiderweb* playground or the fire station** playground. Which one do you like today?"


*Where we took the pictures of the spiderweb.
**Where there is a really fast firepole and a steering wheel
(We did go to one playground today. It was the playground behind the library.)

merry go round 

There are three kitties in this photo. This is a lovely house in downtown Vilseck. The statue in the wall is the patron saint of the family who resides there. 

A good day to have

Today marked the anniversary of two separate, but (very) related events. One month ago my family of three began a new adventure. Eleven years ago my family of two was created.

Eleven years of a marriage is both an eternity and a blink of the eye. We have traveled the world while maintaining our homebody dispositions. We have stayed one another’s very best friends, and in fact had to create a whole new person in order to find someone else who completely understood us. Even he thinks we are pretty silly.

One of the difficult parts of our marriage is the amount of time we spend apart from one another, but we have found many ways to deal with the individual portions of our lives. The realities of Wendall’s profession are with us every single day, and they bring us to the other anniversary celebrated today.

Our lives have been made richer by one another and by the events and people who have touched us in the past. Wendall and I have been the recipients of so much love and joy and care. Those of you who are reading this are a part of our world. No matter where on Earth we may live, no matter what events have kept us away from you (or each other) please know that we carry you with us in our hearts.

This latest journey has felt a little lonely. With everything happening with our families in the States, it has been difficult to look ahead to what the next few years will contain. It is easier now, as the drama dies down, but still we find ourselves looking back, wishing we were closer and able to help.

This weekend we spent our time exploring our new surroundings and getting ready to truly call this new place “home”. We took a walking tour of Vilseck and found a Thai restaurant (the best possible way to make me feel “all better”) in a town just 20 minutes away. We will keep looking for a Thai restaurant which meets our standards, but it was a good way to celebrate the day.

Thanks, all, for being a part of a special time in our lives!

Three important things to remember.

"Mommy?"
"Yes, Lovey?"
"I have three improtant things to say. Ok?"
"Go ahead."
"One. When you walk through a volcano which is sleeping, be quiet. Or you will wake it up, and that wouldn't be good.
Two. When you cross the street, you should hold my hand, or a car could smush us, and we would be dead.
Three. I love you.
Mommy, remember I said those things, ok? This is very important."
"Thank you, Love, I will remember what you said."