Oct 09 2007
Being adventurous is bad. Want to know how I know? Because today, while doing adventurey things at the Bahnhof in Kaiserslautern, I got a parking ticket.
Lesson learned? Adventures result in horrible things.
You guys, I am taking a train to Austria tomorrow. With only my daughters. I have to change trains twice.
Holy god, my stomach hurts.
Tschuss!!
Oct 08 2007
You guys, my husband is turning 30 this year. That, to me, is a banner happening, one that calls for more than a run-of-the-mill dinner at the local German-Mexican food haunt. Thusly, ten months ago, in January, I hatched a plan for an event. A surprise event. Thusly, ten months ago I entered a level of stress caused by keeping secrets never before imagined by…well, me.
For the record–planning a surprise birthday party that involves A) multiple people B) communication through different time zones C) International travel D) intercontinental travel to foreign cities six hours from your own and E) many, MANY secrets is not a fun thing at all. And I am glad it is no longer a secret, because if I had to keep lying to my husband whenever he asked me about travel plans and when can people come visit and train passes and everything else and holy CRAP CAN HE NOT JUST EVER DROP IT we would have ended up divorced instead of just recently celebrating our sixth anniversary. Congratulations me.
So we have done a fair amount of fun things over the past week. All of them included German food, I am ashamed to say, and one night I actually–yes, its true–cooked a German feast at home. Why, you ask? Um…I’m…insane? Seriously. I am over it so hard. I might become a vegetarian until Thanksgiving, and those that think I’m silly for saying that: in my normal life, I hardly ever eat meat, and I always feel great. In my having-guests-visit life, I have eaten meat almost every night and to put it delicately, i.e. in a way that won’t cause me any mortification, my stomach? Not happy with me.
Between feasts of meat, we did do a bit of travelling, and yes, there is pictures, and no, I haven’t posted any yet. It’s not my fault. But the travelling was fun! I almost died driving home on the Autobahn last night, but still: fun!
Everyone sans the girls and I headed to Switzerland today via the Bahn (train), and we (the girls and I) were originally going to meet them in Munich on Friday, because of school and all. However, this morning as they were all packing up and I had to say things like “goodbye” I was a bit distressed and in a really uncharacteristic bout of spontaneous spontaneity decided to ditch school and work early and meet up with everyone in Austria. It was fun to think about for about 17 minutes, and then the implications of leaving two entire days early started entering my brain and I cursed myself for ever considering a snap decision. But I think I, the girls, and everything else (the cats the plants the garbage cans my work the homework laundry mailbox cars lawncare grocery shopping daylight savings time birdflu working out eating healthy dentist appointments sleeping schedules falling down stairs [what?! I DO fret about that] and moremoremoremoremore) I worry about will be fine, even though we have to travel BY OURSELVES on a train (first time) to Innsbruck, which involves making connections and…you know, generally being brave.
For now, the house is quiet without anyone here, and the girls and I were not busy doing absolutely nothing at all today.
It was…a little boring.
Tschuss!!
Oct 02 2007
I have officially eaten enough German food to last me the rest of my life.
See, I don’t particularly care for it, the Deutsch food. It’s not that it doesn’t taste good, it’s just so heavy and…meaty. And fried. And sauced. And…meaty. But, you know, we have guests here now, and they want to experience Germany and all its schnitzel to the fullest extent. I’ve been trying to stick to salads but even the salads are heavy, already coated in dressing and it’s hard enough ordering the original menu item in Deutsch so don’t suggest throwing things in like “no dressing” or “on the side” because that is so not happening. Mind you, not that these issues are a problem in any way. Because it’s totally worth it to eat the German food to fully support the Walter’s German Vacay Experience.
You know, besides the one night John’s sister Christy stayed with us in 2005, Joe and Laurel are the first people to ever specifically come to visit us and yes I hope some of you (momdadkathytoni) feel guilty about that. Anyway, this lack of guests up until this point uncovered some glaring omissions in my hospitality supplies. For example, towels. As in, I don’t have enough. Or dining room chairs. Or general space, period.
Of course we’re totally managing, as you do with friends, even when they come with twins and grandfathers, and when you have annoying cats and no towels and everything else. We’ve done sight-seeing, and we’ve done eating, and we’ve done drinking, and we still have over two weeks left and a 30th birthday to celebrate in Munich.
I have pictures but I don’t feel like posting them now. I’ll do it…some other time. I swear!
Tschuss!!
