A Case of Worms

I'm happy to finally be able to add this to our written record. I was officially promoted and given a full-time position as of last Saturday. I won't bore you with the details, but I'm pleased to have gotten a small raise and to have more responsibilities.

There are only 18 days until we leave for vacation, and once our trip is finished there will be only a week until Corrie arrives to live with us. We made it through August!

We went to see "The Proposal" tonight- well actually, I (Becky) have seen it twice now. I almost never see movies in the theater, and to see one twice is a big deal. I love that movie! Betty White steals the show, but the entire cast does a terrific job and the comedic timing was priceless. Plus, aerial views of Alaska are always nice between scenes.

We found out Maggie was sick with an intestinal parasite, and it was by far the grossest thing I've ever researched. I've been terrified of tapeworms since I was about eight or nine and I saw some public television special about the horrid things, and now I feel like I am filming True Life- My Dog Has Worms. Ugh. Luckily there is very little you have to do once you discover the wretched things are leeching off of your pup, so now we're just waiting for a follow-up appointment to get the all-clear. We'll get Trixie checked, too, never fear!

I've been writing about insects way too much lately; this is a sign that I am dealing with them too frequently in real life. I need to change this trend.

This past weekend, our village had it's summer carnival- Kindsbacher Kerwe. We didn't go (maybe next year!) but as I was getting ready for bed, I could hear a band and people singing some kind of folk-type song. I imagine they were drunk on Bitberger and happily sloshing their way past the rose gardens, but perhaps I'm romanticizing the whole affair. Regardless- those voices carried!

Nothing more to share tonight. Alles gute.

Life is both exciting and hectic.

We are both working often, and conflicting schedules minimize the time we can be together.  Even when we have time together, we spend it rushing through things- making plans, cleaning, trying to see friends and find a moment to relax within the span of a few consecutive hours.  

The better part of our news is that we are finally moving from our fourth-floor apartment.  We found a beautiful row home with a back yard, three floors, three bedrooms, two full bathrooms (by American standards) and even a garage.  As is typical of German homes in this area, the outside is not anything spectacular, but the inside is gorgeous.  We will be doing a self-move in late June, and we're weighing several moving options.  Actually, I've already decided which option I prefer and it involves using the bulk of the moving budget to hire my father as a crew chief and move director, and throwing a fantastic barbecue for all of our friends who lend a hand for any portion of the move.  I'm trying to convince my father that he should let us bring him over here for a few days of work and a few days of vacation.  I am hopeful that he will come.

I am dreaming of the things I'll do in this new house.  First and foremost, I will let my dogs be outside in the sunshine all summer long, as much as they desire, to run in circles and enjoy the fresh air in this beautiful country.  I'll spend time making a small garden in the tiny plot by the front door, and I'll maybe be able to keep some plants alive.  Maybe herbs for cooking.  I want to focus on design and decoration, because for the first time I have coherent themes we both enjoy and I can improve upon them.  Eventually my sister will be here for a while, and I'm really thrilled about her being with us.  Hopefully more friends will visit in the next few years- we'll have an actual guest room for their comfort.  More than anything, I hope that life will feel less disjointed, less temporary in this house.  I want to meet more people and speak German and go on walks through a village and buy bread from the Barbarossa down the street.  

I had resigned myself to staying in the apartment for the next two years, and once I let it go the house of our dreams- in the location we desired most- became available.  I should let go of things more, that's when all the good stuff happens.

Happy Easter

xo From all of us

A short list of things accomplished in one week:

- Successfully completed 25 years of life. Began undertaking of 26th year.
- Wrote essays on a topic I've never studied, received high marks regardless of knowledge deficit.
- Sang ABBA songs in France and Belgium.
- Walked well over ten thousand steps per day while visiting the major tourist attractions of Paris.
- Ate a genuine Belgium waffle. Subsequently obsessed over potential frequency of visits to Belgium to consume aforementioned waffles.
- Photographed my father posed as Napoleon in front of the Butte du Lion at Waterloo.
- Saw Luxembourg while the sun was shining.
- Spent so much energy remembering French phrases that, upon return to Germany, I am still saying "oui".
- Bathed two rambunctious, unappreciative dogs.
- Discovered location of a portrait taken of my great-great-great grandfather. Potential for family history research suddenly multiplied by about one thousand percent.
- Came to realization that I'm probably too old to continue watching America's Next Top Model; also realized that I need not stop because I love reading Four Four too much to give up on the show altogether.

I will actually review our fabulous vacation, perhaps even in a timely manner, but for now I'm off to bed so I can be a productive and reliable member of society tomorrow. Being an adult has some lame points.

Grüße und die Fortschreibung

OH my gosh! Where did February go so quickly? What was the hurry?

Too bad, I guess. I think February is a godforsaken month anyway. My husband celebrates his birthday today, so that marks pretty much the best day of all, and the rest seems like a waste. I probably feel this way because February weather, in my experience, is always miserable. Every day I dream about living in Austin, and about how "cold" will mean, oh, 50 degrees. Ice will scare everyone else, but not me! I'm accustomed to black ice, snow, snow coated in ice, freezing rain- the full spectrum of bad driving weather. I can clean off my car in mere seconds because I know which way to push the snow to achieve maximum vision. I will be a lion among ants when I live in a place that fears the prospect of a frost. It will be glorious.

In much more important, relevant news- today is Josh's birthday! Now we will be the same age for five days. It's an exciting time of year for us. Making things better is the upcoming visit from my family. They will arrive next Thursday, and we're planning to see Luxembourg, Brussels, Paris, and then I'll go back to work while Josh takes them to Stuttgart, Munich, and Karlsruhe. I am über-thrilled about this vacation.

I'm also thrilled that I finally got enough motivation to bookmark a special characters shortcut page. This new information allows me to tell you that Trixie's new hobby is shredding paper, and I think she may have gotten a €10 bill and destroyed the thing- that's a thirteen dollar loss! Silly dog!

A final note- my cousin Lucy started a blog focused on natural and organic beauty products, and I am a contributor on the site. I've only managed to write one review thus far, even though I have a list of about twenty items I will review in the coming months. Please take a moment to check it out; we are both pretty passionate about Toxin Free Beauty and I think the blog is shaping up to be very interesting and informative. It might save you a breakout, super-sensitive skin, or even money one day!

Tschüß!

And, Action!

END Scene! End scene!

...Trixie, stop chewing on the quilt.

Quickie

Guten Morgen! It's snowing like the dickens outside, and I'm getting ready for a day trip to Saarbrucken for Advent markets. Several friends are getting the Pfalz day passes for the train- this allows multiple adults to ride anywhere within our region for one day. I assume that, if we tire of Saarbrucken, we'll head somewhere else! Gotta love train travel.


I wanted to provide some snaps of our new pup! After one week, I can report that Trixie is less stress-inducing every day. She has destroyed a few power cords (mostly for Josh's video gaming systems, ugh), used the carpets as a bathroom, eaten an entire box of her heart worm medicine, and pulled disgusting trash from the can to decorate my living room floor. However, she has also become a great playmate for Maggie, been endlessly cute (when she's not demolishing things), and she is very loving and willing to cuddle. So, I think we'll keep her. *wink*




I've finished Christmas shopping for almost everyone, but my very favorite purchase this year is a gift for the dogs- or really, for me.

A dog-walking coupler!
Thank you, EarthDog! Their products are amazing. I've had a leash and harness from them for a long time, and the quality is great. Plus, everything is so well-made. I highly recommend for all of you dog-lovers!

First Snow

I always love the first satisfying snowfall of the season. It happened today, or perhaps last night is more accurate. I've been up all night, still suffering from jet lag and trying to find a way to get back on a proper schedule for this time zone. My goal today is to stay awake all day (I've been awake for about 16 hours so far) so that I can pass out soundly tonight. Wish me luck!

Now, some may know that I have been on the go recently. I spent two wonderful weeks visiting family and friends in the states. If I missed you this trip, I'm sorry. I was thankful for the time I had and the people I saw, but there are always more places and faces I long for when the journey is through. Many thanks to Margaret, who selflessly traveled to the middle-of-nowhere in central Pennsylvania to spend time with me. We did visit Baltimore's inner harbor, and the historic areas of Philadelphia, so hopefully the time in the country was not too prolonged or boring! I love going to Carlisle for the beauty, but I will admit that I become incredibly tired of the slow pace before long. I guess I'm just a city person at heart- for this portion of my life, at least.

I do submit my apologies for the tardiness of the Ireland posts. The photos are all available on our picasa page, but I have yet to focus my thoughts and type them out into coherent sentences. Currently I look at photos and experience a series of excited thoughts, like "ooh!" and "beautiful!" and "let's go back!" These do not a travel blog make.

A few more pieces of news... I was told that the right-hand pain waking me up and causing me to be a walking zombie for the past weeks is actually carpal tunnel syndrome. People say I'm too young for it, or how did I get it; I don't disagree and I don't have a clear answer. I'll just say that if you look at my life activities- working in offices and coffee shops, playing the piano, writing, using the computer- it is not extraordinary that I have this problem. Thankfully, with the support of a restrictive brace while I sleep or do repetitive activities, my symptoms are nearly gone.

Josh took an important new class last month and was named the honor grad for the session, which will mean a temporary duty trip to California if the funding is approved. I'm so proud of him and excited; he'll make it to California before I do, and that is a feat considering my ravenous desire for travel.

I'm looking for master's program both online and with satellite military campuses. I hope to go back to school next year. I have also come up with an idea for a book, and while I need to do a good amount of research (hopefully no-one else has already written what I am considering), I am excited by the prospect of a long-term project.

Lastly, and most exciting is the news that we will be adding a new member to our family this weekend. We are adopting a second beagle, a 20-month-old girl named Trixie. We may try to modify her name. She is beautiful and sweet and Maggie plays with her so eagerly. We are thrilled to finally have found a pet who will be a good fit with our family, and I can barely wait for her to arrive. Of course, I will post photos as soon as we get her settled.

Until then, ciao!

Obviously I've been busy, or I would have updated this blog a week ago! After six long, painfully-unemployed months, I'm finally a member of the workforce once again. I'm making "individually handcrafted" drinks at the new coffee shop at the Enlisted Club. So far, so good! Mostly I'm thankful to be out of my apartment sometimes, to have a way to meet people and earn some extra money. Coffee is not my career choice, but it's kind of nice to know that I've developed a skill that can be a side job at any time in my life. Thanks to 7th Street Starbucks for my education. :o)

Along those lines, it looks like we'll be keeping Josh's Honda. It's going to be too much hassle for both of us to work with only one car. If his schedule were more average we could probably figure something out. As it stands, we need the car at conflicting times. The vicious cycle begins- you want a job, so you need a car, and then you need your job to keep the car. I hate cars so much. In the end, I hate being unemployed more, so we'll own two cars.

Like so many others, we've been enjoying various Olympic competitions. We have yet to catch the gymnastics! Mostly, we've watched water sports- swimming, diving, water polo, and lots of rowing. I caught some of the equestrian events; Germany took a gold medal in one division. We also saw that GREAT basketball game between the US and Spain! I've never been very interested in sports, so watching Kobe for the first time was really eye-opening for me. He is an incredible athlete! So fast! So good a slam dunking! Did I mention, fast?! I actually enjoyed that game, especially the first half, when the score was very close.

Speaking of the Olympics, my little brother (Tim) looks like Phelps!

Phelps

My brother.

Well, I swear he looks more like Phelps than this picture makes it seem. They have very different noses, but Tim tends to let his hair get all messy, and he looks older now (the photo of him is from last December).

Maggie is finally getting to run free over here, thanks to a few friends with backyards. She's also getting to be more socialized with other dogs. It's so great to see her running around at full speed (and gosh, is she fast!), chasing sticks and digging holes and being a hound. She's also much more vocal about things now; she's been barking on and off the entire time I've been typing. She doesn't get the "mom's working" concept. It's all about her, all the time. :o)
Here, she's getting some help before a walk. We've also discovered that she HATES to be wet, and I don't just mean after a bath. She and I have been stuck in a few rain showers during walks, and I've never seen her so angry with me! Being wet is obviously not cool.

I can't think of anything else to write, so I'll stop. If Josh has something to share, he'll do it soon. Take care!

Date Night

We had a pretty fun evening, watching rented movies and creating a new recipe for our cookbook. First we watched 10,000 BC, which I had seen before (sometimes the cable movie channel is alright, after all). Josh really enjoyed it, as I suspected he might. :o) It looked really awesome on our new television (thank you, extra tax rebate)... the clarity was wonderful. We watched the alternate ending and I think we both preferred it overall- if you've seen the movie and the alternate ending, what was your opinion?

After an accidental two-hour nap, with the puppy right alongside of course,

we decided that it was time to tackle our dinner plan. We wanted to make chicken fried rice, but had never done it before. Thanks to our love of Miyako (really, any hibachi restaurant), we were able to concoct a really delicious version of fried rice!

We were both quite proud of our work and relished it while watching The Devil Wears Prada, which surprisingly enough, Josh had already seen! I greatly enjoyed the movie, and it was fun to watch something we each knew the other would enjoy. All in all, a very fun evening!

Speaking of films I've seen recently, I'd like to recommend A Mighty Heart to all readers. Keep in mind that it is a true story, and I thought it was very moving- what I'm saying is, if you tend to be emotional you may want to be with someone when you see it. Or maybe you don't like it when people see you crying; then, watch it alone. Either way, go rent the film! (Incidentally, if the latter describes you, also see P.S. I Love You on your own!)

Besides the fact that Angelina Jolie is completely amazing, the story is an important one. Mariane Pearl has long been a person of interest to me, as she has been writing a monthly article for Glamour magazine. Her theme was "Global Diaries: In Search of Hope"; the articles are now compiled into a book, which I recently bought and am anxiously awaiting.

Photo courtesy of glamour.com

I was always touched by her writing and by the intensity of the issues that she brought to light each month. After seeing this tribute to her, and her husband Daniel, she is my new hero. She is an incredible woman and I'm really enjoying learning more about her. I remember quite some time ago, while the movie was being made and before she began her Global Diaries, Glamour did an interview with Mariane Pearl and Angelina Jolie together. The interview was fabulous, but what really stuck with me was Mariane's incredible compassion, her love of all people, and her desire to make silent voices heard. Just in one interview, all of that came through. So, now that I've waxed poetic about my new heroine, I strongly suggest that you check out the film, read some of her articles, or even get your hands on the memoir that she is currently writing...once it comes out, of course. I don't expect you to pull a Devil Wears Prada move and get the seventh Harry Potter book before it is published. :o)

Have a nice day.

Time flies when you're traveling!

Becky here, bringing you the latest news after nearly a month of silence! If you've been following along, you may remember that I took my trip to the US last month, so I spent most of the month overseas. I had a fabulous trip, thanks for asking! :o)

It was such a thrill and an honor to help Margaret through that last pre-wedding week, and to be present at her marriage to Mike. They met just a few weeks after Josh and I met, so we always say that the summer of 2005 was a lucky one. Their wedding was beautiful and heartwarming, not to mention a ton of fun! I'll write it again, because it merits repetition- many blessings to you, Margaret and Mike!

After the wedding in Chicago, I headed back to the east coast for some quality time with my family. The scheduling worked out perfectly, so I was able to spend time with my grandparents in Philadelphia, and then head to the Jersey shore for the Lomady family beach week. It was great fun and relaxing, as always. I got a bit of color, but was very careful to use my sunblock! My beach cover-ups (very cute dresses that I can wear all summer) still smell like the beach. I am tempted to avoid washing them altogether!

I was also able to visit a few friends in Maryland, which was wonderful and refreshing. Seeing so many friends and family members, who have been with me through all stages of my life, really made me feel grounded, renewed, and above all else, thankful. I returned to Germany with a new, more positive outlook and with excitement for everything that our future holds.

Oh, I also returned with a puppy. :o) Yes, thanks to the hard work of many people (including receptionists, vets, parents, and airline workers), Maggie made it to Germany. She was a bit shaken when I found her in the baggage claim, but soon after she saw Josh and was allowed out of her crate, she seemed much more relaxed. I've been keeping a close eye on her- big changes could cause chaos, but she seems quite well-adjusted now, and is as comfortable as ever with sprawling her tiny body across as much surface area of a couch or bed as is possible.

Josh recently celebrated his 5 year mark- that's five years devoted to the Army thus far. Only three years and some months to go! Congratulations to him! He impresses me because I have never held one job for that amount of time. I guess that college life and then military spouse life doesn't really lend itself to long-term employment, but still, I think his commitment is to be applauded! As far as employment for this writer goes... well, I had an interview the day before I left Germany, and later this week I get to fill out the paperwork! I will be working in a coffee shop once again, and I'm excited. I see it as a way to get out of the house, make some spending and traveling money, and most importantly, to meet some new people! Perhaps we will buy a second vehicle down the road (hopefully a Smart Car!). For now, I'll work around Josh's schedule and be happy to be working at all!

In closing, it is bloody hot in Germany right now. Today our indoor/outdoor thermometer said it was 102 degrees outside. I don't know if it was completely accurate, but it certainly felt like it may have been correct. I will welcome fall with open arms, if this is going to continue!

Bowling, again

An exciting update- the painting is finished! We have only 8 more boxes to unpack!

We went bowling again today, and once again we had a wonderful time. Took a few photos, so we'll post those later. We are talking about buying ourselves some bowling shoes... it would make sense if we do continue to play as often as we'd like.

It has been snowing on and off, quite a lot. Almost every day we get complete ground cover, and then within a few hours it's sunny and the snow melts away. The other day it was literally a thunderstorm, but instead of pouring rain it was pouring snow and hail! There was lighting, thunder, and the snow was coming down faster than I've ever seen before!

Other than getting our apartment together and occasional outings with friends, usually to the grocery store, we're pretty boring people right now. Not enough time in the day to do exciting travel and whatnot. That will change once we have a vehicle, and can go explore on a whim. For now, I guess it's good that we're stuck at home- it ensures that we clean it up and get it organized! I can't wait to be able to bring Maggie over here. Every time I set up an area of the apartment, I think about where her things will go, and how she might use the space. She really is our baby! :o)

Tschüss for now!

Unpacking

I just want to point out that unpacking boxes is really lame. This is especially true when your movers pack food that they are not supposed to send overseas, and then you have to sort through the items that are still safe to eat and find a way to discard the rest, all the while feeling really guilty because you could probably feed a village with the expired Bisquick you're finding.

Overall, our belongings are in pretty good shape. There are a few things that have been damaged- our mattress, for example- but at least the dishes and glasses made it safely. Sadly, the items that were broken were mostly things that had some kind of intrinsic value. The beautiful photograph my sister framed for us for our wedding is bent, the glass shattered and all over other items. The hand-carved wooden manatee we got on our honeymoon in Belize is missing appendages. I don't know if they'll give us the "replacement value" of these items, which really bums me out. I don't care very much about generic stuff, but I do like to collect things that remind me of places I've been, and when those things are ruined it makes me sad.

In the time I've taken to type this entry (and I am fast), the sky has gone from blue and sunny, to cloudy. It's snowing and windy. The weather here is even more fickle than Maryland!

We have finished painting one room! Now we need to paint our bedroom. The paint was expensive, but we're hoping it will be worth it to feel comfortable in our home for a few years. (Just gone to blizzard-like conditions!) Personally, I'm getting a bit tired of feeling like "home" is just a transient location. I know that is part of life as a young adult, especially in the military, but it's nice to try to fool yourself into a sense of permanence.

Also, we realized that I may be able to sing in the Wooster Chorus Alumni concert this June. An extra week in the U.S. would allow me to travel to Ohio before Margaret's wedding. As I don't have a job yet, it seems reasonable to plan for these things that are important to me. Concert in Wooster, wedding in Chicago, and family week at the New Jersey shore. Then, bringing Maggie with me back to Germany. All good things. Josh will have to practice cooking a bit more before I go. :o)

Tell us how YOU are doing! We really love to hear from people!