Friday, July 31, 2009

Mein auto ist kaput

We woke up at 4AM to get Eric and Lexi to Frankfurt in time for their 9:55AM flight. Mr. C drove them 3 hours to Frankfurt...spent a couple of hours getting them on the plane (which went all good and fine...if a little stressful) and then turned around and drove 3 hours back.

Its been a long day already.

About 5 minutes from home, John ran out of gas...as in touch the peddle and car goes rurrr rurrr rurrr putt putt putt...he pulled into a little getrankt market and called me from his cell phone.

What an awful way to finish up that little experience.

So...long story short, he went a little ways down the road to a farmhouse...a little German girl pulling weeds...her dad was working on his tractor.

Sprechensie English? (Do you speak English?)

Un leeetle.

So in German John explained his car was out of gas...I believe he used the word, kaput. Without hesitation the guy gave John a gas can with a liter or two in it...wouldn't accept any Euro payment or anything.

I love nice people.

Thank you Mr. German Farmer.

Bye bye Lexi and Eric...we'll miss you! :(

Saturday, July 25, 2009

Sorghof Kirwa Festival

So, I didn't really get the full meal deal about this festival we went to today, but essentially there was food and a carnival and a beer tent and then all the men in the town got together and erected a 100 foot tree into the middle of town square...

From the locals I got that the tree had to be at least 100 feet tall and that this festival commemorated the christening of the church? Beh? I really don't know, but it took over 4 hours for this thing to go up and its mighty impressive. Over the next couple of days there will be dancing and festivities including oompa music and then all the single men try and climb to the tree to get the favor of the single women.









To raise the tree they put large wooden supports under it and then gradually moved them further and further down the tree until it was finally standing erect...I took this video more for the guy thats yelling in German...its really short, and they only raised it one little bit....we watched this for 4+ hours...


Now for our cute photo break...
Lexi and Bella hangin' out in front of the carnival


Back to the main program...
John jumped into the middle of the tree raising and was put on a team to help it go up...The girls dressed in Red Cross outfits were there to supply "first aid" to the workers...in other words...unlimited beer... John received plenty of "first aid" while helping raise the tree...


We should start this festival in America...I would have been a lot more impressed with my highschool peers had they been climbing 100 foot trees for me.

One of the most important things I learned today...Baby girl is really too cute for words...oh, and time to get my brows done. :)

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Summer..are you really here?

Yeah! Its here...Its here...


Even baby girl got into the fun...


I've got a water-baby! She loved the pool and didn't mind the frigid cold hose water.


Splashing and splashing with those little leggies...



Madmad was the brave one...she was so excited we put up the little pool.


Is anyone really surprised that this was her next move?


When I asked Eric what he was doing he replied, "Sunbathing, of course." Duh...OF COURSE...


Summer days just aren't complete without a popsicle.


Shortly after this photo it started to rain and then one of the most impressive thunderstorms I've ever witnessed occured... Oh well, it was summer for at least a few hours...

Three step process...

Step one...sit on your knees and grin adorably for daddy who is so excited to see you about ready to crawl...



Step two...rock back and forth (don't forget to scream alot because you are in absolute pain and misery from having to do this...)


Step three...concede defeat and fall dramatically to the floor to rest your weary body. Now where does she get these dramatic genes from?

Our daily lives...

Well, life in Germany is shaping up to be pretty good. Not that I was too terribly worried about hating it here or something. When you start to weigh your military options it all becomes quite clear...Germany or El Paso, TX...Germany or Georgia...Germany or Kansas... Now, I'm not exactly "slamming" those locations...I'm just saying that if I have a choice...the choice is going to Germany.

Anyhow...life and all that now includes some new neighbors...and an August 1st block party planned. I'm excited to get to know more people as I've found myself turning into the housewife that follows her hubby around after he returns from work craving adult conversation and contact...

The people next door to us are a newly married couple with two dogs...Madmad is ecstatic about that. She's constantly "running" bubba for them. Bubba is a 1 year old dachshund with about as much energy as maddie. I think they are a good fit for each other.

On the other side of our quad, our new neighbors come with a little baby girl that is just 3 weeks older than Bella! We were so excited about that. I haven't asked permission to post pics of her, but I figured this one where her face isn't showing would be ok... If she comes to play and Bella is wearing socks, this is the first thing she does...so far, Bella just takes it...but someday soon we may see some retaliation of sorts...


John has been working weird hours...different exercises and requirements have him home at odd times. This has proved frustrating for me, who counts on his handyman hands to take care of certain things so I can get the house in order, finally. In particular, I've been waiting for John to switch a plate magnet from one cupboard to the other. I could do it myself, but its one of those...not top of my priority list, but irritating all the same. Eric heard me complain one day and decided to do something about it all on his own! I was so proud of him...he was proud of himself...he couldn't WAIT to tell his dad about it when he got home.




The kids have found a new favorite hobby. It includes my feet and their hands...really...do they look like they are miserable?


Have I mentioned yet that Lexi is here for her visit? Two weeks...then she and Eric had back to Oregon on July 31st...I'm going to bypass that topic as it just wrenches my hear to think about the end of this time together...




Fondly reminiscent of my childhood, I came downstairs the other day and found the kids had made a sad little fort out of two blankets and a laundry basket. I decided I needed to show them how it was done. We even pulled in the lawnchair from outside....It was a great fort...lasted for two whole days.


Shet

Shet is the name of a Hardy Boys character. Madmad and Eric have taken to playing, "Hardy Boys." Imagine hearing this over and over again...

"Shet...are you there?"
"Shet...did you get the rope?"
"Shet...help me get him!"
"Shet...he's got a gun!"
"Shet...how are we going to get away?!"
"Shet...NO! Not that Shet!"

You may have to actually say it outloud and then just watch whoever is close to you to see if they give you a look that says, Uh...did that really just come out of your mouth?

The walled city of Rothenburg ob der Tauber

Rothenburg ODT is what the exit signs say for the great walled city...I was particularly interested in seeing this center of history and was anxiously awaiting my first glimpse of the ancient walls. I want to make sure you know all the juicy historical tidbits that I know so bear with me for a minute...

* Rothenburg was an Imperial City. I think that means it was kind of its own little kingdom, but I'm not sure and haven't been able to find a detailed explanation anywhere about it...

* It was the seat of government for the city-state during the medieval ages.

* In March 1945 in World War II, German soldiers were stationed in Rothenburg to defend it. Bombs were dropped over Rothenburg by 16 planes, killing 39 people and destroying 306 houses, six public buildings, nine watchtowers, and over 2,000 feet of the wall. The U.S Assistant Secretary of War John J. McCloy knew about the historic importance and beauty of Rothenburg, so he ordered US Army General Jacob L. Devers not use artillery in taking Rothenburg, but the Germans didn't know that...so, the local military commander Major Thömmes ignored the order of Adolf Hitler for all towns to fight to the end and gave up the town, thereby saving it from total destruction.

* AND...last, but definitely not least...one of the coolest things about Rothenburg ob der Tauber (which means walled city with red roofs above the river Tuaber) is that it is where they filmed the part of the movie in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang when they are in Vulgaria. Yeah...I've been there.

Our entrance into the town...through the East watchtower


John and the kids in the town square


Looking south...If you look far in the distance you'll see the south watchtower...


A closer look at the south watchtower and where the road splits...


The city is amazing...the majority of it is car-free so you can wander and look and enjoy at your leisure...and let kids run down the streets without fear of a little peugot hitting them.

We toured the shops and were duly impressed with the various life-size replicas of beer mugs, dolls, puppets, etc., that grace the many shops.

Uh, no, dear...that will not grace our walls anytime soon...and really - who BUYS one of these giant engraved swords? I hope none of you...or maybe...how many SCA'ers do we have reading this blog? And for those of you who don't know what SCA is...you are safe. :)


Maddie and Eric were particularly interested in the bakeries...ALL of them. We finally gave in and let them have a pastry treat...GIANT balls of pie dough covered in powdered sugar or cinnamon. They are still on the sugar high.

Bella got hers from applejuice/water mixture...


Madmad was sooo well behaved that day we just had to take a photo of her angelic smile...here she is just chillaxin near the flowers. Okay...so, that was the absolute first time I ever used the word chillaxin...did it work for you?


I found it incredibly funny that after the photo was taken we noticed the sign, "Biergarten" with the giant arrow pointing at John's gut. bwahahahaha


Eric finally got his suit of armour and axe fix...


And Madmad got all dressed up so he could whack her over the head with an axe...


JUST KIDDING...did you really think we'd let him hit her over the head with an axe...?

Much of the day was spent touring the Medieval Crime Museum where Eric uttered this gem,"Gee dad, you sure know a lot about torture." Errrr....I suppose a job as an interrogator has its perks in a place like this... But there may be something fundamentally wrong with a guy that can name each torture device by its proper name AND tell how its used and why. Gaaaah... **note to self...do not go see this type of museum with John again.**

This is the "water-dunker" Basically you get stuck in this thing and then they dunk you until you are about dead. Don't imagine it...you'll regret the image in your mind! (edited to add...John insists I call it by its proper name...the "ducking stool")


We've invested in one of these because it seemed to work so well. Its now set up in our front yard. ha ha


Whats a crime museum without an iron maiden? Kind of like saying, nothing says love like thumbscrews...


Then there is the wall...the incredible beautiful wall

And the incredibly beautiful baby girl sitting on top of it...


The view from the wall was breathtaking...the pictures don't do it justice...and I was really amused that when you look closely you can see a barbeque grill in the shadow of the aquaduct...can you see it?




We wandered inside the wall to see where the cannons and archers would have stood. It was very interesting...very old...very medieval...very dark. I would not have liked working in "the wall..."

Obligatory photo of me...acting as damsel in distress hanging out the wall toward the courtyard on the inside of the city...too bad my hair is too short to be climbed...


Inside the wall...notice the plank floors...most of it was old cobblestone...this was one of the newer, rebuilt sections.


We got a kick out of the laundry poles being rested on the great wall. I guess its functional anyway...


And then we also saw some monkeys...do you think there is a law against climbing hundreds of year old walls in the great Imperial City??