i would rather be knitting

School's OUT... as of today: Let 'summer' begin!!

2011-06-17T20:26:00.002+02:00

Some teacher friends and I went out to eat tonight to celebrate the first night of 'freedom'....

Now, it's 8pm and I'm doing laundry. Why you might ask? Well, a wash cycle in Germany takes 140 minutes to complete and the dryer takes 221 minutes... (and the clothing isn't that dry when it's over either)... so, I need to do ONE LOAD of laundry tonight....

While waiting until midnight before my trip back to the base so I can catch a bus a little after midnight. To go Polish Pottery Shopping in Poland. I can't believe that I signed up and paid to do this... it will be fun- but, I'm tired already.

I don't sleep on planes, trains, buses, or cars... so, I will take some knitting and my portable DVD player with me. That reminds me- I need to pack up my backpack and fill it with my entertainment (can't read- I get car sick), some water, and a snack for the trip.

I made sure that I have some 50 cent euro coins for the public bathrooms along the autobahn. I need to pack everything up so that I'll be ready for my late drive on base.

I'll take my camera and take some photos.

How many times have you moved?

2011-06-12T12:45:00.009+02:00

I'm still looking for my 'missing paperwork' from a previous blog entry. Time is running out. I am now looking in 'weird, no way in the world would I have put the missing paperwork in this location' location... because, truthfully... there are NO OTHER OPTIONS LEFT!

I have to find the missing paperwork, complete the forms, and turn it in by June 17th.

While sorting through 'old' paperwork... I have found odds and ends of paperwork (lots) from previous moves. When you work for the US Government... there is just a lot of paperwork that goes with the job- including paperwork to authorize shipping household goods/etc.

Of course, finding this paperwork... reminded me of previous places, people I hadn't thought about in years, and of course a large assortment of names and phone numbers of people that I don't even remember who they were much less remember meeting them.

I'm more of a visual person and I'm sure if they were to knock on my door- that I'd recall how and why I knew these 'mystery names' though.

So, while thinking about some of my previous locations... and moves... which is why I need this missing paperwork in the first place... I thought about seeing how often others have moved.

Myself personally? I like change and the longest that I have lived anywhere in the past 21 years has been for 3 years at one time.

I have been here for 3 years and I did apply for a transfer this spring- but, I didn't get one. There was only the slimmest hope that I would get one and I was aware of the limited likelyhood of getting a transfer to a new location...

I want to leave because the winters here are 7 months long, dark, damp, cold, and we always have snow on the ground. The snow might 'melt off' one or two times per winter- but, that's not much when you consider how long the winters are. I'm not a winter person in the first place- but, the long, damp, cold winters cause me to get pneumonia for 3-5 months every winter. I go to work sick on most of those days too-because I only have a few sick days left.

So, I was curious about how many times you have moved.

python snakes...

2011-06-10T20:36:00.003+02:00

Yesterday's story reminded me of another 'kid story.'

More than 20 years ago, I was a fairly new art teacher in southern Oklahoma. My 2nd graders (age 7) had just entered class and I had gotten them started on their project. I was gathering up some paint and other materials that I had been working on, for the school play, prior to the arrival of this class.

I had some brushes, tape, a sketch, and of course some water based acryic paints.

One little boy... noticing that I was cleaning up a brush that had paint all over it said, in his easy, slow, southern drawl like only southern children can manage...

"Miss _______, you know what that paint SMELLS LIKE?"

"That paint smells like P.. Y.. T.. H.. O.. N snakes."

I replied, "Oh it does, does it?" He said, "Yep!"

I asked him had he been smelling PYTHON SNAKES often? He answered with a very serious face.... "Yep."

We continued with our art lesson and about 20 minutes later he said with a little smile playing on his lips... "You know what Ms. ____________?" "I was just joking about that python snake."I still laugh when I tell that story. Of course it does help that I can drawl my words out nice and slow just like he did.

Now, I know for a fact that it is quite unlikely that he had ever seen- much less had EVER smelled a PYTHON SNAKE! However, I just loved how his mind worked to connect an unfamiliar (but not strong smell) with a python snake?

Every so often something funny happens

2011-06-09T17:34:00.007+02:00

that helps you endure the last days of school.Today, I was in the hallway greeting my last class of the day for art class... it was a large group of kindergarteners.

I had on a blouse with this type of print:

This little boy, towards the back of the long line, says loudly... "Ms____________, I really like your CHEATER shirt!

I told him "Thank you." However, the truth is... what he said was SO FUNNY and I had to really control myself NOT to laugh out loud.

After school, you can bet that I went walking all over the place sharing my 'CHEATER' shirt with everyone that I saw. After hearing the story, all burst out laughing.

Later, at the base post-office, I saw one of the staff members that I had shared my special shirt story with earlier that afternoon... and of course she shouted out... for all to hear "There's Ms.__________ wearing her CHEATER shirt!"

*I don't think that I imagined the raised eyebrows under a few of the military berets standing in line ahead of me.

May I take your order please?

2011-06-08T21:34:00.001+02:00

Yes, may I have some E COLI free lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers... and...

OK, could you just give me a disease free salad??

Yes, world... I love salads and it is quite sad not being able to buy/eat/enjoy veggies.

I have a new computer

2011-06-03T20:41:00.002+02:00

It was time. Past time.

My Sony Vaio laptop was almost 7 years old. Which is quite elderly for a computer. It was beginning to show its old age too. There were difficulties in downloading photos, going very slow, taking a lot more time than usual to download webpages. It was almost like needing the computer version of a cane to stand.

Since, the old Vaio worked so wonderfuly without ANY PROBLEMS for over 6 years... I simply bought another one. It wasn't a laptop model this time- I got a big flat screen model. I haven't had time to explore on it very much- but, I was dismayed to discover that you have to BUY YOUR OWN WORD PROGRAM now!?What is up with that? Computers certainly cost enough.

I did try to send a photo attachment in an email to a friend a couple of days ago- and it never would 'stop' attaching and actually attach the photo so that I could send it. I'm not sure what caused that problem? I'd like to get it working so that I can attach photos to my blog entries.

We have 2 more weeks of school. I am C O U N T I N G the days!

It's the busy time of the year now- on one hand you want it to go FAST so you can GET IT ALL OVER WITH. BUT, then again... there's too much to get covered, reports to write, assignments to grade, grades to record, and the bane of my existance... art assignments turned in without a name!

Yes, I remind them, yes, I wait for them to write their names down 'before' I give the directions for the new lesson... the biggest problem is... rarely do the number of papers w/out a name equal to the number of students without a grade for that particular project. Almost 700 students per week. Now you know why I am ready for school to be OUT!

ALSO, students 'often' don't recognize their own artwork. Yes, seriously.
Either that... or they are in the land of 'denial' that they even had a no name paper? ha ha

Nothing new and exciting to report. I live in the boonies, I look out onto fields and houses. Nothing much goes on. I don't think that you want to read about the 'traffic wrecks' or near wrecks that I see on my way to work. Seriously, I sometimes wish that I had a helicopter... ok, enough $ to ride on a helicopter... I'm not going to mention the bigger problem of 'no helicopters' in the area anyway.

However, I know that if I had enough $$ to fly in a helicopter to work- that I wouldn't be working. KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

I do have a nice sunset view out my office window (which I've shared on my blog before) and now that the winter season has passed- we once again... get to experience sunsets.

I bought some flowers to plant in the big flowerpot on my front steps... last weekend. Maybe, I can actually find time and/or remember to plant them this weekend?

Ollie, Ollie, Oxen... come out, come out from wherever you are...

2011-05-31T19:46:00.003+02:00

I have lost some very IMPORTANT paperwork. I need it to file a claim (duplicates aren't available or allowed) from when my household goods were damaged when I got my stuff out of storage.

I usually don't bother with filing these claims because:

1. It's a PAIN to do them.

2. It's especially a PAIN to do them, when you are as 'form filling out & paperwork' deficient as I am.

3. They depreciate the claims so much; that you get almost nothing for the process of filling them out and filing them.

4. Did I mention that I don't like doing paperwork?

I work as a teacher and for the US Government... both jobs are full of paperwork and you add in the fact that I am a 'teacher' for the US GOVERNMENT... well, I'll let you think about how much MORE MY LIFE is full of paperwork than it should be.

I know exactly where these papers were until SPRING BREAK in mid-April. Yes, you heard it here... I got on a 'cleaning' and sorting paperwork plan... (so, I could file the above mentioned missing paperwork).... and for some crazy reason, I decided that they would NO LONGER be appropriate to stay in the living room on the little footstool hidden on one side of the coffee table... WHERE NO ONE could see them.

THEY were not in the way. Oh no, they had just sat there for months, patiently waiting for me to get in the MOOD and find some TIME to do the paperwork.

Sigh, it is NO ONE'S FAULT by my own. No pets, no kids, no one else living in the house but myself.

Yes, I have this problem because I delayed doing the 'dreaded' paperwork, I was sick, I had other things FAR MORE INTERESTING to DO... and simply because, I didn't want to do the paperwork.

SO, now ... the plan is: TO LOOK FOR THE MISSING PAPERWORK everyday when I get home from work.

I have until June 16th. I will have to turn the paperwork in on JUNE 17th at the latest.

Maybe I should 'ground' myself? Send myself to bed early?

Spring has FINALLY arrived!

2011-04-27T19:16:00.008+02:00

I had mentioned that I went 'glass shopping' on April 23rd. Here is a photo of the pieces that I bought... The lady that made these pieces... makes a few holiday items, yard/garden pieces, and other decorative pieces. Of course, I won't mention that I didn't put out any Easter decorations until the day before Easter.

Here are a couple of photos that I took today. My tulips have finally bloomed or at least a few of them have. We've still been having cool/cold night-time temps.. it has been 37*F a few mornings this week. However, it has been nice to see the sun lately.

The landscapes while driving are really beautiful at this time of the year; lots of blooming trees, and a variety of green shades on the trees and the fields. It looks like a painting or at the very least... a photograph found on a jigzaw puzzle box.

Happy Easter!

2011-04-24T18:57:00.006+02:00

I bought the little wooden wagon last spring at the Nuremberg, Germany Easter Market. The glass chickens and eggs in the wagon were also bought in Germany.

I knitted the little bunny today for this year's Easter addition. I had knitted one for a friend and loved it so much that I knitted one for myself. I need to add some bunny eyes. I rarely take the time to knit items for myself that I have knitted for others- so, I'm trying to make more of an effort to do so.

The ceramic egg tray was bought in the Provence area of France last spring. The lone egg is a real egg with a hand-painted design on it- you can find many of these Easter/Spring painted eggs in Germany. I have several different hand painted eggs; I didn't get them out this year.

The other eggs are hand-blown glass eggs that I bought Saturday in a town that is 100 miles away. I took a friend there this weekend as something fun to do to end my spring break.

My tulips are finally up out of the ground and they look like they might bloom soon.

Spring break is over today and it's back to work tomorrow. :(

I will have to go to work very early tomorrow- to put things back. We had to remove all items from the counters and window ledges for the 'window cleaning' in our classrooms over spring break. I thought about going today- but, I talked myself out of it. Of course, I'll probably regret that decision tomorrow.

Sparkly, Shiny, Clean Teeth

2011-04-19T07:02:00.004+02:00

Warning: You "MIGHT" need to wear sunglasses in case my newly cleaned teeth shine too much through the Internets.

Yesterday, I went to a German Dentist for the first time. I had asked around a few times in the past for the name of a good local dentist to use. I finally found one and made an appointment for 'teeth cleaning and check up' a few weeks ago.

My appointment was at 8:30am. When, I finally found the place (in the old part of Grafenwohr) and announced myself... I was given the typical form to fill out. However, it was only one page and really only wanted to know my mailing address and my home phone number and if I was allergic to anything/medical conditions/etc. Easy.

While sitting there waiting, I did pull out my knitting. I am knitting a shawl as a gift for a friend's mother's 80th birthday that is coming up soon. I just feel that when one has made it to their 80th birthday- that they deserve a hand-knitted gift- even if I have never met the person! This is actually the 3rd or 4th of these gifts that I've made for friends over the years for their mothers or grandmothers for their 80th birthday. They've always been un-requested and I hope that they have been appreciated. I knitted on it just enough to knit only a few stitches and then had to shove my knitting back in my bag when they called my name...

I only noticed, after I had knitted a few more rows later in the day- did I notice that I had dropped a 'yarn over' (a delibertly made hole) when I stuffed the knitting in my purse. Sigh

I do admit that I looked at it and wondered if the now 'non-hole' lacy design element (from the now 'non-dropped yarn over) at the edge of the knitting... was noticeable or not? Of course, you could tell it was noticeable; since all the other rows had this nice open lace stitch at the end of all rows. In the end... I did take out the several rows of knitting and added the 'yarn over' back where it belonged.

After I had followed the lady into one of the 'rooms'... she asked me my name again and if I was here for "PROFESSIONAL TEETH CLEANING?" I said, "YES", that I was here for 'teeth cleaning and a check-up' and that it had been 3 years since I've seen a dentist. (I know, I know... I'll explain later about that detail)

So, the second time that she mentioned, "Professional TEETH CLEANING?" with a definite questioning lift to her voice? And, then when she mentioned that it would cost 90 euros (about $140.00)I'm thinking... a couple of things:

1. Is 'non-professional teeth cleaning' what I do at home with
my toothbrush and floss?

2. Maybe I should have worn different shoes so I'd look like I could afford to pay for a "PROFESSIONAL TEETH CLEANING JOB"???? I had thought that my other clothing choices were appropriate for a day of doctor visiting?

I assured her that I did have EURO CASH with me to pay for the procedure and at the mention of EURO in my purse... she started the "PROFESSIONAL TEETH CLEANING"....

Finally, assured that she wouldn't have to oversee me sterilizing the dental tools for non-payment (the dental office version of washing dishes at a restaurant for non-payment).... she started the 'PROCEDURE'... and what a procedure it turned out to be!

First step, I was directed to rinse my mouth with this vile, thickish, red liquid for 30 seconds. She stepped out of the room when she noticed that I was tracking the time on my watch. Of course, I secretly think that she was actually listening on the other side to the door, and watching the seconds on her own watch, to see if she could trust me.

I'm not sure what the red liquid was for... but, maybe it like those tablets that you have the kids chew on to show them where they missed 'brushing' ???? Either that, or a sterilization process for my mouth before any more of the 'PROESSSIONAL TEETH CLEANING' could continue?

2nd Step:

She used the whirling tool that is usually used with the toothpaste like flavored powder for teeth cleaning in the states.... WITHOUT ANYTHING applied to my teeth but the whirling grinding tool. *I'm thinking... "Hum, bare bones cleaning"

3rd Step:

She used those thin picking tools to scrape the tarter build-up from between the teeth and at the gum line. You know the tool that always feels like it's the thickness of an actual toothpick... but, they somehow manage to force it between your teeth instead BECAUSE IT IS MADE OUT OF METAL?

4th Step:

She held up this '12 inch long' big tool like a 'power drill' for use inside the mouth and pointed to the white powder in the bottom area... and told me that she would use it next. She also said: "IT DOES NOT TASTE GOOD, LIKE SALT with LEMON!" *She also covered my eyes with a towel for protection.

A more accurate description would be: I'm going to use this hammer like, 12 inches or longer, sandblasting tool inside the mouth that uses a powdered marble-like, sand-blasting material... tasting like a mixture of salt and lemon... to really add some BURNING to any of the gum areas that had already suffered cuts, scrapes from any of the previous PROFESSIONAL TEETH CLEANING procedures, etc... all to make the customer THINK TWICE about admitting that they had not HAD their teeth cleaned for 3 YEARS EVER AGAIN! To really make an impression, I will do this particular procedure for about 30 minutes. I really have to get the 'tarter build-up' for this to be a PROFESSIONAL TEETH CLEANING. *She did tell me that this was to remove the cigarette smoking and coffee build-up. (I don't partake of either one- so, I'm hoping for an instant whitening of my teeth.)

*I'm also wondering if she THINKS that my teeth are the RESULT of cigarette smoking and coffee drinking?

Step 5:

Have the patient SWISH and SPIT THE NOW BLOODY WATER into the basin by the dental chair. (none of that rinsing your mouth for you with that water pick-like thing)

Step 6:
Use the metal 'toothpick' sized pick between the teeth and at the gum line some more.

Step 7:

Finally, use the flavored powdered stuff with the grinding/swirling tool to polish the teeth.

Step 8: The actual dentist came in and I did admit to her that I had not been to the dentist in 3 years... and that when the dental torture girl (hygenist) had done her various procedures... that I couldn't help but notice that one particular tooth was very painful and could we get an X-Ray to make that nothing was wrong on the inside? *She did mention that she was afraid that I might have a new cavity under my crown. The crown is located right next to this SUPER SENSITIVE PAINFUL tooth.

Step 9: X-ray time.
I went to another room. I had to stand and put my head in this device meant to hold my head steady in every direction. My chin had to rest on a white metal piece and then I had to put a plastic piece between my teeth and bite down. A lot of time was spent making sure that my head was exactly in the center-- I could tell that this was the PLAN from the light shining across my face in a 'plus-sign' shape... I learned that the center of the nose tip must be exactly in the center. The device was actually about an inch too high for me to stand there comfortably, but... I wasn't about to say anything about it and just did my best to stretch my spine out.

She finally noticed that I wasn't quite as tall as she had thought and lowered the device about a half an inch and it was immediately more comfortable.

Step 10:

I got my first ever flouride treatment (flouride isn't in the water here) painted to my teeth... while waiting for the dental X-rays to be ready and viewed by the dentist. I was warned that I couldn't eat or drink anything for 45 minutes. Bad news, since I really wanted some water to drink and if I'd been a drinking person... I might have needed a drink at 10:00am after my "PROFESSIONAL TEETH CLEANING" was over.

Step 11:
X-rays were ready. They used an machine that gave you a full mouth view from the sides and front like they used at the dental practice that I used in Seoul, South Korea. I was so happy when she told me that there were NO NEW CAVITIES... just a tooth that had become SUPER SENSITIVE over the past 3 years. I think it's just sensitive to: PROFESSIONAL TEETH CLEANING since I've never noticed any other problems with it.

I was dismissed at 10:10am. Yes, this procedure had taken an hour and a half!!! My teeth felt so clean- that I didn't want to eat ever again. Total cost? 279 euros= lots of MONEY.

Now for the reason that I haven't been to the dentist in 3 years. Getting my teeth cleaned and checked out is something that I do every year... (honest) but, when I moved here... After being here for about a year, I asked around and couldn't find anyone. I found a few names of dentists that others warned me NOT TO GO TO THEM though. I didn't have the $$$ to visit the states my first year here - so, I stayed in Germany for the summer. Last summer?... I was only in the states for a very short time, and I couldn't get an appointment... no one was taking new patients and I didn't have 3 months to wait for an apppointment to become available (my summer vacation isn't that long- nor was I going to be the in the states that long)... so, I just continued to ask around 'every so often' for dentist recomendations.

I got far more done for my first ever German "PROFESSIONAL TEETH CLEANING" than I have at any dentist in any country or state in America- that I have had personal experience with... She did a great job!

Later in the morning, I had a pedicure, and then after lunch, I went to see another doctor for some blood work done. Yes, they couldn't get blood out of my veins and had to take 4 big vials of the stuff from the veins in my hand. Sigh, I absolutely hate getting my blood taken out. I don't cause a scene or anything- but, I can't look and can't stand having it done. Add a snake into the mix and I'd die from fright.

So, that concludes Day 3 and Monday of Spring Break. Pretty exciting huh?

Let the HOLIDAY begin...

2011-04-15T21:44:00.005+02:00

Today, at 3:05 pm was the offical start of: SPRING BREAK!!

I am so ready for a holiday. I have been busy getting all the 3rd quarter grades recorded on-line for my 'almost 700 students' last week. Problem was, I thought we had ONE MORE WEEK and I found out that I was very wrong.

I'm doing what is referred to as a: "Stay-cation"
or in other words... I'm staying here.

Today, at work... the electricity went off at 11:00... yes, right when my lunch started. I was glad that I had brought a 'salad' from home today; otherwise, I would have had COLD FOOD without my microwave to heat my lunch up!

I had stepped in the hallway after I dismissed my class for lunch and I saw the middle school teacher that teaches next door to my classroom... and I whispered to him... "Just 3 more hours before our holiday starts!" He looked at me and jokingly said, "I don't know what schedule you are following- but, I have 4 more hours left before the holiday starts." He was correct of course... since, both schools... end at the same time of the day.

Well, the end of the day finally arrived... Earlier in the day, -I had been busy packing up all the school supplies stored on the ledges and counters... (all teachers had to do it before we left for the day today)... because they are cleaning the windows during spring break. Once the first graders were dismissed from art room, I got up on the counters and was standing there balanced trying to rip off the strapping tape... and removing the art posters that I had placed on the windows earlier in the year, in an effort to block the sun- since, I don't have blinds on any of these windows... (no air conditioning in our school either) and the bell dismissing the students for the middle had just rung... they are dismissed 10 minutes after the elementary children are dismissed...

AND... the teacher next door came into my room... immediately after the 'dismissal bell' finished ringing and said to me: "NOW, we are on HOLIDAY!" It was pretty funny! I think he had been waiting to say that to me all afternoon after my 'time-telling' blunder.

What have I done to celebrate so far?

Tonight, I went out to eat GREEK FOOD with a few friends. Since, it had turned chilly again, (Ok, it hasn't been really warm yet) I got some great bean soup, garlic bread, a small salad, and some sort of bean/goat cheese/sauce baked dished. ALL very tasty and too much food to eat.

I drove back on base to get gas and I bought a real Dr. Pepper and a Butterfinger candy bar to celebrate. Yes, my joys are sometimes pretty simple. I stopped drinking all sodas about 2-3 months ago. However, sometimes I do buy one real Dr. Pepper as a nice treat. I never buy candy bars... so, I'm going to enjoy eating it.

Other news? We actually had SNOW falling on Wednesday this week... no accumulation- but, you know it just shouldn't snow in late April either. My tulips have started coming up out of the ground... no blooms yet.

My big holiday plans? I'm staying here for break. I have several doctor appointments, a couple of physical therapy appointments, haircut, and a pedicure appointment. I need to do some 'dreaded' paperwork, clean house, sort things, (yuck) I might even really step it up and get my car washed. Such excitement, right?

For fun, I am going to a small yarn shop that is in a nearby city on Thursday (after one of the doctor appointments), and I'm taking a friend to go shopping at a couple of shops found at an area called: 'glass road' More about that later this week. I'm also going to take most of one day to just: watch old movies, knit, and simply just rest and enjoy not having to do anything.

Unexpected finds...

2011-04-03T11:01:00.003+02:00

Last fall, I went to Poland on a Polish Pottery shopping trip. I bought some items for myself and some of the pottery for gifts.

When I was almost out of money- we stopped at one of the last stops that had about 4 different Polish Pottery shops in the area. I only went into 2 of the shops. On my way to the shop that was 'across' the street from where the bus was parked- I saw a store selling 'antique' items. I didn't go inside-because I knew that I'd find something that I wanted and it would be sad- since, I didn't have much $ left. I find that for myself, it's best to not go looking around and find something wonderful that I can't buy because I don't have any money left. So, I've learned that as the saying goes: "Ignorance is bliss" can sometimes be true.

As we prepared to cross the highway, we walked by the this shop and I did notice one of those old wooden sleds. I commented on it and said that I'd always wanted to have one- but, being from a state that didn't really do 'sledding' when I was a child- you never saw old sleds for sale anywhere. If it snowed enough; we just used cardboard boxes, old car hoods (my uncle's invention when I was a child and it worked great), things like that. When I was a child, I didn't know anyone who had a sled of any type.

On my return back to the bus; the owner of the shop was there and he spoke to me in English and asked me if I was interested in the sled. I paused and asked how much it was and moments later I saw the previously 'un-noticed' price written in Euro on the sled. It was far more than I had with me and I still had to buy dinner when we stopped along the way during the long 6 hour bus ride back.

I learned how to negotiate prices when I lived in Asia, however, I didn't even have to do any negotiating-since, he started bargining the price on his own. I was able to buy the sled and have enough money left for dinner.

We stashed the old sled under the bus amongst the boxes of Polish Pottery that had been purchased throughout the day. It looked rather unique stored with all of the boxes and was given a lot of admiring glances and questions about where/how I'd found such a nice sled while we were out Polish Pottery shopping.

I placed it in my living room and used it as part of my holiday decorating this winter.

The Power of Music..........

2011-03-31T18:38:00.006+02:00

I'm sure that most of you have songs that once you hear them, they take you immediately back to a different time and/or place or maybe they bring back memories, people, a particular mood, a feeling, situations, events, or perhaps even a moment frozen in time?

One particular song for me is the song: American Pie by Don McClean

It was a hot summer night in the 1970's in Oklahoma and I was about 17 or 18 years old. My date had just brought me home and we were outside, sitting on the hood of my boyfriend's car, talking under the big gnarled old oak tree standing guard in front of my grandmother's house. I lived in the country and the night air was full of crickets chirping the temperature. I can still remember the night full of twinkling stars. Stars just don't seem as bright anymore either.

My boyfriend was very tall; about 6' 4" to my 5' 6 inches. The song American Pie came on the car radio and we were softly singing along with the lyrics. Soon my friend stretched out his hand and we started slow dancing to the music. Everytime I hear that song, I am transported back to that time with my entire world ahead of me... life full of promises and the unknown.

Another song that brings me immediately back to a frozen moment in time, happened the first time that I heard the song. I had moved to the Philippines as an art teacher at Clark Air Force Base in the fall of 1989. It was always hot, muggy, and humid in the Philippines. I lived off-base and I had been on base visiting with a friend. I was driving my little red 1973 Volkswagon Karmann Ghia with the windows down to let some of the night air, which is barely cooler than daytime air, flow through the car. I was driving along the perimeter wall of the base on the road that would wind about and eventually lead me to the main gate turning left to the 'off-base' road and on to my house.

It was August 1, 1990 and this particular night just happened to be the night 'before' it had been announced that war would or wouldn't start in Iraq which later became known as Desert Storm.

I had just driven past my school and was on the curve going down to the area where the road dipped down sharply. There was a bamboo forest located here and the air always seemed very still and eerily quiet. Or maybe I always felt that way since the military guys had found the huge boa constrictor in this area that was featured on the miltiary news one night? It was so large that it was being held up by about 12 men.

I was on the uphill part of the road when a song came on, sung in such a crystal clear voice, with such beautiful stirring words... that I actually started crying. The tears continued to flow unheaded and I finally had to pull my car over until the song was over.

The song which to me had lyrics that were so fitting for our world and a night full of brave young men and women... just waiting to see what the future hours would hold for them... how lives would be forever changed.

The song?

From a Distance by Bette Midler

From a distance the world looks blue and green,
and the snow-capped mountains white.
From a distance the ocean meets the stream,
and the eagle takes to flight.

From a distance, there is harmony,
and it echoes through the land.
It's the voice of hope, it's the voice of peace,
it's the voice of every man.

From a distance we all have enough,
and no one is in need.
And there are no guns, no bombs, and no disease,
no hungry mouths to feed.

From a distance we are instruments
marching in a common band.
Playing songs of hope, playing songs of peace.
They're the songs of every man.
God is watching us. God is watching us.
God is watching us from a distance.

From a distance you look like my friend,
even though we are at war.
From a distance I just cannot comprehend
what all this fighting is for.

From a distance there is harmony,
and it echoes through the land.
And it's the hope of hopes, it's the love of loves,
it's the heart of every man.

It's the hope of hopes, it's the love of loves.
This is the song of every man.
And God is watching us, God is watching us,
God is watching us from a distance.
Oh, God is watching us, God is watching.
God is watching us from a distance

Do you have a song that transports you back to a memory? A person? If so, please share your song.

Signs of spring in Germany?

2011-03-26T08:35:00.007+01:00

These little green mesh fences start sprouting up along the roads along the small ponds, streams, and river banks.

What are they for you might ask? Good question...

So, as the waters begin to thaw along with the frogs who suddenly find that they have a desire to meet other 'unthawed frogs' for some spring time fun... The Germans put up the fences along the roads wherever water does gather... to protect the frogs.

Apparently, it is someone's paid job to check every so often and remove any frogs trapped on one side of the green mesh fence and take these frogs wanting to meet 'frog friends' to the other side of the fence which is where the larger water areas are located.

The little green mesh fences on both sides of the roads... help keep the frogs from being SMASHED on the roads as they try to find frog friends/families.

Eat, Pray, Love

2011-03-24T21:13:00.005+01:00

Some of you might have read the book or have watched the movie based on the book: Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

When my friends and I went to Bali in April 2008, they had both read the book- but, I hadn't (shhh, I still haven't) read it at that time. They were determined that we would find the Medicine Man/ guru that was mentioned in the book so that we could get our fortunes told.

We hired a local guy to help us find this man and drive us to see him. Our tour guy had to ask around a lot and he finally got a lead and off we went. We did manage to found him. He was quite charming. It was a fun adventure and he liked that we were all 3 teachers. He told us that teachers were very important.

Oh my fortune? He told me that I would marry a good man, a man with enough money that we would never have to worry, and he would be a man would would always love me. He did seem to mention something about this man being a good lover too!

All I can say is, "Hey, Ketut, I'm still waiting."

I guess that I should have asked him WHEN??? ha ha

The SUN came out today.... Maybe, MAYBE spring will arrive in Germany SOON?

2011-03-22T21:11:00.003+01:00

The sun shines so rarely in Germany from October until the end of March; that I actually took a photo of one of these rare days of sunshine about 3 months ago.

The endless grey overcast skies really do get to me. You can just sense a lightness in everyone's spirit when the sun breaks through and shines down on us during our long, long, enduring winters. Of course, we are still wearing winter coats around here- so, this one rare sunshiny day does not mean that WINTER IS OVER! I have had a heavy frost on my car windshield 2 out of the previous 5 mornings. I have also noticed a heavy frost on the grounds during my morning drives to work.

I'm going to go and check the progress on my tulips tomorrow. I have planted a variety of tulips during each of my three falls that I have lived here.

The first spring here, after being initially excited to see the tulips that I had planted that fall; I was later quite disappointed to discover that the garden snails deemed some of my tulips as a quite tasty dessert item and devoured them to the ground!

I went to bed early last night and I'm feeling a little better today. I came home from work and made home-made soup for dinner tonight. I'll have plenty for a few other meals too!

I'm sure that most of you have been enjoying spring-like weather for a few weeks now and I hope that we will soon enjoy spring-like weather here too.

Snowfall around here happens from October until the end of April. It has snowed in March and April the three past winters that I've lived here. However, this March, while being cold hasn't been as snowy as the past 2 winters were. YEAH~

Some Days are Like That....

2011-03-21T20:58:00.004+01:00

Tiring.
You feel weary, lack of energy, and consider going to bed super early that night.

It's either tiredness or I'm getting that 'evil' bronchitis or pneumonia again! I was dragging last night too.

*I took the photo in April 2008 while visiting the "Monkey Forest" in Bali. My friends and I also tracked down the guru that was talked about in the book: "Eat, Love, Pray"

Woke up at 5:15am on a SUNDAY

2011-03-20T05:49:00.004+01:00

Why body? WHY?

I tried to go back to sleep. I used all of my life-long tricks to try to fool my body; no lights being turned on, I flipped my body over to the 'other side' which had the added bonus of not having the 'time' on the alarm clock in view, I stuck one leg out from under the covers, I smushed up my pillow, I smoothed out my pillow. Nothing helped.

So, after about 20 minutes I finally gave in and got up.

I guess I should make a list of things to do before work tomorrow:

1. Laundry This is not an easy task in Germany- the wash and dry cycles
take a long, long, long time.

2. Pick up the mess that I made while looking for paperwork yesterday.
I'd love to have just enough money to hire an assistance to take
care of things like paperwork- because, you know that they wouldn't
have to LOOK FOR PAPERWORK and thus wouldn't MAKE A MESS looking
for it in the first place.

3. Write a few emails and a couple of real letters.
I have 2 friends that we only correspond with letters as we have for
the past 21 years. Truthfully, I like getting what I call:
REAL MAIL.

4. Clean out the fridge -Toss anything that is bad or is going
to go bad in the next few days into the 'refuse trash' which I call
the BAD FOOD TRASH that goes in the BLACK CONTAINER that will be
picked up by the 'refuse trash' people on Monday.

*When I first moved here, I had to associate the colors
of the bins w/ the type of trash that goes into the different colored containers.
The refuse trashcan is BLACK and so, I use the term BAD FOOD to help me remember the type of 'trash' that goes into that container. The paper recycle bin is GREEN- so, trees make paper and the leaves are GREEN. The yellow bag trash is made out of YELLOW PLASTIC and the recycle trash that goes inside? Plastics, styrofoam, and foil pieces. Hey, you do what you can when the words written on the sides of the containers, to let you know what goes inside, are written in a foreign language.

*Trash pick up in my little community is limited to once a month for the different types of recycling and the 'bad food' trash is picked up twice a month. So, you don't want to miss any of the recycling days. Not that I would have had any personal experience in having missed the recycle days in the past or ANYTHING like THAT.

5. Cook SOMETHING that I can have for dinner and for lunch at work for a couple of days.

See, I told you it was pretty dull here.

*I'm not going to add 'cleaning up the house' because even living alone... that is something that I have to do on a regular basis. Problem is- I have no one to blame but myself if things are not put back where they belong/etc. Maybe I should start having an 'invisible friend' to blame the messes on- like young children imagine?

I haven't been knitting anything in the past several weeks.

Reason? I woke up one morning with a 'stiff neck' and thought that I had just slept crooked or something like that. Well, as the morning progressed- things got worse and soon I wasn't able to turn my neck in ANY direction. Of course, it would have to happen on a SATURDAY morning, right? I went through pain and no sleeping because of the neck situation until work was over on Monday. After the students left my room for the day, I went down to see one of my teacher friends- who had briefly saw a local physical therapist in the German town near the base. (she'd had knee surgery in the states that summer)

I asked her who she saw and she gave me the location of this guy. I went straight to his office and begged to be seen that AFTERNOON/NIGHT. He agreed to stay late and saw me at 7pm after all of his appointments for the day were over. I found out that he could only give me a neck/shoulder massage without doctor orders for physical theraphy. However, this massage, was enough that I was finally able to sleep for 4 hours that night. It's now been several weeks of therapy and I think that I'm well enough to start a new knitting project... or 'shh' pick up something that isn't finished.

So, what have you been doing? I'm sure much more exciting things than I have been doing.

Famous last words... or I plan to start posting to my blog again real SOON...

2011-03-19T14:54:00.004+01:00

Well, there were several factors that have kept me from posting entries to my blog:

1. I live in the boonies and not much happens... I figure no one wants to hear
about how much snow has fallen each day, right?

2. Super slow Internet compared to what I had in Korea and that makes posting
photos a chore. *Often the photos will time-out while I'm trying to download
them.

3. Since, it had been so long since I had posted anything- I actually forgot my password for accessing my blog and then when I would try to
to figure things out... everything was in GERMAN so 'since
I can't read GERMAN' ... I had a very frustrating time trying to figure out where
and how I could get some help with accessing my blog. The blogspot areas where
you could try to find the different help categories and help w/ blogger were all in GERMAN! I guess
that they (blogspot) could tell that my computer address was in GERMANY - so -
they just assumed that I would want all of my 'messages/areas' in German??

4. Did I mention that not much happens here?

OH, the biggest news that I do have... the LAST OF THE SNOW melted from my yard on March 15. Yes, that is the level of excitement these days.

So, dear readers... is this thing on? AND, is anyone still out there? Are you ready for some more stories, photos, and a knitting project posted every so often?

Yarn, yarn, everywhere YARN...

2010-04-16T18:59:00.012+02:00

Yes, it's true. I knit and I have yarn. Lots of yarn. Lots of nice, soft, beautiful yarns.

My lace yarn collection... *Click on photos for a larger/clearer view

Sock yarn... some brands (Regia) can be found in a couple of the German grocery stores... Can't you see it now? Just buy some yogurt, gummy bears, and some sock yarn and soon you have lots of sock yarn.

My wollmeise yarn collection...

I must admit to a problem with the wollmeise yarns.. it's so pretty.. that I seem to be frozen searching for the perfect pattern to make the yarn shine as it should.

Acrylic yarns for toys, ornaments, baby gifts (sometimes) etc.

AND.. I have more yarn that I didn't photograph. Yes, I need to get busy knitting.

However, almost everything that I knit is gifted to others. I knew that- but, until I was looking at some photos of items that I had knitted in the past couple of years.. I didn't realize how much I did knit for others..(and most of the time- I forget to take photos of what I knit before I give it away) so, I have decided.. that I really, really need to make some changes. I deserve some of the knitted yummyness. I will appreciate it- after all I know how much time it takes to knit something.

So, here is my plan...

Baby knitted gifts, retirement gifts, and milestone birthday knitted gifts are allowed exceptions. Otherwise, I really, really am going to try to knit items for myself.

Of course, prior to coming up with my new decision.. I had knitted some long neck bunnies that I'm going to felt..

and a couple of knitted cat toys that I'll give to the human owners..
A donut and a felted mouse.

I did go through my yarn stash and I found this nice tweedy yarn that I had bought in Italy when I lived there about 10 years ago.. I love this color.

I did start knitting a cardigan with it.. the yarn does seem scratchy though. I'm going to knit a swatch and wash/dry it and see if I can get it to soften up with a wash.

Does anyone else have this same problem? You find that you knit almost only for others? I enjoy knitting for others.. but, darn it.. I'd enjoy some knitted items too.

Hello, SPRING BREAK....

2010-04-15T08:07:00.008+02:00

I had plans of traveling to Istanbul for a few days, or maybe even seeing the local sites..

However, the reality is.. I still have bronchitis and I was still too sick to spend big bucks to fly somewhere and not feel like doing anything once I arrived. I figured that I could save the $ and stay at home doing that- plus, I had another doctor's appointment that I couldn't miss anyway.

I'm slowly getting better... I finally made a chart so that I can remember to take the 4 different inhalers and the prescribed 'pills' for the actual lung illness at the right times.

I decided that my job for this spring break was to simply do a lot of resting and try to get well.. or at the best best.. a rested body will certainly be able to get well faster than.. not missing work, even while sick, because it was the end of a grading period.

At least, I'm not as sick as I was last winter.. I had pneumonia for 4 months and as you can imagine.. not fun.. and is draining for weeks/months afterwards. *Which was one of the reasons.. I wasn't posting much on my blog last year. (not counting the 3 months it took to get phone/internet service installed in my house)

Ok, I did go and do one fun thing.. On Saturday, a friend and I went on an adventure and found a couple of glass places that I had been taken to last year. MY friend is moving in June and I wanted her to have a chance to see this place. Apparently, there are stores and stores that produce and sell glass pieces for miles and miles.. but, I only had the energy to go to the two shops that are only a mile apart. **Of course, we ran out of money anyway.. so, it didn't matter if we'd both wanted to continue shopping.

Here is what you find on the grassy area when you arrive. A glass fence...

An owl tree.. they did have another 'just birds' tree..

And, doesn't everyone need a glass peacock on their lawn? Much quieter than the live peacocks and almost as pretty.

HAPPY EASTER.. or.. subtitle "YOU WANT HOW MUCH TO MAIL THIS SMALL PACKAGE?"

2010-04-04T09:54:00.008+02:00

I've lived overseas now for 20 years in various countries around the world. Many of my USA friends are also school teachers. I have often sent little 'holiday' gifts to them from my travels or cute little local tokens of cute, neat, unusual things that I've found for holidays.

This year, I decided to knit everyone something for Easter. Ok, the first plan was to knit a little 'nest' and fill it with a knitted egg, two, or three and a knitted animal.. chicken, bunny, or some other typical Spring time or Easter animal.

The problem seemed to be something called: TIME

I made one little nest... and it took an entire night to knit it.. I thought.. "Humm, this knitting a little nest for everyone on my list just isn't going to work out." So, I decided to just knit the eggs and the little knitted animals instead.

Here are some eggs.. Problem is.. even they took more time that I thought was reasonable..

Can you see a theme? My desire to knit yarny cuteness is bigger than the reality of time.

So, now my new plan was just to knit and knit and see what I can finish in a two week period. I also just happened upon some cute little metal plates with adorable bunny paintings on them in a local German grocery store. I decided to buy those and use them instead of the 'knitted nests' that I had hoped to knit.

Once I realized that Easter was a week sooner than I thought it was.. Yes, I know, I know.. I really do need a new calendar.

Update: I have a new calendar to hang on the wall.

Due to my shortened knitting time allowance.. 2 weeks vs the 3 weeks that I thought that I had available- Last week, it was time to wrap everything up to take it to the post-office on base (AN AMERICAN POST OFFICE mind you) and mail my little Easter goodies to my friends in the states.

I had all my packages wrapped, labeled, and custom's forms filled out. I went to the counter and discovered that I now had two problems..

1. They had changed the little 'easy to fill out' green custom's form on me. It is now this multi-layered, many copies, very detailed form that you have to fill out. So, I was sent to the back of the room to 're-fill-out' the new custom's forms for all of my packages. Sigh

I got the forms filled out.. get back into the now very long line, then I finally make it to the front of the line again.. with my 5 very lightweight packages and the newly filled out custom's forms.

2. Once the first package was weighed, I discovered that they (USA Postal Office) have raised the rates.. apparently a LOT for small packages!!

BECAUSE.. my tiny package of one tiny little 4 inch tall bunny and one very lightweight metal plate.. (costing only $1.50 to purchase) was going to cost $8.75 to mail!!! EACH!!!

YIKES!! Now, I don't have enough money to mail all 5 packages.. oh no.. I now have enough money to mail maybe 2 or at best 3 of the packages!

So, I opted not to mail anything.. I grabbed some of the 'flat rate boxes' and later I will stuff the flat rate boxes, that I will mail at a later date 'full' of other goodies. A couple of the boxes will also have birthday gifts included in the boxes.

*I'm having difficulties with blogger uploading my photos.. so, after trying for over an hour.. I have given up trying to post photos of all of the little knitted goodies.

I'm sorry that my boxes full of Easter cuteness is going to be a little late.. but, know that I did have good intentions. Does that help?

Spring... when a gal's heart turns to: WOLLMEISE

2010-03-30T20:47:00.006+02:00

The month's long winter snows seemed safely past us... I was ready for something bright, exciting, and inspiring. So, I asked another friend to join me for a train outing to get some more Wollmeise yarn from Claudia's shop. My friend doesn't knit.. but, I did entice her to join me with the promise of checking out the local Saturday market in the town square after yarn shopping and lunch at a wonderful place that I know on the town square. I might have also mentioned stopping by to check out the Easter Market in Nuremberg before we went back towards our part of Germany.

So, we got the Bavarian Pass and headed off to the small city that shelters the wonders known as Wollmeise. *If you want more information about the shop and my first visit -- I do have another entry on my blog.. just look for the Wollmeise entry. I am fortunate to only be about 3 hours away from Claudia's shop (one way) and I have been there several times.

I had also knitted a little egg out of cotton yarn. Once I arrived and was greeted by Claudia.. I gave her the little striped egg and Claudia promptly placed it a flower pot in her Spring/Easter display. The egg looked so cute in the display. I totally forgot to take a photo- but, It's the egg on the top in the photo. *If you click on the photos- you'll see a much larger image.

Claudia took me around the shop showing me all of the new colors since I'd last visited the shop. I wanted almost each and every skein. If only.. I had enough $$ to buy all that caught my eye. I had a big pile of dazzling skeins spread out on the couch.. and I finally managed to cull the large collection of skeins that had caught my eye to a more manageable amount to better match the EURO in my wallet.

The big hunk of lace yarn that I bought.. doesn't this just look like the sea? It does to me- I used to live in Okinawa, Japan and the water was blue like this..

If you've never been to the shop.. it is well worth the visit. I feel like the yarn displayed in the wooden cubbies looks just like a new box of yarn crayons just waiting for someone to use them to create knitted treasures, gifts, and lovelies.

I did buy a couple of skeins to knit for gifts. One skein.. might be a gift.. if I can bear to give it away.

ahh spring returns to Bavaria...

2010-03-28T13:06:00.013+02:00

The snow piles finally begin to melt.

Spring/Easter decorations begin to appear outside shops...

Spring flowers are sold in the markets...

And the tulips that I planted last year have started sprouting...

And what do I see here? Some tiny blooming bulbs.. that I had planted last year..

I'm sorry that I haven't posted lately.. but, I've been sick with bronchitis for a few weeks. However, I'm happy to say that I'm not nearly as sick as I was last year (one reason that I wasn't posting much last year) when I had pneumonia for 3 months and fever every day for 4 months.

See, I do knit 'sometimes'...

2010-03-09T22:04:00.006+01:00

This yarn has long stripes of color.. but, I love the cool 'pooling' that happened on the cuff area of the hat. I took an 'inside' view of the hat so you can see the bands of color on the hat cuff area. I made the hat like this- so, that the baby can wear it turned up when it is small and then as the baby grows (maybe even next winter?) the hat can be worn with the cuff pulled down to fit a larger sized head. The ribbing will stretch and fit the baby for a while.

A baby shower gift for a co-worker. The yarn is RED HEART Kids.

The hat pattern? I made it up.

The booties? A free bernat pattern. No official name on the pattern- however, this is the information found at the top of the bootie pattern. Bernat Handicrafter Cotton Bernat Satin Baby Booties (to Knit). Just go to:

www.bernat.com and click on free patterns, booties, or baby and you'll find the same pattern.

March 8, 2010...

2010-03-08T19:16:00.004+01:00

Lookie here.. an unusual sight: No, not the snow in March.. but, the SUNSHINE.. do you see the shadows? The sun actually came out for awhile yesterday. Pretty unusual.. I took a photo because it was so unusual.

What can I say? 4 inches of snow or more on the ground and it was 7*F when I drove to work this morning.

It snowed off and on today. I had outside crosswalk duty today (and the rest of the week too)... not good when someone missed most of last week because they had bronchitis. I'm working on getting someone else to do my duty for me this week and then I'll do it for them another time later in the year -- when I'm not sick.

However, I am happy to report that it is finally much lighter in the morning when I drive to work and it doesn't get dark at 4:30pm now.

Now... can we start having "NO SNOW" and warmer weather please?

Ok, I'll admit it.. I DO NOT LIKE 6 month long winters. There, I've said it.. I feel much better.. still don't like the dark, dreary, cold, dismal winters.. but, at least.. we are in the month of March and surely it will get warmer soon, right? RIGHT?

Freaky weather Part 2

2010-03-04T16:49:00.005+01:00

Picture it..

Bavaria, Germany at 4:30pm.. date: March 4, 2010.

*Why do I feel like I'm in an episode of: THE GOLDEN GIRLS and have an urge to grab a handbag and put it on my arm??

The sun is brightly shining.. no, that's not the 'freaky' part.. (even though it is quite unusual)... no, the freaky weather part.. is..

THE SUN WAS SHINING and SNOWING at the same time!

At first, when I looked out the window, I thought that the sun had suddenly warmed and awakened all the little flying bugs or those little fuzzy things that float in the air in the summertime... but, I looked closer and I realized that what was floating in the air outside the 2nd story window was SNOW and the sun was still shining brightly.

I went downstairs to get my camera to see if I could take a photo of the latest in WEIRD GERMANY weather.

The sun continued to shine brightly.. during the 15 minutes of unexpected snowfall.

Before I found my camera, the snow had been quite heavy and it is a little difficult to see the falling snow 'due' to the bright sunshine.. but, I think that you might be able to see some of the snowflakes?

Sure do hope that spring is beginning to warm your corner of the world.. after all.. the calendar does indeed say: MARCH

We have had over a week of above freezing temps and a few days of sunshine.. and I'm happy to report that most of the snowfall that has been on the ground for weeks and weeks has finally melted. OF course, the huge snow mountains of shoveled snow will take longer to disappear.

Freak "SLEET" BLIZZARD

2010-03-01T18:55:00.003+01:00

March 1... the beginning of warmer weather for some... spring just around the corner and all that...

Except apparently not here.. in my little corner of BAVARIA, GERMANY!

This morning, I left for work at my usual time.. it was 'sort of sprinkling'.. not enough to worry about with an umbrella. I started the Jeep and drove away. By the time that I was on the main highway... it had started sleeting and raining..

Within moments.. it was sleeting heavy! I mean.. so heavy that the road was white (and getting slick), the hood of the Jeep was solid white, and I had the windshield wipers on full blast.. but, it still wasn't fast enough to remove the sleet from the windows so that I could see!!!

I drove for about 8 miles in this freak 'sleet blizzard'... turned off this highway onto the next highway and the last 4-5 miles of my route to work.

In less than a mile.. the sleet stopped, the roads were dry, and the gauge on the Jeep's dash showed that the outside temperatures had now crept above freezing.

Very surreal.. is the best description that I can give because.. Within 2 miles the sun was shining (very unusual for Germany at this time of the year) and no evidence that a freak 'sleet blizzard' had ever happened.

2010 Carnevale in Venice, Italy

2010-02-27T07:47:00.006+01:00

People are there in amazing costumes.. posing for photographs. It's not a drunken brawl or anything.. of course, I don't know what happens there after sunset... during Carnevale.

It's a blah day... I'm in a 'meh' type of mood...

2010-02-21T11:53:00.005+01:00

Could it be because.. I spent over an hour shoveling the new snow (only 4 inches this time) off of the balcony? And, just as I was finishing.. it started snowing 'AGAIN'

However, I did feel kind of 'winter daring' to go out on the balcony in shoes without socks and wearing only a jacket. I also knew that I'd get hot pretty fast beating on the frozen snow, to break it up, with my pretty blue plastic snow shovel too.

Then, I chopped up some frozen snow on part of the sidewalk in front of my house.

Truthfully, I'm just really tired of the snow.. The snow that is currently on the ground has been there for weeks! It just gets deeper with each snowfall. I'm tired of seeing snow everywhere I look. I'm tired of the white, gray, and dismal skies.

I really think that 6 months of winter is just too long for my inner peace of mind. I already knew that I wasn't a big fan of winter.. I don't mind a couple of snowfalls per year. However, I do need to experience the gentle warmth of sunshine here and there. Sunshine seems to help - at least, I think so. Germany just doesn't have sunshine in the winter time ... except on rare, rare occasions. I mean it is so rare.. that people will comment about the SUNSHINE.. even carrying the comments over to a day or so after the rare bout of sunshine. Let me put it this way, you have no need to wear sunglasses in Germany in the winter.

Do you ever have those 'meh/blah' kind of days? Where 'even though you know it isn't true'.. that the rest of the world is probably having exciting days, fun weekends full of plans, a clean and organized home, clothing all ironed and put away in nice neatly folded stacks, no dying plants, and they also have a frost free freezer with an automatic ice dispenser?

I did finish up a knitted baby hat for an upcoming baby shower. I'd show you a photo- but, my camera battery is dead.. yes, it died on my way back from my Italy trip on Monday night.. yes, only 6 nights ago.. have I remembered to re-charge the battery yet? No, but.. I'm sure that those people with the 'exciting lives' would have already done so! ha ha

I don't experience days like this very often.. but, I always think that they are an indicator that your spirit is unsettled, it needs change, either that or I need enough money to hire a housekeeper! :D

*PS The photograph of the painting was in the entryway of a big fancy restaurant that my 'tour group' went to for a great lunch last week. I do have a funny story to tell about that meal.. and I will tell it.. once the 'blah mood' lifts.

PSS.. It is now snowing heavy. Sigh

Is it any wonder why I LOVE ITALY???

2010-02-19T20:25:00.005+01:00

ahhh... Italy in February...

2010-02-17T19:04:00.005+01:00

is wonderful... Ok, Italy any month of the year is also wonderful.

I left the Grafenwohr area last Thursday night.. the temperature was 20*F and when our group arrived in Italy, early Friday morning, it was sunny and almost 50*F.

I tried.. but, I still didn't sleep on the way there.. I have never been able to sleep on any plane, bus, train, or any other form of public transportation.

We arrived early on Friday, dropped our luggage off in the hotel lobby (too early to check-in) and caught the train to Venice.

I hadn't been to northern Italy.. in ten years. My visit was long past due. Our tour group (a tour sponsored by the base's Morale Welfare and Recreation Department) was full of military members, their spouses or family members, and other civilians working for the US Government on either of the two Army military bases in my area.

We left the dark and dreay German snowy winter and arrived to beautiful blue skies, sunshine, much warmer temperatures, and no snow on the ground. It was also nice not having to wear gloves while we were there. Of course, I totally forgot to bring my sunglasses along.

Here are a few photos of one of my favorite cities in the world: VENICE

(click on photos for a larger view)
By the way, I'm not sure if you knew it or not.. but, cars are NOT ALLOWED in Venice.. you have to walk everywhere!!!

I took so many photos that my battery died on the way home. Check back often to see additional photos.

Since, the snow isn't leaving anytime soon... I'm running away from the snow...

2010-02-10T18:31:00.007+01:00

If everything goes ok.. I'll be in Italy by Friday.. for a few days. I'm leaving on Thursday night.. riding a bus all night long.. (oh boy.. that should be a lot of fun- Try as I might, I don't sleep on public transportation) and we'll be in northern Italy early Friday morning.

Soon.. I'll be in just a NORMAL WINTER location.. and maybe some sunshine?? I can only hope, right?

I'll be going to some of the places that I used to visit and also very close to where I lived for 3 years before I moved from there ten years ago.

WHY you ask?

1. Too much snow here
2. It's my birthday on Monday the 15th (isn't it nice that others get to be
off work on my birthday this year too.. just trying to share my own
birthday in a way that will be appreciated by the most people.. I figure that
getting the day off from work.. is a good start, right?)
3. TOO MUCH SNOW.. I need some blue skies..

Update: IT started snowing again this morning about 6am.. and it has snowed all day long... ALL DAY.. fine mist snow.. = slick roads

Yep, it's still winter...

2010-02-09T21:05:00.004+01:00

Last week, the weather forecast was for a blizzard! And, I did get almost 7 more inches of snow in one night. You know it's not a good sign.. when you open the front door and the winter snowman on the front porch.. looks COLD!

*I did feel so sorry for him.. that I brought him inside to get the snow off of him and to thaw him out.. I realize that he's just a cute little stuffed fabric snowman.. but, he just looked pitiful.

Local winter trees... pretty as long as you don't think about all the snow that you have to shovel.

The view out my living room windows.. about 20 inches or more of snow is on the ground. Nice wintery looking sunset.. rarely happens though- mostly it is just gray and dismal here.. but, I thought that this was a nice view of the pretty side of winter.... of course, enjoyed from the warm comfort of the inside of my house.

A brighter winter sunset.. taken maybe in December?

It's FRIDAY NIGHT, you just finished eating dinner with friends, you walk outside and notice that ONCE AGAIN IT IS SNOWING!!!

2010-02-05T20:43:00.005+01:00

So, what do you do? You stop at the local grocery store to pick up a few essentials, of course..

So, what are the essentials that you should buy at the GERMAN GROCERY STORE.. to help you cope with ANOTHER WEEKEND of snow??

Greek honey yogurt, gummy bears, and some new sock yarn...

I know, I know.. some people buy: chips, toilet paper, and sodas for upcoming snowstorms.

Now, if I just had someone to shovel all the snow.. I'd be set.

I'd only want someone to shovel the snow for me PURELY for the reason that if someone else shoveled the snow.. it would give me more time to knit for others.. You believe that, right??

No more snow!!! NO MORE SNOW!!

2010-01-31T16:33:00.006+01:00

Enough.. is enough.. It has snowed constantly for 3 days/nights. I'm pretty sure that if I could walk in my back yard.. that it would be about 20 inches or maybe even more?

I just know that I have an upstairs window that opens onto the sharply slanted roof.. and I did take my 12 inch long plastic ruler and stick it in the snow.. let's just say.. that not only did the blue plastic ruler disappear but.. my fingers also disappeared and the ruler still hadn't touched the terra cotta roof!

Can you find the hidden stairs? There are 12 of them leading to the below ground level patio area... under all of that snow.
The snow isn't as heavy at the bottom of the photo- because that area is protected by a roof overhang.. however, the snow at the balcony railing? That is how deep it really is.. and you'll notice that the snow is almost to the bottom of the patio chairs.

It seems like I forgot that I had a blog, right?

2009-12-22T20:08:00.003+01:00

In a way.. I did. Life has been busy.. and it seems like I had nothing to write about, nothing exciting to share, and no photos to share.. (darn slow Internet here)... that made it difficult to share the photos that I did take.. however,

SOME GOOD NEWS.. I have been out and every weekend since Thanksgiving and now that I am winter break from teaching.. I do have a lot to share. So, look for upcoming updates in the near future.

Weather: SNOW on the ground

Locations that I've visited... or lived...

2009-10-31T16:02:00.002+01:00

visited 26 states (11.5%)
Create your own visited map of The World

I found this map... and thought it would be interesting to fill out the different locations. Europe seems pretty empty and a few other regions.. I guess I need to get busy visiting? Of course.. visiting other locations take takes money, doesn't it? A minor detail... but, a big one! :D

CLUES that IT might be time to stop the gift knitting...

2009-10-20T21:35:00.006+02:00

I've been working off and on knitting some of my Christmas gifts. I only have one gift 100% completed... Here it is...

This was knitted out of a pretty royal blue mohair yarn.. for a nice elderly lady that I know in southern Oklahoma. I thought that it would keep her warm and be nice to not have to worry about the ends of her scarf coming undone while she was out doing errands or working in the yard.

Last night, I opened up one of my photo files on my computerand as I scanned the photos.... I noticed something very familiar... very, very familiar...

Yes, you are seeing that right.. it is the exact same scarf, in the exact same yarn, knitted in the exact same color.. and dare I admit it? Already knitted and gifted to the same person... YES, the same person.. that I had knitted and planned to gift this 2009 version to... sigh *At least, I noticed the duplication before I mailed the scarf to Oklahoma.

I do have just enough yarn left to knit some gloves or mittens. At least, I won't have to worry if the colors will match.. since, I know that the yarn is a perfect match to the scarf that she already has... :D

I mean.. it's bad enough to give the exact same purchased gift to someone...

.. but, honestly.. to KNIT THE EXACT SAME ITEM, OUT OF THE EXACT SAME YARN, IN THE EXACT SAME COLOR? and plan to give it to the exact same person???

Say it ain't so...

2009-10-18T12:32:00.008+02:00

Last Wednesday morning, I walked outside to my car, ready to drive to work. I walked outside without a jacket or coat- since.. it hadn't been cold up to this point- just early morning chilly-ness.

AND.. what did I see? *Notice the red roses in the background?

Not only the first frost of the year.. but, a light dusting of actual snowflakes. I opened up the door, put in my purse and my lunch.. and grabbed the now very cold cotton cloth thin jacket that I had left in the car the day before- because of the rain... and I started digging around for the ice scraper from the last time that I had used it in March.

The next morning, Thursday, I looked out my classroom window and I had to do a double take.. it was snowing.. not only snowing but the snow was already sticking on the blacktop, the grass, and the rooftops visible from my classroom. It snowed all day long and when I got home.. I still had a few reminders of the first snowfall of the upcoming winter season....Look at the roses now!

It also snowed all day on Friday... and it sleeted for about 30 minutes on Sunday afternoon.

Good news... my snow tires are on my Jeep now.. but, truthfully.. I just never, ever thought that I'd ever live where I needed snow tires. :D

Now, that I'm home.. from the Polish Pottery dish shopping adventure

2009-09-24T19:10:00.005+02:00

I wish that I had bought these items....

Polish Pottery Shopping

2009-09-22T18:24:00.009+02:00

We stopped at many different places.. sometimes an area would have up to 6 different shops and truthfully.. I didn't go into all of them. There was just too much to see- and it sometimes took quite awhile to get waited on.. standing in line with the others from the bus who had made purchases.. (only 1 person ringing up purchases and wrapping up the pottery).. so, sometimes.. I only went into a couple of stores.. because of spending so much time waiting in line.. (we were only given a certain amount of time per bus stop- but, it was plenty of time to shop.. trust me!)

I can appreciate the newer painting styles and colors.. but, I will admit that I am drawn to the traditional blue patterns. I had already purchased some polish pottery casserole dishes and other pieces when I lived in northern Italy about 12 years ago. So, I also only purchased the blue and white patterns so that they would 'mix and match' nicely with other pieces that I already owned.

Some of the newer styles...

I'll be posting photos of what I did buy soon...

This weekend, I went to POLAND and bought..

2009-09-21T18:39:00.006+02:00

Polish Pottery.. of course!

I went on a trip arranged through the base. The cost was $59.00 for a long, long, long bus ride. We departed at 12:30am.. on what was officially 'Saturday' early morning. I don't sleep on public transportation. I wish I could- but, I just can't.
Yet, in my eternal optimism- I did bring a pillow 'just in case' this was the first time in my life that I went to sleep on public transportation.

Of course, I didn't and there I was BORED.. BORED. Everyone on the bus was asleep.. no snoring.. all females on the bus except for the bus drivers. Not to say that females don't snore- but, you know what I mean.. women don't USUALLY SNORE or snore loudly.

I didn't want to turn the light on for my seat and read, knit, or make shadow puppets. No, I kept trying to go to sleep... and it was useless.

We had a 30 minute rest stop, about 3:30am. Nothing was open and many of us bought ice-cream bars.. the only option at 3:30am. We had to pay to use the toilets.. at the autobahn rest stop.. about 50 euro or about 80 cents (USA).

Now, the toliet had quite an interesting feature.. automatic cleaning of the seat.. here it is in action.. see the tiny stream of water?

Well, I was about to open the door and before I walked out of the stall- I was amazed when the toliet seat rotated around in a circle.. see how the oval is wider now?

Yes, I was in the public pay toilet taking photos... what else was I to do? Of course, if you've read my blog for very long.. you know that this isn't the first toilet photo either. :D

We arrived about 6:30am to this tiny town on the highway. I'm sure that there was more 'town' somewhere.. but, all we saw were 4 buildings.

Click on the photo and you can read the name of the town that we stopped in. There were 2 polish pottery places across the street from each other.

*Darn it... The photo downloading isn't co-operating with me. I'll publish more photos tomorrow.

Behold the POWER of the YELLOW BAG!!

2009-09-12T12:00:00.007+02:00

WHITE GARBAGE bag inside the YELLOW BAG

In Germany where I live, there are very specific 'garbage pick up rules'... I left Seoul, Korea, a year ago, with twice weekly recycling garbage pickup of any type of trash that you'd possibly have. It just had to be placed in the correct recycling bins.

TO...my new home with once a month paper pick up, twice a month 'refuse trash' or as I call it: Bad food and once a month 'yellow bag' trash.

Yellow bag.. trash consists of: plastics, Styrofoam, pieces of aluminium foil. There is no arrangement for the pick up of: cans, glass, or cardboard boxes.

I continued using the American kitchen trash bags in 3 plastic kitchen trash cans.. to help sort the trash and keep it divided up in the proper categories of: PAPER, aluminium cans (even if I don't know where to toss them- I know that they don't go in the trash that does get picked up and putting them in their own bag helps), and of course the yellow bag trash.

When I first moved here.. I asked my landlord where to get the 'yellow plastic bags' for the yellow bag trash. HE gave me a few and they did last a long time- since, this trash is only picked up ONCE A MONTH! I would simply lift up the white kitchen trash can plastic bag from the 'yellow bag' trash can.. and slip it inside the provided PLASTIC YELLOW BAG.

However, recently... I ran out of the YELLOW BAGS for YELLOW BAG TRASH DAY. I asked around and no one knew where to get them either or they told me that they'd been given regular amounts from their landlords, or they just put the trash out in the regular American plastic garbage bags and that the trash guys had taken their 'trash' and left them the much needed plastic yellow bags.

So, that is what I did. However, apparently.. the trash guys in my town.. follow the rules a bit more stringently. They left my nicely tied white plastic regular kitchen trash bags... on my yard to wait for the next month's yellow bag trash pick-up day.. but, they did at least leave me a roll of the REQUIRED PLASTIC YELLOW BAG TRASH BAGS.

So, apparently.. that plastic 'yellow bag' wrapped around the nice, clean, white plastic garbage bag.. lets the trash men know that THE PLASTIC YELLOW BAG is TRASH.. but, a plain PLASTIC WHITE TRASH BAG??.. well, clearly it could be just anything.. but,apparently trash and must be left behind.

So, the lesson is: THE PLASTIC YELLOW BAG HAS POWER... the WHITE PLASTIC TRASH BAG does not!

Newsflash! I made a pair of real socks to fit a human...

2009-09-07T07:52:00.013+02:00

It all started with this yarn:

I first made a pair of fuzzy feet... (pattern can be found on line) that I discussed in a previous post. Pre-felting..

Felted..

Then, I knitted some little sock ornaments. I have made more since this photo using a variety of little sock ornament patterns.

And.. eventually after knitting what seemed like forever.. I had a pair of socks. I was even able to knit the stripes/colors to match on both socks. On one side, near the ankle, there is a small smattering of red stitches.. and I was amazed that the yarn did the exact same thing in the exact same place on the other sock too.

Goodbye summer

2009-09-04T21:03:00.005+02:00

We've just finished our first week of school for the new term. The little first graders were so cute this week.. telling me that they were 'not little kindergartners now- but, that they were big first graders!'

Here is a little straw fella that was posted at the city limits this summer. I never had my camera or either had a car right on my bumper so I wasn't able to take the photo for some time. I was sad to see one day that someone actually 'knocked him down'... but, he was finally righted and is still standing proudly welcoming all to Grafenwohr, Germany.
I do believe that the little sign at the straw fella's feet.. is a message in German to NOT KNOCK THE STRAW MAN DOWN or something to that effect?

The mornings have already started getting darker- just this week... oh no.. tell me we aren't entering the 'dark season of leaving the house in the dark and coming home in the dark' already! =:O

My first afghan!

2009-08-24T11:37:00.008+02:00

I have known how to knit for what seems like forever but, I've just never knitted an afghan- I just couldn't imagine working forever on one project! I've had many friends request that I knit them an afghan- but, I'd always tell them.. "I love you, but...I don't love anyone that much!" And, truthfully, I sort of meant it too. ha ha

However, last year in the yarn market of Seoul, Korea, I found this amazing self changing tweedy yarn. I knitted up what I now know is the log cabin square- I was just using the quilt concept of a log cabin square and no pattern. I loved how the yarn slowly changed colors so that it looked like I had changed the colors for various knitted sides.

I showed the squares to Lisa, my friend and knitting student at the time, how the squares looked knitted up. She loved the way that the squares looked and decided that she wanted some of the yarn too. So, off we went to the yarn market and eventually purchased 3 different color ways and then split up the cost and the skeins so that we'd each have a larger variety of colors.

I knitted and knitted on the squares and I even took the wool yarn with me on a trip to Cambodia and there I discovered that 'feltable wool, humidity, and high temperatures found in a tropical jungle location' were not a good mix. THE WOOL FELTED IN THE SKEIN!

I had to interrupt my knitting last spring, summer, and even into the early fall, on the log cabin squares - because of torn tendons in my right hand. Once my hand was well- it was time to knit some Christmas gifts. However, I've recently been able to finish the remaining squares (far more than show in the photo) and I'm now in the process of seaming the squares together.

While I enjoyed knitting my first afghan.. I don't want anyone to get any ideas that I might knit one for you.

I plan to knit strips of the dark blue between the knitted squares- just like a quilt.

Oh happy day.. No longer will it look like the Clampet's came for a visit on wash day..

2009-08-21T07:18:00.006+02:00

The German appliances are loaned to us from the military... My dryer never has worked well. The longest cycle is 1 hour and 57 minutes and my clothes would still be wet damp. I could run them through the cycle 2x.. yes, that's 3 hours and 54 minutes and my clothing would still be SO WET that they had to be put on a drying rack to dry for 4-6 hours (summer) to a day or so (winter).

I had reported the problem two times. I had someone come and check the dryer two times. They (The GERMAN man who was the manager of the appliances) basically told me that 'that's just the way it is'... that the German washing machines didn't spin the clothing as fast/hard as the American washing machines did.. so, the clothing was just 'wetter' when it went into the dryer anyway. *I told him that that might be true.. but, clothing should be dry after 3 hours and 54 minutes in the dryer!! =:O

I reminded them that I always clean the lint trap and dump the water container out after each load. I'd been doing what I could to help the dryer do the job. *The dryers work on a different principle than stateside dryers do... you have a container that collects the water removed from the clothing in the dryer. You pull this 'container' out and dump the water out.

They told me that they just didn't have any more dryers available at this time.

Last week, I came home to find a note from the appliance people to call them to make arrangements for a dryer delivery. I called and it was delivered yesterday. IT IS BRAND NEW!

Yes, as soon as the delivery guys left.. I went upstairs to get some dirty clothing from the clothes hamper, washed them, and put them in the new dryer as soon as the long washing cycle was completed.

Doing the.. "I can dry my clothing and don't have to dry my shirts and pillowcases draped over the back of my patio chairs when I run out of room on the drying rack" HAPPY DANCE!!

Color: White I don't think that there is another choice- but, that's OK!

On the other hand, I really did enjoy the nice outdoor fresh smell on my sheets.. humm

TIP # 351: Never send an email w/out being fully awake

2009-08-16T08:29:00.009+02:00

Just check out: www.postsecret.com for August 16 *I think that they change their secrets weekly.

I looked at the site this morning... (someone had told me about the site) and while some 'secrets' are to put it one way.. a little more blunt.... after all they are actual secrets that others have mailed in anonymously, right? And, some secrets are secrets for a reason. I also found some were funny, endearing, and even sad.

Anyway... I found one about a school teacher. So, since it is the start of school for all my teacher friends - I went through my address book and did a copy/paste of the photo and sent it to every teacher that I know... some now retired, etc.

WHAT I DIDN'T KNOW WAS several of the secrets were also copied not just the funny teacher secret that I wanted to send to my friends. You can see where this is going, right?

AND.. yes, after I sent the email.. I went through the 'sent file' and that is when I discovered that not only was the secret that I wanted to send.. sent but, several secrets prior to that innocent, funny, put you in a good mood for the beginning of the new year... teacher secret were also sent.

The title of the email? Ok, who sent their secret to postsecret.com???

Curious? Think, oh.. it couldn't be that bad.. could it... well, here you go.. this is the first secret that was posted...

Cute? Not bad..

Here's the only postsecret that I meant to send in my email:

Now, you see why I was inspired to do an immediate 'copy/paste' and email that image to my friends, co-workers, and even former teachers and principals?

Ok, now... just go on to www.postsecret.blogspot.com or even just www.postsecret.com

and check out the images that were between these two images, posted here, that I accidently sent in my email.. but, you have to do it before the upcoming weekend.

And, I assure you .. YOU WILL LAUGH AT ME ... yes, at me and I won't blame you one bit. Sigh...

At least this is the first time that I've sent something in an email that I didn't mean to send.. it was bound to happen at some point, right? RIGHT?

Psst.... wanna see Italy?

2009-08-12T06:51:00.008+02:00

Well, I've lived in two different locations in Italy and it is by far my favorite country overall. Each place you live has unique qualities that you miss when you leave... but, to me.. Italy is one of those places that is exactly as you had imagined it in your mind. I felt kin to the generations of the past as I'd walk along the worn cobblestones and marble sidewalks. Many buildings in the area were 200-800 years old.

When my storage shipment arrived this summer... a few of my Italian treasures did too.

This is the baker's rack that was made for me by the same man who made my wrought iron bed that couldn't be brought up the narrow turns on my German staircase. See the metal box in the floor? That's a transformer and it has to be used to plug a 110 (American wattage) electrical item so that it can be used in a 220 voltage home in Europe. It makes a humm when it's being used. The transformer gets plugged into the wall and then there are outlets on the front of the transformer to plug in the American appliances/etc. *I have to use one of these in my 'entertainment room' (uh, office for those who want to be traditional). *And, yes.. it does use more electricity when you use the transformer.

The chicken pitchers on the top (I have more of them too) are from all the little towns in Northern Italy where I lived the first time I moved to Italy. Each town makes their own 'chicken pitcher' design. It is the traditional gift to give to someone when they move into a new home.

The hand painted tiles on the back of the baker's rack were from a small town along the Amalfi Coast that I found before I moved away from Italy the last time. The painted scene is of the little town as seen from the train station.

Some of my polish pottery is on the rack too- but, I think it goes well with the Italian ceramics too. On the shelf, right below the marble top, (which I requested to be the Italian Green Marble from the man who made the rack) are my hand painted dishes that were made for me in Nove in northern Italy. *click on the photos for a larger/clearer view

I just loved this candlestick holder when I found it in that little Amalfi coast town. I like a touch of whimsy here and there.

Close up of the fruit plates. I had found this tiny shop.. (a room in a house) with a small amount of ceramics for sale. I had purchased a vase and pitcher in this same design- but, it was all that they had in this beautiful fruit design. Finally, I made them understand with drawing plates/etc. and the fruit designs and pointing back and forth to the vase and the drawing.. that I wanted them to do the same painting on a set of dishes. The fruits painted on the vase and pitcher was the most beautiful of any hand painted ceramics that I ever saw in Italy and I just knew that they'd be beautiful on a set of dishes.

They finally understood and I paid the money due and would return in a month's time. Aren't they amazing? Funny part: THEY DID NOT STAMP the DISHES MADE IN ITALY or sign the artwork. Reason? I'm here now and would know that they were made in Italy- because they made them for me. The 'made in Italy' stamp is for items that might not stay in Italy.

Hand painted ceramic tile showing the castles of Gaeta from the ocean, that I looked down upon from the house that I was living in when I lived in Gaeta, Italy.

The only items that I had used in the past were the fruit dishes- all other items had been purchased right before I moved from Gaeta and immediately put into storage until I could live in a place big enough to hold all of my household goods.

Oh! 'FUZZY FEET' boy did you shrink...

2009-08-10T09:40:00.009+02:00

Yes, I've been knitting for years and years... since the late 80's... and yet.. I have never, ever knit socks.

Well, the early years is quite understandable that I wouldn't know how to knit socks.. there was no sock yarn sold in my southern region of Oklahoma.. it took years to find someone to teach me how to knit. As a matter of fact, I used to buy Vogue knitting magazines (the only option at that time where I lived) and had already taught myself the knitting abbreviations/etc. I just didn't know how to knit. There was no such thing as the Internet or any books at that time (at least not where I lived) that taught you how to knit.

So, I'd ask everyone I met.. for years.. if anyone knew how to knit.. none did.. they all knew how to crochet. I was finally taught how to knit by someone from Australia who was living in my little southern Oklahoma town.. for a few months while her husband learned how to fly helicopters! What a small world. She was in line in front of me at the grocery store and when I heard her accent.. I knew that she was from: AUSTRALIA

And.. to my mind: Australia = sheep = knitting

So, I asked once more.. the question that I had asked time and again.. "Do you know how to knit?" She did and she taught me how to knit. I took to knitting immediately... I learned knit and purl on my little swatch.. then, I asked her to show me how to make cables.. she did and I was off in my own knitting world. After mastering my cable on this swatch, holding my beginning knit and purl stitches, I do remember that she suddenly grabbed my first knitting attempt.. 'my little swatch' out of my hands.. and proceeded to rip the stitches out so I could start over now that I had even tension. I was aghast- after all I was so proud of my first rows of knitting.

*As a result, I always let those that I teach how to knit to keep their first little swatch of knitting.. it is a big milestone after all.

My first project? A cotton summer sleeveless top out of the only cotton yarn available to me: Peaches and Cream

I went through my knitting magazines and I found stitch patterns that I liked and figured out how to knit these different stitch patterns in little squares of different stitches on my first garment. I added a crochet picot edge. I wore it all the time.. of course, at the time I wasn't aware of cotton's tendency to 'grow and stretch' out of shape. As a result.. it got wider and shorter over time.

About two weeks ago, I decided it was time to knit some socks. I selected the pattern: Fuzzy Feet (found on ravelry or from an Internet search) I used some felt-able wool from Wool of the Andes... and some fun fur that had been in my household goods storage shipment that came this summer to add a nice fun touch to the cuff of the soon to be felted 'slippers'... Even though the yarn looks 'pink' in the skein, I was delighted to find that it was really a purple-ish and white mixture of fun fur and it went perfectly with the purple yarn that I was knitting my 'fuzzy feet' out of..

I have had these giant socks finished for about 10 days and yesterday.. I finally decided to felt them. Remember, I am living in Germany.. which means: FRONT LOAD WASHING MACHINE.. which means:

YOU CAN NOT STOP THE WASH CYCLE

Oh no.. Oh no... Yes, you can see where this is going.. and you can also understand why I had not attempted to felt the giant socks for 10 days?

So, here were are... the finished and felted socks where are now 'slippers'.. I think that they turned out cute, though.. Just as I had imagined that they would look..
Right? I can see now that my color selections were perfect together.. the fun fur did add just that right 'fun' touch...

Except.. Of course.. they are never going to fit even my toes...

I have not given up the 'knitting socks' skill though. Fortunately, I did not felt the giant and now big enough to fit a 4 year old 'Fuzzy Feet' socks.. for 10 days.. otherwise, I might not have attempted to start a pair of 'real fit you when you finish' (at least you hope they do) socks with no felting involved.

I've been really busy lately.. but, I do knit at least a 1/2 inch on them every night .. see?

I'd also started knitting little sock ornaments. I knitted a sock from a variety of patterns that I found on line- to find one that made the best shaped socks... and of course a pattern that made sense..

Some flowers found at the local German Garden Center

2009-08-08T20:03:00.005+02:00

*Click on the photos for a larger/clearer view

In the area of Germany that I live, it seems that the national hobby is growing and maintaining a beautiful flower garden and/or the most amazing window flower boxes.

Window box flowers... aren't these amazing? My window box flowers make me happy.. but, I'm not sure what the secret is.. because, they aren't lush like these flowers are..

Wollmeise yarn, how I love you...

2009-08-04T08:32:00.007+02:00

I had seen photos of this beautiful yarn hand-dyed by a lady by the name of Claudia on the knitting forum: Ravelry.com

I had also heard that the yarn was always sold out within minutes of being posted on-line for sale. Problem was, I was in the wrong time zone... I was in Seoul, Korea a year+ ago when I first heard about this wonderful yarn. Flash forward, to a move to Germany... where this lovely yarn is created. Of course, I still couldn't purchase it.. because of that thing called: WORK and a non-working (but, paying dearly for it each month) Internet service for the first 6 months that I was in my new house. *Sigh.. and no one from the phone company would check on the problem.. I finally had to pay someone to come to my house to see what the problem was.. (made me feel better when it did take them 3 hours to figure out what the problem was) but, back on subject.. there wasn't any way that I could try to 'get this yarn' when it was posted for sale on-line....

AND, then a month ago... I heard that a 'real yarn shop' that would sell this wonderful, but elusive yarn had opened up. I wrote down the name of the town and the next time that I went to the train station... I asked if this town was close by. I was delighted to learn that all I had to do was go to Nurnberg (which I love to do and is only about 50 minutes away by train) and then switch trains and the town that I was seeking was only about an hour and twenty minutes away.

The new school year is about to start back up and since I didn't get to go on vacation anywhere or return to the states for the summer break... it was time for an adventure and the first day of a new month is always a good day for an adventure, right?

Getting on the train in Nurnberg...

Arriving at the 'yarn shop town'.... as I pulled out my written directions on 'how to find the yarn shop' and I had just said to my 'non-knitting friend'.. "Now, let's see if we can find this yarn shop." ... someone walked up and asked me if we were looking for the WOLLMEISE YARN SHOP and I told her that we indeed were.. and I found out that she was going to the same shop so.. she was our delightful and helpful 'yarn shop guide'... Thank you new Ravelry.com friend... (you know who you are)

Front of the shop. Claudia was sitting outside knitting when we arrived. She welcomed us warmly.

Knitted and felted frog on a pond of yarny goodness...

Window flowers growing in a bed of 'yarn grass'...

Some socks knitted up in the yarns...

The inside of the shop... (sorry for the blurry photo.. I think that I was a little in awe of all the amazing colors)<
I thought that this wall of yarn looked like a box of yarn crayons!

The yarn that I bought... some was purchased to make gifts for others... I'm having second thoughts about that... I'm beginning to want it all for myself... *must fight the urge to want all the yarn for myself...

Excuse me... I must go look at my Wollmeise yarn again.. just to make sure it doesn't need anything... yeah, that's it. I'm not petting the yarn.. no way.. that would be 'yarn crazy'... :D

Nana boo boo... my staircase has more narrow turns than your staircase does

2009-07-31T10:06:00.008+02:00

Do you remember when I wrote that my new 'wrought iron' bed.. that had been made for me before I left Italy 4 years ago and had been sent to storage when I left Italy and that I had this same storage shipment delivered a few weeks ago .. didn't get put in my bedroom because the bed couldn't get up the narrow staircase?

WELL, here's why the bed couldn't come upstairs... Isn't this the most narrow stair case that you've ever seen?? *To be inside a house that is leading to a main floor (the bedrooms)... especially in the land of 'no closets' and you have to purchase free standing 'wardrobes' (like a small free standing closet or what would be found in some dorm rooms) and use them for your clothing hanging/storing needs...

The bed that is now laying on its side in the basement storage room. Sigh.. At least, I can go down and look at it every so often.

Prior to this shipment delivery, I had only put 3 framed items on the wall before this shipment came.. (hanging in the hallway- so, that when people entered my house.. at least there was the illusion that I decorated something.) I did this because, I knew that when the storage shipment (that got delayed for several months) would have a lot of furniture in it and I didn't want to try to nail things in this hard as plaster.. plaster walls.. until the furniture was all in place. Sometimes you get holes nailing nails in the hard plaster walls.. which I'll have to fill in and paint over when I move out...

One of the things that I did... before my company arrived last week.. was to put artwork up all over the house. I even have a few things in the laundry room!

Since, this is the first time that I've ever lived with a staircase inside a home I wanted to put artwork up on the walls along the staircase- I've always liked that look. So, I decided to put artwork from Italy. All are places that I've either lived or visited. I love the results.

I had an unexpected visitor today...

2009-07-28T22:05:00.008+02:00

I had decided to take a couple of days off, from doing needed projects/etc., after my friends returned to the states- since, I was worn out from all the unpacking. I was upstairs in my new 'entertainment' room knitting and watching old USA tv show re-runs on a VHS tape from a few years ago...

AND, I suddenly looked towards the door and saw a grey tabby cat slinking through the doorway. I do not own a cat. My house rental agreement states: No pets

I recognized the cat immediately- it belonged to someone in the neighborhood. I have had a black, tortise colored, and this grey and white tabby cat in my yard off and on since I moved in. None of these cats will get close to me. As a matter of fact, if they even see me .. they run away... It's almost like: "Oh, no! She saw us, we'd better get out of the yard!"

This particular cat had been in my yard off and on all week stalking the butterflies, jumping up after them, and just having a good time watching the butterflies flitter about.

About a week ago, I was on the balcony re-potting some flowers and he noticed me. This cat, stopped and stared at me then stared at the butterflies... and you could see that he was thinking.. "Ok, if I go now- I won't get to watch the butterflies, she's up there on the balcony.. I think I'll be safe." He stayed out there the entire hour that I was on the balcony doing various projects.

Now, I'm thinking.. it is bad enough to try to get a cat out of the house.. if you know you can pick it up.. am I going to be able to capture or otherwise 'herd' this cat out of the house? After all this house is 3 stories and all the doors to all the rooms are open and we're on the third floor. I sat my knitting down and walked quietly to the hallway and of course he/she scutted towards the stairs. He was frightened and on the verge of freaking out (never good for the human trying to capture a cat to take it outside). I was able to corner him/her and picked the cat up. He/she remained as calm as she/he could under the circumstances and let me carry him to the balcony. He had gotten in the house from the standing open living room door that leads to the balcony. There is no air-conditioning in Germany and I leave this door open for any breeze that wants to enter my house.

I placed the cat gently on the floor of the balcony. He/she decided that I was now his/her newest best friend and proceeded to give me the cat 'leg hug' using the figure eight pattern.

So, I sat down on the steps and petted him/her for awhile. Then, I decided to go inside to get my camera- because, I had been meaning to take photos of the butterflies and now was a good time to take photos of both the butterflies and my newest house guest.

Here are some photos. As always, click on the photos for a larger and clearer view.

(I guess that this means that I can no longer leave the door standing open- unless I want company.)

"I wonder if she'll give me some milk the next time? Or some tuna?"

Yarn and more yarn from the storage shipment

2009-07-26T09:04:00.006+02:00

It's like Christmas at my house... plastic tote boxes full of yarn was found in the storage shipment that was delivered about 3 weeks ago. I had the yarn all stacked in two stacks of boxes... and I had so much to do- that I was barely able to resist looking at the yarn until most of the unpacking was finished.

Most of this is yarn that I purchased while living in Italy for several years or from when I had lived in Seoul prior to my first move to Italy.

Well, the box of the sparkly and fun fur type of yarn was purchased years ago in Seoul's yarn market. I'm sure that I can find a use for it, right? Maybe some toys or ornaments?

One box that looks like yarn cakes instead of skeins-- was purchased at a yarn factory in Italy. You could go around and pick up cones of yarn that you liked and then they'd spin them loosely together into cakes. Kind of fun to make your own yarn selections. Since, this yarn is a little thicker than your typcial yarn to make a sweater/etc.. I've always thought that I'd use it to make a big sweater jacket or something along those lines? The smaller amounts can of course be used for hats/scarves/etc.

click on the photos for larger and more yummy yarn views...

Unpacked treasures...

2009-07-20T21:41:00.006+02:00

Here are a few items that were in this storage shipment..

Hand painted tile scene... This is old Gaeta, Italy as seen from the harbor. I lived up on the mountain and my view from my house was looking down on these castles.

My Italian wrought iron balcony planters! I gave quite a few away when I moved away from my first location in Italy- which I left in 2000- but, I did end up keeping 5 or 6 of them and they were in this storage shipment. I finally put some flowers that I bought (whispers 2 months ago) and had been sitting on the balcony in their tiny little plastic containers while waiting for me to 'replant' them. I finally did that this week. They did seem to stretch their little roots out and breathe a sigh of relief.

I really like these planters because they are adjustable. Some of the wingnuts got lost- so, I stopped at the local German 'hardware/garden type of store'... I had to buy a package of the screws (5) and a package of the wing nuts (5) for a grand total of almost 8 euro. Cost USA? About $11.00 or so. I only needed two.. :(

I also had to buy wooden slats for my bed.. for some 'strange' reason they did not come in the storage shipment with the bed.. which I had been sleeping in before my household goods were put into storage 4 years ago. A mystery for sure.

My coat rack! Made for me by the same guy who made my wrought iron bed.. that wouldn't go up the narrow German staircase last week.

This is an old, old wine jug... I got this years ago.. probably 1999? It is what the 'wine delivery guy' put wine in when he came to the houses on his wine delivery days. I found this in the 'big stuff trash' throw away place... apparently, it was being tossed to make way for the more modern 'plastic basket woven looking' new style. I think it's pretty neat looking. And, yes.. when I'd walk to work.. I'd sometimes see the local wine delivery wagon pulled up outside a house.

AND, I found a stack of old Vogue Knitting magazines in my storage shipment.

I can see the light...

2009-07-19T12:07:00.009+02:00

the unpacking light that is...

My company gets here tomorrow- Monday. So, today, Sunday, is clean up day. Sweep and mop the floors, clean the bathrooms, clean out the tiny refrigerator and defrost the even smaller freezer. How small is it you ask? YOU have to put the ice-tray in sideways-- not the usual way of pointing towards the back!

I'll also put anything that still doesn't have a home away in the 'storage room'... and just pretend it's all done.

Meanwhile, here's a photo of my bedroom. I finally have a bed upstairs. They couldn't bring my beautiful wrought iron bed that was made for me in Italy.. because of the narrow stairs that are in my house. Yes, narrow stairs with a TURN in them! Grrr

So, I still had my old brass bed- that was the same size as my old mattress that was going to go on the new wrought iron bed.. that I had wanted to sell before I moved from Italy 4 years ago... so, at least I have a bed upstairs... and of course the guest bed for the company.

I finally got my bedroom 'mostly' finished.. art work up on the walls/etc. Photo taken at night- so, forgive the photo quality. Later, I'll take photos of the 'guest quarters'... which is where I'd been sleeping-- but, now it's all decorated, unpacked.. no longer do you have to walk through skinny trail through stacked boxes.

Anyway... here ya go..
This is what I use for my 'dresser'.. it's actually an antique 'buffet' that I bought in Korea. I stack sweaters in the door areas. Socks, undies, etc go in the small drawers.

I really liked this piece. I thought it had character with some beautiful carvings along the sides and I could see it being used in various rooms. I have several pieces of Korean furniture.. well, I have lived there three different times.. for 9 or 10 years... but, I tend to buy pieces that will go with other items. Like American antiques and also Italian pieces. I tend to buy pieces (other than this buffet) with clean simple lines and I think that helps them blend in with other pieces from other countries.

This is my great grandmother's rocking chair. I had it recovered in Korea before I left; with some fabric that I bought in the Fabric market in Seoul. That's the heating source on the wall to the right of the rocker. Warm heat rises from the pipes.

To the far right- you can see a piece of furniture- that was designed to hold a tv. Of course, with the slanted ceilings on some of my upstairs walls- this is the only wall that it would fit on. So, there isn't going to be any 'tv viewing' from the bed now.. ha ha. I put my old, old 110 voltage American reception only tv in the 'entertainment room'.. (some people would call it an office). So, the big open (for the tv) is going to hold blankets and bed linens/etc.

This is the old brass bed- that I had made for me in Korea (the first time I lived there) in 1992. This rug was in this storage shipment. The bedspread, I bought in Korea in the fabric market- they also have wonderful bed linens there. This is actually a full-size and really needs to be just about 10 more inches wider for this queen sized bed. I made the bedskirt with some fabric that I bought at the fabric/yarn market building in Seoul.

I have put artwork on the walls everywhere.. including the stairwell. It's beginning to look like a home and that I actually live here.

I interrupt the unpacking to bring you some photos

2009-07-06T08:57:00.007+02:00

There was a lot of furniture in this shipment. Two couches, dining room table (that got busted so bad that they couldn't put it together), kitchen table (still not put together- the moving company's carpenter will come and put it and the entertainment center together later this week), entertainment center (lovely piece of furniture that I bought in Italy- full of shelving, drawers and open areas to display items.. including a space for a tv), end tables, 2 coffee tables, 12 chairs (6 each for the kitchen and dining room), 2 different bed frames, one queen sized mattress and box springs set, and other various small chests, etc.

Here we are... the 8 1/2 sea crates full of 'stuff!'

Stacks and stacks of boxes in the big storage room in the basement... and where I've been spending the past few days.

Of course, whenever one has a 'storage shipment' delivered... there are always treasures that you are happy to see once again.. like my small marble table that was made for me when I left Italy the first time in 2000. Isn't this beautiful? I've lived in some very small places-- in one place.. this table was my only table for meals.

Here is the complete view of the table and chairs. I found a wrought iron artist.. to make these for me. Actually, a local flower/gift shop that had opened up close to my home in Aviano helped me find the man who made this table/chair set. Their family members made the marble table top for me.. shipped it to their shop and the man who made the wrought iron.. was in a nearby town.. They had called him and made arrangements for him to make my table base and chairs for me. They got the directions to his shop for me and I went by train.. followed the directions and found his shop quite easily as I walked to it from the train station. He didn't speak English and I spoke only a few limited words in Italian. His son had 'visited' America... and was designated as our 'translator' by the dad. Of course, his knowledge of English was only a few words better than my knowledge of Italian.

So, we ended up drawing our ideas for each other. I drew some ideas as to what I wanted the chairs to look like... he added to my drawings. When it was time to make the chairs and table base, he actually drew the designs in chalk on his cement shoproom floor and made my wrought iron chairs/table to match the drawn lines. None of us (myself, the flower shop owners who had family members about 200 miles away make the table top for me, or the wrought iron man) knew what the designs would look like until everything was delivered to the flower shop. I just told them that I did want some of the beautiful Italian green marble used in the design.

Don't they look like we had all worked side by side sharing our designs? It was a perfect mix of talents. Once we oohed and aahed over the marble, table base, and the 4 perfect chairs... and had taken lots of photos... (of which I didn't know that my camera was busted-- until I got to the states- nothing turned out) the wrought iron artist.. packed everything up and took it to my apartment just a block away... and the movers packed everything up the next day.

I really didn't have room inside the house and decided to put the marble table/chairs outside in the semi-protected patio area. There is a roof overhead and I'm going to see if I can find something to put on the bottom of the chair/table legs so that standing moisture (snow/rain) doesn't cause a problem. I'll also buy a heavy plastic covering for the winter time.. since, snow did get blown in this area last winter.

AND always... when you unpack boxes and boxes of stuff from a move.. there is always a 'mystery' object found. Sometimes the 'mystery item' is part of something that got divided up and now no longer looks familiar? Maybe it's part of a broken item- that got thrown away and now the remaining part is the mystery item?

Or maybe it's something like this wooden thing. I have no idea as to what it is or where it came from or why I even own it. I don't remember seeing it ever before. The twigs have been sawed off flat on the bottom. Now, I have to figure out 'which' recyling bin that I'd be allowed to put this unknown object in......

Does anyone know what this is?

All I know is It's times like this ...After days of unpacking and moving things from basement, to ground level and up to third floor... hauling stuff from one floor to the next that makes me dislike 'stairs'... and that I have got to get serious about getting rid of some of this 'stuff!'

Are you wondering...

2009-07-02T09:30:00.008+02:00

What has happened to: Iwouldratherbeknitting ?????????????

I've been having a few adventures.. have taken a lot of photos.. but, I've not been able to post some time because... (I tried to download some photos several times.. and this slow, slow server kept taking forever..not just slow. an hour and it still hadn't downloaded photos? So, I'd give up.)

They finally found my 'lost' household goods storage shipment... so, I've spent a few days.. going through my current possessions.. seeing what I could get rid of.. (wish we could hold garage sales at our houses.. but, I've asked and Americans living off post can't do this-- since, your wouldn't be paying German tax of 19% of the items sold... and American's aren't suppose to sell imported DUTY FREE ITEMS (my household goods or things that I buy at the BX on base) to foreign nationals (applies to whatever country I happen to be living in that isn't America)

So, I've gone though clothing and found appropriate things that I could donate to an address for the US Military group that does humanitian efforts in Afghanistan. I'd rather eliminate the 'middle man'... and send things straight to the military guys that help out those in the refugee camps, the street kids, local hospitals, and the schools. I also usually knit warm wool hats during the summer that I mail to them in September.

Anyway... I said 'appropriate' because.. you can't send: shorts or sleeveless clothing... sundresses and the like.. because, it's a muslin country and we need to respest their clothing attire.

We do have a thrift store on base that you can use to sell items on 'consignment'... problems are:

1. They are only open limited days (I've heard it's a few more times per week) during the hours of: 10.00am- 2pm... those hours just don't work out for a school teacher that goes to work by 7am to 3:30 or later if we have meetings after school.

2. They only accept items for consignment if they are going to resell for: $25.00 or more (I'm sure there is a cap on the 'or more')

I mean... come on... it's a thrift shop! How many items does one usually have that someone is willing to pay $25.00 for???? *And, of course, the thrift shop takes a cut of the selling prices.

I think that what this ends up promoting is 'donating' to them... and then the items donated can be sold for 100% profit for the thrift store.

ANYWAY... I'll try to find at least a couple of things I can take to the thrift shop and of course I'll toss some things.

Meanwhile.. anyone want to come and help me unpack 9 sea crates of stuff? (A lot of furniture came in that.. so, at least it's not 9 whole crates of boxes to unpack.. but, there are far more boxes to unpack than I wish to unpack.

Nuremberg, Germany

2009-06-16T07:04:00.010+02:00

When you take the train to just the right train station... you end up in the old part of the city.. Full of history, old churches, shops, places to eat, and even a river flowing through this part of the city. There is an intact castle complete with stone walls... It is fun just to walk around.

Some street musicians.. this group is from Bolvia

One of the old churches was having a 'new roof' drive. For 5 euro (about $7.00) you could buy the old tile, sign your name on the new tile that would go up on the roof and they gave you the old tile to keep. If you look closely on the tile you can see: Nuremberg stamped on it. The old part of town buildings and the churches found in this area, for the most part were heavily bombed during the war.

This church has one of the clocks that has the figures move in and out on the half and even hours. Like a big cookoo clock.

.

Happy WWKIPD or JUNE 13th

2009-06-14T09:56:00.005+02:00

To celebrate my first 'official day' off from teaching school.. I went with a couple of friends on the train to Nuremberg, Germany. Of course, the first official day of holiday.. really only starts on what would be the FIRST DAY OF WORK.. because, your normal days off.. (as in my case: Saturday and Sunday) you'd have off from work anyway..

I also found out later that it was also WWKIPD ... or WORLD WIDE KNIT IN PUBLIC DAY *Since, I'm always knitting in public.. I must be an 'un-official' charter member?

Here are my contributations to knitting in public:

I knitted on the train ride to Nuremberg (and back too of course) 50 minutes for each leg of the trip.

I knitted off and on while waiting for friends shopping... some shops are tiny and sometimes it's best to have someone wait with the bulging shopping bags outside the shop. I did that a few times.

A few photos...

Outside one shop, I found a lady who just looked bored to me. Maybe even listless?

I thought that I'd help her out...
Now, doesn't she seem somewhat happier? A purpose in life? Or maybe she has even forgotten that there is no water in the little pool for her feet?

*I will admit that a few shoppers had gathered during the posing the statue with my knitting. Also, a couple of elderly ladies came by smiling and talking to me in German while I was sitting outside this shop 'knitting'... I didn't know what they were saying.. so, I just did my usual.. 'smile and nodded my head in agreement.'

Of course, a trip to Nuremberg couldn't end without me stopping at the ONLY YARN SHOP that I've found in Germany. *I'm sure that there are many.. but, I'm in a very rural area and I haven't seen any in the outlying areas where I live.

Here's some sock yarn. One skein will be a gift...

AND some yarn in my favorite colors...

More photos will be posted this week.. about the trip to Nuremberg.

Feeling the need to recycle some newspaper?

2009-06-11T23:34:00.006+02:00

Make a mummy!

I started my Elementary art students on this project when we returned from Spring Break in April. It took them 6 weeks+ to complete the project. I think that they did a great job. However, it would have also been nice to have had the student's hard work acknowledged by someone at the school.

How do you know you live in a safe neighborhood?

2009-06-10T18:01:00.002+02:00

YOU ACCIDENTLY leave the key in the door.. not only OVERNIGHT (while inside sleeping) but, also all day while you are at work. Sigh..

In case you're wondering.. yes, it was ME that did that! *Wish I had someone to blame, but it was me.. I guess I did it when I was unloading the Jeep last night... I must have gotten side-tracked and didn't go back to get more things out of the Jeep one more trip like I'd planned.. because, either I was tired or simply side-tracked.

THEN, I apparently went to work leaving the key in my door.. how did I not notice this? The door locks automatically- so, I never use it in the morning.. and my hands were full carrying new stuff out to the JEEP so ... I didn't notice that the key was in the door!

AND, how did I finally notice it? When I got home.. I spent about 10 minutes searching all through my purse (it's pretty stuffed now-- w/ important papers/etc. that I have been sorting through and taking home each night... and I also looked through the teacher bag that I've been hauling back and forth daily to bring things home from the classroom before Friday's last day...

WHEN I couldn't find the key anywhere.. I decided to go to the backside of the house to 'get the hidden key'... and I noticed the key hanging out the keyhole as I walked past the front door.

That's nothing.. when I first moved in.. I discovered upon my return from work that night that I had left the front door standing ajar about 12 inches (yes, loading up the car again) in the winter.. heating the great outdoors while I was at work all day.

Clearly, my mind is getting too full and I need a break...

I'm also sure that my German neighbors are beginning to wonder about me.. yes, the crazy American lady.. who doesn't immediately pull up the dandilion weeds from the driveway, didn't mow her lawn for 3 weeks, and now she leaves her key in the doorway.

I can hear it now.. "Quick, Gunter, look at what she's done now!" :D (Just doing my part to give people something to talk about over the dinner table.)

I called his dog 'stupid'... and lived...

2009-06-04T18:15:00.006+02:00

I just logged into my yahoo email account to see this news headline.. Actor David Carradine found dead in Bangkok.

Now, you might be thinking.. yes, this is sad news.. but, why is: iwouldratherbeknitting writing in her blog about David Carradine?

If you are old enough to remember.. he was on a tv show called Kung Fu in the early 70's. A few years after that show went off the air- I was a fresh faced college student and I had my first brush with fame.

I was working for Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation at a resort on a nearby lake. One night, I met some guys that were clearly from out of town.. as in: From Chicago with their little northern accents and wearing their newly purchased Okie summer straw cowboy hats.. trying to 'blend in' with the locals... I found out that they were part of the film crew that was filming a movie all over Oklahoma. The main stars were David Carradine and Brenda Vaccaro.

After talking to them for a few hours and teaching them how to dance 'cowboy style'... they invited me to watch the movie being filmed. I wasn't able to go to see them film for a few days- until my next day off from work.. (Yes, that was faithful employee 'me'.. who kept working at her minimum wage job-even though she had been invited as a guest on a movie set. Geez)

A few days later, I finally went out to the movie set. I found that it was mostly quite boring with a lot of waiting. I wasn't knitting then or I surely would have brought my knitting. I was constantly introduced to the the cast and crew over the next several days that I was able to visit the movie set.

I visited the set for the next few weeks, and often, I sat right by David Carradine between takes- but, being from the south... I minded my manners and didn't bother him. He always smiled at me and I'm sure he had already asked who the little shy 'gal' was...

One day, I was sitting in the shade of one of the crew trucks, and in his director's chair with his NAME on it.. and was asked to remove myself from this chair by Mr. Carradine's personal assistant. Mr Carradine sat down in the newly vacated chair, looked over, cracked a smile at me.. and proceeded to peel a peach. Soon, he leaned over, held out the peach, and asked me if I wanted it. I pondered and shook my head no. He seemed quite surprised by my refusal and then told me that he had 'peeled' it especially for me. So, I did what I know my grandmother would expect of me.. "I took it, said thank you and had myself a tasty snack."

I do have a photo of him sleeping in the camera truck.. mouth all agape. He always seemed so unsettled to me. I asked a few of the crew members about him. One time I had asked them to pass along an invitation to him to join us singing and playing the guitar at the lake one night. They said that he almost went with us... but, that he liked his privacy. They told me that he had trouble sleeping at night. I think he just needed to have a chance to 'be himself' without any expectations and maybe he never had that chance.. being born into an acting family?

On the last day filming... I had at least 3 of the senior crew members.. those in charge of various departments come and ask me to please reconsider joining them, that everyone had got together to discuss a plan so that I could join them and be paid as an extra in the movie. Told me that they all adored me. They had even spoken to at least 3 of the female crew members and all of these gals had agreed to let me share their hotel room with them- so, that I wouldn't have any expenses. Again, I turned them down. Was I a fool or what?

Finally, it was the night of the cast and crew wrap party for this particular area of filming. Over the past few weeks.. several of the crew had asked me to join them on the road as they filmed in Oklahoma as an extra. I told them that I had obligations to my current summer job. *I'm sure that they were amazed at that and looking back.. it is one of my regrets. I should have done it. After all, I would have other summer jobs but, I can honestly say.. that no one else has ever offered me a summer job as a movie extra!

Several of them also told me that they really appreciated that not once had I ever appeared star struck, didn't ask for favors, didn't try to get discovered, nor did I get all 'uppity' because I was hanging around a movie set. They told me that they had all discussed how refreshing it was.. for them to just be liked for themselves not for what they were doing or who they knew.

David Carradine always kept his dog- an Australian sheep dog with him at all times. You know the kind with the bright blue eyes? Several members of the crew had told me that the dog 'Buffalo' would not go to anyone else- only to David. Well, here I was.. a country girl and had been around animals all my life... so, I started calling to the dog.. softly.. "Here Buffalo, come here, come on boy." He starts wagging his tail.. and proceeds to slowly walk towards me. I had a large crowd gathered around.. quietly watching and listening to see if the 'Buffalo dog whisperer' could get the elusive dog BUFFALO to come to someone other than his beloved master: David Carradine. I'm not sure, but, maybe even some 'off the record' side betting was going on too?

Suddenly, Buffalo.. Buffalo was only inches from my hands, and he tucks his tail under his legs, lowers his head, looking as embarrased as a dog can look, turns and walks away from me.. and before I realized what I was saying.. out of my mouth.. I said, "You Stupid dog, why wouldn't you come to me?" There were loud gasps everywhere.. as David Carradine walked up behind me. Yes, he had heard me!

My movie crew friends later told me that they were SHOCKED that he didn't have me kicked off the set. I was just glad that he didn't do some 'KUNG FU' fighting on me!

I like to think that had I managed to ever met him again.. that he would have remembered meeting the little southern gal who wasn't impressed by his star status... and
who probably gave him a chuckle or two?

*At least, I didn't say.. "Yes, Grasshopper" to him when he handed me the peeled peach. :D

Rest in peace, David Carradine, rest in peace.

ONLY 7 more 'school days'....

2009-06-03T21:41:00.001+02:00

Just saying...

Speaking of birthdays and monkeys....

2009-05-31T07:43:00.005+02:00

I have a couple of teacher friends who have birthdays in June and July. This is after we are out of school and most teachers overseas have flown back to the states and since two of us moved to a new country last fall.. that means that 3 of us are now in 3 different countries. So, to me that meant.. I needed to get on the ball and get their gifts sent to them quickly.

Last year for Memorial Day weekend and the Monday holiday that we were already out of school and an additional 3 days of 'any purpose' leave days.. that we all signed up for early enough to insure that we'd be able to take these 3 days off from work.. we went to Bali for a week.

I had always wanted to go to Bali.. for what seems like forever. I know it stems from watching SOUTH PACIFIC when I was a child... and I just knew that if I didn't go this time... before I left the Pacific region and Asia in general.. that I'd never have the chance to go. So, off I went with 2 other friends... (the friends who just happen to be celebrating the June and July birthdays that I mentioned)

I never did blog about this trip last year.. because I moved from my apartment and into a hotel right after we returned from Bali and of course the trip also happened during the last 3 weeks of school. That is a very busy time in general.. without throwing in a vacation and getting ready for the movers to come to your apartment to take away your worldly possessions. Much less setting aside your best 'guesstimate' as to what 150 pounds is for the 'express shipment' that the military will fly to your new destination so that it arrives in one month instead of the 3 or 4 months that it takes for your household goods to arrive by boat. And, let's not forget 'deciding what you need for the next 3 months and what will fit' in the suitcases to take with you for your summer vacation (usually in the states) and to tide you over in your new location.

As you can imagine, quite often one over-estimates what they have, need, or will fit in a suitcase.. especially with the weight limits of today. Did you know that for international flights you used to be allowed to check 2 bags weighing up to 70 pounds each? When I made international moves was the only time that I did this.. but, it was great for when you were moving. Of course, those days are long gone. Just like cartoons being shown instead of commercials at the start of movies in theaters.

All of this packing, deciding, and add in shipping a car, and all the grading and report cards, meetings, etc.. that one has to do to close out a school year.. and the end result is that you just have no time to blog about travel adventures.. much less think that you have any time to go away on a vacation anyway.

Part of our Bali adventure, included going to the Monkey Jungle. We saw adorable, sweet, little monkeys. I even saw a group of tiny baby monkeys being 'babysat' by a few adult female monkeys.

So, in honor of their birthday, the monkey jungle of Bali just one year ago.. and let's face it.. the caffeine in the form of coffee, or soft drinks that most teachers tend to rely on to make it through each day.. much less the last few weeks of school... I decided to knit them a gift that would fit all categories. Their gifts have been mailed and received and now I can post the photos on my blog.

May I present: THE MONKEY 'soft drink can' or water bottle keep-cold cozy.. which can also double as a 'keep warm' coffee cup holder cozy.
The one with a purple hat just makes me smile.. it looks like the monkey finds the soft drink 'just a little too cold' for his/her liking! She/he seems to have a very startled look.

I loved the ones that I knitted for my friends so much that I also knitted myself one.

I will admit that this is a pretty rare feat that I have accomplished.. making something like this for myself.. because, I usually have good intentions to make myself 'something' after making a handcrafted ______________ for friends... and I just never find them time to make the items for myself.

Or let me put it this way, there are many hand crafted ornaments 'that are not decorating' my tree.

One night in May...

2009-05-24T12:16:00.004+02:00

About 4 or 5 years ago, I was living in Gaeta, Italy. It is a small fishing town and the population swells with tourists in the summer months. It is right on the ocean about halfway between Rome and Naples. I moved into my rental house late November. I found out that my job was to be excessed (eliminated) that spring and I moved from my house with a view of the ocean, mountains, orange groves, and the ever changing skies the last week of May.

When one moves to a new location, state, or even a different country as my moves tend to be... it takes a full year to see they cycle of plant growth, the seasons, the changes in the sky, the weather, and the various endless gifts each month offers as the month begins, unfolds, and closes.

I lived on top of a small mountain... with a wide sweeping view of the Gaeta Harbor, mountains across the harbor in all directions and then the open sea. On very clear days- I few times I even could see the faint grey outline of Mt. Vesuvius; the still active volcano in the Naples Harbor.

In the winter, the mountains across the harbor had snow on them... yet, my area would never actually freeze.. but, it was quite cold and damp from the cold winds blowing across the ocean.

Finally, the long awaited spring time arrived and flowers started blooming. I didn't have a car and my school was 4 miles away. My route was to leave early enough to walk the 20 minutes down the mountain, arriving early enough to walk to the city bus stop found at the base of the mountain. After about 20- 25 minutes on the bus, I would eventually be at the stop that was fairly close to the school. I then walked the last 3 blocks to work. I allowed an hour and half to get to work. This bus only ran once every 30 minutes each hour. Even though, I arrived 'before' the scheduled bus arrival time.. it was clear sometimes that they had either 'arrived earlier' than scheduled or the bus was running later because of traffic.

If the bus wasn't there by a certain time... I started walking towards school. From my house to the school the route was four miles.

On my mountain walk, there weren't any street lights and only 2 other houses were to be found in this area. I never saw the lights of any other house. When night fell, it was pitch dark outside. I met the movers at my house on the first official day in my house, they unpacked my household goods... ok, unpacked from the sea crates is a more accurate description. They do set the furniture out where you want it- but, most of the boxes are unpacked as you can for several days or in my case.. weeks. It's difficult to do so, because of working all day and darkness falling at 4:30pm in the winter.

Prior to moving into the rental house, I had been staying in a hotel in the shopping area at the bottom of the mountain. As a result, I didn't know how dark it got on my mountain until the next day after work.

It was late November and after work.. I started my 4 mile route home up the mountain this time. Before I could get home total darkness had fallen. I had only been on this road once the day before, when I met the movers, in the daylight. There was a fork in the road that went off to three different directions and my way was on the far left- or at least I thought it was. I remember standing there.. at the end of the paved road... and all that was before me was total darkness. I could only vaguely remember that there were either 2 or 3 different splits in this road and I knew that I lived to the left. I just wasn't 100% sure. So, I stood there.. no flashlight (it hadn't been unpacked yet) and not even sure where any of the roads were.. much less which direction to start walking. This area had thick trees immediately off to the road that was only the width of a car.

I remember standing there... trying to get my night eyes.. that clearly weren't going to come.. since, there was no moon and no light source only the woods and darkness. I finally prayed and asked God to help me find my way home. As I stood there, listening to the crunching of branches, animal sounds, and rustling in the grasses and trees all around me not knowing which direction to start walking. One road had a steep drop off along the sides of the road.

I stood quietly, trying to figure out which way to start walking, I finally remembered that my road had gravel on it. So, I slowly took a few steps.. listening for gravel crunching. I took a few steps, listened for the gravel sounds, and took a few more steps. I kept taking a few steps, listening, standing still and remembering to keep facing the same way until I finally made it to close enough to my house. (I always pretended that all of the noises that I heard were only stray kitty cats meeting up with their friends.)

One night, the following May as I was walking home with only a few more days left in my residence- darkness began to fall around 7pm. The difference? After several months walking home, I now knew my way home and since regular flashlights were almost useless in the total darkness of nightfall on the mountain.... I now always carried a small, powerful, very bright military specs flashlight at all times for my walks home.

I was thinking about the beauty and the serenity of this area and how I'd miss walking to work and home again ... watching the sunrises unfold onto a new day on the ocean and the beautiful sunsets saying goodbye as I walked home. I knew that I would miss the ever changing flowers growing along my walk and that I'd miss the sea most of all. I would have to move before I'd know what July, August, September, and October's nature's gifts would be.

It was now almost fully dark and as was my routine, I already had my flashlight in my hand to turn it on the moment that I could no longer see the ground below my feet.

As I turned the sharp uphill curve that led to the final straight path to my house... I beheld a sight so amazing that it caused me to stand so still lest it not really be real or disappear because of any movement or noise that I might make.

Before me was a multitude of fireflies... so many that surely all fireflies in Italy must have gathered at this one place before their summer season started. They were in the trees sparkling like white twinkle lights, they were everywhere, taller than the trees with no ending or beginning. So many blinking all at once... that they were illuminating the road before me. They landed on me like butterflies on flowers. I stood still not wanting to break the spell of this special goodbye gift. I was standing at the exact place that 6 months prior that I had prayed for guidance to find my way home.

I had no need of a flashlight that night.

The daily routines of life are the special events. Look for them, they are looking for you.

I no longer have to hang my head in 'lawn maintance shame' in my German neighborhood

2009-05-21T18:25:00.005+02:00

Just look at how tall the grass is/was! For a clearer image.. click on the photo

AND, I know that they WERE talking about me!

I don't have a lawn mower. I tried 6 weeks ago, to hire a teacher's husband who had advertised as doing 'yard work.'

I did an email search to find the name of the person who had sent the email advertising her husband.. the week before we went on Spring Break and sent an email to the teacher spouse... (since, I didn't know who he was or how to contact him) she wrote back and said that 'YES, he still did have openings.'

She apparently either called him or sent him an email... because, later that day.. I received an email from him.. saying that 'YES, he was interested and did have time and when did we want to set up the first meeting and lawn mowing/maintance visit?' Other lawn mowing dates could be scheduled without myself having to be present to fit better into his schedule.

Since, this was Monday.. I decided that Friday would be a good day.. it would give him enough time to reply back if there was a scheduling conflict so that we could re-schedule. I had also sent by email my phone number and directions to my house. He knew the town- since, he had told me that he already worked for someone in that neighborhood.

So, when I didn't hear anything back from him.. I considered the plan a GO, right? At least that is the way it is in my brain and in my past experiences. I left for home as soon as I could and waited and waited and waited. No lawn guy (American) shows up, no phone call is made, no note was found on my door.

So, even though I had already spent several weekends.. trimming trees, plants, and pulling up dandelions and other various 'yardy' type of activities to get my yard ready for the summer. I finally decided that weekend- that since I couldn't wait anymore- that I would just finish up the yardwork myself. I filled 8 bags with clippings. I also borrowed the landlord's lawnmower and mowed the yard.

I, again tried to make contact with the 'missing yardman' and even tried to 'pretend' that I wasn't able to connect with him- if he had tried to call.. because.. of the German answering service. They do call your house and replay a message in German to let you know what numbers had called your house and the recording says the numbers in German.. which I don't understand. This is all true, but my house phone is also like a cell phone- it gives you the number of all incoming calls.

So, eventually I got an email from the husband.. that "Yes, he still was interested in taking care of my yard." So, I wrote him immediately back and gave him 9 different dates.. that week and the following week that he could choose from as a day to come by my house... for lawn maintance/mowing. *I didn't need anything for the next few days- since, I had just spent the weekend doing what needed to be done.

About 5 days passed.. and I got another email from him suggesting a date that I did NOT PUT DOWN (duh, there must have been a reason.. it was a date that didn't work for me!) We had a staff meeting after work and they usually last an hour and half.. plus, I had errands and other planned activities that night. So, I wrote him right back and told him that that date wouldn't work-- and could he come on any of the other dates that I had already suggested (and which were in this message) and I also said.. 'IF none of these dates work for you- please suggest a different date.'

Let's just say.. it's been 3 weeks and I haven't heard back from him.. so, I guess that none of those dates worked for him. What do you think?

I had had enough, tired of waiting on this guy with a limited work ethic.. and was tired of the feeling like I should sneak into my house, eyes darting to the side, not making eye or sound contact. (My landlords live next door and they are working in their yard everyday and must mow it every 3 days.) We've had a lot of rain and I could see the grass getting taller everyday... I'm sure that they and the neighbors were talking about me.. "THE AMERICAN WHO DARED NOT TO MOW THEIR GRASS FOR 3 WEEKS!"

Last Friday, I stopped by the housing office on base (the go between office for German landlords and the American tenants) and asked them if they knew of any German landscapers/yard people/etc. They gave me the phone number of 3 men.

The next morning was Saturday and I made my phone calls. The first guy answered the phone and was very nice, spoke really good English and asked where I lived. I asked him about his rates. He told me it was 30 euro per HOUR! Mama mia! He also told me that he'd have to see my yard to tell me how much time that he thought it would take each month. *All I can think of is.. the hours and hours that I had already spent cutting branches, pulling weeds, etc.

I told him that I'd think about it and hung up. I called the second phone number- it was a fax number of a wrong number.. but, anyway.. you know that irrating noise that can cause you to spill all your secrets? That was what I heard. I called the third number and it was an answering machine. Darn, what to do. So, I called a friend who had lived here for a few years. She suggested that I just buy my own lawnmower and do it myself. (I didn't feel comfortable needing to always use my landlord's mower nor have them constantly monitoring my lawn mowing schedule.)

I don't have a place to store a lawn mower unless it is right there on my patio which is in the elements during rain and snow. I also think that I might have a 'torn ligament' in my left knee and if that is true.. there will be no lawn mowing for me this summer.

So, I finally decided to just call the guy that actually answered my call back and ask when he could come by to check out my yard. I figured that I didn't really need to purchase a satelite dish, a converter box, or pay several hundred dollars to have someone install all of this stuff so I could watch a couple of channels in English. After all, I had lasted almost 10 months without TV reception. Sigh... Double sigh.. Ok, I was ready to watch some American TV.

The lawn guy was able to come to my house that morning! He was right on time. Always a good sign. Had a firm handshake, had a sense of humor, and laughed when I told him that I was feeling 'lawn care stress' from my landlords! He also told me that he had another guy who came and worked with him. So, even though.. he charged more per hour than the NO SHOW American spouse... I figured that two people could certainly work more than twice as fast as one person.

He couldn't come that day-- probably a day off.. since, the German workweek is short-only 30 hours or maybe less depending on the job. (I'm not sure if those short hours also applies to Lawn care people too?) We'd also had too much rain in the past few days.. so, Monday was going to be out of the question. He told me that he thought that Tuesday or Wednesday would be possible. We exchanged emails. I asked that he email me the day that he was going to come to my house that week.. before 3pm so that I would come home in time for him to be there.

AND, wouldn't you know.. that on TUESDAY my landlady rang the doorbell and asked me if I wanted to borrow the lawnmower! I know that they probably looked out their 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th floor windows (one house) looking out in daily distain at my fast growing grass... that looked like it was ready to get a hay-bailer in any day. At least, I had the pleasure of letting her know that I had hired a yardman and that he would take care of the yard one day this week.

AND.. oh happy day.. they came by yesterday and made my yard all spiffy and clean, cut tree branches, used a weed eater, etc. They were there for an hour and half and only charged me for one hour.

HE also took the 8 bags of clippings/trimmings/branches that I had cut over the past several weekends with him to take to the 'natural plant' recycle place. I didn't know where it was.. and he did at least tell me that you can only take things there 2 afternoons a week. AND, I didn't know it.. but, you aren't suppose to put this stuff in plastic lawn/garbage bags. I didn't know about the 'no plastic bags' allowed and that is what I'd done.

I paid him in advance for 3 visits in June and told him to come at his convience and the yard's need.

I can see it now, the local government meets to discuss:How should we widen the road now that we no longer use horses or chariots?

2009-05-19T18:22:00.003+02:00

You see this often in this part of Europe.

It's MONDAY

2009-05-18T20:31:00.005+02:00

Just have your morning beverage and go out and be brave.. or just try to get it over with....

Forgot to mention: Art work done by one of my second grade (7 years old) art students. I love this cat's expression and clearly this child has known a cat personally.

It's been one of those days...

2009-05-13T18:28:00.006+02:00

Sigh.. sigh... sigh... Last day of school is June 12 and I can't wait.

I teach art to 700 students per week. We have a full schedule; as a matter of fact we have 31 classes that we teach each week in a 30 class schedule. How do we do have this ability to teach an extra class where no extra period is available? One class doesn't come to our classes at all- instead 4-6 of her students are divided each day to go to different specials. Art, Music, PE, and Host Nation. So, as a result.. we teach much larger class sizes for that particular grade level.

Yesterday, I got an email from one of the classroom teachers.. informing me that she was going to come to art at a different time.. (in a morning 2nd grade time slot instead of her own scheduled time slot in the late afternoon ) because she was going to be gone on a 1/2 day field trip and as a result would miss getting a planning period. Not a big problem, but.. wouldn't it have been nice to ask me if it was this change was OK with me.. instead of just telling me that you are doing it? I know for a fact that she wouldn't like her schedule changed around without her permission. I mean common sense tells you to ask about it, right?

I sent an email to both principals today... explaining that this is going on and to please put a stop to it- before other grades start doing this in the future. At all of the other schools that I've been to- if you miss because of an activity or whatever.. you MISS. There is no changing around of the schedule. Sigh

Soon, the 'schedule changing teacher' emails me.. and tries to make it that "I'M THE ONE WITH THE PROBLEM.. that she didn't know that this would cause me such STRESS and be SUCH A BURDEN for me. (please) Double sigh.. I again stated.. that it would have been nice to clear it with me- instead of 'just changing my schedule' and then tell me about it after the fact. On and on... I got a few emails from her.. about this.. on and on... Never once understanding that it is not OK to change someone's schedule to suit your needs and then just tell them about it. *There's more to this story- but, I won't go into it here.

I really like the location where I am... but, there are many factors like this that make the job not so good. I have never seen such petty 'minute counting' and division. We large group specialists just seem to be at the bottom of the list of importance too. It's sad really- since, it was a brand new formed school in a brand new building... such hope and promise. I have very little art materials to work with- the least that I've ever had at any school. My supplies came from a school that closed and I'm not sure what happened- but, apparently most didn't make it to me or maybe some of it was thrown away? I've done the best that I can with limited supplies.

Anyway, I know that my readers... must be ready for one of my lighthearted stories instead? I know that I am.

Today, I was on my daily 20 minute playground duty (all large group specialists have to do this- don't get me started on why this isn't fair for us only to do- when small group specialists don't have to help do this or even rotate into this schedule)

anyway... this little girl (2nd grade) comes up to me sobbing... "See those boys running away?" I nod yes. She then proceeds to tell me that they are trying to crush her snail. I said, "A toy snail?" She sobbed.. "No..." I then asked what kind of snail it was. She continued to sob, face all scrunched... "I found it on the ground at my house and I had it in my pocket."

Yes.. eeeooow.. she had one of those nasty garden snails that eat my flowers in her pocket! I suggested that she keep the snail in her pocket until she got home, so no one would know that she had a snail. ... so, it would be safe. At least they are loved by someone.

Just another day on the playground.

Happy Mother's Day

2009-05-10T18:19:00.008+02:00

And what says MOTHER'S DAY better than flowers? Every week, new trees and plants are blooming in my yard and each new discovery is such a surprise to find... since, I moved in last fall. I went around and took some photos to share with you...

Here are some of the bulbs that I planted, that managed to survive the midnight snacking from the Nasty Garden Snails..

Some views of my outdoor patio area.. I also have a large balcony off my living room which is on the second floor actually on top of this patio. IF you happen to see the bags of cuttings from my yard clean-up.. please ignore them... I don't know where the 'organic recyle place is for my town'... all I know is that they don't pick it up from your house with the regular trash.

My newly planted HERB GARDEN... *My basil and parsley haven't been brought down with the other herbs yet.

Here's a view from my kitchen window (see the African Violets?) looking out onto one of my window boxes planted with flowers. I have these window boxes on all windows on the front of the house.

AND look at what I found outside and cut for a fresh bouquet. My living room smells so nice now.. of course, I did find a few bugs and spiders, as would be expected on the blossoms when I cut them, but of course.. now, it feels like bugs and spiders are crawling on me.. off and on.. at least I hope it's my imagination. :D

I hope everyone had a nice weekend...

Wah! I miss Yangjae Flower Market in Seoul, South Korea

2009-05-06T19:19:00.007+02:00

Even if it was a subway ride with 2 transfers (meaning: lots of stairs and walking) that took me across the Han River and once out of the subway entrance to street level- then I had to take a taxi the next 2 miles to get to the flower market buildings... trust me it is always fun to get in a taxi and tell someone where to take you.. when you both don't speak each other's languages!

This market was amazing.. 5 enormous buildings and just full of flowers. This building was my favorite one. It was where the orchids were sold. If you look carefully, you'll see the signs with numbers? They each represent a different person's 'flower shop'.. I loved going to this place. The air was moist and smelled heavenly of flowers. It was like going to a Botantical Garden. The aisles were wide and no one was shoving and pushing- which is an unfortunate result of living in a city of 16 million. The shop owners were so nice and friendly- I don't think that many Americans were part of their regular customer base.

I have lived in Seoul three different times and in times past.. one of the shop keepers was near one of the exits and made a point to stop at her place last- Even though she and we/I didn't speak each other's language.. all it took was a gesture to our ear like we were using a phone and say "TAXI" and she would always call us a taxi and let us keep our bags of purchases in her shop so that we could make the rest of our purchases.. She sold fresh herb plants and I always planted herbs in a window box.

Here's a view of a couple of the aisles.

*Trust me, you'll want to click on the photos for a better view.
Here are just a few of amazing orchids that they sold...

Needless, to say.. I always had orchids blooming in my apartment in Seoul.

There are only a few types of orchids for sale here.. the normal colors: white, that pinky purple color, and I have seen a few yellow ones for sale.. but, those are the basic orchids sold any place that sells orchids.

They are also twice the cost of the more exotic orchids found in the Yangjae Flower Market. I would make a Saturday morning outing of the flower market every couple of months. It was well worth the long subway journey to get there too.

There are always experiences, foods, views, and local experiences and cultures that you miss when you move from one place to another... even if it is just to a new house with a different view. I am missing Yangjae.

On the other hand, I have a yard, trees, and my own window boxes filled with new flowers ready to greet myself, my friends, and my neighbors.

Nothing much going on...

2009-05-06T06:00:00.003+02:00

Nothing to write about. It's the same old same old going on. Go to work, drive through the 'farmer's field' to avoid driving who knows how far away to avoid the 'road construction detour'.. (let me say that I am so happy to have found the famer's road that turns and diverts through a field and eventually gets me to the area of the first part of the detour.. which I can then.. cross over the 'detoured highway road'.. and back onto a much shorter detour to help me avoid the road construction detours.)

I am happy to report that we can now once again 'so far' for the past 2 days... drive on my regular highway again! I sure hope that they don't decide to another another stretch of my road on the road construction detour path) this week ...

I'm not sure why they decided that they needed to totally remove all the layers of blacktop off of 2 sections of my road. One looked like it was about a half a mile long and the other one was less so... no pot- holes, nothing uneven on the road, ? So, I'm not sure why they spent all that money and time.. stripping down the blacktop to the bottom layer of the road and repaced it with all new blacktop surfacing? They are still in the 'paint the stripes on the road' again stage.

I just hope that they don't do it again.. I only know 3 ways to get to work.. and if they divert me from the road that takes me to any of those three ways.. I won't know how to get to work or home in the future. So, let's hope the 'road repair' is done and over.

ANYWAY, in honor of the almost completed repair.. but, it is completed enough that I get to drive on the road that takes me home.. here's a photo that I took out the window of the van that picked me up from the airport on the first day in Germany last summer.

Is it time to start knitting a face mask?

2009-04-29T23:37:00.003+02:00

Of course, they wouldn't help much w/ airborne viruses.. but, they'd look cute.

To take your mind off the news just a bit.. here's a funny photo that I found on the 'mystery' vapors of the Internet.

I love the expression on the cat's face.. and he/she is also being so patient.

Introducing... "THE GREEN MONKEY"

2009-04-27T18:55:00.014+02:00

hey, hey... I'm a green monkey and I'm just a 'monkeying around'.... cause, I'm a monkey... yeah, yeah...

uhem... (never said I could sing).... here is the mystery knitted item, mentioned in a previous post a few days ago. Now all knitted up, stuffed, and sewn together ready to be mailed off to someone tomorrow.

Of course, since he was a monkey.. I just had to take him to school.. I knew he'd fit right in.. since the last few weeks for an elementary school teacher is sort of like teaching a classroom full of monkeys! And since, I had my daily playground duty at recess... The monkey couldn't resist going outside with me and 'monkeying around' on the playground equiptment at school.

He was an instant hit with the children on the playground and quite a few put in immediate requests for me to make them one. I resisted saying, "Not in your lifetime!" Of course, that is the immediate and uncontrolled response after you spent hours and hours knitting the cute little fella over several days and then over an hour SEWING THE MONKEY PARTS TOGETHER and finally finish at 11pm. Or maybe it was the lack of sleep that was making my subconcious cranky?

*click on the photos for a larger, clearer view

Green Monkey tried to play basketball with the 3rd graders... however, his arms and legs were just a tiny bit too short for him to get a good enough grasp to actually move the ball much less heave it from the ground.

Hey, let me out of here! Suddenly the monkey realized that he was on the right side of the fence, the side with the playground equiptment, and not in a zoo as he initially thought. I think he is blushing just a little.

And what monkey can resist climbing a tree?

Green monkey decided to see how well he could hide in grass. Wait! Where did the monkey go?
Oh there he is! He would so win at 'hide and seek.'

The Green Monkey.. decided that he wanted to check out the base library to see if they had any books about monkeys. He needed a little help to be able to check out the sign. Darn it, the library was closed.

However, Green Monkey is sure that Elvis Presley probably visited this library, and checked out monkey books, when he was stationed in the Army in this area.

After returning home, I went to get some water for my newly planted flowers and discovered
Green monkey giving his approval to my new flowers that I recently planted. I'm glad that he hopped out before I started watering the flowers.

Forgot to add the monkey pattern location: http://electricbiscuitonline.blogspot.com/2005/06/clone-mr-dangly.html (I did modifications to the pattern.. but, this is the basic pattern.)

Ok, you've found the perfect tree

2009-04-26T09:05:00.005+02:00

Maybe the tree needed moving because of a new building being built? Or maybe.. you found a nice tree on the side of the road?

No matter where or why the tree was found.. you now have a new tree and of course now you have a problem... how.. to get it home?

If you happen to be in Germany... maybe you suddenly remember that 'cousin Franz' is now working on the road construction crew.. maybe he can help you out? Or maybe COUSIN FRANZ decided to give a new home to a recently uprooted tree?

Anyway... as I approached this slow moving bulldozer... I noticed something a bit unusual about the cargo...

Up ahead I notice a bulldozer and adjust my speed.. I look for on-coming traffic so, that I can pass safely.. I don't notice anything in the opposite lane.. just noticing the early beginnings of spring... trees beginning to bud...

I approach closer to the bulldozer... and realize that the TREE that I thought was just part of the scenery was actually being transported by the bulldozer.

I think that I might have accidently driven to the Czech Republic on my way home yesterday

2009-04-24T16:51:00.010+02:00

But, I'm not completely sure... However, I clearly was experiencing a 'Toto, we're not in Kansas moment' so, it is indeed possible that I could have crossed a border or two?

Why you ask? Well, as I was driving home.. There was a detour and being an obedient driver and there was no other option- I followed the detour and eventually found a sign leading to the little 'village' (ok, it is a place with 5 houses) that is less than 2 miles from my house. The detour was some road construction and it looks like they are widening the roads by about 18 inches. That's going to be a pretty narrow shoulder on our 'shoulder-less' roads.

Look you can see how close I was.. that's my town/village to the right. Not a side road to be found either.

Well, my 'self' pat on the back for finding my way home through a detour.. faded quickly as I approached the road .. only 2 miles away from the right turn to my ... there was another 'road detour'.. and I had to turn LEFT away from my home.. I eventually drove around this mountain.. I never saw the name of any town that I recognized.

OF course, all of the towns were little mountain villages... that looked just like those photos that you see on the 1,000 puzzle piece boxes.. maybe even a few looked like some of Heidi's cousins could have herded cattle and sheep in the big grassy fields.

AS in.. on the back and opposite side of this mountain.. and then the detour kept leading me way, way past the mountain to the north. This could be when I entered the Czech Republic by accident.

SEE THIS mountain? I was so far past it to the north (your right as you look at the photo) that the mountain looked so far away...and the side facing you in the photo is where my house is located.
Let's just say this... it took almost an hour and half to get home and it usually takes me 15 minutes to get home.

So, if you don't hear from me for a few days... they might have extended the detour and I really did have to detour all the way to the Czech Republic.

My flowers

2009-04-22T19:10:00.004+02:00

See here's proof that spring is on it's way to Bavaria, Germany

I purchased some flowering plants this weekend and I bought some huge bags of potting soil when I got off work yesterday. I put the new flowers in the window boxes. They already look so neat from the inside of the house too- I can see them when I walk by the windows. Here in Germany (and Italy where I lived) they build houses with really wide window sills on the inside and the outside of the house. Big enough to put those long flower boxes on them.

The flowers don't look like much now-- but, they should start growing and blooming like crazy soon. I also purchased 2 really, really big (read: heavy) flower pots for the steps going to my house and also for the downstairs patio area. I bought a collection of 'pink/purple' flowers for the downstairs patio area and potted them in one of the big container pots too.

Of course, buying flowers in a German Garden Center.. was a bit of a hit and miss.. I saw quite a few plants that were neat looking-- but, I wasn't familiar with them- so, I didn't know if they'd last all summer or if they'd do well in the full sun (outside balcony off the living room) or in shaded areas.. (downstairs patio area) or mixed sun/shade.. (front of the house) So, I stuck with plants that I recognized.

I also bought some herbs and will plant them this weekend. Yes, I did forget about them and didn't buy them a big flower pot. So, it's another trip to purchase a big flower pot for them.

Oh, a lot of the bulbs that I planted last fall.. have started coming up and even a few are flowering.. but, I apparently have a multitude of those pesky garden snails. It seems that quite a few have been snacking on the growing/flowering newly planted bulbs as a late night dessert snack. I know that these snails do help the soil- but, they went too far when they decided that new bulbs were midnight snack foods. and I bought some stuff that is supposed to get rid of them. I'll only put it in the flower bed areas by the downstairs patio.

AND.. since I haven't posted any knitting in awhile... what do you think that this is going to be?

Easter in Germany Part 2

2009-04-20T18:59:00.006+02:00

Finally figured out what was wrong w/ the downloading of photos... *I ended up having to buy a new card reader.. So, we are back in business...

Here are some more photos of my local area and the fountains/etc decorated for Easter. IF you'll notice on the plaque on one of them-- the year that the fountain was created was 1932.. of course, I don't know what the words say in German.. but, I'm sure it's like most towns.. they tell the name of the fountain, who/why it was created and when.

Ok, let the photo viewing begin... THE 'egg' decoration that looks like a crown is in a nearby town.. where I go to the doctor. The one w/ the fountain is in the town where the military base: Grafenwohr is located. That one was the most elaborate one that I saw.

The bunny in the window? He's on display at a German Driving School.. you did notice the 'safety vest' right?

Dreams do come true...

2009-04-16T19:57:00.003+02:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?hl=en&v=9lp0IWv8QZY&gl=US

I couldn't upload the video here.. (darn slow Internet here)... but, it is worth the watch.. safe for work, safe for children, the elderly and small animals.

Great for those.. having a bad day... you'll feel so much better after watching this..

What is your dream that is buried deep down inside?

Mine? I've always wanted to write a book.

Shhhuuu WEEE... what's that smell?

2009-04-15T15:49:00.005+02:00

It is spring time in Bavaria. Temperatures are warmer... but, just not hot enough to use the AC (Oh boy! I have air conditioning in my car now.. hey, this is a big deal- I haven't had it since 1989 and I've lived in the tropics without AC.. oh yeah.. nothing like having your shirt stick to the leather seats... just adds to the hot leather burns on your bare legs.. So, the working AC is a really big deal for me.)

Anyway, where was I? Oh yes.. telling you about springtime in Bavaria, Germany. It's getting warmer.. farmers are plowing the fields, birds are chirping, grass is turning green... and you see farmers plowing their fields. You noticed that I said that part twice, huh?

Well.. you see.. this being my FIRST SPRING IN GERMANY.. I have learned something new.. the AIR STINKS HERE.. I mean.. gag you with a spoon stink. Let me put it this way.. have you ever been in a barn? In a chicken house? Near a pig sty? Amongst a large group of animals.. then you know how the 'air' can smell of shall we say it.. MANURE? If you have... experienced that 'special smell'....

Then, just imagine farmers.. saving the manure.. drying it out.. later adding water to it.. to make a concentrated stinky liquid. And, then.. one day.. oh, say in the SPRING TIME... and then.. they take this stinky liquid and spray it over the freshly planted seeds... and soon you have not just a smell.. of stinky-ness.. oh no, the entire land, forest, roadsides, (even where there are not any freshly plowed fields) stinks.. stinks.. stinks of manure. I grew up on a farm.. and it's far worse than the 'certain' areas of stinkyness found on a farm.. since, it is EVERYWHERE! You can't escape the stinky air.

At this point, I'm wondering how long it will take to dissipate into the air? I know it's longer than a week- because that is how long I've been smelling the stinky air.

I'm so grateful that the snow is gone and finally we see the sunny skies, the flowers blooming, the clear skies, the budding trees... but as you look out onto the farmland rolling hillsides.. the mountains in the distance.. It's such a beautiful image... except for the STINKY AIR..

Today, while driving home.. I was thinking that the smell should be bottled and dropped down on enemy forces.. maybe even the pirates that have seen too many 'pirate glorifying movies'... I'm sure that the sudden overpowering STINK would at least make their eyes water... and that would surely hinder the success and intensity of their attacks? I mean how tough can crying pirates seem/be?

And truth be told, I feel the need to go out and buy about a 100 of those pine air-freshener trees to hang all over my Jeep. Anyone willing to send me some? I haven't seen them for sale here.

If I could take photos of the stinky smell.. you know I would.

Spring is in the air...

2009-04-14T18:29:00.004+02:00

My first group of tulips just bloomed today... The sun is shining, birds are chirping... but, before you start flying a kite and walking hand in hand with a nearby stranger...

THIS is a reminder of what it looked like here.. not too long ago. Remember I had mentioned the SNOWSFALLS that we were experiencings a few times? Here are a few photos...And, as you look at them.. remember.. they did NOT CANCEL SCHOOL! NOT ONE DAY! *I was home during some of it.. sick with pneumonia so, I missed a couple of times having to drive in the snow to work

*There are 8 steps covered in snow... and the snow did get deeper than these photos show- but, they are still in the camera waiting to be downloaded to my computer.

Please feel free to return to your enjoyment of the return of spring.. and maybe the above photos will help you really appreciate your spring like conditions (for the readers currently experiencing spring weather).

*I still can't (for some stupid reason) download new photos...

Happy Easter

2009-04-12T10:38:00.005+02:00

AND don't forget to put on a new fancy outfit.

*Photo taken in Cambodia (or was it Bali?)... where they dress up statues in snappy outfits.

I would have shared more Easter photos of my local region.. but, for some reason- I can no longer download photos. As a result, of this frustrating problem, I've used up all available 'problem solving' braincells trying to figure out why this is happening. A result of the diminished braincells side effect which also prevented me from being able to write a thoughtful, witty, or otherwise entertaining blog entry too.

Spring break adventures...

2009-04-08T18:24:00.004+02:00

*Click on photos for a larger and clearer view..

Yesterday, I went shopping with a friend and we noticed that the town that we were in had 'decorated' for Easter. The frame actually moved slowly in a circle.

I also saw one town (we didn't stop) that had used a statue in town as part of their Easter decorations. The town closest to where I live has also decorated their fountain- I'll take a photo of it this week.. (didn't have my camera the other day).

Spring break is almost over and so far.. I've had a lot of fun.. so, now.. I need to get busy doing much needed 'work' while I can.

Need a laugh? Have about 10 minutes to kill?

2009-04-05T22:43:00.002+02:00

If so, check out this website by yahoo: http://omegle.com/

You'll be instantly connected w/ a random stranger.. (not exactly a chat room- you and the stranger are the only ones chatting or typing as I like to call it)

Anyway.. I found out about it on ravelry.com today. I had a couple of conservations.. and the one that made me laugh out loud was this one:

Connecting to server...
Looking for someone you can chat with. Hang on.
You're now chatting with a random stranger. Say hi!
Stranger: sir or ma'am?
You: hi random stranger
You: I'm a human.. and you?
Your conversational partner has disconnected.

I guess he/she was confused that I preferred to be known as a HUMAN .. after all.. what would it matter that I was male or female.. after all.. we weren't going to get married in the first 5 minutes, right?

Another one wanted to know if I was WHITE *I told him/her that my walls were white. lol *After all, what would that matter anyway? It was the first thing that the 'stranger' typed.

However, I will say that I had a nice long chat with a young man in Canada.. (unemployed) so the teacher part of me tried to help him.. and encouraged him to go to one of the employment centers (he called it: centres) to take those tests to help you find out what jobs you'd be inclined to well in...

AND.. I also had a nice conservations with someone in FINLAND..

Go check it out and let me know how it goes for you... and you can disconnect at any time.

SPRING BREAK IS HERE!

2009-04-03T18:15:00.007+02:00

Yes, today... as of 3:30pm (my time in Germany) I became officially on spring break!

MY plans?

Today, I went to the grocery store, Post Office, and made an appointment
to get the snow tires removed and the regular tires put back on. *Earliest
date? April 22. At least, I should be covered if it snows again.

1. I will put away the snow shovel. Hey, I'm hoping that the weather really will
get warm soon.

2. I'm having some teacher friends over for movie night tomorrow night. No sit
down meal or anything- but, I thought that something 'fun' should be done to
honor the first weekend of freedom.

3. I will find the phone number of the movers to have them come by and pick up the
empty boxes from my move.. last fall *Hey, don't look at me like that-
I have them on the back patio and I didn't want anyone falling down the snow
covered stairs while I was at work. See, I was just thinking about others. Also, I rarely saw these boxes.. they were outside on a patio closed off because of the Long, long German winter... so, I wasn't reminded about the boxes by seeing them on a regular basis.

I went to the base library and picked up some movies for tomorrow. I got 3 that I had never seen before- but, their description sounded interesting-- but, then again.. don't all of the movie descriptions on the back of the movie cases sound good? I mean, what are they going to say? "This movie is boring, most people fall asleep."

I also picked up: Ferris Buller's Day Off (School related for a group of school
teachers you see) and 9 to 5. I haven't seen either movie in years- but, I do remember them as being funny.

THE MENU for tomorrow night?

I'm going to make a dessert, a few other items and the main dish will be:

FRITO CHILI PIE

What's that.. you don't know what Frito Chili Pie is? Oh my.. let me enlighten you... ok, maybe it is a southern thing? I haven't had one in years.. but, here is what you do.

Ingredients:

CHILI
FRITO CHIPS (regular size)
Shredded cheddar cheese
Mustard
Onions; chopped

You make some chili (I guess you could buy the chili in a can?)
*Make sure the chili is nice and hot.

Put some regular sized FRITOS in a bowl (you make this an individual serving) that fits your hunger level.. but, then again.. if you discover that you love FRITO CHILI PIE .. you can always make yourself another serving.

So, Frito's in a bowl, dip some chili on top, add some cheese (heat of the chili will melt some of the cheese), squeeze some mustard on top, and sprinkle some chopped onions. STIR.. Eat, and soon you'll start speaking with a southern drawl.

Ok, maybe the drawl part won't happen...

When I was in High School.. there was even a place across the street from the school-that served this dish. Of course, instead of a bowl for the dish.. they'd just cut a slit on the top (longways) of the small package of Frito chips and then add the ingredients. This dish was also served in the snack bar of High School sporting events.

Buy it NOW!

2009-04-01T17:15:00.004+02:00

I saw this sign in a local German store. I had to laugh... I was sure that it didn't mean what I was imaging that it meant...

But it now, Dam it! Buy it now Stupid! It's on sale, what are you waiting for? or even Our prices can't be beat. Dammit!
Everything must go, Damit!

I looked up the meaning and it translates to: *Come on say out loud what you think it means... and scroll down for the meaning.

out with it