Kind of an interesting day today, I drove Jess' boyfriend Leo down to Landstuhl. It's about a 1 1/2 hour drivethere, and Leo didn't think his car would make it.
What is interesting about Landstuhl is that is where they take those injured in the Middle East, etc. So any of the people who have been held hostage inIraq, etc have been flow to this facility.
Here is some information from its web page:
In 1938 the Hitler Jugend Schule (Hitler Youth School) was constructed. Several buildings on the Landstuhl U.S. Military post still standing were part of the school.
Throughout the Cold War, the 2nd General Hospital continued to expand its structure and modernize its equipment, thus improving its capabilities. The hospital was a staple in the European Theater, providing healthcare during several high-profile incidents. Some of these included treating U.S. Marines injured during the aborted 1980 rescue attempt of American hostages in Iran and those injured in the 1983 bombing of the U.S. Marine Corps Barracks in Beirut, Lebanon. Soldiers were also treated at the hospital after being injured in the 1986 LaBelle Disco bombing in Berlin, and in 1988, the hospital treated 500 casualties of the now-famous Ramstein Air Show Disaster.
In 1994, the 2nd General Hospital was deactivated and the center was renamed the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center. The hospital also received 274 permanent Air Force staff positions. LRMC serves as the primary medical treatment center for casualties of U.S. operations within Europe, Southwest Asia and the Middle East. During Operations Desert Shield and Storm, the hospital served as a repatriation point for more than 4,000 American casualties and more than 800 U.S. Military personnel deployed to Somalia were evacuated and treated here. In addition, the hospital was the treatment point for hundreds of Bosnian refugees injured in the 1994 Sarajevo marketplace bombing. LRMC is a major fixed medical facility assisting in the Balkan operations (Operations Joint Endeavor, Guard, and more currently, now Joint Forge). The hospital treated American and Kenyan victims of the U.S. Embassy bombing in Nairobi in August 1998 and played an integral part of the three American POWs repatriation. LRMC Personnel treated the sailors injured in the USS Cole bombing. Today, LRMC provides medical treatment to casualties injured during Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Other than that, noting much going on. Still applying to other jobs, etc...
Later!
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
Friday, May 19, 2006
Zoo pics
OK, I know I have been lagging, but it has still been really boring here. I am almost out of debt, so hopefully in another month I can start to take a few trips. LOL Then again, you never know what is going to happen, do you?
A week or so ago Jess and I actually had the same day off work, so we took a trip to the Opal (Opel??) zoo north of Frankfurt.
This zoo is amazing, not only because of how it is laid out, but because you can feed the animals. I don't mean just the goats, but the monkeys, elephants, even the artic dogs! They sell both pellets and fresh carrots. Obviously people here are smart enough to NOT give them popcorn and junk like they try to do in the states.
Jess even has a baby monkey reach out and grab onto her finger and hold it... This place was great!
I will get right to the good stuff and post a link to the pictures.
Click here
Anyway, not much else new. Still slinging tacos, applying for more army jobs, some even in Saudi Arabia and Iraq, short term jobs to make some money.
Our friend Cari will be passing through Frankfurt on the 30th, on her way to Rwanda with a group. She has a layover of something like 13 hours, so yeah! We will at least be able to meet and and do some catch-up!
Sorry this is another short blog. Later!
A week or so ago Jess and I actually had the same day off work, so we took a trip to the Opal (Opel??) zoo north of Frankfurt.
This zoo is amazing, not only because of how it is laid out, but because you can feed the animals. I don't mean just the goats, but the monkeys, elephants, even the artic dogs! They sell both pellets and fresh carrots. Obviously people here are smart enough to NOT give them popcorn and junk like they try to do in the states.
Jess even has a baby monkey reach out and grab onto her finger and hold it... This place was great!
I will get right to the good stuff and post a link to the pictures.
Click here
Anyway, not much else new. Still slinging tacos, applying for more army jobs, some even in Saudi Arabia and Iraq, short term jobs to make some money.
Our friend Cari will be passing through Frankfurt on the 30th, on her way to Rwanda with a group. She has a layover of something like 13 hours, so yeah! We will at least be able to meet and and do some catch-up!
Sorry this is another short blog. Later!
Friday, May 12, 2006
Monday, April 10, 2006
Help for son
Hi there. The time has come for me to get rid of my Honda Civic. I can't make the payments any longer, and Nick, being 19, cannot afford both payments and insurance, so I am asking for you help.
Does anyone out there in MN know of a decently priced car? I mean a beater car, it doesn't have to be pretty, but needs to be reliable so that he can get back and forth to work. I can't pay a lot, I mean VERY little, (under $1,000) but could really use your help... Thanks so much......
Anyone that has any information can contact me at helpfindcar@hotmail.com. (is a valid email, I set it up just for this).
Not much else going on this week. Just working.. I have today and tomorrow off, and now that I have internet at home, was able to catch Nick online and IM with him for about an hour. YES!!!!!!! Still trying to get home to come to Germany, trying to lure him with free rent, home cooking, an inexpensive car, a PT job paying about $9 an hour...... no go, he still gets really mad, saying he will never move here.. *sigh*
Anyway, am working like crazy trying to clean house, catch up on email, update bookmarks, etc........ Am possibly going back up to Amsterdam in a few weeks, maybe with a tour from post to see the Keukenhof(??) gardens........
Will write more in a day or two......
Does anyone out there in MN know of a decently priced car? I mean a beater car, it doesn't have to be pretty, but needs to be reliable so that he can get back and forth to work. I can't pay a lot, I mean VERY little, (under $1,000) but could really use your help... Thanks so much......
Anyone that has any information can contact me at helpfindcar@hotmail.com. (is a valid email, I set it up just for this).
Not much else going on this week. Just working.. I have today and tomorrow off, and now that I have internet at home, was able to catch Nick online and IM with him for about an hour. YES!!!!!!! Still trying to get home to come to Germany, trying to lure him with free rent, home cooking, an inexpensive car, a PT job paying about $9 an hour...... no go, he still gets really mad, saying he will never move here.. *sigh*
Anyway, am working like crazy trying to clean house, catch up on email, update bookmarks, etc........ Am possibly going back up to Amsterdam in a few weeks, maybe with a tour from post to see the Keukenhof(??) gardens........
Will write more in a day or two......
Tuesday, April 04, 2006
Amsterdam!
All pictures at the end of the blog
Yeah! First road trip since we have been here. AMSTERDAM! My poor daughter will never be the same. LOL
We took the car up, had no problems with it all all, except having to use about 40 euros in parking meters. What a waste! We were also able to buy gas along the way at American prices, not the $5 it is a gallon (4 liters) here... Because we work on the army post, we can buy gas coupons to use outside the post, for the same price we would payon post... Pretty nice!! We used porbably less that $60 in gas, thinking more along the lines of $50.. Not bad!
There was really no border to speak of going into the Netherlands, though we took a couple of pictures in front of the sign, coming back into Germany there was not even a sign!
Our plan was to go to the Van Gogh Museum, Ann Frank's house, and to the Keukenhof gardens (link : Keukenhof) south of Amsterdam, hopefully seeing some tulip fields and old fashioned windmills on the way down, then MAYBE head through to Belgium on the way back to Germany, but most of that went down the tubes... or should I say "up in smoke" LOL
We got into Amsterdam with no problem, but it took up about an hour to find the hotel, which was located about 3 minutes from the Van Gogh museum.. The hotel was a privately owned place with only 8 rooms I think. To get in, you came though a door on street level and walked about, no lie, about 80 or 90 stairs! These were not flights, bought one solid libe ofnarrow, VERY steep stairs. Thank god our apartment is on the fourth floor and we have no elevator, I am used to stairs, and made it up these without even being short of breath!
I took a couple pictures of our room, it made me think of what a room in a French hotel would be like. It had a 12 or 15 foot high ceiling, and windows that ran from floor to ceiling, very nice. The only problem I had was that there were no towels! When we first arrived we just wanted to got check out the town, so I said nothing (also figuring I might have to pay for them!!!) And later I was too stoned to worry about it. Lastly we slept until about 5 minutes before checkout time, so I had no chance to even shower. LOL
It was about 6 pm before we got settled in the hotel and found that the pay parking i knew about would either take a geldacard (bank card from a German bank, which we didn't have) or coins. 20 euro worth! Let's just say getting change was NOT the easiest thing to do, and we ended up feeding the machine about 6 times throught the night.
We decided to go see the Van Gogh museum first, it was too late to do that and see Anne Frank's house, and since the museum was right there we picked the museum.
I really enjoyed it, but I know Jess was pretty bored. It cost 10 euro (each) to get in, but I was in awe of the works displayed. Unfortuately Starry Night is not on diplay there, but "Sunflowers" was on display as well as the self portraits, etc, so I was pretty thrilled. It was sort of like when I saw Abe Lincoln's stovepipe hat that was on display when the travelling Smithsonean(was that the museum??) came into Mpls a few years ago. Pretty cool.
After leaving the museum we started walking around, trying to get an idea were everything was...mainly the red light district and the famous "coffee" bars that sold pot. It was cold and windy, raining, and by this time were are getting hungry and grumpy. We stooped at a Pancake house and I had a regualr pancake for 3 euro, and Jess had one with bacon and egg on it.. These pancakes were thinner, more like a panakkukken(sp?) really, but the size of.... probably about the size of a large pizza! GOOD stuff.
So far we are NOT too impressed with Amsterdam, and to tell you the truth, it was not what either of us exp[ected, but it did get better later, and I admit, we were there on the offseason. People we talked to later said that in the summer you can even move down the street in the red light district, it is so crowded, so I am glad our first trip was now. First trip meaning I am definitely going back!!
We finally took the car and went hunting for the famout red light district.
Oh yes, everyone we ran into at the business in Amsterdam spoke great English, but I have to tell you, driving up there, listening to the radio... I mean German you can sort of pick out the words sometimes, but Dutch!!! AAUUGHGHH... I thought German was gutteral, I don't know how they manage to get some of the sounds OUT!.... And nothing sounds even remotely like a language you could ever understand. Very weird!
Anyway, it is dusk now, not dark yet, but we figure that we can just drive around until we find a block where there are red lights everywhere. Makes sense, right"??? Well, one more expectation brought down.. We had such a hard time finding the dang place, and at last when we got there, red lights seemed to be few and far between. Itw as SUCH a dissapointment.. But then again, we figured maybe things got a lot wilder much later in the night. We didn't last that long.. the night before we drove up, neither of us went to sleep at all, and for the last two evenings before, I was up until 3 and 5 am respectivelly, so we were tired...
So we drive and we drive , though tiny little roads and big roads, across litle bridges that span one of the canals (made me think of what Venice looks like) and FINALLy come across and area that looks promising.. not seedy, just a couple of sex shops..
WARNING, IF YOU DON'T WANT TO READ ABOUT THE RED LIGHT DISTRICT AND SMOKING POT, SKIP DOWN TO THE NEXT SET OF BOLDED LETTERS (my disclaimer notice)
We decide to park the car (more money) and get out to take a look around...
BINGO, within a block or two down we hit the red light district. There is no road persay to drive down, it is an all pedestrian area...
We start walking down it one way.....A few of the windows are open, YOUNG girls still in clothing at that time, staring out the windows and doing their little suggestive dances... Kind of funny in a way, sort of sad, but these were not the nasty looking women you see in porn films (NOT that I have ever watched one mom!!) but young really attractive women.. ....But still there really isn't much going on. We continue walking, and look down into a window and see a group of people who look like they are having a MEETING, regular people. with a nun heading it.. Liek a bible study group! We decide that these people will be doing some sort of sordid sex show there later. LOLOLOL...
There is one huge place there, which was the only place aglow in red neon, it was a live sex show place...... Now maybe some of you (and you KNOW who you are) will be dissapointed that we did not go in there and then report back to you, but believe me, it was weird enough going to the red light district with my DAUGHTER, no way would I ever do anything like that with her along. UGH..
This is the honest to god truth, we are standing at a corner, trying to figure out what to do when we are suddenly surrounded by a large group of asians... What the??? Jess suddenly starts laughs and shows me a man at the head of the group, who is holding up an unbrella like our tour guide in Italy did!! They were actually running TOUR groups through the place, all of them oriental...... That was pretty bizarre!
Now some of you may judge me at the point, most I am sure won't care, but i thank god comments are off now, because we then decided to stop into one of the coffee bars and smoke some pot.
Jess had only smoked once before, actually just a week or so ago, and had not even gotten stoned.. That can happen the first time you smoke, so she wasn't really sure what she was getting into. Me on the other hand.... well that is all I have to say about that.. *g*
I had read online about the coffee bars where they have actual menus of different types of pot and their prices... Now I thought everyone knew it was legal to smoke pot in Amsterdam, but obviously my mother didn't know, because when I spoke to her this afternoon after we got home and told her about it, she was NOT happy I smoked with my daughter, etc... and then she asked me when I was going to grow up??? LOLOL I told her I had been grown up for the last 23 years, and now I had come here to NOT be grown up.
Anyway, we go into the bar, and up to the counter, tell the man it's our first time in Amsterdam, and asked what he could suggest. He showed us the menu with all kinds of diiferent typpes.....and jess picked out a little bag for 15 euro, I decided to go for a single joint. He asked if I wanted it pure or cut with tobacco. i decided to try with tobacco, because I had no idea how strong this stuff was....
I also bought a space cake (this was pound cake with THC or pot in it) and we got two waters and sat down.... Jess had bought a little pipe, but I think smoking from a pipe is too harsh, and so did she once she lit it up.
My prerolled joint was kind of weird to get used to. It had like a mouthpeice on it, which made you want to hold it like a regular cigarrette, which is truly dumb, but you couldn't really squeeze the end to inhale it, so... anyway, I wasn't too impressed with my choice of pot, and after we had been there a half hour, I was a bit fuzzy, but nothing great. we decided to buy one more joint, not cut with tobaccao, and walk around outside and smoke.
Where the first joint had cost 4 euro, this one was 7.50....... We went down the street to a place that sold all sorts of candies, cookies etc made from pot or hashish, and they even had mushrooms! i couldn't believe that.. They also had muchroom tea, etc... Maybe another time.. LOL But, jsut bought a couple of "Bob Marley suckers" and we sucked on those while we went back to the red light district...
OK, second joint was a winner, poor Jess was NOT liking being stoned, and liking even less that fact that I was having a hell of a time!! ( I am her mother you know, how embarrassing)
After driving her crazy for a while, and going back to put MORE money into parking, we decided to go back to the first coffee bar and sit for a while....
At that point the laughing part of being stoned hit me.... Oh.... my.... god...... First Jess was appalled, then she was laughing as hard as I was at things like me saying " I can't look over at the rest of the people here, they know I'm stoned... Oh wait, this is a place where people GET stoned, and they are all probably as stoned as WE are!!" This statement was followed by hysterical laughter by both of us,....... The problem is, Jess came down WAAAAY before I even started to, she had barely smoked any of the second joint... so after a while she was just going.... Oh my god, I don't think I can handle this... being stoned with my mother... this is freaking me out.... which of course put me right back into hysterics.........
FINALLY I tried to compose myself so we could drive back to the hotel.. We had a parking place next to and parrallel to the canal.... Now I had a hard time not getting nervous getting out of the car when I was straight.. but stoned.... EEWW... I am not sure why Jess let me drive, but after I got in, started the car, and inched forward a foot or so... I panicked and said oh my god, I will accidently drive this car into the canal... I CAN'T DRIVE!!!! I was so scared that I was going to get out of the car and fall into the canal just going around to the other side, I had to climb across the front seat while Jess got in the driver's side.
Now anyone who has done drugs at all KNOWS that even though you ask someone if they are still high and they say no..... don't believe them... So when I asked Jess and she said no she was fine... I didn't beleive her. At that point I started panicking about HER driving us into the canal, at which poiunt SHE started panicking about driving us into the canal. LOLOL
I waould have been very happy to just sit in the car a few hours... but she decided to start driving.
Now she swears she was still not stoned, but I tell you, it took us over an hour to get back to the hotel. Not that I think we were lost because she was still high, but that she just got lost, and was the worst FUCKING driver I had ever seen. I swear we went over curbs, she would change lanes in front of people.. I was just waiting for the police to zoom in and take us to stoners' jail.... Then again, I may have just been really stoned.. LOL
Anyway, by the end of the hour we drove, i was now down enough to help decipher the map of Amsterdam we had, and she finally found the way back to to hotel....
At which point we plugged MORE moeny into parking. Jess now decides she is hungry, and it is like 11:30 at night.. We wonder down the street..(ok, I am stilled stoned, just not stoned silly anymore) looking for food... Everything was either closing in 5 minutes, closed, or had expensive food or nothing we liked. We wandered back and forth between three blocks I kid you not, 3-4 times and finally went into the last restaurant open. It was way too expensive and by this time we are pretty broke, so i do the old "We are going to keep it light tonight" to the waiter and we ordered two appetizers(sp), a dessert and a big bottle of water. (I love Europe and the big bottles of water you order at restaurants.)
The food was good, a shrimp spring roll, some penne pasta and a dessert that was apple slices,with a few walnuts, covered with a sort of thin custard sauce, and had ice cream... unfortunately there was no vanilla in the sauce, and an abundance of rum, YUCK...We were so hungry we didn't really care.
We walked back tothe hotel. Jess was pretty down (depressed) now, it wasn't as she expected and she would never get stoned again (i can hear my mom saying "GOOD" out loud as she reads this) and she wanted to go home, drive back down to Hanau right now, 12:30 in the morning.. Well, I would have almost said ok, except I hadn't really slept in like 4 days, and just needed sleep. PLUS I wanted to keep the option open to go to the Gardens the next day, with the possibilty of going through Belgium on the way home to check out the chocolate. (only one extra hour driving to do this) Ann Frank's house has gone the way of the wind (or smoke) a long time ago.. I convinced her to stay there and get some sleep, also reminding her that they bring breakfast right to our room in the morning helped her. LOL
So we went back to the hotel and were asleep in like 5 minutes flat.
I woke up inthe morning long enough to let them bring in breakfast, then went back to bed until 20 minutes before we had to check out.
We got dressed, though our stuff back into our backpacks, scarfed breakfast and headed back down to Hanau.
Breakfast was a typical European one..... toast, jam, a couple of boiled eggs, coffe, tea, some extra bread and a couple of slices of both meat and cheese. You can eat all, or a normal way of doing it is to makes sandwiches of the meat and cheese and take them with you for lunch... Which is what we did, though we eat them in the car about 10 minutes later. LOL
Going home was fast! Anyway, I have to get back there by early May to see the gardens in all their glory, and to go see the Ann Frank House. Ok, I am tired now, going to upload the pictures and go to bed!!
PICTURES
Me by the Netherlands sign
And then Jess!
Although this is not MY car, it is the same make, model, year and color, so you can see what we are driving on our trips across Europe.LOL
Old style windmills
New style windmill!!
Amsterdam
One of the canals running through town.
Our hotel room
MOM, DO NOT LOOK AT THE NEXT PICTURE!! (I love you)
Jessica
Yeah! First road trip since we have been here. AMSTERDAM! My poor daughter will never be the same. LOL
We took the car up, had no problems with it all all, except having to use about 40 euros in parking meters. What a waste! We were also able to buy gas along the way at American prices, not the $5 it is a gallon (4 liters) here... Because we work on the army post, we can buy gas coupons to use outside the post, for the same price we would payon post... Pretty nice!! We used porbably less that $60 in gas, thinking more along the lines of $50.. Not bad!
There was really no border to speak of going into the Netherlands, though we took a couple of pictures in front of the sign, coming back into Germany there was not even a sign!
Our plan was to go to the Van Gogh Museum, Ann Frank's house, and to the Keukenhof gardens (link : Keukenhof) south of Amsterdam, hopefully seeing some tulip fields and old fashioned windmills on the way down, then MAYBE head through to Belgium on the way back to Germany, but most of that went down the tubes... or should I say "up in smoke" LOL
We got into Amsterdam with no problem, but it took up about an hour to find the hotel, which was located about 3 minutes from the Van Gogh museum.. The hotel was a privately owned place with only 8 rooms I think. To get in, you came though a door on street level and walked about, no lie, about 80 or 90 stairs! These were not flights, bought one solid libe ofnarrow, VERY steep stairs. Thank god our apartment is on the fourth floor and we have no elevator, I am used to stairs, and made it up these without even being short of breath!
I took a couple pictures of our room, it made me think of what a room in a French hotel would be like. It had a 12 or 15 foot high ceiling, and windows that ran from floor to ceiling, very nice. The only problem I had was that there were no towels! When we first arrived we just wanted to got check out the town, so I said nothing (also figuring I might have to pay for them!!!) And later I was too stoned to worry about it. Lastly we slept until about 5 minutes before checkout time, so I had no chance to even shower. LOL
It was about 6 pm before we got settled in the hotel and found that the pay parking i knew about would either take a geldacard (bank card from a German bank, which we didn't have) or coins. 20 euro worth! Let's just say getting change was NOT the easiest thing to do, and we ended up feeding the machine about 6 times throught the night.
We decided to go see the Van Gogh museum first, it was too late to do that and see Anne Frank's house, and since the museum was right there we picked the museum.
I really enjoyed it, but I know Jess was pretty bored. It cost 10 euro (each) to get in, but I was in awe of the works displayed. Unfortuately Starry Night is not on diplay there, but "Sunflowers" was on display as well as the self portraits, etc, so I was pretty thrilled. It was sort of like when I saw Abe Lincoln's stovepipe hat that was on display when the travelling Smithsonean(was that the museum??) came into Mpls a few years ago. Pretty cool.
After leaving the museum we started walking around, trying to get an idea were everything was...mainly the red light district and the famous "coffee" bars that sold pot. It was cold and windy, raining, and by this time were are getting hungry and grumpy. We stooped at a Pancake house and I had a regualr pancake for 3 euro, and Jess had one with bacon and egg on it.. These pancakes were thinner, more like a panakkukken(sp?) really, but the size of.... probably about the size of a large pizza! GOOD stuff.
So far we are NOT too impressed with Amsterdam, and to tell you the truth, it was not what either of us exp[ected, but it did get better later, and I admit, we were there on the offseason. People we talked to later said that in the summer you can even move down the street in the red light district, it is so crowded, so I am glad our first trip was now. First trip meaning I am definitely going back!!
We finally took the car and went hunting for the famout red light district.
Oh yes, everyone we ran into at the business in Amsterdam spoke great English, but I have to tell you, driving up there, listening to the radio... I mean German you can sort of pick out the words sometimes, but Dutch!!! AAUUGHGHH... I thought German was gutteral, I don't know how they manage to get some of the sounds OUT!.... And nothing sounds even remotely like a language you could ever understand. Very weird!
Anyway, it is dusk now, not dark yet, but we figure that we can just drive around until we find a block where there are red lights everywhere. Makes sense, right"??? Well, one more expectation brought down.. We had such a hard time finding the dang place, and at last when we got there, red lights seemed to be few and far between. Itw as SUCH a dissapointment.. But then again, we figured maybe things got a lot wilder much later in the night. We didn't last that long.. the night before we drove up, neither of us went to sleep at all, and for the last two evenings before, I was up until 3 and 5 am respectivelly, so we were tired...
So we drive and we drive , though tiny little roads and big roads, across litle bridges that span one of the canals (made me think of what Venice looks like) and FINALLy come across and area that looks promising.. not seedy, just a couple of sex shops..
WARNING, IF YOU DON'T WANT TO READ ABOUT THE RED LIGHT DISTRICT AND SMOKING POT, SKIP DOWN TO THE NEXT SET OF BOLDED LETTERS (my disclaimer notice)
We decide to park the car (more money) and get out to take a look around...
BINGO, within a block or two down we hit the red light district. There is no road persay to drive down, it is an all pedestrian area...
We start walking down it one way.....A few of the windows are open, YOUNG girls still in clothing at that time, staring out the windows and doing their little suggestive dances... Kind of funny in a way, sort of sad, but these were not the nasty looking women you see in porn films (NOT that I have ever watched one mom!!) but young really attractive women.. ....But still there really isn't much going on. We continue walking, and look down into a window and see a group of people who look like they are having a MEETING, regular people. with a nun heading it.. Liek a bible study group! We decide that these people will be doing some sort of sordid sex show there later. LOLOLOL...
There is one huge place there, which was the only place aglow in red neon, it was a live sex show place...... Now maybe some of you (and you KNOW who you are) will be dissapointed that we did not go in there and then report back to you, but believe me, it was weird enough going to the red light district with my DAUGHTER, no way would I ever do anything like that with her along. UGH..
This is the honest to god truth, we are standing at a corner, trying to figure out what to do when we are suddenly surrounded by a large group of asians... What the??? Jess suddenly starts laughs and shows me a man at the head of the group, who is holding up an unbrella like our tour guide in Italy did!! They were actually running TOUR groups through the place, all of them oriental...... That was pretty bizarre!
Now some of you may judge me at the point, most I am sure won't care, but i thank god comments are off now, because we then decided to stop into one of the coffee bars and smoke some pot.
Jess had only smoked once before, actually just a week or so ago, and had not even gotten stoned.. That can happen the first time you smoke, so she wasn't really sure what she was getting into. Me on the other hand.... well that is all I have to say about that.. *g*
I had read online about the coffee bars where they have actual menus of different types of pot and their prices... Now I thought everyone knew it was legal to smoke pot in Amsterdam, but obviously my mother didn't know, because when I spoke to her this afternoon after we got home and told her about it, she was NOT happy I smoked with my daughter, etc... and then she asked me when I was going to grow up??? LOLOL I told her I had been grown up for the last 23 years, and now I had come here to NOT be grown up.
Anyway, we go into the bar, and up to the counter, tell the man it's our first time in Amsterdam, and asked what he could suggest. He showed us the menu with all kinds of diiferent typpes.....and jess picked out a little bag for 15 euro, I decided to go for a single joint. He asked if I wanted it pure or cut with tobacco. i decided to try with tobacco, because I had no idea how strong this stuff was....
I also bought a space cake (this was pound cake with THC or pot in it) and we got two waters and sat down.... Jess had bought a little pipe, but I think smoking from a pipe is too harsh, and so did she once she lit it up.
My prerolled joint was kind of weird to get used to. It had like a mouthpeice on it, which made you want to hold it like a regular cigarrette, which is truly dumb, but you couldn't really squeeze the end to inhale it, so... anyway, I wasn't too impressed with my choice of pot, and after we had been there a half hour, I was a bit fuzzy, but nothing great. we decided to buy one more joint, not cut with tobaccao, and walk around outside and smoke.
Where the first joint had cost 4 euro, this one was 7.50....... We went down the street to a place that sold all sorts of candies, cookies etc made from pot or hashish, and they even had mushrooms! i couldn't believe that.. They also had muchroom tea, etc... Maybe another time.. LOL But, jsut bought a couple of "Bob Marley suckers" and we sucked on those while we went back to the red light district...
OK, second joint was a winner, poor Jess was NOT liking being stoned, and liking even less that fact that I was having a hell of a time!! ( I am her mother you know, how embarrassing)
After driving her crazy for a while, and going back to put MORE money into parking, we decided to go back to the first coffee bar and sit for a while....
At that point the laughing part of being stoned hit me.... Oh.... my.... god...... First Jess was appalled, then she was laughing as hard as I was at things like me saying " I can't look over at the rest of the people here, they know I'm stoned... Oh wait, this is a place where people GET stoned, and they are all probably as stoned as WE are!!" This statement was followed by hysterical laughter by both of us,....... The problem is, Jess came down WAAAAY before I even started to, she had barely smoked any of the second joint... so after a while she was just going.... Oh my god, I don't think I can handle this... being stoned with my mother... this is freaking me out.... which of course put me right back into hysterics.........
FINALLY I tried to compose myself so we could drive back to the hotel.. We had a parking place next to and parrallel to the canal.... Now I had a hard time not getting nervous getting out of the car when I was straight.. but stoned.... EEWW... I am not sure why Jess let me drive, but after I got in, started the car, and inched forward a foot or so... I panicked and said oh my god, I will accidently drive this car into the canal... I CAN'T DRIVE!!!! I was so scared that I was going to get out of the car and fall into the canal just going around to the other side, I had to climb across the front seat while Jess got in the driver's side.
Now anyone who has done drugs at all KNOWS that even though you ask someone if they are still high and they say no..... don't believe them... So when I asked Jess and she said no she was fine... I didn't beleive her. At that point I started panicking about HER driving us into the canal, at which poiunt SHE started panicking about driving us into the canal. LOLOL
I waould have been very happy to just sit in the car a few hours... but she decided to start driving.
Now she swears she was still not stoned, but I tell you, it took us over an hour to get back to the hotel. Not that I think we were lost because she was still high, but that she just got lost, and was the worst FUCKING driver I had ever seen. I swear we went over curbs, she would change lanes in front of people.. I was just waiting for the police to zoom in and take us to stoners' jail.... Then again, I may have just been really stoned.. LOL
Anyway, by the end of the hour we drove, i was now down enough to help decipher the map of Amsterdam we had, and she finally found the way back to to hotel....
At which point we plugged MORE moeny into parking. Jess now decides she is hungry, and it is like 11:30 at night.. We wonder down the street..(ok, I am stilled stoned, just not stoned silly anymore) looking for food... Everything was either closing in 5 minutes, closed, or had expensive food or nothing we liked. We wandered back and forth between three blocks I kid you not, 3-4 times and finally went into the last restaurant open. It was way too expensive and by this time we are pretty broke, so i do the old "We are going to keep it light tonight" to the waiter and we ordered two appetizers(sp), a dessert and a big bottle of water. (I love Europe and the big bottles of water you order at restaurants.)
The food was good, a shrimp spring roll, some penne pasta and a dessert that was apple slices,with a few walnuts, covered with a sort of thin custard sauce, and had ice cream... unfortunately there was no vanilla in the sauce, and an abundance of rum, YUCK...We were so hungry we didn't really care.
We walked back tothe hotel. Jess was pretty down (depressed) now, it wasn't as she expected and she would never get stoned again (i can hear my mom saying "GOOD" out loud as she reads this) and she wanted to go home, drive back down to Hanau right now, 12:30 in the morning.. Well, I would have almost said ok, except I hadn't really slept in like 4 days, and just needed sleep. PLUS I wanted to keep the option open to go to the Gardens the next day, with the possibilty of going through Belgium on the way home to check out the chocolate. (only one extra hour driving to do this) Ann Frank's house has gone the way of the wind (or smoke) a long time ago.. I convinced her to stay there and get some sleep, also reminding her that they bring breakfast right to our room in the morning helped her. LOL
So we went back to the hotel and were asleep in like 5 minutes flat.
I woke up inthe morning long enough to let them bring in breakfast, then went back to bed until 20 minutes before we had to check out.
We got dressed, though our stuff back into our backpacks, scarfed breakfast and headed back down to Hanau.
Breakfast was a typical European one..... toast, jam, a couple of boiled eggs, coffe, tea, some extra bread and a couple of slices of both meat and cheese. You can eat all, or a normal way of doing it is to makes sandwiches of the meat and cheese and take them with you for lunch... Which is what we did, though we eat them in the car about 10 minutes later. LOL
Going home was fast! Anyway, I have to get back there by early May to see the gardens in all their glory, and to go see the Ann Frank House. Ok, I am tired now, going to upload the pictures and go to bed!!
PICTURES
Me by the Netherlands sign
And then Jess!
Although this is not MY car, it is the same make, model, year and color, so you can see what we are driving on our trips across Europe.LOL
Old style windmills
New style windmill!!
Amsterdam
One of the canals running through town.
Our hotel roomMOM, DO NOT LOOK AT THE NEXT PICTURE!! (I love you)
Jessica
Thursday, March 30, 2006
damn computers
LOL We are online, but only on Jess' computer. Mine doesn't have XP, so am having problems. Then bought a wireless router yesterday and blew out the power adapter using it on German electricity. GRRRRRRRRR... have to bring that back and also going to thrift store to look for hub and or cheaper router. i don't even care about wireless anymore, just want MY computer online.
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
internet
We now have broadband internet at home!!!!!!!! Yessir.....
I will now be online with Aim or Yahoo or MSN Messenger at times where you are either sleeping or in the evenings after you work. LOL
Off to work..........
I will now be online with Aim or Yahoo or MSN Messenger at times where you are either sleeping or in the evenings after you work. LOL
Off to work..........
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
Stuff
It's 9:30 in the morning here in Hanau and i have been awake for the last hour. Almost unheard of in my world to be up this early, but I had to give Jess a ride to work, then I stopped at the US mailboxes to check mine, I am waiting for a couple of movies to come in from Netflix. I was walking from my car to the Post Office and thought how weird it is to be in Europe yet be surrounded be in a US Army post. My life is a strange concoction of US and European lifestyle that is not always pleasant. A large part of the reason I left the US was because of the people. Not all of them obviously, but the general population. And now I find myself spending a good portion of my day working with them, Mind you, I am so grateful for the work here that allows me to stay in Europe, yet having to deal with them can be very wearing.
For example yesterday (Monday). I don't usually work Monday and Tuesday, they are the slowest days of the week and therefore I usually have them off, but the restaurant was short a closer, and since closing is what I do best (5 of 7 days) I was asked to come in. The people who visit the restaurant on weekends are in a vastly different mood than the Monday people. Maybe it is because, obviously, it is the weekend. But yesterday the people I served were so rude, I had a difficult time even putting on a smile after a while. They were, to me, typical rude Americans. They wanted what they wanted NOW, and their looks of disgust made them very unattractive. Everything they ordered had 16 modifications, etc. The men, especially the young soldiers, never seem to be the problem. They are always smiling, joking, polite, ma'am is used etc. It is the wives who are PAINS IN THE ASS. Rude, condescending, impatient. I thought it was funny at first to be looked down upon. I mean, I CHOSE to leave a very comfortable lifestyle to come work at this dinky Taco Bell in the middle of Germany. OK, so I didn't exactly CHOOSE this part, but I chose to take the chance that I might end up at a job like this. And I don't mind at all helping the soldiers, regardless of what I think about the war, America etc, these are the guys who are coming and going from Iraq that I am helping, and I am very proud of that.
OK, I have sort of drifted off the main subject that I wanted to write about, but hey, that's the fun of having a blog (where no one can comment), I get to wander in any verbal direction I want to and no one can complain. Read it, or go away. LOL.
Anyway, what I started out wanted to write about was the weirdest of being caught between two different, VERY different cultures. Especially when one is the military.
I find it fun and different to have one half of my life lived out on an Army post, without actually having enlisted in the Army! You have the typical army type buildings, vehicles etc. Shoppettes, post offices, PXs, dining halls, laundry facilities, libraries etc. Even a thrift store where we have managed to come away with some pretty neat free things, including my daughter's 19 inch color TV with remote. ( she wanted a TV of her own so badly but could not afford even a used one in the thrift shop), then one day we walked in and they were giving one away ( too many TVs for sale) what a deal. LOL.
Anyway, so we come to work, show our civilian Department of Defense IDs to the German guards in uniform outside the post, go and do our jobs with Americans, then leave post and drive home to our apartment in the middle of a German town. Weird, but interesting. I really do try to stay away from buying things on post, especially food, but sometimes you need things not available on the economy (off post).
I have probably taking way too many words to say what I wanted, but again, it is so early in the morning. I don't usually get up until at least noon.
I work til at least 10:30 pm, and have been known to be there until 2 am, helping out my supervisor until 11 or midnight, then standing out in the parking lot talking for a couple of hours. In our parking lot at night there are always at least one or two deer walking around. Midget deer, at first I thought they were fawns, but they are actually full sized deer. There are also always bunnies hopping around in the grass by the dumpsters. Being the weird person I am, I always say “Bunny, bunny, bunny!” to them, knowing damn well they have no clue what I am saying, that I should probably be calling out the German word for bunny, which of course they would still not understand. LOL
Annnnyway... Next week we are FINALLY taking our first road trip to......... (cue drum roll) ..... Amsterdam! Yeah, party on Garth..... We intend to have a hell of a time. Jess and I are driving up with a woman who works at the bowling ally on post, where Jess' Subway (where she works) is located. It is Amber's birthday, and she wanted to go up, so we said lets go! Yes, I intend to smoke the reefer and do any other slightly illegal thing possible to do in Amsterdam, damn right!
We are driving up Monday morning, coming back Tuesday sometime. It is I think a 4 hour drive away, and with the three of us sharing expenses, shouldn't cost too much. AMSTERDAM, the Netherlands.. YES SIR! Should be a lot of fun. Just hoping I don't land in jail or anything.. (just kidding mom..)
We finally decided to get landline and Internet at the apartment. The phone is up and running, but we have to get a DSL modem from the company today to get the Internet going. OH MY GOD, one of life's luxuries back again, Internet at my actual home. I mean, I will be able to be on the internet any time day or night. WOW! LOL... Been almost a year without it. Been almost a year since this whole adventure started. I think I gave my notice at work on April 18th, a year ago. Seems like forever.
The anniversary of my sister's death was just a couple of days ago. NINE YEARS she has been gone. I still think of her every day. Funny how that is, and strange how she will never age or be old in our minds. Eternally young, as she should be remembered.
Well, I have to get up in two hours to return something to the thrift shop, we tried getting a used DSL modem there, but it is not working. So I need to get back to bed so that I can wake up in two hours. (note – later found out that DSL: will not be up and running until tomorrow (WED))
I am guessing you will be seeing way more rambling blogs once we are connected at home. I am not sure if that will be good or bad, but will certainly be a fact of life. Later......
For example yesterday (Monday). I don't usually work Monday and Tuesday, they are the slowest days of the week and therefore I usually have them off, but the restaurant was short a closer, and since closing is what I do best (5 of 7 days) I was asked to come in. The people who visit the restaurant on weekends are in a vastly different mood than the Monday people. Maybe it is because, obviously, it is the weekend. But yesterday the people I served were so rude, I had a difficult time even putting on a smile after a while. They were, to me, typical rude Americans. They wanted what they wanted NOW, and their looks of disgust made them very unattractive. Everything they ordered had 16 modifications, etc. The men, especially the young soldiers, never seem to be the problem. They are always smiling, joking, polite, ma'am is used etc. It is the wives who are PAINS IN THE ASS. Rude, condescending, impatient. I thought it was funny at first to be looked down upon. I mean, I CHOSE to leave a very comfortable lifestyle to come work at this dinky Taco Bell in the middle of Germany. OK, so I didn't exactly CHOOSE this part, but I chose to take the chance that I might end up at a job like this. And I don't mind at all helping the soldiers, regardless of what I think about the war, America etc, these are the guys who are coming and going from Iraq that I am helping, and I am very proud of that.
OK, I have sort of drifted off the main subject that I wanted to write about, but hey, that's the fun of having a blog (where no one can comment), I get to wander in any verbal direction I want to and no one can complain. Read it, or go away. LOL.
Anyway, what I started out wanted to write about was the weirdest of being caught between two different, VERY different cultures. Especially when one is the military.
I find it fun and different to have one half of my life lived out on an Army post, without actually having enlisted in the Army! You have the typical army type buildings, vehicles etc. Shoppettes, post offices, PXs, dining halls, laundry facilities, libraries etc. Even a thrift store where we have managed to come away with some pretty neat free things, including my daughter's 19 inch color TV with remote. ( she wanted a TV of her own so badly but could not afford even a used one in the thrift shop), then one day we walked in and they were giving one away ( too many TVs for sale) what a deal. LOL.
Anyway, so we come to work, show our civilian Department of Defense IDs to the German guards in uniform outside the post, go and do our jobs with Americans, then leave post and drive home to our apartment in the middle of a German town. Weird, but interesting. I really do try to stay away from buying things on post, especially food, but sometimes you need things not available on the economy (off post).
I have probably taking way too many words to say what I wanted, but again, it is so early in the morning. I don't usually get up until at least noon.
I work til at least 10:30 pm, and have been known to be there until 2 am, helping out my supervisor until 11 or midnight, then standing out in the parking lot talking for a couple of hours. In our parking lot at night there are always at least one or two deer walking around. Midget deer, at first I thought they were fawns, but they are actually full sized deer. There are also always bunnies hopping around in the grass by the dumpsters. Being the weird person I am, I always say “Bunny, bunny, bunny!” to them, knowing damn well they have no clue what I am saying, that I should probably be calling out the German word for bunny, which of course they would still not understand. LOL
Annnnyway... Next week we are FINALLY taking our first road trip to......... (cue drum roll) ..... Amsterdam! Yeah, party on Garth..... We intend to have a hell of a time. Jess and I are driving up with a woman who works at the bowling ally on post, where Jess' Subway (where she works) is located. It is Amber's birthday, and she wanted to go up, so we said lets go! Yes, I intend to smoke the reefer and do any other slightly illegal thing possible to do in Amsterdam, damn right!
We are driving up Monday morning, coming back Tuesday sometime. It is I think a 4 hour drive away, and with the three of us sharing expenses, shouldn't cost too much. AMSTERDAM, the Netherlands.. YES SIR! Should be a lot of fun. Just hoping I don't land in jail or anything.. (just kidding mom..)
We finally decided to get landline and Internet at the apartment. The phone is up and running, but we have to get a DSL modem from the company today to get the Internet going. OH MY GOD, one of life's luxuries back again, Internet at my actual home. I mean, I will be able to be on the internet any time day or night. WOW! LOL... Been almost a year without it. Been almost a year since this whole adventure started. I think I gave my notice at work on April 18th, a year ago. Seems like forever.
The anniversary of my sister's death was just a couple of days ago. NINE YEARS she has been gone. I still think of her every day. Funny how that is, and strange how she will never age or be old in our minds. Eternally young, as she should be remembered.
Well, I have to get up in two hours to return something to the thrift shop, we tried getting a used DSL modem there, but it is not working. So I need to get back to bed so that I can wake up in two hours. (note – later found out that DSL: will not be up and running until tomorrow (WED))
I am guessing you will be seeing way more rambling blogs once we are connected at home. I am not sure if that will be good or bad, but will certainly be a fact of life. Later......
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
pictures
no time to write,late for work. I decided to actually move into a bedroom like i was going to stay for awhile. pics below.
Thursday, March 09, 2006
Picture time!
OK, going to post some pictures. I am sacrificing my dignity and putting two of myself on here also. Hope you can tell I lost 50 pounds, I did not however, get any more photogenic. *LOL* Here goes.
Our apartment when we first moved in. When they say unfurnished, they mean nothing on the walls and floor, no light fixtures, NOTHING! Luckily after a month they installed a kitchen, that is unusual. We have done nothing to the floors and walls yet until we decide if we are staying in Hanau or going elsewhere. We are leaning towards the staying in Hanau.
Same view, a bit better with our obligatory cat climber we made.
Shot of the plants I have gotten.They will probably be dead in a month or two.I try so hard, but cannot keep a plant alive. *sigh*
Bammy on the cat thing. Even though she doesn't look it, she is much happier since having 6 teeth pulled last month.
Miss Kitty sleeping
Karnival in Hanu. (coincides(sp)with Mardi Grasin the States)
The view down the street from my window.
Me,50 pounds lighter. I didn't realize my new pants were already baggy again. YEAH!
Closer view(for my mom) to show her my hair, etc...
That's it! Nothing much else new....... Later!
Our apartment when we first moved in. When they say unfurnished, they mean nothing on the walls and floor, no light fixtures, NOTHING! Luckily after a month they installed a kitchen, that is unusual. We have done nothing to the floors and walls yet until we decide if we are staying in Hanau or going elsewhere. We are leaning towards the staying in Hanau.
Same view, a bit better with our obligatory cat climber we made.
Shot of the plants I have gotten.They will probably be dead in a month or two.I try so hard, but cannot keep a plant alive. *sigh*
Bammy on the cat thing. Even though she doesn't look it, she is much happier since having 6 teeth pulled last month.
Miss Kitty sleeping
Karnival in Hanu. (coincides(sp)with Mardi Grasin the States)
The view down the street from my window.
Me,50 pounds lighter. I didn't realize my new pants were already baggy again. YEAH!
Closer view(for my mom) to show her my hair, etc...That's it! Nothing much else new....... Later!
Wednesday, March 08, 2006
The car
Yeah, yeah. i know, who wants to hear more about the car..LOL Too bad...
Actually not much to say, we have gone through a lot of gas, Germany is SUCH a pain to get around, well at least the city of Hanau. We end up going in circles forever to find NY PLACE, SHEESH. So we have gone through 3/4 of my $35 of gas in just 3 or so days. We did drive about an hour away to Wiesbaden, but of course got lost. What should have been a 57 km drive ended up as 135 km. *g* We also ended up eating at a Persian restaurant and i finally got a chance to smoke a hooka(spelling??) We had melon flarvor, they were out of orange, and apple didn't sound very good. Even JESS smoked it after a bit of prodding!!!!!!
Anyway, it is really wonderful to have a car. We are parking at the very ends of lots so that we have to keep walking. Also, if we go into the marktplatz area of town to shop, you can't park there, so we leave the car at home and walk. I am doing my best to make sure I stay at this weight, as well as loose more.
Well, Jess is sitting at the computer next to me, staring at me, she wants to go, we both work this afternoon, so I am gone. Take care!!
Actually not much to say, we have gone through a lot of gas, Germany is SUCH a pain to get around, well at least the city of Hanau. We end up going in circles forever to find NY PLACE, SHEESH. So we have gone through 3/4 of my $35 of gas in just 3 or so days. We did drive about an hour away to Wiesbaden, but of course got lost. What should have been a 57 km drive ended up as 135 km. *g* We also ended up eating at a Persian restaurant and i finally got a chance to smoke a hooka(spelling??) We had melon flarvor, they were out of orange, and apple didn't sound very good. Even JESS smoked it after a bit of prodding!!!!!!
Anyway, it is really wonderful to have a car. We are parking at the very ends of lots so that we have to keep walking. Also, if we go into the marktplatz area of town to shop, you can't park there, so we leave the car at home and walk. I am doing my best to make sure I stay at this weight, as well as loose more.
Well, Jess is sitting at the computer next to me, staring at me, she wants to go, we both work this afternoon, so I am gone. Take care!!
Monday, March 06, 2006
FINALLY got the car in my name
Woo-hoo! 1987 Audi 100, is BIG for cars here, holds a whopping 80 liters of gas, which I THINK is only 20 gallons. Thank god I get a gas ration card so that I can buy on post at 68 cents a liter vs $4 a liter on the economy.
Well, am paying big bucks for this time online, on on post, the computers at the library are down. We are going to take a hour drive to the Wiesbaden Amry post after Jess gets off work at 4 today. There is a big bookstore there she wanted to go to, so SINCE WE HAVE A CAR we can go... A permit to park on the street in front of our apt only costs 25 euro a year, so that was great. The car also needs an oil change badly and a new air filter. I have a feeling it might also need brakes, but there is a man who works at the shoppette which is connected to Taco bell that says he is a certified mechanic. (He also likes me, so that might be of help too) *g*
Ok, will write more when I get onto a computer that is free or WAY cheaper. Take care.
Well, am paying big bucks for this time online, on on post, the computers at the library are down. We are going to take a hour drive to the Wiesbaden Amry post after Jess gets off work at 4 today. There is a big bookstore there she wanted to go to, so SINCE WE HAVE A CAR we can go... A permit to park on the street in front of our apt only costs 25 euro a year, so that was great. The car also needs an oil change badly and a new air filter. I have a feeling it might also need brakes, but there is a man who works at the shoppette which is connected to Taco bell that says he is a certified mechanic. (He also likes me, so that might be of help too) *g*
Ok, will write more when I get onto a computer that is free or WAY cheaper. Take care.
Wednesday, March 01, 2006
Driving times
I did a bit of checking online today for driving times from Hanau, Germany. (If the car can make it long distances.) A couple of places it would be better to fly, but below are the results. Amazing the places you can drive to with gas bought with the money you made at Taco Bell. LOL
less than 4 hours driving time to Brussels, Belgium
6 hours to Paris, France.
6 hours to Vienna, Austria
9 hours to London, UK
3.5 hours to Holland, Netherlands.
8 hours to Venice, Italy
16 hours to Madrid, Spain
4 hours to Amsterdam, Netherlands
4 hours to Zurich, Switzerland
3 hours to Luxembourg
3.5 hours to Munich, Germany
5 hours to Berlin, Germany
5 hours to Prague, Czheck(sp) Republic
15 hours to Dublin, Ireland
9 hours to Monaco (French Riviera)
A whopping 24 hours to Athens, Greece
24 hours to Lisbon, Portugal
15 hours to Stockholm, Sweden.
That is all I have to say today.. :-)
less than 4 hours driving time to Brussels, Belgium
6 hours to Paris, France.
6 hours to Vienna, Austria
9 hours to London, UK
3.5 hours to Holland, Netherlands.
8 hours to Venice, Italy
16 hours to Madrid, Spain
4 hours to Amsterdam, Netherlands
4 hours to Zurich, Switzerland
3 hours to Luxembourg
3.5 hours to Munich, Germany
5 hours to Berlin, Germany
5 hours to Prague, Czheck(sp) Republic
15 hours to Dublin, Ireland
9 hours to Monaco (French Riviera)
A whopping 24 hours to Athens, Greece
24 hours to Lisbon, Portugal
15 hours to Stockholm, Sweden.
That is all I have to say today.. :-)
Monday, February 27, 2006
Sing with me now!........
Diana's gonna have a caaaaar... Diana's gonna have a caaaaaarr.
Yes people, I will be buying a 1982 Audi something or other with 149,000 miles on it. *LOL*
The woman at work whose son is going back to the Phillipines (sp) keeps offering it to me, she says she won't sell it to anyone else but me. (i remind her of her grandmother whom she loves very much!!) I don't know whether to take that as an insult (do I look that old?) or not, but I am secretly very proud. PLUS even though I was going to buy it before, but then I lost all my state tax refund to the kids student loans that I cosigned for.. she still keeps offering it to me, even saying i can pay part now, part later. Also my supervisor, Nick, who is is also Philipino(why does that spelling look SOOO wrong??), and is going to see if she will bring the price down a bit.. Soooo.....
I think that means no flying trip to Spain, but I am now researching road trips. We are only a couple of hours away from France I know, and probably only 4 or so from Beligium, and I think the Netherlands too, Plus Austria, Prague, etc... We will just have to see if the car will hold up to long trips....
Anyway, not much else new. (NOT MUCH ELSE NEW?????? I AM RESEARCHING ROAD TRIPS ALL OVER EUROPE, HOW COOL IS THAT????)
I am getting to really like working at Taco Bell, I JUST NEED MORE MONEY!!!!!
I like that the work is physical, it feels good to be moving around, bending lifting, etc.... and the people I work with are pretty amazing, with the exception of the manager of the store, but what else is new there, that is the ancient curse of working at all. LOL
So I am getting into pretty good shape I think. I am still down about 52 pounds, so that is good. I really need another 20 pounds I think, I will be so thrilled, you will have no idea. HOT 48 year old woman. *g*
I really wouldn't mind working here for a while, but I know I need more money to survive. For now though, I am pretty frigging happy where I am, thank you. Maybe my goal in life WAS to work at a Taco Bell.. *g* I am sure I will move on to something else, but as I said, i am pretty happy where I am right now.
Well, off to look up road trips, find out about changing my MN license into a German one, etc... Hope you all are well in Minnesota!!!
Yes people, I will be buying a 1982 Audi something or other with 149,000 miles on it. *LOL*
The woman at work whose son is going back to the Phillipines (sp) keeps offering it to me, she says she won't sell it to anyone else but me. (i remind her of her grandmother whom she loves very much!!) I don't know whether to take that as an insult (do I look that old?) or not, but I am secretly very proud. PLUS even though I was going to buy it before, but then I lost all my state tax refund to the kids student loans that I cosigned for.. she still keeps offering it to me, even saying i can pay part now, part later. Also my supervisor, Nick, who is is also Philipino(why does that spelling look SOOO wrong??), and is going to see if she will bring the price down a bit.. Soooo.....
I think that means no flying trip to Spain, but I am now researching road trips. We are only a couple of hours away from France I know, and probably only 4 or so from Beligium, and I think the Netherlands too, Plus Austria, Prague, etc... We will just have to see if the car will hold up to long trips....
Anyway, not much else new. (NOT MUCH ELSE NEW?????? I AM RESEARCHING ROAD TRIPS ALL OVER EUROPE, HOW COOL IS THAT????)
I am getting to really like working at Taco Bell, I JUST NEED MORE MONEY!!!!!
I like that the work is physical, it feels good to be moving around, bending lifting, etc.... and the people I work with are pretty amazing, with the exception of the manager of the store, but what else is new there, that is the ancient curse of working at all. LOL
So I am getting into pretty good shape I think. I am still down about 52 pounds, so that is good. I really need another 20 pounds I think, I will be so thrilled, you will have no idea. HOT 48 year old woman. *g*
I really wouldn't mind working here for a while, but I know I need more money to survive. For now though, I am pretty frigging happy where I am, thank you. Maybe my goal in life WAS to work at a Taco Bell.. *g* I am sure I will move on to something else, but as I said, i am pretty happy where I am right now.
Well, off to look up road trips, find out about changing my MN license into a German one, etc... Hope you all are well in Minnesota!!!
Thursday, February 23, 2006
Some exploring
Well, I have decided to take $150 of my tax money and take a three day trip somewhere, probably the south of Spain. It is warmer than here and I can speak Spanish, and the food??? Do I have to say anything? YUM..
Am still not sure though, I may do southern Italy or the Island of Sadinia off Iitaly.. Ryanair has flights for about 1.99€ plus about 20 in taxes, each way.. The places I am looking at also have youth hostels where you can stay for about $20 a night... sooooooo.....
Half the fun is in the planning I think. *G* Jess may or may not go, she has not said. If she goes I will see if the landlord/Vet's secretary might stop up and feed and water the cats and plants in the apartment since the office is right in back of us.
So I can go to london, Ireland, Belgium, Netherlands, Italy, Spain., Portugal, Switzerland, France, you name it. Maybe I should save Spain for when it is warmer and do London or Paris.... AUUGGHHH... Don't you just love that these hard decisions are so FUN?? not bad for a Taco Bell worker.... :-p
I decided I need to get off my butt and start taking some short trips. Actually London or paris I could probably do in two days......
Hmmmm..
OH! I finally got my hair dyed back to blonde.. It was almost completely the natural, dull brown color before I had the money to dye it back blonde, it was such a shock, I didn't know if I even liked it, but now I am glad, makes me look younger again, not so old and haggard.
I am helping to pay off my mom's credit card now, so i feel a lot better about that. Living with the minimum amount of things and costs allows me to be able to start paying her back...
Anway, i work at 5:30, so I need to run home and get my work clothes, stop off at the market for some fruit and yogurt. I'll keep you updated on the travel thing. I plan to go mid March, I always have two day off work in the middle of the week, so I will take those and maybe one other day. Not sure yet. Hope you all are fine there in Minnesota!!!!
Am still not sure though, I may do southern Italy or the Island of Sadinia off Iitaly.. Ryanair has flights for about 1.99€ plus about 20 in taxes, each way.. The places I am looking at also have youth hostels where you can stay for about $20 a night... sooooooo.....
Half the fun is in the planning I think. *G* Jess may or may not go, she has not said. If she goes I will see if the landlord/Vet's secretary might stop up and feed and water the cats and plants in the apartment since the office is right in back of us.
So I can go to london, Ireland, Belgium, Netherlands, Italy, Spain., Portugal, Switzerland, France, you name it. Maybe I should save Spain for when it is warmer and do London or Paris.... AUUGGHHH... Don't you just love that these hard decisions are so FUN?? not bad for a Taco Bell worker.... :-p
I decided I need to get off my butt and start taking some short trips. Actually London or paris I could probably do in two days......
Hmmmm..
OH! I finally got my hair dyed back to blonde.. It was almost completely the natural, dull brown color before I had the money to dye it back blonde, it was such a shock, I didn't know if I even liked it, but now I am glad, makes me look younger again, not so old and haggard.
I am helping to pay off my mom's credit card now, so i feel a lot better about that. Living with the minimum amount of things and costs allows me to be able to start paying her back...
Anway, i work at 5:30, so I need to run home and get my work clothes, stop off at the market for some fruit and yogurt. I'll keep you updated on the travel thing. I plan to go mid March, I always have two day off work in the middle of the week, so I will take those and maybe one other day. Not sure yet. Hope you all are fine there in Minnesota!!!!
Monday, February 20, 2006
maintaining
Sorry it has been a while, I couldn't get into blogger the other day to give an update. I got my federal taxes back and was able to get my hair dyed back to blonde. YEAH! Also was able to buy jeans and topes that fit me.. For those of you who know me, you know I used to wear big mens shirts over tops. NO MORE! I bought a bunch of knit shell sort of tops, short sleeved scoop necked close fitting tops. GRIN. 50 pounds and a person can definitely wear things they could not wear before.
Otherwise not much else new, just haunting the UN and military job boards, putting in for all the IT jobs I can, waiting to hear back. I haven't heard back from the UN, but it is still possible, has not quite been 4 weeks since the interview.
Flower shops are awesome here. I bought a little bonsai tree, would run about $30 in the US, for 6€.... and a few flowering plants, most about 99 cents, the most expensive was 4€.
I had to take my cat in a few weeks ago to have her mouht operated on. She is older, had to get about 6 teeth pulled. OW.. Luckily the vet is our landlord and her office is right behind the apartment! Bammy is doing great and you can tell feels soooo much better with the teeth out..
Jess and I were going to get a car with our tax money, but decided to wait until we know where we are going to be permanently, plus I am paying back my mom at $100 a month, so car insurance would be too expensive to pay with everything else, on our pay.........
Weather is great, springlike, getting more sunny days, I was able to walk across the comples where I work without a jacket the other day.. Woo-hoo!
Well, I need to hit the shops in town before they close at 6, this is one of my days off......
Hope everyone is doing fine........... Take care!!!
Otherwise not much else new, just haunting the UN and military job boards, putting in for all the IT jobs I can, waiting to hear back. I haven't heard back from the UN, but it is still possible, has not quite been 4 weeks since the interview.
Flower shops are awesome here. I bought a little bonsai tree, would run about $30 in the US, for 6€.... and a few flowering plants, most about 99 cents, the most expensive was 4€.
I had to take my cat in a few weeks ago to have her mouht operated on. She is older, had to get about 6 teeth pulled. OW.. Luckily the vet is our landlord and her office is right behind the apartment! Bammy is doing great and you can tell feels soooo much better with the teeth out..
Jess and I were going to get a car with our tax money, but decided to wait until we know where we are going to be permanently, plus I am paying back my mom at $100 a month, so car insurance would be too expensive to pay with everything else, on our pay.........
Weather is great, springlike, getting more sunny days, I was able to walk across the comples where I work without a jacket the other day.. Woo-hoo!
Well, I need to hit the shops in town before they close at 6, this is one of my days off......
Hope everyone is doing fine........... Take care!!!
Thursday, February 09, 2006
Thunder and snow
Strange weather here in Germany, been windy and rainy, then suddenly snow and thunder, and then by 1 pm sunny and everything melted. *L*
Still not much going on, waiting to here about jobs, that's about it. Jess and her boyfriend broke up, thankfully before she left to go live with him in Portugal, so she will be following me wherever I get a job. (YEAH)
We went to the movies the other night! On post, Jess wanted to see Harry Potter, it was the last time it was playing. I had gotten a couple of free passes from my supervisor for being so wonerful *blush*. We had not been to a movie since the US.
NICE, high backed chairs, etc. We bought a bag of popcorn, smooothered it with fake butter and salt, and a drink, also some chocolate, what a treat!
As soon as we sat down I had flashbacks to when I was in the Air Force, and I told Jess to be prepared for the National Anthom, that we would have to stand up during it. She didn't believe me, said that was a long time ago. But I said we were on a US military base, trust me, they will have the national anthom before the movies starts. Sure enough, it played. I should have bet Jess money. *g*
So that was a nice treat. I think I gained 2 pounds from all the butter and salt I consumed.. (American food, evil, fattening!) LOL
Work is the same, i have gotten into the swing of thing really well with one particular supervisor, so when we work together, it's not too bad.
What else?? I know I had things to talk about, but once I get online, my mind goes blank.
Well, going to go, am just hanging by a thread hoping to get a call about one or another job in Geneva.
Take care!
Still not much going on, waiting to here about jobs, that's about it. Jess and her boyfriend broke up, thankfully before she left to go live with him in Portugal, so she will be following me wherever I get a job. (YEAH)
We went to the movies the other night! On post, Jess wanted to see Harry Potter, it was the last time it was playing. I had gotten a couple of free passes from my supervisor for being so wonerful *blush*. We had not been to a movie since the US.
NICE, high backed chairs, etc. We bought a bag of popcorn, smooothered it with fake butter and salt, and a drink, also some chocolate, what a treat!
As soon as we sat down I had flashbacks to when I was in the Air Force, and I told Jess to be prepared for the National Anthom, that we would have to stand up during it. She didn't believe me, said that was a long time ago. But I said we were on a US military base, trust me, they will have the national anthom before the movies starts. Sure enough, it played. I should have bet Jess money. *g*
So that was a nice treat. I think I gained 2 pounds from all the butter and salt I consumed.. (American food, evil, fattening!) LOL
Work is the same, i have gotten into the swing of thing really well with one particular supervisor, so when we work together, it's not too bad.
What else?? I know I had things to talk about, but once I get online, my mind goes blank.
Well, going to go, am just hanging by a thread hoping to get a call about one or another job in Geneva.
Take care!
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
United Nations interview.
Shew.. that is over... I spoke with a man named Anders and another gentleman whose name I did not understand. He may have been from Nigeria or some such place.
They asked me a lot of questions about my work background. Very straight forward, none of the "How would your best friend decribe you" types of questions.
They wanted to know how I felt about traveling. It seems the job will be based out of Geneva, not the Hague, so scratch the Hague link from yesterday. When he asked me about traveling, he said the places they go to were not the usual tourist spots, he actually said it could be "deepest Africa" or southeast Asia. LOL.
I am not sure how I did, i know I am weak on a couple of things they are looking for, such as Zenworks and any programming. BUT, it also sounds like they use Novell, because one of them was asking me about my GroupWise experience as well as asking if i had any Novell certifications, so that is a good sign.........
We spoke about 1/2 hour. The human resources person that was supposed to be there got lost finding the place, so they just went over a bit about the hiring process. That they had more interviews, and that I would probably hear nothing until about 3-4 weeks from then. Then if I got the job an HR person would contact me with an offer.
Another thing they asked was that if i received an offer, how long before I could be in Geneva. I said it would take no more than two weeks, that I was renting month to month and would just need to get things together back here and go. AAUUGGHHHH... :-)
Pretty cool huh, being called up by a couple of people from the United Nations in Geneva about a job where I could be traveling to "deepest Africa" and Southeast Asia??? *G*
Well, I will just be keeping my fingers crossed. I am going to have to talk to Jess and see if she would move to Geneva with me (and Rob could come) so that they could share an apartment and take care of the cats for me. Otherwise i am not sure I can take the job, depending on how often I travel.....
Not going to plan too much though, since there is no promise that I will even get the job, but it is nice to not be sideblinded if I get it, by having made no plans.
I am also kind of hoping about the AF job in the Azores. The waiting 3-4 weeks for a reply from the UN kind of gives me time to hear from the other job.
So things are looking up at least. more sun in Germany..... i was standing at the bus stop waiting to catch the bus here (I am at the USO on post using a computer at the library) and I was just watching these three boys play football (soccer) in the street, and the bells from the town square started ringing at the top of the hour, and I have to tell you, I was pretty frigging content with where I am right now.. So that it good.... Much better off then I was a month ago.
Anyway, i need to get going and get some other things done here before I go to work. 6-10:30pm for the next 3 nights.
Bye!
They asked me a lot of questions about my work background. Very straight forward, none of the "How would your best friend decribe you" types of questions.
They wanted to know how I felt about traveling. It seems the job will be based out of Geneva, not the Hague, so scratch the Hague link from yesterday. When he asked me about traveling, he said the places they go to were not the usual tourist spots, he actually said it could be "deepest Africa" or southeast Asia. LOL.
I am not sure how I did, i know I am weak on a couple of things they are looking for, such as Zenworks and any programming. BUT, it also sounds like they use Novell, because one of them was asking me about my GroupWise experience as well as asking if i had any Novell certifications, so that is a good sign.........
We spoke about 1/2 hour. The human resources person that was supposed to be there got lost finding the place, so they just went over a bit about the hiring process. That they had more interviews, and that I would probably hear nothing until about 3-4 weeks from then. Then if I got the job an HR person would contact me with an offer.
Another thing they asked was that if i received an offer, how long before I could be in Geneva. I said it would take no more than two weeks, that I was renting month to month and would just need to get things together back here and go. AAUUGGHHHH... :-)
Pretty cool huh, being called up by a couple of people from the United Nations in Geneva about a job where I could be traveling to "deepest Africa" and Southeast Asia??? *G*
Well, I will just be keeping my fingers crossed. I am going to have to talk to Jess and see if she would move to Geneva with me (and Rob could come) so that they could share an apartment and take care of the cats for me. Otherwise i am not sure I can take the job, depending on how often I travel.....
Not going to plan too much though, since there is no promise that I will even get the job, but it is nice to not be sideblinded if I get it, by having made no plans.
I am also kind of hoping about the AF job in the Azores. The waiting 3-4 weeks for a reply from the UN kind of gives me time to hear from the other job.
So things are looking up at least. more sun in Germany..... i was standing at the bus stop waiting to catch the bus here (I am at the USO on post using a computer at the library) and I was just watching these three boys play football (soccer) in the street, and the bells from the town square started ringing at the top of the hour, and I have to tell you, I was pretty frigging content with where I am right now.. So that it good.... Much better off then I was a month ago.
Anyway, i need to get going and get some other things done here before I go to work. 6-10:30pm for the next 3 nights.
Bye!
Monday, January 23, 2006
Things are looking up
Well, at last some interesting things to put on the blog. I was at the vet today with one of the cats when i received call from the united Nations in Geneva wanting to do a phone interview with me on Wed about a job I applied for a few months ago.. It is for a computer assistant job in the Hague (Netherlands) at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia! (try saying that three times fast.. Here is the site for those interested: http://www.un.org/icty/
I also checked on the status of a computer job for the Air Force in the Azores, Portugal, and I am eligible for it, so we will see if I get a call or email from them! Here is a link to the Island that the base is located on: http://www.destinazores.com/index.php , The job would be on the island of Terceira. The islands are actually about 900 miles west of Lisbon, it is the most Western part of Europe. See what you think! I just started checking out the two places myself, though obviously there is no guarentee I will get either job..
Something must be in the air because I just got a call from Heidelberg asking if I wanted a job in the commissarry. that one I said no to, i don't have a care right now, etc, and it is an hour train ride away. i would not make enough money at that job to justify going.
Well, cross your fingers that one of these jobs comes through (I personally want the one in the Azores.) It is only a 5 hour flight from there to Boston, so the US would be closer, and maybe I could get my mom to come over........ Now if I was in the Hague, Nick would be more likely to come, he wants to visit Amsterdam, soo..... Either way both pay about the same money, obviously the UN one would look better on a resume.... there are porbably a lot more perks to it also. Well, we will just have to see if either pans out. cross your fingers!!
OK, Holland itself looks pretty fricking interesting... *sigh* Here is a link: http://www.holland.com/us/
I also checked on the status of a computer job for the Air Force in the Azores, Portugal, and I am eligible for it, so we will see if I get a call or email from them! Here is a link to the Island that the base is located on: http://www.destinazores.com/index.php , The job would be on the island of Terceira. The islands are actually about 900 miles west of Lisbon, it is the most Western part of Europe. See what you think! I just started checking out the two places myself, though obviously there is no guarentee I will get either job..
Something must be in the air because I just got a call from Heidelberg asking if I wanted a job in the commissarry. that one I said no to, i don't have a care right now, etc, and it is an hour train ride away. i would not make enough money at that job to justify going.
Well, cross your fingers that one of these jobs comes through (I personally want the one in the Azores.) It is only a 5 hour flight from there to Boston, so the US would be closer, and maybe I could get my mom to come over........ Now if I was in the Hague, Nick would be more likely to come, he wants to visit Amsterdam, soo..... Either way both pay about the same money, obviously the UN one would look better on a resume.... there are porbably a lot more perks to it also. Well, we will just have to see if either pans out. cross your fingers!!
OK, Holland itself looks pretty fricking interesting... *sigh* Here is a link: http://www.holland.com/us/
Monday, January 16, 2006
New direction maybe?
Well, that old travelin jones is hitting again. Looks like we will be trying to get to Portugal in the next few months. Jess' boyfriend is living there and she wants to be closer to him. To be honest, warmer weather sounds wonderful. I have been watching the military sites for job openings. I just applied for a computer assistant, it closes the 20th, so we will see if I hear anything after that.
The other thing we have decided to do is buy a car if we get enough tax money back. It's really needed, esp when you first get to a place, looking for apts, applying for jobs etc. So we will se how much we get back.
Been working, working, working. Still only getting about 30 hours a week, no benefits, but it is enought for the apt and utilities, and some spending money.
I have been working closings, so I come in around 1 or so and work til 10:30 a couple of days, then come in at 5:30 or so and work til closing. I LOVE sleeping late, man how I love it.
My weight loss is now up to 40 pounds!!!!!!!!!! Yes, that is the happiest thing of this trip, losing all the weight.
Living in Germany is OK, the weather in the winter sucks, a bit of snow here and there, in the 30s mostly, but no sun most of the time, and to me it look slike MN in the spring when everything is sort of dirty and no leaves on the trees yet.
Living in Dt Hanau has been nice, you just walk into town to do your shopping, etc.... The main downtown blocks are all paved and cobbled, with blocks and blocks of stores. I still have not been impressed with the cooked food available. pork mostly, and sandwiches. There is this one butcher shop where you can get a leg/thigh of chicken roasted with paprika for 1.7 euro. YUM, but not a lot of other places to eat. We still have no kitchen in the apt, so we are unable to cook. This means I am eating a lot of Taco Bell. YUCK...
So now it is just work work work while we look into going to Portugal.
Note: Visit to a local dr here cost TEN euros, about $11!!!!! Can't beat that.... :-)
The other thing we have decided to do is buy a car if we get enough tax money back. It's really needed, esp when you first get to a place, looking for apts, applying for jobs etc. So we will se how much we get back.
Been working, working, working. Still only getting about 30 hours a week, no benefits, but it is enought for the apt and utilities, and some spending money.
I have been working closings, so I come in around 1 or so and work til 10:30 a couple of days, then come in at 5:30 or so and work til closing. I LOVE sleeping late, man how I love it.
My weight loss is now up to 40 pounds!!!!!!!!!! Yes, that is the happiest thing of this trip, losing all the weight.
Living in Germany is OK, the weather in the winter sucks, a bit of snow here and there, in the 30s mostly, but no sun most of the time, and to me it look slike MN in the spring when everything is sort of dirty and no leaves on the trees yet.
Living in Dt Hanau has been nice, you just walk into town to do your shopping, etc.... The main downtown blocks are all paved and cobbled, with blocks and blocks of stores. I still have not been impressed with the cooked food available. pork mostly, and sandwiches. There is this one butcher shop where you can get a leg/thigh of chicken roasted with paprika for 1.7 euro. YUM, but not a lot of other places to eat. We still have no kitchen in the apt, so we are unable to cook. This means I am eating a lot of Taco Bell. YUCK...
So now it is just work work work while we look into going to Portugal.
Note: Visit to a local dr here cost TEN euros, about $11!!!!! Can't beat that.... :-)
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