i am in Germany. Made it to mittenwald today, innsbruck tomorrow. iäm doing well changing trains and talking to people. now i just have to figure out their keyboard system and find dinner.

Happy Birthday To S2

Happy Birthday S2. I know that I will hear for years that we did not spend it together :-) but just wanted to let you know that I am saving for the psychiatry bills ----- well will save for them after I pay for college!!

Seriously, have a wonderful day and time on your vacation.

And remember - even though life sucks sometimes it is still pretty good.

Love,

Mom

Happy Father's Day!

To my husband (go Nationals!!), my dad and my brother.

What have I been up to

this first week of vacation.

1. Getting ready for the big trip. Trying to make sure that I have maps, itinerary for each day and that I'm as prepared as can be.

2. Playing with one seriously cute puppy.

3. Finishing up a swap gift that will be mailed out tomorrow.

4. Going to rehab again for my knee. Reinjured it about a month ago.

Hot Air Ballon Morning

Snoopy tried valiantly to protect us from the menace that makes horrible noise. We were finally able to get him into the garage and shut the door. Bella didn't seem to realize what was going on and I gave her treats during the noise and she didn't seem to notice.

However it is so very cool to have one of these go over the little blue house. And to be able to see the faces on those inside the basket.

School is now over. I am in the planning stages for my trip to Germany. I have not really jumped into faceb**k yet. So many conversations going on at once - a little overwhelming.

And I'm a super hero. More about that later.

Today I was reconnected with a

friend from high school on Faceb**k.

Friend With Beautiful Eyes and I met our freshman year of high school. We were the nicest two kids in the class (fact) and we were in the worst science class ever. Mr. P was so inept. He read from the book in class and ignored the fact that the boy who sat next to me lit matches and through them on the floor. No, this was not inner city.

So we read in class. Harlequin Romances to be precise. Her idea. A fantastic idea. I loved them.

I moved away our junior and our relationship died slowly. We haven't seen each other since high school.

But now she lives closer and who knows.

Three more days

of school. I find myself wistfully looking at people working in their yards as I go to work.

3 more days.
3 more days.

My mantra.

Snoopy

Taking a well deserved rest from his social activities.

Sweet Goodness Swaps - Red, White and Blue - It's All About YOU!

I have entered another Sweet Goodness Swap. My partner is Bethany.

In order to get to know each other and send something that the other person will appreciate there are questions to be answered.

1. My decorating style - vintage, a little old fashioned, eclectic (not everyone has a plywood cow in their front yard).

2. Allergies - I don't like anything with a heavy perfume.

3. Do I decorate for the 4th? I'm working on a few things now but I wish that I had more to put up on the house. I love to look at magazines that show summer picnic decorations.

4. Hobbies? Right now it is reading, knitting, crocheting and sewing and craft painting. I love to decorate wooden letters with paint, buttons, papers etc.

5. I don't scrapbook as much as I should.

6. 4th of July traditions - celebrating with a picnic at the neighborhood pool.

7. Children - boys 19 and 21.

8. Cook or baker - I also do not follow a recipe directly to the consternation of my family. I love to bake but have to be in the mood as my guys will decimate a batch of cookies in 2 to 3 days.

9. Favorite scent - lilac

10. Favorite sweet treat - black licorice

Outside it is raining.

Inside butterflies (from Michael's) fly.

Tonight I sat in

a lawn chair, underneath a maple tree while it gently rained. I had the Washington Sudoku puzzle in my lap while I watched the dogs and Sport play in the grass.

Maybe it was reading too many

Mrs. Pollifax books when I was younger. Maybe it is a midlife crisis. And then maybe it's the fact that I was able to score an airline ticket for such a ridiculously low price that my family has all but pushed me out the door.

So, when my youngest leaves for a visit to Kansas later this month I will be leaving (on the same day) to Germany.

I speak little german.

Very little.

I will be going by myself.

I will be going to two areas that are known for violins and high mountains.

I will also be going to a major city that I swore - after last year's visit- that I would never go to again.

But I have made arrangements to stay in one town - near the river. The one that runs green from the ice in the mountains. I will have time to cross the bridge to see what exactly is on the other side of the city.

I will try to buy train tickets, find ATMS - most places that I will be staying at want cash.

And I will try to make it in one piece back to the plane 8 days later to come home.

Heinz wants you to know

three things.

1. That he loves his human mother obsessively.

2. That he has discovered (at the age of 3) that he likes to go outdoors and hunt.

3. That he can combine the two loves of his life.

Yes, Heinz brought me not 1 but 2 voles on Saturday. This morning he brought me a field mouse. And specifically showed it to me in case I would miss the quivering little thing on the floor between me and my computer. Of course when I went to get something to pick up the little thing it was gone only to be found later on the floor next to my shorts. It is safely outside. And Heinz has gone back outside. Sigh.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vole .