Now this is funny.

If you haven't yet seen this video from the White House Correspondents' Dinner, you have to watch it!

Run-down

Okay, I've been totally deliquent about posting. Almost seems like that's becoming the theme of this blog, doesn't it?

My weekend went like this: on Friday night, we celebrated my friend Ira's birthday.

On Saturday, I painted at Rene and Melissa's new apartment. The lady that lived there before them must have never cleaned - the walls were filthy, with cobwebs and dirt everywhere. We painted the kitchen white and it looks much better! Their building is really old and the apartment needs a lot of work, but when they're done, I think it's going to be really nice.

On Saturday night, we celebrated their return to Germany with a fondue night. We had 8 different kinds of fondue, including 2 chocolate fondues. It was delicious! And really, really fun. On Sunday, I was so tired from all of that, that I came home from church and went to bed. Later I went to Ira and David's to meet some other friends of theirs. We went walking (typical Sunday activity), even though it was quite windy and cold.

Monday after work, I went back to Rene and Melissa's and helped take down wallpaper. It was not particularly fun, but the company was good.

Yesterday afternoon it started snowing. So after work, I came out to a car covered in snow. And no snow brush. Oops. So on my way home, I stopped at the home improvement store and bought a snow brush and an ice scraper. It continued to snow all night long and all day today. I don't know how much snow we have, but it must be close to a foot. This morning, after backing out of the garage, I got stuck in the snow. Fortunately, two people from the next building over decided to be really helpful and they came over and pushed out the car. And then on my way into work, this guy offered to share his umbrella with me. Somehow, people were just very helpful today!

Traffic was a mess. One of my colleagues didn't make it into work at all and another need four hours to get there. I'm really glad I bought those winter tires now!

It was funny to come home today, because my windows that are on an angle in the roof are all covered with snow, so I can't see out of them at all. Fortunately, I have a few "regular" windows, so I can still see some things.

Today, I also started filling out my tax organizer. Now, I have to admit that I have the "luxury" of having a tax advisor, who will be completing my taxes for me. But it's amazing what I have to report: how much I spent in utilities in Germany, how big my apartment is, how long my bank accounts have been opened, what the balance is, what the highest balance in 2006 was. It's soooo much and it takes a long time to look up. And of course, I'm finding out that not all of this information is available online. For example, the bank that I use only provides statements back six months. Which means that I had to write and ask them questions. Good thing my info isn't due until March!

Happy Birthday, Dad!

January 19, 19xx......that was the day on which my Dad was born. He's the sandwich kid...one older brother, one younger sister. My Grandpa owned several different businesses and I'm pretty sure my dad worked there....a laundromat and a car wash, at least I think. My dad was lucky enough to grow up on the west side of Michigan. I say lucky, because visiting my grandparents was one of my most favorite things in the whole world when I was little. To me, their house and the area they lived in were perfect. You'll have to ask my dad if he actually liked growing up there.

After college, he headed to MSU (since this post is in honor of him and because I have no particular college affiliation) - Go Spartans! What's your degree in again, Dad? Latin American Studies? No matter what it's in, my Dad has always worked in insurance, at least as long as I've known him. He's never been one to stay in one place for long, though. Fortunately, that didn't mean that we ever had to move out of the Metro Detroit Area....although there was that one time he talked about us moving to St. Joe. (I'm sure glad we didn't! - No offense to Bill & Rhonda.)

My Dad's always taken care of us. My mom's mostly always worked, too, but it has always been pretty clear in our family that my Dad is the primary breadwinner. And he's done a good job of it. Being the provider didn't come without it's share of sacrifices, including working as a janitor at our school/church, so that we could have a tuition break on some pretty hefty private school tuition. My Dad hasn't only provided for us financially, though. He's been a spiritual and emotional provider as well. And a provider of Red Wings tickets, trips to Boblo Island and lots of other fun things that I won't ever forget.

My Dad's always been kinda last-minute. One of my Aunt's favorite stories to tell is how every week, the whole family would sit on the couch waiting for him so that they could go to church. That trend has continued to date. I was pretty proud, though, because in 2006 he managed not to buy my Mom's Christmas present on Christmas Eve...I think he bought it on the 23rd instead!

But the good thing about being sorta a slow-poke....you get to enjoy life as it comes, because you're not racing through it. And that's something I've learned from my Dad. I've learned that if I slow down and enjoy, it's much nicer. And I've learned that you don't have to let the little things get you all worked up. My Dad doesn't get upset too easily. He's pretty calm. And that's an attribute I really admire. I've not been bitten by the adventure bug that my dad has. I have no desire to go mountain biking on trails that might send me flying over my bike handles or result in me landing in piles of mud. But maybe I did get some of that from him with the whole traveling thing. (I also got his calves. But sadly, I didn't get his teeth...how does that whole genetics thing work, anyway??)

My Dad never flinched at holding back my hair when I had the stomach flu. He's got a restaurant story for every occasion. He's an all-around handyman (he can replace a toilet!) And he always has advice to give on......well, pretty much anything you might need.

My Dad's over the hill, as the saying goes, in life years. But in Spirit, I think my Dad might be younger than me. Maybe that's something I can still inherit......

Happy Birthday, Dad! I love you.

(Sorry there's no pictures....Blogger's returning errors every time I try to upload.)

I'm better!

Thanks for the emails and the comments. When I woke up this morning, I felt 100% better. I know it doesn't always work that way, but it was a good reminder that I need to pay attention to my health and when everything's saying slow down, slowing down might be a good idea.

Today I was back to work as normal. After work, I had an appointment for the cats to get their annual shots. I put Jemma and Cheese in one crate together, so I only had to make two trips down the stairs. I found the vet with no problem, it's really close, right in my town. Parking was the issue. Little did I know there was a parking lot behind the building. I parked down the street - a city block, maybe. Do you know how heavy those cats are? But there was no way I was making two trips that far, so I hauled them both. I really got in my workout today.

The vet was fine, but boy did I get lectured. I got lectured for the three-year rabies, because it's not valid in the whole European Union (my cats don't travel, it doesn't matter, as long as it's valid in Germany....which it is). I got lectured for having them declawed (it's illegal in Germany, you know - hey, they're American cats). I got lectured for not changing out of my work clothes (we ask the owners to hold their pets.....dude, cat hair is a regular occurrence on my clothing. It's removable, if you didn't know.) I got lectured for being late on their shots. (That one I'll take.) I got lectured on how fat Mac is (ummm, do they make kitty treadmills, cause otherwise....). I got lectured for not parking in the parking lot (nobody told me!). By the time I left, I felt sufficiently reamed out for the day. Really, she wasn't mean, but she was pretty harsh somehow. And I waited for a very long time. My appointment was at 6:15, but I was early and I didn't go in until 6:40 and I didn't leave until after 7:15. What happened to German punctuality??

Mac weighs a whopping 17.63 pounds! Holy cat, Batman! But even the vet admitted that he's very sturdily built - like we'd say about a person being big-boned. And at least he hasn't gained any since we were at the vet in May. Cheese did better having weighed in at only 13 pounds, down from 15 in May, and Jemma is, of course as always, the smallest with 8 pounds. And now they have these nifty little passports with all of their info in them.

After bringing the cats back home and lugging them upstairs (I really am going to buy harnesses and leashes so that they have to walk up), I went to a Thai restaurant in Stuttgart East for dinner for a meeting of the International Women's Club - Stuttgart. We sat at two tables and of the six women at my table, five of us are here because of my company (the husbands of the four others work there). But I hadn't met three of the other women before, so it was really nice. And I had a lovely curry dish, which I enjoyed immensely.

And now I'm going to bed.

I'm sick

No, not in the head, but physically sick. It's not bad, really. It's that kind of sick where your head hurts, you're exhausted, your stomach is all out of sorts and you just can't think straight. I've been much sicker before. I've had strep or a sinus infection or an ear infection (yep, as an adult...). I'm sick enough that I came home from work. At least I made the effort of going into work. But I just couldn't stick it out.....why risk making anyone else sick and why not just go home and rest in order to get better. So that's what I did. But now I'm bored. Since I have no couch, I don't have anywhere to lay in the living room and watch TV. And I don't feel like sitting in a chair to watch TV. I've read all my emails, I've read all my usual blogs, I've updated my own blog (do you like the new template?), I've registered my new camera......
So.....I'm downloading Season 1 of Lost from iTunes. I hope it's as good as everyone says.......'cause I am really bored.

Excuses, excuses....

I said there would be pictures and stories.

And there aren't. But I have a good excuse.

Jet Lag and Reintegration.

Yes, that's right, my excuse is Jet Lag. And here's why. I got home around 10 a.m. (local time) on Sunday (12/31). Then I had to go pick up the cats and so I crawled into bed for a nap around 1 p.m. Which is 5 a.m. in Michigan. Then I got up at 4:30 p.m. (10:30 a.m. in MI). Then I celebrated New Year's into the wee hours of the morning, or about the time I would have gone to bed had I still been in Michigan (are you figuring out the problem???) I didn't get up on New Year's Day until 12:30 p.m., which would have been early to get up in MI (6:30), but would still be morning. Monday, I got home around 8 p.m. and just didn't feel tired at all. Around midnight, I tried to go to sleep anyway. But I didn't. Literally. I did not sleep for even one minute of Monday night. And the rest of that whole week, my sleeping patterns were really messed up. Then last week was busy with work and friends and trying to unpack and clean and and and.......(Reintegration).

But I have to post now because my brother yelled at me for not posting. And because I found a great article this morning! Researchers have found that bilinigualism delays the onset of dementia. Is that good news or is that good news?? Having two grandmothers who suffer from dementia, I find this to be a very positive thing. The only thing I wonder is...how do they come up with these research topics?

So to what's happened in life.....I had an awesome trip to Michigan. And to celebrate my birthday, my fantastic friend Tim gave us access to a suite at the Joe. And to further celebrate my birthday, the Wings won. Now, I'm a hockey nut and I've been going a little nuts not being able to watch any hockey, so this was a great gift (thanks again, Tim!!). And because my Christmas wishes came true, I had my amazing new camera with me. When you look at these photos, keep in mind that we were in a suite, so in the upper ring of the Joe.....yep, my camera has that much zoom! (Thanks to Matthias for taking many of these photos.) Okay, Blogger is not cooperating with me, so I've uploaded the pictures from the game here to Flickr instead.

Speaking of the Red Wings, did you know that Governor Granholm declared January 13th to officially be Steve Yzerman Day?

New Year's Eve will have to be a separate post, I think..

In the meantime

I'm working on a "proper" post, but until then I give you.......

My GOOD side.....

You are Superman

You are mild-mannered, good, strong and you love to help others. Click here to take the "Which Superhero are you?" quiz...

and my BAD side....


You are Lex Luthor

A brilliant businessman on a quest for world domination and the self-proclaimed greatest criminal mind of our time!

Click here to take the "Which Super Villain am I?" quiz...

Hello 2007!

As the first day of this new year is about to end, I thought I would look back at 2006 (still being jet-lagged, I'm not feeling nearly as tired as I should right now).

2006 was a pretty big year in my life (if you missed that, check the archives ;o). Thank you to my family and "far-away" friends, who have been supportive through these major changes and have been so good about keeping up with my blog, emailing and even downloading Skype to call....I love you all and I was soooooo happy to see (most of) you while I was in MI. I can't wait to hear about your plans to travel to Germany in 2007 (hint, hint)!! And thank you to my (newish) "near" friends, who have been hospitable above and beyond my expectations, extended friendship so readily and become my family away from family (like home away from home).

I am so thankful for you all, near and far, and I hope that 2007 will be a wonderful year for you!

My "firsts" in 2006:
May: I put a house up for sale for the first time (I hope that I'll be able to very soon say that I sold a house for the first time....).

June:
-I started a blog for the first time.
-I moved out of Michigan, out of the US and to a foreign country for the first time.
-I traveled with cats for the first time.
-I rented an apartment for the first time.

July:
-I started working in an office where the official language is something other than English for the first time.
-I went alone to buy a car for the first time (and while speaking in German!).
-I bought my first Mercedes (hopefully not my only ;o)!

August: I made my first official work presentation in German.

September: I became an Aunt for the first time.

November: I celebrated my first Thanksgiving away from my family (and felt really, really lucky to have such awesome friends to celebrate with in absence of my family).

December:
-I flew to Michigan "on vacation" for the first time.
-I met my nephew for the first time.
-I turned 28 for the first (and only) time.
-I celebrated New Year's Eve in Germany for the first time.

There were lots and lots more firsts.....if you've been reading for a while, you know about most of them.

I haven't made any grandiose resolutions for 2007. And I like it better that way......

Tomorrow, when I'm hopefully over my jet lag and motivated to learn how to upload photos from my new camera, I will write about and post some photos from the festivities yesterday.....or should I say today, since they continued until the wee hours of the morning?

Although I am not tired, I will now try to sleep. So, I leave you with a German tradition, the film Dinner for One (in English!), which is watched by many on New Year's Eve. (We didn't watch it last night, but it was quoted frequently.) I hope you appreciate British humor. (If not, it's only 11 minutes!)

Happy New Year!



----If you're wondering about this film, Wikipedia has a good entry about it here. I don't know, I guess it's just one of those things...