Old Friends, Old Places

These past two weekends have been filled with memories from twenty to nine years ago. We have gotten the chance to meet old friends and visit places that brought back memories long forgotten.

Last weekend we packed up the family, to include Trysta, and drove out to Zell/Mosel. When my dad was stationed at Hahn Air Base, this is the little town we used to live in. There were so many things I had forgotten about that little town, but with the help of my friend, Sonja, it all came back to me in waves. The apartment, on top of the Gasthaus, was still there and so was the same owner. Sonja went in to explain to him who I was and he was more than happy to let us look around. We didn't get a chance to go into the actual apartment, but that was OK. It was nice to see the house anyways.

After that we just walked around the town and eventually met up with her Mom, Linda. She seemed really excited to see us and made us feel quite welcome. I hadn't seen her, or Sonja in twenty years. We just told stories back in forth while our kids played and our husbands talked about life. We stopped in the middle of the town and had ice cream in a sidewalk cafe. Shelby got the Bug Ice Cream and I got the spaghetti ice (yummm!!) and it was coffee all around. We eventually made it down to the park where the kids had a great time on the merry-go-round.

There were many aspects of the town that hadn't changed, but the river front is more touristy now, while it was a nice sleepy town when I lived there. I still was the charming town that I remember. I will say, that the ice cream and coffee were pretty tasty an d Jay found some wine and a very reasonable price. Shelby was all excited about seeing a place where I used to live as a teenager. I will say that it really made me appreciate the experience that I had there the short time I did live there.

We had a nice visit with Sonja as well. She was actually closer to my sister than me, but hopefully I will get to know her more while I'm here. She put us up in her house for the night and treated us to a wonderful dinner and a tasteful german breakfast. She even let us take Trysta to her house. We walked around her town, Reil, that night and just hung out. Our kids got along fabulous. It proved to us that kids don't need a common language to get along. Wouldn't it be nice to apply that theory to all humankind. It was so nice to see Sonja again. I couldn't believe it had been twenty years, two kids each and a little age on both of us. I promised her I would try to see her at least once a month. She is only an hour and a half away, so it's really not that far. I also told her Mom, Linda that I would bring Dad when him and Sandi come in July (which a I can't wait to see both of them). Sonja really has such a nice family and I can't thank them enough for letting us stay for the night. It was also Mikey's first time in a german crib with a duvet and a pillow. He seemed to really like it and looked so comfy. I think he really enjoyed the cartoons on the crib itself.

This past weekend we took the kids down to Ansbach and Rothenburg to show them wher e Jay and I used to live and work. We were also going to meet a family we knew while stationed in Georgia. We stayed in the night in the actual old part of the town Rothenburg with the old wall right outside our hotel window. As you can guess, Shelby got a huge kick out of that. Since we got down there so late, all we really had time for was to eat dinner and go back to the hotel. We were hoping to eat at place we had our first date call "Le Rustica". It's this great steak place in Ansbach. After we drove twenty minutes to get there and travelled around a bit in Ansbach remembering how to get there, it turns out, it was closed. WE were quite disappointed as we were really looking forward to eating there. So we thought we would go to the next place that was a mark on memory lane for us. When I told him I was pregnant, we were having a date at this chinese place downtown. We remember it being really good and started to drool at the thought of it. Would you believe it, but was closed as well!!! Man, two and zero. If this were a baseball game, we would really be in trouble. It really put our spirits in a damper and our tummies in high alert for food (it was 8pm by this time). We just thought it was so sad that the two places that meant something to us were both closed down. SO next on the list a place we knew was open because we saw it on the way in. So we moved on to the town of Lerberg and ate at the Kern. It's a popular place for Americans and I had eaten there a few times, and Jay once, while living in Ansbach. SHelby was happy because she got dessert for dinner. IT was a fruit tray with some ice cream and whipped cream, and she ate all her fruit and gave the ice cream to us. At that point, we weren't sure if she was our daughter. Mikey was happy as he got to sit in a highchair and eat rice. Feed the boy and he is a happy camper. Got to love that!

The next day, we got up early, went downstairs to eat and learned that Mikey is Mr. Popularity. Twice this has happened to him while we have been out touring. Asian women LOVE him. They just swoon, take pictures and want to hold him. THey even went out of their way, while we ate to take some pics of him together with the ladies like he was some kind of rock star. I don't really mind it, but I'm stunned by it. I guess this is what it feels like to be a star. Mikey didn't seem to mind it as he just smiled and smiled.

Anyways, we got up and drove down to Ansbach. We went out to Daddy's "Castle" and to my old apartment with the "Castle" next to it. Both Jay and I realized that we really missed Bavaria and Ansbach. It really is a great town that is just big enough to have what you want without getting lost. It's a great place to raise kids and so very pretty. We did go down to Katterbach to see what had changed. Another place we used to eat was gone. It was too much!! We used to walk down to an Imbiss by the Mail room and get currywurst and gryros. Now there is some other building there. Katterbach is still under construction (as it was when we left in 2003), but other than that, it hasn't changed much. Shelby loved seeing our "Castles" and where we worked. IT was such a beautiful day as well. The sun was shining and it cool in the shade and warm in the sun. I have to give it to Jay, he remembered all the back roads and drove us around without getting us lost.

By lunch it was time to head back to Rothenburg as we were meeting the Reed's. As we were leaving Ansbach, they called said they were in Rothenburg early thinking we were there since we stayed the night there. However, we were in Katterbach (where they live) and wouldn't be there for 30 minutes. So we both changed plans in the morning and just missed the other. WE knew the Reeds in Columbus as we were the same Company. Lex and Jay Deployed together (he was the battalion Chaplain) and Shelly and I hung out with the Ladies from BSTB. They have a little three year old girl, Zoe and a boy on the way. As soon as we met them we all went to lunch in a typical German restaurant. It seems that they still hadn't eaten a true German meal yet. Well, here is the place to do it. They hadn't been to Rothenburg either, so it was perfect, and of course we all wanted to see each other. The lunch was great and the beer was better. I finally had the beer we have been craving. WE can't seem to find it anywhere up here as it is the local Rothenburg brew. Lex really enjoyed it was well, as was on the hunt for it was well. (we did find it at the town drink market...two cases later).. We stayed at the restaurant for quite a while and just talked and had a good time. Eventually the girls ventured into the Kathe Wolfarte Christmas store and were just in awe. The little girls did so well in there and they both wanted clothes pins with felt butterflies glued to them. They deserved them though as they both kept their hands to themselves (as that store is kinda pricey with ALOT of glass). We got dessert afterwards and then it was time to bid farewell. Both Shelly and I thought it was so weird just hanging out in Germany. We were just hanging out with the girls in Georgia. THe world is very small. We had a very pleasant visit with them and can't wait to see them again. Just like Sonja, they are only and hour and a half away, so it's an easy days visit.

I thought it would be so sad to leave all my friends once we came here (and for those I can't see, it is) but I have already met up with three friends who are now over here. Faith is in K-town (from Georgia, knitting) Sonja and now Shelly. Jay and I both have family comin this year and we are looking forward to their visits. It's always wonderful to see new places and meet new people, but something of the past can be so comforting.

well, i now have a baby on my lap so i better go. the pics are on the albums..so until the next adventure....

What's on the needles and budding Picasso's

I was saving this project for a rainy day to give the kids something to do, but since it rains almost everyday..what were we waiting for?  Shelby, of course, had a blast, but I'm not so sure about Mikey.  I have a picture of Shelby the same age (7 months) making her first finger paint, so now I have a picture of both kids at the same age making finger paints.  Shelby was smiling in hers though, Mikey not so much.  I may have waited to close to nap time to plan this little escapade.  I put him down for a nap right after and he went right out.  Maybe next time he will be more in the mood.   Shelby loves to paint, draw and do all the artsy stuff and had been bugging me for weeks to do finger paints.  Watching these two together is why I stay at home now.  I think Mikey was more interested in what Shelby was doing.  He kept looking at her project and ignoring his.  Oh well.    I would really like to make a habit of us doing some kind of project together once a week (Thursday's are the best).  I have a ton of art work from when Shelby was small, and I don't want to miss out on Mikey's abilities (as silly as they may be).  SO wish us luck.  It was fun though.  Shelby's is the pink and the white paper and Mikey has the tan one.  They look the same,  don't they?  Shelby had some cool rainbow handprints until she smeared them all together.  

I actually have two projects on the needles right now.  I finally got back on the sock kick I was on before I got pregnant.  I found a skein of TOFUtsies from the South West Trading Company that I bought a year ago.  It's an orange, yellow and red colorway and easy to work with.  The sock is knitting up nice and easy and there is a lot of elastic in the yarn..great for socks.  The Lace Cuff Anklets from Ann Budd is a nice easy sock to get back in the groove.  I'm knitting it toe up on a circular to make it faster.  

The second project is the Moss Grid Towel from Mason-Dixon using Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool in orange.  (2 skeins a dear, sweet friend gave me, even with her utter distaste for orange) I had another project that I actually used this yarn for, but I frogged it the whole thing and now decided to make something for my coffee table.   Again, very easy knit and should go pretty fast.   All I want to do is sit and knit right now so the projects are coming along pretty fast.  However, opening the new Knitty Spring this morning, I found a delicious Shawl that I want to sit down and take the time to do.  My fingers are itching for a project a little more complicated.  I think I'm finally getting out of my comfort zone of socks, hats and scarfs (thought they are all important) and see what else I can accomplish.  I so very much want to conquer a lace project and the Aeolian Shawl may the one that I do.  I have to get some lace weight yarn first.  Most of my stash is sock, so I will be looking for something scrumptious! 

Well hubby is on his way home for lunch, so I better get some dishes done before little buddy wakes up.  enjoy the pics!

"Oh Where, Oh Where Can My Sunshine Be...?"

     So the weather here, lousy.   It has become an eternal gray, damp, wet season and the temptation of the sun only every once in a while.  I've even tried to will the summer to come sooner by wearing summer clothes.  Needless to say, that only angered the Dismal Gods and it got worse.   Since I am from the "Sunshine State", you can only guess how depressing it really can be without some natural vitamin D.  Someday the sun will come and I will enjoy every minute of it.  At least if it's going to be a long winter, it could snow.  All we have is rain and more rain.  Soon..Soon.

     As for my other "Son"...he is on a roll with development.  Last week was quite a busy week for him.   He is starting to get further and further off of his nice, safe blanket and rolling to new, more adventurous regions in the house.   It's time to bring the pack and play down and do some major baby-proofing.  Right now his favorite thing is to find the magazines and tear the pages out of them.  Wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't so messy.   He also has sprouted a new bottom tooth and the second one is right behind it.   My toothless grin is officially gone now.  I had forgotten how those sharp those little baby teeth are.  He has learned how to give kisses, wet and messy as they are..they are SO SWEET!  We will tell him to give kisses and he will gently grab our head to pull close to his mouth and plants a lovely big open mouth kiss on our cheeks.  I  LOVE IT!!!  We are learning that he is a Chatty Baby like his sister.  He is starting to mimic the sounds we make to him.  Today it was "La-La".    I can't wait to hear "Ma-Ma" and "Da-Da".   SO now I have one more person to talk to.  Seems they have inherited the "gab" gene from me.  

    Both kids had Dentist appointment last week.  Yes, you read right...BOTH kids.  I know what your saying.  What in the world is a 7 month old doing at the dentist?  Don't worry I said the same thing.  However, when I made an appointment for SHelby they asked if I wanted to  make one for him as well. 

"Really?"

"Oh yeah.  There is a class and we will check his teeth."

"He doesn't have any teeth yet."

"That's OK."

SO it was, Buddy has a dentist appointment.  Both kids were excellent patients.  They both giggled through their exams.  This is Shelby's third one, so she goes for the new toothbrush.   I'm so thankful that the two of them are so good at both the Dentist and the Doctors.   I can't believe Mikey just laughed through the whole thing.  Both have nice healthy teeth, I am proud to announce.  I'm very blessed with these two kids. 

Shelby is just counting the days to when she starts Kindergarten.  They get out of 2:30, so it will be very quite without her.  Though I am looking forward to it, it's going to be so strange not having my little pumpkin here with me.  It will be so good for both of us.  She is starting to become more independent and wants to spend time with her friends and not so much with her Mommy.  I guess the day was bound to happen.   I still will cry.  

Speaking of which...she scared the snot out of us yesterday.  We were downstairs watching a movie and she was upstairs looking for the DVD we borrowed from the library.  I told her that if she couldn't find it, we wouldn't be able to get anymore if she can't take care of them.   Well she took it to heart.  Sometimes movies get stuck behind the TV and she decided to look behind it.  Yes, what you are thinking really happened.  We heard a loud crash and a horrifying scream.  When Jay reached her, the TV was on top of her.  We were so lucky that Pop-Pop was sleeping in the room and the pull out bed is right in front of the TV armoire, because she was resting on the bed while the 27 inch TV was lying on her.  Besides her childhood flashing before her eyes, all that came from it was a lovely bruise on her leg.   She was so lucky, and so were we.   She tries to be so independent and she forgets how young and small she really is.  

So that was the drama for the past week or two.   Now if someone could please send some sunshine down this way..that would be great!!  Until then..

Hello, it's me again

Ok, Ok, it's been awhile since I have blogged, but there is two new albums loaded, so that should appease for awhile.. It has been pretty busy here and I haven't had time to check email, write everyone back or make albums or update the blog.   So I'm finally here and with lots to say...haha...poor people.

     First off, My Grandma, Aunt and her Son actually jumped out of an airplane the past weekend.  They were the only ones on the plane so it was a like VIP trip.  Grandma loved it, Sandi checked her block and Nathan really didn't have much to say (he IS a Rudd Male).  I think they all had fun and how I wish I could have been there to see it all.  I guess they did a flat spin on the free fall and Grandma was the only one that liked it.  They all got a little sick from it and they did not realize how cold it was way up in the atmosphere.   We guessed it was about 25 degrees or so at altitude.  I think it was all pretty cool and I'm glad they were able to have such an adventure.

     Jason got promoted last week and I couldn't be prouder.  It was a nice ceremony and a great spread.   So now he is Major Nagy and it's still weird to see the rank on his uniform.  The kids were good during the whole event.  I thought Shelby was going to have a meltdown after she saw the food, but with the promise of a huge piece of cake after wards, she straightened right up.  Mikey was just passed around during the whole thing.  Jay's Dad came down for the ceremony and he pinned one side, while I pinned the other.  I did have to give Jay a little pinch from his new rank before I put the backs on, and as you can imagine, that took him by surprise.  Shelby threw his old rank, and with great gusto.   Jay was his green uniform (as was his Dad) and was happy to take it off as soon as it was all over, as it was a little tight.  I of course cried but not too much.  I was very proud of him.  It has been a long six years and a well deserved promotion.  We were just happy that we could celebrate the event together.  Afterwards, there was food for everybody, and everybody ate.

    Jay's Dad has been here since last Wednesday and will leave tomorrow.  It was a short trip, but a full one.   We got to go to  a little town call Willingen for a quick getaway.   We were in a great two bedroom apartment and had a busy Saturday.  We got there Friday evening in time for dinner, so that's all we really had time to do then.   Saturday was the big day.  We went sledding in the morning, swimming in the afternoon and ice skating right before dinner.   They  have snow machines in the town, so the snow wasn't great, but at least there was some.  We even put Mikey on the sled and he went down with me three times.  I'm not sure he was all thrilled about it (as he had two quick cries during it) but he was a trooper.  Shelby went down with Jason and Pop-Pop went crashing all on his own.  The Swimming pool was a mini indoor water park.  It had three good slides and several pools.  The water was nice and warm and we had currywurst all around for lunch.   The ice skating wasn't as great as the time before with Shelby, but she didn't seem to mind.  Us adults weren't too happy with the skates as they all hurt our feet.  Oh well, Shelby had fun and that's all that counts.  Mikey used the time to nap,(he did alot of swimming as well)  lucky guy....  We drove home the next day and recovered.  Seems as if we brought something back with us.  I was sick yesterday with a small stomach thing and Jay has it today.  He's laying in bed as we speak.   I'm all better today so hopefully his will only last for today.  It was a good trip and a place we will go back to again.

   Jay's dad leaves for home tomorrow, so we will back to our regular schedule then.  Hopefully more posts and more pics.  Here are some pics of the aerobats as they enjoy the silence of the sky.  Enjoy and until next time!!  OK, I tried to get the pics rotated, but it didn't work.  the other pics are in the albums and hopefully we will have some pics of Jay's promotion soon.  There were other people taking pics of it so I will get them to you as soon as I get it.