Life: Idiotropic

With heightened awareness of my limited time here, I'm beginning to feel the twinge of "too many photo ops, too little time." So in the last couple days I've found myself randomly swerving off of the road with increased frequency to capture that image of the area that I don't want to forget. This, of course, drives my children nuts and probably causes my friends to question my sanity, but I will not leave here with photo regrets - at least I hope.

This morning I revisited one of my favorite cafes for the first time since true winter reared it's ugly head. Seems they've copied the Beecker cafe and started serving a breakfast buffet - eggs scrambled and hard boiled, breads, meats, cheeses, veggies, jams, cereals, and juice. It was a nice time and uneventful. I took the photo above on the way out since I have multiple views of this place in the spring, summer, and fall, but none, until today, of the frozen over winter pond.

Post cafe we did a quick trek to IKEA noticing these white mounds that I've seen a million times before and mentally noting that I "needed" that photo too, so on the way back, I turned in to a opening in the gate and parked on the muddy plateau overlooking a deep pit of water and these piles of white. Walked to the edge slipping, squishing, and totally mucking up my beautiful boots. Someday a photo op is going to get me seriously injured.

I've tried to look this up to see what it is. A mine? After all the Netherlands is pretty much at ocean level. It's not completely inconceivable that there wouldn't be salt or sand here. But, I don't know what I was looking at. It's just pretty, interesting, and part of my memory of here.

While most Gillrathians are quick about getting down Christmas decorations by the first of the year (there aren't that many - just the occasional wreath or the inflatable Santa hanging out of upper story windows), the autoshop here isn't so efficient. Their gaudy red car covered in lights held on by clear packing tape is still sitting there in front of the shop, in plain view of passers by, and in plain view of my house. Thank goodness they don't turn on the lights. It's quite garrish.

In contrast, my tulips are still pretty! :)

My first year here I griped continually about the weather and vowed to keep my mouth shut a while and just deal with it. Well, let me complain just this once that while I am extremely grateful for our last few days of sun, the painful, bitter cold has lasted long enough and I am done! Go away winter! I'm ready for spring as are the farmers who have all lovingly preaned their fields and perfumed them with cow poop (gotta love the smell of spring).

Today I did warm myself with a latte at my favorite cafe and enjoyed a visit with an Italian and a Turkish friend. We talked about Christmas, family, and universities. I learned that in Turkey there is one day each year when all the students take a test. All students prepared take the same test on the same day. This is THE test. If you score very high, you can choose what you want to do. If you score low, then your choice is made for you. What was explained to me is that you look at where your score falls on the list and that will essentially tell you what your choices are for career and if a university is in your future (so careers are ranked according to difficulty and your score determines what jobs your capable of?). If you can't live with your score, then you can wait a year, study harder and take the test again. My Italian friend said that unlike our system where you can take a test like the MCAT and then apply for several schools, they also all take the same test on the same day and you can only apply for one. So, if you don't get in, too bad. It seems harsh. There's also a limit of how many doctors can be trained - we have a limit too, but it's a bigger number. She said theirs is something like 100.

Yesterday while I was in the shower, Tante Tinny came over, cleaned my kitchen entirely, then left. Elise came running upstairs when I got up pulling on my hand and telling me to come see what's in the kitchen. I was scared it would be something scary.

So, in the evening I picked up a couple bunches of tulips as a thanks you. Elise gave them to her, but she would only accept one - she was happy to clean my kitchen. She said she was bored and just needed something to do.

Today it's sunny, but hazy and cold, and I've been busy indoors cleaning and sorting. Had to stop and take a few photos of my flowers. Tulips are out again in the markets now and so pretty.

And the buddies. Misha and Elise have a very special relationship and love each other very much. Elise may be the smallest, but she's very gentle and Misha trusts her. :) BTW, Misha will be 21 years old next month!

This morning I woke up to sun! Beautiful glorious sun! Which completely cheered me up. Not that I was gloomy, but those sun rays pouring through the windows infused me with energy and contentment. And I could actually feel it as if I'd been injected with some warming medication. It was good. We've needed sun. I wanted to run outside, but we were in need of a few things at Schinnen and I'm not supposed to be walking a lot. (plantar fasciatis - not a big deal, just an annoyance)

So, my treats for the day were these photos. Looking out my window to see Kurt and Bonzai in the field next door. Bonzai has a tooth problem that has made him refuse to eat for 2 weeks, so Kurt is getting him out and exercised and hoping to encourage him to eat. I think it's sweet. Kurt with his giant cigar hanging out of his mouth looking like he looks ever day of the year. And Bonzai, old and sweet like his owner, and with an especially furry coat this year.

The second treat was coming back from Schinnen. This chapel lies in the middle of a huge field just at the corner of a roundabout. I've never figured out how exactly to get to it... probably would have to bicycle and use the farm roads. Anyway... this special chapel disappears almost entirely in the summer when those trees are full of leaves, so today was my opportunity while I was thinking of it to pull over and snap a few pictures. Pretty, isn't it?

Fashion and Spaezle.

One of the local sports shops brought clothing for 5 of our German members to model for us this evening. About 20 different outfits were modeled including a lot of items by Nike which they pronounce Niyk. No "ee" sound on the end. "And here's another nice pant by Niyk..." Over and over. It sounded funny. The ladies had a lot of fun modelling and really played the part well, peeling off layers like they were on a real runway! Thank you ladies!

Dinner was kaesespaetzle - a noodle they make in southern Germany. It's similar to the Hungarian dumplings, but the Hungarians serve it more with sauce. The Dutch serve it with sauces too. Cheese makes it heavy - like macaroni and cheese.

I sat with the Norwegians and we all tried a bar of Finish chocolate that I brought. It was spicy. We think it had Cardamon in it. Odd, but oddly good.

The recipe provided by the German ladies:

Luci has been studying China in class and today was the cumulation of all the learning with a Chinese New Year party. They did a parade with the dragon in the morning, wore hats, and had Chinese food this afternoon trying to eat with chopsticks. I have great pictures of her friends attempting chopsticks and smiling with noodles hanging from their mouths, but my Luci was NOT in the mood for pictures and wouldn't even pose with me for her teacher. :( So, Luci's class, Luci's party... and the picture here is of Elise who is lucky enough still to go to almost all her sisters parties.

Signs of Karnevel... colorful confetti and streamers are showing up in shops... balloons adorn shop windows... and the bakeries are selling special treats.

I bought one of these treats when I went to Schleypen today. You won't find these all over Germany. Not all of Germany celebrates Karneval, in fact, we're really living at the epicenter of it all. Cologne is the big celebration, but Karveval is celebrated in the Limburg area of the Netherlands as well.

I saw one of the bakers bring out 4 large trays heaped with these crunchy diamonds of deep fried dough. Covered in a thick layer of powdered sugar, these Geldblaeters (money leaves) are a specialty of the Rhineland made only at Karneval time.

Sadly, they look better than they taste. They're pretty, but a bit bland.

This morning in Mrs. Chmeylar's 2nd grade class, there was an inauguration ceremony.

In November, days before our election, the students ran for president giving short campaign speeches. On our election day, they voted. And now, on our Inauguration Day, they also swore their leaders into office. President, vice president, senators, court justices, etc... One student administered the oaths. All the students raised their right hand and took the oath of office, then they were all given a medal to wear. Arianna was sworn in as a Supreme Court Justice! Then, instead of a fancy dinner, we were all treated to punch, cookies, and chocolates. (Photo: Arianna and her Italian friend, Martina.)

During the party one of the containers of mealworms fell on the floor. So I turned around to see about 8 kids swarming under a cluster of desks - all looking for the mealworms and trying to clean up. Kudos for the initiative - but ewwww! I have told Arianna that this is one class pet that absolutely won't be coming home. She can sprinkle them by the birdhouse.

We spent our evening watching the US inauguration on the Shanks tv. Alice made a delicious lasagna soup which I still don't have the recipe for (hint, hint Alice) and we all watched and listened as another piece of American history took place before our eyes.

Between Karnival and Easter, on a high hill in Sittard, a special Kroombroodrapen committee throwns 15,000 crescent shaped rolls down the hill to the children waiting below. This tradition has been going on since 1923 and commemorates the Biblical story of Jesus feeding the 5000 with just one simple lunch of bread and fish.

This statue in front of DeGats - the oldest building in Sittard and home to a cafe that serves delicious coffee and soup - depicts this special day - something that only occurs here in the mainly Catholic town.

Tiara and I had a mother-daughter shopping day in Sittard today... we came, we spent, and we had a cup of good coffee and a bowl of soup at DeGats. They serve their coffee with a chocolate cookie and a truffle! Mmmm.

It's just a bird. But I was leaving Schleypen with Elise and this bird was just sitting up in his tree near our car singing as if in concert. So we stopped, watched, and listened for a few minutes. He's a pretty one. I still have yet to get a good photo of our mockingbirds. We have three of them living in one of our trees, but they fly away at even the slightest movement.

Elise made this snowman in her preschool class and presented it to me at her cookie party in December. She's been begging to eat it with me ever since, so I had to finally take a picture of it before it got devoured. It's made from different varieties of German lebkuchen cookies, so while it looks great and I thought it was delicious, neither Elise nor Luci would actually eat it past the first spicy bite.

So, my 13 year old is studying for her exams this week and finishing up some extra projects. Her US history class also teaches quite a bit of Canadian history since there are so many Canadians in her school, so part of her project is to make a political cartoon for their French Colonial newspaper.

She came to me for help. I looked at her and asked. "I am gifted with humor?" "No." "Am I great at history??" "No... ok, I'll go ask dad."

Kirk wasn't home yet, so she ended up doing this one on her own and did ok. The "elf" is a French colonist. Apparently they used to wear hats. And, I guess the British used to call them all by the same name - or something like that. Hence the "Jaques" in her cartoon.

I'm going to be a colonel's wife! :)

But... I digress... this isn't about me, it's about my super-star husband.

Wow. This is big. Kirk is amazing. He's worked so hard here and it's paying off. His PRF (promotion recommendation form) was so great, he got a DP (definite promote) from the general and his #1. We've been waiting since September for the official results...

And they're here! Kirk made Lt. Colonel!!!!

On Thursday the AF list of Lt. Colonel selects came out. This is the list of all the majors that will be promoted to Lt. Colonel. They all get a number and then they'll start pinning on the new rank little by little. So, come September, Kirk will be sewing his new rank on all his uniforms - the silver leaf pictured above.

But, wait... there's more!

Way back, months ago, Kirk went to Florenne, Belgium for a TDY. The curious guy he is, he met some folks there and learned a bit about the program - TLP (basically the NATO version of Red Flag). He loved the area, so a couple months later, we drove down to Dinant for the day just to see the little town and soak up the ambiance of the area (plus I had an article due, so I wrote an article about it too). We got back late from Dinant and there was a message on our machine from his boss - would he be interested in a job at TLP? Just back from the beautiful area, we both smiled and said "YES! Definitely." And then Kirk started thinking... TLP is moving to Spain in July...

So, we waited and waited hoping that this job would become official and it did! On Thanksgiving day we got the official word that Kirk got the job!! He starts on 6 April in Belgium and in July, the entire program moves to Spain.

But wait... there's more!!

I'm going to be a commander's wife! :) Lol. Ok, once again, this is not about me and truly, I think it's kind of funny. After all, it's just little ol' me.

Two of the US positions at TLP are consolidating into 1 position. That's Kirk's job. And, one of the perks of this change is that they've made it a command slot. So, on 8 April of this year, down at Ramstein, we'll be attending Kirk's change of command ceremony as he steps into a commander's position at TLP.

I am so immensely proud of him. He has worked incredibly hard and has earned this. He's absolutely more than cabable and will do great things in this next chapter for us.

And YES... if you didn't quite catch it, it's Spain. Around the first of July, the girls and I will be jumping into the van and driving to Spain for a three year assignment. We are all SO excited.

:)

Germany got tons of snow while I was in California, so I missed all the good stuff, but horrifically cold temperatures kept it around long enough at least of me to get a couple pictures.

The field next to our house had figure eights of rabbit tracks looping all over it and some bird tracks too.

I grew up on Chinese food. Seriously. When the Webers get together, they eat Chinese. Strange for immigrants from Germany and Austria? Not if they'd lived in Shanghai.

Grandma told me more about her time in Shanghai during our visit today. All positive. The time spent dancing, and romancing... told nostalgically from grandma, the "German hausfrau" who has a home beautifully decorated in Chinese decor. Guess Shanghai made an impact.

So tonight, as usual, the family descended upon Tams, a favorite Chinese restaurant in Sharp Park, Pacifica. Delicious. I'd forgotten how amazing sizzling rice soup can be. Think they ship it?

It was one of the best dinners I'd been to in a long time - not just the food, but I actually got to visit a bit with my relatives and all the kids filled a separate table. (None of which were my own - sorry girls, I love you... but it's nice to have an evening without the "mommy" chant and the tugging of my arm.) Ahh. Peace. It's nice. :)

You know when you're little and you have to write essays about your heros? Well, I always had several - all family members who I still think are absolutely amazing - and one of them was (and still is) this beautiful lady in the picture with me here - my grandmother.

Lucky me... I got to spend a week with her in January just noshing on great German food and talking at the little dining room table she painted herself probably about 50 years ago.

At the moment, there seem no words to really quantify the time spent. My mind's been spinning since in a murky stew of those times shared and all the planning I have to do now. So though I want to sit, reflect, and put together this story, it's not time now.

Needless to say, the time itself was invaluable. My favorite summer ever was the one that I spent in California and worked at the store with grandma. We took our lunch breaks together a lot - going to Cafe Lucca and having a cappuccino and a delicious sandwich on Dutch crunch bread. I've always missed that time living so far away. That was the only summer when I was close enough - when I felt that I lived there and was a part of things.

This week was too short, but I'm thankful. I learned a lot more about grandma's life. She's pretty amazing.

Though I wouldn't advise spending New Year's on a plane, I can tell you that if you must, those accidental upgrades are really helpful.

Left by taxi to the Brussels Airport at 0700 local time on the 1st and arrived at 0430 (Brussels time) on the 2nd. But it was still the 1st for me in SF... and they say time travel isn't possible!

Great flight 1: I spent the flight to NY with an empty seat next to me.

Great flight 2: Got bumped from my flight, begged and ran to make my original flight, then got bumped from my coach seat into business class.

I was bumped to first class once when I was oh, about 8 years old. I don't remember much about it except that they served this amazing 7 layer chocolate cake. Guess coach isn't as uncomfortable when you're a scrawny 8 year old.

20-something years later I get champagne, great food, and an individual fully loaded DVD player with Bose headphones. Nice. A girl could get used to this.

With a flight to the states early the next morning, we decided to spend New Year's as a family in Brussels. Think big international city on New Years. You expect a few fireworks at least... some music... and the Christmas market that they always advertise as running until after the New Year.

The Grand Place is beautiful no matter what the season, but the relative quiet was strange. No bands. No parties. No fireworks. No market. People - yes. Lots of people. Shops open late - especially some of the chocolate shops. Restaurants putting out menus with elevated prices. Over-sized Christmas trees with oversimplified decorations not fit for this city. A large nativity.

That was it.

So, we walked around, listed to the street musicians, enjoyed a decent meal on the narrow "fish" street jutting off the Grote Markt. This was where Tiara wasn't carded nor questioned, but served a sweet (yes, alcoholic) aperitif. Dinner, chocolates... and back to the hotel for the kid's highlight - swimming in a pool that was much to cold for the wimpy mother. Brrr. I'm more of a hot tub girl, I think.

Cuddled together and watched a New Year's party in London, then the fireworks in Berlin... woke up to the New Year's countdown in New York.

Oh... and the cool moon picture above is one that yours truly took just before we left. Supposedly this was some cool astronomical occurrence. Moon aligning with a couple planets though I only saw one planet.

More Photos: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=84140&l=6e786&id=674507268

Photos:

1. Things you wouldn't ordinarily see in the middle of a lake. (But I'm not volunteering to fetch it- brrrr)

2. Something that you would normally see at a lake; however, not normally "walking" on the water. I think his feet were cold, hence the funky chicken dance.

3. Two adventurous girls proved without a doubt that these geese at least do not eat stale popcorn nor old gingerbread - and you'd think a layer of ice would encourage broader eating habits.