It's just a number on a calendar...

Happy TWO YEAR ANNIVERSARY TO US!! :)

We had a very nice day. We talked on the phone during work here and there, got home, made dinner together, ate together, talked for about an hour about our days and general stuff before we ever turned the tv on. Then SB watched about an hour of a movie while I checked email and played on the computer. Then I went to lay down on the couch to watch the rest of the movie with him. About another 1/2 hr past and he said, "um...can I confess to something?" I said, "sure." He said, "I thought tomorrow was the 24th." My eyes grew wide and I realized I also didn't remember the day. We had both thought of it leading up to it, but then didn't realize on the actual day. I was a little bit sad and disappointed in us for not doing something to mark the big event, but I guess it just goes to show you...we're happy, no matter what day it is!

I did get him a card several months ago because I saw it, thought it was perfect and knew I better get it before I never saw it again! We're going to the Haus of Steaks in (stop) LAMPERTHEIM! Saturday to celebrate for real.

LOVE how sometimes things just come together!

This morning, I got an email from KZ, from my old job in Austin saying that the vet called and said someone had called them to say they had my dog. She said she told them I was in Germany and my cousin had the dog. Well, I emailed my cousin Nikki, assuming they somehow just got the wrong dog and owner and someone else's dog was missing. But then thinking if Dude/Duke WAS missing, she and Jim and their kids B, A, and E were probably FRANTIC looking for him. So, I emailed her mom who I thought was probably at work. SURE enough, they were searching, Nance called her and told her about my email, and then Nik called the number KZ had given me.
Turns out, B had accidentally left the dog outside Friday and there was a storm. He is famous for hating storms. He broke out of the fence and a neighbor 3 blocks down had taken him in. Nik and family had put up flyers all over two neighborhoods and posted LOST notices on the neighborhood websites. When Dude/Duke had gotten out, he must have torn his new tag off the collar and only the old one remained. The wonderful neighbor called the number on the old tag, got the Austin vet, who called my old work # and that's where the story started.
Yaye for email, cell phone and mostly courteous kind people like the neighbor and KZ. Dude/Duke is now back safe and sound with his family. :)
You can see him in the slideshow on the right of family.

New Perspective

Well...a few months ago, I posted this about the online social networking scene. As is my perogative, I have changed my mind! Since the AHS Class o '88 reunion, droves of people have signed on and become Facebook friends. We started on myspace, but truthfully, once you get use to it Facebook is far superior (in my opinion). You can see what your friends are saying to your other friends, you can "tag" a photo if you know who is in it so that others can be reminded who that person was 20 years ago, you can put messages for everyone to see or send a private one if you want to say a little more.
It is kind of like being in a room with all these people, everyone having their yearbook, scrapbooks, photo albums, etc out and looking through them, having conversations about the photos and times you remember. It's almost like I'm AT the reunion now!

But I'm not. I'm spending hours in front of my computer. Maybe still not the BEST way to spend my time...but certainly a good way to keep in touch.

Cause for much noise making!

It's bigger than the Superbowl, longer than the Olympics, cause for much bruhaha in every European city. Read all about Euro 2008, here:
http://en.euro2008.uefa.com/index.html



This is the story of last night's big comeback, Turkey over Czech.

http://sports.yahoo.com/sow;_ylt=AtfmFl54NZksW3kkqZlFyfA5nYcB

This picture ran with the story. I don't like it because it looks to me like the guy getting up is gouging out the eyes of the guy sitting on the ground. Hey, I was grossed out too, so I was just sharin'!

Some facinating stats on the phenomenon! http://en.euro2008.uefa.com/MultimediaFiles/Download/MediaRelease/Competitions/MediaServices/70/28/54/702854_DOWNLOAD.pdf

It's my birthday weekend!

I must have said, "it's my birthday weekend" one million times over the past 3 days. Yes, 3 because Friday was a training holiday, so Stephen was off work. Not fair, but the start of bday weekend! :) Saturday I went to Ladenberg with my friend, Elizabeth. It is about 10 minutes from post, a quaint little town. We shopped (found not a lot of anything) ate lunch, saw a wedding going on, and then stopped for fresh strawberries at a roadside stand (where the field they are picked from is just behind the stand!) and also stopped at a floh markt (flea market). We had a good time. Sunday Stephen and I drove to Frankfurt (about 30-40 minutes) for the closest thing we've had to REAL mexican food since we've lived here. It was very good!

Chimichangas and burritos and enchiladas!

Chips and salsa that they bring to your table for FREE! This is the first time we have encountered this in Europe.

Strawberry margarita! yum!
Here we are...happy with our choice!

This is the front window display. Do you see what I see??

Mexikanisches Restaurant, Rodeo Steakhaus! We will be back!

And I am TOTALLY NOT complaining...

Just letting you know:

Current Mannheim Weather Conditions
Updated Jun 13, 2008 4:50 PM
Temperature:
18°C
That is 64°F


Saturday, June 14th, 2008
Overnight
Temperature: 7°C
And that is 45°F

Uh huh FORTY FIVE DEGREES in the middle of summer.

Old(er) Friends

wow. I cannot believe we have been out of high school for TWENTY years. It has been mentioned here (and a lot IRL, and on email etc) that the 1988 AHS Reunion was last weekend, and I was having a hard time with missing it. Well, you will be happy to know...I'm over it!

SO many people have posted pictures to myspace and Facebook and I have had the chance to get in contact with a lot of people and just say hello, how are you, get a little update and give them one. It's been good. Dodie has been a military spouse for 18 yrs. Melissa is in the Army and heading soon for Iraq. Scott still remembers having a crush on Kabbage in 3rd grade. It was nice to make contact with Darby and Lynn and Travis, and Monica C-G who is moving to Ireland this summer. Paul F took so many good pictures and Lisa M set up the group myspace site. I could go on and on listing people who I barely recognized and some who look like they walked right out of the yearbook (with updated clothes and hairstyles!) . Just seeing those people who were part of my life "back in the day" made me giggle. Remember whens: Brian G exploded a pen all over Mary C's white shirt in 7th grade? Remember when Lisa W wrote in some yearbook...6th grade maybe? "It makes me giggle it makes me laugh to think you want my autograph". Jennifer J was in my girl scouts I think. Kelly C and Shannon P in jr high.

I will be at the 25 year, I hope there is a 25 year, to see those I haven't seen for all these years. But mostly I look forward to getting back to the states for a reunion of those who have been my lifelong friends THROUGHOUT the past 20+ years.

Friday the 13th

I LOVE Training Holidays!! I have to work, and everyone looks at me like it is the saddest day, but really it is great! I have updated our virtual FRG website, stole a display rack from upstairs, played on the computer, trained a new FRSA on the vFRG, visited with another civilian, had someone who has extra duty (in trouble) fill out an information sheet, and cleaned off my desk. and it's just 11:20! :) You can get SO much done when no one is here to call/email/bother you!

LOVE IT!

Sunday home cookin'

okay, I am really going to try to get better about this. It seems I am now going weeks at a time without posting! sorry. Today's entry is about dinner. It was pretty darn good if I do say so myself. :) I'd put a picture, but we ate it all!

Mini meatloaves (recipe in the Stoneware inspirations book by Pampered Chef)
mashed potatoes
french cut green beans for SB, and peas for me

I am FULL FULL FULL! but a have a grin on my face because my husband asked for seconds, and I love that we had a home cooked meal that wasn't a "regular" that we both enjoyed.

I can't believe it is already June! almost MID JUNE! So, this time next year, we should be scheduling housing appts to ship our household goods! We had a Hail and Farewell dinner Friday night and I said, "these are quarterly, right?" SB said, "yes." I said, "so...four more and we're out!" :)

Lately I have been thinking of our 'just one more's. Just one more Christmas, just one more deployment - 72nd- just one more ski season :(, etc. In August we will start the "our lasts". I'm looking forward to it!