I have no excuses other than I am busy for why I have not written, once more we are in Kaiserslautern, me for work and a class through the end of next week and my youngest son to do everything he needs to do to join active duty Army..test and appts scheduled for him the whole first of next week..super happy for him and the opportunities this choice will bring him in his life. Wanted to post a couple of final pics from our ski trip, what I think is a gorgeous black and white for the mountains and part of the lodge and one of my husband getting yet another view of the mountains. As we were not home for Valentines Day he suprised me with the wonderful bouquet of flowers a day or so after we got home, and as you can see..as spring is really trying to arrive..in my mind at least.. Fluffy has gone redder and shorter for a hairstyle, I needed a little more pep in my step and this was just the solution..and with the mid length I can still wear it up for work and in a ponytail for exercising or other activities..We booked a family room at the hotel here, it is basically a small apt with a full kitchen..okay downsized from what we have at the house but everything we need to fix real meals and real dishes..so the first evening we were here we went to a store called GLOBUS..now mind you, I have lived in Deutschland for almost 3 years now and for the most part stores here are pretty small as compared to say a Super Walmart so my level of comfort in a large store is not what it used to be..well..I must say, this store is huge and Icould have spent about 3 hours just in the grocery part but after driving all day and a 2 hour meeting before going shopping we were pretty much on the well done side..at any rate managed to get what we needed and some stuff that was just for fun..the moral of this story is..we are able to eat real food this time instead of that can only be put in a to go box or fixed in the microwave..pasta with fresh veggies last night..yum o..and did I mention that we have a full sized coffee maker..with European style coffee..best way to start the day!! Need to make our way out into the world this evening, I am in need of a new pair of tennis shoes for outdoor training and Dalton will need specific socks for his PT uniform..after work sounds like a trip to Ramstein..not the town.. :D..okay, first cup of coffee consumed, my alarm just went off..time to hit the floor for some exercises and then off to work..as hard as it is to be gone from home to be here so much I have to admit I like waking up everyday and having a schedule and someplace to be..cannot wait to start school and hopefully soon after working in the hospital..To all of you, have a blessed day and be awesome..after all it is Friday!!
Guten Morgen to everyone..I have no excuses of why I have not posted sooner..other than I am feeling a bit overwehlmed with the big package of my life at this piont in time..way too much to do in short periods of time between being away from home..but after taking a look at some of the pics taken on our holiday I could not wait to share them with you all. As you can see there was not so much snow off of the mountains and the Saturday we were there the day was like a dream..the sun shined and made it perfect for us to take a stroll throught the town and eat outside..and of course to send some postcards to our family in the states..I think that I took about a 100 pictures of the houses here with the gorgeous frescos painted on them..you would think for my second trip to GAP I would not be so mesmerized but they continue to take my breath
away..it is for me like being in a fairy tale land.
I don't know about all of you but I could not help but sit through the entire closing ceremony for the 2014 Olympics last night, very well done..not that I am one that has to sit through every competition, a good recap every evening of who won what will do but the opening and closing is for me interesting. And now that I try to keep up with 2 lands..the US and now Deutschland as my newly adopted home.
As today is Monday this leaves me just 2 days to prepare for our next trip to Kaiserslautern which will last over a week..I am looking forward to thebeginning of April already weeks I will be home for about 3 weeks all together. Feeling totally blessed for all of the doors that God has opened for me between becoming more active in my unit and the fact that I am about to start PA school..did I mention that already?? I am going to Physician Assistant school..in Deutschland!!!!! So very cool!!okay..resume composure here...but all of this together along with what needs to be done at home when I am between here and there is in the moment a bit overwelming..I think the fact that when I am home that the days are a bit unstructured is actually a problem for me, I am a hyper organized type the that functions much better with structure..maybe when I can start working it will be better for me..going today to get a couple more documents officially stamped and then all can be sent to the translator and then the entire packet is off to Lüneburg for approval..hopefully so that I can start working in the hospital setting while I am in school. As for now I am concentrating on the upcoming 2 weeks....Have a wonderful Monday!
Guten Morgen!! We arrived home after midnight last night and I must say I was so incredibly happy to be in our own house..now to pick up the critters first thing this morning , get some groceries back in the fridge and do a little laundry..ready for a bit of reality. The only downside of heating our house with only wood is that after several days without the house being heated is that it was a little on the cold side when we first got home but Matthias fixed that soon enough with both of the ovens...and some help with small electric heaters in our bedrooms..and my electric blanket!! So, today to unpack, organize, fill the house with puppylove and 1 crazy cat..
Hello to everyone..sorry, took a couple of days off to be with my husband and youngest son on vacation in the southern part of Deutschland..in Garmisch-Partenkirchen..love love love it here, it is the second time for Matthias and myself..we were here in 2012 but in the summer which is also tip top for vacation..basically you just can't go wrong here..it is FABULOUS any time of year..great outdoor space for skiing, snowboarding, hiking, paddleboating, eating, and of course from a woman's heart they have some great shopping here but true confession..with the 2 guys I have not bought anything for myself this trip as they have no patience for the shopping thing..but for a small treat I have booked myself a deep tissue massage for this evening!!
I think we have all learned that a break from our norm is a definant must do..never again will I let us..Matthias and I go for over a year without a vacation again..it is a have to for the mind and soul..as Dalton is 18 and will soon be joining big Army he can and will do his own vacations with his buddys I am sure..
We will be heading hoe tomorrow..once more traveling on the ICE train..man is that thing fast from one end of Deutschland to the other in about 9 hours vs the approximate time of 13 hours to drive..classic!! I spent the way down here trying to figure out how I cancut my driving time every month and incorporate the train..I think to Rheine for school will be an easy option, the train station is right by the school and I will be staying in a room on the hospital grounds..
I have so been taking advantage of the gym and water facilities here at the hotel..pool, outdoor hottub, sauna, steam room..am a bit spoiled at this point in time..oh, and did I mention that the have a snack bar downstairs with Starbucks coffee.. We have sooooo been loving that!! I think we were able to drink about 6 in 2 days!! Last night the hotel..well, okay lodge had a fireworks show..super cool as our room faces the front lawn where the show was..got to stand on our balcony and enjoy the show..which took place after we took a night hike with torches in the gorge..and of course in true fluffy fashion..you know I will post those pics within the next couple of days..
As good as it is to get away..I must say I have spent a lot of time in hotels lately and will continue to do so over the next few years..I am starting to crave my own bed, the ability to sit in our garden and see my fuzzy faced babies again..hoping they are doing well..Matthias says no news is good news..I am going to assume Marli is having a blast because she is in a room with other cats..I am sure she is the queen bee and I hope the pups are doing okay..all 3 are a bit spoiled..but the 2 dogs have their own blankies and stuffed toys so all is not unfamiliar..So, liebe Leute..I am off to enjoy the time we have left here...and who knows maybe before we leave we will book next years ski trip!! Be blessed, hug someone, and enjoy your day!!
Good evening to everyone!! As promised some images from Brüssel..Brussels...but since I started my day out on a critter kick I wanted to share a picture of one one of our unit mascots..intoducing BooBoo the dog that keeps the MSU-E going even when we are stressed!! We have a great commander who believes in dogs, family, and open communication..great place to be right about now!!
The pic below is of an old US Army ambulance..saw this beauty in the Queen Astrid Military Hospital when we arrived on Wednesday and had a trauma team workshop there...I am telling you guys, I get to do some really cool stuff!! The flag below is our new CIOMR flag, very nice!!
Below begins the really fun stuff Brüssel, Begium after dark!! I did not have so much time to go and explore like my son did but onthe one evening I had free he toook me around to these breathtaking sites..we ate street food..and yes, here I have to admit to cheating..I ate a raspberry Belgium Waffel..and oh my goodness was it super yummy..got right back on the Vegan train though..sigh of relief here!! Of course there were about a million chocolate shops but I posted the pic from the most famous brand..what else but Godiva?? Bought Matthias a bottle of beer in the beer shop..he is actually drinking it as we speak..or should I say..as I type!!
And last but certainly not least is a pic of NATO Headquarters..what an honor it was to be there!!
Enjoy your evening..Bis Später!!
Guten Morgen liebe Leute! I wake up this morning thinking ..how strange, I have 3 animals who love to eat Brusselsprouts or as we call it here in Deutschland..Rosenkohl. I probably had the 3 on my mind number 1 because Marli (the cat) was laying across my neck singing, Max (our 13 year old Lhasa) was fighting my feet for end of the bed space and Melissa (now 6 years old) was as always waiting patiently to go outside and greet the day..and as we are preparing to go on a much needed vacation they will have to go to a Tierpension..a hotel for animals..Missy has been with us a year now but she is still scared of alot and remains very shy when not at home or when we have company..for those of you who do not know her story she was a street dog in Romania for the first 2 to 3 years of her life and then she lived in the animal shelter for 2 years before we adopted her. She may never be a quote unquote normal dog who lays next to you on the couch but at the same time she has not a mean bone in her body and fits well with us..the little advances she has made and her joy when we join her after being gone or even just upstairs makes us smile on a daily basis..I am hoping that this time away will not be too stressful on her and maybe with Max by her side all will be okay. Anyway..back to the Veggie theme for the critters, as you all know, as I am Vegan and seek to live a pretty healthy life, not to mention that I seek to infuse as many fresh veggies and fruits into the manly side of the house as I can also..we always..well nearly..have 2 to 3 vegtables with every dinner that is cooked here, and since I cannot bear to see my fuzzy faced babies starving while we eat of course they partake also ...carrots, bell peppers, grapes, sharon fruit, bananas..you name it they eat it. I personally find it wonderful as Missy most likely spent the first part of her life eating trash and who knows what else she could find..as for Max..he has been with me since he was 5 weeks old..he has never known hunger..and Marli..well..Marli just thinks that she is a dog and a big dog at that..she tries to slap the food out of your hands!! So, next time something a bit unusual ends up on your dinner plate..Brusselsprouts for instance and you own a dog..why not share?? You may be suprised and they are super healthy..plus it makes a great story to share with people who come to visit or to share with other pet parents..because you all know..we as pet parents love to talk about our fur covered kids just as much as we love to talk about our regular kids!! Sometimes more as normally the fuzzy ones don't go through puberty and make us think we are losing our minds!! Enjoy your Tuesday and hug an animal..it does a body, soul, and heart way good!!
Good evening..wanted to share these pics
with all of you..conference center in which we worked and stayed during
the first part of our CIOR Winter Meeting..I love that my camera can add
special effects such as the pic on the top of this post..I find it gorgeous.
Okay..tomorrow is Brüssel, Belgium..Gute Nacht.
Hallo..images of Köln, the Kölner Dom, and other sights..tomorrow will share pics of the conference center we visited in Wesseling...Gute Nacht!!
Good Morning to you all..so very sorry that Fluffy has been on hiatus for several days but we either had to pay for internet usage, sit in the lobby to use, or mostly with all events I just had no time what so ever to sit at the computer for more than a couple minutes at a time..Our whirlwind week and a half found us in Kaiserslautern, a day in Köln, a few days in Wesseling..all in Deutschland, and then we drove thru the Netherlands (Holland) to end up in Brüssel, Belgium..I have, of course fabulous pics to share with you all and will post them later today, I did not take the time to unload the car last night and will have to find..literally..my laptop..thanky to my husband for sharing his!!..after all of the ins and outs, packing and unpacking the car looks like about 3 bombs went off inside of it. I must say though..ending the week with a seminar in NATO headquarters is a bit of an awe inspiring event..as a Captain, being with many , much higher ranking officers from not only the US but from worldwide is a honor that I do not take lightly. I expanded my contact base within my 'German life' as I call it and made new friends..shared shopping tips with Generals and got to exchange thoughts and ideas from 'Think Tanks' from places such as India and Switzerland..Dalton got career advice from LTCs and COLs that took the time for him..heard amazing presentations from highly intelligent individuals and from soldiers who have been there done that. Feeling super blessed to be a part of the CIOMR community and the doors that it has opened in my life.
Found out while I was gone that I did indeed pass my B2 test..second level German language test..was super happy about that as I was 100% sure I had blown it. That single piece of paper that is called a certificate is about to open the world of working as a nurse in Deutschland for me while I am in PA school..insert about 50 smiles and high fives here!!
After all of the events we were super happy to be home with Matthias and the critters ..not to mention being able to drink a cup of coffee in my jammies and be on the internet this morning..all without having to shower and do the whole getting dressed thing first..ahhh..the little things in life is what makes it good!! Okay, now to enjoy a Sunday morning with my amazing husband and cuddle with the fuzz faces..Bis Später!!
