Time to play a bit....

Good Morning to you all, today here in Deutschland we are celebrating 2 occasions, one is a religious holiday, Himmelfahrt..the 40th day after Easter when Jesus traveled to Heaven and it is also Vatertag..or Father's Day here..basically here (in Ostfriesland) father's day is a day where people (generally the men)..get together and go on a bike tour and drink alot. We saw a coworker of my husband while we were out the other day on our 37 kilometer bike ride and when he heard that I go on the bike tour with Matthias on Vatertag that it was for men..thank goodness my husband and I prefer to spend our not so often freetime together!! At any rate, it is always great fun to see all of the people out and about and the antics that go along with it in broad daylight..we still talk about someof the stuff from last year!! If we lived further south here the day would be more on the religious aspect of the day with the much larger Catholic population. 
Today is also the start of a festival called Matjestage in Emden..a small city not very far from us that is directly on the water (also home to Volkwagen Emden!!), this festival lasts several days and is all about a small fish called a Hering..and all of the yumminess that is involved with this little guy..no actually it is about the livelyhood that the fishing provides for the fisher(men) and the people in the surrounding communities and the history of..lots of good stuff to eat drink, fabulous music filled with traditional and modern sounds..Tons to do this weekend, which makes me super happy as the sun is shining again..hopefully it will holdout for the weekend..I had the wood burning stove going all day yesterday as it was grey, cold, and rainy!! great for the plants, not so good for the spirit.
Happy to report my husband has FINALLY gotten on the spring cleaning and organization boat with me..he is sorting through and advertising on EBay things that we no longer use or need..plus the money we make can go towards our large vacation which we have planned for later in the year!! I am excited about this because I am a total organization freak and cannot stand clutter, seen or unseen by others..as long as I know it is there I have a small tick in my brain that says..clean, organize, sort, sell, donate..for those of you who do not have even the slightest OCD tendencies be grateful..it drives those around us crazy but our houses are always presentable!! So, time to get up and around and see what things the day holds for us..sure to be fun and interesting..and as always will post pics in a not so future post.

Almost done...and..the ultimate taste of summertime

Hello everyone...a couple more pics of the hallway waiting to be turned into something practical..a workspace so that we can get the downstairs computer off of the dining room table. Then. .a picture that doesn't do justice to the taste of a sweet , ripe watermelon. Like a flood of memories from a taste..as any of you who come from the south know..ice cold watermelon and a hot summer day go together like no other...sitting outside on a front porch with a thick slice and not caring that the watermelon juice is running down your arms because when you are done you can use the water hose to wash it off and cool down...now that fluffy readers is the good stuff. But now that I am in Germany and have the wood stove burning in May..I will be eating it cut up with a fork out of a bowl...ah well..still tastes good. So..enjoy your Wednesday.

New Project.....

Good Morning to you all. Am trying something new today.  We have new phones and I am using my Blogger app. Started a new remodel project yesterday. And as always will post before..during. .and after pics. Had some help from Marli today with my workout. So. .I wish you all a great Tuesday.

Images of Ostfriesland..from a bike..

As promised...images from where I now call home..taken over 2 different days which happened to be fabulous weather. We live in a small village here..or as we say auf Deutsch..Wir wohnen auf dem Land..and on days like this I am happy to be here. Today we rode our bikes for 37 kilometers and then came home and fired up the grill.

We are lucky to live here as many people come here during this time of year on vacation, we are close to the North Sea and the islands..but no palm trees here!! But as you can see below plenty of sea gulls!!
The rock formation below is called Upstalsboom,it was built in 1833 but the place and it's purpose has been the same for hundreds of years..it was where the leaders of Ostfriesland would gather to discuss village happenings, rules, etc. before modern society, first meeting took place in 1200..pretty darn cool..if you like the whole history thing which I do... The individual areas in Deutschland have sayings attached to their names ..mottos..if you will.. here it is Friesiche Freiheit..Friesiche Freedom.

 So..I am going to clear the table..take a shower and fall into hopefully will be a deep sleep in a couple of hours..it has been a long but very good day with my hubby!! Enjoy the rest of your weekend..and for those in the states, tomorrow is Memorial Day..enjoy the time away from work but please remember those who served and gave their lives so we could know freedom...

Voting day??? On a Sunday??

Good Morning to all..yes, it is 0330 and I am awake, along with all of the critters..this time it was not from Marli but from sleeping next to a man that sounds very similar to a bear, chainsaw, train, whatever you want to call it. At anyrate, we all all awake..except for the sleeping bear  everyone has eaten breakfast and done morning business..time for the 3 to settle back in for a little more sleep but since I had already started the morning coffee consumption routiene and turned on the computer I will not be doing the same anytime soon..
I wanted to thank those of you who responded to my last post and was pretty impressed to hear a man's point of view on the whole subject, pretty sad when the opposite sex notices how ''catty'' some women can be when it comes to undermining each other..heads up ladies..others are watching!! But what is sad is, that with the entire media jungle out there this issue of infidelity is not one that will be improving anytime soon, my thoughts on it is that it will only get worse. For example, the is a jogurt commercial that runs here and it is all about a couple cheating on each other..man comes home with an..of course.. younger female, tells wife it is not working and this twit is his new love, she in turn tells him there is no room in the closet for her things because the guy she is cheating with is hiding in there..jogurt commercial here people..and we are disappointed in today's society and lack of morals?? Just look at all of the '' reality'' TV programs out there..shit..absolute shit.. but people eat them up and believe that that is real life. My thoughts on this..we are in trouble.
So, today is voting day in all of Europe. I find this very interesting as it is taking place on a Sunday..for living in a country where the stores are closed on Sundays my question is why are they holding an event such as this on a Sunday?? Don't get me wrong here..I am all for stores, etc..not being open on Sundays so that people can be home, go to church, or whatever they do..personally as coming from the states I feel that the ''time out'' is good for people.. it doesn't matter if you are single or have a family..the over board need to purchase daily mindset of our lives is definantly not a good thing.When I first moved here I myself went into a withdrawal phase for the fact that I could not just go shopping on a Sunday..or after 1600 on a Saturday in some cases.. but after almost 3 years here I have adjusted and am actually pretty happy knowing that there will be no errands to run after Saturday afternoon. And for all of you that have to get your Walmart fix on at say 0200 forget it..nothing but the discos are open at 0200 and then only on the weekends..plus if you are out in your car at this time of night out partying or not you will most likely get pulled over just because..well, just because.
So..now for fluffy update..have been headng outside with the dogs everyday..usually early mornings to walk and when they are done I go back out for a run..am really enjoying being able to be out in the fresh air to exercise..not that I do not appreciate my treadmill..have been taking my bike if I just need a few things from the store or need to go to the post office and am planning on going to the new swimming pool in Aurich next week..we went grocery shopping yesterday and came home with fruits and veggies enough to fill the kitchen counters..saw that my husband had snuck a package of store bought cookies into the mix so I broke out the baking gear yesterday and made bran muffins with raisons and dates, a peach cake, and ginger snap cookies..no need to eat chemicals if you have to satisfy a sweet tooth!! Put two thirds of what I made in the freezer so it would be available for the coming weeks. Am waiting for strawberries to fall to under 1 Euro a package so I can make homemade strawberry jam.. Have been drinking lots and lots of water and choosing jogurt over ice cream..satisfied my must eat something after dinner reflex last night with a fresh pear..so the quest for a healthier me continues..I refuse to ''diet'' as I want this to be a lifestyle..not a temporary fix..the healthy eating for me is not the hard part, it is the no snacking in the evenings and getting my rear in gear on a daily basis..even when I have absolutely no desire to do so..
Will post pics this afternoon, early evening..we are planning on taking a bike tour, so be prepared for green inspiration!!

I just don't get it..

Good Morning all. Am awake way early doing Marli duty and was really enjoying the quiet time before the entire house woke up..oh well, time to start the day. Anyway..wanted to present a situation that I feel happens way to often and ask for your input-opinions on this subject..because honestly I just do not understand how some people think or justify their actions..subject of this morning is how women stab other women in the back by attempting to or even succeed at ...flirting with, having an affair with, or ruining marriages..with men that are married or even in a long term commited relationship..now don't get me wrong here..I know men are just as much to blame as the women that put themselves.. in this group of not so desirables but as I am a woman I want to address this from a woman's point of view..my point here is that it is hard flipping enough out there in the dog eat dog, must do more to succeed world that we ..as women.. do not need the help of other women who obviously have no respect for others or I am going to go out on a limb here and say even for themselves who try to ''take'' the men that are ''with''other women. For example let me tell you all what happened yesterday..at the oral surgeon's office of all places..now my husband is a good looking guy and he had an appointment yesterday to have his wisdom teeth removed and of course since the appointment is what it was I accompanied him to the office to serve as driver afterwards..well, as we were finishing up this female comes in takes a seat and..no joke here looks Matthias up and down like he is a meatball sandwich with extra sauce and cheese waiting to be eaten..and I am standing right beside him watching this disgusting display..now... yes, I understand that I am no longer 20 something but by no means am I chopped liver either..thank goodness I am married to the man I am or I would have had some stress over this as before I was not so lucky and was married to a piece of crap that cheated every chance he got. But my point here is..well..really what the fu$%§"!!...why do people do what they do?? This is not near the first time I have watched displays like this, I have watched other women literally rub their boobs all over him while they pass him in a crowd..and yes, there is a difference in passing someone and rubbing boobs!! And I know that I am not the only one out there that has witnessed this mess..I have friends who have told me similar stories,watched relationships of friends be destroyed,  my family has been (deeply) affected by this situation, and more often than not if you sit back in a crowd you can watch this happening on any given day. Why is it that certain women can not be happy unless they are found to be attractive by a ''taken'' man?? Is their self esteem really so low that they need this extra boost?? Now..let me say something, yes, I am married and I am not dead, I do not walk around with my eyes to the ground and avoid looking at people so that it will not be mistaken as a ''flirt'' there is a big difference between looking at someone in passing and ''LOOKING'' at someone..you all..I hope..know what I am talking about. And then I have to think..do you really think if you succeed in ''getting'' this man who was ''taken'' that he is really going to be true to you?? Do you think you are so awesome as a female that he is going to worship you after the new wears off?? News here ....a cheetah does not change it's spots. Usually a cheater remains a cheater. My thoughts on this is it is hard enough work to maintain a marriage and we do not need one of our own making it harder...

Middle of the week?? How did that happen??

Good Morning all..what a morning..it is 0509 and I am able to sit on the back patio in shorts and a tshirt , drink a cup of strong, black coffee and write this!! Loving the weather, after weeks of rain and grey skies this is fabulous..yesterday was super productive around here..as I continue to be on my organization and cleaning streak I tackled part of the garage..put a few things that we did not need out on the curb with ''free'' signs on them and wah lah..gone within 2 hours, pulled some other stuff out that had been stored in the garage for someone else and Matthias returned it all when he got home..maybe that sounds really mean of me but sometimes connections to other people who are unhealthy in spirit can drain us of our own positive energy..and this connection was doing just that, and as you all know this year has turned into my search for a healthier well being, so..as we say in Deutschland..Raus damit!! After eating not so good over the weekend and on Monday evening yesterday was all about fresh and colorful with lots of time working out and being outdoors as much as possible..pasta with fresh veggies, fruit smoothies with pears, bananas and pineapple, and tone of water with lime juice..took myself on a bike tour and enjoyed connecting with where I live..except for the occassional car it was great!! Yes, did take pics but as I have yet to download them they will be on the next post. Today will be assigned to giving Max a haircut, and working in the yard..this time out front..spent Monday in the back. And I cannot forget to do my homework for my class in the morning..So, I wish you all a productive and happy Wednesday...

Monday already???

 Good Morning all...made an effort to have lots of pics to share with you all today..meant to post earlier than Monday but the time just gets away and when I get out of my Monday-Friday alone at home routiene..well..things just don't get done as they should sometimes!! Anyway..finished craft projects, new haircut, sweet baby animals..check out Marli watching soccer!! and a few flowers from the backyard garden!! Yesterday was spent in Emden at VW..they celebrated 50 years..it was fun, I had no idea the plant was so big..we did alot of walking and unfortunantly since I choose fashion over function and wore heels..although super cute I am still paying for it this morning. I have decided to start back with language classes today, being at home alone day in and day out is getting a little boring..granted I can always find something to do but why not take advantage of the time I have here and expand my vocabulary?? Would love to get a job but no one wants to hire me due to the time I have to be gone..ie to Kaiserslautern or somewhere else related..so, during the 2 to 3 weeks I will be home now off to class I will go..So..have a great Monday..live, learn, create!!

Did it.....

Hello to you all..took a break yesterday..the sun is shining and have been spending alot of time outside..thought I would fade under weather induced depression for a minute there..no joke. But now, slowly the mood of the sky is changing and mine is becoming more positive with every passing hour..so positive in fact that I took a big step and had my hair cut this morning..short, well.a short bob but short enough where Matthias said it would take him awhile to get used to it. Me, personally I love it..well worth the time invested at the salon. Will be posting some new pics tomorrow..most likely later in the day..So, started the day with a good workout while watching a fashion channel, nothing like getting inspired to run a little faster and longer than watching pencial thin 17 year olds struting on the catwalk..
Started reading a new book today..Joyce Meyer's 'God is not mad at you'..within the first chapter had recognized myself and the place in my mind where I am trying really hard to get out of..always striving to be better because where and who I am is not good enough..for those of you out there are also 'Perfectionists' you know what I am talking about.. we put way too much stress and expectations on ourselves and are ALWAYS our own worst critics and enemies.. this leads to a vicious cicle that keeps on going, until we make a conscious decision to break the cycle or something horrible happens that alters our lives.. Let me clarify this , I am speaking for myself here, as I am in no sense of the word a mental health professional..at any rate..it is a lot of work and takes a lot of energy to dig down deep within yourself to change the way you think, the habits that have developed over a lifetime..what has helped me is prayers, journaling, creating, and spending a lot of time doing what my husband describes as 'coming down from my life'..this has included giving some things up..things that kept me busy but were not needed for us to live and in fact caused more stress, learning how to sit still for periods of time (other than when I was asleep),realizing or should I say learning to understand that other people's actions are not a result of my decisions and taking better care of myself..reading, hanging out with the critters, facials, drinking lots of water..
So..lots of introspection today but it as been a good one..looking forward to the weekend with the hubby!! Bis Morgen..

We all make mistakes..

Good morning all..first off I want to say that I am so sorry to all of you..my readers.. for have a blog header with a word that was spelled wrong..thanks to TY for pointing that out!! I have corrected it and started my day feeling a bit on the dumb side but grateful for the indirect help none the less!! Once more Marli was awake at 0430 would like to report that I am full of energy and ready to face the day but that is not the case..maybe after coffee, several cups..of course if the clouds would clear out I am sure that would help my mood, I could never and I report never live somewhere where the weather is overcast most of the time (more than what it is here)..it is averaging out to be that way here about 70% of the time and it is killing my good mood and energy levels. At any rate..am trying a new background look for Fluffy for the spring and summer..let me know what you think.
Plan for the day is to finish my deco projects and if the weather clears take my bike to go shopping..we are finally starting some of the outdoor projects that have needed to be done for a while now so Matthias will have my car as it is a bit larger than his and since his is a standard..which yes, I can drive but prefer not to..plus it is not only good exercise but also much better for the enviroment (taking the bike that is..) plus on the bike there are always some photos opportunities..
Recieved some pics in the mail yesterday from my parents while they were on a cruise..blue skies, palm trees the whole bit..if I wasn't so happy that they are enjoying themselves after raising kids, and helping with grandkids I would almost be jealous..but instead it just helped me set our travel goals for 2015..as we have already booked all of our days for this year!!
So, Fluffy readers..will finish my coffee, organize the house..you would think we have small children in the house for all of the toys on the floor..which of course belong to the pups..just how do you train a 13 year old dog to pick up after himself??,..make a smoothie, work up a sweat..and see how the day goes from there..maybe, just maybe with God's help it will turn out to be fabulous!! 
 

What for a girly girl!!

Liebe Leute..Guten Morgen..I must say..I would have never, ever seen myself as someone who surrounded herself in items of the color PINK..that is until I became a member of the military and now when I am not wearing shades of green and dressed like a man I am all about celebrating my female being and filling my life with pink..I know, my poor husband..good thing he is extremely tolerant of pretty much everything I do!! As promised..pics of the new creativity project in the works..and above are the gorgeous flowers that I recieved from Matthias for Mother's Day, along with a nice message from my oldest son..the youngest is where he cannot call or be on the computer.

I am happy to report the writing project that has been hanging over my head for abouta week now is completed and has been emailed. Very happy to be able to just ''BE'' for a minute or so, nothing is due, I do not have to pack a suitcase for a couple more weeks..I am almost, admittedly a bit lost but do not worry..I wil find plenty here to do..there is always something to clean, organize, or rearrange..cool for Matthias as he says it is like coming home to a new house every couple of weeks..;D
I have a confession to make..I ate ice cream yesteray evening as a treat to myself for finishing the paper..but don't worry..am back on the smoothie, water road this morning..as shown below..a blender full of fresh fruit, soy milk, and jogurt..makes about 3 smoothies..vitamin bomb!! The sun is fighting with grey clouds to come out and play..I really hope she wins as my energy level and mood can really use her..I say her because auf Deutsch,,the sun is die Sonne..die of course is female..wir die Liebe..the love..we however will not discuss    

the fact that die Mucke..the mosquito is also female..that in this this context is so not important!!
So, time to get my rear in gear..hit the treadmill, work up a good sweat..to get rid of the ice cream calories and then start the day..maybe it will be a garden day.....Have a good one!!
 

Rise and Shine..it's Monday!!

Guten Morgen..noch einmal..0430!! Once more on Marli duty..Sometimes I try to be irritated at her for waking up so early but then I come downstairs and Missy is also so excited that we are awake that it just doesn't work..some people say 'Alle ist für die Liebe'..that is so in our house..where now that we have no kids at home critters rule!! Today is the day that I will finish writing a paper I have been assigned for a course I will be attending this summer..I am trying hard not to procrastinate with things like this anymore..for example I knew this weekend I had 2 online courses to do and until I finished them I could not feel free to move onto something else..this is how this paper is..hanging over my head. I did however start a new deco project yesterday..I will be decopauging (sp???? ;D) 3 pictures for when we finish the hall and bathroom in our part of the house...part of the house that was under construction when we bought it that has remained that way..obviously I am not the only one in this family with a procrastination problem!!..anyway..this part of the house is where our bedroom and office is..what is finished is done in varying shades of pink and grey..so the theme for the 3 pictures..Fashion in mostly black and white..as with the cookbook (wine) rack..will post photos of the various phases.
In my fruit and veggie shopping spree the other day I bought some peaches..they are sitting next to me in bowl as I write and smell so yummy..I think I hear a smoothie calling my name for breakfast!! Had a really hard time getting motivated yesterday with my workout as the weather continued to be nothing less than crap..but I did push through it and then managed to spend the rest of the day doing pretty much nothing but laying on the couch..that is the one thing I must say I miss... the longer I live here and the fact that the weather is not so good most of the time..places to go indoors for example a good old fashioned mall..not even so much to go shopping but just to get out of the house when it rains for days on end and doing something..brouse books at a Barnes and Noble, drink a coffee at Starbucks, meet up with friends..yes, I know it sounds horribly American of me but hey..what can you expect?? So, today Matthias goes back to work,I resume my life as a housewife routiene..and once more hope for sunshine so we both have more energy..clean house, workout, write paper, play with critters...decorate...create..be grateful for what we have..this is my plan for the day..Have a wonderful Monday..Bis Morgen!!!

Happy Mom's Day..or..Women are Amazing!!

Happy Mother's Day..to all of the wonderful moms out there... of kids or pets!!
Goog Morning all, once more I am am Marli duty..but the good news is this morning we did not get out of bed until 0430..although she started her anticts about 0345..oh well, it gives me time to write and check emails before the sun or anyone else is awake for that matter. So, yesterday we talked about the weather..it was good for about an hour in the morning..so good in fact that before 0730 I had taken the dogs for a walk and gone running..outside..as Matthias was still asleep so the treadmill was off limits..but then the clouds and the rain came back and it was blah the rest of the day..woke to rain this morning but as I write I can hear birds singing so maybe just maybe it will be better today.
A bit of faith restored in the postal service here..took the card for my grandma back to the post office, let them know it had been returned for insufficient postage and they paid the difference to resend it..
Ate dinner a bit later than I had wanted last night as we made it up to the office to file papers and fight with the access to some online courses..feeling a bit on the swollen side this morning as a result, extra water today and a renewed resolve not to eat after 1600. I am pondering over the fact that when I stand up my legs look strong and not so bad but when I sit down they spread out like melting jello..why is that?? How is it that I now exercise more often than possibly ever in my life and I am still Fluffy?? All I can say is this getting older thing absolutely sucks eggs, things are not where they should be..ie boobs, butt, and the skin not only around my eyes but also around my jawline..this is not fair, I do not feel so close to the midpoint of 100 but when I look in the mirror I am not so super impressed with what I see. And I know I am not the only woman out there who feels this way..I was wanting to buy a magazine the other day and on all of the covers..loose weight, look younger, have better sex, be better than you are because by the industries and societies standards you are and never will be good enough...It is no wonder women and girls in Western socities are such a mess, we are constantly bombarded with messages that we must always strive to be more than what we are or we will not get the job we want, our men will cheat on us, we will forever be loosers..To all of that I say bah humbug..we are all beautiful in our own ways and we need to get rid of the negative self talk, even though we see it everywhere..So ladies..here is to a stonger, more positive day..a day that celebrates women the world over..You are all gorgeous, smart, giving, and mean the world to someone out there!!!!

Read of all places..Twitter..

Hey..just posted but then was on Twitter..and read this..made me stop and think..WOW..so true..wanted to share with all of you...

God sometimes takes us into troubled waters not to drown us but to cleanse us.

Be blessed, enjoy your Saturday and find something that inspires you..or someone..create!! 

Fluffy does not want to be Fluffy anymore....

Good Morning to you all..it is official when I die and come back to this world I want to come back as our cat Marli..or should I say Queen Marli?? As she is so flipping spoiled, 0400 this morning she was awake and hungry so she proceeds to make as much noise as possible..an then who gets up to feed her little self you ask??..me of course!! Of course according to my husbad when I am not home he does not do this and ONLY feeds her dry cat food..the Horror!! :D. But now it is not yet 0500 and all fuzzy faces have eaten breakfast, gone potty potty and the coffee is made..okay..so I am on my second cup already but who is counting?? So, yesterday I reached the point where through my emotional crisis over the past few weeks I had put on some a few pounds..putting the truth back in the name Fluffy..anyway..looked in the mirror yesterday and realized that immediate action needed to be taken..because even though I am working out almost everyday when I spend the better part of the day on the sofa eating whatever I want the combination for me at almost 45 years old is just not working..summer is almost here and seeing that I will spending time soon enough where I will actually be able to wear a bathingsuit because the sun will be shining and it will be not only warm but possibly even hot (happy happy happy..come on sweat and a few more freckles!!!!) I do not want to look like a beached whale..it is bad enought that for 3 years now I have had no tanline but to be giggly and white at the same time?? That is a big ol NO Go!! So, went grocery shopping yesterday..not a big fan of supplements or drinking shakes to replace meals but in addition to the load of freash fruits and veggies, along with jogurt..I did actually purchase a meal replacement shake powder..so here is the plan as I need to see some pretty quick results...1 meal replaced with the shake, most likely dinner and NO NO NO snacking..I am an evening snacker and that is the worst kind, and then no larger food consumption after 1600..this means for me, if I am going to choose to eat a meal after this time it needs to be only a salad and maybe some jogurt or a frozen self made fruit smoothie..no more waddeling into bed with a full stomach. This and going back to my plan of drinking 2 liters of water a day..should work, after about a day and a half of eating more consciously I am feeling a bit lighter even though the scale has not moved..to tell you all a secret..patience is not a big virtue of mine..I tend to get frustrated easily and this is not a good combination when trying to loose weight, esp with some..okay a bit bit more than some..stress thrown in the mix..have set a goal by June first to be 6 pounds lighter..this is more than 2 pounds a week I know but with the extra weight and the way I have been eating it should come off realitively easy with this new plan..plus it will give me incentive to carry on..that and the fact that during my shopping spree a couple of weeks ago I bought a pair of Michael Kors jeans that fit okay now but will really fit better with a little less booty!!
So, the weather has been crap here for the last few days..super with all of the rain for our plants but completely unmotivating to do much..so hopefully the sun will come out to play today..I am sure the dogs would love to go for a walk and I would really like to be able to sit outside to read or work on an outdoor project..we are getting in the swing of things to complete this house..when we bought it the previous owners were in a state of remodeling and to be honest we have not finished what needs to be done but now we are getting in the mindset to do so..this will mean a few Honey do lists for my husband but in the end will produce a happier wife..and as the old saying goes..Happy wife, Happy life. So, for all of you men out there..that was your free marriage advice for the day..just do what she says..life is much much easy that way!!!!! 
Sending mail off to the states today, 2 cards a a letter to our son in Basic Training..we will see if the post office can get the postage right this time..took my grandma's Mothers Day card TO the post office the other day and they put the wrong amount of postage on it..got the card back yesterday to be reweighed and resent..mind you Mother's Day is Sunday..today is Saturday and on average the mail takes about 2 weeks to get to the states..ask me if that was irritating?? But..as mentioned above..maybe the sun will come out and Fluffy will be Happy and Fluffy and not Grumpy and Fluffy!! 
And now..now is the start of a new day..a day to be healthier and grateful for what we have, even if the post office ads another stop into our Saturday outings..for the most part they do a good job..So..hug who you can and make someone's day..Bis Morgen!!

Today is a new day..or..Hey there..I'm back!!!

Good morning ..okay..took some time to wallow, recharge, organize..and tada..i'm back, still not 100% but much better. Posted the pic above to remind myself and all of you that even when things get really tough God will always show us a way out and make us stronger in the process. Got home the other day and saw that the plants and flowers had come out in force while I was gone..so what did I do?? Went out and bought more of course..and while I was planting the ones in front one of the neighbors came by and told me how much he enjoys walking his dog past our house because of the work we have done out front..was happy to hear it, esp since for the most part the neighbors here do not really talk to each other and for over a year I have been saying hello to this man and his wife and he finally spoke!! and for about 20 minutes at that!! The critters are happy to have me home number 1 because I can be here with them all day and number 2 because I feed them yummy canned food and goodies throughout the day..or maybe 1 should be number 2?? Have been planning out some adventures for later  the next few months..it is ALWAYS good to have something to look forward to! Not to mention that I went shopping ..okay..really it was Retail Therapy and have fab new shoes, a new purse..and a couple..or more new outfits taht I am dying to put to use...where it is warm..rumor has it the rain will stop here after the weekend and we will see sunny skies..not holding my breath on that one though. Am working hard to get back into my workout routiene, getting out of the habit has led to more sweat being produced when I get on the treadmill but maybe that is a good thing..toxins out, positive energy produced!! Am super charged because I will get to visit with family and old friends in the near future..as much as I have tried to make Deutschland my new home I have to admit I am thrilled to have the opportunity to go back to the states now and again..as they always say.. There's no place like home. I am looking forward to good ol Southern Hospitality and the friendliness of the people..being able to just be me..and not always quote unquote ON..Okay..time to hit the treadmill, do some crunches and liftsome weights..Be Blessed and we will talk again tomorrow!!