$$ Money $$

Ahhh Money.

**Aparently the name of our new neighbor? If think if we become friends we should teach him how to "make it rain" just like Danny McBride. Go HERE to learn if you also need to learn.

We got a small sum of money deposited into our account from the US Treasury. We aren't sure what for.

Me: "What should we blow this newly found money on??"

Trent: "Just because we get random sums of money deposited into the account we don't have to find something to spend it on."

Me: "I think you misunderstand. You said 'spend money'... I said 'blow money'. Mine means its use should be spent on frivilous things."

Trent: "Like $300 worth of little toy army men?"

Me: "Or rainbows?"

Trent: "Bubbles?"

Me: "A little of all of that?"


We clearly need some better ideas.

Stinging Nettle and Staring Germans

Bosco and I like to go on runs behind the house when the weather cooperates. Actually- he loves to run and I try to like running. So on Tuesday we started out from the house on one of the farming roads that lead to other very small villages.

There was a tractor out doing something behind the house (mowing the sides of said farming roads) and I was prepared for that since I had heard him start around 7 am. So as we were warming up on the first mile I see him in front of us. As I was running faster than he was mowing (YAY!) I told Bosco to heel and attempted to pass him on the left.

For some unknown reason (even though he isn't finished with the row) he makes a turn to the left like he wants to mow the other side. Now- he had seen me coming from behind because I saw him turn and look. I don't know where he thought I had gone when he decided to turn minutes later- but as I was running right up next to him I sort of did a very graceful push-Bosco-into-field-fall-into-stinging-nettle-bushes-to-avoid-tractor-tires move to avoid him.

So I am attempting to pick myself up and check on Bosco when I realize it feels like my legs are bleeding!! It was just the cushy nettle that I fell into leaving welts all over my legs. No bleeding. But it still hurt.

So neighborly German farmer man just stares at me while this is all going down. No "hey are you ok" or "German equivalent"... just stares. It was like he was thinking, "What in the world? Hmmm- what an odd-looking person out here for no good reason! I can't possibly understand why she just fell down!"

The only thing to do was instruct Bosco to bite a hole in his tires and keep running to maintain my dignity and the right to be out there running in the first place. Bosco seemed very unconcerned about the whole thing and went frolicking off into the fields. Dogs are so resilient.

When I got home I showered, cleaned the welts and had an overwhelming urge to call up a nurse working the clinic at Ft. Rucker, AL. Just curious if instead of asking an actual DOCTOR I might get another reading of "The Guide To Wilderness Medicine" and a helpful question such as, "Do you know EXACTLY what kind of stinging nettle it was??"

But they weren't open yet. Oh well.

I google searched "stinging nettle" and actually found out it is quite useful medicinally. I knew it couldn't be that bad since they put it in cheese in Holland (pretty delicious actually!!) Probably COOKED- however.

Check this out!! Stinging Nettle Eating Championship

Bleh.

Saucy!

I think there comes a time when a blog needs to talk about some sauce. Saucy!!

So this past weekend we came home from a long bike ride to a pretty empty fridge. There were a few frozen shrimp entrees- so we nuked one and dove in. Needless to say, the little shrimpy entree wasn't REALLY what we had been expecting.

Enter awesomeness. In the form of hot sauce. It redeemed the entire evening.

"Rooster Sauce" is most amazing. It really does taste good on all Asian food (including sushi!) and a variety of other foods- even pizza!

(See link to humorous blog about said sauce!)



Rooster Sauce

The next noteworthy sauce comes from a previous blog post of mine. Introduced to me by a former boss- this "Bottled Up Anger" is no joke! Good on veggies, rice dishes... even on your finger when you are passing by the fridge and need a little spiceyness! (Don't judge.)

This green chili sauce is the savior of weekend breakfasts. Can you say Huevos Rancheros?!? Since it is not for sale in European commissaries we rely on family in the US for our supply. (God bless them!!)

All you need is some eggs, tortillas, cheese, chorizo, and this 'heaven-in-a-jar'. Maybe a few jalapenos for good measure.

Last but not least- Cholula while you hula! This is best kept at places of employment in large containers- work lunches often need a little help. Thanks for this useful advice Greg!

SIDE NOTE: You Tabasco peeps need to quit your commonplace sauce. Tabasco is only acceptable for raw oysters... and even then it isn't the cat's meow. Give it up. If you HAVE to have your Tabasco- use the Chipotle. Otherwise you don't deserve to be called a connoisseur of sauce!!

Thoughts on Parenting Styles

Ok. So this is an actual duvet cover set in a local store. Upon seeing it I instantly knew two things...

One: A picture needed to be taken immediately.

Two: I need to decide on a parenting style before having children.

After careful consideration (20 min worth) I have decided upon three options.

Parenting Style #1: Complete Honesty

"Well little Timmy, its like this.(Present child with book on actual reproduction from A to Z.) Even though this may be confusing- your mommy and daddy actually did the thing in this book, and because of that mommy carried you in her tummy for a while before going into messy labor, and then we had YOU!! I know this is a lot to take in, but you should know the whole truth. You may be grossed out now under your little illustrated duvet, but this will save you later in life from the embarrassment of confusion and incorrect names for anatomical parts. Let this duvet cover be a lesson to you."

"Also, while we are on the subject of truth, NEVER listen to daddy when he says mommy is stinky. It's really him."

Parenting Style #2: Humor To The Parent/Horror To The Child

"So.... little Timmy you said you wanted a brother or a sister- now you can sleep at night with all of your brother/sister possibilities!! Bahaha!"

"We DID get you- but see this little guy NEXT to you on the pillow? I'm starting to think that one would have been a more obedient child..."

"The Gypsies are in town and you had better behave. Really- now you can see how easy it is for mommy and daddy to replace you!"

"Uniqueness is really subjective... you looked like everyone else in the beginning."

Parenting Style #3: Confusion

"Look Timmy- boys and girls come from pretty balloons! Your balloon just got too big and 'pop!'- out you came!"

"What does it mean? I have no idea- ask your father. It was one of the last duvet sets they had. Do you want me to exchange it for the princess one? No? Then be quiet."

"Well- you see... there are birds and there are bees. But I'm tired- can we talk about this later? You are giving me a headache."

I really think I'm favoring a combo of these options. But I'm open to suggestions.

Book Review #1

So my friends... since I am not returning to online classes until this fall I have been reading for fun. Even though "reading for fun" is a novel idea it seldom happens when "reading to not fail classes" takes over.

I thought since no one is going to be interested in my upcoming "reading to not fail classes" experiences I had better just limit blogging to "reading for fun".

"READING FOR FUN #1!"

Quotes from the book:

"Our words are giants when they do us an injury, and dwarfs when they do us a service."

"Women can resist a man's love, a man's fame, a man's personal appearance, and a man's money, but they cannot resist a man's tongue when he knows how to talk to them."

"Men little know when they say hard things to us how well we remember them, and much harm they do us."

This book caught me from the opening line: "This is the story of what a Woman's patience can endure, and what a Man's resolution can achieve." The book had mystery and character depth- but what I loved most was the little bits of wisdom thrown here and there as the plot unfolded. See the quotes above- don't you agree?!? Hahaha, I think on more than one occasion I read the "nugget of wisdom" parts to Trent but he looked unimpressed.

SIDE NOTE- I would have never been married if I lived back then- I would be a horrible woman all things considered!! I have little patience and I would have always been going off at the mouth! So lucky that I found someone who loves me for modern me. ;)

Our First Weekend in Slovenia

"I feel Slovenia"- its Slovenia's slogan and I can completely understand why! We went this past weekend and it was fantastic... probably the most relaxing vacation since the Smoky Mountains before we left the states.

We stayed in the Julian Alps- below is a picture of Lake Bled. Bled is gorgeous... a castle sits above the town on a cliff, and a picturesque church sits on an island in the middle of the lake. Who can resist?!?

To get out to the island we rented a small rowboat- although Trent did most of the work I tried to help!

Once on the island we went to the Church of the Assumption to ring the lucky bell. Note the directions... men should not attempt to kick women in the face while ringing bell. Noted.

So here I am ringing the lucky bell and trying to get all the luck out. I only was told AFTER that you are supposed to make a wish first! I just thought you'd get some luck... so I might need to go back...

Trent also rang the lucky bell. And didn't kick me in the head.

Our first Slovenian beer- delish!

Next we went to Bled Castle to look around and have dinner. The castle was amazing... great views and a small museum of Slovenian history.

So romantic!

The next day we went to Lake Bohinj. Bohinj is bigger and is much different than Bled. We started with an early am hike to the waterfall- Slap Savica.

A rainbow...

The view from Slap Savica- you can see Lake Bohinj in the distance.

Trent at Lake Bohinj.

 

There are more pictures on facebook- if you don't have facebook let me know and I can email you the rest of the pics! All in all a great weekend. We will be going back for sure- next maybe fly fishing the Emerald Trail or seeing the costal areas in June... but Slovenia is now one of my favorite places!!

Poland

The reason for this trip really began years ago when Trent and I went to pick out new plates from "Blood Bath and Beyond" (as we have nicknamed it). We picked out a set we thought would last, as any newly married couple does, but the dishes soon chipped and discolored. Becoming frustrated, we decided to overhaul our kitchen contents. And SINCE we are in Europe- why not stock up on Polish and Italian pottery??

Starting with Polish pottery.

We did our homework and mapped out a trip to Boleslawiec, Poland, the birthplace of beautiful, hand painted pottery.

But we also wanted to see a bit of Poland and experience the culture. I pictured a quaint little town similar to Germany's Triberg. But we were quite wrong- the town is much larger and MUCH less touristy than we'd thought. It wasn't too bad- but we were somewhat taken aback by the cleanliness and crowded streets.

But making the best of it we found a cute little Polish restaurant. Warm and cozy- we prepared for our first Polish cuisine. And then they brought bread to the table... with a side of lard. Yes... LARD. See picture below.

We put some on a knife to be sure... I really thought we had to be mistaken. But no, just a nice helping of pure animal fat. And what was even more interesting- the locals all loved it! We watched as they lathered it on big hunks of bread and then topped the lard with a spoonful of sugar.

**Yuck**

But other than that the food was great!

Below- Yummy Polish dishes! Gołąbki (cabbage rolls filled with meat and rice), pierogis, and a delish chicken "pancake".

The unexpectedness did not end with the meal. We checked in to our hotel which has now won the award for "Most Random Hotel Room Ever".

See below that the "sitting room" has both a piano and a massaging chair. There were also a few china cabinets with crystal cups and other items one might place into a china cabinet found in a hotel room.

The bedroom was behind this room, enclosed by cardboard partitions. But other than an odd smell it was clean and we woke to a yummy breakfast. (Travel tip- take travel candle and matches. Helps more than you'd think!)

The next day we went to the city of Wroclaw and looked about. We didn't take any pictures... but it wasn't a very nice place. The tour books can be very deceiving at times.

So, Poland- check.

How `bout that Italian pottery??

Bearlin

 Bearlin! A great way to tour the city of Berlin- by BEAR!

See? Even Trent got into the spirit of Bearlin. Well... a little, anyway.

Germany! Here goes...

 So! Germany. Here we are. Settled into a house in a TINY village, Trent hard at work, and several European cities on the list to visit. As Francis Bacon once said (as quoted on the Celestial Seasonings chamomile tea box), "Travel, in the younger sort, is a part of education; in the elder, a part of experience."

Thus begins our education of Europe and it's history.

I will be updating this blog with our travels and pictures (so for those of you without facebook pay attention!). See below our TINY village- home base.

Our dog Bosco, the "welcome" mat in our driveway.

Below- Trent and I in Strasbourg, France

More to follow!!

FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hey..... internet!!!!

After almost 6 months of no internet, the drought is over! I can't even being to say how happy this makes me! Not that having internet is everything, but it sure helps one feel connected. AND it is too late for me to get in on the current semester, but I can register for summer now!

At some point I will upload some pics and new posts- but now its off to surf the web!

Woohooo!!!!!

The Jellyfish

This experience REALLY warrants a blog- so here it is!

Last weekend we went to PC Beach to relax for the day... no big oil has been reported there YET so we are trying to make the most of our remaining beach opportunities. Well, no oil, but some jellyfish! I got stung on my belly... looks like three tentacles got me from top of my belly all the way down to my hips and around to my back. It stings and its very uncomfortable when running, but other than that no big deal. EXCEPT... I sure don't want scars!!



So I called the clinic on post and asked for an appointment. No appointments left, but they told me a nurse would call. She did call later in the day and asked what was wrong. I told her what had happened and when, and said I wanted to know if I was doing the right things to treat the sting and prevent scarring.



WELL- she then told me that it would only scar if it was an open wound/bleeding. I told HER that I wasn't so sure, since I have scars from curling iron burns and THOSE weren't open wounds. (Seriously what woman among us hasn't been burned my a curling/straight iron or stove/hot pan before??!) So she said she would go ask a doctor what I should do or see if I need to come in.



Then she got back on the phone and started reading verbatim from a "physician's wilderness guide to medicine" (what happened to asking a DOCTOR??). She told me to rinse it with salt water/urine during the first few minutes after the sting (even though I had JUST told her it was a few days old). She then told me to try meat tenderizer (already told her I had tried that) and vinegar. And now comes the best part... she asked what type of jellyfish stung me. I told her I had no idea- I'm not familiar with the jellyfish species that might be present on the Florida gulf coast. So she asked... "Are you SURE it wasn't a BOX jellyfish?"



At that point I was torn between saying something funny or rude. Seriously? Hmmm... well I didn't travel to a location close to Australia... and I didn't get rushed to the hospital or DIE... so... no... don't think it was a box jelly. Should I also make sure I wasn't victim to an underwater bear attack?

Universal Truths of June

• Horses cannot outrun horse flies. I don't know why I even try. Also, a direct hit with a fly swatter will NOT kill a horse fly. Oh- and they can draw blood.

• You can tell how bad the humidity is when your sunglasses fog up on you.

• As much as country music idolizes "down by the river"... stereotypes become TRUE down by the river. Just something to keep in mind.

• No matter how slow you move- having sweat marks is GOING to happen. Might as well look like you were trying to exercise anyway.

Yummy Southern Summer Treat

Last week as I was enjoying the last of my free time, I watched Fried Green Tomatoes. I had never seen it and thought what better time to watch it?

So then shopping for groceries I came across locally grown green tomatoes and bought a few. I'm not a big fan of fried foods (or at least not a fan of calories) so I cut one up for a salad. As it turns out, green tomatoes are MUCH too tart for a salad!

So we sauteed some in a bit of olive oil....

Then added a bit of good ole Danny Cash...

Delicious! I think I might have one as an appetizer every night this week.

Bosco and the Blue Boat

As we cannot take our ole Blue with us when we move, we are attempting to sell him. I don't know why, but we haven't taken Bosco out on the boat yet- I think we thought he'd be scared. Nope! As you can see he is happy as a clam!

And what fun is being on a boat if you can't get out and chase your tail in the water?

**sigh**

If I only had a dog's life...

Attack of the Mosquitos!!

This weekend we went to the drive-in, and I got 34 mosquito bites. I wore long pants and a jacket... yet somehow was eaten alive. I tend to have a slight allergic reaction to mosquito bites- and since I was bitten several times on my hands, I cannot get my rings off or really bend my ring finger (pinkie finger is also jacked up!). It started throbbing around 3:30 am- so we got up and tried SEVERAL things to get those darned rings off. In the end I couldn't take how bad it was hurting, so I took pain pills and let it be.

I think my only option is cutting the rings off or waiting and hoping the swelling goes down... so... here's hoping.

ALSO (please note picture) while I was contemplating my numerous bites, I saw something in the window. I thought it had to be some other type of bug, but after Trent inspecting it, then disposing of it, we concluded it is just a HUGE mosquito.

Did he follow me home? Not sure. But at least if he DID contribute to my 34 bites all over my body, he didn't get away with it!

Ha!

Trials and Remembering

It's been about a year and a half since moving to AL and becoming a newly wed. It has been an adventure, for sure, and sometimes a difficult one. I found myself on the "bottom of the bucket" a few days ago. This has happened a few times already... feeling lonely, helpless, frustrated, angry... and not just at being married or living here- my job, my health care, my goals, my schoolwork...

I started to think about other times in my life. Sometimes the crap just hits all at once. And who knows why... but I think of them as seasons. I KNOW there is another season coming. I can feel it. I think the upcoming move to Germany has something to do with it too, but I feel a readiness to say goodbye to this and move forward.

So I was reading through my well-used Bible and came across so many verses that I'd underlined a long time ago. Verses that were so important at different times. And I felt at peace. It was as if the old me was looking through the pages and helping me remember all the wonderful things God did in my life.

And there is much yet to happen! I need to remember these things. (God scolded Israel all the time about remembering...)

I'm choosing to remember that I have a wonderful husband and a lot of good things in store. A lot of lessons to remember (learning the hard way) and a lot of areas for improvement... but a new season is coming.

Grrrarrrrr.

That's all I have to say for now.

I will try to post more blogs, but after working or doing classwork online all day I really don't have the energy to blog. I know, lame.

I HAVE had a lot to blog about. So, quick recap of blogs I should be writing....

1. Radio is CRAP here. On Mondays listeners can call in and give 3 words to describe their weekend. UGH! They then go on and on about why they picked the three words... enough to make you sick on the way to work. WHO CARES???? I don't know you people. I DON'T CARE about your weekend. Hey WKMX radio- please come up with something interesting for a morning talk show! Thanks.

2. Moving to Germany. Will not make it in time for old college friend's wedding.:( Going to start learning German once finals are over. Woohoo!

3. Bosco is KING of dog park. By far most people's fav regular. ;) Or at least top 5.

4. Class is hard. Accounting is going to kill me.

5. I got a $0.39 raise at work. So I gave EJ a not-so-great review on the survey for Best Places to Work in Alabama. Ha. Take that, EJ. Too qualified for this job I can't keep my licenses but can't get a decent salary?


That's all. Maybe I'll write a better blog in a few weeks.

The Weather Channel

Does anyone else have the Weather Channel Desktop?

Just checking mine today, and there is a picture of a snowy roadside under "weather photos". Apparently, users of The Weather Channel Desktop can upload their own weather-related photos.

The title of this fine picture is "we got hite with snow". Is this something only those from Buffalo understand?

I sure don't.

Gearin Up

So, I haven't been blogging lately. Maybe I need to start doing that more often.

Anyway...

Since I've been fighting-a-cold/dealing-with-AL-allergies I haven't been very consistent in my running. I made a new year's resolution to make a PR in the St. Patty's Day 10k here on post. (I'll update this hopefully with a great finish time!) So, this morning since Trent was studying I woke up and got out the door to get in a nice long run. The weather isn't humid yet and it's getting warmer... yay!

I guess my only real reason for posting this is I have odd thoughts while I run, and I wanted to share one.

I thought, what if I write a book and it makes tons of money and I become wealthy and famous? (... well not famous. I don't like talking to strangers as a rule...)

What would I write? Hmmm.... maybe... "How To Run: For Lazy People". It could be all about my ups and downs and finally getting to the brink of really loving to run. I'm a lazy person so I'd understand the content of the book pretty well. But then what if I write this book and then get super into running and start doing marathons? Could a book possibly be written on "How To Run Marathons: For Lazy People". I just don't think so... and I spent about a mile wondering about all that would go into a book and if anyone would read it... blah blah blah. And then I went on to think about something else... maybe my IT band. Or my knees. Or how when you yell "on your left" some people jump around all over like they can't decide which left is "their left".

I'd also like to note Ash is a great writer- see Lost in Arkansas on my blog list. She could write a book for sure... but she probably couldn't use my title without me gettin real mad and making her pay me lots of money.

Wow

So, its been what- four months since my last post?

Should I just delete this blog or try and start being a better blogger?

Tell me what to do!!!