Note To Self

Memorize official name of important professional panel you are on; "Green Code Thing" just doesn't pack the right punch.

Recurring Fantasy - Monkey Edition

Two summers ago, Monkey Rescue was born. In the years since, Monkey Base Camp has been revisited often. Adventures are had, jubilant reports are brought back to the house to share over snacks. Less often, the monkeys are all on vacation so important repairs can be made to Monkey Base.

When maintenance had been completed today, I asked if Ross knew where the monkeys had gone. "Not really, but I'm sure they couldn't go anywhere exciting because they don't know the rules about your shoes and your belt at the airport."

"Monkey's don't generally wear shoes or belts," I pointed out.

Ross gave me an exasperated look. "The monkeys live on a jobsite, Mama, they have to have work boots and tool belts."

Vacation Spoils

In addition to approximately 20kg dirty underwear, we smuggled brought back:

• 2 tubes mustard
• some Zuckerrüben
• a new Spätzlepresse
• 2 litre Kraftbräu flask
• 1.5 litre schnaps
• 2 bottles Kleiner Feigling
• a puzzle
• a poster
• a game
• a couple of books
• 2 model cars
• 1 lizard named Upsilon
• 1 frog called Spike
  
• 3 kilos Gummi Bears
• 2 kilos chocolate
• a tiny tripod LED flashlight
• a garlic press
• kitchen tongs
  
• a shirt from Modehaus Hochstetter
  
• 6 pairs Birkenstock
  

First Day Home

The children must have been worn out from travel yesterday, as they did not get up at 2:30am! They slept until 3:30am. Everyone was up, dressed, and fed by 5:30, so our guests took off at 6:00am for parts north. Fraukow and the boys really miss Joe and Chris' Mom and Dad are stopping to pick up their new puppy on the way home, so the early start is good thing for all. Also? It's 8:30am and I'm already unpacked and doing laundry here. I'm back at work tomorrow, so today's my day to recover the house and get groceries. The kids can't do their playgrounds program today, due to rain, but it's probably good for them to have a quiet day at home, too.

We made it home! We had no problems with the flight or customs or the shuttle (the shuttle rocked so much that we will certainly be using that service again). We ordered Thai for dinner and watched a glorious rainstorm from the sanctity of the porch while Chris and his Dad went to get the food. Most everyone has turned in, the few of us left up are struggling. I'm torn between fighting for 8pm to attain normal time faster and going to bed now so I'm better prepared for the kids, who will no doubt spring awake at 2:30am, looking for breakfast. We tried to explain the finer points of jet lag but I'm pretty sure they missed the point completely.

Vacation, Last Night

Löwen und Tiger und Bären, oh vey!

Home in 24; just not ready for it to all be over.

Vacation, An Update

In case you don't follow my Twitter, Germany rocks. Let's do the numbers so far:

• 4 countries: Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg...three of them at once!
• 786 pictures (the keepers will someday show up in my Flickr)
• 5 rainshowers, mostly at times we were planning to be inside anyhow.
• 1 completely amazing double rainbow
• 6 children
• 4 ice-creams
• 2 rental cars, one from France
• 1 hysterical childrens' show about reproduction and birth
• 15 postcards
  
• 2 Roman ruins
• 4 buildings built in 830 (or earlier); still in active use today
  
• Between us all, more glasses of wine than can be counted using ordinal numbers

Miss you (and your blogs) all; home on Thursday.

Vacation, All I Ever Wanted

Tuesday will bring five guests to our house for an overnight pitstop before we all head to the airport to begin our vacation - two weeks in Germany! I'll be toting electronics but have no idea if, or how often, I'll be able to blog. If there's a gap, count on stories and pictures upon my return!

Conversation Shorts

Me: I've had to change the bank password AGAIN. Do you care?

He: Are you dead?

Me: Not yet.

He: Then, no.
=========================================

She: You guys didn't show up for the party! Are we shunned?

Me: *sigh* *eyeroll* Hampers flew at heads, walls were pounded, loud bad words...

She: Everything ok?

Me: In the end, sure.

She: *conspiratorial grin* Glad you didn't come, then. By the way? I'm TOTALLY using this as an object lesson for my kids.

July? ROCKS. (A List)

* Money for new kitchen!

* Completely unexpected professional honor of such magnitude that I had trouble breathing when I got the call. I feel SO not worthy but am delighted all the same.

* Three Wishing Wells on a row. Not the middle, so I still have reason to play...

* New printer - one that actually prints without incantations and chicken killing.

* Playroom has been kept neat for three weeks on end, so far. Yesterday, the boys cleaned up when they were done WITHOUT BEING REMINDED. Mamas everywhere are dropping in shock. A brief interview revealed the boys have realized they like going in there to play when it doesn't look like a swirling, toy covered death trap.

* Hot new haircut.

* Germany! Two weeks.

* Chris weeded his dresser and his desk. I know he only worked on his desk because he was looking for something (and no, I did not plant what he was looking for at the bottom...) but still.

What other wonders might this month hold?

Daddy Said We Could Dig

"Mama, I'm going to meet Ryan on the far side of the shed, by Rachel's house. We're going to DIG!"

"Wait! You're going to what? Dig?"

"Daddy said we could dig a hole the size of a hockey net!"

"Do we have bodies to hide? I shouldn't think you'd want to bury the hockey net." I get only a puzzled look in response. I try again, "Why are you digging?"

"Because it's fun." Of course.

Later, I find Chris. "You told the kids they could dig a hole the size of a hockey net?"

"Oh, did they work on it today?" He looks pleased. I nod and wait. "We've been talking about a compost, right? And we'll need a hole to start it in?" Comprehension dawns and I marvel at my husband's brilliant plan.

Pantene Beautiful Lengths

I donated my ponytail to Pantene's Beautiful Lengths program! I forgot to bring a camera to my hair appointment, so there are no pictures of the actual event, only before and after pictures.

Before:




















After:

Changing My Major

I am totally changing my major to something in bio-research.



Update: "Related Videos" is an evil time-suck vortex apparently populated, in large part, with biology students and Russian Synchronized Swimmers.