The parental visit

Kelly: Wow, what a whirlwind of a visit. Mom and Dad arrived on a rainy, cold Thursday. We took the train to a cool, cloudy Paris, explored the streets, climbed the Eiffel Tower, and ate really great Parisian food and wine. Quote of the trip was from Dad, "My self esteem goes up when I stop reading!" in response to his difficulty reading French words and our subsequent hysterically laughter...the kind where you get the ugly face because you can barely breathe because you are laughing so hard!

Then back home long enough to wash our clothes before venturing off through Switzerland and Lake Como. Switerland was breathtakingly beautiful, and Lake Como was top notch. Mom loved loved loved both the gelato and the views in the Lake Como area. We stayed at a slightly out-of-the-way small hotel with a great buffet breakfast and even better views of the wind-surfers who filled our end of the lake from 6-8 am and provided us with "interesting" views during breakfast...let's just say that mom and I enjoyed the views more than the boys :) Then, it was off to Rome but when we found Lucca and Tuscancy, our plans took a detour. The Tourist Information office booked us a night at an agriturismo (working Italian farm that hosts guests) and we drank wine from the barrel, picnicked by the pool on top of the hill overlooking vineyards, and slept in rustic but comfortable and quiet rooms. Ahhh....so relaxing. We jumped back in the car the next morning and headed to an Italian Riviera town called Sestri Levante. We walked on the pebbly beach, stuck our feet in the water, and climbed out on some massive rocks. Dad almost lost his shoe to the Med, but luckily rescued it no thanks to Mom and me laughing hysterically up the beach. We dined at a cute outdoor cafe where Dad learned that he liked Italian beer, that antipasta salad doesn't mean that you get lettuce, and that pizza comes at the very very end of the meal. We packed back in to the car and headed north. Our goal (okay, my goal) was to make it into southern Germany where our dollar went farther than in Switzerland to the south. Switzerland was breath-taking and Samantha's "time-saving" detour showed us the neat-as-a-pin Swiss villages filled with modern architecture at the foot of the most rugged and beautiful mountains I have yet to see. We took Rick Steve's advice yet again and headed for a Gasthaus (German Inn) in the reportedly charming town of Staufen in the black forest. Given Samantha's route through tiny towns in Switzerland, I didn't doubt her accuracy as we navigated swtichbacks and hair-pin turns through the black forest, until we arrived at the inn in Staufen only to find the owner smiling and telling us he had no rooms and that we were really looking for a different in with the same name in a town named Staufen, 70 km from our current location. So, at 8:00 PM, we drove on though more of the black forest to arrive at the second Staufen. Even though darkness was setting in, we were utterly delighted with the story-book flavor of the sweet town and even more so the kindness of the host who graciously kept the kitchen open well past closing to make sure we had plenty to eat. Our rooms were traditional and comfortable, and the breakfast buffet was the best I've ever had...coffee (free refills much to Dad's delight), eggs, yogurt, fresh berries, breads, jams, tomatoes, and more. After breakfast we waddled to the cobblestone streets for some shopping. Dad discovered a sports store and found a new love named Jack Wolfskin...don't be alarmed, Mr. Wolfskin is a very famous German outdoor store. Mom and I delighted in a super-cute thrift store where she got a fab pair of red leather sandals and I scored a black German bag. We met up with the boys who had joined in their own favorite activity...cafe sitting and coffee drinking. We reluctantly packed the car and headed to Baden Baden. Although it wasn't what I had pictured, we still enjoyed our time there and had a lovely lunch outdoors in the perfect weather. The traffic on the way home was not-so-perfect. Many hours and detours later, we arrived back in rainy Ramstein. We recovered the next day with a trip to the farmer's market and then more shopping in Ktown. Mom found great gifts for my sisters and Matt found a 700 euro bag, which he did not buy but dreamed about the rest of the day. We spent the remainder of the weekend working on the lawn (Mom and Dad doing most of the work), playing beanbags and cards.

It was an awesome trip filled with great food, laughter, and memories that will last our lifetime. I love you Mom and Dad!

Flood

Kelly: Last night, my capris weren't a fashion statement, they were a necessity. I awoke to the sound of hail pelleting the windows. I ran to the window to see hail moving horizontally, carried by the vicious winds and torrential rains. I checked the attic to ensure no leaks: all good, or so I thought. I went to the main level to check on Miles, and I heard water running...that's odd. Then as I looked down the basement stairs, my heart stopped and quickened at the same time...water was flooding under the door. Approximately two inches covered the floor. I called our landlord who said he couldn't get out of his house but would call the fire company. I rescued Mialley's floating litter box from the freezing swirling water...two and a half inches. The rain let up. Three inches. The first fireman arrived, slipped on the stairs, confirmed my basement was flooding, and called for a back-up truck with a pump. The truck arrived an hour and an inch of water later. The two young Germans hauled the pump into the house and down to the basement. Through gestures and broken English, I supplied them with the brooms they desired and they went to work. An hour or so later, my basement was less flooded. They left stating that the did all that they could. I called my landlord again who said that he'd come over the next day. 2:30 AM. 5:30 Alarm...not happening...6:15--wet nose on my forearm...thank goodness for my furry, four-legged alarm clock and her grumbling belly. I scrambled...sort of...out of bed, to the shower, and out the door in less than 30 minutes including packing my lunch. Coffee. Black. Strong. My fellow co-workers did not receive the deluge and resulting mess that I did, so they were somewhat numb and removed from my story. When I arrived home, my dear landlord had not only pumped the remaining water out but had also cleaned the nasty sediment, leaves, and God knows what that had washed in. I called him immediately with many thanks.

I didn't react as I would have in the past. I stayed relatively calm and level headed. Maybe the yoga of the past and meditation of the present are paying off!

My honey arrives tomorrow. After my day at work, I want nothing more than to spend a slow weekend hearing the details of his adventures over a nice cup of tea. Simple. Love.

Choices

Kelly: Lately I've been thinking a lot about choices. We are all a product of our choices.
A co-worker and friend is trying to decide which of two great jobs to take (not a bad problem to have), but I can see how much she is struggling and weighing all of the ramifications that one choice would bring. Each choice that she had made in her life up to this point has enabled her to have the choices that she is facing presented to her. Free will/ the ability to choose is an amazing gift and responsibility.

Matt is facing a choice of jobs. One option is with his company (secure) but pending a contract award (unsecure). The second option is with a small business without a big reputation (unsecure) but the offer is on the table (secure). His ability to be in this position is due to the many choices he has made in his life.

For both my friend and for Matt, the weight of this decision feels enormous; however, six months to a year from now, this likely won't be seen as a "cruicial" decision, merely one of those decisions in the past allowing for another decision to be made in the present.

Bon chance!

A love affair...and my husband knows about it

Kelly: This weekend we took a roadtrip to France. We drove to Lyon, which was actually quite charming. Lyon is a restaurant mecca. We enjoyed tasty food at one of the many cafes. We dined on the cobblestoned street, watching the business people and tourists mix as they shopped for a restaurant. We stayed in a woman's flat on the fifth floor....good thing I've converted to an ultra-light packer! We rose early the next morning, and it took both of us to figure out how to use the Nescafe coffee maker. After a quick espresso, we headed south. Unfortunately, we weren't going to make it to the Arles Saturday market by closing time, so instead we stopped in Avingon (not impressed) and then on to Aix-on-Provence (impressed). Aix (as the locals refer to it) is a charming cosmopolitan town replete with art and money...how could that be a bad thing? We then made our way to our home base for the night...Arles. We had gathered picnic fare in Aix and after checking in to our tiny but modern room, we picnicked by a Roman arena. Crazy. Then we strolled the streets for a gelato shop, stumbled across a local music fest complete with sod (in the middle of the city), and then made our way home...tipsy on wine and exhausted from a day on the road. Arles was an interesting mix of working class meets cutey shops meets tons of history. It falls into the category of "nice place to visit but I wouldn't want to live there" which falls in sharp contrast to our destination the next morning...Cassis, which fills the category "nice place to visit, don't want to leave, and how can I possibly live here?" It was a clean as a whistle glamorous fishing village nestled between some amazing glacier-formed cliffs. The Mediterrnaean was amazing...blue/green/clear all at the same time. I'm not a big beachy person, but I loved this beach. Cool breezes, no tourists plastered to cigarette butt covered sand...just white sand and small pebbles in a rugged but calm setting. Did I say I liked this place yet? Alas, we had more to see. We decided to forego the 2+ hour ride to Nice given that we really wouldn't have time to explore it well and still return home. So, we had to "settle" for wine-tasting in Provence. Bummer (dripping in sarcasm). We ended up in Gigondas...a delightful spec of a town with cute cafes and charming flower-box laden homes stacked on the hillside. We were disappointed to learn that the recommended cafe was closed for a party and the other alternatives had only daily menus that contained glutenous fare. But, all was not lost, as we left with two amazing bottles of wine (one of which is from Chateau du Montmirail and has caused me to believe there truly is a difference between 2 euro Aldi wine and this amazing grape blend). So, onward we venture, Samantha (our GPS) sent us the "short" way to the highway...one way streets, cow paths, and...lavendar fields...not quite in bloom (I will return one day to see that). After Sam finally led us to the highway, we stopped at a rest stop for lunch. You might be thinking "ugh...gross"...not so in France. I had a beautiful salad with local basil-infused olive oil. Matt had a chef's salad with the best smoked bacon he had ever tasted....at least the hefty tolls we were paying to drive on the roads were funding amazing food. As we neared Germany, the temperature dropped and the clouds rolled in...too predictable. The at-times torrential rainfall gave way to the most beautiful full rainbow we had ever seen. We returned tired and happy...eager to live in Europe but not Germany!

Last Weekend's Rhine Cruise

Kelly: Glorious weather! This weekend we took part in a Rhine River Cruise as part of resiliency building activity. Matt and I aren’t big fans of the organized group tours; however, this one was enjoyable. Our down-home, Southern-accented, perky tour guide managed to keep everyone happy while pointing out sights from the rock where the legend of Lora lye began to noting passing Ferraris. We visited a castle perched high above the Rhine. Our tour boat was late, but the ride was lovely and very sunny. We were late arriving at the restaurant (3:00 PM) where Matt ate Schnitzel for the first, and possibly last, time. My vegetarian meal was veggie schnitzel but it was covered in bread crumbs, so instead, I ate a delightful salad. We were starving by that time, so we would’ve eaten anything! Then we went to a wine tasting. The jovial alcoholic directing our group of 40+ was definitely entertaining, and the wine was decent, too. We stopped for a quick shopping adventure in lovely Rudesheim before returning home. All in all, a great day.
I was on call Sunday, and I really should have learned my lesson by now. I received a call the night before stating that I had to be there at 1:00. I called just prior to my departure and the flight time had been moved, but I hadn’t been notified. So, I did some chores around the house. We were in Madrid last weekend, and then I rolled right into a super busy week, so I was glad to have a little downtime. I’m feeling rather frazzled because I haven’t attended to the little things that just seem to be adding up. I ended up staying at work until 8:00ish, watered a co-workers plants, and then returned home just in time to get ready for the week. Still frazzled. Despite that, I truly enjoy having houseguests; however, I do feel sad when I think that after 7 months in Europe, our first houseguest was Matt’s intern who I’ve only met once.
Still frazzled, I resolved to accomplish some major organizational tasks. So, last night I cleaned my closets but only found three pairs of shoes with which to part. Nevertheless, I feel inner calm knowing that my T-shirts are folded. Yes, mom, I had to tackle the closet organization without you. This is usually a task for which I have zero patience and that is when I call in SuperMom to the rescue. While folding my shirts with Gap clerk-like precision, I received a call from the hospital stating that a flight was arriving at 4:12, and that I should arrive at 4:45...audible groan. So, I hopped in bed by 9:00, despite it still being very light. Matt drove me to the hospital at 4:30. After waiting for the patients and waiting for the patients and more waiting, I received a call at 0630 stating that they were just going to eat breakfast and would arrive by 0730, when the other clinic staff take over....seriously?

Oh well. Lesson learned.