why don't you just buy a convertible?

So I am slowy clawing my way back to normalcy downloading programs, reinstalling programs and getting use to the new stuff my friend put on this computer. I also managed to read all day! I finished Blood Trail from Tanya Huff this one hasn't been on the life time show Blood ties which is based on featuring hottie vampire Henry Fitzroy. Well Blood Trail was very good I guess the fact that it wasn't very PG rated was why the series did not pick it up. Now I got to go back to Barnes and Noble tomorrow to pick up all the other books. After all I have 2 days off this week. Plenty of time to read

Here are some kittie pictures. I had gone to Sams Saturday and brought home a box which was quickly claimed by the cats. And Cleo tool her old place up on my desk now that my computer is back of course she had to rub her scent back all over the laptop just to be sure everyone knows its her property. Anyway to get back to the subject line. I was behind one of those Harley's today that had AC, radio and a reverse gear and just wanted to tell the guy to buy a damn convertible. I am sorry those bikes have nothing to do with riding a motorcycle they are ludacris. I love riding motorcycles and can't wait to have another one. Grumpy said I have to pay of the truck before I can get another one. Here is my old one - I had to sell it to get money for the new roof the house needed. I cried when I handed the keys over. I had bought that bike brand new in Wisconsin then drove it down here by myself. It was awesome the weekend after Sturgis so lots of bikes out. And it didn't rain until 30min away from home. It was a 750 American Classic Edition from Honda the bike was a dark purple with a pearl design. It was gorgeous I miss it so much especially days like today where the weather would have been perfect to ride.

Roadrage!

Happy Sunday everyone. Today was going to be a fun day. I had planned on sleeping in then meet my English Friend to go ride our bikes, meet the au pairs for the firesafety meeting and then hang out with Grumpy. Simple right? SO I get up and get ready and meet my friend at her house. From there I follow her to the Yorktown battle fields where we were going to ride. We had to pull into a a road on the left because her bike was getting loose. After fastening it we went on our way turning left onto the main highway. I had to wait and let 2 cars pass before I could turn so P. was ahead of me. I noticed the car behind her was getting up close to her and then driving to the left as if passing here. When we got near the intersection where we had to turn left that car pulls up next to her (2 turn lanes) and then the passenger gets out of the car. At that point the light turns I keep following her until she pulls over with her cell in the hand. Turns out the girl that was driving had flipped her off when she pulled alongside her which promted my friend to ask her if she could get any closer. After that things went south and the guy (passenger) started to curse her out and call her names. She tells him he is a rassist after he calls her a f*****n white bitch and he gets out. Walking towards her threatening to beat her up. She shows him the phone and tells him she is calling 911.

roadrage!.jpg
Originally uploaded by dino0477.

So as we turn she gets behind the car to get the license and call it in to the 911 operator. I didn't really know what happend until after we stopped - I mean I saw but I didn't hear the exchange. So we wait for the cop to show up at a 7/11 to take her report. The thing was scary because at one time it looked like he was going for a gun. The cop takes our report and information and put the word out for the car. The interesting thing was that when they pulled up the license plate came up for a different car. See this car was a blue expedition and when they ran it it came back belonging to a red chevy???? The cop was super nice and after that we went on our way.


By the time we finally parked it was after noon but it was still only 34 degrees. We started pedaling and did about 2.2 miles in about 30 min. I have to admit so that the part where it went up the hill I had to push the bike. Even in the lowest gear it was to much for my knees. But hey walking is exersise too right? It was cold, I am still in no shape and it was not worth me blowing out my knee for it.

After we got back to the car I left to meet the Au pairs for the fire fighting meeting. I wont bore you with pictures but if you want to see them follow this link. It was a lot of fun and all the guys tried to participate. The poor rookie had to go up on the ladder in full gear just so he could waive at us.

So now I am planning on hanging out with Grumpy and the kitties and pups and relax.

Friday night

02-02-07_2240.jpg
Originally uploaded by dino0477.

Work tonight was alright. I hadn't worked at the restaurant in over a week so it was nice to get back. My section was filled up real early which upset some of the greedy bitches (to my delight). We weren't super busy so I didn't make much money (i think about $60 but I'll find out tonight) I got a yummy dinner out of it. I missed our bread. At home I let the pups out since it finally stopped raining. While they played I caught up on my reading and homework. As you can see Cleo was pretty insistent on participating. She is curled up next to me now too (we are still in bed). I did take the bike out after the pups came back in. It was good it was late (around midnight) so noone was out. It turned out that when Grumpy adjusted the handlebar he didn't put it back on tight enough so the thing kept turning around. It made it pretty hard to get back but I did it and did not walk it back. Tonight should be better. I had put a scarf around my mouth and nose and it worked no wheezing and I wasn't as out of breath. Yeahhh who knows I may be in shape one of these days.

I am so excited

Yeah I can COMMENT more importantly YOU can comment. I love getting up and see I have comments. Okay since it works all of you have some catching up to do you need to comment here, here and here (unless you have already then you may post another comment but you do not have to!)

Okay I have a mini update on the AP drama got a call from the AP and she said after talking to her parents in Moldova she decided to give it another try. I reminded her that things have become alot easier since she first started and that would continue. She agrees. Mhh now its keeping your fingers crossed for me time.

I did take my new toy out last night just for a block to get acclimated to it since my English friend and I are supposed to go ride on Sunday. So I get back in the house and I had the hardest time catching my breath. Everytime I exhaled there was this ratteling, wheezing sound. WTF it was one block, I mean I know I am out of shape but one block ?!??!?!?! So I think it had more to do with the fact that it was rainy and about 33 degrees outside and I was breathing through my mouth. At least I hope that was it I'd hate to get my Asthma back this late in the game. Anyhow I will brave the elements again tonight and just take it one block at a time. I figured in Spring I should be good enough to start training Sassy to come with me.

AP drama, new toy and no comments

I know many of you can't comment - NEITHER CAN I. I changed the template the comments options and frankly now I don't know what else to change. If anyone has a clue please email me (dino 0477 @ gmail com)

I didn't get home until after 10pm last night. After the office I had to go meet a new family to do their interview and then meet the APs (A u P a i r's) for the monthly meeting. They all showed up so our little starbucks table at the Barnes and Noble was pretty full. I ended up having to talk to a few of them one to one so I held an audience in one of the compfy reading chairs. One found out that she can't go home after she gets married this summer but has to wait until they get her paperwork. She is bumped because she has been here for 2 years now. But if she did the immigration would not grant her a greencard and if you read Jin's entry about her hubby's struggle thats not something to repeat.

Then I spend 2 hours talking with another AP. This has been ongoing for a while and it boils down to that the AP feels she can not handle the kids (2yr old triplets and a 4 yr old). She has talked to the HM (h o s t m o m) and the HM has tried to do whatever she wanted but the AP feels like the things she needs changed can't be helped by the HM. The AP is terrified that one of the kids will get hurt because its 4 of them and so forth. I am going over to the house this weekend I told the AP I want this to be a mediation and asked her to write 2 lists one for the things she can't handle and one that would list what would have to change to make the situation better, give it 2 weeks and then meet for the exit (or if it worked just go on) The AP is pretty insistent that she made her decision but will do the lists and talk to the HM tonight about setting the weekend meeting. So wish me luck and wisdom because its going to be hard to find another AP for that family as the father is deployed until October. I will try to convince the AP to stay a bit longer until we can get a candidate for the family. She should be easy to place as she is IQ and aside from being overwhelmed with the girls (as most AP would be I am sure) has had no issues. So I wont have to worry about finding her a place to go.

01-31-07_2123.jpg
Originally uploaded by dino0477 from T-Mobile.

As you can see I got myself a new toy. After meeting with the girls I hoped over to target to check out the bikes and they had this one on clearance for $59.99. I know I know its a guys bike but so what I don't care. The girls bikes where $20 more so I got this one. I really had forgotten how much I like to ride a bike until I was at my moms and did it there. Grumpy had a helmet for me so I just went and got a light for the bike since more often than not I will be out in the dark. I tried taking it for a spin last night despite the hour and the below freezing temperature but the lack of air in the tires stopped me. So Grumpy is to fix it today so I can ride after work. Eventually I want the doggies to come with me but it will take some training. So if you have trained your dog to run with you while your on a bike please share the best way to do it. (I am hopefull the comment situation will resolve soon

so much for being on vacation

01-28-07_1312.jpg
Originally uploaded by dino0477.

Okay so yes I am progrestinating but I do need to finish this post.

This is my mom while shopping yesterday. She wanted me to cook dinner for her friends on Monday so we went shopping and got a lot of stuff. My mom doesn't like to cook and does not makes foods she likes if they take a long time to prepare. So since I figured I'd be cooking anywho I may as well get some stuff done for her that she likes but wouldn't fuss with. Little did I know. After we left the store we went home and after lunch and a well desserved nap on my part I started on this culinary escursion. I wanted to take pictures (my mom took a few and I'll add them once I got them) of the final outcome but was to exhaused to do so. I cook for 5+ hours straight. I didn't finish until 11pm. I made Split Peas soup, Lentil soup, 40 stuffed cabbages, 10 Rindsrouladen (actually since they were filled with ground meat, pickles and a bit of mustard - they where spanish birds), a whole head of red cabbage, curry (white) cabbage and Koenigsberger Klopse . Upon finishing my mother thought it would be good to air ourselves out while taking a little bike tour. Mhh little try 4km at around midnight!!! It was kind of chilly too. So after getting back I went to knock out some homework and fell into bed.

Today I was woken once again early. After breakfast we had to stop by at the club house so I could be "introduced". Then we were off to drop of quilts at the LAMP project. Its actually a cool place where they offer underaged mothers a way to finish school while providing childcare. After that it was off to the maternity ward at a hospital to drop of baby hats my mom and her friends made. After getting home and lunch I played around on the computer while chatting with Jin and Bathroom Hippo until it was time to finish up dinner. I had to still make the Potato Dumplings (I cheated here and bought the once in the box).

The dinner as interesting to say the least. My moms friend and neighbor was invited and he brought one of his girlfriends. She is deaf which makes communication a bit difficult since I do not know sign language and he is still learning. Anyhow so she comes in and is gesturing with a camera and clearly upset. I gathered something about him dressing up???? So after a while he walks in (she takes of picture) dressed as to attend some formal function. Apparently it was meant as to joke to my mother. Well she was mad since she just wore jeans and t-shirt. And when I say mad I mean really P.O.'d Well then he said she already had 2 martinis. Great she's drunk before dinner lovely. So he goes back and throws on a shirt and looses the jacket. We try to start dinner as we try to get her to come over to the table she falls over the makeshift desk my mom had set up for me and nearly cost me my computer. Thank god my mom was right there and caught the laptop before it hit the ground. DAMN DRUNKS! So once she gets some food in her she is getting quieter. Talking is still a challenge while she can read lips I have a hard time to make sense out of her signs, gestures and sounds. (BTW everyone loved the food I made!!!!)
Of course my mother insists on serving wine with dinner which I still think was a bad idea but oh well. After dessert my mom and the lady wanted some pictures so we did that and when my mom asked her to take one of us it took her forever to figure out my moms camera. We tried to tell her all she had to do was to keep pressing the button but we just couldn't get the point across. She finally did it but again was agitated and frustrated (can't blame her). I felt kind of bad knowing that our lack of sign language frustrated her. I finally excused myself and went to my room to start on my paper. They ended up leaving not to much later after my mother promised I'd go over to say good bye tomorrow WTH!???!?!?

So lets review vacation means sleeping in, going out for food, hanging at the pool/spa and relaxing right?

• Mhh got an early wake up call every day
• cooked for a total of probably 8h (5+ consecutive)
• aside from passing the pool to leave the park have not seen it
• and I sure as hell haven't relaxed

Of course the part where my mother made me talk to my sister whom she called (note my mother called her - even so my sister knew I'd be here) sucked too. I swear she has to be the most deluted, selfish person out there. She wants Grumpy and I to come STAY with her when we go home to Germany in December. Okay this person has never written me a letter/card in the years I have been here. Not even a thank you note for the holiday/birthday cards I sent her. I have never recieved a phonecall from her. I haven't seen her in years (not that I mind). So of course I decline the staying over part. I mean she lives in my hometown and we got my moms place to stay at why would I want to stay at hers?

So she is like "We are sisters we need to meet!"????? I told her we can do coffee in town but we will not stay over.
She goes "But don't you want to meet my boyfriend and his Mom?" I was like I met him and again she can come to the coffee.
Her answer "But we haven't seen eachother in ages we are siblings!" To which I replied Well I was in Germany 3 times within a year last time being last May.
Of course she is like what? I didn't know. Well if you don't stay in touch you wouldn't now would you.
She of course argued that she was in touch with our Mom which I knew she wasn't. I told her that in the almost 8 years I have been here she never wrote a card or letter - her excuse well you know I don't like to write I rather talk on the phone.
To which I replied well you haven't called either!. I finally had enough told her I had to go and I'd get in touch about meeting for coffee. ( I will do my best to forget to do so - after all I only got 2 weeks and there are plenty of people there wanting to see us that do write and call!!!!!!!

I have to say I am glad she wasn't allowed to come here because I would have killed her these past days. I have no intention so spend more than 15min alone with her anywhere.

So I will leave early tomorrow in hopes of going standby to get home early (or at all) since they had flights canceled right and left today. Wish me luck