GUTS.....**

HI BLOGGGY FACE HEAD!

Weather Fable brought to you by Karmella: And then....there was sun....the end.

Exchange Rate: 1 Euro = $1.41  

In late Junior High and early high school I had a friend, I know its incredible right?  I called her LongShanks because she had these really obnoxiously long legs.  We went every where and did everything together.  She was there for my first love and heartbreak, we were in Track and Field , participated in Spirit Weeks, rode bikes to each others' houses, had sleepovers, went to Football games and dances, she was my best friend.  We were both young, vibrant, energetic, gorgeous and blonde....one sporting blue eyes and one green.  

For really stupid reasons our friendship fizzled, but over the years we have kept in touch on and off, she moved, but came to visit, she met LEGS when I first met LEGS, she called, I called, we went through hard times and bad times, good times and happy times, then I moved, and moved again.  During transition and holiday travel LEGS and I stayed at her and the BF in a bands place, and then by a strange stroke of luck, she was able to make a quick trip to visit me over here in NEVER NEVER LAND.

I have been looking forward to their visit and preparing for months.  Finally, the day had come where they would be arriving.  LEGS and I drove two hours to Frankfurt to pick them up from the airport.  Just as we were pulling into Frankfurt we got a call that they had missed their flight.  I have traveled enough to know that when traveling....sh*t happens.  But I suspect LEGS was SO EXCITED about them coming, that he was INCREDIBLY disappointed and turned into the anti-christ on the way back home.

It was a major bummer, because he had gotten off work to pick them up, but would have to return to work, and I would have to pick them up solo in the afternoon.....that is....if they still decided to come.  Once I returned home, they had figured out other arrangements, and were still coming.  I ate some lunch and took a nap in anticipation of my second two hour drive to Frankfurt, and the two hour drive to return home.

I got up, drove to Frankfurt, wandered the airport in Frankfurt.  If any of you recall there was a fatal shooting in the Frankfurt airport just a few months ago, targeting American Soldiers, so I was nervous and cautious not to give away that I am American. Not wanting to wander the airport any longer I asked a travel agent where the Ryan Air Terminal was....she looked at me point blank and said 'Ryan air does not fly in here, their hub is an hour and half away."

I was ticked.  How could we not know that?  My friends were now sitting at an airport and hour and half away waiting for me to pick them up.  LEGS had no reason to be upset about picking them up just 2 hours away, now I had to drive another hour and half and 3.5 hours back...in the dark.....

Okay...so for future reference anybody who travels Ryan Air:  You must be VERY early for their flights, they are cheap, but they expect you to travel strictly on their terms, they do not even HAVE customer service.  Also, if they say they are flying into Frankfurt, that is a lie they actually fly into Frankfurt (Hahn) which is actually just a town called HAHN.....which is NO WHERE near Frankfurt.

I left Oberdachstetten at 3:40pm and did not arrive home until 12:40am.  At this point I didn't care, the BF in a band slept the way home, while LongShanks and I were able to have girl talk time, in which she gave me astounding advice. Because I had to travel so far to retrieve them I feel so much more comfortable driving on the autobahn and navigating my way through NEVER NEVER LAND.

And...it got me thinking....these people had traveled very far, and had spent a lot of money, just to see little old ME......it made me think how much trouble, stress etc., we go through just to stay connected to each other....and how it seems there is a world out there with many, many obstacles keeping us from each other as well.....

The fact that LongShanks and I had taken German class for two years in high school....made her visit to NEVER NEVER LAND incredibly amusing to us,  here we were in the land that our teacher had told us about, eating the food, drinking the beer, and seeing all the things that we had learned about in school so long ago.

LEGS had to work the first day LongShanks and the BF in a Band were visiting, so we rode the train up to Rothenberg, where we strolled the historic city, had lunch, and Schneeballed.

Two things....its not taboo in Europe to have an alcoholic beverage with lunch, and we took the wrong train home, so we had to have LEGS come pick us up.....another travel mishap....

After Rothenberg we decided to take LongShanks and The BF in a Band out for a nice dinner, and a few drinks at the pub.  LEGS and I are a really bad influence. We had them smoking, and drinking.....and then LEGS passed out.....he couldn't handle being bad....

Hangover Cure: European Style

LongShanks and The BF in the Band wanted to go to Kruezberg to sample one of 'The best beers in the World."  Kruezberg is a catholic monastery, where the monks brew their own beer.  They also have delicious food. 

German people congregate at places like these to eat, drink and visit with people, they don't care who you are, or where you are from, everybody shares the same space......the difference in the states is, we often congregate at places to eat but we stay in our respective groups, we don't socialize outside of them.....I think I like how the Germans do it better....

I volunteered to be the DD for the Kruezberg trip...on the way home we stopped in Wurzberg to get a snack at one of the local shops.  I choose, a chilled coffee drink, candy very similar to mounds, and drove us home on the autobahn listening to Black Violin and driving 100+!  

After Kruezberg we had The Best Pizza in NEVER NEVER LAND, and stayed up late into the night reliving the glory days of high school.....

On the last day they were here, we took them to a castle (which is, ya know, located right down the street from us), a GINORMOUS bike shop, McDonald's and a fest in our town....

This was me telling everybody that it was my castle and I can do whatever I want...and I also said, everybody should eat cake.....

The fest in our town was to raise money for the local all volunteer firefighters, it was a really cool night, complete with fireworks, beer, free french fries, live music (the lead singer is my neighbors Girlfriend), and a attempted kidnapping by the locals of the BF in a Band....

And then sadly, our time had come to an end....we headed out for a late night extraction....an all night driving adventure, that left LEGS and I utterly exhausted and down for two days.....

I have been doing surprisingly well as far as homesickness is concerned, but having LongShanks, and The BF in a Band come visit me in NEVER NEVER LAND has reminded me.....

Where I come from and who I am.  It bothers me that I even forgot...but sometimes when you move away you get caught up in the small little world you have created for yourself.  

Let me clarify, when you move to a foreign country you create a small radius out of survival, that small radius is all you can handle or even fathom.  

I forgot there is a big world outside, I got comfortable in my routine, I started to settle for things I know I don't like, and don't want.  It also became utterly clear to me that I need to work on learning German.

I am a full blooded ALASKAN GIRL.  I am brave, I have courage, I am hearty, ballsy, and tough.....I like ADVENTURE and I totally kick a**! And this is why.....I am an UNLIKELY military wife.....

POST SCRIPT: LongShanks and The BF in Band: We really enjoyed having you and hope you come again, and a thank you is not sufficient, but, at least you will be aware, that you gave me something priceless, you gave me back GUTS! Love on ya, ARMS

Guilty Pleasures:

You name it, I've done it......

Random Thoughts:

LongShanks kept saying that 'the pictures don't do it justice, Germany and your place are beautiful!' 

'This is kinda harsh'.....(bleck!)

From this angle.....its not good.....

One of my friends put this on her facebook status:

I am trying to be better about not using my cell phone to text.talk unless really necessary when I'm hanging out with friends. Lately it has really bothered me when other people do it because I feel like they aren't present and it takes away our time and connection.  I think most of us are addicted and I am wanting to not be anymore!!! Hope I can do better!

I responded back that having a Jihad phone has really helped me, I don't even know where my cheap phone is half the time....and thankfully, I have been more present, attentive, and alive in REAL LIFE.....

They wonder why I call him LEGS...

I called The Mommy last week before I went to my hair appointment.  She told me to stop whining and keep my blog positive....Just wanted to tell her- as much as I hate it, that she was right, and I hope this blog makes her proud! Love on ya MOMMY, your Million Dollar Baby Girl xo**

ARMS' Mailbox:

MDBG,

I love you and you mean the world to me. Missing you, but loving you every single day! Not a day goes by that I do not think of you and how special you are to me! Love ya MMDBG! The Mommy

The Mommy,

I love you, I really do, even though you are a pain in the ass and you won't stop smoking....

Thank you for telling me that you love me, and that I mean so much to you....I needed to hear it.

Love on ya, MDBG**

I really did need to hear that.....as with all babies....I have been feeling a little left out....far away, and slightly forgotten about.....

OVER & OUT

Just another day in the life of an unlikely military wife....**