You gotta be bad, you gotta be tough, you gotta be STRONGER....**

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ARMS without LEGS Special Edition Episode 2: Days 4, 5, 6 & 7

Day 4:

The day after I got back from Ramstein I was suffering from a serious AMERICAN FOOD HANGOVER, all the sodium, preservatives, carbs, processed food and sugar had me anchored to the couch......

I told myself that I was a tub of lard and needed to get back into the swing of things....so I went to the gym and had such a fabulous workout I kicked my own a**.  Its amazing how much better I feel when I work out, I have so much more energy.

I also had to 'tend' to my plants.  What they don't tell you in the all the gardening magazines is that having a garden is like taking care of another living thing, so you have to care for it just like you would a pet, or it will die!

I received an unexpected phone call and visit from some of my German neighbors that I do not know very well.  They have two daughters ages 3 & 5.  They called while I was in Ramstein and invited me to the 3 year old's birthday celebration.  I of course accepted and while I was nervous about making a good impression I was also excited about stepping inside a genuine GERMAN celebration.  They showed up at my house the other night out of the blue.  

(Another thing that they don't tell you about Garden's in the magazines is that every body wants to "see" your garden.  So I suspect its like having a baby, every body comes around and wants to "see" the baby....right? What this means is your garden always has to be producing and looking good otherwise you suck at gardening....)

I didn't mind too much, we chatted out in the yard for awhile, and they left.  

One Observation: The 5 year old had to go to the bathroom, I of course did not gather this because she was speaking in German to her parents, but next thing I know she is in the corner of the yard peeing...and it seemed that her parents had instructed her to do so...(man these German's really have no reservations about urinating outside, that is the 3rd German who has urinated outdoors in my presence!).....I would have let her use my toilet.....but I guess when you live in a country where you have to pay to use toilets outside is a better option....

Day 5:

Another bad side affect of a AMERICAN FOOD HANGOVER is the ability to oversleep.....On Friday I woke up at 5am, but wanted to sleep longer, next thing I knew it was 11am! 

I had a prior arrangement to get assistance from Mariannae- (My Teacher) on planting my carrots and putting my tomatoes in the green house early in the day, so I didn't have time to hit the gym.....

Getting back in shape has been a big priority of mine this week because I want to check out a local boxing gym early next week and when I check it out I don't want to be a total slob.....Fortunately I had enough time to do the p90x Plyometrics before gardening, and after gardening I had enough time to run, shadow box, do a boxing specific weight lifting exercise and jump rope. I am really starting to feel like I am in good shape and my body is looking slimmer and leaner.

Friday night Karmella and I went to keep Princess Peach and Luigi company with the movie STARDUST.  Its one of LEGS' and I's favorite movies.  While I was watching it, I fell in love with LEGS all over again....and I started (STARTED) to miss him a little bit.  Not a lot, but a little.  

Absence is to love as wind is to fire; it extinguishes the small and kindles the great. -Roger De Bussy-Rabutin**

This is one of my favorite motivating quotes when LEGS is away....

In other sad news.......the other day LIZA was telling me about a Kiowa helicopter getting shot down in Afghanistan, which was of course upsetting news....but in my mind: I am glad its not an APACHE.  Sure enough a few days later.....

An APACHE crashed at FORT RUCKER in ALABAMA, during a routine training mission. The Instructor Pilot died and the student was unharmed.  LEGS told me he had flown with that instructor a few times. The ARMY is calling it a 'mishap' and civilian witnesses are saying the aircraft struck a cable.  I went to bed with a heavy heart and tears in my eyes......

Day 6:

I knew Saturday was going to be a super full day so I got up early.  I talked with my family on the phone Saturday morning and was troubled by the fighting, suffering and pain they are all experiencing. I get angry because I feel like, its always the same thing they fight about, and here I am in far away in a foreign country dealing with some REAL stuff.

Then I spoke to LEGS when he called, it felt good to hear his voice and to be able to vent freely to him about everything that has been going on in my life since he has been gone.....

Now I was starting to run low on time.....I hit the gym for a running interval workout.  Then I went to the PX and Commissary to get things for the birthday party.  

I decided on coloring books, markers and cool paper for the birthday gift, and Strawberry cupcakes, with strawberry frosting and red sprinkles for the birthday party.

I hustled home, made the cupcakes, showered and headed to my very first German Birthday Celebration.  I was invited in for cake (which is not at all like American cake, it looks like cake, feels like cake, but isn't AS sweet as American cake) and Coffee.  The coffee was incredibly strong and the cake was delicious! They asked me a lot of questions, and proudly introduced me to the entire family.  There were a lot of silences.....I couldn't tell if they were awkward silences or cultural pauses....and when I did speak or tell stories I felt like they didn't get my sense of humor or maybe that I spoke too fast......

To calm my growing desperation I decided to color with the kids.  I had all 4 girls coloring pictures and practicing writing my name and their names for hours.  All the girls were speaking German to me....I could understand a few words here and there.....and with the help of the parents who can speak English- the girls were telling me that I 'color very well.' :D

After it seemed the party was winding down, I rose up to leave and announced I should be going.....and then I sensed I may have made a mistake......the Grandparents were upset that I was leaving and the parents seemed bummed I was leaving.....Did I leave too early? Did I offend them? I still don't know, but as an apology tomorrow I plan on delivering fresh radishes from the garden and a thank you note for the invitation.

Day 7:

Never a dull moment.....

While cleaning the house this morning I got a little reckless with the vacuum cleaner and knocked my hand mirror off the table, as I watched it fall I gasped........and then it hit the ground.....and broke.....

DAMMIT!!!

In my mind: Oh.....that means 7 years bad luck!! Oh....that is just a silly superstition.....right?  I said a little prayer to GOD and went on about my business challenging that whole 7 years bad luck notion.....

Later on....I let the Karmella out.  Due to my busy social schedule I have neglected the dog, and because of the neglect I could tell that she was feeling a little frisky.....and she was going to try and escape the fence....

She wouldn't come inside, and at one point since the trees have gotten so thick in my yard, I couldn't tell if she had escaped or not.  So I ran around to where she likes to escape but I couldn't find her....so I ran back....and I saw her running toward the back on the yard...another possible escape route....convinced in my mind that she was going to get out and I was going to spend all day chasing her, I started running full speed to the back of my yard to catch her.

And then.....

I felt like somebody had tackled me from behind.  I felt like a NFL football player had tackled me from behind.  I hit the ground so hard and so fast I didn't even know what happened.  I went down screaming.....landed....and lay there writhing in pain......my leg....hurt so bad.....

I finally gathered enough courage to look at my foot, hoping there wasn't a bone sticking out somewhere.....my foot had gone knee deep in a hole in my yard.....

I had sprained my ankle pretty bad.....so I lay there in the back of the yard, in my Pajamas, wondering if I should cry, laugh or curse GOD...and that whole 7 years bad luck thing......

Once the pain subsided enough and I started to wonder if the neighbors were watching me lay there, I tried to get up....nope.....no possible way I could put weight on my foot.....so I had to crawl......1 whole acre back to my house......I was so angry at Karmella I couldn't even look at her.

And now I had to get myself together for another engagement.  I wanted to cancel but instead I rallied, and now I am glad I did.  The hostess of the social event expected 10 people and only 3 people showed up......as I watched her heart break I was so glad....that even though I was injured I came anyways....

As soon as I got home Karmella's shock collar went on.  I spent several hours reading, adjusting and training the dog with the collar.  Its very complicated and easy to screw up......I did have to shock her twice.....the first time she thought the grass in the yard had hurt her, and the second time she came running to me out of fear......

I feel terrible for having to shock my baby....and I almost cried when I did it....but I bet its like spanking your children, you don't want to do it, and it breaks your heart, but if its for their best interests.....you gotta be bad, you gotta be tough, you gotta be stronger.....

My ankle hurts, and I am limping around my house....mostly I am totally bummed about not making it to the boxing gym this week.....and I am hoping I can still mow the lawn and do all the other things I need to do....

Guilty Pleasures:

I called LEGS on the phone after I sprained my ankle and cried. 

I participated in retail therapy.

I emotionally OVER ate.....

Random Thoughts:

Sometimes less is more.....

Thank God the Royal Wedding is OVER!

I hung the last of LEGS' items on the line today and it kinda made me sad, that he wasn't here to make more dirty clothes....bizarre...I know...

Do I expect too much from people?

Nobody said life was going to be easy.....when people say life is hard, I want to say compared to what?

OVER & OUT...

Just another day....where you gotta be bad, you gotta be bold, you gotta be wiser.....in the life of an unlikely military wife....**