Opa-isms

My Opa

Do you remember back when you were a child and your grandma or grandpa used to have these sayings?  That they repeated over and over again to you?  So much so, that you find yourself able to repeat them from memory many years later?  My German opa used to have his theories and sayings, and in light of his birthday coming up, where he would've been 100, I thought I'd share some of them.  I think some of them are even true!

My favorites:

• Whenever someone in my family talked about traveling, he would ALWAYS say, "why would you want to go there?  The houses there stand next to each other just like they do here!"  I guess in a way he was correct.  People are people wherever you go, and even though things may look a little bit different, you'd be surprised at how much things can be the same.  I took this to mean that I should also take the time to enjoy my home, wherever that was at the time, and now I take the time to really find the hidden gems in my local area instead of always longing to go somewhere else.
• Always make sure your gas tank is half full.  You'll never, ever run out of gas.....how true!  I don't think I've ever run out of gas in my life.
• Don't drink cold stuff.  My opa used to heat up a pot of water and dunk his beer bottle into a warm water bath before drinking it.  He never drank anything cold in his life!  He always thought that all the stomach cancers and abundance of stomach problems of Americans were caused by cold drinks and ice, taking off the mucous layers in your digestive system, damaging it he used to say.  I have personally found no medical evidence of this....but you know, it does make sense.  I'll let you draw your own conclusion on this.  I guess this may explain why Europeans are not so fond of ice cubes and really cold drinks and have less instances of stomach issues and cancers?  Maybe?
• Drafts coming in windows can make you sick, and if you have wet hair, you'll get really sick.  I still remember driving around Germany in the summertime....with ALL the windows closed! This was before cars had air conditioning in Germany!  I can't believe I survived that without dying of heat stroke....either I was much hardier back then or Germany was not so hot in the summer before global warming turned European weather upside-down.
• Even though opa made the comment about traveling, it didn't stop him from being one of the first Germans to board a commercial flight to Italy, and just in time for his honeymoon in the era before WWII.  He was also the first man in his village to have a car after the war.  How did he do that when everyone else was broke?  He was always a master of wheeling and dealing.  He taught me (and mostly my mother) to always look two steps ahead in any business deal.  For example, he saw that after the war, everyone wanted...err...needed chocolate.  He saw the Jewish businessmen who were left in his part of Germany (with help from the Allies), had the supplies, so he struck a deal with them as a whole.  He knew they wanted tea, so he figured out how to collect and package it....sold it to them (because no one else was, and darn they wanted that tea)...bought the chocolate from them...and sold the chocolate at prices-to-make-a-profit to the average German.  The profits were so tidy over the long-run, that he was able to buy the first car in his little village after the war, and a Mercedes at that (he only mentioned later that the thing didn't have a floor...kind of like the Flinstones I'm thinking).  He got his business going again while everyone else was out of work and still scratching their heads!  His "two steps ahead" thinking also saved him from being killed on the Eastern Front....almost his entire unit was decimated, and he survived.  Obviously I'm not anywhere near that good in trying to always look ahead, but I like to think I at least TRY to do this myself in day-to-day life and make him a little bit proud!

Opa, I miss you and your humor too!  I miss how you used to reach up behind the doorframe and "find" a gumball for me.  My opa ran a candy &  liquor wholesaler (in other words, a little kid's dream), and my childhood visiting my grandparents was spent crawling up and down the big wooden shelves in the warehouse filled to capacity with cookies, candy, chocolate, coffee...and hard liquor, huh?  I guess the hard liquor was the "grown up candy" and used to sell REALLY well, hence the later addition of that.  I used to love feeling like a grown-up when you took me on your rounds, delivering and selling your wares to the local stores and restaurants....in the years before the superstore.   And every year, you made such a big deal of taking me to the fancy shoestore to get my new shoes....unfortunately, they were always the brown clunker Salamander brand and nothing fancy, but you made me feel special anyway in the process, as I was the center of attention (every child's second dream).

I miss you Opa and happy birthday!  I know you and Oma are looking down and watching over us this holiday season, and thank-you for all the wonderful opa-isms which I am now teaching my children!

Never say, "I'm Bored".....

I used to entertain myself with a rock when I was little....and I'm not that old either.  Remember back in the 1970s and 1980s when we were kids (if applicable) when we played with whatever we could find and stayed out for hours running around in the neighborhood?  Then came Atari's Pong, and I still remember the delight in my eyes as my best friend and eye pinged and ponged back and forth on her black and white TV screen.  I think that was the beginning of the end in a way.  And now my kids tell me they're bored.....so here's what I told them (and myself).

I can honestly not remember myself being bored as a child....okay maybe as a teenager but not before.  So I asked myself why?  And why is it my kids were frequently plopping down wherever, releasing a big sigh...and here it comes out of their mouth....."I'm bored".  Why?  This is what I came up with...

• Because we overschedule our kids so much these days with a few sports, music lessons, church groups, pottery class and everything in between.
• Kids have all these activities handed to them on a platter that they never have to come up with anything on their own.
• Here we are thinking we are encouraging creativity by all these wonderful things, when we are in fact hindering it to an extent.
• We continue to feed this barrage of "instant activity" to our kids every year, like clockwork, all through their formative years.

 So what's my new strategy these days?

• I say, "Good, be bored" and walk away and back to whatever I was doing.  Do this enough times, and they will stop saying "I'm bored" to you.
• Another alternative, is to give them a chore to do whenever they say they're bored.  "Wonderful son, you asked just in time!  Please carry this laundry basket upstairs for me!"  After a few iterations of this, see how quickly can then find some activity on their own that will keep them entertained.
• I also like to tell stories of what I did when I was little...the kids actually ask for this stuff at bedtime.  I am hoping that gives them ideas that will eventually blossom on their own.  That was confirmed last week when my 11 year old built a fortress for his Army men in the garden...made out of readily-available chestnuts and mud....cool.

Try it sometime (actually, more than once...you need to make it repetitive and habit-forming) and see what happens.  Decide to drop at least one activity this year.  You'll also be amazed at the positive change in your child.  Please don't post below, and tell me what a genius your kid is now because you have developed their left or right brain....I am not saying to NOT expose them to different activities or opportunities....as with anything else, I am saying that life needs to be balanced.

Do you have any thoughts on the subject?  Do you think you agree or disagree?  Or do you have another interesting idea?

An Open Letter to AAFES Overseas

If I knew that someone at AAFES was going to read AND act on this letter, this is what I would write.

"Dear AAFES,

I have just come from my local PX in Belgium.  I live 30 minutes from the PX and do not travel there too often, but this is the fifth time in a month I have gone to the PX looking for simple paper to put in my computer printer.  This is the same HP printer that I used to try to buy ink for at the PX until I realized it would probably be weeks before I saw replacement ink for it.  Those shelves were routinely empty as well.  Back to the paper...keep in mind that the PX is the only local source of computer paper, as the local Belgian source only sells European-sized paper, which is about an inch or so longer than US computer paper.  This would create an extra step for me in using Belgian paper, as it would hang out of my binders either on the top or bottom, forcing me to cut that part off (I do like to be neat).

I see that your shelves were totally empty of ALL computer paper, the first four times I visited your facility.  The fifth time, there was a small ream of high quality thick HP paper, which costs almost twice what regular paper costs.  Since I had truly run out of paper at this point, I was forced to buy it or deal with the consequences of my children going on a homework strike.  I should've ordered it from the US you say?  Do you know how much paper weighs?  I guess this is also an option if I don't mind shelling out more money.

The truth is, I believe the PX should be overseas to support us....not make our lives more difficult or more expensive than shopping off-post on the economy or even through mail order.  I don't know who your overseas PX buyer is, but they apparently have not grasped that there are certain STAPLES that EVERYONE goes through in high volumes, printer paper being one of them....printer ink being another.  I won't even go into the other items that are routinely needed, as these are also items AAFES should be tracking for low quantities and should be ordering well ahead so the shelves are stocked.

If Walmart HQ can tell themselves how many bottles of water they have on the shelves of X stores right before Hurricane Katrina (and after I may add), then the PX should be able to handle the basic technology that would keep their stores stocked of staples.  If the stocker person who does the ordering has no clue what staples we need, what about a suggestion box in the front of every overseas PX, allowing customers to let AAFES know which staples they'd like to see on a regular basis?  It seems the commissary does a better job of this.  Maybe the PX guy can talk to the commissary guy and share notes.

Signed,
A Disgruntled AAFES Customer"

I for one would love to hear what AAFES has to say about this issue? I know having AAFES overseas is a privilege and not a right....I got that...but still.....your thoughts on this?

I am thankful.....

It's always around Thanksgiving, where I take the time to actually write down what I am thankful for.  It's so easy throughout the year to complain about everything around us...and why me...and feeling a little sorry for yourself now and then....we get jealous of others (yes, we do)...and sometimes I think it's just human nature to go through these ugly cycles...you know, life has its ebbs and flows, and there isn't a person in world who is constantly up.  So, with that being said, I thought I'd focus on the positive today.....what am I thankful for?

I am thankful for:

• a healthy family
• a husband who is home for Thanksgiving and not deployed
• even though we don't have a day off here for Thanksgiving, I am looking forward to sharing Thanksgiving at work with our NATO allies (they look forward to that too); I am thankful for our international friends here, and how they have enriched our lives in just five short months
• Skype and the internet in general; it makes me feel connected to family back in the US...and keeps me on top of world events and happenings
• my husband having a job; I have friends in the US who have lost their jobs; I talked to someone getting out of the military last week with no clear plan...who would be crazy enough to get out now?  In this economy?
• being so close to so many new travel destinations....shopping in London or Paris for a day is easy....going to the Christmas Market in Cologne...even easier...or just going down to the local friterie stand and eating the best french fries on the planet
• my faith...and never wavering in what I believe in; also knowing that my mother is watching over me and my family
• being a very patient person, or maybe I just let things roll off me....I hear this all the time from my friends, so there must be an inkling of truth in there somewhere
• my friends who I'm able to stay in touch with through Facebook; it's a great tool for military families who move all over but want to try to stay connected to all those friends they made (and family too)....all in one place
• whoever invented Thanksgiving, as it is my favorite holiday of the year....yes, even before Christmas
• our stuff....BUT, I do remind myself it is just stuff, especially in light of friends who lost stuff in their basement from the last Belgian flood and many former neighbors in Stuttgart who lost EVERYTHING in a major household goods warehouse fire....be thankful for whatever you have, no matter how little or much

Take this weekend to reflect on how blessed you really are.  You are important.  You are destined for something great, just possibly not right at the momeny.  Regardless of what you have, be thankful for it, and take the time to pray for those who do not....those who may have hit a lowpoint in their lives.

See you next week, and what are you thankful for?

There are NO dumb questions.....

Questions, come one and come all!  Just like in school, where you were told there are no dumb questions, there are no dumb questions here either.  If you have any questions for me, please use the "Ask Military Wife" button in the left hand column.  Here's one I had only heard asked once before.  So, I got an email:

"I've just come over to Germany, and I don't understand why there are two flush buttons on my toilet? I'm afraid to ask anyone!"


Believe it or not, I don't know if the Germans invented this or someone else over here, as many Belgian toilets have two buttons too.  The answer is very simple....it's a water-saving feature.  You use the little button for "small jobs" and the bigger one for "larger jobs"....how neat is that?  Now not all toilets will have this, but at least you know what it is!  Also, some public toilets will not have a button at all, but a lever on the floor or underneat the seat (for your foot)....look for it if you don't see anything above the toilet.

I got my blog bling!

It finally arrived in the mail a few days ago...my blog bling.   I'm so happy to wear it...thanks Michelle!  What is blog bling you say?  Well, one of my favorite blogs is Steamy Kitchen....I saw Jaden's blog bling, and I wanted one too....but I didn't want to spend too much, which I know is a big surprise to my blog readers...anyway....so I chose one of my favorite shopping sites, Etsy, and found a crafter who could make one for me with my website address on it along with "vmw" (Veteran Military Wife).  There are a few doing this stamped metal jewelry (just use the search function).  I think they were originally intended to write all the name of your kids on and to wear proudly...I guess like a badge of honor?  Now, if only I could find a blog convention to wear it to....I guess they don't have those over here in Europe?  Here's an up close photo....please ignore the double chin I especially "crafted" for this photo and didn't notice til afterwards apparently.  Do you have blog bling?

Are we wimps for pain?

Hey, I don't take a Tylenol unless I have some kind of a shit-kicker headache...and I frown on drug use if I can help it, but sometimes, it's just the knowing that there is some possible pain relief waiting in the wings so to speak, that keeps me going sometimes.  I have been DREADING going to the dentist.  No, no check-up needed...those are the easy appointments.  I have a tooth that is being overly sensitive to the point of warm water making me hit the ceiling (and not just cold or hot water).  I dug in the back hallways of my brain and realized that about 10 years ago, I had a crown put on that tooth..or something....great.   I thought I could get a few more good years out of it.  So, I've been dreading it.  Yes, our on-post dentist will see you, and they do have dental sick call for dependents here, BUT for most folks, they will send you off post for the actual work...meaning, I will have to see a Belgian dentist to get it "fixed" if it needs "fixin".

Why am I being hesitant?  Because of the pain soothing alternatives, or should I say none!  I've come to find out that Europeans have a different sense of pain than Americans...they really do. Europeans EXPECT higher level tolerances for pain.  You see that in the kids at an early age on the playground, skinning knees and rolling off playground equipment with no safety features.  No parents come running when the little one falls....just a quick glance to assess the blood and look for any bent limbs from a distance, usually from the nearest bench.  European kids are conditioned growing up that pain can be a good thing and no one even hovers over them. 

I birthed two children in a German hospital.  I was told right away not to expect an epidural or any pain relief.  Their answer to pain relief is to sit in the warm water (if it's available) or to get an enema which will supposedly speed things up (I won't even go into that one).  I knew I had to do something as an American, so I ended up teaching myself the Bradley Method.  Honestly, it worked swimmingly, and I went through two babies...or should I say they went through me...with no pain pills, epidurals, shots or anything else...perfectly natural and no issues.  Okay, so I hurdled over that challenge but only thanks to Dr. Bradley.  And that's of course with almost picture perfect labors (and fast too)...no saying what I would've done with difficulties along the way!  I might've been telling a totally different tale here.

My former neighbor's teenage daughter had to get her wisdom teeth taken out...yes, they were impacted, meaning they had to be dug out.  The German dentist scheduled her to have all four done at once!  I swear, when I had them out as a teenager in the US, I was drugged during the procedure, had only two taken out at a time AND got some mind-alternating drugs for the recovery....both times.  Not so here.  You'll be lucky if they deaden the nerve right in the vicinity, and I have plenty of German relatives who choose NO pain relief when getting a cavity filled!  Back to the neighbor's daughter...yes, she did have pain relief during her procedure, but she was sent home with nothing...no pills, nothing and had trouble handling the pain.  Her cheeks were ballooned to chipmunk size, and she was so miserable, her mother went by the medical facility on-post, and they were able to prescribe her something to make her more comfortable.  They laughed...and said that this is the norm over here, and they typically give out drugs to those who've been to the German dentist.  I am hearing similar stories here in Belgium.

So, my question to you is this....do you think this gives Americans a low threshhold for tolerance of pain....and does it translate into tolerance of anything else?  I see little ones running around without coats and people biking somewhere before they would drive, like my neighbor lady who must be close to 80 but dutifully pedals her bike up and over the bridge in all kinds of weather.  This is certainly not the easy way...in fact, it's gotta be painful, right?.....are we too pampered as Americans?  Is this going to hurt us in the long run?  You know, survival of the strongest and stuff like that.  I read somewhere that our soldiers in WWII were such good fighters and fought long and hard because they had come from Depression-era life, and that this is what made them so strong, especially when the chips were down.  Any thoughts on this or am I way out there again?  I would just like to hear another opinion or have someone tell me I've been smoking dope or am otherwise unrealistic here.

Latest search terms....

As any blogger worth their salt...you gotta see how people are getting to your blog.  Thank-you to all the blogs and other sites that mention Life Lessons!  One of these days, I'm going to have to write another post about the blogs I visit...there are some amazingly helpful ones out there...and just some darn funny ones too....would love to share them!  What always warms my heart....or just makes me smile...or what the heck?....are the search terms people google to get here.  Here are the top ones today, right at this very moment....
For the most part....they seem to be tracking....okay...I see that's a subject matter on my blog....but a few of these...makes me want to say......what in the.....?  Let me answer a few below that I don't think I answered on here anywhere

navy leave wife c section (Answer:  I unfortunately know nothing about the navy...sigh).

how to run household like the military (Answer:  I have no idea...and wouldn't want to.  Ever see the movie "The Great Santini" I think it's called?  It didn't work).

pcsing take clothes off hanger (Answer:  No, I recommend leaving them on there and having the movers put them in wardrobe boxes.  I had one move where they took our guest room closet and took everything off the hanger...it took me about THREE DAYS to straighten everything out and get it all on hangers again!)

will the military find wives a job at shape  (Answer:  No.  You are on your own in finding a job, although we have a good job assistance program at ACS, just like any other "Army post").  There aren't as many US citizen jobs as in Germany as an example.  I recommend you either try to get a job from stateside through DODEA - the schools, or the Dept of Defense or even contractor jobs....stop by ACS and use their job hunting resources to find what IS out there...or be persistent, volunteer EVERYWHERE and keep your ear to the ground to hear when someone is leaving).

toilets in belgium (Answer:  Yes, we have them.  For the most part, they are the same as in Germany...although the display shelf isn't quite as prominent.  Many toilets have TWO flush buttons, the smaller for "smaller jobs" and the larger one for "bigger jobs"....what a neat water-saving feature, huh?).

airfare navy spouse (Answer:  Not sure what this is asking?).

are there many black people at shape high school in belgium (Answer:  You'll find the  number of people from different races mirroring most military posts.  We also have a lot of darker skinned people from the Southern European countries too...I've even seen German soldiers nnd their families of color at the school).

pics of child rearing (Answer: For one millisecond I thought this said something else and was absolutely horrified!)

A Better Use for those Rubber Bracelets

http://www.silicon-bracelet.co.uk/

I don't know about you, but I have a whole drawerful of those darn rubber bracelets...you  know the thing Lance Armstrong started with those "Live Strong" bracelets....now it seems like every cause has a different colored bracelet, each with their own message stamped on there.  My neighbor's daughter actually collected the things, and she used to rotate through her stock and wear them half up both arms!  So, before I threw mine away because seriously...when are you going to wear them all...I brainstormed what else I could do with them?  I don't like to throw away or waste stuff...so I came up with this....

BEER BANDS!  Hey, why not?  They are rubber...they stretch...and they fit around different size beer bottles.  Now you can have a party, give everyone a different band...no more mixing up bottles....no more confusion as to which bottle to spit in and which to drink out of....you get the idea.  I love it when I get a new idea...how much you wanna bet though someone has already capitalized on this and is selling them as actual beer bands.  I was tempted to look...but didn't.

Shave a Few Euros off Your Electric Bill

Living in Belgium has caused me to dread our next electric bill.  Electricity is EXPENSIVE in Europe....period.  It's not unusual to pay $200-500 a month for your gas/electric bill (and not even counting your other bills such as water, phone &  internet)...we don't even have air conditioners!  So, I dug through my stash of knowledge and discovered these non-traditional tips below.  No matter where you live....glance over the list for a moment, and see if you are tracking along.  Can you believe doing these things will put a big dent in your bill?

 

Don't Preheat: Roasting turkey is a long, slow process, so no preheating is needed. Except for breads or pastries, there's usually no need to preheat the oven! 

Don't open the oven door: Resist the temptation to peek. Instead, turn on the light and look through the oven window. Opening the door lowers the temperature by as much as 25 degrees, increasing cooking time and wasting energy. 

Use other appliances: Microwaves use about 50 percent less energy than conventional ovens. The microwave is more efficient for small items such as baking yams or steaming vegetables. I also use mine to melt chocolate instead of a double boiler on the stove.

Cook items together: Bake several items together if there is enough space for heat to circulate.  Of course I'll have trouble with this one, as my Belgian oven is SO small, I can't even fit a regular size cookie pan in there!!!

Cover pots and pans: Use lids while cooking to retain heat and cook faster. 

Fridge tips: Keep doors closed as much as possible. However, keeping the door open for a longer time while taking out items is more efficient than opening and closing it several times. Don't keep fridge too cold: 37F to 40F is recommended for the fridge and 5% for the freezer. Separate freezers should be kept at 0F.  Get a thermometer to stick in your refrigerator from your local PX.

In cold climates, use unheated garages to store items such as drinks and pies to keep them cool and to allow more room in your fridge!  It's too bad we don't have a garage, but our landlord did just agree to get us a storage shed for our bikes and yard tools (I'm excited about that apparently).

 Turn off lights when you leave a room.  This is the hardest thing for my kids, especially after living in government housing, where you are not paying for it!

For overseas, don't keep transformers on or plugged in unless you are actively using it.  Transformers draw an amazing amount of electricity, even when turned off and just plugged in.

What tips do you have to share for around the house?

Recent books that refuse to leave my mind

Have you ever read a book...and couldn't put it down.....greedily turning the pages to get to the end so you can finally figure it out....and then closing it and just saying...wow...cause you just don't know what else to say or think and wishing you hadn't read it that fast cause now it's over?  That doesn't happen to me too often.  I like to read the free books on my son's Kindle (yes, I took it for myself) or the library (USAREUR library overseas has a great online catalog where you can get all kinds of books put on hold, even new bestsellers).....usually, I pick the wrong books....useless drivel I can barely turn the pages of, much less read...but every once in awhile...there is a hidden gem...that I even end up buying a lot of the time, cause I think it's that good.  And my family rolls their eyes as I try to get everyone and everyone they know to read it too.  So here are a few of those treasured books I hope you choose to encounter!


Hey, I know we all like to read different kinds of books.  My favorites are books that have some kind of mystery going on...either a who-dunnit or some big thing that needs to be solved.  In addition to that, I like books that are in some kind of historical setting.  I like authors who like to stay true to whatever time period they are writing about and who take the time to really study and get it right....what was it like for those characters in the book in their day-to-day life?  It's even better if the author weaves some historical event into the story that really did happen.  Even though they sometimes slather it on thick like peanut butter, it gets me to the next step to actually research the event myself, and many times, I am surprised that it did happen the way it was described.

Anyway, in no particular order, here are my current favorites:

• "Berlin: A Novel" by Pierre Frei.  Now I must confess again before YOU roll your eyes.  I LOVE the city of Berlin and would move there tomorrow if you told me there was a spot for me there.  There is just something magical about a city that changes more than any other city in the world.  So, I was googling Berlin and came up with this book...read the reviews, and got it from my library.  It is fiction but in a historical setting of right before and immediately after the Fall of Berlin in WWII.  The author I later found out was very true to what life was like for the average Berliner in the American zone (those in the Russian zone did not have the same tale to tell...if you want to read about that, read the anonymous diary "A Woman in Berlin: Eight Weeks in the Conquered City", which left me chilled to my bones and incredibly sad).  You'll follow snapshots into the lives of a half dozen different women...with a glimpse of their murder and then back into their lives right before the war.  Some of these women are fascinating in what they accomplished and others are everyday people that one of us might've been....all woven together and connected by this one killer.  The entire journey through this book, you are trying to figure out who is brutally killing these women.  You meet other characters along the way... those who are introduced and those you really grow to like...all there, during the occupation of Berlin.  You'll get clues along the way, and the ending was a little of a surprise for me.  It was not who I thought it was, and when you close the book, you get a true sense of the lost lives of each of those women.  I think I actually mourned one of them I thought it was such a great loss to humanity (man, do I really get into some books).  I still can't get it out of my head.

• "Eleanor's Story: An American Girl's Story in Hitler's Germany".  Okay, so this one happens to be from the same era and place, Berlin...but only because we were getting ready to go to Berlin and like a good mother, I wanted them to "experience it".  So I somehow stumbled upon it.  Any tween on up who likes to read will enjoy it.  My 11 year old was fascinated by the story....read it twice through...and then had some deep discussions with me on the subject.  What a great book!  This is the story of a young lady, again in Berlin, and what a typical and happy life she had before the war, just like many teens today with all the challenges and highlights of teenage life.  I read the book too and felt like I could pass for a Berliner in the 1930s, as the book is very descriptive of daily life.  You then become horrified and scared for Eleanor and her family during the bombing raids and destruction, get hunger pangs reading about the their food forays, standing in long lines...and are sad with all that happens to them and their extended family...and again, wow, when you finish the book.

• "The Bone Garden" by Tess Gerritson.  I wanted to cry when I finished this book, because I knew it was over, and I didn't want it to be.  I carried this book around with me for four days and tried to catch a sneak read whenever I could.  This book starts out like a typical murder mystery, old bones found in a backyard of an old home a divorced woman just buys.  Pretty soon, you are transported back to the 1830s and the life of a woman in Boston....poor Irish immigrant..and into the lives of high society and what it meant to be a doctor (men only).  My God, the state of healthcare and the process of childbirth...brutal, macabre, and it's a wonder any woman survived.  You also realize how you take things for granted in the healthcare industry today and what we know today...and didn't know then.  This was the era of doctors bleeding their patients and not washing hands, much less keeping things clean...eye opening!  It's a wonder anyone survived.  Tess then weaves these two unlikely stories together in the most intricate way, throws an amazing love interest into the mix that somehow seems to pop up in the present day, which I am still trying to digest and figure out...it's a lovely story, with some sadness thrown in from a few different directions.  I bet you'll like it too.

•   Any of the books in the Outlander series from Diana Gabaldon.  A friend introduced me to this series and thought I was nuts that I had never heard of it.  Sometimes, I can just be so sheltered.  Every woman loves a good love story, and this is it.  It spans time like nothing I've ever read before.  You are immediately intrigued by this couple's visit to a B&B in Scotland and an encounter with a ring of magical stones....time travel, but like nothing you've ever read about...and her encounters and blossoming love story with a gallant, handsome young Scottish gentlemen (yes he wears a kilt with nothing underneath!).  And the best part for me was the weaving in and out of actual historical events, that made the story seem even more real.  I can see myself actually seeing this Claire Randall in person one day...she is that real.  This'll keep you up more nights than you want to be...but do it anyway!

• Clive Cussler books.  I am probably the ONLY woman who likes his books and who will freely admit it in a public forum.  Yes, they are full of greatly impossible deeds that no human alive could ever accomplish and male egos and machoism about the size of New York City.  I mean, the heroes and heroines of this book do things that put James Bond to shame...BUT, Clive does an amazing job of taking a historical event and weaving a mystery into it.  He takes his characters to some exotic locales, and when he describes his characters, and what they drive, look like and where they live (even what they eat)...I'm sure it's all his fantasies of how he would like to be....but I would like to be that too!  His characters see and do some amazing things, and you can kind of live vicariously through them...and if you're a girl, you can discreetly read this stuff and no one will give you a hard time.  There's always an adventure in more ways than one.

Do you have any books you'd like to recommend?

Finally ventured onto Facebook....

As usual, I don't know what I am doing....but somehow, I made a page for my blog here. I'd be happy to get one friend or like, I think? I've got time on my hands today, as my landlord is very hard at work...he's singing "Sole Mio" to keep himself entertained as he paints...he's not even Italian!

Life Lessons on Facebook

My Drain Just ......Stinks!

I debated whether to even talk about stinking drains...I am such a meticulous housekeeper and cringe at the smell of my kitchen and one of my bathroom drains pretty much every morning when I walk by.  You see, I finally figured out that Belgium doesn't quite have the same plumbing building codes let's say we had in Germany....or the US.  As far as I know, there is no code saying you need to have an S-trap, U-trap or any alphabet trap in your plumbing that traps water and prevents the sewer smell from coming back up into your home....or for that matter, bathroom venting is unheard of mostly, so you open up a lot of windows, even in winter....to air your place out (and to keep the mold and moisture at bay...yes, Belgium is a wet and clammy country)...what is going on?....sigh.  So, here I was...burning candles....motion detector Air Wick sprays (yes, the PX over here has these)...and seriously CLEANING out the sink with bleach and such before we went to bed every night (no, you're not supposed to pour pure bleach down ANY drain)...not something I would normally do, this daily intensive cleaning regimen....but now that I understand it better, barring getting the landlord to redo the plumbing, I've come up with this.

I gathered from some other hausfraus that since bacteria will grow in your drains and collect over time, you have to regularly get some enzymes down there, that eat this bacteria and also regularly have some kind of water flow (so use your sinks daily to keep sewer gases from coming back your way).....once you get the bacteria under control, you'll only have to do this task about once a week.  I had already tried the vinegar (or lemon juice)/baking soda trick, but it only lasted so long.  So, of course I looked for products in our local supermarket...in French....deciphering which ones can be used for this purpose.  It turns out there is a whole slew of them, even some no-name brands....at the GB...and they do work.

My favorite that got rid of all the smells and turned my drains into shiny white pipes....it is called "Destop" OdorStop.  Try two capfuls once a week, and don't run the water for thirty minutes after pouring the gel into your drain...and that's it!

What quirky cleaning things have you found over here?  Anyone want to talk spiders?  I'll save that for another post...

Sometimes, I don't like it when they are so smart....

I still remember when my then 7 year old showed me he was smarter than me....humbling is an inappropriate word.  Anyway, I thought I was pretty computer savvy, and he again pulled one over on me.  You know how the schools have site blocking software on all their computers?  For the most part, most kids don't seem to mess with it, but I guess there are always a few that don't leave things alone.  I'm guessing my son is one of them but with good intentions only.  My son ended up being able to access most of the sites he access at home....which is why I let this one go....he tells me he checks email and does his stories on Fan Fiction....but I still let him know I am watching him!  Here's how to access your favorite sites when you really need to.

Amazingly enough, most of these site blocking software packages do not take into account the mobile version of the website.  So, if you want to check your mail at Yahoo or Hotmail, and your work or school computer won't let you visit those sites, type in the mobile version of it (find the link on the homepage of your favorite site) or type in "m" or "mobile" after the "www" on the address.

No, I'm not telling you to do something dumb, immoral or illegal or go to sites you probably shouldn't go to or use up your employer's time....or your schoolwork time (please ask mom or dad first)....just sharing a little something to make you...hopefully...more productive in the long run!

Broke Another Golden Rule Today

I don't know if you're like me.....but do you have certain things that you always do a certain way, cause you know if you don't, it's going to be a hassle and make your life more difficult later in the day?  I call these my "golden rules" and two come to mind that I typically do not break....but I broke one of them this weekend, and now I'm mad at myself, cause it's going to cause me some unnecessary running around when one son has a soccer practice and the other has to get a project done.

The first golden rule is to ALWAYS have something in the pantry/freezer/refrigerator that can be cooked up in 15 minutes and put on the table for dinner.  I admit, I start out the month or week in an organized frenzy....even have a shopping list and then the recipes I will cook that week on the back of that list.  Heck, I've even got a list of recipe titles in my day planner, with all ingredients that aren't staples, in parenthesis....just in case I run in somewhere and realize I don't have dinner at home....but no, this is not the rule I broke....I'm pretty good at always being prepared for that one.  I like to cook....sometimes, but just knowing your family is going to be sitting there staring at you....hungry, is reason enough I don't screw that one up!

No, I'm talking about my second rule.....always have a potluck or appetizer item's ingredients in the house, so you can fix that right up at a moment's notice.  So now I'm stuck....I have someone coming to the house to fix something today...the typical "you have to be there from 0800 to 1630" thing and then immediately off to a first soccer practice, so no drop and run....parents need to stick around and listen to the coach....and the wives coffee I am attending is tomorrow morning.

Any other time, I'd whipping something up....not today....we even ran out of milk, so what good will those eggs do me?  I guess I'll be scrambling to throw an idea together before the stores close.  That's another thing.....grocery stores around here close at 1800 to 2000, and if you are lucky, there may be one closing at 2100.

So....maybe the repair guy will come early....but Murphy's Law says....no he won't....well, I have the whole day to be creative....at least in my mind!

Have you ever been in such a situation?  Do you have any "golden rules" at home you typically don't break?

Quality or Quantity?

I see the new year is upon us! Yes, I am about a week behind the rest of you. I am at a crossroads with my beloved blog. I just received a promotion at work to a full time mangerial position....yes, my wonderful part-time job, with just the right number of hours and on the most coveted days...is now not mine anymore! I guess this is bittersweet for me. On the one hand, I have eased myself back into the world of full time work. On the other side, my days of deciding what I want to do (on my time off) are now gone. That brings me back to my blog.

Since I don't have all the extra time I had before, my time is now limited in coming up with new ideas and writing blogposts. I absolutely love blogging and writing, so have decided to post only when I have something interesting or valuable...or at least in my eyes....to say. Please continue to email and ask questions and of course post your comments. I still get about thirty or so emails a day...mostly from new Army wives. I hope to continue to help where I can.....my main purpose in even blogging in the first place. And for those of you who do blog every day AND work full time, I would obviously love to know your secret!

So, adieu readers for today. Continue to stay strong in the new year. Take a look back and see why I don't do new years resolutions if you need something thoughtful to get you going today. Happy and wonderful 2009 to you all!

Make Your Own Car Collision Kit

I recently had a friend get in a car accident. Luckily, it was just a fender bender, but ever the Boy Scout, he was prepared. He told me if he hadn't had this little kit put together, he would've been lost. Getting in an accident does that to you, he said...you kind of are in shock and don't think clearly. As long as you remember you have this kit in your car, you're good to go.

USAA and most insurers make it easy with at least supplying you with an accident report form. Be sure to print off two copies and put them in your glovebox. This form also tells you, step by step, what to do in an accident, to include calling the police and getting contact information from any witnesses, as well as trading insurance information with the other driver. One quick blurb I also want to throw out there, on the advice of my friend...even if you are at fault...never, never admit guilt. Let the police look at the facts and make their own determination. He was actually at fault, but since the other driver quickly took responsibility...you can guess what the police had to say.

I'm not exactly a rocket scientist, so get an idea of what you need to get together by looking at this. Also add these vital pieces to your kit:

• A few pre-printed cards with your insurance company name and phone number, along with your name on it. You'll want to give one to the other driver, as well as any witnesses. Don't put your phone number or your address on there if you can help it. I don't know...I have visions of stalkers and people getting on your case when things don't go their way.
  
• A cheap disposable camera with a flash. Document what you can after the accident...and before you have to move your vehicle out of the way of traffic. You want to be able to show exactly what happened, as well as document the exact damage. In a pinch, don't forget your camera phone. Many cell phones do have them.

Have you ever been in an accident? What did you do and how did you handle it?

You Don't Need to Pay for a Babysitter

Will you be sitting at home on yet another weekend? Why? Is it because you don't want to pay for childcare or you feel it's just too expensive? There are alternatives that worked great for me when our two boys were little.

Try:

• Trading with another person you trust. I'll watch yours and then you watch mine. Offer to do the watching first. You'd be surprised how great this works out.
• Start a babysitting coop. When we lived in Colorado, our neighborhood already had one set up. We had bylaws, meetings and everything. As our little ones grew, it turned into a "Girl's Night Out". After all these years, I am STILL in contact with a few of these ladies.
• Trade tit for tat. This means you offer a "like item" for their babysitting services. For example, if you have an elderly neighbor who may still be spry enough to handle your kids, how about you mow their lawn or prune their hedges? Make sure it's something they need or really appreciate....ask them for ideas first...and make sure it is something somewhat reciprocal in value.
• Check your local Child Development Center or YMCA for options. Many have monthly "Parents' Night Out" sessions. They typically fill up fast, but stay on alert for the days and times. Our local YMCA actually offered this service FREE of charge.

What do you do when you want a night out or some time without the little ones? Please do share!

Trying to Crockpot in a Microwave Society

Now that our financial bubble has burst, I often wonder if we will go back to the ways of our grandparents? Can our microwave society adjust to a crockpot setting? I guess it's going to have to, to survive...or maybe not survive but to thrive again.

I watched a piece on the news yesterday...it was British TV. Even they are blaming us Americans for everything. We are so accustomed to getting everything now and, then...maybe, if we feel like it....or remember too....try to pay for it later. Living beyond our means. Spending more than we make.We want everything now and yesterday.

And the worst part of it, is for those of us who have been goody two shoes and responsible and saving rather than spending...we are going to pay for it too, because if we don't...what we value and have for ourselves won't be worth caca anyway...is that a word? I'm getting sidetracked...I guess I need to stop looking at our retirement stuff online...it makes me in a foul mood.

Are you a spender or a saver? If you were one or the other...do you think you'll change? How far and why?

The Things I Find In and Around Dumpsters

Okay, so I haven't seen many dumpsters in residential areas lately. We've lived off post the last...I would say....six years, so maybe I've forgotten. But you won't believe what I've found sitting in and around our dumpster the last few months.

Granted, I see trashbags that somehow missed the dumpster. Actually, we have two side-by-side and a big wooden fence around the area, along with our big recycling bins...we are in Germany, which is recycling heaven. Anyway, at any give time, usually closer to trash pick-up time, I'd see one dumpster, filled to the gills and overflowing...and the other...almost empty. I FINALLY figured it out, and it took me almost a month. People were winging their bags over the fence and hoping it would hit the dumpster. Since they couldn't see...they didn't care...or so it seems. I also see they didn't care about other things from the perfectly good things I would find around there. It's not like we don't have a thrift shop around here...we also have the German Red Cross store and a few other places items can be dropped off..maybe that's the key...dropped off...too much effort.

I've seen

• a very nice leather recliner that still worked (I tried it out). I was really hoping though, as I sat in it, that their dog or cat didn't just pee all over it.
• An antique wooden table that was very stable and very useable....but okay, it was a bit butt ugly if you don't like that heavy stuff.
  
• A fairly new Pottery Barn Amoire in a beautiful whitewashed color with only a scratch on the back of it.
• Nice wood picture frames.
• A newer toddler's toy, like a plastic table with all these gadgets, whirlys and things that make noise and light up....and it was still working and looked to be in excellent condition.
  
• Numerous dining and kitchen chairs that looked sturdy.
• A nice wooden baby changing table.
• A diaper bin...okay, I'd throw that away too.
• An iron wine rack.
• Bin of four cubbyholes in colorful primary colors.
• A perfectly good men's mountain bike...it just needed new tires.
• Four weather-beaten wire egg baskets...guess they gave up the collection?
  

And those are just the things that came to mind. I did drag a few of the items into our storage room in the basement. Our FRG is going to be participating in a community flea market next weekend. We actually made $200 the last time with very little effort. Next time, we hope to work our way into the food arena. There's some kind of German charity organization that was invited in to do a fish fry...what do Germans know about fish frys?!

What kinds of things do you find in and around your local trash?