Unique Howard

You know what I hate most about blogging? Trying to come up with a cutesy title for every entry. From now on the title shall have almost nothing to do with the blog but shall be the first two words I see when trying to come up with a title. Ready? I'm adding a new title. Now.

Unique Howard. A word from the poster above the desk and from our clock. There. My only hope is that my old friend "Howard" J.C. (Jerry, not Jesus) won't see this post and think it's about him. Though there are lots of very interesting stories I could tell about ol' J.C. ...

So, you say, what sorts of really fantastic, European things did you do this weekend? Well, we didn't go to Zurich. We did eat at a South American restaurant. Wow, that's so European! All kidding aside, we decided to trade date nights with Jen again. Hans and I went out last night and Jen and her husband will go out next weekend--it works perfectly and we don't have to pay a babysitter! I don't know what we'll do without Jen, whose husband got his orders this week, and will soon be leaving our lovely stairwell.

Anyway, the pictures above are from our evening out. I don't remember the name of the restaurant, only that it had some really delicious steak and excellent sangria. My Minnesotan friends, if you have never tried sangria, hasten thee to the internet and look up a recipe. Hans also tolerated a very quick trip through the sale section at the big Esprit store on the Koenigstrasse. He wouldn't hold my purse, though. After our excellent dinner, we walked over to the central platz and shot a few pictures of a display of artwork there. Bears...we gathered that the drift is to celebrate diversity and encourage tolerance. There was a bear for every country. I seemed to feel more tolerant after looking at them...but that may have been the sangria, too.

Today was our usual lazy Sunday...except for the miracle of me sleeping in until 8:30. I sincerely don't remember the last time that I slept that late. Hans got up with the kids at 7:00 and I lazed for a few more minutes, thinking I'd be up at 7:30 at the latest, then suddenly I was waking up and it was 8:30. Wow. I'm not sure that I like sleeping in though. It throws my whole day off. Ask Hans...if I'm not showered and dressed and have beds made, etc. by 10:00 a.m. I get a little disgruntled. For some reason, 10:00 a.m. is my go-to time. If it's not done by then, everyone better hide. Yeah. I'm anal like that.

Had our usual trip to the PX for God knows what. Oh yeah, oil for Hans' car. He's taking it in to get serviced. After my last, $350 oil change at VW, we decided that yes, we'd be bringing our own oil in. Get this--his car takes nine quarts of oil during a change. He and I had a big argument about it last night over dinner, with me insisting that all of the oil changes I've ever had have taken four quarts of oil (and there were a lot, right Dad?). Apparently, the enormous size of the engine of his car requires enormous amounts of oil. Maybe it's time to get a Prius, eh? Oooh, I'll pay for that one. Yeah, it's weird that Hans would be right and I'd be wrong. That hardly ever happens around here...

The other pictures are from a little birthday party we had for Jen today. Or rather, she had for herself and we attended. She made her own cake, set it all up and invited everyone. All we had to do was show up and stuff our faces. She made a "dirt cake"--chocolate cake with frosting and gummi worms. The kids got quite a kick out of that, but you've already seen the pictures! She is turning 29 next weekend. Happy early birthday, Jen!

So, anyway, that is it from now. And Howard, if you are indeed reading this, you are most definitely unique! Have a great week!