Rock im Park – WOOHOO

I’m at a Rock Concert!! WOOHOO, Rock Concert – wooohoo watching Marilyn Manson!!” Is the drunk girl phone call my dear friend Michele received at 2330 on Saturday night.  But I’m starting smack in the middle of our weekend adventure…

Leah and Ryan had gone up on Thursday and staked claim on a good location outside the main entrance.  It was still a walk but after seeing the tent city and the hillside tent sites that people had managed to claim closer, I was quite content to walk a little further for our flat spot and tents of Americans that they had gotten for us.  Not sure how to explain the environment surrounding the tents.  I mean the first word is disgusting.  Guys peeing pretty much wherever they want, toi toi (portable toilets) overflowing, the smell of Piss and Garbage just getting stronger as the day warmed up.  Kind of this wild abondon feeling of no rules that you could drop all of your feelings of society rules and go wild.  Dress as you want, run with wild crazy screams and jump to the music.  Man I’m getting old cause I’m just not about running like Tarzan through the forrest (oh … except in Berlin)   I think Tarzan lived cleaner.  But it wasn’t about the tent cities, its about the music.

Rock im Park is an annual concert venue where 3 stages run for three days of awesome rock music.  I’m not sure how long its been running, but its location has history back to the Nazi regime -

Torchlit Nazi Party mass rallies held in the 1930s in the park were supposed to be only the beginning, with the stone laid in 1937 for a stadium that was intended to seat 400,000 fanatical Nazis. A pit was dug for the foundations, but the stadium was never built.

And here it is 2009 and we come over the steps to view a massive stage throbbing out rock music.  I’m pretty sure that wasn’t the vision, but its still an awesome site.  We got there on Saturday in time to get to the Suzuki stage and the line up was pretty awesome:  (going from the last band we saw to the first we came in on)

21:50-23:05     Marilyn Manson
20:20-21:10     Killswitch Engage
19:10-19:55     Staind
18:05-18:45     Papa Roach
17:00-17:40     Enter Shikari
15:55-16:35     Shinedown
15:00-15:35     Dragonforce

The evening grew a bit hazy for me as the Jack Daniels found its way to my brain.  Hence the drunk girl phone call which ate all the Euro’s from my Handy as I called the USA.  Fletch is still giving me crap about that.

We woke the next morning to a sunny sky, hoping it would stay we ventured into town to get more cash and check to see what the train schedule for return would be.  Coming back to the stadium in time to catch the band I had to see that day: Flogging MOLLY.  Awesome.

14:20-15:00     Trivium
15:20-16:05      Flogging Molly

As we were enjoying the sounds of rocking Irish music, the clouds rolled in and the dumping of the buckets of rain began.  As we hustled back to the camp site to grab our pack, I could feel the water make its way down my back and my clothes became a wet mass of fabric sticking to my body, my shoes squished water and I looked at my husband to tell him, I’m DONE.  It was an awesome weekend, the music was rocking.  If your a fan of rock, highly recommend.  Though to tell you this girl is thinking next year?  Hotel room

Photos on Shutterfly: http://jenostrander2008.shutterfly.com/

Through the rain and on to Prague HOG!

So when we looked at the weather forecast and saw rain, we were not surprised. It IS Germany in May. We seem to alternate between an exciting 2 and 3 days of gorgeus weather then back to the cold shift and rainfall shoving us back indoors. But we had been wanting to go to the Prague Harley Owner Group (HOG) Rally for over a month – since Fletch had found it.  SO despite the clouds growing on the forecast, we packed and gave our gear to Kissler on Friday morning (he was driving his SUV up there since his Harley is actually in the USA) and planned that we would go unless some major storm took over.

We rolled out of Ansbach around 1400.  The sun peaking in and out of puffy clouds, the air cool but not a bad ride.  On we road the B14 through Nurnberg.  Our route:
View Larger Map

Trying to stay away from the autobahn actually put another hour on our ride, Nurnberg was a slow roll, having to go AROUND the centrum to get to the other side.  The air grew cooler.  As we approached the Czech border the clouds became darker, the temperature dropped, and no more than we crossed, then I saw the drops hit my face shield.  We rolled on… the rain began to soak into our clothes.  My foot began to shake.  We had to get on the Highway as the other route took us way to far from our destination.  Pils was our first stop – Fletch had wanted a Pilsen in Pils.  Not sure what that means?

Plzeň (German: Pilsen) is a city in western Bohemia in the Czech Republic. It is the capital of the Plzeň Region and the fourth most populous city in the Czech Republic. It is located about 90 km west of Prague at the confluence of four rivers (Radbuza, Mže, Úhlava, and Úslava) which form the Berounka River.

Plzeň is also the seat of the Municipality with Extended Competence and Municipality with Commissioned Local Authority. The city is known worldwide for Pilsener beer.

It would be our final stop that evening, the rain did NOT stop and we were approaching hypothermia.  We decided to stay the night at the Hotel York (our bill? 1300 Krone which equals 50 Euro!)  A great little stop and we were dry and ready to roll out at 0730 the next morning, after enjoying a Pilsner at the bar the night before and a very yummy dinner.

We rolled into Prague (Praha) around 0930, in time to eat breakfast with a much needed cup of coffee and meet up with the rest of the Ansbach Crew.  Kissler, Showers, Wolfgang, Jess, Abela (whoms V-star I’m hoping to purchase), Bounds and his brother in from Florida.  It was going to be a cold, wet weekend, full of memories of FUN.  First item on the agenda, a 1 hour Harley ride through Prague.

I have no idea, how to explain to you if you do not ride… how this ride feels.  Over 200 bikes, a mixture of Harleys and other cruisers, even … some “crotch-rocket” style bikes.  Friends of Harley Owners ride… it doesn’t matter if you own a Harley, just love to RIDE!    And we all did.  It was a bit amazing when we realized that the Police had barrakaded the roads as we rolled, people on the sides waved and photographed these beautiful cruisers as they rolled on through the city.  The rumble was earth shaking!

We returned to the campsite and parked the bikes all in a horshoe: the Bike Games would NOW begin.  What the heck… is a bike game?  I was soon to learn.  If you ride, you might understand how hard it is to roll your bike at a slow speed without putting your foot down to ensure you are balanced.  Well compete against someone … some people have some amazing skills!  Though the other game I saw was rolling your bike under a dangling brautwurst while your biker babe stood on the back pegs and plucked the dangling sausage from its string with her mouth!  SKILLS.

The rain began again and we took this time to set up the tent, I stayed inside and napped while Fletch had man time with they guys and they smoked cigars and sat with music playing from Kisslers SUV.  The band as well was starting up mainstage for the evenings festivites:  Wet tshirt, and STRIP tease.  Manland!

I woke to my husband peaking in at me, to tell me the rain had stopped.  We joined the group heading over to the restaurant for dinner.  As we sat at long tables with people from places local (the Prague crew) and far… France, Stuttgart Germany, Spain… the list goes on.  The number of American military was suprising, and the fact that most spoke English made communicating with each other a breeze.  Good food, Good Beer, and good people.  The start of a great evening.

We made it over to the stage and the music was already in full swing, unfortunately so were the clouds rolling in and we quickly all packed ourselves into a pre-world war tent and the party kept in full swing.  As the evening darkened the rain finally backed off again.  The rest is a matter of what happens in Prague, stays in …

Photos posted as always on my SHUTTERFLY Site: http://jenostrander2008.shutterfly.com/1477

We rolled back this morning, choosing to take the Highway to the Autobahn instead of back roads.  It may have been a bit crazy feeling but honestly shaving off two hours at least!  We stopped at the border – the Asian Market!  CHEAP shopping… then continued on.  I must say my butt is finally not numb after at least an hour long soak in the tub.  I’m much happy to be home, but what an amazing weekend.  I wish I could describe more eloquently how awesome it was to be in a group of people who all have a bond, a common joy.  How even with the cold and the rain – it was so worth the weather to take part in something so full of LIFE.  Hope you enjoy the pics, and if you ever get the chance – its an annual event.  Don’t miss it.

Destination Dinkelsbuhl

I tend to write these and get a bit long winded on my description, so I’ll try and condense it to the highlights of our little adventure:

Dates of travel May 9th to the 10th – departure from Ansbach           Destination: Dinkelsbuhl
Mode of transport: Harley Davidson                    Distance to Travel: 38 KM
Purpose: To test out travel with our Camping Gear
View Larger Map

We arrived into town, following the signs for the camp site, we parked and did a quick re-con for a good spot to put up our tent.  There were two other areas for people with RV’s that had electrical hookups, but we found what we wanted right on the edge of the pond, flat grassy area perfect for our two man tent.  We set it up stowed all of our gear and headed back to the city center to take  a tour of this quaint town.   We walked in via the Rothenburg Tower Gate, the entire town has the original wall still surrounding it, it is one of the only towns that seems to have been preserved from destruction by the wars that have treaded on this countryside.  After that we found the Tourist Information office for a map and stopped in the towns Wine Market for a beer as we looked through the map to figure out what we would like to see and do.  We decided to walk the wall and see each of the cities gates.  There are two types and all have different roofs, there are the square designed towers, and then the round design.  The round design are the later built towers to help protect the towers from destruction of canon fire.  The towns history goes back as far as the 8th Century!  You can see some of the oldest architecture still preserved, houses built in the original Bavarian style with the wood bracings built in to the concrete walls.  Buildings appear to be leaning back into their foundation as though they tire of standing straight, and roof tops bow down in the middle with the weight of the years of tiled roofs bearing the weather of the ages.

• St. Georg’s Minster
• Almhouse (Spital)
• Rothenburg Gate
• Segringer Gate
• Nördlingen Gate / Town Mill
• Bäuerlin Tower
• Wörnitz Gate
• Wine Market

After our walk, we wandered back to the Rothenberg gate, stopping at St. George’s Minster abeautiful wide-aisled late Gothic church, built 1448-1499.  The cool air of the church and silence surrounding us as we walked in to view the eleven pairs of columns that support the vaulted roof with an amazingly ornate pattern.

We wandered back to the wine market.  Finding a cafe’ we sat and enjoyed a glass of wine while we watched the people move about.  It seems that the stores were also all closed, I’m not sure if there was a German holiday or reason but it made the town feel more quiet and relaxed.  I kept feeling a desire to see the “Duetsches Haus” so Fletcher and I made our way there for dinner.  We were NOT disapointed, the best food I have eaten in Germany yet.  And the atmosphere and waiter we had made us so relaxed and taken care of.  I can not say enough about this restaurant, local foods grace this kitchen.  Their flavor and delivery are gourment and decadent.  My dinner was:

Filet of Pork Medaillons Fried in a Herbal Crust served with
a Dark Beer Sauce, Noodles, and Bacon-wrapped Beans

Fletcher ordered from the special menu that included all of their “Spargel” (Asparagus) meals, the hollandaise sauce was savory.  Finishing off this scrumptious meal, we enjoyed a desert wine that had the ambrosial sent of flowers.

We purchased a bottle of wine on our way back to the camp site, and sat out on this little deck to watch the sun turn the clouds radiant pinks and reds, when off to the left we saw dark clouds approaching.  As the sky became leaden with the thick clouds, we saw lights flashing.  No sounds followed but we could feel the change in the air.  A thunderstorm was coming.  As Fletcher puffed contentdaly on his cigar, we leaned against each other and enjoyed the movie mother nature played for us.  Lighting cracking across the sky, thunder booming, the time between becoming shorter and shorter.  The rain came… drenching our clothes, I could feel the rain dripping from my skin.  We stayed for the entire show, finally as the night quieted we headed for our tent.

Of course this means our jeans were not the dryest the next morning.  We didn’t move from our warm sleep bags till 1000.  Packing back up, a successful journey.   Enjoy photos of our journey on my Shutterfly Site! http://jenostrander2008.shutterfly.com/1443

Amster”DAM”n! Experience

We planned our trip to Amsterdam with the kids in mind, it was one of those places Kayla wanted to go.  Her buddy Chris had gotten permission and me and his mom and worked out the details.  Friday morning we all hopped into the Jeep and started the 6 hour drive across Germany to the Netherlands.  One of Fletchers NCO’s had let us use the Tom Tom as it was already set up to drive to Amsterdam.  It really came into help when we pulled into Amsterdam and tried to find our hotel.  Ah our hotel, as we drove down the street that the Tom Tom informed us was another U-turn then our “Destination”.  I looked out the Jeep window, right into the window of a barely dressed woman’s “door”.  We had arrived!   Our hotel was called the “Heart of Amsterdam”.    I mean I know it had said it was situated around everything, but I had NO idea we would be looking across the canal at red lights at night!

*Heart of Amsterdam is connecting people*

Heart is situated in the real heart of Amsterdam, all what you need is beside you, shopping centre’s, night clubs, cinemas, Red light district and all other attractions of Amsterdam.

All of the doors at the hotel had movie themes… and it was right down the block from the “Cannabis College”!  I was pretty happy to find the kids actually found clubs and places to go OUTSIDE Of this area.   The coffee houses had a different smell from the Starbucks back home.  Actually that first night Fletch and I crashed after taking a walk about.

The next morning we got up early and headed out, only to find that we were one of maybe a handful of people that dared wake before midday.  It worked out fine, we walked away from the Red Lights and towards the Museum district, I wanted to see the Van Gogh museum.  I was NOT disappointed, it is amazing how much work he managed to accomplish in 10 years, and how much his work transitioned from Dark to Light in that time.  His painting Starry Night was on display in a seperate exhibit “

Van Gogh and the colours of the night

Quite worth it, upon walking out the lines now stretched down the block… we wandered some of the little side shops and enjoyed a cappuccino.  The air was still moist and chilled with sea air.  Though not the same “fresh air” I would hope for the city smells are firmly set in this town.

We had neared the lunch hour so decided that that was 5 o’clock somewhere and headed for the Heineken Experience.  This has got to be one of the best brew “tours” I have been on! Interactive and entertaining, my favorite part was the “Brew U” experience where you become beer being bottled.  You go from the wheat and barley, fermentation, off to bottles.  The conveyer belt ride had me laughing, and you end up as part of a 24 pack at a party! Much fun before you go off for your first sip.  Its not my favorite beer but it was worth the “experience”.

We had gotten a call from the kids to meet up for lunch so we went back to the flower market to meet them then walk over to the Hard Rock Cafe’ – Kayla loves to go to these in each city we visit.  Not much difference from San Francisco, to London, to Munchen, to here… lots of rock memories.

The night brought out the party and crowds of merry makers.  Believe me, if your under 21 this night life is crazy.  One of  the girls at the hotel had said she had met up with a group of American soldiers and they had all played scavenger hunts around the red light meeting back up at bars to find the winner.  Ahhh the good old days of partying and sleeping in till noon.

We decided the next day to travel out on the canal, see some of the sites by boat.  Our canal boat was 40 minutes late though, in that time we could have walked and been standing in line at Anne Franks! When we got there, FLetch and I decided on going to a cafe having cheese and wine while the kids saw Anne Franks house… interestingly enough? It was the most modern house on the street!

We toured the flower market, had lunch at a cafe’.  Afterwards we had seen a flyer for ” XTRA COLD AMSTERDAM” – Really neat idea, but this place sucked. The jackets were warm but it was like you paid 15 Euro to sit in a meat locker and drink a chilled beverage.  I wish I could say more “upbeat” things about it, the pics we have we took on the sly – they wanted to charge an extra 15 Euro for a PHOTO.  We also stopped and enjoyed a Fair that was going on in the city center.  Fletcher showing his skills, shot up the baloons with a bow and arrow and won Kayla a Chester Cheetah stuffed animal.  We really enjoyed a lazy day, by night we’d decided to find an Irish Pub and play some pool while the teens went off to a dance club they had heard of.

By Monday morning we were all ready to go ~ the drive was silent with the sleeping teens in the back seat and we all enjoyed a quiet evening with home cooked food and good ol’ AFN TV.

Some links:

http://www3.vangoghmuseum.nl/vgm/index.jsp

http://www.heinekenexperience.com/experience.html

http://www.xtracold.com/

Through the woods

In the tradition of my dear friend Lindas Blog:

Date:	3/29/2009 14:00 Hours
Type:	Flat to Hills
Course:	Kaufland to the Barking dog, drag ass hill and home
Distance:	3.5 miles
Duration:	50:00
Pace:	14:28 / mile
Shoe:	Adidas
Weight:	A girl doesn’t tell, and only my Wii Really Knows
Weather:	44° F
Statistics:	No clue what this means Linda…

We began out of our apartment, chatting and heading for the “Harley Hill” (Its a Harley Dealer here in Ansbach, and behind the dealer is the hill up to the walk path where I begin to run).  From there the head phones were put in and we both dropped into our own thoughts.  I can feel him next to me and it motivates me to keep going.

George Thorogood – “Who Do You Love”… Begin – Now: The pace began a bit choppy, I could feel my muscles fighting it.  My mind and body were not one, they did not even like each other at this point.  Oh the sharp pain I felt in my knee, my ankle felt like it wanted to pop… was I ever going to get enough air!?  I could feel Fletch’s stride next to me, he was warming up already.  Suck it up Jen, keep going…

Pat Benatar – Hit Me With Your Best Shot” Passing the fork: As we passed the fork and took it to the left I let my thoughts wander… you know what you have to get done, for me exam schedule, Kay’s work shifts, the dryer on the fritz, Family Readiness Meeting, my last two days of training in Manheim.  We came into Oberichenbach, downhill I felt it, that reason you run, it all felt good.

Trick Pony – “On A Mission” Barking Dogs House: As we came up to the barking dog, I felt good, that burst of energy where you wonder, why is this so hard to keep doing?  We took to the trail.  My music pushing me on, my thoughts moved from wondering to concentrating on the trail.  The rains had come and patches of mud made for trickery.

AC/DC – “You Shook Me All Night Long” Into the Forest: I love this part, but the push up the little trail into the trees KILLS.  I felt my legs get heavy, but pushing myself, NO walking, I wanted to make it past this I wanted to push through the woods, I knew that hill was next…

Muse – “Hysteria” Up the HILL: “I want it now, I’m breakin OUT!” Oh god help me get up this damn hill… my eyes cut to the ground, I lean in, feeling the pull on my thighs, the burning begins.  Come on, do it, push it… GOD, my lungs scream for the break.  I swear I’m going to conquer this hill.  I slow to a fast walk and feel Fletcher push up the hill, he gets to the top and runs back down for me.  I push back into a run for that last push up the hill.  My lungs exploding.  Fletcher has a grin on his face, he knows I’m pissed I didn’t make it but also knows I pushed myself.  I love running with him… we keep running.

The Kills – “Sour Cherry” Home Stretch: My brain focuses again on the terrain, the path is there but its soft and muddy… hopping up to the center trail between the tire trails, Fletch takes up the back and nearly runs into me as I squish into a soft spot and dodge a slide.  We are back to the fork in the road.  He smiles, I wave as he goes for it again and I head home.

Its good to have a goal, someday I’ll be able to keep up and not hold him back on his run.  I just hope he reaches a plateau to catch up too.

iTunes Playlist “Running” (Clever aren’t I?)

Finding the past… changed

Okay so we got out of class early and I decided to try it, I drove to Patton, only … wasn’t this the place they had the NCO Club?  That wasn’t “MY” barracks, was there more?  I drove around and around Patton.  I almost expected a camera to pick me up and MP’s to pull me over – “Excuse me miss, you’ve circled 5 times, what are your intentions???”  Oh yea that would be WUNDEBAR!

So I followed the sign to Campbell barracks, hmmm.  Whats this, Mark Twain Village.  Memories of baby Kayla playing there.  Which house was it?  I know it was to the right, and – they have put up gates around ALL of the houses now.  Both sides of the street from MTV to Campbell are now serious concrete posts joining up the rails and bars giving a new security fence that I don’t quite remember being so tight.  Or were they even there at all?  I kept driving… there they were on the left side of the road.  My old barracks, behind bars.  Soldiers still live there, across the main entrance of Campbell barracks, I forgot how IMPRESSIVE it is.

To View my CREEPY Drive by Photos go to Shutterfly

Nowadays its harder to see with the blockade and jersey barriers creating a serpentine route into the entrance, but its still impressive.   It felt like walking back in time a little, the memories that hit.  Remembering crossing the road to work running through the back gardenplatz, standing on the parade field baking in the heat while some high-up talked on about something that was important (to them).

I felt a little strange, getting out of my car and wandering so I did something so much LESS strange, and held the camera up taking photos of a few sites as I drove “literally” down memory lane.

I’ll come back when the air is less icy and the rain has been replaced by sunlight … I’d also like to show Kayla where she played as a child, maybe even find the old hospital building which I have been told has been turned back over – I don’t know I guess you spend 4 years in a spot that to me was the begining of my adult life, it just sticks that it means something?    Memories of  crazy nights getting ready to club with my roommate Pam and Denise, SGT Hall always being there to make sure the girls didn’t get TO crazy.  M old boss SGT Wright,  the first day I met him he was sitting at his desk, long lanky legs poking out from underneath, smoking a cigerette.  He reminded me of an even skinnier Hockeye from MASH.  NBC training, Volleyball with the units team, walking up to Konigstuhl on the switchbacks, memories of Gina, Julie, Jodi, and “Franks” walking up the HauptstraBe and hearing a rush of singing as the local “Football” team won a game and the streets came alive with happy German fans.  The castle, Kayla in her stroller on the cobblestones.

Where Kayla was born:” Nachrichten Ksn“ old 130th Station Hospital (Before my time)

Much to remember here, but time to come back to now.  I have studying to do.

If you get the chance to come to Heidelberg, there is much to do:
http://www.heidelberg-marketing.de/content/e886/e890/e1284/index_eng.html

Memory Gap Lane

I was stationed here in 1990 and moved back to CA in 1994.   As an 18 year old, Heidelberg Germany was a totally fun duty station.   But I was amazed as I drove onto PHV (Patrick Henry Village) how little looked familiar.

I checked into the Guesthouse and got directions to the PX… did we really have to drive on that road? Was there always a train to the right? The PX area (minus the new security barriers) looks much the same. Popeyes has aged… I remember how excited everyone was when they built it.

I had driven out and tried to figure out how I had gotten to my old barracks. Instead I ended up driving with the river to my right… that can’t be? Turning around I just couldn’t find a familiar site. Tonight I’ll go onto Patton and see if I can get out the old “MAIN” get where Kayla’s dad stood duty as an MP (now replaced by Pond’s security people). I want to see my old barracks, and find the location of the hospital Kay was born. Its just amazing how much changes in what??? Oh my… 15 YEARS!!! Oh I really didn’t need to do the math.

Off to training ~ then a new adventure to an old destination…

Oh What a Night

So there we were, sitting on our couch in our PJ’s enjoying “doners” (like a Gyros) that Fletcher had brought home from Kaufland  (grocery store) when our door buzzer beeped.  Which was strange in itself, we live in an apartment that the stairwell door is locked to, so normally we get the BUZZ from the front door.  It beeped again as we sat there startled from the first, and as Fletcher walked to the door, and as he was opening the door.

I heard talking and Fletch’s call… “Honey!!!” Our upstairs neighbor was speaking Deutsche in a drunken manner while holding a plate with slices of cake on it.  Fletch was looking confused I tried my little bit of the language and he got all happy started talking faster… this does not help me. We finally figured out it was his 45th birthday and he was sharing his birthday cake.  Which made sense when we were thinking the party was above us, here in Germany they have quiet hours after 10.  We figured it was a party bribe… but then….

Fletch decided to say thank you and happy birthday back!  He had a mini keg that his parents had gotten us at BarfuBer to carry beer, he poured some of his home brew in it, I wrote a card:

Thank you for sharing your birthday cake with us, it was VERY good. We hope that your birthday brings you much happiness, please Our gift for your celebration. It is our home, the beer, we hope you enjoy!

And we went upstairs to give it to them, yup in our PJs.  We didn’t plan to stay… but as the door opened and Frau Schafer saw us arms reached out telling us to come in.  Join the celebration.

We were sat at the table they had spread out with food and given plates, and glasses of Vodka. Oh my.  Do you see this going crazy? We did, Fletch and I kept looking at each other, like the other could figure out a way to make a break for it.  It felt so strange how they were opening the party to us, and Herr Schafer was so happy we had come down.   Not ONE family member spoke English, and as we were to find out he was the brother of 5 brothers and sisters.  His uncle was there too!  The one woman across from me, “mother of Viki” I never did get her name.  She and I started talking, she spoke langsam (Slowly) to me so that I could pick up what she was explaining, and I tried my kindegarten deutsche to speak back.  And next to me the uncle was asking about the beer, he couldn’t believe Fletcher had made it in his house, he thought we had brought it from America.  His wife next to him, (Lady in Yellow with Red hair) smacked him on the back of the head when he said that and told me her husband was drunk! LOL.  Oh my … I think we ended up staying almost an HOUR.

After shots and food, Fletcher went and got cigars to share with the men out on the porch, and the ladies pulled me out onto the carpet for some dancing!  One of the brothers decided to take me for a spin and next thing I knew I was being told we were at dancing school, he was teaching me his dance!  He was so funny at the end he wanted to do some big ending by flipping me, I was all oh NO.  And of course the women came to my rescue, not wanting to see some horrible disaster come of it.

We were able to make our goodbyes and finally exited the party.  Not quite how we planned to spend our quiet Saturday night, but it didn’t turn out too bad!

Mein bester Freund

This has  been a fabulous adventure!  When Michele had said that her birthday would be hard this year (it would have been Jeff’s 50th Birthday too) Fletch and I thought what a great way to distract and have a completely different environment than a trip to Germany!

She arrived on Saturday the 7th, after a full day (16 hours) of travel.  Fletch had driven up to pick her up as her flight came in later than the trains would allow us to get back to Ansbach.  I had my Reserve weekend (only one day thankfully) and came back to the apartment, suprised by a phone call at 9 that she had already met up with Fletch!  Her flight came in on time, her bag was ready and waiting, no one was in line at the Passport section… of course! Her first trip and all goes just as smooth as silk.  We stayed up drinking wine and talking until 3 AM.  SO much you think you have said on the phone, you just haven’t kept up with.

For her birthday we  all went to Nuremberg, her first train trip of course had to begin with a beer.  Kayla keeping up a flow of stories that had Misha in stitches.  We arrived at the Hauptbahnhof and began our tour of the Alstadt.  Ending of course at BarfuBer… where Kayla appeared with

Day 2:  The Franktherme baths in Bad Winsheim.  Salt water hot baths on a cold day (no cameras allowed and it really is something you have to experience to fully get), we came home SO relaxed to cook a traditional German dinner and spend the evening playing Dominos.

Day 3-4 : Off to Mϋnchen!  Starting off with a sobering stop to Dachau and a face to face with history.  Continuing on we had a beer at the Schneider Weisse (Misha’s family name) and then to the Ratskellar for dinner.  Then we closed the Hofbrauhaus down, getting a close seat to the oompa band and lots of good German music!  So we woke up in Munchen, Misha pulled back the curtains and smiled, ahhh SUN.  Not more than 15 minutes later as she was drinking coffee, I looked up to see the snow flakes falling.  SNOW at the Glockenspiel, and shopping is a girl’s best friend.  We arrived back and Fletcher picked us up from the train station, we went to dinner at a favorite bar of ours run by a really neat Greek couple.

Day 5: Off to Rothenberg d.O. where the weather was SO cold we really just found a nice little restaurant to spend a few hours TALKING, before we returned back to the house where Misha took a nap and I took another exam for my online class.  We joined Fletcher for a Hail and Farewell dinner at Colmberg castle, where Misha and I finished the evening off exploring the upper rooms.  REALLY cool and eerie feeling, kinda like the movie “The SHINING” complete with a child’s tricycle that made this eerie squeak when we rolled it.

Today we have begun our morning reading books and lounging, its approaching mid day and I think I’ll go talk Misha into a walk, the sun is out for a moment!

Enjoy all, hope that life is finding you healthy happy and with people you love.

Entering Man Land

So two days ago, I’m driving home from Illesheim (where I work).  Its about a 30 minute drive and no stop lights until you hit Ansbach again on the B13.  About the time I was going through the last little town before Ansbach, I braked to slow down, and hear the most HORRIFIC grinding noise.  It was like my muffler had fallen off and was dragging behind me!   I lifted my foot from the brake and the noise stopped.  *tap the brake – GRINNND!* Oh dear god, my brakes had gone out?  But I was still stopping, so that was good.  I looked in the rear view, it seemed to  me the woman that was following was looking at my car in a nervous way, she was also expanding the distance.  I though for sure I was dragging something behind me.  So I pulled over * GRIIINNNND * and took a look , nope the muffler was still attached.  I got back on the road and just used my gears to help slow me down, shifting down as I neared stop lights, if I had to use the brake, I used it with the Emergency lever… I got lucky pulling into town and road green lights to the apartment.

So where does Man Land ENTER??  Today.  On Barton Barracks up the hill we have a Auto Skills center with about 8 bays to use to change oil, work on your car, there are lifts and tools available.  So my dear hubby drove my grinding little Mazda to the Auto center as I followed in the trusty-not-had-a-problem-yet-Jeep.   We put the car up on lifts, I say “WE” as yes I helped place the lift feet on the frame.  Before we lifted we removed the tires.  I found the tire wrench and began by placing it on a bolt, stepping on to the bar, and BOUNCING to get the bolt to loosen.  Getting the 5 bolts removed, I wiggled the tire loose and carried it over to the side.  Fletch got two free from the one side of the car, I finished up the 4th. My hands by this time were covered with the grease from bolts, and the black nasty dirty that seems to be a result of snow, slush, salt, sand, and every other nasty thing sticking to your car as you drive.  We lifted the car.  Looking at the brakes, nothing looked bad.  Guys walking by of course inspected and gave their opinion.  I had gone the day before and gotten new pads, but after removing a plate from the back tire, we didn’t think it was the problem.  The amount of RUST around the car was making me think something had gotten stuck between the pad on the brake disk.  While we were looking around at the pads, Gary the lead mechanic out at that shop stopped to help and was looking when he grabbed the front right caliper, it hinged right off!  The BOLT had fallen from the top and the whole mechanism was hanging on by the bottom bolt.

GRRRIIINNND = braking mechanism bouncing around as the pressure tried to squeeze the device together and it wasn’t held in place with both bolts!

So we found a replacement bolt, tightened everything all back, tires back on (AND rotated!) New oil in my car… meanwhile in man land… I was the only wife to come along and learn a few things about car care.  The only other girl who had entered the shop had been an MP there to use the pressure washer.  Its kind of interesting, a place to get away with the music playing, get your hands greasy and get to know your car one on one. (No, No pictures, somehow i think I would have broken some sacred rule getting a picture in there… I should have though, you wouldn’t believe what salt does to a car over the years!