Here we are

leaving milwaukee

Merry Christmas! And, see you next year!

It's been a lovely one for us!!! We are all well, we're getting laundry finished, and packing our bags!

I'll post photos when I can from my phone, addresses are ready for postcards, yay, can't wait!!

Happy New Year!!

More Christmas pics coming..... here or at Flickr!

The traditional one of mom and her kids... well, minus Barb... as she was in Canada with Walter and his family.... ah well! We had a great time at mom's house last evening! Good Food mom!

Christmas at gramma's

My mood

I feel like I have a bazillion loose ends to tie up in the next 3-4 days.

Christmas cards are only mailed off throught the O's in my phone book.... sigh. Of course the end of the alphabet is where it gets full.... although, the family doesn't need cards, they'll be seeing us all soon... maybe I'll just skip them, and finish through with the last of them.... maybe.

The kids are playing chemistry lab up in the room.... sigh... I wonder if they've used up all the liquid Dial soap? But, they're not bickering, so I'm wary to go up and check on them....

Other than moving the money around in bank accounts, the payroll checks and paystubs are printed out and ready to hand out Jan 4th when I'm back at work....

We are now the proud renters of the new karate building! I signed the papers and checks with the landlord last night! What a cool, ol' hippie, couldn't ask for a nicer, hipper landlord to work with! I'll be getting the new keys today, although we won't be starting work on it until we return in Jan also.....

Everyone has shiny teeth and a perfect check-up all around... no cavities, again! The lady I go to has a new toy... a sonic cleaner to blast my teeth pearly white.... but, yikes, what a high-pitch buzz it emits while it's sonick'ing..... ah well, gums are tingling great!

The pet sitter/house sitter stopped over yesterday to meet the animals and check out the house. She'll be staying here to keep Tabi company.... we're going to miss our sweet pup... and I know she's going to miss us too....

Well, that's about it.... still so much to do.... and I'm off to work soon. I am sooo looking forward to locking the doors tomorrow night at 7pm, sharp!!! Meanwhile, back to checking off items on my to-do list!

Tacky house!

On the way to the dentist

2blackdresses

2blackdresses
Originally uploaded by frau cowtown.

My shopping success! Walked in, found lots of cocktail dresses, tried a bunch on, snapped pictures of me in the dressing room, and found 2 in a size 12 that I actually liked on my pear bod!

hopefully, this is it for the nasty germs of this round

Well, middle K is on the couch now. We've been cleaning puke - he and I since 2:30 this am.... blech. He made it to the tub, though... bless his heart... he didn't use the toilet, because, "someone poo'd in the toilet and didn't flush, so I didn't want to lean my head in there...." Can't say I blame the poor boy. Instead I had a tub full of puke and a bar of soap. Eh, could've been worse. sigh.


Now, on to 'funner' topics!!

The cruise! Everyone is abuzz with talk of the cruise!! Kurt's been busy downloading pics of the ship.... Westerdam, a Holland America cruise line! Fun, fun!! Our room is on the Verandah deck with our own porch to the ocean!! We'll wake up each morning looking out over the ocean! How cool is that going to be?!!! And, the grownups each have their own cabin, with the kids all sharing 5 rooms amoungst the 15 of them! Very fun! Kurt's giving me my very own Brazilian wax job tonight!!

Ohhh, and then 2 of the nights are formal... meaning, tuxes for the guys, gowns for the girls! 3 nights informal.... suit jackets for men and skirts for me... the remaining nights are casual attire.... polos and khaki's and the like!! Wheeeee! How fun!

Ok, so the day after Christmas, we leave from Milwaukee.... EARLY! We'll be flying with the whole group of 25 of us on the plane! Party time!!!! Heh! The von Schu crew is partying from Milwaukee to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida! hahahah, won't the other passengers be surprised?! ;)

The ship leaves port at 5pm from Ft. Lauderdale.... on to our first stop the next day at Half Moon Cay, Bahamas!! A day of fun is planned there....

Dec 28th we're at sea
Dec 29th we arrive for the day at Ocho Rios, Jamaica!
Dec 30th we'll be partying in George Town, Cayman Islands!!!
New Year's Eve will be spent in Cozumel, Mexico!!!!!! Hoooray!
New Years Day, Jan 1st will be out at sea
Jan 2nd we dock at Key West, Florida (Kurt and I were here a long time ago... 1991)
Then back to Ft. Lauderdale on Jan 3rd and rush to the airport for our noon flight home to the snow and cold..... and back to school!

Postcards anyone??? Cousin M, I'll send some along to your house!!!

I'm hoping my camera phone will work at some of these ports of call so I can at least put something up here.... I know I can do it at Key West... hopefully the other islands as well!!!

Now, we really have to get moving on Christmas shopping and wrapping and then I must get packing!!!

The weight? Well, I still have a big back porch..... ah well..... more cushin' and all that good schtuff.... heh. We've all got an early Christmas prezzie of fins, mask and snorkel and have already been to the pool to practice! Middle K and little cee can clear their snorkels... so they're ready and excited to go snorklin' .... little K can swim well with fins and mask.... we haven't started the snorkle yet.... hopefully, we'll get another swim day in before we leave!

Let's just all get well quickly!

3 down, 2 to go, maybe...

Uh-uh.... I refuse to get the bug! Toast and tea continue to be big hits in the house. Kurt's down and out today, snoring on the couch as I type, infact! The little guy is better, but still home as he was feverish as of dinnertime last night... Little cee had a quick bout and is back in school.. She happens to love school and gets cranky if she has to miss it.

While at work yesterday... I called home to check. Middle K informed me he hadn't seen little cee.... long story short, turns out she had falled asleep in my bed.... fast forward to dinner time, Kurt asks her if she's going to be able to eating all her dinner... "yes", ok, so he gave her the full dosage of insulin. Turns out, she couldn't eat it all and was feeling sick to her stomach, so drinking Gatorade was out too.... By the time I arrived home, she was sick and looking pretty dazed... She informs me she wasn't feeling too well and would I check her blood sugar. 37. Yikes... although I'm panicked inside, I'm calm on the outside. Grab a piece of toast and see if she can stomach small bites.... (but that bread won't work fast enough to raise her sugars.... juice is out on a sensitive tum, and I'm thinking in my head... "where's the glucagon shot for when she passes out.....) Ahha... I get an idea to make up some sugar water and give her spoonfuls of it... little bits at a time.... keep it down, kid! Re check the blood sugar 15 mins later... hooray, it's now 85! She's feeling better, and looking more alert.... she is able to keep down the toast and a few sips of gatorade. phew. Tuck her in bed and sit myself down to knit for a couple of hours. 10pm check her again... blood sugar, 134! yay, the bread is working. Time to go to bed. Our first bout of flu with diabetes. I think in the future, when the flu is making the rounds, we'll just have to go easy on the insulin shots .... maybe need more, but better that than bottoming out.

Well, I had turned off her alarm, secretly.... I assumed she'd not be well enough for school. No matter, alarm or not, she was up and ready for school this morning. So, she had a light breakfast, and a light lunch packed.....

But, enough of the sickness.... blech.

This red and gray hat is for the little guy... again... I finished middle K's hat up last weekend.... hats, hats, hats.... I love making wool hats!

And, today is my last kid-free shopping day left. What do you know, winter holiday starts today at 3:30. oh joy....

ouch!

The puking flu bug has hit our house again.... almost exactly a year to the date of last years puke fest. bleck.

We called home from work last night after the test... and were informed that he threw up all over the floor. "but, it's ok, we put paper towels over it!" ick! Kurt raced out of there to get home and clean it. Naturally, I dawdled. heh.

So far it's just the little guy down and out.... I'm just running with just a stomach ache. I'm thinking I can outsmart mother nature and not put anything in my tum... thus avoid the dreaded worship at the porcelain alter.... we'll see. sigh...

But I did decide to make a supplies run last night after the kids went to bed. If I was going to get sick... we'd need plenty of bread, 7up and gatorade in the house.....

merry, merry....

the story of the restless dog

Tuesday morning. ...und schlecht geschlafen letzt nacht.... the dog, staring for hours out the windows and growling at all sorts of imaginary... or perhaps real wildlife ALL. FREAKIN'. NIGHT. Gah. Even little cee said the dog woke her up 3 times wandering in her room, jumping up on her bed..... sigh.... Ya, and now the dog thinks she's going to sleep all day here... HAH! I'm so ready to bring back The Big House. She can sleep in the kennel at night if she's going to continue that nonsense.... humph!

Went trudgin' again yesterday with the dog. Trudgin' is a Kurt term (rhymes with fudge, mmmmmm....) for jogging/walking along the hilly terrain that we call our backyard, in six inches of snow while trying to keep up with the dog! Phew, what a leg and butt workout! Then, the dog was outside playing in the snow with kids for a few hours yesterday.... it's not like she had no exercise at all.... she should have slept really well.... bah!

Well, the girls said they saw a coyote running across the frozen lake when they were out in the back 40 on the sled hill, that runs down into the lake with the smoke on it.... So, perhaps the coyotes all hang out in our yard during the night..... Her hackles sure go up all along her back each time she goes out to explore the front yard..... Coyotes. Whatcha gonna do?

fröhweihnachten

fröhweihnachten
Originally uploaded by frau cowtown.

The 2005 Christmas picture... now to get busy on the cards... and ornaments need to go on the tree this morning... and Harry Potter's latest flick needs to be watched this afternoon....

'tis the season....

Just my luck

Kurt tells me.... "Oh yeah, I can see you're losing weight..... Your boobs are smaller."

As if that's possible.....................

How is it I can gain 5 pounds in one evening... but it takes nearly 2 weeks to lose that same 5? I'm pissed this morning. Crabby. Ya, and hormonal. So I didn't go to the gym. SO THERE!!! Damn, I starve myself, work out.... and not lose a pound in several days. Forget the gym. I'm going home to eat. *snicker*... no, not really.... hahahah I'll just be crabby.

ok

heat wave

I thought it felt warmer this morning when I went out to start the car..... the frosty air didn't suck the breath out of my lungs or sting my face with its numbing cold the first 10 seconds outside.... it's in the teens this morning.... gah.

So yesterday was interesting.... 5 out of 10 busses broke down and the grammer school was missing 280 kids, out of 500. Mine were there.... ha. No bus, no problem, my car works... let's go!

Then the next kid to go to school, and we realize while pulling into the parking lot, that the boy has forgotten his sax for band..... and seeing as there's a concert tonight, I dutifully go back home and drop it off in the office for the boy.

Thankfully, my accountant called me to remind me that federal taxes are due soon, and I should come in to look over my forms! Ah yes, that's why she gets paid the big bucks.... to help keep me in line. She just earned her money with that little reminder call! Phew!

What else??

Oh, right. Kurt took the day off Tues to look at a great building that I found on Monday. WEll, I shouldn't say, great, it has it's pros and cons too.
Pros: big space... nearly 2000 square feet., perhaps a high ceiling where we need it, we can design the interior layout as we'd like, the landlord is a cool guy, and the rent..... 1400 per month! God, you can't normally touch prices like that!!!!! So of course, it appeals to the george in me.

Cons: it's a second floor space (but we have our own entrance and a double wide staircase), It will take a lot of work.... first to get an engineer in there to see if indeed all the interior walls can be taken down as we suspect they're not weight bearing. It's right across the street from another martial arts place.... (ooops, sorry dude), however, he's more into the Tai chi and slower, less impact arts.... so we don't overlap in our clientelle.....

So, we'll see! I'm hoping we can get a guy in there and get permits going through the city and perhaps sign a lease before vacation, so that when we return on Jan 3rd, we can get going on rearranging the walls!!!

Other than that, I'm in a bit of a panic that Christmas is nearly here... and we dont' really have our shopping finished, let alone a list of what to get everyone...... and the online shopping/shipping days are quickly leaving.....

Panic!!

When Kurt tells me...

.... 6 times last night, that the "Party is really great!".... why, I do believe it was a smashing success!! We had loads of beer and shiraz, spiked eggnog, snacky foods, and 37 people! WooT! 12 didn't show up, even though I was only told 2 would not make it.... wonder what happened to the other 10....hmmmm? Ah well, the house was festive and packed... and then it started to snow.... 3 inches on everyone's car! heh....

Good times though!! Phew, it's done!! I had 4 Weiß biers throughout the 6 hours.... no snackies, though.... didn't want to undo all my hard work of last week..... 3 days at the gym, countless hours at the karate studio and platefulls of veggies! =)

Now, to find where I 'hid' all my stacks of papers and magazines.... sigh.... the big cleanup after the party! ;)

Adventszeit

This morning the kids happily opened door number 1 on their Adventskalendar.... mmm, lecker... Schokolade! (of course, not until we had a proper fight over who gets which one.... damn, hasn't the mom learned yet to get matching things?)

In other news... someone didn't realize there was SNOW out there to snuffle in! Heh! Crazy girl... she loves to snow plow the snow on the deck or in the grass with her nose.... then she comes up for air, snuffles it out of her nostrils... and does it again. She'll stop though if you're going to toss snow in the air.... because jumping and catching the snow with your face is waaay more fun anyways.

I'll be glad when my party is over. For whatever reason, anything I do or speak to him about is really ticking him off. So I really should stop flurrying around doing things, or working out, because honestly, I didn't work hard enough for my legs to be sore, so I'll just shut up and get things done. Oh, and I'll make lists too.

The underwear motivator

Ya, so 2 days this week I've been cooking at the gym... cookin' the fat off me! heh.

Sunday, Nov 26th, 172 (AAAAAAAAAAAACCCCCCCCCKKKKKKKKKKKK)

Wed, Nov 30th, 170

20 pounds to go in 26 days before the cruise and swimsuit wearing days are upon me.....

I'm tempted to use Kilos.... it doesn't seem as much to my brain...woohoo, I'm only 77 kilos heh... either way, many more trips to the gym and, whoa, hold the pasta!

Ok, really, now I'm on to the payroll! Dated, Dec 1st.

a 'little' visual

There are no more "big girl" underwear in my drawer, so when the little strings of my string bikini undies cut into the rolls that I call my hips.... naturally, the next obvious article of clothing I put on is my work-out pants!

ug....

Merry eggnog Christmas......

31 adults and 18 kids

OY!

Ok, assuming we need places to seat 29 adult guests... Kurt and I don't mind if we're standing throughout the evening.... yikes... I only have chairs scattered about to seat 16. Hmmm, perhaps I should visit the local rental place and see what sort of party affairs they have to rent. Maybe some portable chairs, a large coffee urn, champagne fountain... heh. Ok, nevermind about the fountain... this is a beer drinking crowd! I'm also planning a trip to the grocery store today to plan the meals and other party essentials. The lights and decorations outside are up! I spent the warm day yesterday stringing rope lights and setting up the white Christmas tree with blue lights (a little surprise for Kurt). Today the maids come to take care of the inside. Laundry is forever washing.... And of course, I didn't get to the books at all yesterday, so today... a catch up there is needed.

Blah, blah... the mundane life in CowTown continues.

The days of food and fun are over now

And it's back to the grind.... back to quickbooks and paychecks (dated Dec 1st) ... back to cleaning the house, and sewing cases to cover the foam window inserts.... back to planning this party and decorating the house. Back to lost homework papers and competing with the Gamecube.... back to working out and losing weight... or the guilt associated with not bothering.....

It's no wonder that ... dies Morgen habe ich Kopfschmerz......

spiked eggnog before 10am

pizza
Originally uploaded by frau cowtown.

And handmade, whole wheat, thick crust pizza with pineapple, German sausage and onions for Thanksgiving day feast! Ah yes, you'd be here at the 11th annual vonS family Thanksgiving. The wonderful weekend where you do as you please... plenty of knitting for me, shoot-'em up games for Kurt, naps in the afternoon, movies throughout the day.... 'National Treasure' was great, and food, food, food!

This evening is the parade that Kurt plays in... and we'll watch as the final float will bring Santa Claus to town.... although it's so bitter cold outside... it's going to make standing in the crowd less than desireable.... sigh.. ah well.... it will not dampen the holiday!

I live in a house full of kids

Kurt wakes up and flips on all the big, bright, outside lights and hops on the bed with Tabi to wake me up.... "didja see outside?" he bounces.... just like I'm sure he did, oh, 40 years ago.... sigh.... "mmmmmmmpppffffhhh" that was all I could muster, and dove deeper under my down comforter. I could tell by his voice there was snow out there. The kids, all 4 of them, and that includes the black furry one, are just lovin' the first snow. Now Tabi just stares out the window and gives a pathetic little whimper every now and again... to let me know that we need to go outside and play Toss The Snow again. I've already been out once with her. And I haven't even finished my first cup of tea.... now that's love.

I'm ready for the snow, though, this year. I outfitted myself with the warmest coat I could find, in a decent price range that is.... Heck, it will keep me warm in -35F weather, although, mine is black.... and tall, warm boots in matching black!

holiday headaches

Aaack! I decided it would be a good idea to host a holiday party at our house for all our employees, their spouses ( or would that be, spice?), and other jolly good partiers at the school. What fun, I thought. Then I put down on paper, assuming everyone and their kids were coming, the number of people that would really be here.

47.

OHMIGOD! I don't know that over 50 people, including us 5, can really even fit in the house. LOL... oh man. What have I done????!!!!! That will indeed be an interesting evening. Oiiiyyyy!

Now I have two weeks from yesterday to get the house in ship shape!! AAACCCKKKK

In other, unrelated news.... I did some good mental exercises for myself today.... I rearranged rooms ... again. Little Cee is back downstairs in her own room and the boys are together in the upstairs mega room! I think that's the way it will stay. Even though middle K doesn't need to wake up for another hour after the little kids do.... sigh... oh well, he can just lounge in bed, besides, I think little wolfie is pretty quiet in the mornings....

Little cee is not too pleased yet to be sleeping alone... although, now the puppy will be sleeping in her room! I don't know, really, why I did the change. Perhaps it was in response to the upcoming party and having middle k in the PINK room. Rather than go about painting... I decided it would be easier to just make the move. That and hormones. 'nuff said there! Although, Kurt will back me up... my mood wasn't really too awful bad this month... 'eh?! Only 1 day, yesterday, of "oh woe is me" and "life is so overwhelming"..... Then he just made me a drink and told me to sit on the couch and knit! Which I did and finished off another hat!!! Whee that was fun! Ahhh, my man knows how to take care of me..... But, I tell ya.... I can feel those hormones and what they're doing.... but I just cannot alter my mood. Although, the alcohol helped alter it for a brief while.... heh ;)

What else? Oh right... we had judo Friday night. Black belt classes have started up, and this past Friday was Judo for karate. Damn! We haven't had judo for 2 years now.... the falls and rolls came back pretty quickly..... as did the freakin' sore muscles. I'm still walking weird because my leg muscles are still screaming 2 days later..... Man! Judo is just not for old people!! I was thinking, I may not go back to judo.... it's just too body beating for my taste.... sigh. Ya, I'm an old lady. There ya go.

OOOHHH! The best sight was this afternoon in the parking lot!!! The COW CRUZR, as the license plate read!!! Heee heeee! I'd love to have my very own cow cruiser!! LOL

Boy, for thinking I didn't have much on my mind... I sure had plenty to type! heh.

So, my new books from Amazon arrived!

I love the intro to this one.....

It's great, makes sense to me... so here we go with yet another German text book. I'll quote some of it here.... because it is so pertinent to where I am in my learning. I need to be more conversational.

"There are two ways of learning a foreign language by self-tuition. The first is to learn words; rules, exceptions to those rules and then to practicse putting them together according to the rules while remember (or trying to) the exceptions.
It is most difficult to acquire fluency by this method. When speaking or writing the language you have no time to think what rule ought to be applied, or what exception remembered. Fluency in a language means that phrases are on the tip of your tongue when you need them.
This can be achieved far better by means of the second method, which is to memorize the most useful sentences so that they may come automatically to your lips at a moment's notice!
.....
How did you learn you own English language? Did you study it? Of course not. You first began to understand it, then to speak it, by constantly hearing it spoken and by its daily repetitaion. You did not study the language -- you absorbed it!"

OH! Yes!! This is so applicable to me! And, true! I asked my girlfriend for some basic phrases... einsteigen und anschnallen! See?! I can get the kids moving in the car and buckled up ready to go! Heh! Zahneputzen, Buchelesen.... nice commands that are easy for me to remember and the kids to learn! Lass das!

Ya, well in my free time, I'll be diving into this book in a serious way! Oh, and then I needed some new Deutschmusik... so I ordered this! Hee hee! For a little fun!

That time of year again

Online holiday shopping, that is. The stack of magazines is piling up at my dinner spot, cousin M can attest to that! ha! I don't even have room to eat.... so as usual, tonight I put my bowl of green beans on top of one stack and started flipping through the others! In the end, I weeded out 4 to go to the recycle bin, a bunch of other ones gave me great ideas for people on my list.... (eBay is fired up in another window online...) and then in another magazine, I found a lovely dress for New Years' eve on the cruise ship just off the coast of Cozumel! ....or will that just accentuate the ever-growing pear shape I'm sportin', Kurt??!!


In other news... spent a full day at my desk today.... working on all the things that need my attention..... I did take a lunch and knitting break, however.... my, the day flew by!

Friday wrap-up

Hmmm, spent 2 hours at the accountant's office yesterday..... what a headache. This accounting/bookkeeping is a full time job. And, I have the full time job of mom and part time instructor. Ya, I'm feeling stressed a lot of the time. I screwed up when I wrote the employees' paychecks and dated them for Oct 31. The accountant just laughs and says, "ah, you're learning quickly!" Now I get to pay double for employer federal taxes this month. f*ck. Although, the upside, I won't pay it for November.... because you can be assured, I'm dating the employees checks Dec 1st. sheeeesh.

Business is slow. I have to be a better salesman.... I need things written down, a pricelist, a school plan, and just stick with it. We need to make many changes at the karate school... a lot of them for legal reasons, some to clean up, others to make the school plan more firm. And, I need to finish the database for our students so we can keep track of attendance, testing etc. easier.... And, I need to enter in all the inventory, and other bookkeeping aspects into Quickbooks..... and we need to finish putting our brochure together... and find a new company to order supplies who can take our .jpg logo and create a plate to silk screen uniforms....... and we need to finish up the new website that has been designed for us.... woodstockmartialartsDOTcom .... it's not public knowledge yet.... still in the designing stages.... but it's kinda cool to see so far..... sigh....

We're a bit busy.

But, I did take time out to enjoy an afternoon with family. Cousin M was over, my aunt, my mom..... now, it's back to the grind..... and shopping..... and babysitting my kids......

TGIF. Oh, and happy Martinstag!

a tee shirt for me

...and it reads....

"forget skinny dipping, I go chunky dunking!"

hahahahahahah... sigh....

and in other news.... mr. competitive aka, Kurt, was scouring the internet... even found the Franziskaner website and wrote to them, hoping they'd respond with the pronounciation in his favor..... he writes an email to me.... and I quote,

"HAHAHAHA! I wrote to these guys... and the answer will be here soon! I hope!
Loser has to buy beer for a month! Franciscan.... just a thought, but nobody says "Franciscahn"--unless they've got too much money!"

....oder, sie sind Deutsch!!! ( I say! hahahahah) .... but he did send along a cute postcard to me from Franziskaner's website! ;)

ah yes... beer is always more tastee, when someone else is buying! hahahahahah

Two words came to mind

Three years ago this week, I was off on my own having an adventure.... driving north on the Autobahn for 2 hours until I realized Heidelberg was south of Frankfurt, and 'oh scheiss, I'm going the wrong way!'.... that sort of an adventure. But, it was an adventure in Germany, so there ya go, other than it was too short a visit, it was perfect!

So, here we are again, the kids have a 1/2 day of school tomorrow, then they're on holiday until Monday. Sheesh, didn't we just have a 12 week summer holiday? I think the kids are out of school more than they're in. Anyways, this morning when mulling over the fact that they'll be home and underfoot this week.... a smile came to my face when I suddenly thought..... "sleep in".... sigh... ah! Two little words, can make all the difference in outlook.

Dinner date on Friday evening

1104051826.jpg
Originally uploaded by frau cowtown.

...and we found a lovely resturant down the street from the karate school, that serves Weißbier on tap!!! yayayayay

;)

decisions, decisions

choices
Originally uploaded by frau cowtown.

Hmmmm, which shall I try first tonight??!!!

click it bigger to read the labels... but all are Hefeweiß imported from Germany, of course! ;)

And, there's plenty of sauerkraut in the fridge for the weekend!!! Yummy!

Goodness, I'm becoming a bier snob... when Kurt and I go out.... I cringe when it comes time to asking what sort of beers they have... Inevitably, it's Bud light, Miller light...and so on....

GAH, that's not beer, man.... ech!

Tabi peeking out the window

tabnpumpkins
Originally uploaded by frau cowtown.

So, I'm all set for my Friday. Drive middle K to school, go workout, then go make copies of forms for the karate school. Oh wait. I don't have a car this morning. sigh. The brakes on the ol' cruiser are being worked on, again. Seems after rolling over 55 thousand miles, I'm in to the mechanics more often.... ah well, if things go the way I'm planning... I'll have a big, mom mobile in the summer. Afterall, I love hanging with kids... and now I can drive 6 of them around. OIY!

Band concert was last night... I forget how good it is for my head to be out in public... saying 'hi' to all the moms I know, and it's surprising how many kids in town know me. Although, it shouldn't be... I know them from schools... be it school school, or the karate school. I was just embarrased to see my hair when I got home... aack, how did I allow myself to go out into public with gross hair last night?! I've really got to be more careful.... too many people know me in this town.

Well, my email this morning from Photo Friday listed "warm" as this week's challenge. Hmmm, this was all I found in my current photos. I think I'll browse some of my older pics and see if I have any better matches to the theme....

Anything else... nah, just a day to do household schtuff. Good, the house and I need it!

a wise woman once told me

"... ya, the days can sometimes drag on... but the years, they fly by."

Wow, 10 years ago I had a newborn, chubby, baby girl! Middle K was a one and a half, and he had a new , "blah, blah". (her name being too hard for him to pronounce....)

10 years ago.

Those days were such a blur. Such a different world for me. 2 kids under 2 years old. ya.

What a cute, little squirt she's turned into ... 10 years later!

Call me red

Call me red
Originally uploaded by frau cowtown.

Well, I've done it. I decided to make a huge change away from my dirty blonde look.

I'm now a chestnut, reddish brown.... aaack! It's still a shock when I catch a glimse of my dark, dark hair in the mirror.... heh. My hairstylist, Anne, told me in 6-8 weeks if I come in for a touch up... when the lighter hair starts growing out at the roots... she can add bunches more blonde highlights in and start phasing this dark out... I think that is the way I'll go.... so I'll be a lighter red, perhaps strawberry blonde for the Christmas cruise! =)

guess what we did yesterday?!

1029051320.jpg
Originally uploaded by frau cowtown.

Thankfully, it was a warm day of 63... last minute decorations, sure, but they're carved now!!

This morning is my best Sunday yet... I slept in until 8:30, made a cup of Tea, played on the computer for awhile, and look.... it's 8:30 again!!

Cool!

leaving the spa after a lovely morning

Yes, so I decided I was taking my daughter for a fun day. Little cee will be 10 on Tuesday, and I had convinced Kurt that she really wanted her ears pierced. He figured she pokes herself with needles at least a dozen times a day... who is he to say no to 2 more holes?

Little cee was waiting for me in the school office promptly at 9:15am.... funny how prompt she is when it's something she wants to do.... Anyways, our first stop was the mall. We arrived an hour later, and headed straight for Claire's for ear piercing and girlie accessories! Cee picked out some dainty gold posts with her topaz, November birthstone.... eeeeeeeeee, she looks so cute with earrings! Next up was lunch in the courtyard and then we had to leave to get back home to our local hair salon for her pedicure and manicure! I thought I had also set aside time for her hair... but alas, I must not have been clear. Ah well... it was a great time. She kept thanking me for such a great time!

Of course, my ulterior motive was to get her in the habit of caring for those little diabetic feeties of hers. We'll have to do this again, she thoroughly enjoys the feet pampering!

a day of pampering

Color on the nails

Fun continues

Manicure time

We are playing hookey all day

Pedicure at our spa day!

Kurt plays too.... just for me

2 names you go by
1. dad
2. Kurt

2 parts of your heritage
1. Irish
2. German

2 things that scare you
1. any danger towards my kids
2. falling apart

2 of your everyday essentials
1. Sex
2. Sex

2 things you are wearing right now
1. left sock
2. right shoe

2 of your favorite bands or musical artists (at the moment)
1. Maynard Ferguson
2. me

2 of your favorite songs - at the moment
1. The Nearness of You... Gershwin or Porter
2. Any Action Movie Soundtrack

2 things you want in a relationship (other than real love)
1. time
2. adventure

2 truths
1. All things end.
2. Usually, they fall apart first...

2 physical things that appeal to you (in the opposite sex)
1. sleekness
2. attention

2 of your favorite hobbies
1. making music
2. reading

2 things you want really badly
1. more opportunities for travel with Carolyn
2. a cure for diabetes

2 places you want to go on vacation
1. Somewhere where time stands still...
2. ...and it better have a beach!

2 things you want to do before you die
1. Write a book.
2. Enjoy years and years of healthy retirement!

2 ways that you are stereotypically a chick/guy
1. I don't ask directions.
2. I'm going bald.

2 things you are thinking about now
1. Getting through my work day.
2. Lunch.

2 stores you shop at
1. Big Lots
2. Home Depot

2 people i would like to see take this quiz
1. Don't care.
2. Really.

....just a side note to Kurt.... Time does stand still in the bathroom.... that clock still reads, 7:55. Cool!

a great time-waster! ;)

2 x 2

2 names you go by
1. mom
2. Carolyn

2 parts of your heritage
1. Irish
2. German

2 things that scare you
1. any danger towards my kids
2. viruses

2 of your everyday essentials
1. Bier
2. sleep

2 things you are wearing right now
1. karate pants
2. wool sweater (ya, I'm a fashion plate)

2 of your favorite bands or musical artists (at the moment)
1. die ärtze
2. Matthias Reim

2 of your favorite songs - at the moment
1. Der Tag
2. Verdammt, ich leib' dich

2 things you want in a relationship (other than real love)
1. intelligence
2. sense of humor

2 truths
1. I love to travel
2. I'm a Deutsch-wanna-be

2 physical things that appeal to you (in the opposite sex)
1. shoulders
2. chest (mmmmmmmmm, yummy!!!!)

2 of your favorite hobbies
1. digital photography
2. knitting

2 things you want really badly
1. more opportunities for travel with Kurt
2. a cure for diabetes

2 places you want to go on vacation
1. motor around Germany
2. Scandinavia

2 things you want to do before you die
1. visit each continent
2. be fluent in German

2 ways that you are stereotypically a chick/guy
1. I'm seriously moody/crabby once a month
2. I'm a sensitive soul

2 things you are thinking about now
1. organizing my work day
2. wondering if I should move the firewood out of the workers' way...

2 stores you shop at
1. Target
2. Dominick's grocery store

2 people i would like to see take this quiz
1. Kurt
2. my cousin, Mieke (post your answers in the comments!!)

2 x 2 meme stolen from Kaydee!!

another good day

I was going to write.... "great"... and then I realized that's what I do. I swing far to the extremes. Ah, hormones are lovely. When is menopause? And which way will I end up in? This mood, or the mood of last week? I'm going to take a guess and assume my estrogen was too high, when in my crappy mood, and since in menopause you tend to lack estrogen.... perhaps I'll be this person when I make the change.... *cue the music*

Anyways, it's the second day of the week, and my second day working out. In a row. Yes, 2 days in a row. I know, sit down, it's unheard of for me. And, I plan on going again tomorrow morning. It's a quick 30 min aerobic and muscle training workout... fairly painless. In fact, the only painful thing is listening to the same halloween-themed music day in and day out.... "it's just a thriller, thriller...." Oh, sing it, Michael.... aaack.

Then, on top of that.... Kurt finally convinced me, mid meltdown, that I need the cleaning service. It was time to take that stress out of my life. I'm a working woman now that brings home a paycheck so it's time to do some deligating 'round the homestead. Yes, he knows I enjoy cleaning. Nothing stopping me from cleaning whenever my little heart desires.... but now, the house will be scrubbed down once a week. And, yes, it makes my heart, my worries, lighter. Today 5 ladies descended upon our house.... and in a little over an hour the entire huge house was clean. Damn, that was impressive. And, they'll be back again next Tuesday!

Tomorrow, early... like 7am early, my landscapers are arriving. They're going to cure my eyesore out front that has been bugging me for a good couple years now, most recently I've been dwelling and stewing about it since last winter. So, thank you, great grandma. Tomorrow I will have a crew here to tear out all the weeds, prepare the ground, plant 11 hedge, Japanese Yew bushes, 2 big Anabelle, shade, flowering, something or other bushes, a scattering of Hostas out front, and a 2 inch thick layer of mulch/bark!! It will be lovely. I'll be sure to post the pre- and post gardening project!!!

Ah, life is good and my fridge is full of Weiß bier.... but there I go again with that old story.....

;)

The cure for what ales me!

Ya, that's Kurt's pun. I'm not very clever when I'm drinking. But I am loads of fun!! ;)

Munich hefeweiss bier!! And, this was my first taste of this lovely brew! We went to an Oktoberfest party at Kurt's brother and sister-in-law's house. Oooh, heaven.... in the form of a dozen different varieties of Weiss bier! I tried my first hefeweiss, imported from Munich.... OOoooh delish! Not as wheatie as the Hacker Pschorr... I love it!!

the old adage

When you have nothing nice to say, say nothing at all.

So, I'll be back when I"m over this minor hump................................

more or less

Weiss bier is awesome!

We had an absolute blast last night! Our friends are big Weißbier drinkers... since he's been spending a lot of business time in Munich. So, I thought, what better time to try out a weiß than now? Outstanding!! I had 2 pints of the yummy bier, and our friends had 2 of the proper-sized steins each! heh! Ya, I'm drinking out of Kurt's glass for the picture! You need the proper glass with the weiß! Oh yes, and we saw a concert too! ;) What great fun to be out with friends and good big band, jazz music with the legendary Maynard Ferguson leading the band!

Oooh, yes, I now feel like my Corona beer is a bit watery after developing a liking for weiß! =)

this and that wrap-up

Hair changes again. I'm not going to chop it... as much as I'd like to try something shoulder-length.... I'll keep the 12 inches intact. sigh. But, I decided what I will be for halloween at the annual costume party this year... and I need my long hair! Heh... I'm going to dye it bright red, and put wire inside the braids on each side of my head! I'll carry a stuffed monkey pet named Mr. Nillsen. Any ideas who I'll be??? It was one of my favorite books as a kid! I even named my best loved, stuffed elephant, Mr. Nilsson.... ya know, because, monkey, elephant... ya, the similarities are there.... *rolling my eyes*

Next. Kurt has such a better outlook on our employees. Info has come out that 2 of our instructors, ya, the ones we're paying, those guys.... they're taking lessons from the competition. And one of of those guys has loose lips, even bumbled yesterday in class when he was touting the competion's classes to the students in our class.... WTF?! Lucky for us Kurt was at that class and promptly pulled him aside and made no mincing of words when he set him straight about shooting his mouth off.... aaaarrrrrggggghhhh. *deep breath, going another direction*

Tonight is date night! Ahhh, we're going with another couple out for dinner and Weißbier and then a concert..... sounds lovely, eh? Ah yes, and it will be a nice night out, with Kurt's former girlfriend and her husband, as we all take in the sounds of Maynard Ferguson and his high note trumpet and big band..... wouldn't necessarily be my pick for a date.... but then again, Kurt wouldn't necessarily chose to vacation in Munich and drink beer with me. So, that's how it works... a bit of give and take, as long as we're with each other, it will all be a good time! So, Prost!

Now, this Friday's photo challenge is "conspicuous". I have a perfect example... but I have never photo'd it. I drive by it every time I'm going to the dentist... it's near Kurt's work.... a US flag house. It is so tacky. These owners have chosen to paint their entire house in red, white and blue, stars and stripes..... UG! heh heh. Ah well. I'll have to think of something else to match the theme! Until then..... some pics from our walk last weekend. The dog and kids walked through the back woods, and down to the lake.

It's all about the hair

...ugh, and it's really bugging me lately. My own hair, that is.

I'm really a low maintenance girl, (aka, lazy), and lately it's taking a lot of effort to maintain these long locks. It's also taking longer because they're growing out, getting rattier looking. I'm getting long, fly-away/scraggly in places.... and stringy, greasy looking.... and then there's the fact that it touches my butt now....

Ah well, I made an appointment to have something done.... I'm not sure what I want... but it needs something. Perhaps a couple inches off the bottom... and a touch up with some sunshine. We'll see. Kurt hopes I wont be PMS'ing when I go in... hahahahahah

5brikstest

5brikstest
Originally uploaded by frau cowtown.

My entry for Foto Friday!!! What a perfect match to today's theme of "5"

Here's my capture of Kurt breaking 5 bricks!!!

I'm number 145 at Photo Friday!
OOOps, nope, actually a great photographer I "know" is number 145.... I'm number 140!

One can never have too many Birkenshhhhtocks!

I really must get a pair of clogs like these!!!! 'Eh?!!! =) ahhh, eBay!

End of the month crunch time

Things that happened all on September 30th.

1- sorted out payroll with the accountant. Paychecks ready for Oct. 1 pay day!

2- deposited monthly check from our collecting company.

3- filled out legal papers and fed-ex'd them overnight to lawyer to close grandma's house sale

4- drove and hour with Kurt, met with lawyer and the grand master to finally sign the papers making the sale of the school legal and officially done! We are the official owners!!!!!!

5- finalized the info to order the black belts and other inventory before my 5pm deadline so I could still receive my 10% discount for September orders! Faxed to the company!

6- sat in the hottub with Kurt and our red wine ...

...and all of this by 2:30pm.

Not too shaby for a Friday!

Wooly bear

Arriving home to a quiet house Friday morning

Ok, my mobile blogging is set up! heh!

Friday funny

I used to do this way back when I worked... B.C. That's, before children. (uh... tell jokes that is....)

So, a guy comes home from work one evening and shows his wife his new tattoo.... A tattoo of a hundred dollar bill 'round his ... um, junk..... ;)

The wife rolls her eyes and says, "why'd you go have a hundred dollars tattooed there???"

The husband replies cooly, "because sometimes I like to watch my money grow."
"...and sometimes I like to play with my money."
"... and now, I figure when you get the urge to go shopping, you don't have to. You can stay home and blow a hundred dollars!"

=)
ahhahhhahahaha I liked that one!

It was bound to happen

I'm really feeling inadequate. I'm having a hard time in this 'boss' role, especially when the big boss, master left it at... "I'm the silent partner." So, these 3 masters still really make me feel like I don't know what I"m doing. And, they're right, in a way. I'm new at this 'boss' business. As far as being a competent martial artist.... I'm completely confident that I'm as good as or better than them in the technical aspect... heck, i"m 20+ years their junior so I can kick higher, and I still remember my forms. Just a little side note from the test this past weekend.... Ya, I was pretty unimpressed with their performance. Sure, they have eons more teaching experience than I do... they've been doing the sport the entire time I've been alive.... but, wow, I was expecting more. Hmm. I guess, as the technical, do-ability, I feel I'm every bit as good... oh, but I repeat myself. So, why do they make me feel like such a pee-on? Or is that Peon?!
Sure, I'm not doing things exactly the same way the grand master did... Like, I'm cleaning up the supply cabinet. I've pulled out all 100+, random color belts that were just taking up valuable realestate. I bring the belts over for the students who passed their test and clearly state in the bright, red notebook on the desk... yes, that one with the, "INSTRUCTORS, READ DAILY!!!" noted on the front in black, bold marker... yes, that one. I clearly instructed not to hand out belts until the following Monday. Well, now, I'm not only missing belts today.... not only did they hand them out early, when I told them not to, they didn't check belt sizes so now I do not have the right ones for the right kids.... GRRRRR And then, they're too above answering emails or even bothering to read them. This one teacher, ya, the same one that's been a pain since the get-go, decided he'd disregard my new attendance sheet.... scribble on it and do it his way. Then he took off another important paper that I explained in my lowly email... he took it off the table, and decided to make up his own half-assed list for another matter. AAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGG. Ya, so I probably came off as a bitch on the phone to him this afternoon... but, damn it, I was steamed.... his stupid response, "well, I didn't understand it"... then I threw back, well it is very clearly stated what is needed on that chart for the people to fill in... and if you had bothered to read your email I also explained it there. *RRRGGGH* I was just telling Kurt, "why does he piss me off? Doesn't he have a woman at home and know what not to do???" I just get a laugh in response! This is really becomming a pain. You know, I spell it out... I send out emails... yet, somehow, I'm being ignored. And it's really starting to piss me off.

Had another interesting information bit told to me this evening by one of the parents.... seems a nasty rumor is spreading 'round cowtown that the grand master is retiring... well, true.... and that his school is going out of business... and not to buy uniforms from him anymore. This from one of our former/current student that runs the program through the park district....He used to associate himself with our school back when the grand master was running it... shoot, now it's just Kurt and me.... seems he finds it below himself to continue on this association with us since we're now running the show and has been passing the word on to his students and parents. Nice. How come he didn't have the balls to tell me in person?

I swear, it was all fun and giggles when I was the only girl in the bar after the test... hanging with all the boys. Fun times. Hmmm, seems some of the boys don't play so nicely when girls are around. I'm finding it can be a pain with these same guys in the group. What? don't they take me seriously? Seems the master I was paired up with while free fighting at our test on Saturday ought to take me seriously. Kurt tells me he was shocked to see his wife fighting so good. Damn, that was nice to hear!! Ok, I felt really on my game while sparring this guy, and sparring the other woman I was paired with first. Ya, he was probably taking it a bit easy with me, being a girl and all... but I still felt evenly matched for most of the fight. Sure I took one glove in my face...my fault though, I dropped my block. But, I think that's when it sank in that it doesn't hurt to get hit... and I laid into him.... payback time. And you know, come to think of it... I was going easy on him too... I didn't land my kick to his unblocked head... twice. Nor did I hit him in the face at least 2 times that I took the opening. I put my glove in there.... or my foot up to his head and pulled it back. He knew I was in, I knew I scored. That's really how the game is played. It's not about trying to really knock the other guy out. You know when you've let your guard down.
Ok... that's enough of that rant.... I think I"m just spinning.... let's see some pictures from the fun Saturday test.... where Kurt broke 10 inches of solid concrete with his hand! And, I broke 4 inches of solid concrete with my hand... although you'll have to take my word for it.... middle K just caught me, from my wide hips down, looking over a heap of broken concrete. You can't see a face at all... sigh.... but, just ask anyone who was there... I did it!

what are the chances of this?

0926051319.jpg
Originally uploaded by frau cowtown.

So, I leave the bank this morning... and the only cars in the lot are these 3 identical ones!! Heh, I just had to snap it!

Can you tell which one is mine? Why, it's the middle one! ;) hahahahaha

Indian Summer

...As a friend so aptly noted. It's been sunny and hot... but I think that was the last hot day. Of course, I've been saying that for the 3 or 4 previous scorchers each time we get one... "this will be the last hot day..." Maybe now that it's officially fall, we can carry on with the sunny, cool, crisp days!

The obligatory pup picture...


Well, the business is settling down. At least, it feels that way to me. Kurt still feels we have so much... which we do, but maybe I'm now just allowing myself to stay in the here and now... "what can we get done today?" I'll get some official documents and contracts to the printer today, tomorrow is my meeting with the accountant and Sat. is our special black belt testing. It's a big to-do... complete with Korean masters judging the event, plenty of bricks to be broken, and nearly all of us top dog, instructors being promoted.... Not too much pressure... *snort*, ya right.
Last night was a standard promotion at the school. The big boss, master was there as a judge. We were to run the show.

Fast forward, oh, 10 hours... and I'm in a completely different state of mind. Today has run the gammit. Start with having my mom over to watch the kids..... 'nuf said. And, take over with Kurt calling me 10 mins before I leave the house to get the kids and "start" my day.... I'm like.... "Kurt, I've been telling you on many occasions throughout the day... I'm really tense, and not having a good day.... and now you want me to call this guy re: our karate school stuff.... I'm still trying to settle myself down mentally..... and I have 10mins left for myself...."

...sigh... now, I end up calling the guy. And, basically tell him, I have 5 mins and then I'm out the door.... Turns out, he's on the West coast, so we'll speak again this evening... 6pm my time is still 4pm on the coast... ok. I call up Kurt in near giggles.... like, "ohmygod, I could hardly concentrate on the phone call!!! He's totally from Canada!!!" hahahahah.. Kurt's like, well, ya, as a matter of fact, they're from Vancouver! Hahahahaha, I knew it! I could hardly contain my giggles.... THEY DO SAY "A BOOOOOT" hahahahah not, "about"... it's all "ABOOOOT" laughing my freakin' fat ass off over that. Ok, so yes, I'm in about 4th grade! hahahah.... His accent was totally great!!! Ahem.

So, fast forward to this evening... I'm into my 2nd or 3rd glass of red wine and I call him.... I'm all giggles, because now I have Kurt eggin' me on in the background.... so I compose myself, and figure... "let's just get this over with.. out of the way...."

I say..."so, um, where are you guys located?"
he's like "we're actually in Vancouver"
*snicker* muffle, muffle, *snicker...* lol
he's like, "could you tell? Did I say "eh" (pronounced AY) too much?!!
hahahahah
Well, I had to confess.... I told him it was the ABOOT that really caught my attention.

Ya, like I said, I'm a 10 year old.

He was such a good sport.... so we had a moment of good fun at George Bush's expense... hahaha... and then back to business! It was good to get that out of the way.... then I could fully concentrate!!!

Heh. I've never actually heard the Canadian accent spoken... just read abooot it.... hahahah... it's great fun to hear!!! LOLOL

Ok.... hey, give me some wine and I'm very, very easily amused!

=)

All is good again!

Now to set up internet and business stuff.... naturally, the first thing I installed was the Sims!!! Priorities, ya know! And, man, it zoooooooooooms!!! What fun to play Sims the way it was meant to be played!! I love my speeedy machine! =)

Happy Oktoberfest! Don't worry, Kurt, I didn't forget Oktoberfest! ;)

Well, it took the tooth fairy a damn long time to arrive.... 4 days. Sigh, what was the matter with her? Busy, or something??! heh.

What else?? Hmm. Oh, no laptop yet... I think I'll call the shop today and find out what's up... goodness, the store it was coming from was maybe an hour away.... I could have driven there and picked it up myself! sheesh.

Went looking at one building yesterday... nah, too big, not the right layout... sigh. The other one we were set to see had been sold the previous day. There are not too many buildings this month. Either the size is too big, or the location is off the beaten path.... nothing right yet. So, we've started looking for a building to lease. I'm thinking of a good place right next to the local grocery store. As Kurt says to me, "how long does it take you to shop?" And I tell him, "without kids, 45 mins..." Perfect! Now to see how much rent they're looking at....

Our Friday instructor is going out of town this weekend, and needs one of us to cover for him... sigh... then tomorrow, our 8am instructor will be gone. Kurt will cover for that one, I'll probably go in to start today's class... since we need someone there an hour ahead to open up... and Saturday has traditionally been a good sale day, so, guess I'll be back to organize the last 2 classes then too!

I've already picked up some Brats and sauerkraut, Warsteiner Bier, and Zwiebelnkartofeln to celebrate in our own little way on Saturday, the official kick-off of Oktoberfest!!! I tried a version of Wiess bier from our local store, some Kristalle weiss bier.... AAAck, es schmects horrid! Even Kurt didn't want to drink it... heh. I should probably just pick up some good ol' Heffeweissen bier!

wow, another crash, bang storm

This is twice now that we've been targeted by the gods of lightning! Another huge crash at 3am, woke the whole house up.... middle K was wandering around turning lights on ... I had to go downstairs to investigate.... He tells me half asleep that he's wondering where the dog was..... So I check to make sure the door didn't blow open allowing her to wander outside... nope. Then he tells me, he thinks she's eating.... which was why the pantry light was on... I'm like, "ok, so what? She's hungry. Then he's worried about leaving the cat out.... sigh.... aaaaaggghhhh. All the while, I'm walking him back to his room... assuring him the cat is fine, the dog will be back in to sleep in your room when she's finished eating... licht auf.... tuck him back in bed.... wander up the kids staircase and see that they are still all in bed, close some windows... we went from 90 to 50 .... brrrr, what a storm.

As I wander down the driveway to take the kids to the bus... I see that we did get another strike... a huge tree branch is down. The tree at the road was hit, and broke off down the middle of its trunk... looks like it must have been blocking the drive... as I think I see drag marks on our driveway. Kurt must have moved it so we could get by.... branches, twigs, leaves down everywhere.... Wow. That's 2 storms. Don't things happen in 3's, they say??! heh. Ah, Kurt just called and clarified.... he dragged the tree with his car and a tow rope... ja, duh, makes sense, it's a huge chunk of tree that came down! Ya, I'll do a camera pic and upload it to flickr!

Well, it's tea time this morning... 'cause damn it if I'm tired again... busy, busy.... and tired. I really have to quit partying at 3am.... and get to sleep earlier. Maybe I'll push the last blood sugar check up a 1/2 hour to 9:30pm.... and then call it a night......

just another day

All went well at the dentist yesterday... turns out little K-W just had some fleck of food/tiny popcorn shell... something, logded up into his gum. Dug it out with a quick "OW" from the boy, took an xray that showed all was well, shot some antibiotic goo under the gum and he was on his way. Phew. After sufficiently numbing up little cee, he pulled not just 2, but 2 baby teeth that were wiggly. It was such a nothing, that poor little cee's tears were all for show.... "what, it's over, that's it??" heh Sigh

Driving back home I call Kurt, we'll be passing by his work right about the time he goes to lunch... how convenient! So, he tells me to meet him at this restuarant... Yay, lunch with dad! By the time I arrive home I decide to just leave the kids at home... rather than put them in school for an hour and me have to continue to run around driving them here and there for the next hour.

So, that was the day. Much of nothing new.... I'm sitting here now thinking, "that was anticlimactic".... end of story... nothing to say... hahahaha.... blah, blah. I'm going back to bed.... oh wait, I have to drive the big kid to school in a half hour.... then it's on to my shopping and tending the karate school.... Maybe tomorrow will be more interesting.....

And I thought the heat was gone...

Yesterday and through Tues we'll see 34C.... ja, 94 outside.... aack!

Still busy, and I think that will be the new theme... so I just have to work on adjusting to it.... I was feeling overwhelmed yesterday that my weekend was rushing by too quickly... heh. Welcome to the working world, 'eh?!

I started working out again. On Kurt's birthday, I joined a women's 30 min. workout place... works all the muscles, including for me, the most important one, the heart. It's a great cardio workout... I keep in the 90% for 25 mins... and I shoot for 3 days a week. Haven't made it yet, but I do get in 1 or 2 days a week. I am finally sick of being fat. I thought I merely had 15 pounds extra on me... well, when I weighed in.... 22 pounds. I've let myself go to fat in the 5 months since little cee was diagnosed. So, I've decided das ist genug! I'm sick of my fat face, my thick bod... And, if I quit getting my Mon, Wed, Fri's goofed up, I can get in my workout 3 days a week.

Anyways, this Monday, tomorrow, I won't be going as I have to take little cee and little K-W up to the dentist. Ya, seems little cee was not willing to wiggle out the 2 baby teeth from in front of her big teeth that have come in.... looks pretty funny to have 4 teeth where only 2 should be. So, the dentist will have to pull the baby ones tomorrow. Little KW has developed a blister on his gum above his one tooth.... hmmmm, as I recall, I think that means trouble with the root of his tooth.... sigh. And, we were just at the dentist in July.... with a clean bill of health.... *grumble, grumble*

Then, if after the 2 hour roundtrip carride there is still some school day left, I'll be dropping them back at school. I'll have to skip the Monday grocery shopping... and then I'm off to work on my day off.... I have 2 new students coming in to sign up (pay money!)... so, for that I'll go in.... Another prospective student coming in Tues evening and yet another dad brining in his kid for a free trial lesson.... It's good, lots of business.... but wow, busy, busy!!

But, of course, the best part.... Kurt and I had a date last evening... we were going out to dinner, but decided to see what Best Buy had first. We found a new laptop for me!! It has to be shipped from another store, but it will be here in 3-5 days for me~!!!! Yay! Let's see if I can find the one..... Well, seems the store is sold-out, it's no longer on their site... but here's the pic anyways!! Can't wait!

so we're coming to the end of week 2

...of middle school that is. And, I've driven to the school twice now with middle K for books that he forgot to bring home, he's received two "H's" for missing homework, which also results in an immediate phone call home to tell the parent of the infraction, and he missed the bus yesterday because he couldn't get his locker open.

We're off to a good year, 'eh?!

Sigh.

I was so wound yesterday. 2 beers, a soak in the hottub, I sank into bed finally and woke up with a hangover/headache today.

Work yesterday. I get the phone call at work, "mom, I missed the bus..." Oh brother, what to do... I'm expecting him to arrive home to babysit the little kids that I leave at home for 20 mins until his arrival.... aaack! Kurt's at work, which is a minimum of 45 mins away.... I'm at work and expecting students and/or teacher to arrive... how can I leave....??? Ya, I'm sure many a working mom has been here before me... but, sheesh.....

Then, come class time and no instructor shows up. I'm here with our summer schedule still in place.... ( class times have been trimmed)... and I have nearly 30 students and I'm running the show.... Kurt is on his way home, he'll go pick up middle K, and "oh, please phone home to let the kids know what's what."

Class is chaotic, but we finish and noone is injured.

Next class starts and the other instructor is not showing up. I call Kurt in a panic saying... "this is it... they've quit on us all... look at this mess...." I call over to that instuctor's house.... ready to say, "ahh, so you don't have the nerve to tell me to my face that you quit... you'll just not show up and 'show me'" ... good thing I spoke more civilized than my brain was screaming.... turns out, noone bothered to tell me that every other Wednesday, he doesn't get off work until 5:30, so he'll be running about 10 mins late.... it's my class again. AAAAAAAACCCCCCCCCCCCCCKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK, because there's nearly 30 students here. The phone is ringing... on the third try I find out it's the big boss... calling from Arizona....

Could this story get any more frustrating....??

Thank goodness... Kurt walked in, the teacher walked in.... I found an upper black belt adult to start class with warm-ups... delegate... what a great word!

Ya, just jump on in to the workin' world!

So, Kurt went and rescued middle K from the school, popped in on the kids and sorted their affairs out... came to the karate school to rescue me.... trial by fire? In over my head? Hmmmmm.... but more people sign up... money keeps comin' in.... all will be ok....

Sheesh. I'll get the hang of this.... it's just a bumpy road a bit for a couple months I suspect....

Well, that was a long ramble. And I didn't even get to the part of the story where the nurse called me from school.... little cee had a blood sugar of 37... sigh... and was working fast to stablalize her, giving her juice, and "oh, the water main broke here, so school is cancelled for the day. Can you come get the kids before 11am?' OHMIGOD, it's only 10:30am... I haven't washed my floors yet... you can't be serious....

What a freakin' day. It was definately a 2 beer day. And, a soak in the hottub day. And I was still wound up at bedtime.....

Isn't life exciting??!!!

Man I ramble.............when on my second glass of Shiraz..... =))

a week or so later...

....and the first school pics are here. Well, it's a busy week again here... but we're making money, so all's good.

I really have to stop walking and taking my pictures.... I just downloaded about 50 from my camera, and most are all blurry.... very frustrating... even the Bavarian ones..... grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

drunk blogging

ahhhhh, Murphy's Irish stout. And, we learned how to pour it at our last business meeting.....( this post would be really funny without all the back spacing and corrections.... maybe I'll leave them for a moment...) It's not very high in the alcohol content... but, man, still feels like it packs a punch!

Just a thought I had this eveing.... a funny thought.... One has such a catpive audience when a child is sitting on the toiliet waiting forme to bring in some more rolls of tilet paper...... "maaaaahhhm, I can't get up, get me some paper...." So, I use that time to spell out our new rules that have consequences and rewards.... heh. Captive audience! Of course she says to me.... "hurry up, I'm not going to sit here all day...." hahahahahah

ah well, it struck me funny at the time..... ok. Back to our scheduled weekend.

Oooh, do you know, last night was so superb.... the boys did a sleep over at their friends' house... and the girl did a sleepover at her friend's house! How cool was that? No kids in the house! Imagine, you pickup a room... and come back a couple hours later to find.... IT'S STILL CLEAN! What a concept! Anyways... today was spent, with our noisy 3, and we completed my new home office for work stuff! It'll be good to have everything in one place! ... and it looks so nice! Ya, I know... pics to follow.... 'cept, I still don't have a computer... so I haven't hooked up my USB cord to the computer to get the pics off my camera.... soon, soon.....

That's all....

3 days in and I'm having a ball

It's great running the business! A little overwhelming at times, definately have lots of balls in the air during the busy class times... but, it's great!

For all intents and purposes we are the new owners. Our last meeting, on Aug 31 we sat on the porch, beers open, signing papers. After dinner and drinks with the 3 head teachers and the big boss it was time to go. He walked to the car with us, opened up his trunk, and handed over the "top secret envelopes", as he laughingly called them, and said he wanted a hug from me! With that he was off on his 2 week vacation! He'll still be around, but travelling and enjoying his retirement more. The first day in the office, sitting in his chair, at his desk, while I was all alone in the school.... it felt a bit sad to me. This is his office..... Ya, I was sad. I'm going to miss him. What a great honor, to be given his business. The business he gave birth to. He came to America, and had the drive to start a school.... he's been running this since I was born, my entire lifetime. That's a long time.

He's called us a few times at home, once at school... not to check up on us... as he said, he knows his place... but really just to see how we were getting along, and to offer any help or advice if we needed. sigh. Well, we're having fun... and making money along the way... heh... that's always nice!

Now, it's on to our long, fun, gorgeous weekend!

...and then you realize

...that you don't get to sleep in anymore.

I'm tired. But, so much to do, so much to do. I am enjoying the new job of karate school owner. It's waaay more about running the business than it is the teaching. No students, noone to teach. Pretty simple concept. So, ya, I'm happy we listened to the advise of the boss... keep on your teachers and we concentrate on running. I'm off to the accountant today. I'm hoping our meeting today will be better than my first contact. I need her to take the initiative and tell me what the steps are for opening a business. I don't even know what questions to ask, much less how to get those things done. heh. And, that's what I'm paying her to do, 'eh, get me up and running. Let's hope she does that.

The contract from the lawyer will be emailed to us today for our approval... then it's just off for the signing. Wow, Sept. 1st is coming up fast.

It's really going to happen - 12 hours from now

...and I'll have 2 kids packed off to school. 'Bout time! Then our oldest is off to middle school. Man, when did he get so old?

Friday's orientation over at the middle school was fun... I thought! heh. Unfortunately he is not on the same team as his best friend, but their schedules do have some overlap in the classes at the end of the day. So, all is ok. ;)

Saturday was my full workday at the karate school. I signed up my first student!! Even got him started in class! A guy and his kid just walked in, and I signed them up for the year! Cool! We are getting closer. This time, the school sale will be a done deal. We're busy turning over insurance coverage, utilities bills, phone service, contracts, etc. Next up, signing with the lawyer. We still have much to do to get organized. I have to have new things printed up with our corp. name on it... student sign-up cards, receipts... and the like. Kurt will go visit the cute Russian girlfriend at our bank and see about setting up our corporate banking.... Wow, there certainly is a lot to do when you have your own business!!

Saturday evening we hosted the big von S semi-anual birthday party. 27 guests, 13 of them celebrating bdays! The weather cooperated, Tabi had a puppy friend to play with, overall, the party was a success, and the dog slept well last night!

So, backpacks are loaded down with the necessary supplies, clothes are set out, showers have been taken, 2 boys' heads given a clean, buzz cut..... we're ready! Bring on the big, yellow bus!

Pics to follow, of course!

Are you sitting down?

We, meaning Kurt, I, the big boss and his wife, met with the lawyer today.

Oh ya, I typed correctly. We have all sat down, hammered out details, shook hands, and by the end of next week we'll be signing the papers. The school is closer to ours.

Oh man, I'm going to be the president of our company! How totally exciting. How totally overwhelming! I meet with our accountant on Tues, one week from today to learn all about the business side of the business. wow. Pretty cool!

On another exciting note... I've just about purchased all the school supplies..... we're T-minus 2 days left!!! Can I get a big YAHOOOOOOOOOOO! Oh yes, Kurt, I'm shouting! heh. Heck, I've survived 11 weeks with the kids at home! That's deserving of at least a shout out, eh?!!

an evening playing Ghost in the Graveyard

.... that was us adults playing ghost in the graveyard with the kids. Heh. We spent yesterday evening at Kurt's brother and sister-in-law's house! Good dinner, plenty of wine or beer, fun conversation, sitting 'round the fire pit on their new stone patio... and finally we decided to join the kids running around playing in the dark before we finally left!

Well, it's been a whirlwind week.

Wed, it's Kurt's bday and this was the first of many phone calls from the big boss since he gave our money back the previous Sat.

Thursday morning I'm awakened by a phone call telling me he's made a decision to go with the 3 other head instructors. Ok. I call Kurt and we work through all the emotions.... many phone calls..... then Kurt decides to ask him 'why if we were given first choice, did he go with this?' .... I get a phone call back from Kurt asking me if I want a school. That evening we meet and Kurt gives him back the full payment for the school. It's a done deal. He tells his head instructors this is finished now. (Hmmmmmmmmm), the business is sold, it's over.

Fast forward to Sunday, today, and we're meeting at his house so we can put all our ideas, questions on paper to speed up the meeting with the lawyer coming up this Tues.

Do you think it's for real this time? We'll see...............................

Morning, love!

Happy Birthday, Sweetie!!!

I need a computer

I'm so pathetic..... I lunge at the computer and the internet connection when Kurt brings home his laptop from work and connects to the internet!!! hahahah.... pathetic, eh?! ;)

So, it's going to be 92 by Friday..... sigh.....

Our money for the karate school was given back to us and I was fired not needed to teach anymore, but "nothing has changed".... ya. You go figure it out..... I've been doing lots of soul searching .... feeling restless, mixed up.... anxious.... inside, and I just can't put my finger on why. Maybe it's because of this latest outcome, maybe it's 'cause my oldest is going to middle school in 10 days.... maybe I'm thinking of redirecting my energies to the house and home... being a mom and wife and housekeeper.... I dunno.

How come there's no stinkin' chocolate in the house again????? I was just at the store today and I didn't buy any. I have it programmed out of my head when I'm shopping... then I get home and it hits me that there is no freakin' chocolate to be found. ACK!

Oh, but, this is my latest fascination....
http://www.dodge.com/caravan/?pid=10423482&adid=11475240&rid=google
big enough to cart around 6 kids! heh.... 'cause I love hangin' with kids! =))

Ok.... enough ramblin. Besides, the battery is almost dead on the laptop.... sigh....

bis spaeter!

just sit right back and you'll hear a tale

....a tale of a fateful night. To steal the lyrics from 'Gilligan's Island'.... I'm sitting here on the floor of the barn. Want to know why? I'm going to tell it anyways.

Friday night, around 1am, in the middle of our first thunderstorm this summer.... a fierce thunder storm a huge, loud bolt of lightning strikes so very near our house.... we jump about 2 feet off the bed, the dog is startled.... weird how close and loud it sounded. Fast forward to 5am, Kurt is heading to his car to go to work and he see fire in the woods, our woods. He goes to the house to get a bucket of water to put out the fire, climbs up the hill and sees that the 8 foot diameter fire is not burning anything.... no wood, no grass... nothing. Now, he also realizes that he's being stung, and bees are clinging to him.... he didn't realize he stepped right into a bees nest on his way up the hill... and the angry bees are biting him, clinging to him, burrowing in to his skin.... I'm startled awake from my drug-induced sleep.... (still tossing and turning and stewing and giving myself a headace over karate and diabetes at midnight, I take a Tylenol PM which will put me into a deep sleep for 8 hours) ... by Kurt's bellow to come down.... I couldn't hear what he was saying.... but rather reacted to the urgency of his voice.... I check for any further bees, assure him he will not go into anaphylactic shock.... that will happen within 30 seconds if it's going to happen.... then I understand he's saying we have our gas line on fire from the lightning strike.... So, it becomes most urgent to call the fire department..... they arrive, along with the gas company, who shut off the main feed at the road, and the fire goes out.... a few hours later, they have uncovered our gas line and find a golf ball -sized hole in the gas line... all fixed and we have gas again. We still have no phone lines and our water well seems to be acting up now..... we hope it hasn't gone dry with the drought.... sigh... that would be another 10grand to drill a deeper well..... Ohhhh, right, bonus, 3 computers, 1 computer monitor and 1 alarm clock has also been zapped and fried beyond repair.... waaaahhhh, one of those computers.... was mine.... gone. Fried. All my stuff, lost..... fuck. Can it get any worse???

Oh yes! It did..... but that's another story for another time..... Kurt wants some time on the computer, his computer with the part of the phone line that he did repair..... tomorrow, we'll try to manage the phone wires to the main house so we can have phone service again..... waaaaahhhh. I'm so sad. So, sad.

11% of all 722 photos

wales67
Originally uploaded by frau cowtown.

It's complete... I chose 11% of all my pictures! Heh, doesn't mean the rest were junk.... mostly, just lots of rocks (castle ruins) and insides of pubs! What a great trip it was indeed!

So, go on now.... take a peek. Certainly I'm the only one with a slow connection... oh, and Kurt at work too! ;)

A little bit of this and that

wales48
Originally uploaded by frau cowtown.

I've added a few more pictures from the Wales trip to my flickr set. Only 1 final memory card, 142 pictures, to sort through now and end the trip! Heh.

Now, the good thing about our business meetings is they either take place in a bar or on someone's deck. Either way, adult beverages are on hand! Today's meeting took place at 2pm, on our new partner's deck with the big boss. So, there we have it, the latest of updates in the karate saga. Over Corona beers we hammered out some of the general things, and we have a new partner. No one has told the other instructor... the only one who we all know will go through the roof when he hears this latest news. He's the one who has been throwing wrenches in the works from the get-go... or so we think. On the up side, the price has come down, naturally, and the new partner is a guy who we can totally work with. A great guy, a terrific instructor, so generally a perfect asset to this business. We'll hammer out some more details when we get together for another meeting on our deck and/or in the hottub with the cold drinks this Wednesday. heh.

Oy, what a ride, 'eh?!

The new classes schedule is in effect this week. My hours are 1 hour early (now I know) to open up shop on Tues, Wed and Thurs. I'll then teach the first class on Wed and Thurs. And of course, there are 2 of my Friday morning classes left in the summer as well. Then I promised the kids that I'd finally take them and friends to the pool this week. It's going to be in the 90's by Wed..... And, we could use just a little hanging out, doing nothin' at the pool for the final 18 days before school starts.....

But who's countin'?!

;)

hhahahahahahahahahahahha

80 effing 9 degrees again

A few years ago I would have loved a summer like this. Scorching hot and dry. Now, I'm sick of it. We get a break tomorrow, 81... but then it's back to the same ol' heat.

Then add to my discomfort and I get the boss yelling at me today as I walked in the door at 3:30, like I said I would. Oh no, I must have misunderstood, I need to come at 3pm.... Yelling at me like I'm an idiot and don't have a clue how to run the business. That coming off of a frantic call from the kids at home who couldn't figure out how to babysit themselves and fighting amoungst themselves.... sent me to the bathroom in tears. I call Kurt and tell him how sick of the shit we've been taking from him for the past several months. I'm ready to storm out there and tell him to write us a check for our money and we're gone. Kurt was behind any decision I felt necessary to make. I'm getting real tired of "yes sir'ing" to everything, and being talked to like I wouldn't know the first thing about what he does each day... how he comes in so early... and do I remember what happened to D? (oh, sure now throw in a threat....) except he was not comparing me to her.... so he said. WTF? I've just about had enough of him pushing me around.

We'll see.

*deep breath*

So, I taught class and actually found myself not thinking about it and got wrapped up in teaching some new white belts, with a smile on my face... like I was actually enjoying it. I got over it. Sort of. I just don't feel desperate. I don't need his charity. I don't need this business. It's a good position to be in. Thankfully, I can afford it, being in this position, that is. My family comes first, so that's the thought that helped me pull it together enough to leave the bathroom. He called me over for a chat then. "First thing," he says. "don't be so sensitive." I'm supposed to just let it go in one ear and out the next when he yells. He yells at all the instructors. Even in front of others.

Ya, well, that's one thing we feel is handled poorly. Anyways. It's been a hell of a day. Tomorrow can only be better, 'eh?

The best thing for me

I had such an awesome time with our German family. I spoke almost entirely in German yesterday that it seemed really odd to switch to English the times I did for the kids... I was speaking to everyone in German that I found myself thinking and talking to myself in German! How cool is that. And now, I know it will be gone soon.... noone to have conversations with.... sigh.

So, it was another scorcher here in Chicago... we decided to rent a motor boat and cruise some of the lakes in the chain of lakes up here. We spent an hour zipping around, bouncing on the waves! Then, after a lunch of corn on the cob that we picked up earlier at the Woodstock Farmer's Markt, we decided to go to the Stadt Schwimbad! Kurt came home early from work, so he picked up the big kids from their canoe camp and brought them along to the pool! It was a great time! We left the pool at 1700 and came home to change for dinner on the river, our favorite river restuarant! After that it was back to our house for some Wein in unser Garten! They really enjoyed sitting on the porch with the fountain and no mosquitos! It was very pleasant at night.... thankfully, it does cool off a bit when the sun goes down!

What a great time. It was too short. I cried a bit when I dropped them off at the bus... sigh. They have invited us to Munich. Kurt says we can go in two years!! Vielleicht, Oktoberfest, 2007!

Their band is now off for more concerts in New York and Washington before heading back to Munich. I'm going to be following their adventure through the pictures and stories that one of their members updates on their website!!! Check it out!

And now, back to work I go... I have lots to do with the karate stuff....

The germans

The germans
Originally uploaded by frau cowtown.

Oh man! So, their bus was a bit late... I had to leave and pick up the big kids from nature camp, drop them off at home, instruct them not to mess up the house... and go back to get the Germans! No problem!

Now, they are a lovely family from Zolling, Bavaria! And, they speak about as much English as I speak German. So, we have my handy German-English dictionary for the occassional odd word, and we're managing just splendid! Actually, much of the conversation is in German! I know my grammar is horrible, but I can put a hodge podge sentence together to get my meaning across! heh! Good fun to practice speaking again!! Yay! It came back so easily... sheesh, even found myself speaking German to the dog last night... hahaha

Anyways, the fun continued at a concert on the beach... There I am surrounded by 60+ Bavarians all in their excellent outfits... lederhosen und trachten!! Oh my gosh, I was in heaven. I mean could it get any better than this?? Well, ja, seems the Americans don't know you need a Bier Garten when listening to Deutschlieder und schunckeln! (that was our German lesson for the night!)

Anyways, I'm off to plan an outing for today and figure out if I can juggle kids and perhaps rent a bigger van.... sigh...

tschuess!

Crazy-ness

I have 2 hours to clean the 3 remaining rooms in the main house..... hah hah... can she do it?! Then I'm off to pick up our family from Munich! Thank you, Kaydee, for the menu suggestions! I've decided on the cajun jambalya, a greens salad with ranch dressing, and some Red Stripe beer from Jamaica or the Corona beer from Mexico. For breakfast, we have bagels and cream cheese, meats, eggs, and "Strong, hot coffee"!! There's also orange juice and sweet muffins! I've also found a bunch of other items that may not be familiar... such as Hawaiian bread!

The family is in for a surprise... I wonder what they'll think about all my German stuff around the house!!! hahahahah Ah yes, I'm eccentric! And crazy. What am I still doing on the internet when there's a house to put together?!!

heh.

More later.....

so....

The Germans are coming! We have to clean the houses and plan a menu and outings itinerary.... "here's some cows," "and here's some more cows..." exciting times... heh Oh, and we have to cut down the forest of trees that grew up in our yard while we were gone.... Pictures to follow, because it really is quite a sight....

And now, a shout out to Walter! "HEY! You rock, dude!!" See, my sister, Barb visited our house yesterday... she's in town from L.A. ...and, Walter was shooting a film in Germany for the past 2 months... and he brought home loads of Kinder Shokolade for ME!! the kids! Lots of different kinds.... Kinder duplo, Kinder country.... Kinder eggs.... ooooh, yummy! Thanks guys!

Crikey

wales00
Originally uploaded by frau cowtown.

722 photos.

Yes, I am uber photo dork. heh. Kurt even had to buy another memory card for my camera while in Cardif, because I would just not have enough room for all the photos yet to be taken by day 9!

I've started the first installment from the first card which held 197 photos. I only put up 10% of them.... and that's enough for today!

Now to get back to laundry and putting a little something together for our wonderful hosts, our good friends, Roddy and Alison!

Cheers, buds!