I haven’t complained here about this, my very favorite place to
complain and I haven’t said a word.  But today was THE
absolfuckinglutely LAST straw!

The landlord is replacing the roof and today AFTER they took the last
tile off it rained.  No wait, it didn’t rain, it poured. 
Wait, it flooded!  Yes, that’s it, it flooded.  My living
room and entry hall flooded.  About 2 hours after it quit raining
and just seconds before the landlords son came up with a water vac I
burst into tears.  This was after the emergency call to Bear
telling him to get his butt home.  First day off vacation and I
call him home  Remember my cute little “room” that I built for our
incoming house guests?  Flooded!  Mike’s couch which we were
keeping for him got rained on, so did my brand spanking new poster from
my trip to Ireland.  I looked up and wow….a waterfall on my
wall.  Let me tell you, pictures just don’t do it justice. 
Poor Stefan (landlords grown son) ((accent on the last syllable)) comes
into my apartment to find me with a bucket full off filthy water,
mopping like a mad woman and bawling like a 2 year old.  Rofl,
serves him right.  Poor guy, you should have seen his face. 
Like most men confronted with a crying woman all he said over and over
and over was “I’m so sorry.”

 So, because I’m a masochist and for
insurance purposes….I took pictures. 

We came home one day and found this.

My kitchen window is on the funny little bump out thing  Our roof
window is the larger one on the left.  When they say under the
roof they mean it.

This is the very last smile you will see on my face.

The rain started about an hour later.  In fact after this one
Stefan took a picture of me pointing behind him at the black clouds
headed our way.

They very shortly started trying to get the roof covered but the storm moved a whole lot faster than the roofers did.

Look a waterfall……..

This is my newly purchased “Cliffs of Moher” poster.  One of the
souvenirs I brought back from mine and Allie’s trip to Ireland last
week.  Honestly, I thought it would last longer than a couple of
weeks.

*Le Sigh*

It sure was a shock to look up from mopping and see a steady stream of water running down the wall.

This is the window frame that I was hanging out of a couple of pictures back.

This is in the entry hall to the apt.  Shortly after this pieces of plaster started coming down.

Mike’s couch is under this beam, lol.  Can’t wait to break that to him….I wonder if a blow dryer would help?

The chaos platz sign has never been more true than it was today.

See the crack, that’s what their insurance will fix among other
things.  After all, isn’t this what homeowners insurance is
for? 

Doesn’t look that bad from here…..

See how wet that box looks on the bottom, when I picked it up it caved
in on itself and half a bucket of water went all over me, the floor and
the tiny part of the bed that was dry.

The good news is nothing in the box was ruined.  The bad news is
nothing in the box belongs to me, it all belongs to Heather and Carrie,
I was supposed to send it to them as soon as I got their new
address. 

More good news, the landlords son took ALL of the bedding to wash in the hotel washers.  Let’s be grateful for tiny favors.

Look it’s covered!

Better late than never I suppose. 
You know it didn’t rain here for about 2 or 2.5 weeks.  They
pulled the roof off and it rained.  I think someone in the
landlords house needs to work on their karma. 

Despite my bitching my losses are minimal.  More than anything my
nerves are shot.  Nothing a nice bottle of Kabinett won’t
cure.  It’s now 8:30 PM and they finally finished covering the
roof to their satisfaction, good lord I’m glad to hear the tail end of
that for the night. 

Okay the wah of the day is done…I’m sure there will be more tomorrow for your reading pleasure.

(you know I’m actually really pissed about my poster.)

http://www.williamledbetter.com/


Pictures NEVER do justice to what you can see with the naked eye, but I’m telling you this, she is beautiful.  The Muse of Literature in the Vatican Museum.

This is from way back in April.  I doubt I will even try to catch up with my pictures or blogs.  I have been to many places in too short a time period.  So in lieu of that I’ll put up things as I think of them and the muse moves me.

I remember walking into this round room that some wise person had painted red and seeing all the muses.  I saw her and thought of Bill who has a real love/hate/love relationship with this particular muse.  So here she is.  I’m always doing that, seeing something that reminds me of someone I met here and don’t actually know.  Like when I found the tiny childrens book with Cappy on the cover and immediately bought them for notagoose.  Thank God my husband is so completely inurred to my odd behavior he doesn’t mind that I send total strangers presents, postcards and randomly take pictures because it reminds me of a favorite xangan.  In fact if I say xanga!  he doesn’t even bat an eye.





Case in point….this is for my favorite Johnny Depp fan………..

This is in Rorshach, Switzerland.  I wonder which came first the movie or the bar?

All I know is when I saw it, I thought of  Sandy ….Mmmm, Johhny.  The only guy I know that looks good in that much eyeliner.



Then when I was in Austria I thought of Morgane and Cork.  Why you may ask?  I’ll tell you…. of course…..  (no links, they’re both private I do believe.)

They’re both Australian.

Huh? you say.

Why would being in Austria make you think of  Australians?

Very simple, let a silly picture answer that question.







Exactly how many times are you asked, Where are the kangeroos before you finally have some genius that makes a magnet?

Me, I’m a smartass, I would probably say….. at the zoo! Unless they all escaped of course, then you should check the local boxing rings.

In hindsight (the 20/20 variety) I wish I had bought one.  Ah well maybe next trip.



This ends my foray into the world of catch-up.  Three pictures that reminded me of five xangans and a drunk sea bear.  What is the world coming too?

By the way I found out that when my oldest kid talks about me and people ask her what I “do” she tells them I’m a eternal tourist.  rofl, I like that, to bad by Dec. it will all be over, oh well.  Enjoy it while it lasts, that’s my motto.

How does the saying go about the greatest revenge being……. “living
long enough to embarrass your children”?  Whoever said that one
knows mom personally.

Mom is 77 and due to being partially deaf and completely inattentive
she sometimes has what we lovingly refer to as selective hearing. 
That’s a polite way of saying she tunes out the world and what she
hasn’t got tuned out by choice, she can’t hear anyway.

The scene: a public bus.

The players:  Mike, my mom and me.

The setup:       Mom and I had been running around
Southern Germany and had agreed to meet Mike in Berchtesgaden at the
same hotel that My honeybear Barry and I had stayed at before.  Mainly
because we all knew where it was and there wouldn’t be any confusion in
where to meet.  It’s a wonderful place called the Hotel
Gruenberger and it has a pool, tanning bed, and sauna room, full
restaurant and great staff.  I don’t tan but I definitely swim and
sauna every chance I get.  The only problem is I left my suit at
home.  Now as most of you know, in Europe, almost all pools,
saunas and beaches are clothing optional.  Or at least top
optional.  I can’t count how many women I’ve seen swimming in
nothing but their underwear because they forgot their swimsuits. 
And as weird as it sound I could care less if a bunch of strangers see
me topless, I just don’t want my acquaintances or my husbands co-workers
to see me that way.  So I was completely stoked to get in the pool
and then relax in the sauna.  But when I went down the pool area
was completely deserted, not ONE person in there and I’m not going to
get even partially naked in a deserted pool where just anyone can walk
in.(call me paranoid)  So I went back up to our room and asked mom
to come down with me and she wouldn’t.

Next day on the bus: 
Mike arrives and we’re on our way to our next touristy spot and I’m
telling him how I couldn’t get naked at the pool and then lay in the
sauna cause mom wouldn’t come with me.  and she says
“Oh Elizabeth just go down there with Mike, he’ll do anything for you” 
I goggle at her….Mike goggles at her.
(Have I ever mentioned that Mike’s face can turn beat red in a heartbeat.)
I turn to my mom and sputter “I can’t go down there with Mike. That’s
just too weird and I don’t think I could ever look at him again.”
Mike is quietly going up in flames.
She says “Well that’s just silly, he’s your best friend.”
and poor Mike who grew up next to the ocean says the lamest excuse ever…”umm, I don’t swim.”
and at the same time I say “I can’t believe your telling me to take another man down to the pool so I can sauna naked.”
She gets all googly-eyed and says “Naked!!!, oh. I missed that part.”
Now I’m not really sure if I was as red as Mike because normally I
don’t blush, but Good lord my face sure felt hot because I knew mom had
put pictures in Mike’s head and he knew that I knew.  So it got
very quiet and then me and Mike hear snickers from all around us. 
Mom, oblivious to it all, just keeps looking out the window. 
Mike once again goes up in flames.
and I quietly sit there wondering how much a hearing aid would cost? and wishing my boobs weren’t so conspicuously big.

I may have got rid Katie finally (yup, I sure did)  but that
doesn’t mean he needs to be alone.   So here’s my want ad for
Mike.  (He would kill me if he ever saw this)I guess I have some
match making in me after all.  Not that I expect anything to come
of this but if I did write one it would be long and go something like
this…..
Looking for an intelligent woman, with a a sense of adventure and sense
of humor.  Must be willing to relocate around the world if
necessary.  Must be financially responsible with a job. 
Needs to be able to go thru the bad times as well as the good, fair
weather ladies need not apply.   Easy going and relaxed is a
plus.  Must be willing to eventually settle in Seattle area. 
Companionship essential, marriage optional.
You will get in return:  A man who loves to travel, loves
motorcycles, airplanes, music, the outdoors and doesn’t mind
shopping.  Financially secure.  Down to Earth, easily amused
and loves to laugh and have a good time.  Slightly over-weight but
hard working.  Will take the long way home and won’t mind taking a
wrong turn now and then.  Loves women.  Is a gentleman.
Blushes like mad.  Very loyal.
Cons: takes slightly longer than forever to make a decision but once he
makes up his mind its made up.  Hates confrontation. (He didn’t
want to hurt Katies feelings, which is why that drug on so long)
((“Hello! She LEFT you, when you were down and laid off, and didn’t
want you back until you were here in Europe.”))     Smells
like an airline mechanic. (trust me it’s very distinctive)  But he
cleans up good.   Sometimes clams up rather than talks. 
Can be naive.  Has no real interest in having children of his own,
so baby making is probably out at this stage.  (but then if you
don’t want children that would be a plus!) Very Stubborn in a quiet way.

And I guess it would also have to include having to put up with
me.  Whatever lady is lucky enough to spot this gem in the rough
my love and friendship for Mike is strictly platonic, blushes and teasing notwithstanding. 

My mom took off for home yesterday.  You know I had forgotten what
a nosy parker she is, it doesn’t faze her at all to come over and sit
on the arm of my chair and read what I’m typing. lol, I called her nosy
and she said “Yes, I got it from your grandpa.”   So, needless to
say I never even looked at my xanga while she was here.  And
sometimes hesitated to even check my email.   Is that bad?  
The good thing is, at 77 she’s completely computer illiterate,  if
she had seen something I could have closed it out and she can’t even
turn the computer on, much less find a closed web page.  When she
wanted to know something and I found it on the computer in just a few
minutes she was amazed. (google-ing to impress you senior citizen
friends)
I hadn’t seen mom in a couple of years, though we snail mail every week
and talk on the phone as well.   I missed her and to my surprise
when were saying goodbye just outside of passport control I found my
eyes welled up with tears.  I guess even when you know that your
mom drives you batty she’s still mama and you love her all the same.
well at least I do, your mileage may vary.

Now
it makes me wonder if my kids feel the same.  You know, (we love
her, but she drives me crazy) I bet that’s exactly how “The platypus”
feels.   Oh well, at least I know how the mama feels. (we don’t
care that we drive our kids batty)  But it’s always a good thing
to remember patience is a virtue worth cultivating.  Remember that
and it will make it easier for ALL concerned. 

So now I have 2 full days to get ready for my trip to meet Allie in
Ireland.  We will spend from the 12th to the 18th there and then
come back to Germany.  It’s quick but she needs to see her pop
too.  Also I want her to see some of Germany and how beautiful it
is where we live.  I’m never going to catch up on these summer
trips.  Too much,  much to fast.   Most are just
weekend or day trips.  But you can see a lot in just a
weekend.  This trip to Ireland is 6 days, longer but still pretty
quick.  Hope it doesn’t rain the whole time.

Speaking of the weather, I had told mom to bring layers because it was
so cool here.  Then 2 days before she arrived the temp started
going up and it stayed up.  So much so that for the first time
since I’ve been here I dug out my shorts.   I had to take her
to the German equivalent of the dollar store to get her some shorts and
short sleeves.   Then she left and I wasn’t even home yet and the
temp started dropping.  It’s still very nice in the upper 70′s but
it makes me wonder.  What killed
me was when it was in the upper 60′s while we were in the Alps and she
was freezing.  Arizona girl thru and thru.

I’m way behind on all my reading and I hope everyone knows that if you
really want me to know something all you have to do is email me. 
I think about you guys a lot and was going to try and send out more
postcards from Switzerland but it was just a day trip so I
couldn’t.  I hope when we get back from Ireland to be able to do
more than take a deep breath. “feast or famine”  Nothing all
Winter and then non-stop all Summer.    Better than the alternatives eh? 

One story that needs to be told for sure is the naked swimming story, and with that tantalizing bit….. I’ll close.