I stole this from my kid.  Isn't that why we have them?

How it work..... you are given eleven questions, and then have to enter your answer into Google Images ... see what comes up for each one. You can either take the first hit, pick a favorite, however you want to do it so that your answer ends up being a picture...then post that picture in your weblog.

#1 Where I grew up.

This was a bitch to find.  Can anyone tell me where it is?  (not you Allie and Em)

#2 Where I live now.  (not exactly a big secret is it?)

#3 My name...or for anonymity your screen name if you prefer.

how'd you like to wear an iron corset like that? 

#4 Your grandmothers name.

#5 Favorite food

 or can you tell what the 2nd one is?

#6 Favorite drink

 or  or I can't pick one.

#7 Favorite smell

#8 Favorite shoes

Technically this is my favorite.  but since that's not shoes...

#9 Favorite number.

#10 Favorite color.

#11 Favorite song.

All done, mine were easy.....how about yours?

I hope everyone is having a good weekend.  We didn't do the traditional 4th of July celebration.  On Saturday we went down to the local lake.  Not very big, but oh so lovely.  We were the only people down there.  (not a holiday here)  When we started down to the lake shore the swans were feeding right by the bank.  I asked Bear if he thought I could get close enough to get some pictures.  Right about then they made a beeline for me,  It was then I saw the 5 little ones.  I'm thinking, okay I've seen "When Animals Attack."  I backed off and mom is hissing at me, so we start walking along the shoreline away from them, didn't help they just followed.  I think they wanted a handout...a safe distance from the babies.

Mom just couldn't make up her mind if the risk was worth some possible food.  If I got to close she hissed at me, if I got to far she followed.  And of course dad and the babies went everywhere she went.  We finally went over a berm onto a separate section of the lake to get away from them.  They got out of the water and waddled over to the other side of the lake and just kept following.

The entire time we were there those swans never got more than 15 feet from us.  I can't imagine how aggressive they would have gotten if we had fed them.  I'm going to go back and try it when my ankle gets well enough that I can run away.  See I'm no dummy, always have your escape planned.

I waited till the swans got about as far away as they were going to get and took this with one eye on them and one eye on the picture.  Like I said it's a small lake....really an overgrown pond.  It has a great location though and is a good spot to spend a quiet evening.  We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

I didn't particularly care for how any of the other pictures came out so that gives us another good reason to go back.  It gets hazy when it's hot but I still took a picture on the way home.

Rolling hills farmland, and forest covered mountains.  That's where we are.  With a small town every two or three kilometers.  You can see how cloudy it is, it's made it more humid than normal and also is the reason for the haze. 

Tomorrow we're going to drive up to Bamburg and spend the day.  Do the tourist thing.  I'm sure there will be more pictures.  You guys let me know if you get sick of them.  Not everyone may be as fascinated with Germany as I am.....of course if you don't like them you could always read someone else.  hah! that was just mean wasn't it.  You know I love you guys...you are just going to have to put up with my German thing.

See you all later in the week.

BURGBERNHEIM ! ! !

Since you were so kind to ask MyKi, (sarcastic witch! ) the weather is cool in the mornings and since I live in a third floor walkup with no air conditioner...hotter than hell from 2 P.M. till I finally fall asleep.  I'm still looking for the mini castle on the lake maybe you did dream it cause I've had no luck.

Someone else besides me likes cemeteries so here's a few for him. 

All of the graves in every cemetery I've been to are this well maintained.  In the winter They plant grasses, ivy, poinsettias etc and in the summer gorgeous flowers of every color and type.  Even the oldest in the cemetery aren't neglected.

This is why I'm glad to be living here and not just on a short vacation.  I can really get to know the places I go to, I mean honestly, would you take the time to go see a cemetery if you only had 10 days.   I know I wouldn't, I'd be to busy hitting the hot spots of tourism.   The rest of these will be up and down the streets of Burgbernheim.  Give you all an idea of what I see when I go for a limp..... or a drive.  Yes I'm still limping, and yes, the ankle is much better than it was.  Thanks for your concern, she says really sarcastically.

I lied!  One more in the cemetery.  But only because these crosses are so cool.  I think at one time they may have been on graves, but now they're standing next to the church off in a corner.  All by their lonesomes.

We have a tree in the middle of the road.  I know they still do this in some places, but it's still refreshing to see.  It seems like anymore when they build something they knock everything down.  It always kills me when I see these brand new McMansions with no trees or tiny little saplings.  I always think to myself...  ok, you'll spend a quarter mil on your house but not 10,000 for landscaping.  Duh!

These are in front of the Rathaus.  Say it rot house.  It means city hall.

A purple flower tree?  I've never seen one till now.

Random house on Strawberry street.  I love the green shutters and all the flower boxes.  When I go home I'm going to have flower boxes on all the windows.  I never knew how much they improved the look of a house 'til I saw them on every house in Germany.  Okay not every house...just every other house.

These cement flower boxes are scattered all over town.  Some have rings, some don't.  I wonder if they used to be horse troughs?  Does anyone know?

Random courtyard.  This one also happens to be not just the house courtyard but it services the barn as well.  The farmers live in town and drive their tractors out to the fields every day.  A lot of them have their livestock right in town.  When you drive by you know when it's time to shovel out the barn.

There are two wells in town.  I'm sure at one time they provided the water for city use, now they have don't drink the water signs on them.  This one is harder then hell to pump, but if you stick with it the water comes gushing out cold and feels really good on a hot day.

Well, I think this is enough for now.  Hope you enjoyed a tiny slice of the city I live in.  I'll leave a rose bouquet for you to end with.  These roses are growing up a wall and every stem has a full bouquet on it.  They're so heavy they can't grow upright. 

If you ever get to Burgbernheim, Germany look me up and I'll give you the nickle tour.

later gator.

When I was about 11 my parents told my sister and her boyfriend (who were living in sin OMG) that if they got married they would take them to Disneyland.  Well they did and so off to Disneyland we went.

That was the first time I saw Sleeping Beauty's castle.  When I found out it was based on a real castle I wanted to see it so bad I couldn't hardly stand it.  It took over 30 years but I finally got to realize a dream.  It was worth the wait.  And the climb!  They may have called King Ludwig mad but the man had vision.  He knew what he wanted and the things he dreamed of and built are now something that people from all over the world come to see.  So far we have see Neuschwanstein, Hohenschwangau and Linderhof.  We still have two more of his castles to go.  But first a short tour with the giddy girl from Arkansas that got to live her dream of seeing Sleeping Beauty's castle inside and out.

It's hard to tell in this picture so your going to have to take my word for it...I'm grinning ear to ear.  This castle is immense, huge, gargantuan.  Whatever your favorite is take your pick.  It dominates the entire valley.  And more than likely financially supports it too.  Over a million visitors every year.  I plan on going back in deep winter.

This a partial view of the West facade.  When your inside you can look out any of these windows and see a magnificent view of Queen Mary's Bridge going across a gorge .  The king's bedroom is on this side.  He, of course, had a balcony overlooking this view.

I told Nate I was going to ask this English couple if they would mind taking our picture and he said he could do it.  We got such a kick out of this one that we kept it.  This is the front gate house where in bygone days you would ride in your carriage through the gatehouse into the inner courtyard.  Now everyone has to schlep up the Mountain like Nepalese Sherpas.   Okay maybe not quiet that bad but pretty bad for an overweight out of shape semi-middle-aged American woman.

This was taken thru the door leading to the balcony off the throne room.  That's Alpsee.  Or literally in English Alp Lake.  In the background are the Tannheimer group of the Tyrolian Alps.  The border between Austria and Germany runs along the wooded hills behind the lake.

I would have taken a hundred pictures inside the castle but I didn't want my camera confiscated.  Not to mention it's so dark that the ones that Nate sneakily took with my camera didn't come out.  They have to preserve the paintings, fabric etc. and low light helps.

Remember the bridge over the gorge?  This is it.  The gorge is so deep you can't see the bottom from here because of all the trees.  I took this out of the king's bedroom window.(The balconies are off limits.)   I stood in the middle of that bridge.  That sounds like an easy thing to do and it is if your not afraid of heights.(Remind me to tall you later about the panic attack in Trier.)

However, I am afraid of heights, but I have wanted this for to long and I have come to far and climbed a Mtn. to boot.  So out I went.  I got dizzy..so I closed my eyes until it passed.  Then I couldn't breathe so I closed my eyes again and counted to 10 while I took deep calming breaths.  Then I looked back to see my husband who's not afraid of heights and there he was at the end of the bridge.  So I motioned for him to come out and he shook his head no.  I motioned again and he said no way.  So I went back and held his hand and we went across together. 

There I am with my honey.  We're in the bottom left of the picture.  Bear has his hand on his hip and a  gray shirt.  You can't tell but I'm not even holding on to the rail.  Normally, in a situation like that I would have a death grip on something or someone.  Preferably the throat of whoever made me go out on a limb.

Told you it was big!  This is just a small portion of the East side walking up to the front gates to go inside.

Yeah, yeah, I know these are all out of order.  I'm new at all these pictures so give me a break okay!  I'm doing the best I can and it will probably get worse before it gets better. So hah take that.

A much better view of the gatehouse.  And without our funny faces to ruin it. hah!

Some quick FAQ.  Neuschwanstein was started in 1869 and was never finished.  King Ludwig lived in the partially completed castle on and off during construction. It was from here he was declared legally insane by American doctors who had never laid eyes on him.  He was taken from the castle and died a mysterious death on June 13th 1886.  Building on the castle was immediatley halted and less than six weeks later it was opened to the public for the first time.  Ludwig was a technology seeker.  He used innovative building techniques and had the most modern facilities available built into the castle.  For example, there is running water on all floors of the castle.  There is a spring located 600 feet (200 meters) above the castle, so gravity took care of the rest from the top floor to the bottom.  It has central heat, hot running water for the Kitchen, and two telephones.  AND he had a flush toilet hidden inside his bedroom.  Not bad for the 1880s.

One last look at the beauty that is Neuschwanstein.

Not toooo bad eh?

Now I'm going to go have a beer and before you get all shocked remember the time difference.

As Promised here is a start on the pictures.

This is a picture of Burgbernheim where we currently live.  I wish I could get it to come clearer and with better detail but I'm still new at this.  This was taken in May and the blooming yellow fields you see way off in the distance is Flax.  This is the back of the biggest church in town so it's not the prettiest side but I wanted you to see out across town.

This is the same view as before only from higher on the hill.  It rained on us this day so the haze you see isn't smog or fog, it was just really overcast.  I'm always amazed at how lush and green it is here.  We live in a most excellent, beautiful country.

This is the view of the front of the church and gate house from our kitchen window.  We live on the third floor, what's called under the roof.  In Germany and I think other European countries as well we live on the second floor.  They count it this way.  Ground floor, First floor. Second floor and so on.  And of course we just say 1st, 2nd, 3rd.  I have already started thinking that way so I'll probably confuse myself when I get back stateside.  By the way notice all the lovely red tile roofs and half timber construction.

Yes, an even closer view.  It's probably one of my favorite building in this little town.

This is my new profile pic in case you didn't notice the change.  This is almost to Austria.  Part of the foothills of the Alps.  Anyone that comes over here.....well this is definetly one of the places I would take them.  Until you see it with your own eyes you can't imagine how breathtaking it truly is.

Anyone up for a challenge?

To reflect my new status as an expatriate living in Bavaria I would like to re-design my page.  Unfortunately I don't have the necessary skills.  So if you think you are up for the challenge submit your design ideas.  If your chosen I will send you an authentic Bavarian souvenir of your very own.  And I don't mean some cheap $2.00 key chain, unless of course that's what you want.  Your design will need to include indigolady somewhere and the colors should reflect a Bavarian theme.  Any other questions just leave a comment and I'll get back to you.  And please spread the word, you might not have the necessary computer skills either, but someone you know might.  And if they say you sent them and they get the winning design....well hell....I'll send you the key chain.

Look who finally has Internet

Yes, that would be me.

     I was going to post some pictures of Germany and where we live but the files are all to big.  I'll wait till Bear gets home and see if he knows how to shrink them.  My forced sabbatical from xanga has been good for me, now I know I won't lose my mind w/out xanga or an Internet connection.  However I have missed the connection that I feel with some xangans.  (you know who you are!)

    Germany is wonderful.  My German is terrible.  I get very intimidated when trying to speak to total strangers.  They almost always correct me in some way I don't understand or immediately start speaking English better than I do.  Like I said...intimidating.  (I may never move home, I love a challenge.)  I have three different German language cd rom sets, one of is bound to sink in sooner or later.  Why is it that most of the Germans I know speak two, three and sometimes four languages and I don't even speak proper English.  I think our school systems failed me.

We recently moved from our efficiency in Gossmannsdorf village. (pictures later) to a one bedroom apt. in Burgbernheim. (more pictures, again.)  Less than a week after we moved (I hadn't even finished unpacking) I fell on the steps and nearly broke my ankle.  That was nine days ago and I can still barely walk.  Needless to say the house set-up came to a screeching halt.  Bear has been an absolute love.  For the first week he even went so far as to bring the coffee pot into the bedroom so all I had to do was reach over and hit the on button.  He brought in a small chest and set it by the bed and filled it with every thing he thought I might need during the day.  The only time I had to get out of my queenly perch was to go to the bathroom.  For that I had to plan ahead since it took forever for me to hobble to the bathroom.  I swear a couple of times I didn't think I was going to make it.  Now, nine days later it only take a minute to get there and the coffee pot is back in the kitchen where it belongs.  The hardest part of all of it was I couldn't go for my walks.  I usually take a long walk every day.  Since we live on the third floor and I have to slide down all those steps on my ass I don't go anywhere I don't have to.

     I promise to post pictures of all the cool places we've been since we got here.  Just as soon as I figure it out, that should be sometime next year, just kidding. 

     In the meantime it's good to be back, and I guess in a day or so I'll know who stayed faithful and who didn't. HAH!

This will be brief.....sorry!

I know I've been off xanga for a long time now...and this might be nothing more than a quick pit stop before I race off and you don't hear from me for another two months.  Everything is wonderful.  I got to Germany Oct 8th.  The first month I spent in a small guest house that I call the frat house.  I was the only woman that stayed there.  One bathroom, me, and anywhere from 4 to 10 men.  No shower, just a bath.  I'm not real big on sharing my bathroom so before every bath I had to disinfect the tub.  I am not the kind of person who can sit where strange man ass has been.  On the bright side I can make a paper cover for the toilet seat out of toilet paper really quick now.  After all practice makes perfect.  We finally got into a small efficiency on Nov. 7.  I now have not just a private bath (with tub AND shower) I have a kitchen.

  I don't have Internet access yet. (I'm at the post library doing this) and may not get it at all.  Still haven't bought my camera and still haven't really gone anywhere.  I'm just busy...busy with my begining German classes and getting settled into the Apt., learning my way around all these towns and making a few friends.  Which is a funny thing....none of them are German.  I know a Syrian, a Turk, A Brit and a guy from Scotland.  All speak fluent German and all want to practice their English.  So they get to practice I don't. 

 Thanksgiving is right around the corner and We've invited 4 single guys over to eat.  This is going to be interesting.  Dinner for 6 cooked in a four foot kitchen and eating with no table.  I told them to just "bring a lot of booze it will all work out fine".  And if it doesn't you won't care.

  I have a lot to be thankful for, and everything is going along just fine.  I'll get a camera, hopefully soon, and start taking some pictures.  And since I've finally broken the ice with the library computer I'll try to post a little more often.  Have a great day everyone and have a terrific Thanksgiving.

Tschuss

This is it

I have both my kids here, today they will head back to Fayetteville with my computer.  Until I get to Germany and get Internet for the laptop you won't hear from me.  From the amount of interaction lately on xanga I doubt it will be a big blow to anyone.  Is it just me or is everyone taking a break.  Granted this xanga break, unlike the other ones I've taken, is not of my choosing.  It just seems to me that the old gang isn't around much anymore.  

One of the things I get in Germany will be a digital camera.  I want to be able to post pictures of our house, car, the countryside where we are living, etc.  So that will be a priority purchase.  If you have a recommendation please put it here.  Include features of the camera you can't live without, approx. cost and an ease of use rating. (1 being easiest 5 being hardest type thing)  Also a "would you buy this camera again?"  Here's your chance to brag on your smart buy!     And if you know someone else on xanga that has a camera invite them over here to brag would you.  Spread the word.

Time to sign off...see you in a month or so.  Let's see how many readers I have then, ha.  You think I don't notice your absence but I do.  I miss you when you don't comment. 

Germany here I come.

Deutschland komme Ich

Well things are moving along quite nicely.  I'm walking out of this house Tuesday come hell or high water.  Locking the door and walking away.  I finally decided to just start throwing crap in the car and sort it out in St. Louis.  Two piles...one to take on the plane and one to mail.  Now isn't that a good plan? 

Yesterday I got up before daylight.  I cleaned out the chest freezer, moved it onto the front porch and washed it out really good for it's new owner.  Then I cleaned off the desk.  Then I cleaned the living room, vacumned and rolled up the area rug for storage.  Then I helped load the lawnmower which I had also sold.  I spent a fun few minutes screwing the doors to the back of the shop closed, per the orders of a certain Bear.   (haha, I said screwing)     Helped the neighbor pull down the rotting fence that's between our properties.  And let's not forget the 15 or 20 phone calls from people who forget when I'm leaving and keep calling to ask.  Which I totally don't get...it's not that complicated.  The good news is, I've heard from some people (who shall remain nameless, is that you Tarzan?)  that I didn't think I would get to talk to until I got back stateside.   I even get to steal her child for a month next summer AND have a great time in Germany on her dime.  Might be time to get a Frommer's on Germany.  Though when we were in Spain I used my Off The Beaten Track much more. I know by next summer I'll be so ready to run around and do some fun things, so it will be great to have someone to run around with.  I hate to go alone.  Last time I was in Frankfurt I took a Rhine River tour.  I had to go alone and while I did enjoy the day it would have been so much more fun to have someone along.  I'm hoping I can time Allison's visit to coincide, I'm a more the merrier kind of gal. 

So now I am off to visit amazon to order some books which will have to be shipped to my sisters house.  A little light reading for the 9 hour flight.  I know this is dreck but hey it's my life right now, so get over it. 

later buttmonkeys

GOTCHA, YOU STINKY LITTLE BOOGER!

OR

WHO HAS OPPOSABLE THUMBS?

If you read my last entry you know that I have had a skunk on my front porch the last couple of weeks.  He always comes up just before bed and I'm always worried that he'll spray.  Well I got a live trap from animal control and set it up.  The only hitch to my little endeavor is my neighbor lady's six cats.  I had to keep every single one of them in the house overnight so I wouldn't catch one of them.  Last night I set the trap up again, and I caught...ta da. Drumroll please, a stray CAT!  Luckily he was staring out of the cage before I went to bed so I knew it wasn't the skunk and didn't have too get to close to make sure.  I debated on whether I should leave him in there and have animal control pick him up in the morning, but my greed for the skunk won out.  I've seen this cat around before and he's extrmely skittish, so I figured if I scared him bad enough he wouldn't come back and get caught again.  Please don't call PETA on me...I picked up the cage...gave it a few shakes, lifted it high and lowered it really quickly so he would think he was falling and then opened the door.  I promise I didn't hurt him.  That cat hit the road so fast he was nothing but a white and black blur.  I swear I have never in my life seen anything move that fast.  Fast forward to morning.  I check the door to the trap...it's down...my heart sinks 'cause I know I caught the stray cat again.  I step onto the front porch, lean down to have a look and woohoo, we have skunk.  Problem 1: it's 7:30 A. M.  problem 2: as soon as I opened the door three of the cats ran out.  Problem 3:  The skunk immediatly sets up a banging inside the cage and lets loose with his primary weapon.  Problem 4:  Animal control doesn't open until 8:00 A. M. and even then I'm not guranteed that she will come out right away.  Now I don't know about any of you but #4 is the worst of the lot, by far.  I got lucky and someone answered the phone at 7:50 A.M. and by 8:30 the little stinker was gone.  And to prove I'm lucky, all the smell went with him.  He must have been facing the back of the cage when he let loose, I put a box fan on high speed blowing down the steps and in less than 15 min. all trace was gone.  So I am just a happy camper...and as a bonus I haven't seen hide nor hair of the stray that had been hanging around harassing the little cats.  That was my start to the day....how was yours?