working on post

image from wikipedia

They are doing construction in the parking lot across from the squadron headquarters where I work, so there are always lots of cars lining the fairly narrow road.

I say this because tonight, as I was leaving work, I had to wait to go down the road.  I had navigate between 2 Strykers coming up the road, weaving between them and the parked cars.  

They drive kind of slowly in populated areas.

With good reason. They are humongous. The wheels of Strykers are higher than my car windows.

This is just one of many things that one would come to expect while working or living on post.  But it surprises me every time.  I just have not been exposed to the military lifestyle for long, and when I was young, I never expected to share the road with a Stryker.

Luxembourg

At long last, pictures from Luxembourg and our trip over Veteran's Day weekend.

Luxembourg was a good trip.  A good way to spend a 4 day weekend.  That said, I don't see any reason to go back.  The most notable part of Luxembourg is, in the words of our tour guide, "banks banks banks!!"  There is something like 150 banks in this teeny tiny country.  

The main languages of Luxembourg are French, German and Luxembourgish.  They mainly lean toward French.  So, I found myself taken aback by trying to rattle my brain of my absolute lack of knowledge of the French language.  I know only what my dad would say in odd moment and from my friend Joanna, who knows French fairly well, but from whom my knowledge is limited to our fruit French names that we gave ourselves.  (She was, and remain to this day, Banana Cosette. I am Grape Apenine.)  

Anyway, I kept trying to speak Spanish.  Or a Spanish/German mix.  (In case you were wondering, this combination benefits no one.)  Finally, I just started saying "merci" to everyone.  And I got by just fine.  Especially when they started speaking English to me in a fit of what can only be construed as pity.

On our first day, we visited the Luxembourg American Cemetery where five thousand some soldiers are buried from WWII.  Most of them lost their lives in the Battle of the Bulge.  It was an amazing memorial for our fallen soldiers.  Visiting on Veteran's Day was extra special as they had a ceremony at 11 am on 11/11/11.

This is also where General Patton is buried.  He was not killed in action, but died  of complications after a being paralyzed in a motor vehicle accident.

After the Veteran's Day Ceremony, we checked into our hotel, had lunch, and then went on tour of the city.  the first portion of the tour was on the bus, which afforded a great opportunity for a nap,
which was very interesting because I could always understand through the thick accent of the tour guide,
which was very interesting when I could understand the tour guide.

And when I wasn't dozing.  What can I say?  I had a full belly and the bus was warm.

This is the "gold lady" near the old town.  I believe she is  a symbol of peace.

A very pretty cathedral

the altar of this very pretty cathedral.

Gorgeous

I'm a silly American...who is starting to think that every European alleyway  looks like  Diagon Alley from Harry Potter.

that's my baby.  And a statue of a guy on a horse way in the back ground.

The following day we had a boat tour on the Mosul River.  I anticipated sights along the river with a guided tour telling us what it was.  However, it was basically an hour long boat ride.

Swans, posing prettily.  

They are lining up for bread crumbs!  I think they are used to people giving hand outs!

cocoa on the boat!

Like I said, we didn't get any information about the sights along the river.  But we did see plenty of vineyards.

....which was next.

Wine tasting!

I think these pictures would be prettier if not taken in November...but the acres of vineyards along the hillside are still very pretty.

After the boat tour and the wine tasting, we went back to the old town and went shopping.  This is also where I was nearly run over by a marching band.

I didn't know they were going to turn right.

They turned right.  I had to back up....or  I would have been run down.  Again, by a marching band.  It was cool to see though.  :)

This is a theater on the town center.

And well, I just thought the was a cool.   This was on the front of the building pictured above, facing the town square.

And these!  Well these were adorable.  We had them in the hotel, and I loved them so much, I stole 3.  Mixed berry, strawberry, and honey.

And then I found these too!  So cute.  :)

Like I said, all in all, it was a good trip.  I'm glad I got to go.  I bet it's beautiful in the Spring time.

Thanksgiving

It was a low key affair here in Germany.  We slept in, we snuggled, we hung out before John had to go to work.  Well, "work" is an incorrect statement.  As an officer, he went to the DFAC to help serve Thanksgiving lunch to soldiers and everyone who wanted lunch at the DFAC, basically.  (There were some Germans there who work on post who were curious about Thanksgiving and wondered what things like "stuffing" were.)  Anyway, John had to wear his blues for the occasion, complete with Cavalry stetson!

Isn't he handsome?  Also, this is the new rug  I bought a few weeks ago.  I love it.

Our turkey spread.  It's not much... but we're only two people, so we don't need much.  We also decided to use our wedding china for the occasion.

What I did remember about Thanksgiving was sitting on the couch, surfing the internet, smelling the turkey roasting in the oven, and watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade with John on the next couch soundly napping underneath the woolly blanket.

And the best way to describe this moment is:  contentedness.  It was so peaceful to want for nothing more.

Vilseck Community Spouses Club Craft Fair

All I can say is:

Score!

We have some mighty talented ladies who craft here on post.  Check out my goods:

Quilted Christmas runner!  LOVE these fabrics, and it's so so pretty!

Crocheted hand band to keep my ears warm during the winter!  I saw a knitting pattern for something similar on pinterest and kept it as a reference.  I still may knit myself another one.  But I am working on a scarf and then I may get to a hat for John.  At that rate, I would not knit the headband before winter was over!  So I bought one.  the flower is on a clip and can be moved/removed.  And it matches 3 of my coats! 

This is a pretty bag sewed by a chicky who also makes blankets.  I just thought the outside was cute.  The "Always Ready" refers to the Squadron motto of "Tourjours Pret" which means "Always Ready."  I also like the fabric.  It's like "butterfly camo"; Army, yet not totally Army.  It was wrapped in a sealed plastic bag, so I didn't even see the inside until I opened it up...

How cute it that???  Now I just have to decide what to put inside of it.  I was considering it as a back up make up bag, but no way I am getting make up on/in it now!  Maybe it will be an iPod case...I always get my cords tangled around everything.  Even though the size of this case would hold about 4 iPods.  Oh well, I'll think of something.

I also saw a recipe on pinterest to make your bath salts.  This gal did this.  I could always make my own as well - just with Himalayan salt, Epsom salts, and scents.  But her special scent blend is what sold me.  This is "Eden".  It's so wonderful.  It made a wonderful bath this morning.

So this is what I did yesterday.  Along with making the Sprinkles brand cupcake mix (red velvet with cream cheese frosting) and giving the government lots of information on my past as part of a security check.  Today is a laundry/relax kind of day.  Tomorrow, I will most likely clean the house and prepare myself to see what else is needed before I can start working.

That's right.  Working.  At my job.  That I procured just this past week!

It's been a long week.  It was also full of senior spouse luncheons and networking and getting to know other senior spouses.  Fancy luncheons intimidate me, but this one was not too shabby.  It would be easy to get caught up in the hubbub though.  Being a military spouse sometimes involves hubbub.

In case you didn't know.

Off to relax more.  And maybe have (another) cupcake.