week's end

We have the sweetest German landlady, Frau Wild, who has been wanting to take us out for "the best speissbraten in Idar-Oberstein." That's a pretty bold statement, so we gladly accepted her offer and went to dinner Friday night. She took us to this small restaurant, Restaurant Kirschweiler Brüke, located on the outskirts of Idar. It was truly fabulous. We had the typical & amazing German salad with the dressing that I will learn how to make before we leave, if it's the last thing I do, fresh bread with lard, ("Please pass the lard" - hilarious) and spoonfuls of some type of sour cream, lox, & garlic-y goodness that you ate in one gulp. We got to watch our speissbraten & potatoes slowly cook over the open fire while we had great, albeit frustrating at times due to the language barrier, conversation with Frau Wild. It was such a fun, special evening that made me remorseful we hadn't spent more time with such an interesting woman. (She was alive during WWII, her house- currently our house- was taken over by French soldiers during the war, she had uncles in the German Army, her husband was a jeweler specializing in opal...) The speissbraten was incredible, and I may or may not have eaten the leftovers straight from the fridge. Cold. With my bare hands. At 10 AM. Don't worry about it.

After bidding adieu to Frau Wild, Zack, Zane, & I walked down to the Jazz Tage fest that was going on this weekend. Much to my delight it was not jazz they were playing, but 50's style American rock n' roll. The band played tons of Elvis, while we drank wine & twisted our little hearts out with friends.

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A while back when I first found out we were moving so much earlier than expected, I began to get panicky at the thought of all the places we hadn't traveled to yet. Each weekend I was determined to go somewhere, even if just for the day, and to not "waste" one hour of our free time. This weekend Zack & I planned to go to Paris, but as the weekend drew closer, the more I dreaded it. (First World Problems, right?) I have already been there twice and it doesn't even make my top 10 favorite European cities list. Plus, Zack strongly dislikes the French people (he has only had bad experiences with them thus far) so I was able to persuade him that we didn't really need to see Paris before we left. When I awoke early Saturday morning, I was hit with that familiar twinge of panic, OMGWHATAREWEGOINGTODOTODAY WE ONLY HAVE 3 WEEKENDS LEFT!? But it was fleeting, and I sat down with a cup of coffee and just watched the morning shower water our flowers. I feel like I have seen so incredibly much in the two years living in Europe, that I have no real regrets about not seeing enough. I think we used our time here in Germany quite wisely, and I'm so thankful for all of the places we were able to visit.

Later that day, we went to Bad Sobernheim for the Barfußpfad, or 'Barefoot Path.' Exactly like it sounds - a 3km outdoor path in which you go barefoot. It was interesting and made for a nice way to spend an afternoon, but I think it could have been much better. My favorite part was the mud pit you had to wade through, and the knee-high river crossing.

After traipsing through all sorts of probably unsanitary conditions, we spruced up a bit and headed over to Bingen to catch the boat for a Rhine River cruise. The Rhine is the 12th longest river in Europe, flowing from Switzerland to the coast in the Netherlands. Lucky for us, it's only about an hour away from our home and the stretch of the river in that area is known as the "Romantic Rhine" because 40+ castles are situated along its banks. The river cruise was great, although I was expecting a little fancier of a boat, maybe with music + dance or something. (First World Problems..) We almost really screwed up because we took one of the last cruises out, and failed to get off at our stop in Bingen because we weren't sure if the boat would turn around again. Well, it didn't, and we got dropped off in Rüdesheim. Luckily, it wasn't that catastrophic of an error because all we had to do was walk down the river for maybe 1km and then take a ferry across to our original dock.

This is a thing.

Saturday evening, we had planned to either walk back down to the second night of the Jazz fest in our hometown, or go to the Kusel Castle for a concert but neither of those panned out. Probably because as soon as we got home from Bingen, our doorbell rang with a German man ranting & raving around our car's oil leak. In his defense, our car was leaking quite badly by that point so we put a bucket under the leak and are crossing our fingers it's not too costly of a repair. (Especially considering we leave in 16 days!) While he was mean-mugging Zack under the car, I asked him- "Did you write this?"

We discovered this oh-so-helpful note on the street a few days ago.

He replied, "JA I WRITE IT. No time for this, I have not the time for this! It makes me very sour! You need fix this now!" Um, okay Herr Freak. I wish my German was better so I could tell him to chill and that there's really no need to get so salty (or sour...) over a few leaks on an already imperfect public street. 

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Sunday morning I awoke annoying early, but made use of my time by figuring out my life plan and making pancakes & syrup from scratch. Two very different, yet both very necessary activities. I'm excited because I think I am finally figuring out what I should be doing career-wise, and because IHOP ain't got shiz on my blueberry & Nutella pancakes. 

We also did something very sad Sunday afternoon- we began to actually get ready for the move. Even though it's less than three weeks away, I guess I have been sort of living in denial that this is seriously about to take place. Today we took the pictures off of the walls, replaced the light fixtures with the originals, sorted items into piles for the movers and it became real. I think this is such a big deal for me because this is mine & Zack's first home together. It's where we spent the first year of our marriage, where we learned and grew and loved to the point I thought these walls would burst. This house has seen such beautiful times, and some very ugly and sad times, too. It will forever be special to us, and it hurts to know we're leaving it for good. It just kind of hurts. 

meine liebe

A while back, Zack & I discovered this gorgeous hilltop in a nearby town completely by chance. We drove through Kirn one day, and Zack saw rocks that he immediately wanted to climb. (He has a habit of doing this.) We somehow found our way up this hill so Zack could rock climb, and I was delighted to discover the magnificent views the area had. The first time we went, the hills were covered in Queen Anne's Lace and I knew I wanted to go back to take pictures. 

Zack was such a sweetheart and scored major husband points by agreeing to a little photo shoot there one warm Friday afternoon. It was just us, a tripod, & some gummy snacks and we had a wonderful time. Although the fields has just been mowed so there weren't any flowers, I am still pleased with how our pictures turned out. His moss green eyes, the cotton-like clouds, and the breeze that made my hemline dance all made for a beautiful afternoon.

 

wack/wonderful Wednesdays

wack

1. This ridiculous rash that is all over my face, neck, & arms. Luckily, the bumps are extremely small and the color of my skin, so it's not super noticeable. But it's driving me insane, especially since I can't figure out the cause.

2. Our car started making this awful grinding noise this afternoon.We're in the home-stretch (exactly 20 days until we move) and are trying to sell the car before we leave, so I really do not need it to start acting up now.

3. Speaking of moving, this brigade and its contracted moving companies are so incompetent, I can't even. Our household goods pickup (aka: the day the movers come) was scheduled for 6 June. They called today saying that date is no longer available (?!) and the only dates they have are 9 June and 15 June. Which would be fine, except for the fact that those dates fall on a Friday and a Saturday and we will be in Portugal and then Switzerland. I'm trusting Zack to take care of it before I go PsychoLiza on them. I'm pretty placid (or passive-aggressive..) when it comes to confrontation, but this is messing with our last two weekends in Europe and I will just not have that.

wonderful

1. Getting paid to have imaginary tea parties with children.

2. Chocolate milk. I got the fiercest craving for it today while in the commissary (which was another 'wonderful' by the way, because one of my most favorite activities is grocery shopping) and submitted to the urge to buy some. I savored every last drop.  

3. Gorgeous Polish pottery that the teacher I work with gave me. She went to Poland this past weekend, and bought it for me while there. So thoughtful and unexpected- I love it! I really did want to get into the whole Polish pottery craze while in Europe, but I just never did.

4. I decided to experiment with something I saw on Pinterest- using Greek yogurt instead of eggs + oil in cake mix. Well, I used .99 cent brownie mix and too much water and the batter was looking awfully soupy, so I was about to abandon ship. But I figured I'd try to salvage it by adding flour and chocolate chip morsels, and cooking it for a little bit longer than suggested. The result? Bliss. I should've known Pinterest would never let me down.

5. Dining al fresco this evening. Tilapia, spinach, corn, the aforementioned brownie, & sparkling white wine while overlooking our jungle of a backyard. Just lovely.

Holland

One dark and early morning, we loaded a packed bus with 50 other people and drove 5 hours into Holland. Our first stop was the Keukenhof Tulip Gardens, which was unreal. I knew it was going to be a lot of flowers. But this...this was...a.lot.of.flowers. (32 hectares, 4.5 million tulips in 100 varieties if we're getting technical.) Our good friends Nick & Jamie went, so it was obviously a blast. (Pretty sure we could have a blast in an empty, padded room with them, though...)

I couldn't help but think how much I would have absolutely dreaded something like this when I was little. It brought me back to late summer afternoons spent roaming muggy greenhouses with my Grandma Sharpe & Mommy. Or going to garden stores with them and spending what seemed like a decade to my little girl mind, up and down the aisles of meaningless (to me) things. So I found it amusing I was choosing, on my own free will, to spend an entire day in one of the world's biggest flower gardens.The beauty of it all made my eyes mist over a few times, especially thinking of my Grandma. She would have absolutely been in Heaven there, and I like to imagine that's what her Heaven is. 

 Pictures will do it far more justice than I ever can with words. 

After seeing more flowers than a human being could ever possibly need to, the tour bus drove us to Clara Maria Cheese Farm. It was a really adorable little farm, run by a Dutch man, his American wife, and their four children. We got to see how wooden clogs are made, and the cheese-making process. It was fascinating, but obviously my favorite part was the sampling of the different cheeses. They had so many to choose from, it was sort of like Christmas morning. (That's an exaggeration, but still, it was awesome.) Zack & I went a little crazy with the cheese we bought. Nut, "Farmers Flame" (a spicy blend), whiskey, aged cheddar, & a really heavy smoked cheese. 

We bought so much, and because we're moving so soon and knew we couldn't possibly eat it all, we threw a wine & cheese party a few weekends ago to help get rid of it. 

We still have far too much. 

But I guess there are worse problems to have.

Memorial Day

I thank God for my life
And for the stars and stripes
May freedom forever fly
Let it ring

Salute the ones who died
The ones that give their lives
So we don't have to sacrifice
All the things we love

My heart is so thankful this Memorial Day. Thankful that there are men & women who were so brave & loved their country so much, that they died fighting for it. And thankful for a selfish reason, too. Thankful that my soldier came home to me- safe, sound, & sweeter than ever. I know many other families were not so lucky. I can't pretend to understand their grief, but I hope they know my heart aches for them, and I will forever be grateful for that ultimate sacrifice.

"True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic. It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost, but the urge to serve others at whatever cost." 

I think of all the wars America has seen, and all of the lives lost. I think of the soldiers presently in the Middle East, continuing to fight. They don't want glory, they don't want fame. They do it because they love this country, they love people in this country, and their hearts told them it was right. "Thank you" seems so small and so clumsy, such an inadequate way to express what I feel towards those who lost their lives fighting for mine. But it is all I have, and I offer it to them with sincerity, love, and reverence. 

It's okay if you have the day off of work and are splashing around in a pool with a cold beer in your hand. It's okay to laugh and smile and enjoy the company of loved ones. The fallen soldiers would want that, I think. They fought to keep this country what it is, and fought to keep the American people out of harm's way, with their biggest worry on a late day in May being their tan lines. But as you're grilling out, or napping on the beach, please do reserve a corner of your thoughts & heart today for the courageous souls we've lost along the way. Because all that's left of them is a corner of green grass, a white marble cross, and our profound gratitude.

 Memorialize them. 
They died for you.

Dear Italia,

I know we’ve had our share of ups & downs. (Well, the down was basically me ODing on you if we’re being honest here.) But I just wanted to let you know I’ve seen the error of my ways and I am here to beg forgiveness. The times we spent together were some of the best of my life, and you will forever hold a bellissimo spot in my heart. I can still hear, feel, and taste you, even though our last rendezvous was ages ago. I am ready to dive head-first back into our love affair, if you will have me. Accept my apologies for being such a thoughtless, blasé lover. You are everything, mi amore, and we will be together soon enough.

But let’s keep rather mum on this, as I’m in the fledgling stages of a little somethin’-somethin’ with France and she’s a jealous one. Oui? 

Baci,
Liza

wack/wonderful Wednesdays

Wack

1. It was 75 degrees today, and you would have thought I was on the dunes of the Sahara the way I was carrying on. I was miserably hot- sweating like it was the end and fanning myself rather dramatically. In my defense, our black car has no AC and it’s at least 10 degrees warmer inside the car than out.
2. Being so sore from an exercise class Monday that I have to ease down into seats and walk like I have a slight deformity. Also, not being able to run & play with the kids at recess without wincing pathetically. It hurts, okay?!
3. Nosy German neighbors. Pretty positive it's none of your concern if I want to drive the wrong way down our one-way road. Well, maybe it is...but you don't need to shake your head and yell something at me. Especially when I know for a fact you spend your days listening to Johnny Cash and smoking weed. I wonder what "glass house", "stones", and "throw" translate to in German?      
   

Wonderful

1.  Zack came to visit me at work today, and ate lunch with the children. It was adorable in every way.  (I was just glad today’s lunch was macaroni & cheese and not some unidentifiable brown meat, as is rather typical.) 
2. Wearing a chiffon maxi skirt that flows like water. Instead of walking, I swished & swirled everywhere today. 
3. Making myself go to the gym after work. I know it sounds stupid and insignificant, but this is kind of a big deal. I am able to talk myself out of pretty much any type of physical activity, I will literally find anything to do besides work out. Once I sorted all of the coins we have in our house to avoid the Insanity workout of the day. It's a problem.
4. Dinner (Greek!) with some gorgeous girls at one of my favorite restaurants- Poseidon. So much giggling and fun stories, it hurts my heart to know I'm leaving such wonderful people so soon. 

Apparently somewhere along the lines I was possessed by a demon. But that's not the point of the picture.