Scotland Report: The Reader's Digest Version

The Mrs. just got back from a weekend trip to Scotland. The Reader's Digest version is: super cold with clear, blue skies; open, welcoming people happy for a short chat over a decent beer; and incredible walks with views you just don't get anywhere else.

The long version will be my first novel - or the next blog.

Proof point for the super cold; clear, blue skies with unique views, in front of the Edinburgh castle.

Check out the guy on the right, who's just loving my style.

Proof point for the open, welcoming people.

Mr. Wallace was so keen on my goofiness that he mooned me right after. He's got a great tatoo on his butt cheek. How much more welcoming can you get? 

Discuss.

xo

Valentine's Weekend

The Mr. and I had a great Valentine's weekend. On Friday Mr. surprised me with beautiful flowers and a fabulous bottle of wine, Bordeaux, my favorite. Together we cooked dinner and then enjoyed fun conversation. An excellent couple night.
 

Then on Saturday we went to Tübingen to visit a PostSecret auf Deutsch exhibit in the local museum. The exhibit was part of a larger one that brought together different collections - figures from Lords of the Rings, feathers, Elvis stuff - and it was inspiring to see what others collect. There was also a person who collected everything turtle who was much worse off than Little One.

We also took some time to wander through the little village, which has numerous very old, well-kept houses; a sprawling castle upon a large hill; and lovely people. One person was so kind that she took a break in her weekend errands to walk us through the twisting streets to the museum.*

The view from the castle hill, towards the village center.

Inside the village center.

 

Next to the castle is one very happy couple.

xo

*That will be paid forward more times that imaginable!

Competition Continues

Who's the cutest?

Contestant A:

Contestant B:

Come on - the answer is soooo easy.

xo

Whoosh; Whoosh; Plop

While the East Coast of the United States has been getting pummeled with snow and Vancouver is trucking and flight lifting snow in to host the winter Olympics - here in southern Germany we have had just the right amount. It stays on the ground, making everything look a little bit more magical and the roads just slippy enough to divide the thoughtless from the thoughtful drivers.
From one of windows, it looks like this:

No need to let the snow go to waste so last week Mr. and a few friends decided to go skiing on a little mountain only a few hours from where we live. A very dear friend (also known as the Mrs' sanity from 2002-2004) was visiting her homeland from Russia and she was able to come along.


The slopes aren’t that great there but good for us slower folk. The two better-than-beginners spent a good amount of time with:
Whoosh. (carve)
Whoosh. (carve)
Plop. (sit/fall/break)

It took us a little while to get down the mountains, which gave us plenty of time to enjoy the views and be a little goofy, especially since the weather was very, very good to us:

Meanwhile (back at the ranch), the Mr. and his crew were whipping the mountain into shape. I’m pretty sure it took them more time to ride up the mountain than to ski/snowboard down it! I had to steal these pictures* of the Mr. and the entire crew from a friend; our camera doesn’t take pictures that fast and those professionals are like natural rockets with no fear and no breaks.

Still, the Mr. found some time to practice his “Germany’s Next Top Model winter pose”:

Which I had to naturally counter with my “America’s Next Top Model winter pose”:

Who won?

xo
*want excellent pictures? Go to http://www.alinelange.de

For the Record

This is the picture of a European eating a hamburger with a knife and fork.



A hamburger. With a knife and fork. Really. This is not photo shopped.

To protect the guilty*, no names will be used.



xo
*as wonderful as the guilty may be.

Definition of "Happily Married" – Month Nine

Happily Married is sitting in a not-so-great funky Chinese restaurant that is too warm, with my belly uncomfortably full, and looking across the table at a baby-faced young man who is wearing a goofy shirt, and laughing with a full mouth at a joke that wasn’t a joke and thinking, “I should really marry this one”.

And then realizing I already did.





xo

The Power of the PS3

I gave the Mr. a PS3 for Christmas. For those of you from my tribe (the non-geeks) out there a PS3, also called “Playstation 3”, is the top of the top for video game playing these days. Cheap it isn't but the Mr. so rarely joneses after something for so long, that I splurged with our money and surprised him with it on Christmas Eve.

He was thrilled. I was thrilled. Everyone was just thrilled.

Until.

Until the Mr. and his brother began to claim that for the PS3 to work, we can't have one of these

(our TV isn't this old. Its maybe one generation younger)

We need one of these


I was not thrilled, assuming that this verbal exchange was another example of the Mr.'s very charming inability to use the English verbs "need" and "want" correctly. Silly boy, always confusing them. Charming really. The Mr. was not thrilled with my reaction.

However, upon plugging in said PS3 into said TV, I was proven wrong. It is truly need - the Mr. is rapidly going blind while defeating zombies in Resident Evil Whatever-Number; exploring hand-to-hand combat in Tekken; and rescuing some world in that Other Game With The Creepy Name. The Mr. was thrilled I said “need” and I was not thrilled at the sound of our money rushing towards the technology store.

Long story, short: Wish us happy shopping.

Interesting side note: although forced to sit almost on top of the TV to see basically nothing, males are lining up outside and inside our apartment to exert extreme effort on plastic buttons. Exhibit A:


Intriguing.

Lessons learned: Non-geeks out there, go geek shopping with a geek. Never alone. You don't know what to ask and your surprise gift for someone else might just end up surprising you. And buy extra beer for all the good people that will be around and enjoy the ride!



xo