Another Library, Another Post

Alrighty y'all! We found the library at Aviano (this base is many different PIECES and very difficult to find all of what you want in one place, but heh...we're here!) and I'm online typing (no shitte you say! ;) )


We made it through Germany, Austria was a trip, sheesh! I don't like driving on mountains, and driving on mountains that I can see over the edge is NOT my idear of fun. Took a pic of one of the roads we drove on, I'll post it as soon as we have access that isn't timed.

I have figured out why no one takes 'family vacations' any longer. By the time they're over you're ready to kill your family! No seriously, all 3 kids are alive, and the dog...well he's the dog. Freaked that we were 'goin', goin', goin'' constantly. Now he's freaked that we LEFT HIM (oh, the horror) at our off-base hotel. (Yeah, the explanation for OFF-base billeting is another long, rant so I shall type it later.)

At least he's at a hotel that accepts pets, and is airconditioned. That is a blessing! and very much appreicated.


We've picked our house (woo hoo!, moving well on this end!) and will start the paperwork tomorrow after hubby goes to the Housing Briefing.
:)


Just wanted to let you know we're here, we're alive (and most of our sanity is intact). I hope to resume regular posting within the next couple of weeks. Thanks for hangin' in there with me.

I hope all of your summers are nice, warm, and sunny! :)

Vogelweh, oh Vogelweh

So far we've had a good time in Germany. Well, minus the cracked windshield on the truck...


We've had Greek food (delish as always...go to the Akropolis in Einsendlerhof if you ever get to K-Town (Kaiserslautern)). We've eaten Mexican Food (I've been craving it for about 5 years now, and boy was it good....(Cantina Mexicana if you ever get down this way, too).

The Ponderosa Smokehaus is closed...BOO HOO! That was the BEST damn BBQ I've ever eaten (yes, I said the best BBQ ever was in Germany...sacrilige? No! It was made by a man from Corpus Christi and his German wife...and I really miss not getting to eat some.)

We'll be having Korean tonight (Korea Haus if you ever stop in). They make the best Kimbop and Bulgogi ever (I'm not sure I spelled those properly, but oh well!)


I've got tons of photos, but can't upload them. Violates USAFE's Library protocols. (Yeah, I don't give a rat's arse what that sign says, this is STILL an ARMY base, not a USAF base!)


The windshield got replaced today. The kiddos, dog and I stayed at the caravan as hubby went to get it fixed. He was gone from 7 'til 3 so us going with him wasn't an option. We had to pay the $500 deductible, and then USAA (our insurance) paid a whopping $200 above that, AFTER we bought the VAT paperwork, too. Oh well, windshield has been replaced, no more crack (caused by British roadways to begin with) and we're only 3 days from Italy! WOO HOO!


We got a new portaloo. I, being the dip I am, unscrewed the waste tank and watched it's lid get washed down the waste-tank drop zone. No way in H-E-L-L I was going after it, so we spent $70 and got a new one. Yeah, part of me ain't happy about the cost, but part of me is happy to have a new one, so... ;)


We'll be heading out of the KMC (Kaiserslautern Military Community) tomorrow. Then onwards to Mannheim (the Army base AND the Walmart...oh yeah!), Stuttgart, and then Obermerrangau (sorry, my German spelling is attrocious). We'll spend two nights there, and then drive through on Sunday.

We're going to Italy....I am SO STOKED! Keep us in your prayers and send good thoughts...some Jedi mindtricks would be appreciated too. "These are not the droids you are looking for"...any Master Windus out there? ;)


YEE HAW! Italy here we come!

Safe, and Quick Update

Safe in Germany. Made it through France, no thanks to their crappy roadsigns. Checking and posting at the Library, so very brief.

We'll be on the road again in a few days. I miss you all too (all FIVE of you now - wow, I've grown in my absence!) :)

Ooohhh, Lorlie, I don't know. When would you want to take a trip to Venice?

Outbound

Cleared Housing today, and outprocessed. We'll be on the road tomorrow. Posting will be next to, if not totally, non-existant for the next few weeks.

I shall miss you all (umm, all 3 of you that read this anyway).

Take care, and YEEEE HAW!! :)

Rug Doctor? Where's a Rug Doctor?

Sheesh, drove to Alconbury, Feltwell, Lakenheath and Mildenhall yesterday. Alconbury had Rug Doctors...but we wanted to get the special 'weekend' rate at Mildenhall...Well, it seems everyone else that's PCSing wanted to get that discounted rate too. Lakenheath and Mildenhall were both out, and they both had about 10 each.

So, today we shall drive to Fairford, over by Swindon to rent one of their two. I called in advance (see, I learn...sometimes) to make sure they have one, and they have BOTH of their's and no one has rented one in about 2 weeks time.

So, we shall go get the cleaner, return home, clean the carpets and drive BACK to Fairford on Monday to return it...um Tuesday. I think they're closed Monday.


Oh, and on the caravan envy front, I'll take some better pictures now that the caravan is getting put together and all the tools and bits and pieces are cleaned up. I'll need to clean it's carpeting too (damn middle one and the hubby...both stepped in poop and tracked it into the carpet at the caravan....). Such a fun day, when we should instead by scrubbing and cleaning the house.

Club Visit and junk

Junk, junk, junk and more junk...

Well, we junked the table and couch today, and yesterday...The couch and table/chair combo went to the Tip today (UK speak for a junkyard).

We junked the plant pots, the coffee table and the lot yesterday. On base, in the recycling area...all the bits and pieces were gone within a few hours. Oh well, saves someone some cash, and the goods get a home and some use out of them. Everyone wins. :)


We're going up to Felkenhall tomorrow. Rent a carpet cleaner (hehehe, the carpet is the ONLY thing I'm worried about with passing this *&&^*&^ inspection), get some different grub, get the hell out of the house...those kinds of things.


We went to the Club this evening. The first and LAST time we'll eat there. Paying members ate for free, and we got some free entertainment. The Armed Forces Entertainment folks have got a great tour on right now. It's a country-music thing with all published songwriters (that also play instruments). They did a great show, I'm only sorry we had to leave early. Kiddos were already an hour and a half late for bed when we got home. But it was a GREAT SHOW none the less. :)


I'm posting a few photos (yes, even some Caravan envy ones for Katy - will those work for Self Portrait Friday?) Enjoy y'all. I'm off to see the wizard, the wonderful wizard of sleep... :D

Caravan Envy! ;)

Okay Katy, here's some pictures of the caravan for you.  :)



LOOK NF, no more make a blind-man gag 70's era patterns!  Worse yet, when we pulled up the carpet, it was ductaped down, so some fool actually bought that and willingly put it in!  (Note my wonderful paint job...yes that is paint on the rubber seals!  Anyone need a decorator?)

 

 

A slightly different view.  No I didn't sew any of the curtains, or covers.  A very kind USAF wife did it for me.  She was given the amount she asked for plus about 20% as a tip.  It was well worth it as I didn't have to sew anything, and hubby didn't have to listen to me bitch about it.  Thank you AV!

 

 

 

Oooh, don't envy me because I have PORTALOO! Don't you see the hiliarity of 5 countries, 5 people, and 8 days across Europe with one portaloo?  ;)

M ap of White Horse Hill and surrounding area

A 3D map of the White Horse hill and surrounding area.

White Horse Hill

"The Manger" (the valley formed at the foot of White Horse Hill - believed to be caused by receiding Glaciers during the last Ice Age)

White Horse Hill's Information (surrounding Iron Age monuments also covered)

 

The top of White Horse (well, it's eyeball anyway...)

"I Ain't Dead Yet!"

I think that's the Python line anyway...I can't stand Monty Python!

Finally got the laptop up and running again. Hubby got a virus (I say hubby as this is his laptop, so he's taking the blame), then wiped the laptop, then re-loaded and bupkis. Winders would come on but we couldn't re-connect the wireless internet, and huhuhuh our laptop doesn't have a standard plug-in kind of modem. ;)

Finally got it fixed, with JG's help. While we were getting buzzeed. Hubby and I each downed 2 Margaritas, JG wussed out at one. RG wouldn't even drink one, she downed two bottles of Italian White wine. (That woman is the most amussing drunk EVER! I love her dearly, but man she's a personal entertainment system in a bottle. ;) )

They're coming over again tonight to help us finish up the Margaritas. Hubby took my stock pot (5 gallon stock pot) and made frozen Margaritas in it...3 gallons worth! Yeah, that's alot of booze for two people, hell for four people!


Hopefully we'll be rid of the dining room set, the couch and the coffee table today. I need to call the County Council and see if they'll pick up. If not, JG and hubby will make a run to the junkyard. Well, several runs to the junkyard, as all that crap won't fit in there in one go.

We want to get rid of it, rent a carpet cleaner up at Felkenhall on Friday, and steam all the carpets right before we move to Billeting. (NF, you thought YOUR room was bad (and I have photographic proof!) atleast they didn't put you with the Airmen in the doorms ala Pissmate rooms.) We move Monday afternoon, so that means the carpets will be cleaned before that, and the FMO picks up the loaner furniture on Monday too. (Those bastards WILL wear socks only, and I will NOT be nice about it!)


We've also got TB tests! They'll check them manana (sorry, can't find the tildy on the keyboard) and sign off on the outprocessing paperwork.


8 wake ups, and we're OUTTA HERE! :)

Wal-Mart and Chaulk Horses

Well, we went to see the Uffington Chaulk Horse yesterday. Whoa buddy, them roads is FREAKY! I mean sharp, blind, trees overhangin curves that give new meaning to serpentine! I've been hankering to go for quite some time, and we had just enough time to see the horse and 'castle' yesterday on the way to ASDA! (Um, Wal-Mart for you and I, and one hell of a supercenter at that!)

We probably spent more time driving up the steeparse hill than actualy ON the monument, but it was fun. Cold and windy, but fun. The girls seemed to enjoy it, even if the littlest one got the blueish quiver lip. They got to get a piece of natural chaulk each, and I took several photos, but I can't show them to you. Hubby has both the USB ports used at the moment, so I'll have to upload the photos after he gets home.

It's a pretty cool site. NO TREES, but I suppose that is what made it such a good stronghold, plus the being on top of a small mountain, and VERY STEEP one at that. Looking at the horse from below, you can't see the hill-fort. Hell, you're almost right on top of the hill-fort standing at the top of the horse, and even then it's difficult to discern.

We crawled all over it, wouldn't let the girls get too near the horse...I was afraid (yeah, that mommy gene kicked in) one of them might slip. Like I told them when we were hiking up there (it's about a mile between the parking and the actual monument area) if one of 'em went over, mommy or daddy was going over too, though I'd rather no one did.

The one thing I really don't get, and it vaffles archaelogists to this day, is WHY did they build it? It can't be seen completely and fully unless you're ABOVE it, IE flying in front of it. I get they most likely made it to honor the Gods, but still how did they KNOW where to carve it so it actually looked like a horse? And some say that ancient man had no knowledge that we've lost over time...BAH!

The oldest seems to have the buds of a history bug in her. Cool for me, I get a 'buddy' to go ruin climgin with. The middle one not so much. The youngest I think just likes climbing and crawling around outside.

Anyhow, the Uffington White Horse is billed as the oldest of the Chaulk Figures in the UK. We didn't get to see Wayland's Smithy or some of the other Iron-Age items, but it was a fun and interesting trip none the less.


When we got back on the road, we headed to ASDA in Swindon. It's actually known by the locals as the "ASDAWal-Mart". Giant one by British standards, and quite massive even by US standards. It's where I got my glasses made.

We did a little bit of groccery shopping. I got a 'big saver' of crisps (50 single serving bags) for the caravan trip. They're all flavors we'll eat and came out cheaper than one 16 pack of Walker's Crisps (Lays brand here in the UK). I also got 4, yes FOUR bottles of Cif Oxygel. One pink 'tropical' scent, and 3 new purple 'herb' scent bottles. Hubby hates the 'original' scent so I normally get the pink stuff. This was the first time I'd seen the purple stuff so I opted to pick some up. I LOVE Cif Oxygel, it ROCKS!

We ended up with some 'chubs your dog will love' stuff. It's apparently ground-meat and grain stuff you cook for the dog. 6 giant tubes (about 12 servings I think) for about $3. Can't argue with that!

Got a few daddy's day gifts for the hubby, and a couple of princess drawing sets for the girls. They each got a little ball (oldest two got princesses, youngest got pooh) to play with, and a few other odds and ends. All in all a pretty good trip.

Oh, I got a 3 gallon collapseable water storage bottle for the caravan and some more curtain hooks for the new caravan curtains. (No I haven't forgotten to take photos, I just haven't finished 'fixing' the inside up yet so you'll have to wait a little longer.)

Well, I gotta go get ready for a trip to Alconbury. Have fun y'all! :)

England is EXPENSIVE!!!!!

We went out ot eat last night with R and JG. RG recommended it as it was an all-you-can-eat buffet of chinese, and I've been craving Chinese for several weeks - but we must wait until payday to see if we've got enough cash left to actually eat out on. (All-you-can-eat is SCARCE here in the UK. I know of only 2 true buffets besides the one we visitied last night. And they're both near Felkenhall (see previous posts)!) Most 'all-you-can-eat' resturants here in the UK mean you can have all you want of one course, and then you move on to the NEXT course, but you can't go back. In effect they make the most money on starters as you're starving and then by the time the main dishes come around you're full...it only takes so much to make Prawn Toast verus Beef with Green Peppers.

Well, this one is named Top Wok and it's in Banbury. RG went there for her store's Christmas party and really enjoyed it (and this woman would STARVE she's that picky...I love her dearly but really, she's one of the most picky persons I've ever met!)

So, I had to do a google search to find the place as she didn't know it's exact address, only how to walk there from the mall (where she works). It took me six, yes SIX searches on Google.co.uk to get to the address, and it was on page three of the search results. (They don't have a website, so I had to use a site that you can rate local resturants before I finally got their details...) 'Rang them up' in UK speach (called them) and made reservations for 7 (4 adults, 3 kids).

Got there and the place really wasn't that busy. About half their tables were empty, but this wasn't a bad thing for me. As we were eating the place literaly had only 2 tables left, so I'm guessing it's popular with the local Brits.

They had a nice selection laid out, by course. Spring rolls, Prawn Toast, Monk's Food (a veggetarian dish of mushrooms, carrots, onions in a light sauce - delish, my favorite thing while we were in Germany), Prawn Crackers (the Brits seem to LOVE these things, they're like puffy chips made with a paste of prawns that are gently fried to make them alot like Munchos in the US), etc.

They had Corn & Crab soup or some dark brown concoction I wasn't going to try. The Corn/Crab was really good. Very much like an Egg Drop soup. They laid on several duck dishes, including Crispy Duck with Pancakes (another perennial British favorite it seems). They even had lovely Char Siu (B-B-Q pork) and the most heavenly B-B-Q spare ribs...(insert Homer Simpson gurggle of delight here).

They had Chicken with Mushrooms, Beef with Green Peppers, "Special" Fried Rice (all the different meats mixed together), some Sweet-n-Sour Chicken (JG did NOT like, I did NOT try), Singapore Noodles (VERY SPICY is anything that says "Singapore" over here, but not bad), and several other dishes I didn't happen to try.

For dessert they had Pineapple-Apple fried puffs, jello, several fruit selections, and ice cream. All in all a nice menu and selection, and they kept the trays full.

The SHOCK, and I do mean SHOCK came when we paid. £90.50 is what the bill came to. At yesterday's £ to dollar rate, that equals $181.00. Now, J and RG gave us some cash to help off-set the cost. No big deal, it was £10 each plus drinks. The part that pissed me off was they charged a full £10 for each child. That means we spent $20 per KID on just the meal. Now, for all the adults that's not a bad price, considering it's the UK. But come on, $20 per kid? There is no way in hell my kids can eat $20 worth of food at one sitting, even if they're starving!

J and RG appologised profusely, no need to though. It wasn't they're fault and I hadn't ASKED what the cost per person was. I had also ASSUMED (ass out of u and me) they had a child's price.

Oh well! If you ever get to Banbury, Oxfordshire, England try the Top Wok. It's good! Just be sure to bring your bank roll or Credit Card. :)

Querry to Apollo Group

AKA the plastic surgery folks in India. I've checked them out versus their competitors, and they used doctors trained in the US and UK (Indians that have gone home to help their country, the best kind of doctors imo). I've requested any form of information possible on pricing, stay duration and the like for International Patients (hehehe, yeah I'll be a 'medical tourist').

I'll share the info when I get it, but here's Apollo's International Patient page, in case you want to look them up.

;)

Warm Wishes for Zarqawi

I have been terribly remiss in linking Chrenkoff. It is the best way to send your 'wishes' for Zarqawi and all his buddies.

The 300+ responses should amuse you as much as they do me. I'll post my own soon...and yes it will be strong, nasty and from a woman. I will enjoy it immensely. I hope you take this chance to 'pray' for Zarqawi and his fellow terrorists...now it's up to you as to what exactly to pray FOR to happen to them. Make it good. ;)

Waitin', waitin', waitin, waitin...

Sorry, I've got that dumb "rollin, rollin, rollin, ROLLIN'" song courus doing a loop in my head. (I told you I needed MP3s.) I think it's sung by Fred Durst...the band name escapes me at th emoment though.

It's just after 9 and the movers are supposed to be here somewhere between 8 and 5 this afternoon. I guess one way to be punctual is to insure you don't have a set time to be there. :)

We're doing well. Hubby went to get RG and JG from the airport. The oldest and middle are at school, the youngest is watching a Scooby movie (Scooby Doo and the Monster of Mexico to be exact - yeah we're Scooby lovers in this house) on our after-market video screens for the truck. They (there are two of them) also attach to the Playstation so hubby and I can battle it out on Twisted Metal or kill zombies and the like with any number of our games. No Simmies though...may have to borrow RG's. ;)

Currie for Congress!

Milblogger unite! One of our own is running for Congress! He'll be doing battle with an entrenched Democrat, in the streets of LA.

While I'm not a California voter (nor do I wish to be) I would like to get folks to the cause of US military personel in the lawmaking houses of DC, and their home states. It's time to take back Congress from the career politicans and make it work for the people. I can't think of a better place to start than with a milblogger, currently serving in Iraq.



Currie for Congress! Take the challenge voters in the 35th Congressional District, elect a man who has served, and is serving you even now. Vote Currie for Congress!

**Hat tip to Smash.**

Stupid Quiz Time!

I've set aside all the unaccompanied (except my computer that is) and I don't really want to scrub the walls right now, so I'm taking dumb tests...and I'm sharing the results. :)

Sagitarius You scored 8 Power, 75 Wisdom, 0 Justice, and 16 Beauty!

You are the wise old centaur Chiron. Chiron was renowned for his gentleness. He was an excellent archer, musician, and physician, and tutored the likes of Achilles, Jason, and Hercules. Chiron, however, was accidentally shot and wounded by Hercules. The arrow, which had been dipped in the poison of the Lernaean Hydra, inflicted great suffering on Chiron--so great, in fact, that even the talented physician could not cure himself. In agony, but as an immortal unable to find release in death, Chiron instead offered himself as a substitute for Prometheus. The gods had punished Prometheus for giving fire to man by chaining him to a rock. Each day an eagle would devour his liver, and each night it would grow back. Jupiter, however, had at the request of Hercules agreed to release Prometheus if a suitable substitute could be found. Chiron gave up his immortality and went to Tartarus in place of Prometheus; in recognition of his goodness, Jupiter placed him in the stars. From the northern hemisphere, Sagittarius may be seen only in the summer, lying low in the south. The Milky Way runs through Sagittarius.

My test tracked 4 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender: You scored higher than 47% on Power You scored higher than 90% on Wisdom You scored higher than 0% on Justice You scored higher than 19% on Beauty

Link: The Which Constellation Are You Test written by truckin on OkCupid Free Online Dating

Well I guess that's not too bad. Hubby is a Sag so I chose wisely it seems. ;)

80's Child! You scored 85 tubularity!

Congratulations, you are officially a Child of the 80's! You appreciate how awesome Transformers were and how much Go-Bots sucked. You probably collected either Cabbage Patch Kids or Garbage Pail Kids. Break out your Snoopy Sno-Cone Maker and get nostalgic!

My test tracked 1 variable How you compared to other people your age and gender: You scored higher than 44% on tubularity

Link: The Are You a Child of the 80's? Test written by crazywhackjob on Ok Cupid

Oh Lord, I'm a child of the 80's. Should I be ashamed? (Nah, them freaky 70's babies wore bell-bottoms like Naval Personel and listened to disco (though ABBA is good). I'm only mildly ashamed...oh and I collected Garbage Pail Kids.

Knowledge You scored 40 People, 60 Success, and 43 Fun!

Your sim would rather drown him/herself in books and studies than have fun or make friends. Hey, whatever makes you happy...

My test tracked 3 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender: You scored higher than 0% on People You scored higher than 99% on Success You scored higher than 0% on Fun

Link: The Sims 2 Aspiration Sorting Test written by winterbird1985 on Ok Cupid

I am a Sims aholic. I will NOT be joining a 12-step program, and for your own mental health you do NOT want to know what all I've downloaded for the Sims and the Sims 2 - really, you don't.

The Fallen Angel You scored 45% Pride, 60% Envy, 90% Ambition, and 27% Deceitfulness!

You are the Fallen Angel, one of the angels who left their first estate and now reserved in chains in everlasting darkness. Basically, you left heaven to get some tail. That’s right, you thought some women were so beautiful, that you left heaven to have sex with them. Well some certainly are beautiful, but you gotta draw the line somewhere, geez! Based on your personality, it seems you may have left heaven for two reasons, besides the endless supply of human females. Reason 1: You are ambitious and you got tired of being a servant of God. Instead, you wanted to make your own kingdoms so others could serve you. Reason 2: You are a jealous person, and may have taken a certain joy out of corrupting God’s creation. You are a straightforward villain, and you didn’t try to deceive God in your evildoings. Basically, you told God, “it is what it is”. In the end, God decided that you had to go, and you humbly accepted the punishment mentioned at the beginning of this description.

My test tracked 4 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender: You scored higher than 42% on Pride You scored higher than 83% on Envy You scored higher than 98% on Ambition You scored higher than 11% on Deceitfulness

Link: The Which Biblical Villain Are You Test written by MetalliScats on OkCupid Free Online Dating

The angel part is arguable but the straightforwardness is a trait I'm proud of. You will NEVER wonder if I think you're a a good person.