Leave it to the Europeans to find a way to make exercise fun and popular! People of all ages come together for a nice walk, followed by extremely tasty, but fattening, food and giant kegs of beer! It's called Volksmarching and in Germany, it's a national pasttime!
Last weekend the kids and I participated in our first volksmarch. We went with my good friend, Rose, and her children, Jonah and Jackson. The weather was beautiful---a little chilly, but the sun was shining, and we haven't seen the sun since around October! After we got registered, we set out for our 5K march through the vineyards in Grolsheim, Germany. Even though the vines were empty, the walk was an experience to remember. I was worried that the kids would get tired or bored, but they ran ahead and kept yelling at us to KEEP UP! (Hey, I'm old...cut me some slack!) This particular march had a "kinderwalk," so the kids got a certificate with their picture on it, lots of prizes, and a stamp in their volksmarching passport. It was really neat. By the end of our 3-mile walk, we were all starving, so we headed back to the stadium for soda and bratwurst. After all the food I put away, I probably needed to do the 5K again! Of course, we couldn't leave without enjoying a piece of German cake. That would have been rude, and I would HATE to be rude!
If there's one thing I love about Germany, it's the way people live outdoors when the weather is nice. They just come out in droves, whether it's to bike, or walk, or sweep the sidewalk and road (yes, we have to sweep our roads....now THAT I could do without!). After experiencing 6 long months of a very hard winter, I'm beginning to think that they want to take advantage of any warmth they can get! Seriously, if you were to drive through our village, you would think that there was something special happening. But the truth is, they just love to enjoy the great outdoors, and that is definitely something I can get used to!
Monday, March 27, 2006
Saturday, March 11, 2006
Somewhere along the way, in my short but very interesting life, I became the poster child for Murphy's Law, and apparently, once this law attaches itself, you can never, ever shake it. Yep, it's true. Murphy has followed me clear across the Atlantic Ocean to the other side of existence. I dare not mention this to those closest to me, for I will surely take the blame for every disaster that happens within a 100-mile radius. Just last week, after we received nearly 10 inches of snow, my neighbor said to me, "This is so strange! In all my life, I've never seen this much snow in our area!" I just smiled and nodded, knowing good and well that Murphy had once again reared his ugly head. Unfortunately, my secret was exposed tonight, when a friend came over for pizza and a "Grey's Anatomy" marathon. You'd better sit down for this one.
We were in the middle of season 1, episode 3, when Troy came downstairs and informed me that there was a bat in my room. No, not the kind of bat that major league baseball players use to score winning runs. The kind of bat that flies erratically around your bedroom, leaving you to wonder just how quickly you can maneuver your way down 3 flights of stairs. The kind of bat that you expect to ward off with a string of garlic and a wooden cross. Now, pray tell, what is a woman to do when there is a bat flying around in her bedroom?
First, I called my friend, Jill, and asked her husband for advice. He said, "Do you have a net?" I promptly hung up the phone. I've never even caught butterflies with a net; I'm not going after a flying bat. No, thank you. Next, I called our commander, but he had the nerve to be out on a date with his wife! How inconvenient. We then decided to call Security Forces at Ramstein, who forwarded my call to Security Forces at Vogelweh, who informed me that if the bat should happen to morph into a vampire, please call them back. Gee, thanks. In my desperation, I ran across the street to my neighbor's and played a frantic game of charades, trying to explain to him about this unwarranted visitor. He just laughed, grabbed his gardening gloves, and headed over to my house.
By this time, the creature had made its way downstairs and was now flying around the living room. Christina and the kids were huddled on the floor in the kitchen, Grace was screaming at the top of her lungs, and Troy was yelling, "Let's hit it with the broom!" I joined them on the floor, only to see my very calm neighbor walk across the living room, open my patio door, and usher the bat outside.
I'm sure that he and his wife, along with the entire Kaiserslautern Security Forces officers, are still laughing at me. But that's OK. If good 'ol Murphy and I can bring a little joy and happiness into the lives of others, then we are honored. But honestly, Murphy, isn't it about time you picked on someone else??
We were in the middle of season 1, episode 3, when Troy came downstairs and informed me that there was a bat in my room. No, not the kind of bat that major league baseball players use to score winning runs. The kind of bat that flies erratically around your bedroom, leaving you to wonder just how quickly you can maneuver your way down 3 flights of stairs. The kind of bat that you expect to ward off with a string of garlic and a wooden cross. Now, pray tell, what is a woman to do when there is a bat flying around in her bedroom?
First, I called my friend, Jill, and asked her husband for advice. He said, "Do you have a net?" I promptly hung up the phone. I've never even caught butterflies with a net; I'm not going after a flying bat. No, thank you. Next, I called our commander, but he had the nerve to be out on a date with his wife! How inconvenient. We then decided to call Security Forces at Ramstein, who forwarded my call to Security Forces at Vogelweh, who informed me that if the bat should happen to morph into a vampire, please call them back. Gee, thanks. In my desperation, I ran across the street to my neighbor's and played a frantic game of charades, trying to explain to him about this unwarranted visitor. He just laughed, grabbed his gardening gloves, and headed over to my house.
By this time, the creature had made its way downstairs and was now flying around the living room. Christina and the kids were huddled on the floor in the kitchen, Grace was screaming at the top of her lungs, and Troy was yelling, "Let's hit it with the broom!" I joined them on the floor, only to see my very calm neighbor walk across the living room, open my patio door, and usher the bat outside.
I'm sure that he and his wife, along with the entire Kaiserslautern Security Forces officers, are still laughing at me. But that's OK. If good 'ol Murphy and I can bring a little joy and happiness into the lives of others, then we are honored. But honestly, Murphy, isn't it about time you picked on someone else??
Thursday, March 02, 2006
Congratulations to the US Men's soccer team! In spite of the blizzard and virtually no visibility, the U.S. still managed to defeat Poland in an exhibition game played here in Kaiserslautern last night!
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