Making a Memory

You and me 
We should be 
Making a memory whenever we're together, yeah… 

Well, it’s the end of spring break here. Oh yeah, and daylight savings time started. Woo hoo! I’m kidding. I dislike daylight savings time. A lot.

Truth is it kicks my butt. It doesn’t matter if it’s spring forward or fall back. It makes me tired. I don’t ever seem to get that extra hour of sleep the news talks about. And in the spring, when it’s not dark until 8:00 or 9:00 o’clock, I tend to stay up late. Then when it’s time to get up, it’s pitch black and I just want to stay in bed. Add the time change and the Littles together and there wasn’t much rest!

This is the first time that all three have come to stay for more than a day or two. I didn’t think it would last long but it was the whole week. And it was fun!

We didn’t go out much; to the park one day, to the grocery store another. Evan went with his cousin a couple of times and he came here but otherwise they just played together.

Ouch! Bike wreck.

My kids, their mother and uncles, loved to go outside and play on the ‘mountain’. They enjoy it just as much. They find crystals, or fossils or flowers or cactus. I’ve told them over and over to stay away from the cactus. This time for some reason, Caleb had a really strong curiosity about the cactus. He and Belle came in a couple of times with the tiny needles in their hands. One time the two of them came in and Caleb said he had needles in his tongue. I told them to go in the bathroom and I would be there in a minute. The next thing I know Caleb is throwing up. Belle had tried to help get the needles out of his tongue, gagging him until he puked! I found out that their other grandpa was eating cactus. Napolitos are the edible paddles of the prickly pear cactus. I got them a jar of pickled ones at the grocery store and no more curiosity!

I fixed them their favorite things to eat. One day we had tiny little pancakes for breakfast. Many tiny little pancakes! We had pigs and blankets, steak dogs, and cinnamon rolls. I made French toast one day and sliced it into fourths. I put it on the plate in a square with a little cup of syrup in the middle. Then I sprinkled powdered sugar over the whole thing. Evan came to the table and said, "Mamye, you always do things so fancy!" It really wasn’t but it made me happy that he thought so.

A happy note!

One of the funniest things was when I made spaghetti for them. They were downstairs watching a movie. I put the spaghetti in bowls and cut it up so it was easier for them to eat. I mixed up some grape Cool Aid and put it in wine goblets then sat it all out on the table. The only thing I forgot was the camera to capture their reactions!

They got to the table and their little mouths literally dropped open! In hushed voices they were saying things like, “She’s giving us wine.” “You try it.” “No, I’m not trying it!” Finally one of them was brave enough to taste.  "It’s just Cool Aid!!” I wonder why they would have even thought that I’d give them wine!?

Sleeping was an adventure for sure. Alan and Junior just moved to another room. Then the rest of us  climbed into the king size bed. The hard thing about sleeping with them is that they all want to be beside me. That’s fine if we take turns but that doesn't happen. Close is what they want to do; all at the same time! I need to be on the outside or I get claustrophobic. I might have started out on the outside but sometime in the night, besides Belle the human magnet, a little boy would be on the other side of me. Then another might be at my feet. Instead of everyone being at the head of the bed like we started, I might wake up to a set of feet on the pillow. Sometimes even two! It was fun but there wasn’t a lot of rest going on. Around midnight I’d finally get everyone settled in. If I was lucky we’d sleep in til around 10:00. And if I was really lucky I could get up and have a cup of coffee and they’d stay asleep a little longer!

It works...if I don't move!

It was a fun week for me and with any luck for them as well. I hope they remember the fun and look back at the time as the week we made memories. And I look forward to making more.

Look at me 
Can't you see? 
We were meant to be. 
Making a memory… 

I’ve been on a crochet kick, making many half double crochet Mobius scarves. No reason. They are quick, fun and the yarn has been colorful. They will make good gifts I suppose.

Three of the cowls.

I also went to a bracelet workshop to learn to do a heart in the kumihimo. It was fun and quick too.

Kumihimo. Can you see the hearts?

Then I tried an experiment with a straight chain closed with a button. It’s kind of cute and summery. I don’t like how I attached the button but I can work on that.

Long chain with big button closure.

While the kids were here they wanted to make crafts. Well, Belle did. Next time I’ll have some little projects she can work on.

We should be 
Making a memory whenever we're together, yeah…

Tickets and Passports

I’ll take a holiday far away…

There’s certainly something to jetlag. I’m just now starting to feel ‘back to normal’, which translates to just tired every day, not exhausted. But it was worth the fatigue! We had a great time.

After a grueling airline experience (another post) we arrived at the airport in Amsterdam. Bryce stood at the gate greeting us with a hand drawn Texas flag! What a sweetie!

Bryce welcomed us to Germany with a Texas flag!

We grabbed the luggage and headed to a store for a snack. With sandwich and suitcase in tow we found the rental and the adventure began. It was a station wagon, which was funny because when the kids were little they played some weird game about station wagons. Most kids play strange car games with VW Beetles, but not mine. Anyway, as we were driving, if we saw a station wagon, the person spotting the car would say “Station wagon alert!” I still don’t know exactly what that means but I think we all said it as we loaded the vehicle.

I was worn-out but I didn’t want to miss anything so I tried to stay awake and look around as much as I could as I settled in the back seat. Alan, not so much. He was reclined and snoring almost as soon as we left the parking lot! We were on the way to Hamburg.

Highway scenery is much the same in Germany as it is in the states. It just seems to flash by at a much faster rate!

Scenery along the way.

An import. Chevrolet Camaro!

A corn field where the corn as tall as the eaves on the barn.

Cattle grazing in the field.

Hay field with fresh mown hay.

Perhaps that’s because there isn’t really a posted speed limit on the Autobahn. Speed limits do apply at intersections or somewhere to be cautious like a construction zone. Generally, the Autobahn only has an advisory speed limit of 130 kilometers per hour (81 mph) in some spots and no limit at all in others. Staying with the flow of traffic had us practically airborne.

No speed limit.

I  was in the backseat, tending to my knitting which keeps me from grasping the ‘oh shit’ bar and clawing the windows when the driving makes me nervous.

Don't look, just knit!

As we were driving I noticed a sign. It said “Ausfahrt”. It was blue, with white lettering and was shaped with a point on one end, looking to me like an arrow.

Exit? Ausfahrt is a lot more fun to say!

Of course, just saying the word as I thought it would be in English immediately made me laugh. Think what "aus" and "fahrt" would break down to. Wouldn’t you laugh too? As we came upon another sign saying the same thing, I chuckled silently to myself. Passing still another sign I decided it must be pointing the way to a German town, probably a stinky German town, and giggled some more. Finally I said it out loud and asked Bryce just what it meant. Actually vocalizing it, with a Texas accent made us all laugh out loud. Then Bryce told us it just meant ‘Exit’. Prime example of lost in translation.

After dozing for a while it was time for a rest stop. We pulled off the road to a convenience store to use the restroom and to replenish the snacks. Before I went in Bryce explained that there weren’t any ‘free’ restrooms. There was a charge of .70€, about $1.00, to use the facilities. But you did get a voucher back which was .50€ that you could use in the store.

Vouchers to use in the convenience store after you pay to go to the bathroom.

Well, it wasn’t what I was used to but he had the right coins so I headed in to do what we stopped for. All went well and I did what you’re supposed to do when you finish and prepared to flush. I didn’t have my glasses on and sadly, I can’t read a thing without them. There was a divided button on the wall that I figured was meant for flushing so I pushed it. In some hotels I’ve occupied, there have been split buttons for flushing. One part is supposed to be for “number 1” and the other for “number 2”. I thought it might be the same. Instead, a square object came out, the toilet seat started to rotate and it was cleaned for the next person. Well, that was all good but it still hadn’t flushed. I pushed again, and because I couldn’t see, managed to press the same spot. The square piece, which I figured out was some sort of squeegee, came out, the toilet seat rotated and it was double clean for the next person. But it was still not flushed. So, concentrating this time, I managed to push in the right place and finally got the job done. I definitely had the cleanest seat in the place by the time I managed to flush the toilet!

We were soon on our way without further adventure. We arrived in Hamburg and found Bryce’s flat. It had been a long day. We were hungry and tired. We headed out for food, another post. Stay tuned!

Hamburg, Germany, officially known as Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg,  gets its name from the first castle built on the site, as per the orders of Emperor Charlemagne in 808 AD.

The intersection of Bryce's flat.

I’ll run until the end of the time 
The second hand slowly unwinds… 

Remember a month ago (wow, a whole month since I posted?) when I told you about the scarf exchange and showed you the pictures of the scarf I made? Well, I sent it off with a couple of other surprises and it got to Caroline. She said she loves it! I’m so relieved.

Caroline took a picture of her scarf package.

And while I was gone I got my scarf from my friend Beverly. It’s beautiful. It’s the Easy Drop Stitch Scarf. It’s made of Ella Rae Lace Merino, a yummy superwash fingering weight yarn. There were some other goodies in my box as well. There was the cutest little pin, a yarn dot it was called, that says, "Shut up I'm counting!" and some awesome knitting ball knitting needle point protectors that made me laugh.

My secret scarf package!

Easy Drop Sticth scarf from my friend Beverly.

A Yarn Dot!

Point protectors that look like balls of yarn!

What a fun surprise to come home to!

Our last goodbye to what we know, 
We’ll pack our bags and hit the road…

Magical Mystery Tour

Roll up, roll up for the magical mystery tour, step right this way... 

Monday afternoon, and it’s destination Amsterdam. My oldest son, Bryce, is graduating with his master’s degree in geophysical engineering. He’s been in a two year program over there, The Netherlands, Switzerland and Germany. When he departed we had plans to go see him. Life happens and plans change and now it is the end of his journey there and we are just now going to visit. But at least we are able to go!

The holiday won’t be as long as we would have liked. In fact, it’s going to be a whirlwind trip! But fun, it will be! We’re renting a car to drive around and do whatever we want, when we want. We’ll fill every minute with an experience to remember.

There’s not really a plan. It would be more like an outline if anything. We arrive 28 August (how do you like my European style?) early morning in Amsterdam. From there, by car, we’ll go to Hamburg. We could go by train but he’s offered to drive. That way, we can stop anywhere along the way as the urge strikes. Admittedly the train would be an adventure so hopefully we’ll get that chance too. He resides in Hamburg so with any luck we’ll stay at his place and not have to sleep in the car! (I’m joking but as a mother it is my duty to worry about such things.) 29 August we’ll hang out in Hamburg, maybe have a hamburger, and explore. (I don’t know if they even have hamburgers. But it sounded good.)

30 August we’re going from Hamburg to Delft. It’s probably six or seven hours of driving between the two. That’s nothing because where we live out here in West Texas it’s that far to anywhere! And think of the sights along the way!

31 August is graduation day in Delft! How exciting! It’s a celebration of all his hard work. The ceremony will be held in the morning. The rest of the day will be spent discovering Delft. 1 September, we’ll continue in Delft, head to Rotterdam, and sightsee in Den Haag. 2 September we’ll go from Delft back to Amsterdam and spend the rest of the day Amsterdamming! (That’s Bryce’s word and I know it will be an adventure!)

If those are our seats we're close to the bathroom at least.

All too soon, it’s going to be 3 September and we’ll get on the plane for the 10 hour flight back to the states. I have a feeling there may be sleeping involved! Too soon, life returns to normal. Well, as normal as it gets anyway! It will be back to work with all the daily drama and problems that entails. Bryce isn’t flying back with us. He has to wrap up some loose ends and will come back a week or so later.

I’m excited and getting more anxious by the minute! I better go pack soon because I know I’ll end up forgetting something important. Before I know it the magic will begin!

The magical mystery tour is coming to take you away... 

My sweet son is looking to see where yarn shops are when we are on our trip. Not too many boys would think of that! But he knows me well. I did have to think about what to bring and wonder whether the nice people at the airport will want to keep my good knitting needles or not. I don’t think there’s a problem leaving from here. It’s coming back I’m worried about! Who knows? I might not even have time to knit. But sitting in planes, trains and automobiles makes me want to keep my hands busy, so I’ll be ready, just in case.

I finished the surprise for the scarf swap I’ve been working on. It will be in the mail before I leave, heading to some (lucky?) recipient who says she likes red!

I haven’t received mine yet so I have something to look forward to when I return.

I am ready for a vacation, however short it will be. Now do I have my passport? ;)

Roll up GOT EVERYTHING YOU NEED, roll up for the mystery tour...