Giving Thanks 2007

This year I am giving thanks for
Friends; it only takes a few good ones to have enough.
Dogs; they love me no matter what and only demand a dog biscuit in return.
Shelter; the house hasn't fallen down yet. There's hope for it.
My husband; a heck of a guy who appreciates me no matter what and doesn't even want a dog biscuit.
My children; although there is room for improvement and they cost a whole lot more than dog biscuits.
My birthday; I made it through another year! Woo hoo!
My body: for finally shedding some pounds. Five more pounds and I'll be out of the oh my god, this is going to kill you red severe overweight zone and into the orange, moderately overweight zone at Fitday.com. Thank you alli!

Fall Out

It's the end of another sporting season with the football team first in Europe (first European championship since 1983), the girls second in volleyball (losing in a heartbreaking close set of games), and Jim's cross country girls second in Europe.The end-of-season sports banquet lasted till nearly 9 pm (yawn), but there was lots to celebrate, so the speeches went on a bit longer than usual. The video presentations for football, volleyball, cheerleading and cross country all made use of photographs I had taken during the season. The parents, as usual, were thrilled at the good job we have done at our school working with these kids and also with the awards.

Halloween Jacks 2007

Coat Day in Trier

On Jim 's birthday, we drove to Trier and met up with Sylvie, Yolenne, Gunther and Sylvanie, but our main purpose was to acquire a houseguest, Alexi, an American exchange student going to high school in France. Before we met up with them, we visited one of the exhibitions on Constantine near the cathedral. After lunch, we did some walking around and not-too-serious shopping. It was "Coat Day" in Germany, the Sunday before All Saints and All Souls Days (when the Germans go to the cemetery to decorate the graves and show off their new winter coats). Alexi tried on a coat in H&M, which appeared to be a steal at 29,90, but the price was not for the coats on the rack (of which there were many), but for a couple of dresses. Anyway, she looked cute in the coat, and you can see the main square of Trier in the background, including the restaurant where we ate lunch (on the left) and later had kaffee und kuchen.
Alexi went to school with us for four days, carved a pumpkin, and went trick or treating with a group of students, mostly cross country runners. She had a good time back in an American high school hanging out with and chatting in ENGLISH with American kids, and we enjoyed having a young person in the house again.