raindrops on roses & whiskers on kittens

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 15:16:48 GMT

Apparently you cannot ship alcoholic beverages through the US Postal Service. WTF, right? So I just got back from a very trying experience at the post office. I love Christmas, but the pressure to give gifts can be stressful. Blah, I have to go finish Scott's presents. K, bye.

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 07:57:49 GMT

I woke up this morning to find the scene outside my windows to be very white. And it's still coming down! Germany doesn't mess around with snow.

I've set some time management goals for myself today, so I'll end this short post with a picture of me holding the gluewhein mug I recently got from the Mainz Christmas Market. Gluewhein is a german Christmas drink, a hot spiced wine. This particular gluewhein was made from a white wine and had rum and orange liquor in it. It's tasty and it really warms you up!

In that picture, however, my mug is holding tea.

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 10:03:30 GMT

Oh, hello Livejournal. It's been awhile. It's snowing here. I love it, well, I love to be in my house and look out at it. Cameron and Amanda spent the weekend with us. To be honest, it was more fun than I had anticipated. We ate middle-eastern food and went to a club with the usual people. Not to mention all the Wii sports competitions that were had.

I've been slacking on my gifting. I made a hat for my brother for his birthday, which is tomorrow. His gift is all boxed up and ready...and still sitting in my living room. I blame the army post office. It's a pain to get to and it has weird, inconvenient hours.

I think it kind of looks like a squid all wrapped up like that. I hope he likes it.

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 10:48:53 GMT

I just put on some water for tea and sat down for some last minute studying (cramming) before my science final tonight. Oh Livejournal, I just really can't wait for this week to be over. I've been so preoccupied with classes that I haven't had the time or energy to clean up the house for ages. Let me tell you, I love Scott to death, but the man is a Slob (with a capital "S"). I don't say anything because I know he really has a lot on his mind right now, but come on, spilled coffee on the counter only takes a second to wipe up. I've mentioned it before (never thought I'd have to ask a grown man to "please throw garbage in the trash can instead of leaving it on the countertop") and he just goes on the offense telling me that I shouldn't talk because I leave my yarn and needles on the couch and my purse in the living room. It's definitely not the same thing. Messy is one thing, dirty is quite another. I can't walk into the kitchen without cringing. Well, it won't be long before we are living with Patti again and she definitely won't let him get away with not cleaning up after himself. Hopefully by the time we get our own apartment in Seattle he'll be in more of the habit.

Anyway, I should be studying. I'm having trouble concentrating though. All I can think about is knitting and all the craft projects I want to do.

My science teacher doesn't grade very fairly, so I can't help but feel like no matter how hard I try I still wont get an A. I really should have gotten an A on the last test, but he gave me one percentage point shy. ONE!

Oh, well. I still have to try, back to physics...

...But before I go, here is a list of things I'm just really loving right now:

1. Romantic comedies staring Meg Ryan
2. Tension tamer tea
3. My huge book of Jane Austen novels
4. All the beautiful autumn colors
5. Big, fat, squishy yarn
6. German toaster waffles
7. Over-sized sweaters
8. The new Britney Spears song (Britney's my guilty pleasure. Shhh...don't tell anyone)
9. The smell of lavender and vanilla
10. Stash-buster projects!

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 07:44:43 GMT

Lately I've been thinking a lot about my Emily in Houston. I can't help but be impressed by the way she's handling the hurricane damage. I miss her. I miss everyone I left in the States. Scott's back is not getting better, this means we might be going home. Soon. I can't help but be excited about that. I want to visit everyone. And I mean EVERYONE! I am dying to go back to Kansas City to see my grandparents. My plan is to drag Scott and Tristan with me and not only visit my family, but all my favorite places as well. Tea Drops, Urban Arts & Crafts, and Baby Cakes especially! Tea, yarn, and cupcakes...how can I resist? I'd also love to visit my favorite Aunt and Uncle in Minnesota. I haven't seen my little cousins since they were in diapers, and they are about 11 and 13 now!! I can't even believe it. They were the cutest babies. I'm going to be that older relative that embarrasses them by reminiscing about how cute they were and all the silly things they did. I can't wait.

Classes will be over next month. I'm working really hard to get all my general education classes out of the way. Along with studying science and computers my mind has been occupied with knitting and Jane Austen novels. At the moment I'm trying to convert a pattern for a scarf-hat so that I can use a yarn of a smaller gauge and finishing up a cabled hat for Scott, and reading Sense and Sensibility. Last weekend I watched the 1995 Pride and Prejudice BBC miniseries with Colin Firth (love it) and I totally hooked Scott. He ended up watching the whole two discs with me and afterward said, "Awww! Man, I like Mr. Darcy...I should read the book."

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 12:08:54 GMT

* Take a picture of yourself right now.
* Don't change your clothes, don't fix your hair...just take a picture.
* Post that picture with NO editing.
* Post these instructions with your picture

I'm listening to "Sprig" by Emily Haines & the Soft Skeleton and wishing I had a DQ dipped cone. Or better yet, a cherry Dilly Bar! I'm just really missing the good ol' U.S. of A. I'm so homesick. Germany is just really different and I've had my fill, so can I just go home now?

Mon, 01 Sep 2008 09:48:43 GMT

Paris flickr set

We've been home for about two weeks now. I love Paris! I miss french yogurt, it's so good and you buy it in these cute little glazed pots. So we were in Paris for four action-packed days. Came home, had a house guest for about five days and went to Strasburg on the French/German border and ate Vietnamese food in Frankfurt. Then I started classes, Intro to computer systems and intro to physical science. I've got a goal and a plan for school, so I feel motivated. It's just hard because I'm not sure where I'll be in the next few years. We might move back to Seattle earlier than we thought. ...sigh... I'll just have to do what I can I guess.

Fri, 11 Jul 2008 09:00:33 GMT

the past few weeks:
-went to the frankfurt natural history museum
-attended a tinkerbell birthday party
-visited köln & went to the roman museum
-watched seasons 1 & 2 of angel
-had really bad insomnia
-baked banana walnut muffins
-considered dying my hair...and then chickened all the way out
-watched seasons 1-3 of lost and decided that i didn't much care for any of the characters
-knitted a bear tv cozy

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 08:44:28 GMT

puppies & kitties!

while we were downstairs playing with sweetpea nigel was so insanely jealous that he almost flung himself off our third story balcony. seriously.

lola just can't be bothered.

Fri, 06 Jun 2008 10:00:00 GMT

blaaaaaahhhhhhhh...............i don't want to do anything right now but i feel like i should. i just don't know what. ehh... i started my period and i'm all cranky and bloated. some people might come over tonight but i just can't be bothered to tidy up. maybe after some more coffee, but i'm not making any promises. also, i'm eating candy for breakfast, so there.

Wed, 04 Jun 2008 07:11:55 GMT

my goal this week is to finish these socks. i have a problem with starting too many projects at once and never finishing them. projects i have going:
-two different pairs of socks
-snitch key chains
-a cross stitch
-a tv cozy
-a crocheted panda

before i start anything else i am finishing these!

Thu, 29 May 2008 10:01:17 GMT

my first attempt at bread making. it's whole wheat and pretty delicious, if i say so myself. the only complaint i have is that it's a little too dense, not really a sandwich bread but wonderful with apricot jam.

i'm currently reading the host by stephenie meyer and i really like it so far. she creates playlists for her books, which are available on her website. i created my own playlist for the host. at least for the part i've read, i'm about halfway in.

the host playlist:
~ invasion - eisley
~ a necessary end - saltillo
~ the tourist - radiohead
~ vanishing - architecture in helsinki
~ in the pretend world - scarling
~ people are strange - echo & the bunnymen
~ whistle for will - hot chip
~ freak out - my brightest diamond
~ this place is a prison - the postal service
~ how my heart behaves - feist
~ without you i'm nothing - placebo
~ i will follow you into the dark - death cab for cutie
~ roads - portishead
~ misery is a butterfly - blonde redhead
~ our hell - emily haines & the soft skeleton
~ numb - sia

Tue, 27 May 2008 12:50:34 GMT

we weren't in france very long.

a little bit of heidelberg:

more black forest:

Thu, 22 May 2008 09:04:49 GMT

Around my town.

Mon, 19 May 2008 09:14:42 GMT

this is a sign for a chinese restaurant in darmstadt.
.......?

Tue, 06 May 2008 08:31:00 GMT

holy shit. i can't even think where to begin. the one thing i do know is: i'm going to need a lot of coffee before i can even think of starting to deal with this mess...and possibly a muffin.

Mon, 05 May 2008 09:59:41 GMT

scott and i spent saturday in trier. it's one of the oldest citys in germany and has some pretty cool roman ruins.
we visited the basilica that was once the throne room for constantine, walked around, ate pastries and coffee for breakfast and frites, waffles and ice cream for lunch,
and went up into the black gate. after we drove to luxembourg, seriously the cleanest place on the planet, and went to the american military cemetery.

on the way there, pretty countryside:

on the way back, brews and bitches:

Thu, 01 May 2008 10:32:07 GMT

i'm a murderer. i buy plants with the best intentions and they always wither and die.i try, i really do! i sent a 911 e-mail to my mom so hopefully this little plant can be saved.

another inevitable truth is my spilling tea, coffee, water, juice, what-have-you, on books. it never fails, every other book i read ends up wrinkled and stained. i don't even know how it happens! one second i'm reading and the next, disaster! and usually i don't even realize the spill until i look back to my book.

the day so far:
+listening to rilo kiley after months of not listening to them at all
+jump rope inside
+tofu scramble & soy sausage
+e-mail to my mom
+to-do lists

all my stuff will be here by next week! i am so excited, it's like christmas!

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 06:07:34 GMT

i was talking to emily a few weeks ago and she'd been watching and re-watching the sound of music and i realized how very long it's been since i've seen this beloved movie musical, so i rented it. and then i realized that it's spring and i live not so far from austria and that i need to go running through wild flowers in the alpes. seriously.

so in a few hours our new couch will be delivered. the delivery guy just called and said a lot of things in german i didn't understand.

i really need to work on my german. i'm using rosettastone right now. i want to take actual classes though.

scott and i went to the frankfurt zoo last weekend. there were a ton of animals i'd never seen before. i like seeing animals up close, but at the same time i feel bad.

emily sent me a package:
-a pink wind up bunny that flips
-lavender hand salve
-a vegan oatmeal cookie
-baking power and baking soda ( i couldn't find any)
-some pages out of a bust magazine
-a letter

awesome.

i need to send hers soon..it's siting by the door.

so in moving and getting settled news, all our kitchen stuff gets here friday and the rest is here on next tuesday! and like i said, our new couch gets here today. yaaaaaaaaay!

as soon as the apartment is unpacked and put together i want to have sara and sam over for cookies and lemonade. they're the only people i know here.

ok i need to take a shower and get dressed so i don't have to answer the door with bedhead and in my underwear.

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 12:10:25 GMT

nigel and lola get their first encounter with snow.

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 08:19:23 GMT

so around my birthday last month amber flew down to spend a weekend with me. we went to carmel beach, the creepy pacific grove natural history museum, and karaoked not once, but twice. she also brought me delicious vegan food...and had to explain to airport security as to why she had a fake ham in her carry on. hahaha....

i'm pretty sure we were singing "don't stop believing" by journey here.

um...i can't remember what we were singing here...possibly "like a prayer" by madonna.

at any rate, here we are turning invisible. yeah, we have many skillz.

most amazing karaoke performance EVER.

portraying baby and mr. swayze during a karaoke rendition of "the time of my life."

hahaha....i don't know.

kristy, me, amber

there until the lights come on...that's just how we do.

a week later i moved to germany.

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 18:53:23 GMT

guten abend from deutschland!

so i inserted microchips into nigel & lola thereby successfully turning them into cyborg-kitties, filled out all necessary papers, dealt with my apartment issues, made it to the airport and the three of us somehow made it over the big blue ocean and arrived at the frankfurt airport intact.

phew!

i've been in germany since my birthday, march 15th. i've been sick twice. we have crappy loaner furniture right now, our stuff gets here next month.

we finally got the sweet internets today.

i've been a fat freudlin due to the DELICIOUS german chocolate that's readily available. curse you germany!!!!!!

oh...and scott stepped on my glasses and broke them clean in half. such a bummer, i had to super glue and tape them together so i can see until i get new glasses. man, where's hermione when you need her?

Mon, 03 Mar 2008 06:01:41 GMT

i knitted this golden snitch.

this is my plan for tomorrow: eat pancakes, pick up my fax from the ups store, go to the vet, buy like ten red bulls, drink said red bulls, get completely spun on caffeine, clean my entire apartment.

my birthday is coming up and certain things might be happening, but i don't want to jinx it.

lately i've been in such an enormous rut!
i can't focus on anything. i don't want to read, i don't want to watch dvd's, and i don't want to start a new knitting project.

i was supposed to be moving this week but the army screwed up again.

i'm stuck in purgatory.

help me.

on the upside i just ate an entire package of sweet & sara vegan marshmallows and bought some cute new converse.

yeah...that's just sad.

that's the WORST upside ever.

that's not even an upside.

that is just me in an attempt to drown my sorrows and make myself feel better about my being in a rut.

it worked for like a second.

and then the marshmallows were gone.

and i came crashing back to reality.

...

yelp.

let's hope i'm REALLY moving next week.

and also that next weekend will be made of awesome.

damn, i shouldn't have even said that. i hope it's not jinxed.

Wed, 27 Feb 2008 08:05:50 GMT

lola came into the house the other day looking like this. she had a black ring all the way around her face. it was really hard to get off and she still has some on her ears! wtf, lola!!

in a nutshell:
+persepolis twice
+simpsons clue while watching the simpsons
+soy chai lattes sweetened with agave
+fitted button down tops
+ruffles on clothes
+knitting ester
+lord of the rings references
+hand dyed sock yarn in ravenclaw colors
+stress eating
+in bruges in santa cruz
+thinking a lot about the 8 hour flight
+deciding that my hair color is "light golden brown"

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 06:18:58 GMT

nigel is not amused.