So gross!

When Christel-Ann was an infant, I would ask her "how big are you?" (Wie gross bist Du?) and she would raise her arms in the air and say "this big" (sooo gross). Had to think of that yesterday as she climbed into the passenger seat, messed with my preferred radio and was trying to figure out how much time she needed at the library. She had her laptop and packed and was ready to meet some friends for a study group. Parents were not welcome and it was requested that I don't roam the library checking on them every so often. And shocking enough, the library had no problems with a couple of 6th graders doing their work alone, even suggesting that they (library personnel) would really be the only help those kids needed. So I went across the street to the mall and wandered around for an hour trying not to check my watch every 5 minutes.
Long story short, they got a lot accomplished on their project, and I was thinking about the days when you would go to the library with paper and pencil and there she was with her laptop and her friends had their thumb drives that they loaded the information on.

Note To Self

Don't sign up for "refreshments" at the first meet of the season. Here I am the eve before Christel-Ann's first track meet and I was the parent that got out of the car to pick up athlete from practice and therefore signed myself up for refreshments for tomorrows meet.
I found a 5 gallon cooler with a drink spout in the garage and will fill that up with Gatorade and water, will add a bucket or 2 of ice just before I leave and should be good. I am afraid the usual fare at running events is rather uncool (bananas/orange slices and pieces of bagel) but I'm not participating in a "cool parent" competition either.
I'm pretty annoyed by seeing all kinds of sweet and fatty foods around my Girls sporting events and am simply refusing to cooperate. Gatorade for the Middle School Track Team is one thing, but for the little PeeWee Soccer Players? Along with a bag of Chips? Hate to break it to these Kids, when its my turn, it will be a bottle of water and Appleslices or some whole grain crackers instead of a candy bar.

Fish

Dear Co-worker:

I commend you for being a good steward of company time and finances by choosing to bring in leftovers and eating at your desk, possibly answering business phone calls, e-mails over going out to eat. However, next time you bring in fish, it would be much appreciated if you would utilize the microwaves in the break room and eat in the common area.
Thank you so much.

Love, me

P.S I was pretty close to throwing up for the better part of the afternoon.

Christel-Ann & the Circus

Christel-Ann came home a few weeks ago announcing that there is a Field Trip planned to the circus.
I have never been to the circus, my parents didn't take me because of my allergies and as an adult I never felt the need to support animal cruelty.
Now that Christel-Ann was supposed to go she started asking why we "never go" to the circus as a family, I explained and she got on her computer and did some research. She made up her mind pretty quickly that she did not want the Field Trip to happen at all, and if, she would not attend.
She wrote a letter to the teacher, but the show had to go on, the 6th Grade was circus bound. She talked to her friends and some said they would stay behind with her as well. As time drew closer more decided that they would see the show after all, but Christel-Ann stuck to what she believed in and stayed behind and was pretty happy with herself.
I was afraid she would regret throwing the permission slip away, or be upset that all of her friends had a good time, but she came home from school content that she had not participated.
Boasting with self confidence, I am very proud of the young woman she is becoming and liking the decisions she is making.

Peace on Earth - Merengue Style

Christel-Ann asked to make her own sheet of Merengue

Travelling

The little Doener Tier is waiting for his departure. He is not quite sure wether to feel protected by that M16 in the background or be worried that he will end up as a Kebab?

Paul's Address

Won't be published here.
But if you want to know where to send coffee to, send me an e-mail.
He layed over in Ireland and Mannis (I am not sure where that is, but when he called upon google, it came up with google.kg) and was moved forward earlier today.
Time difference to Eastern time is +9 1/2 hrs.