A quiet house

Carrie and Mom were off this morning on the train to Praha. A few days in Praha (Prague), then to Krakow with a side trip to Auschwitz and finally to Berlin where I'll pick them up next weekend and we'll all go wandering about, returning to my little area of Germany on Sunday night. We'll have Monday to recover and then a jaunt to the airport for mom and Carrie to catch the 6:50AM flight out of Nuremberg on Tuesday April 20th. I'm sure time'll go quick as craziness.

We all nursed colds/flus/evil bugs for the last week and I sent them off this morning loaded down with vitamins, an emergency poncho and umbrella, 2 hidden money wallets (no more Spain experiences!) and some Czech cash. Hopefully they arrived intact. My mom sent an email from Nuremberg saying their train left 50 minutes late this morning so they missed the connection to Prague but I think it's only a couple hours later arrival. Hopefully they enjoyed the countryside.

We've had the weirdest weather- it was SNOWING this morning as we left for the train station. Happy 31st to Carrie, who knew that she would have snow again? It's almost like being in North Dakota.

I also had a mostly quiet day at work- all the military is off for a four day weekend. But, several smelly patients. Literally. I think they rolled out of bed after drinking and smoking for four days straight. They have four day weekends once a month. I think for most of them it must actually shorten their lives. One of my patients even arrived with a swollen eyelid, which he said was from falling off a bar. Good times. They continue.

Photo happiness from Carrie and Mom's trip

Advanced internet connection in Germany. Attach wifi stick to head for better reception...

Carrie practicing to look German. But smiling a little too much. You can tell Mom is not German at all as she is totally smiling like a crazy Czech. Tee, hee, hee.

Me freezing ass off. I swear it's really January.

Flossenbürg with nearby concentration/work camp right in the city now-days... they have a good exhibit there.

Kathy walking the castle hill in Flossenbürg.

Castle at Flossenbürg where we almost got frost bite walking up the hill to the top...

Nuremberg (Kathy and Carrie's photos from Nuremberg, sadly, I was WORKING!)

Church in Nuremberg

Church in Nuremberg with my sister Carrie the fashion plate, carrying the EnviroSax bag that I was accused of stealing in Vienna.

Kathy and Carrie sick on the couch. Note Vicks rag on mom's neck, and yet she still remains deliriously happy looking.

Helga's Easter Tree.

Grandma and Lily (I stole this off my mom's camera.)

Carrie and Mom's schedule

After a week of illness-induced home-boundedness, my mom and sister and I are all feeling a little better and plan to do a few small activities this weekend before they head off on a week-long train and bus trip.

It was a really weird week, suddenly losing Grandma Hazel while my mom and Carrie were visiting. I think I expected that she'd live another ten years. I hope that she's somewhere else now with the people who've gone before.

This morning in honor of Grandma and my dad, I got up at 7:30AM and vacuumed and cleaned out my car. They wouldn't approve of a dirty, smelly car. If anyone knows my family, they know we care about cars. Not necessarily fancy cars, but keeping them nice and caring about them. You know, loving your cars...

Today the three of us plan to find a Flohmarkt and then head to a crystal factory and perhaps a few other places.

Monday morning at 7:34AM, Carrie and my mom will hop the train to Praha, then Krakow and then Berlin, where I'll pick them up on Friday--- the three of us will spend our last weekend in Berlin.

Monday, April 12th is Carrie's 31st Birthday. I think we'll have to eat a bowl of frosting for breakfast in her honor. 31 is a great year. I know!

Carrie said "Yuck! Eating a bowl of frosting! Maybe 'Frosted Mini-Wheats'!" We'll see.

Hazel Claire Schultz: August 27, 1926- April 6, 2010

"You can choose to be happy or sad, I choose to be happy"

It was on her fridge for as long as I can remember. A magnet. I read it every time I visited.

Grandma Hazel had lots of bumps in her life -- I think a lot of people might have not chosen to be happy, but she did.

Last night, my sister and mom and I sat in my living room, talking about Grandma Hazel. I pulled my pictures of her off the wall, the ones where she was dressed up as the Village People at my cousins wedding. And we remembered how beautiful her letters were, in words and handwriting, always telling us how much she loved us. I don't think she ever got over my dad dying- there is something wrong with your son going before you. Now I hope they are together somewhere, laughing. I think that's how most people would remember Hazel. Full of spunk and always laughing, that was my Grandma.

I will miss her greatly.

Road trippin' home

I think the grand finale. Perhaps.

Streetcar station in Vienna--- not sure how old... very cool.

Exhibit at the museum of applied arts, Vienna.

Museum of applied arts.

Ditto. Cool building. Free on Saturdays. Not really worth visiting, unless you are in the neighborhood or have nothing better to do.

The town of Melk, Austria.

Carrie in the throes of ecstasy at the cigarette vending machine. Note another just about 10 feet away. Also two more were withing about 20 feet of these. Insane.

Countryside of Austria from the car.

You can't see this! Top secret.

Look Elton's coming to town. Plus hot motorcycle dudes.

We had to get a photo of these cute ladies who were tailing us.

Marienplatz, Munchen.

Carrie at the hofbrauhaus post-30 minutes of Easter evening church service. We were so happy to have beer.

Posing. Looking sorta fake. Oh well. I couldn't quite finish my beer.

That's all folks!