Here Comes Peter Cottontail

Oh how I love long weekends! It’s awesome to see Toblerone more and also to relax a bit. Not to mention the weather is phenomenal! I’m talking almost 70’s here. (Sorry to all the folks back home, I know…it’s been crappy weather!)

So we started off the weekend with a birthday party for my sister-in-law-to-be, which ended up with me trying every type of alcohol that was put in front of me, eating massive amounts of pretzel sticks, and sleeping wherever I fell that night. I love how these people can drink even ME under the table. They seriously know how to party here, and I’m an expert!

Friday was great too, minus the hangover, we went to Toblerone’s parent’s house where our puppy had been staying overnight, (He likes to go for sleepovers with his Omi and Opi!) So tradition says that you can NOT eat meat on Good Friday. Fish is acceptable and that is precisely what we had. Ok, so stop for a moment and picture yourself at your worst hungover state. I mean, wanting to puke at any movement, sounds at a whisper are too loud, etc. Got it? Image in place? Ok…then….imagine someone putting this in front of you on your plate.. (and wait…there is more…)

Let me try to explain to you what this is:

Tomatoes, 2 different kinds of peppers (somewhat hot) with cream cheese-like filling, Rye bread with butter on top, and fish that is cold and has a very distinct taste. It’s almost sweet, I guess.

 So, I gulped that down with my nose plugged and prepared myself for what was next. I knew it was going to be something that could quite possibly send me over the edge. A few minutes later, I was graced with this spectacular item:

This was a first for me. I’ve never had fish with eyes and mouth….and TEETH still intact.

 Hangover status: There are no words to describe the feeling.

Once all the gross bits were taken away from me and I was left with just the meat, It was delicious! Very very very good actually. I’ve had a few fish dinners here and some people just really know how to do it, I find. So, after dinner Harley played in the water from the hose for a bit with Toblerone. He absolutely LOVED it!

That evening we hosted a game night where we built up our foosball table (I bought this for Tobi for x-mas last year) and had some snacky foods! I made my favorite, Avocado Feta Salsa as well as some White Wine Sangria. I made little mini pizza’s for everyone and afterwards we played “A Game of Things” bought in America, but all in German. It was great practice for me and since I know so many bad words in German, my answers were easy to guess.

Saturday morning Toblerone and I went up to the woods to gather moss to make our own easter nest. Traditionally here, you don’t have the giant easter baskets. You normally make your own out of moss or hay or whatever you can find really and hide it outside. So, I received a wonderful Easter box from my mom back home which was filled with reese’s eggs (omg…how I miss those!) and Cadbury eggs as well. Two things you can absolutely NOT get in Germany. Anything with peanut butter is a negative. Nowhere to be found. So, I’ve been craving that like you can’t believe!

Mine is the one with the rock in the middle. I’m trying very hard to try out these new traditions and customs and find a way to incorporate my own that are so special to me. I’m a little nostalgic when it comes to traditions and don’t really feel like changing. That’s the fun of starting a family right? Including a piece of everyone’s family story and tradition. This is new….VERY new for me. I normally don’t change a hoot for no one!

We went off to Toblerone’s soccer game to be followed with a BBQ with the teammates and their girlfriends. That was a lot of fun, we were some of the last to leave but all in all it was a great time! I got to use my German more and found a hair dresser as well as got to know Toblerone’s friends that he grew up with.

Sunday morning came early and I thought I would die. Another night of drinking (seems like all I do here, huh? Well SOMEONE had to finish all the wine!!)  but I was up early and ready to find our Easter basket/nest thingys!  I was so excited! I got a German cookbook and a spaetzle press! Spaetzle = noodles, people. Plus loads of candy and my FAVORITE – Mars bars!! No, not the American ones. When my dad lived in England, I would literally buy two 5-packs of these and they would be gone in a couple of days. OBSESSED!

Of course the Easter bunny ALSO came for Toblerone and Harley! 🙂 Harley I think had the most fun! And Toberlone and I have enough candy to last us all year! I had to assign a special cabinet just for all of our chocolate. There is NO WAY we can finish this by next Easter! There is just too much! Harley had a great time playing with his new (and quite young) girlfriend named Mia. She’s the next door neighbor to Toblerone’s parents. So the two of them run free and after each other like crazy!

To make sure Harley was beyond exhausted we decided to take him on a hike to a little river/creek to swim around. Little did I know that it was straight down a mountain and then to return home, it was straight up. Lordy, Lordy…look who feels like forty!  It was of course raining as soon as we get to the bottom of the mountain but it was still warm outside so that didn’t matter. Whats a little soggy sock? Nothing to worry about! All the same, it was incredibly beautiful even without the sunshine. This is the stuff that inspires me to do what I love.

I hope everyone had an amazing holiday weekend and you all have more chocolate than you ever wanted or needed.

Until next time…

xoxoxoxoxoxo

For The Love Of…

I know, I know…I’ve fallen off the beaten path of the blog. I just got caught up in the glorious life I’m living. So shoot me. So to counter my other post about what I don’t fancy, I decided to grace you all with what I DO like.  Shall we? 

BEER FOR BREAKFAST

Literally, do it. Honestly, I was a little shocked at the fact that it was 11am…I’m hanging with the ladies and they bring out a bottle of wine. Say WHAT?! Who would turn that down!? I asked them if this was the usual and they said it was completely normal, not frowned upon, and encouraged!! There I sat, sipping the bitter goodness and thought to myself, “never will I ever have to say: It’s 5 o’clock somewhere!” So to my American friends… As you are all waking up and sipping your cup o’ joe, I’m sipping on some grape juice and NO ONE calls me an alcoholic. Queue the envy.

SPONGEBOB PANTS ARE FOR BED

To all you Walmart-goers, you have probably witnessed someone wearing ridiculous clothes or maybe received one of those emails showing the “best dressers”? You know, those infamous “Pajama- wearers”, who wear them to  go out to eat and for picnics in public places. I won’t lie, I’ve been known to don my favorite sock monkey or reindeer pj’s (yes, this is true… I do have these) back when I was younger, however, now that I’m older, I still would prefer to walk around in them but here in good old Germ, it’s not so cute. Even wearing my black workout-esque pants, is a big no no (I do it anyways). For some reason, no matter what time of day, no matter where you are going, wearing your pj’s is completely unacceptable. Most people here are always dressed nicely, not to the 9’s but decent.  If you slipped on those silky spongebob pj pants that grandma gene bought you christmas ’08, you will be stoned to death. They stare you down and make you feel like a weirdo. Like you’re so disgusting! As if! However, going along with this blog here, I think it sends a good message. Always look your best, you never know what you will end up doing or who you will see. Maybe that Ex of yours with the bad hair and you want to show them they left you for the uglier girl!  The world should be cleaned up a bit of the trash it’s accumulated. Just sayin!

I SCREAM, YOU SCREAM, WE ALL SCREAM FOR SALAD

Of course! Did you think I would actually say ice cream? That’s lame. The thing I LOVE here is the salad bars. At first, I thought it was weird and basically not a salad bar. It was a mess of shaved vegetables drowning in vinegar. I never thought I would say this but the American salads/salad bars are a little over the top (just like we do everything!). You get the wide variety of random things from sunflower seeds to beets (gag). Here it’s very simple you have German potato salad, and the following items all shredded to thin pieces and put in a bowl (separately, not all together) and mixed with a vinegar type dressing: carrots, cucumber, cabbage, and few others there are no translations for.  It’s awesome. There is lettuce…like boston lettuce but you take a few pieces in addition to the others. Sooo Delish! And so simple! I mean, it’s incredibly easy to prepare first of all but you have a few selections – aka not wasting food at the end of the day! Also, you’re eating your vegetables…without adding gobs and gobs of fattening salad dressings. Ranch dressing? No. Thousand Island? Negative. Blue Cheese? Nada.  These people got it going on! I’m on my way to finding out why the Euro’s have a less % of fat people than the Americans! Mission Fat is currently in sesh!

I’VE GOT THE GOLDEN TICKET

One of the first things I noticed when I was here was the toilet paper. There were many different choices like ones with butterflies or clouds, and not just any clouds…COLORED clouds. Yeah, pretty colors and shapes on each piece. Ahh, magnificent! I’m living a life of luxury! While watching the tube this past week Toblerone and I got fixated on an incredible opportunity regarding this stuff.

Gold imprinted toilet paper. No joke, this restaurant (odd) here in Germany has this fancy little machine in the backroom and they take whatever mold you want and make you the Crème de la Crème of toilet paper. It showed one woman, a doctor, who would put out the 150 Euro to have her fancy schmance paper made with a gold crown on it each month. She said it’s because she just likes it. Simple enough for me! Do it girlfriend!

IT’S A WOMAN’S WORLD

Yes, Angela Merkel – what a catch! Doesn’t she look like someone you just want to run up to and hug? I’m not a feminist by any means but I think it really says something about a country that can agree to have a woman as the head of their precious land (Chancellor to be precise) and not go into a rage about how a woman shouldn’t be in this position.  She has been in this role since election in 2005 and has won the hearts of many. I’ve yet to meet one person who doesn’t respect her and what she has accomplished.  Americans…get with the damn program! Hilary running for prez was a great start however the comments of, “a woman would bring too much emotion into government.” WHAT IS THAT?! Ignorance.

More so, I love the idea of a completely equal world. We need to go a long way but lord knows we’ve got an even longer way to go. I’m not into politics, nor will I ever be, and upon moving here I had no idea what type of government ran this place but learning that a woman (gasp!) was head of this and has been for many o’ years completely impressed me. I felt it was totally necessary to share. I wish we lived in a world where this was normal and I didn’t have to blog about it. Until then…

SUNDAY FUNDAY

For a good laugh, you should all be aware that Sunday Funday was invented by the Catholics. I attempted to clean and do housework on Sunday BUT I was very quickly told that it’s a Sunday. Yeah ok, whats the point?? It’s a day of relaxation. You work like crazy during the week and Saturdays you can do housework, Sundays are a day reserved for fun and relaxation. Hmm, ok. For me, it doesn’t matter. I’m not working so I’m always relaxed. (Thanks Toblerone!)  I’ve never felt so wrong about picking up gardening tool and looking (only looking) at the ground below.  Then I thought about it and what is wrong with relaxing with your family…throwing ribs on the Barbie and drinking bottles (plural) of wine?

 

 Well done Deutschland, you’ve managed to impress me and have me follow suit with your ways. *Applause* It takes a  lot for me to give in to how others live their life but I figured, some day I’m going to have to get over it and accept it and honor it. Now if only I could get my hands on some golden toilet paper. Then I would be REALLY living!  

Ciao for now readers! This weekend I will be heading out to my first disco for a girls night. This could get interesting…MAYBE I’ll blog about it, but I may not be able to. You know…what happens in….stays in.

xoxoxoxoxo