Craziness! I bought ugly shoes! Ice Cream, New Names, Reba, Vacation and other bits and bobs

Whew, with a title like that you'd think it was Random Thoughts Tuesday, wouldn't you? Well, it's not. It's actually Friday, and normally I do a Dear So and So, but I've got too much going on today to gripe at all the idiots people that irritate me to no end. Seriously, things are going on. The first I find, well, distressing to be honest. I bought {hiding my head in shame} ugly shoes! Oh noes!!!!! Yes, it's true. Well, I guess not strictly true, because they're boots not shoes (semantics can be your friend) and they're not that ugly I guess, but they're not really, well, me. You know? They're kind of butch IMO. Check them out:



Why did I buy these less than attractive boots? Because we're going on vacation this week down to Garmisch-Partenkirchen (try saying that fast 5 times) and M's "bro-friend" who will hence forth be known as "The Other Man" (or TOM for short, even though Tom is NOT his name) is already down there for a conference and his wife (TOM's Wife as she will now be known) told us that it's been raining there all week and to make sure we bring rain gear and waterproof shoes. Well, I do have my kick ass Timberlands, but they are heeled (of course) and probably not the best thing to wear on a trip where we will be exploring a huge gorge and navigating the crowds of Oktoberfest in Munich. I went through all my boots and the only pair I own without a heel are $300 Anne Kleins (no I did NOT pay that much for them, Mr. HH-as M will now be known-would kill me) and they are more like riding boots (not that I ride, but if the opportunity ever arrises, I've got the boots) and have absolutely no tread (as I found out in the snow last year). What to do? What to do? Our PX had some super key-ute pink (PINK!) Timberlands, but they did not have any in my size. Boo! Boo, I say! I went to a few German shoe stores and actually found them in my size and in pink, but they were CRAZY expensive. Crazy. Like 200 Euro crazy, and with the exchange rate being $1.50=1 Euro, they were $300! Um, no. Even though they called me (MIHH, buy us! We're ever so comfy! We're excellent for exploring and we're pink! PINK!!!!) I had to walk away. I didn't want to spend a lot of money on boots that I probably wouldn't wear that often, so I headed over to the sale section. I found the above boots, which were originally 80 Euro (no way would I pay 80 Euro for them, they're not even pretty!) but marked down to 25 Euro. At that price, I could justify taking them home with me. Sort of. They are pretty comfortable are real leather and have a nice fluffy lining, so...you know. Of course Mr. HH saw them and asked if I had bought yet another pair of boots and why on earth I needed them. I tried to explain, but he just shook his head. Men. Yes, I do in fact need 8 pairs of black boots! They're all different!
Anyhoo, after I made my purchase, I was a little down until Indy (who got an awesome new pair of bright blue Wellies) and I decided to go get some ice cream to cheer me up. Indy's all for anything that involves ice cream. I've never been a big ice cream fan and the only time I ever buy it to bring home is when we're doind something cake related, but there are a few ice creamy things that set my heart aflutter. A Magnum bar is one of them. I would have taken a photo of the actual bar, but by the time we got home, only the wrapper and a big smile on my face was left. Isn't the wrapper pretty though (even if it's a little crumpled)? The inside is gold! Gold! You know it's special.

What's inside this pretty wrapper? Heaven. On a stick. It's a lucious vanilla ice cream covered in the most decadent dark chocolate coating you can possibly imagine. The Magnum Classic, which is milk chocolate, is my go to, but when I come across an Ecuador Dark, my heart beats a little faster and my taste buds stand on high alert. I'm not a huge fan of milk chocolate (WHAT? I know, I know, milk chocolate is good, but dark chocolate is my true love), but the Magnum Classics are freaking amazing. Magnum bars (of any kind-classic, dark, classic with almonds, etc) are extremely rare in America, but if you ever see one, buy it (actually buy them all) and run home guarding it with your life, laughing like a lunatic all the way. Once you try it, you'll understand why. If I could send every one of my readers one, I would because I want you all to experience true happiness (which actually can be found in a Magnum bar). This cheered me up and the not so pretty shoes didn't look all that bad after all. Well, they did, but Magnum bars can make anything look better.

Now, onto the vacation. We're going down to Garmisch-Partenkirchen (site of the 1936 Winter Olympic Games) as soon as Mr. HH gets home from work. TOM and his wife and girls are already there and tomorrow we're taking the train up to Munich for the opening of Oktoberfest (which is in September, not October) and then on Sundaywe're going to explore the Zugspitz (Germany's highest point, IRRC) the Partnach Gorge and the ruins of Castle Werdenfelds. On Monday we're going to Neuschwanstein Castle. Indy is crazy excited over that one. The photo below is of the hotel we're staying at in Garmisch. Isn't it pretty? This is from their website and I'm wondering how it will measure up IRL. I'll be sure to take lots of photos to let you see.



Finally, onto Reba. I know you're thinking, "huh? Reba? Reba, who?" Reba Mcentire the country singer/sit-com star, that's who. Why, you ask? Well, I was flipping through the channels the other day and other day when the phone rang. I stopped flipping and answered the phone. The channel was playing the show Reba (cause that's the kind of quality TV your armed forces and their families get to watch). When I got off the phone, Indy asked me what was with her. I asked what he meant and he said "Why does she talk like that? Does she have some sort of problem?" I cracked up laughing and explained that no, she did not have a problem, she merely had a really strong southern accent. He said he hoped he never talked like that.

So, now that I've rambled, I have to go down 4 flights of stairs to the dark, scary basement (jealous?) and see if our laundry is finished so I can pack for our trip. I'll try to post in the evenings with all the exciting things we'll be doing (while I wear my poor ugly boots). Or, maybe I'll just sleep. Who knows?

Sweet, sweet M!

Look what my sweet man bought for me yesterday!



Isn't she lovely? She doesn't have a name yet, but we don't know each other very well. I already love her though.

Why did my sweet man buy her for me? Well, years (and years) ago I had an old school Canon Rebel (you know, the kind that used FILM). Her name was Leona. One night, way back when I was in college (again, back in the old days when no one had a laptop), I had a HUGE report due on something that I'm sure I didn't care about and had spent a long boring afternoon at the library. I love libraries, don't get me wrong, but this was something I was clearly not interested in. Anyway, I brought home a stack of books from the library (pre-internet we actually had to look stuff up in books!) . that I had to cart in from my car. Leona was in her case behind the driver's seat. My hands were too full to carry her, so I left her, planning to come back for her. I got into my room, plopped my books down and my phone rang (corded! man, I'm old), and it was a boy! A boy I liked. A lot. He was so good looking it was almost sinful. Too bad he later turned out to be a jerk. Isn't that always the way? After about a 2 hour conversation (lots of flirting) I got busy working on my paper, and forgot all about poor sweet Leona.

That night, half the cars in the lot were broken into including mine. They broke my window, swiped my radio AND Leona (she was in her case with the 3 extra lenses I had for her). I was heartbroken. Leona and I had spent many hours together, photographing interesting stuff and occasionally getting high off the processing chemicals. Man, I love the smell of b&w developing chemicals.

Leona was never replaced and for years and years, I bemoaned the lack of a really good camera. So many beautiful photos passed me by with my little point and shoot. I could have replaced her, but didn't want to spend the money. See, if it had been (I shudder to even type this) shoes (OMG, can you imagine?) or a handbag, I would have replaced it immediately (after wearing black for a few weeks to mourn my loss of course), but electronics? Not so much.

M knew how badly I wanted a new camera. I mean really, how could he not? What with the drooling and sad longing looks and deep heaving sighs every time we passed a camera store. Queen of subtlety. That is me. He's been saving up (bless his heart) and finally had enough to buy me my lovely new toy. Wasn't that crazy sweet of him? Sometimes he amazes me.

Once I figure out how to use her (the manual is thicker than some textbooks I've seen), and we've gotten to know each other, be on the look out for some awesome pics.

Fall POOPIES!

Are you guys sick of fall posts? I hope not! I fall'd up my house a wee bit yesterday. I guess you could say I "POOPIE'd" it up. Man, that does not get old! Or maybe it's just me. Whatever. I haven't done a lot, because, well, we're moving in....2 weeks? 3 weeks? A month? Who knows? With transatlantic moves, we probably won't get our stuff until, oh, January or so, which means I won't get to do much decorating for the other holidays either. :( Can you all imagine what it's like to have Christmas without all your Christmas stuff? It stinks, I tell you. We've done it once before and it was depressing. I wanted my stuff! I hate moving around the holiday season. Boo! Okay, meaningless rant over, on to my pretties, however temporary. If you want to see the originals (pre-fall), you can click on the original POOPIE post.


Remember my lemon jar, that so many people liked? Tada! Black beans, POOPIE pumpkins and POOPIE leaves:



Here's another POOPIE jar. (I'm so laughing on the inside at that):


More black beans, POOPIE leaves and some candles. I forgot to buy candles for the two side votives. Gah!



I moved my eucalpytus to this urn and put some POOPIE leaves in the little jar.


This vase held my green onion grass. I flipped it over and put a POOPIE leaf garland inside and a pumkin (POOPIE approved) on top.

And now, like everyone else in blog land, I have this awsome little decoration that Indy absolutely loves. I also added a POOPIE pumpkin and some leaves to the birdcage.

Remember the second biggest of my POOPIE offenders? The PLASTIC plant? Oh, I fall POOPIE'd it up.
And finally for my BIGGEST POOPIE offender, the ivy. I pulled the leaves off the extra fall garland I had and popped them onto the little spokes.



And now, for something totally not POOPIE (unless I'm mad at him and then, maybe):


He doesn't like this pic because his uniform is all bunched up and he says it makes him look fat. He's not. BTW, he was watching crazy videos on YouTube. Productive!