Speyer 11-07-08

This has been a long time in coming for one very big reason: while putting the video together in Picasa, I was trying to make sure I used the same specs I used in the last video (Rotterdam) and managed to save the new video over the old video, thereby deleting my Rotterdam video from my hard drive. I can't figure out how to get the video off of Google, so I've been so disgusted with the whole thing that I've not wanted to return to the project at all. That and I was being a bit lazy. Without further ado, however, here it is - what you've all been waiting for - the beginning of the end... Andy and I have a friend from Germany whom we met in college. We've both been to see him and stay with his family, twice for me and once for Andy. He's a nice guy and his family is wonderful and incredibly hospitable. Since we were in Europe we couldn't not take a trip to see Martin, and since I'd been to Berlin, Mannheim and Heidelberg already, we decided to take a trip to southern Bavaria to see Neuschwanstein (literally something like New Swan Castle - I don't know what stein is besides a beer mug!). The first day we were in Germany, though, we took a day trip to Speyer, a little town close to Heidelberg and Mannheim. These are photos from that part of the trip. Enjoy!

What's Shakin'

I’ve been away for quite a while now – Andy and I have returned to the States and are back in Chicago after a dreamlike month back home. Returning to Chicago at the beginning of a cold and snowy January from a warm and sunny Texas is a bit like slamming your forehead into a brick wall. At least it gives more than granite…

Now for the really exciting stuff: what’s coming up! As you’ve all seen, I’ve been a huge slacker when it comes to posting photos for the last few trips. Never fear, however! Come Monday, I’ll post the photos from Germany, then the ones from Paris, and then, most exciting of all, THE GINGERBREAD HOUSE! It turned out very nicely, and I want to do one for next year, though I have now forgotten whatever brilliant ideas I had besides using sugar cookie instead of gingerbread, since apparently the only people who like gingerbread are my mom and my husband. Who knew!

In less pleasantly wonderful news, the return to pre-European weight continues. I blame the salad. And the bizarre-o egg cravings.