Buckeye in Bornheim

Miss Jo Says

2011-03-31T07:36:00.000+02:00

Here are a few cooking tips that I have learned over the years that might be interesting to some of you.

1. Wire whips are great for all kinds of things.
- Cutting shortening into flour when making pie dough or biscuits
- When browning ground beef for sauces or burritos, you can either use it in the pan to break
down all the lumps, or after browning, put the meat into a metal colander to bust up the
lumps (this eliminates a lot of grease too)
- If you have a lot of hardboiled eggs to chop for salads, etc. put them all in a bowl and take
that wire whip to them.

2. Rule of thumb for cooking vegetables
- if they grow under ground, start them in cold water
- if they grow above ground, start them in hot water

3. When breading fish, chicken, or veg, use 3 bowls, 1 for flour, 1 for the egg wash, 1 for the
coating. Keep one hand for the dry stuff and one hand for the wet, (or use a fork for dipping
in the egg)

4. If you are using batter or breading on your chicken or fish and it is still frozen, make sure all
the ice crystals are thawed off first or the batter or breading will "blow" off when you put it in
the fryer.

5. When putting food into a fryer or hot skillet with oil in it, lay the item in, by moving your hand
away from you. Use a smooth motion and you won't get burned

6. If you burn yourself, especially with grease, if you put vinegar on it immediately, it not only
takes that burning feeling away, it can also keep the burn from blistering. I like to pour the
vinegar onto a paper towel and keep applying it as long as it takes for it to stop hurting.

7. When cutting onions or garlic, use a stainless steel knife. When done, wash the knife off under
running water, making sure you rub any of your fingers that you used along the blade and
under the running water at the same time. All the odor will be gone. There is no need to buy
extra "aroma" eradicators. Actually, any piece of stainless steel will work as long as you hold
it under the running water while rubbing it along your hands or fingers. I like using the knife
though, cause then it is clean too. The sooner you get the aroma off your hands, the better.

8. Don't put your good knives in the dishwasher! In fact, they shouldn't have soap on them at all
as it dulls them.

9. Peanut Oil is great for frying. It doesn't have any cholesterol, it has a high smoke point, and if
you use it in your fryer, you can use it to fry both fish and potatoes or chicken, as it has no
transfer of taste. This is the only oil where this is true. Though expensive, it pays off since you
can use it longer.

10. Perfect roasts can be acheived by putting all your ingredients (carrots, celery, onions, meat,
a bit of liquid, etc.) into the roaster, cover with a lid or foil and pop it into an oven that has
been pre-heated to its' highest temperature for 30 minutes. Then turn the oven down to
325° or 165°C for 2 hours. Your roast comes out wonderful, brown, and tender. No need to
fuss with browning, etc. I got this from Jamie Oliver, just to give him credit.

11. When eating kiwis, just cut them in half and scoop out with a spoon. No need to peel them!

12. Bread dough is fun for kids to play with for an hour or so. When they are done playing, have
them make it into whatever shape they want, including decorations with seeds, cover and let
rise in a warm place. Then bake! It won't be the most perfect looking bread, but kids love it.
Yeast dough is not as delicate as many people think.

13. When making pizza or focaccia, after oiling your pan, sprinkle a bit of cornmeal on it. Makes
for a nice crust.

14. Use a serrated knife for cutting tomatoes.

15. You can use joghurt as a binder for ground meat instead of eggs. Adds a nice flavor too.

16. For meatballs, sausage patties or bacon - put them on a baking sheet and bake them.
No need to stand there turning them and they come out an evenly brown.

17. Use an ice cream scoop (the kind with a lever) to make all kinds of things. I use one for
cookies, meatballs, salmon patties, hushpuppies. You can buy them in different sizes. You can
go back an roll the meatballs a bit, or form the patties, but it eases the work a lot and makes
a nicer looking product. This is great for parties, or bake sales, where you want everything
to be the same size.

18. If you will be making hardboiled eggs, buy them 2 weeks ahead of time.
Start them in cold water, bring to a boil, turn heat down to simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
Remove from heat & immerse in cold water. Your eggs will peel perfectly. I don't know why
older eggs peel better, but they do. This might be a good Mythbuster question.

Miss Jo says, have fun cooking and send me your tips too. Anything that makes life easier and more fun is fine with me. If you found any of these helpful, let me know.

Miss Jo Says 2

2011-03-30T05:45:00.000+02:00

Seems like the cooking tips are popular, so skimmed thru my memory for a few more that I use.

1. When making yeast dough, you can let it proof overnight in the fridge. Just mix up your favorite dough, put it in a bag or plastic container and put it in the fridge. Make sure the container or bag is big enough, cause the dough WILL double in size. The next day, just get it out, knead it a bit and form your bread or rolls and then let it rise before baking. If you are making pizza, you just press it out on the baking sheet, but you don't have to wait for it to rise. The dough can actually stay in the fridge for a couple of days, so if you wanted, you can just take out enough each day to use. I find this trick to be a real time saver, especially on holidays when you want to have nice rolls. (I have only done this with the instant yeast in packets or a jar, not the fresh yeast in a cube)

2. Making sauces look nice. If you are making a chicken soup or gravy and want it to have a golden color, you can either use a little bit of tumeric or a drop or two of yellow food coloring. This also works when making fresh pasta. It makes it look richer. If you are making spinach pasta, use a couple of drops of green food coloring.
If you are making a brown sauce, gravy or stew and you would like it to be darker, depending on the flavor, you can either use Worchestershire sauce, or a teaspoon or so of instant coffee. The coffee won't change the flavor too much and in fact makes it a bit tastier.

3. Ribs. When preparing ribs, please, do not just put them on the grill. They will be burnt before you ever get them done enough to eat, plus they will be tough. Try this method:
Turn the ribs over to the bone side. This is usually covered with a tough, transparent skin. Using a fork, pierce this skin and rip it off. This might take a few tries til you figure out how to do it, but it is easy and will make the ribs more tender. Then, if you have Liquid Smoke, make a mixture of that and some water and dip your ribs in it. (you can do this with chicken too) Put the ribs in a deep baking pan, criss-crossing the racks of ribs, or flip every other one over, so the bone side is up on one and down on the next one. Add some liquid, (you can use your liquid smoke mixture) Cover with either a lid or foil and bake at 350° for at least 1 & 1/2 hours, or even 2 hours. Now, you can brush the ribs in BBQ sauce and grill them. Or if you don't have a grill, put them on a baking sheet in the oven with the sauce on them. As soon as the sauce looks fabulous, they are ready to eat. Yumm. Your picnic guests won't have to wait so long and the meat will be tender and falling off the bone.

4. Corn on the Cob. Well, living here in Germany isn't the best place for corn on the cob, but maybe some one will read this in the states. I have seen all kinds of elaborate methods, like peeling the husks down, cleaning off the silk, pulling the husks back up, tying with string, etc., but it is just not that difficult. Waste of time really. So try this:
Soak your Unhusked ears of corn in water, in the sink or a clean container for about a half hour, throw them on the grill, turning often (or put them in the oven) for a half hour. The husks and silk will fall right off and the corn tastes so good, you will wonder why you ever did it any other way. You can even use this method in the microwave, but you don't have to soak them first. You can only do 2-3 ears at a time though and they take about 10 minutes.
I have got to say, I really do miss good sweet corn. I don't know why they can't grow it here. The corn here is like field corn, something left over from the cattle feed. Someone could make a fortune in Germany selling crops of "Salt & Pepper" or "Sugar & Cream" or "Silver & Gold" or whatever other kinds of yummy corn we have in Ohio. You can take the Buckeye out of Ohio, but we still miss our corn.

So, heres to some good cooking and please, send me your favorite tips to make life in the kitchen easier and tastier!

Miss Jo Says 3

2011-03-29T19:55:00.000+02:00

Gosh, I was kind of hoping I would get some kind of good idea about a fascinating subject to write about, but all I keep thinking about is cooking stuff. Maybe its cause I am alone in the kitchen most of the afternoon, cooking for the guys. Lots of time to think to say the least.

Anyway, todays tips are about my favorite cooking utensils, etc. Over the years, ya try a lot of stuff and a huge amount of it is just crap and not really worth the money. These are my faves tho.

1. Kitchen Aid Knives- Just got a set of these not too long ago, and they are perfect. The chefs knife fits my hand just right. If they aren't advertising these specially for women, they have missed the boat. It is a nice knife, cuts great, feels good in your hand as the handle is some kind of material that gives a bit, and if you read my first, Miss Jo Says, it also takes that garlic smell right off your hands when you wash it. It is just a little bit different than other knives that I have used. My previous favorite was a Zwillinger and I suppose if I had tons of money I could go out and buy a bunch of those too til I found one that fit my hand. To be honest though, I only ever use 2 or 3 knives. Maybe if I was into cleaning fish, I might use a filleting knife, but cleaning fish is for someone else to do.
2. Mario Batelli Pizza Cutter - This is one of those items that every house seems to have one or two of and mostly they really don't do a good job. But this one, man, it just slices thru your pizza like butter. I love it. Know its expensive, but it is worth it. If you have those non-stick baking pans tho, you will probably have to stick to the ceramic or plastic cutters. Too bad!
3.Turbo Vegetable Peeler - I saw this at the market here in Bornheim and couldn't seem to stop watching the guy and his demonstration. The second week he was there, I broke down and bought one. For TEN euros! I know what you are saying, that is waaay too much for a tater peeler. But its not. It is so much fun to use, that the thought of peeling 10 lbs. of spuds has become a joy. I am actually happy when mashed potatoes are on the menu. I can do 10 lbs in 15 minutes or less. It whizzes thru carrots too. If you see one downtown or at your local market, buy it and you will then understand what I mean.
4. Mandoline - This is the easy way to slice potatoes, tomatoes, cukes, etc. They are hard to find downtown, but sometimes they have them at American bazaars or in front of Woolworths. I got mine for about 25 euros and it has been worthe every penny. It sure is alot easier to clean up than a food processer. Plus, it makes these neat waffle looking slices, like a tic tac toe. If you have little kids, this will help with those veggies.

I have some more faves, but you will have to wait.

Miss Jo Says # 4

2011-03-28T18:07:00.000+02:00

Well, thought it was about time to post another "Miss Jo Says". We have been watching "Top Chef" and "Hells Kitchen" quite a bit, and that of course gets me to thinking about what my signature dish would be and if I could hold my own with the competitors. I don't really think so, but it is a fun fantasy to have.

So today, I have my own simple recipes that I use all the time. I call them general, all purpose recipes, cause they are just the basics, you can add anything to them you like, to make it your own. I am always trying to work things out so I can add a basic recipe to the collection in my brain. I hate following recipes too closely and always want to add stuff to them that I like or delete other stuff, like bell peppers which I detest. Ha! But I love sage and garlic and hot chilis, cumin and corriander, and cheese of all kinds. So, I throw them in when I can. It is what makes cooking fun for me.

- Tomato Sauce: Use in pasta, in lasagna, chili, etc.
1 onion diced fine
500 gram ground meat (if you are vegetarian, leave it out)
3 cloves garlic (fine dice or use a garlic press)
1 lg. can tomatoes (whole or diced)
1 can tomato sauce (1 box if you live in Germany)
1 can tomato paste (half a tube if you live in Germany)
1 tblsp. oregano, 1 tblsp. sugar, fresh basil if you have it, salt and pepper to taste
Saute your onions in 1-2 tblsp. of olive oil, then add garlic and meat. Stir til meat is browned.
(this is where you can use your wire whip!) Add tomatoes, sauce, etc. Break up tomatoes if
whole. Simmer for 30 minutes or more.
Additions: Use lamb and some curry for a nice change, add beans and hot peppers to turn it
into Chili, leave out the meat and the tomato sauce and you have a nice pizza sauce. Add
eggplant if you want to go meatless. Or some zucchini at the last minute. Add some fresh
parmesan and you have something yummy. Please don't buy that crappy parmesan in the
can! You can get nice hunks of it at the store and then you just use your peeler to slice off
slivers. Way easier than grating.
If you want to make lasagna, make a 2nd mixture of 2 cartons of ricotta cheese (you can use
cottage cheese if you like it better) 2 eggs, 2 tblsp. of chives, salt an pepper.
Ladle some red sauce into your baking dish, noodles, sauce, some mozzarella, noodles, the cheese mix, noodles, sauce, more mozzarella and parmesan or romano. Bake uncovered for about 45 min. at 350°F or 175°C. Let sit for about 5 minutes before cutting. This makes 6 generous servings.

- Yeast Dough:
8 cups flour
2 packages of yeast, or 5 & 1/2 tsps. if you are using the kind that comes in a jar
2 tsps. salt
1 tblsp. sugar
1/2 cup oil
Mix the flour and the salt together, make a well in the middle of the bowl, sprinkle in your yeast, the sugar, and 1 cup of tepid water. Don't mix it. Let sit for 5 min. or so. It should be frothy
looking. Add the oil, and two more cups of warmish water. Don't make it too warm. It is better to have it too cool than too hot. You might need to add more water. Up to another cup. Mix it well, then turn it out onto the counter or large cutting board. I like to use my kitchen table. Start kneading. You will probably need more flour on the counter. Just keep kneading and adding flour if needed until it stops being sticky. Put some flour in a large bowl, put in your ball of dough, cover it and put it in a warm spot. This can be a sunny window, next to a room heater, the back of the stove, or in the oven which was warmed up just a tiny bit. You can also put a pan of hot water in the oven which makes it nicely warm. Leave your dough for an hour. Then take it out, punch it down, and then form it into whatever you like, bread, pizza, rolls, etc. Oil your pans. If making pizza, you can go ahead and put the sauce, etc. on it and then bake them. Bread and rolls need to rise again, so cover them with a dish towel and let them raise for another hour. Bake at 450 for 10 min. then at 350 for however long it takes. This will depend on what you have made as a big loaf of bread will take longer than rolls. Look this one up in a cook book. I bake my pizzas at 450 the whole time, about 20 minutes. This will depend on your pan too.
*Additions, add chopped walnuts at the beginning and some honey. Or wheat germ. Add herbs like oregano, sage, thyme, rosemary. Or sunflower seeds. Garlic and some grated parmesan. I also make calzones with this dough. Substitute some whole wheat flour or some rye or buckwheat, or malt for some of the white flour if you wish.
To make a sweet dough, add 1 cup sugar, 2 tsp. vanilla, 1 cup butter or margerine, 4 eggs, to the flour, etc. and reduce water to 2 cups. Follow the rest of the directions. To this dough, you can add raisins, cinnamon or poppy seeds. Or make wonderful glazed breakfast rolls.

Well, I think that is long enough for today. Let me know if you have questions or if you like these. I will be back with some more recipes, like tomato soup, cheese sauce, salmon patties, and so on.
Happy Cooking!

Miss Jo Says # 5

2011-03-27T07:32:00.000+02:00

I like to make soups and sauces. Soups are great for using leftovers and they taste so nice on cold, rainy days. Forget about cold soups though, that just sounds yucky. The words "soup" and "cold" do not go together at all. One of my favorite soups to make is tomato soup. It is so easy and tastes so much better than the canned stuff, that once you make it, you will never buy Campbells again. That is one of the benefits from moving to Germany. I couldn't find things that I was used to buying in the states and had to learn how to make them from scratch, like canned soups, tortillas, refried beans, and so on.

Tomato Soup
1 onion diced
1 tbls. butter
1 large can of tomatoes
milk or heavy cream
chicken boullion

Saute your onions in the butter. When soft, add the tomatoes and cook for 5-10 min. Puree with your immersion hand mixer. Add milk or heavy cream to your desired consistency. Some people like thick soups, others prefer thin. Flavor with 1-2 tsp. of boullion. Serve when hot. Float some croutons on it if you like. Add fresh basil, chives, grated zucchini, or some fresh parmesan as a garnish. I do like the taste of heavy cream though, it just adds a richer flavor to any soup or sauce that you make.

I use a lot of sauces at work, especially cheese sauce for mac and cheese or au-gratin potatoes, or for making sausage gravy or creamed beef. I will always be grateful to the Army for teaching me how to make gravy and creamed beef. Until I went to the Army cook school, I only knew the way my mom had made gravy or thickened sauces. She would stand there, mixing up flour and water, straining out the lumps, and usually not very successfully. Then it would be a search and destroy mission with the gravy, trying to find any lumps that had escaped the original mixing. Tupperware even makes a special cup for mixing flour and water. Why, why, why??? When it is so easy to make a roux with some kind of fat and flour and you never get lumps. The Army cooks even have a nickname for this kind of thickening method of flour and water, but it's rude and I won't print it here.

I pretty much use the rule of thumb of 1 tblsp of fat to each tblsp of flour. Brown it for however long you like. White sauces don't need to cook too long before adding milk. Better Homes and Garden Cook book has a basic white sauce recipe that I use. I just add my cheese, or lemon juice, or chicken flavoring. If I am making a cream soup, I will go ahead and saute my onions, or celery or mushrooms, or bacon in the fat before adding the flour. Milk is the usual liquid, but you can use broth of any kind. This is great for using up any kind of leftover veggies or meat.
Saute some onions and or bacon, add your flour to make the roux, add your liquid of choice and then the veggies, etc. If you want, go ahead and blend it with your immersion hand mixer. This is great for broccoli, cauiflower, zucchini, carrots, and so. This is sneaky way of getting veggies into your kids too. Just don't use this machine on potatoes, you will get a gluey mess. If I already have a soup or stew that needs thickening, I will make a roux and then add it to the liquid. This will work for potato soup too.

If you are making sausage gravy or creamed beef, add a couple tblsps of butter to the meat as it browns. Add only enough flour to absorb all the fat. If you put too much flour in, then add a bit more butter. After stirring and cooking for 5 min. or so, add your milk, stirring constantly. I like to be conservative, adding just enough milk to get it mixed and then adding more as it thickens. If making sausage gravy, I like to add lots of sage and some ground red pepper or hot sauce. Creamed beef gets lots of Worcestershire sauce and I also saute onions with the meat.

I taught my husband how to make these and this is a guy that did not know how to cook anything before we got married. He does a fabulous job of it now! He makes sausage gravy, creamed beef, lasagna, pasta, meat loaf, and made from scratch pancakes. You go Dave!

The Joys of Living in Frankfurt

2009-02-19T17:33:00.004+01:00

I thought it was time to talk about Frankfurt, simply because of the overwhelming bad press this city seems to get. The weirdest part is I can never figure out why it gets bad press. Where did it come from? Is it an old reputation of Frankfurt that they can't seem to shake off or what? Anyway, I am going to write about the good stuff and why I like it here. It isn't in any kind of special order either, just as the thoughts come to me.

Since I started studying the history of this city, it has made me appreciate just where I live. The history here is amazing and it is a shame that so few people seem to know anything about it. All the emperors and the coronations and the parties in the Römerberg. I like that the Romans were here and wandered on the same streets that I am wandering down today. I liked that feeling in the Forum in Rome and on a donkey path in Greece too. Just thinking about all those people who have walked here is interesting for me.

All the foreigners here make life great in Frankfurt. With over 25 % holding a foreign passport and probably another 25 % with either a parent that was foreign or who have taken on a German pass or have dual citizenship, mulit-culti is normal. We have all these wonderful ethnic restaurants to chose from and I like the way the foreigners are such entrepreneurs. So many of the start-ups are from people who want a better life, who are willing to work long hours and are willing to risk it.

Even though Frankfurt is considered a big city and it does have a lovely cosmopolitan feel to it, it never feels TOO big. Almost every time I go downtown and I do go downtown a lot, I seem to run into someone I know. It is almost like a small town, but with the amenities of a big town. We have lots of wonderful street festivals where everyone is having such a good time. I pretty much always feel safe here too, no matter what time of night it is or where I am walking. I know some folks are leery of the Bahnhof quarter, but my gosh, there are hundreds of people there day and night, lots of cops, lots of cameras, and frankly I have never once had a problem there. The restaurants and ethnic stores there are cheap and fascinating. I love going in the Indian fabric stores and the spice stores, or walking by the African produce markets and going shopping in this huge Asian store. When I walk into my favorite Chinese restaurant I am greeted with big hellos and how are the kids, even if it has been a year since I was in there.

I like it that Frankfurt chose a unique, personal way to honor their Holocaust victims. We have one of the few Memorials that has the names of those Jewish citizens who lost their lives due to the nazi regime. It is so moving to take people there on our tour who do not know of its existence and as we walk towards it I start explaining that each block has a name on it and there are 11,200 names. Their eyes widen and their mouths drop open, and the usual comment is - OMG, there are so many! When one sees it like that, it changes the perception. These are people who have no gravestone, their families would have no place to come and grieve if it was not for this memorial. There is a famous saying - "When a persons name is forgotten, then that person is forgotten." The city of Frankfurt is insuring that these people are not forgotten, that each person is remembered as an individual. There are also memorials here to the Roma and Sinti, Homosexuals, the Slave Laborers, and the Jehovah Witnesses who were also executed by the nazis.

Frankfurt is a city that doesn't really have any "Must Sees" like the Eiffel tower, or the Pantheon, but it has lots of things you can see at leisure, so you don't have to rush around. You can take your time and simply enjoy what is there. It feels ok to walk around the park that goes all around the city center and is where the city wall and moat used to be. Or spend all the time you want gazing at the wonderful collection of art at the Städel, without the urgency of running around trying to see the Mona Lisa and Co. It is a relaxing tourist destination. We even like our skyscrapers and occasionally have a fest to celebrate them. It is just plain fun.

I am sure to think of a dozen other things as soon as I post this, but thats ok too. Cause then maybe you will come back and read some more!

Is it Spring yet?

2009-02-18T09:13:00.004+01:00

This has just been the coldest winter we have had in Frankfurt in a really long while. Doing the tours in the freezing cold has been a little tough, and I will be glad when I don't have to put on 3 shirts and long underwear every day! Bless the Australians for showing up in wind and rain and snow and always being cheerful about it. That said, basically everyone is cheerful on the tour, even when we are all bundled up with scarves around our faces and I cant tell if people are smiling or not.
I haven't posted anything on here since a very long time, so bear with me while I gather some thoughts together and get writing again. Check back again soon!

New Blog

2009-01-10T23:01:00.001+01:00

www.frankfurt-on-foot-cityguide.blogspot.com

Come visit my new blog that is all about Frankfurt! Whether you are planning on visiting Frankfurt or if you are a Newcomer to Frankfurt, my Cityguide will help make your time here more enjoyable. It is chock full of tips about using the trains, shopping, museums, restaurants, events going on in the Rhein Main area, hotels, churches, historic buildings and of course information about our tours.

See you there!

The Joys of Touring

2008-07-28T08:01:00.005+02:00

I know I said I was going to write some more about our new walking tours of Frankfurt, so here ya go.

This is a fun job, I mean a really fun job. I wish I would have thought about doing this years ago. It combines being passionate about history and the joy of meeting people from the around the world. Every day, as I stand on the corner holding my bright yellow brochures up so that people can find me, I wonder who I will meet that day, which nationality will they be, will they be old or young, backpackers traveling on a shoe string or seniors seeing the world after a lifetime of hard work. This is what fascinates me so much. The one given though, is that they have all been nice. What other kind of job lets me come into contact with only nice people? It is amazing!

The other best part, is doing the research, finding out more and more and more about this city. This is the only way to keep the tour fresh, but it is almost embarrassing that I lived here in Frankfurt for so long and knew so little. But, it is quite fun to find a new website or a new book and dig up these little hidden gems to share with our guests. The hard part is trying to cram it all into 3 hours. Mostly, it is a matter of having the info at hand and playing it by ear as to what people are interested in. Some folks like the cathedral stuff, others want to hear about the emperor coronations, some like the architecture history, and others just want to know about Germans and Germany. Of course telling about the war and the horrors wreaked upon the Jewish citizens of Frankfurt is always a main feature of the history we try to impart to our tour guests. So, we try to balance it all out in an interesting fashion.

At the end of each tour, I hope that everyone has been entertained, that they all go home thinking "wow, this was a city that I want to visit again." This is my goal, to help make Frankfurt a tourist destination, not just a stop or layover going on to someplace else. Yeah, it is a pretty big goal, but thinking big is what an optimist does, and I am an optimist, through and through.

Ok, now come to Frankfurt!

Cool Souvenir Photos

2008-07-23T06:34:00.004+02:00

I just found this website on Digg. Thought it was really creative and fun. I have tried my hand just a tiny bit at photography, so my interest was piqued when I saw the listing on Digg. Once I went to the website, and checked out all the great places this guy had visited and how he incorporated souvenirs into his photos, I knew I wanted to share it with you all. Nuf said, go and Enjoy!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/michael_hughes/sets/346406/

Happy Anniversary to my Husband

2008-07-10T18:47:00.004+02:00

Today is our 5th wedding anniversary and I chose to put this letter of love on the internet for the entire world to see. If I could, I would shout it out, I would go on Oprah, I would take out full page ads in the New York Times, just to let everyone know how very much I love this man.

I am often in awe of how lucky I am to have a husband like this. He is thoughtful, loving, caring, strong, supportive, handsome, intelligent and funny to boot. He is wise and takes his time before answering me or anyone else, which is a skill that I certainly haven't been able to master. Probably because of this, everybody likes him, cause you couldn't ask for a better friend. Though I would also say he is my friend, my very best friend, the most important thing is that I get to love him and I know he loves me. I never felt this way before, that someone loved me like this. So it is pretty darn special and I adore him even more because of the effect he has on me. It is so wonderful to have this feeling of being loved without having to do anything in return. I had this feeling from my kids, especially when they were small, but it is way different when it comes from another adult.

It is fun thinking back to 5 years ago and remembering what we were doing. We had taken the overnight train to Denmark 2 days earlier. It was supposed to be a sleeper train, but it was so noisy, I don't think anyone slept on it. We went to a small town called Christenfeld which was absolutely lovely. Our hotel was an old farmhouse with a thatched roof that had been renovated quite nicely. The food there was fabulous too. But the best part was getting dressed in my wedding dress 5 years ago. I was so excited and as I walked downstairs, David was waiting with the camera to catch me emerging from the hotel. What a surprise! He had never seen my dress, so it was special having him see me like that. A friend had made me a small, delicate wreath for my hair, with dried flowers and ribbons and even the hotel employees said I looked beautiful. I had really long hair then, so it did look quite pretty.

We made our way to city hall and nervously waited our turn. When the time came though, to say our vows, it was like a lifetime of yearning was being answered with a huge YES, this moment is for you two people to have and enjoy. I know I leaked at the eyes just a bit, but then all I wanted to do was laugh and smile. We were married! Gosh, was it really 5 years ago? You know what they say, time flies when you are having fun, and this is one marriage where you will always hear lots of laughter.

I love you honey, and Happy Anniversary

Frankfurt Tour

2008-07-01T07:43:00.002+02:00

Yes, folks, we are open for business. Two weeks ago, my husband David and I started our own tour business. We connected up with the Insider Tours in Berlin because we liked their tours so much and have now launched out here in Frankfurt.

Every day at 10:30 and 14:30, we guide tourists around the best sites of Frankfurt for 3 hours, telling them the most interesting facts we could dig up about our hometown. It really is a fascinating city and the more we dig, the more we find. It is almost an obsession now, finding the coolest websites and the best photos from days gone by.

It is fun meeting people from all around the world and we get to be outside for hours at a time, though I am getting quite a farmer tan from wearing a tee shirt every day.

The city of Frankfurt hasn't made it easy on us though. Talk about bureaucracy! No wonder the spirit of entrepreneurship is so low here. They really don't want people to start their own businesses! Paperwork and photos and appointments and go to this office and then go to another office and they are often the wrong place or they have different hours and wont be open til the next day. AHHHHHHH! It is enough to drive ya nuts! Considering we live in the modern age of computers, there seems to be absolutely no connection in Germany from office to office. When you go in, the offices are filled with binders with everyones records. This always amazes me. Isn't it time for them to update just a bit, enter these records onto a data base that can be accessed from any government office and make things easier for folks?

This is my second time around at being my own boss and hopefully I can avoid the pitfalls of my first failed attempt. Having my husband as a partner certainly makes a big difference. I really look forward each day to going downtown, wondering who I will meet, what country they will be from (Australia seems to be the winner here) , hoping I can remember all the dates that I have memorized (using clever little connections that I have thought up), and hoping that I can make the tour so entertaining, that everyone goes home thinking that Frankfurt was 10 times more interesting than what they thought it would be.

So whether you are coming to Frankfurt or know someone is going to visit here, pass on our website address: www.insidertour.com

My next post, I will tell you a bit more about what you can see on our Famous Tour.

Fathers Day

2008-06-15T18:42:00.004+02:00

Happy Fathers Day and a big, huge thank you, to all you fathers out there. I want to especially include step-fathers too, cause sometimes your job is even harder.

Dads don't get near as much credit as moms do when it comes to bringing up kids. It is true that in the majority of families, the mom does a lot of that early raising, feeding, cleaning, etc. But dads shouldn't cut themselves short. What they do is important too. They impart how to be a man to their sons. The sons learn how to treat women by how their dad treats mom. Dads impart to their daughters deep impressions about what kind of man they will marry. I know, I know, this isn't always true and I may be generalizing a bit, but it is what I notice and see.

In my own case, my birth father kind of disappeared from my life when I was only 4. As an adult, I can look at our personalities and see so many similarities between us that it is amazing, and I feel like I have hardly anything from my mother. Of course that may be why my mom and I don't get along too well. I think I remind her of him and she just has never liked that. I wish he hadn't gone away, but childhoods dont get to get repeated, so I have had to just accept that it happened.

I was lucky enough to have a second father come into my life when I was 6 and he was kind enough to adopt me. He was just a wonderful man and he also imparted many great things to me. Unfortunately, he died when I was 12 and this was a huge loss to me. One of the biggest impressions I had from him is that he never said a bad word about anyone. There were more people at his funeral then anyone could believe. During the 4 years of his illness, all of his friends rallied round and 2 of them came to our house every single night to help get him ready for bed. There was a large group of men that worked out a schedule to do this. That is true friendship. He was a truly gentle, thoughtful man and I wish I could be more like him. I think about him almost every day.

Believe it or not, I got lucky again with my 2nd step-father. He came into my life when I was 15 and deep in the throes of puberty rebellion. This was in 1970-71 and my fondest wish was to be a flower-child, so yeah, I was pretty crazy. But, he put up with me and taught me things too. Mainly practical things, like how to change tires and spackle dry wall, how to plant veggies and can them later and even how to make sauerkraut. These are survival skills that I don't use too often, but if Y-2K would have happened, I would have been well prepared. He died just a few years ago and I think of him often.

I wish I had more contact with my birth father, but its sorta difficult, especially with living overseas. He has 3 other children and lots of grandchildren, so I think we are just a kind of out of sight, out of mind sort of thing. I keep working on it though and hope that I am not being foolish about wanting a good relationship with my dad. Even though I am 53, I still yearn for it often.

My husband does a wonderful job of being a dad, even though he didn't get a lot of practice before coming into our lives and trying to be a dad to 2 teenagers. He keeps track of the school schedules, runs out and gets the last minute request for supplies and grocery requests, paid allowances when the kids own dads didn't pay any child support, been overly generous with gifts, and most of all, he has loved them and showed them how a man should be. Thoughtful, kind, respectful, and wise. I don't know if they appreciate him yet, but I am pretty sure they will some day. I wish it was soon.

So, to all you dads, we appreciate what you do. We are part of you and we love you for you.

On Being Silly

2008-05-27T07:27:00.006+02:00

I like being silly and goofy. Especially when I am by myself and no one is around to watch. Am I alone in this or does everyone do this? I have to think no, when I see the serious, sad faces on the people walking past me on the street. Maybe if they took a time out from being so earnest, they could find the funny side of life.

Life is funny most of the time. Not a day goes by that I don't see or hear things that make me laugh. And I mean really laugh. Though snickering can be enjoyable, it isn't as great as laughing so hard that tears come or your sides hurt. Or uncontrollable giggles. Sometimes though, I find myself laughing at stuff that I almost feel guilty about, that might seem inappropriate for a 52 year old woman to laugh at. The guys at work notice this. They find it a bit odd that I am laughing at stuff they say, when usually other women wouldn't. Maybe because I have worked with men practically my entire life, I find their humor funny. But this makes me feel a tiny bit weird, like I don't fit in with other women. I guess I don't understand why they don't get mens humor. Heck, funny is funny. Are there any other women out there that feel this way too? Help me out here!!!

Being silly when you are by yourself is a different kind of thing. When no one is at home, I like to talk to myself, make goofy noises, make up silly rhymes, make funny faces in the mirror, dance around the house. I am glad we don't have a web cam in the house to record any of this. I do wonder though, does anyone else do this? I sometimes think they do, but no one wants to admit it cause it sounds so goofy. Then there are times when I think about getting real old and demented and wonder if this kind of behavior will take over. EEEK!

I also like to remember funny stories or situations in my head. You know the ones? Years after it happened, as soon as you remember it, you start giggling. Sometimes it isn't even stuff that happened to me, it is stories that other people told me. But I get pictures in my head and then there I go, giggling all to myself.

One of my favorite things about myself, is being able to make other people laugh. It isn't planned, just all ad lib. Some of it is light sarcasm, but I try to make it about myself. I look at other people and they have all kinds of talents and I figured out that maybe this was supposed to be my talent, since I couldn't paint or sing or anything like that. It isn't something I could get up on stage and do, it's just the every day exchange of conversation that I attempt to make funny. I wish it was as easy to be funny when I write, but it is a lot harder. The spontaneity is missing and I have to think way too much about it.

So write and tell if you like being silly too, so I don't feel so all alone! Tell me the goofy things that you like to do. And then we can all have a laugh together.

Pimp my "Whatever"

2008-05-18T09:10:00.003+02:00

Is anyone else disgusted by the use of the word "pimp" when it comes to advertising? It seems to be everywhere. It started with "pimp my car" and has moved on to "pimp my burger, pimp my candy bar, pimp my .........." . Do ad agencies not think about what this word really means? Pimping is the sale of women to other men, usually in conjunction with physical abuse to "keep them in line". Why would you want to associate your product with something so offensive?
Yeah, I know, perhaps I should lighten up. After all, it is just a phrase and doesn't really "mean" anything. Perhaps you might want to try it out in a few more situations. You get to grandmas' house for dinner and she says, "Oh, wait til you see how I pimped out the thanksgiving dinner!" Would you think grandma had lost it? Or your daughter gets ready to go out on a date and says her boyfriend is picking her up in his new "pimped out" car. Would this make any parent feel warm and fuzzy? Actually, I am surprised that I haven't seen an ad for a "pimped out Christmas tree". Maybe the ad agencies do realize that this word has another connotation that isn't so nice. It certainly got a rise out of the media when someone used it about Chelsea Clinton and Hillary's election campaign.

So I have decided that every time I see this phrase used in advertising, that I am going to write the company responsible and let them know that as a consumer, I am offended by their choice of words. It isn't much, but it will make me feel better.

The Earring Club

2008-05-15T10:19:00.002+02:00

I like earrings. I like them a lot. This means that I strongly feel you can never have too many of them. There is nothing better than a fest, where there are stands full of earrings to look at and pick from to buy. My favorite ones are unusual, one of kind, different. Ones that stand out from the crowd.

But what I have recently noticed, is that there are other women like me. We like to have unusual earrings. Not just sometimes, but all the time. It is something that defines us. I am wondering if this is some sort of outward sign of our inner personality. Are we part of that group that marches to a different drummer? Or do we just want to be creative and lack real talent for painting or pottery making and this is our outlet. Perhaps it is a little of both.

I know I used to be a rebel, a flower child wanna-be, and somehow different from others. I never knew why or how exactly, but I always felt this rather deeply. As the years went by, I guess I got more conservative, I learned how to be responsible and be a mom, and an everyday person working in an everyday world. Part of that is wearing the uniform that helps you fit in. Though I recently got my first set of pearls from my husband and enjoy wearing them, there is still the part of me that wants the kind of job where I could wear outrageous, gorgeous, dangly earrings every single day. So, I compromise. I wear earrings that are gorgeous but small, kind of dangly, one of a kind, unusual colors and shapes, and hand-made if possible.

I had a thing for animals for a while and have a large collection. Zebras, fish, parrots, pigs, frogs, etc. I don't wear them too often, but I still like having them. When I worked at a daycare, the kids enjoyed seeing which earrings I wore each day, which was fun.

Now my favorites are murano glass, silver filigree, turquoise stones, mother of pearl, amethyst, green glass, ethnic, and so on and so on. I enjoy opening my jewelry box every morning and picking out what to wear. I guess some women are like that with shoes or clothes or their nails, but with me, it is just earrings.I also enjoy it when someone notices my earrings and says something about them. I always compliment women when I like their earrings. It is sort of a bond when we recognize this in each other.

So I came up with the idea that we should start an earring club. We women who like to wear our "special" earrings. Maybe we have more in common than just our cool earrings. I'm not quite old enough for the "red hat" club, and not real sure if I would fit in with any of the other "womens clubs" that are around. Perhaps there are other women out there that feel this way too. Lets get together and celebrate being different. Write and let me know if you are an "earring woman" too.

Happy Mothers Day

2008-05-11T07:21:00.003+02:00

I wanted to write an open letter to all the mothers that I know. Just sitting here this morning and thinking about this thing we do called mothering and what it is all about.

It is a great joy to be a mother, though it sometimes brings tears and sadness. But the greatest thing is that no matter what, we have given birth, we have created life, we have loved and cared for our children. We create history with our children. When we give birth, we never know what our children will grow up to be, but it doesn´t matter, we just love them.

Sitting on the bus yesterday, I had the good fortune to be able to listen to a little girl, about 4 years old, just singing her heart out. That sure brought a smile to every face on the bus. The day before that, it was a little boy, all excited about being on the bus, shouting out all the cool things that he was seeing while we rode along. Makes you look out the window and see things the way he was seeing them. Those were the kind of moments I remember the most about my own children. Seemed like they were always singing or chatting on about the "fabulous stuff" we were seeing. I like to cherish the memories of the small but happy things that we shared. Stopping by the pet store window every day on the way to the store, just to ooh and aah over the cute bunnies and guinea pigs, stopping to watch construction workers do exciting things with cool machines, running to the window every time it had rained and the sun came out, just to check and see if there was a rainbow, coloring together for 6 hours on an airplane, playing Candyland, making up songs about brushing teeth or our address. Those are also the things that make my heart fill with joy.

Every once in a while, I find tucked away amongst my things, a little picture drawn by son or a note with a rainbow drawn on it from my daughter, both of them with "I love you Mommy" on them. These are the most precious things that I own. If my house caught on fire, I would want to save them as much as any photos I have. All it takes is to hold that note in my hand and the memory of them giving it to me floods my soul with the sweetness of it all. The very true and pure love of a child. This is truly the most exquisite feeling in the whole world for me.

So on this day that we are to celebrate being mothers, I wanted to acknowledge this wonderful, bond of motherhood we all share with each other. This is the day to give thanks that we were born women.

With love to all of you for all you do,
Jo

My Baby is 18!!!!

2008-05-05T07:42:00.004+02:00

Today is my little girls birthday. She gets to be a grown-up from now on. My little baby, the cutest one there ever was.

I looked out at the stars last night and started thinking about another night, 18 years ago. I hadn't met Bianca yet, and in fact did not know if I was having a boy or a girl, though I had my intuitions that it was a girl. I was so happy when I was told my baby was a girl, and I thought "welcome to the world, little Bianca". Oh, she was so cute, and she hardly ever cried either. She smiled and laughed early, especially for her big brother Clint, whom she adored. She was a joy to us all.
My little girl got bigger, but she stayed sweet and cute. She was smart though and clever, and was lots of fun. Every year, she just got better. I could never believe that I was this lucky to get such a marvelous child. What had I done right in my life to have deserved such a gift?

Now, today, she is a grown up and I look at her with different eyes then I did when she was a baby. She isn't dependant on me, she can go out in the world and make her own way, and she isn't all cuddly and adorable any more. But, she is so much more. She has tons of talents. She can draw and paint, she can dance, she has more style in her little finger than I could ever hope to have, she's still really smart and clever and curious about everything this world has to offer, she is confidant about trying new things, whether its climbing a rope course, white-water rafting, or tasting a new food, she is funny and likes to make people laugh, she can cook and bake, she sings well, and she has lots of friends who love her, she can run fast, she is quick at learning new things, and she devours books for breakfast, both German and English, with ease.

As I look at her now, such a strong, smart and beautiful woman, I feel so blessed that I got to be her mommy and that she has graced my life with so much love and laughter. So, today, on her 18th birthday, as she leaves her childhood behind and steps through the magic doors of adulthood, I wish for my Bianca the most wonderful life she can have, filled with adventure, possibilities, success and love.

Far away Friends

2008-05-04T09:05:00.004+02:00

As an expat, dealing with friends constantly moving away is probably one of the hardest things we have to deal with. At least it is for me. People come into your life, stay for awhile, then leave. You try to stay in touch, but it's difficult sometimes. So, this article is dedicated to all those friends that I miss.

My oldest friend, Susan, who lives in Texas. Friends since childhood, she means the most to me. We don't talk often enough, but when we do, it is just like we saw each other yesterday. I haven't seen her in about 16 years, so I do long to go visit her or have her come to Germany.

Two more friends from Ohio, Kathy and Kim, are also on my list of friends I long to see. Kathy and I used to have the best time, going out to eat, going to craft shows, and we had a blast in Hilton Head. Kim was my Army buddy and she was my sons first baby sitter when I had to go back to work. Every time I see her, it is like the years just fall away. We just laugh and laugh. Gosh, I miss her.

Then there are all those people I have worked with over the years that became friends. Some of them I still have contact with, and others, somehow got lost. There's Amah, from Ghana, who I worked with at Camp King. We had so much fun together and I have no idea where she is. Lisa, the hairdresser at Camp King. We spent lots of time together with our families and she too is lost out there in the world somewhere.

Melissa, who is now in Africa, was a tremendous help when we renovated the hotel that I managed. As we worked, we became friends. Lord did we laugh a lot. We were always so tired and dirty, but the project was so huge, that it was fun to watch it come to completion. I could have never done it without her help and support and good cheer. Though we email, it gets less and less as time goes by. She remembers my birthday though, which is amazing.

Cristina, better known as "Little Cristina from CSA". This woman has such a wonderful sense of humour and I do miss her. Working at the front desk with her was always such a joy as she always kept me laughing. She was another person who helped me intensively on my hotel renovation project. She kept everything in control, so I could concentrate on the project. I never had to worry about anything. Now she lives in the U.S. with her little baby girl and her husband. This is one friend where we do try and email and chat on the phone frequently. The most amazing thing is that she is 30 years younger than me!

Andrea, maid of honor at my 2nd wedding. We went through our pregnancies together, she was the only person who would watch my son, she came to the hospital and washed my hair for me after my daughter was born, she held my hand when I cried about being abused by my husband, we went on weekend trips together, I watched her kids for her, we did things together as families, and now I have no idea where she is. I wish I could find her.

Pat, who I met in the Army Reserve at my first drill weekend in Germany, back in 1986. We sorta have contact, but not really. Maybe I haven't tried hard enough. But we did so many things together, back when our kids were small, it would be a shame to just let it completely drift away.

Nikki, who worked with me at the hotel. She moved to Berlin, and I thought we would never see each other again. We were able to meet up again though, this past month when we went to Berlin. She and her husband had us over for dinner and we got to meet her little boy. It made going to Berlin that much nicer.

Ronda, one of my best friends when my daughter was little, she moved back to the states and somehow, we lost contact. That seems strange now, and if I had to do it over, I would have worked harder to keep the connection going. Now that we have email, I think it is easier. But boy, when I think back on how much we laughed together, I know how much I miss her. We both had alcoholic husbands and somehow we were able to joke about it all.

Alice, who also decided to go back to the states. But then turned around and came back a year later to get married. This is a friendship that I seriously messed up somehow and wish I could do it over. I used to consider Alice as my best friend. And now? We don't have contact at all anymore. I do know that I miss talking and laughing with her and wish I had been a better friend. This is live and learn situation and makes me sad.

So, to all my friends near and far, know that I think about you often and even if I don't keep in touch as good as I should, I still care about you.

Potsdam

2008-05-02T08:12:00.005+02:00

While in Berlin, my daughter and I decided to take the "Insiders" tour to Potsdam. I had looked at a few photos online, and thought it looked like a really pretty place to visit. You know us Americans, we love to visit castles and palaces. The tour was supposed to last 6 hours and only cost 15 euros, so it sounded perfect for our last day in Berlin.

The trip to Postsdam on the train was pretty short, only about 20 min. About the first thing you see as you walk into the city center is a huge construction site. This was where the Imperial Palace was. East Germany, in its perverted, twisted thinking, had blown-up this fabulous looking building. Now, they are putting tax dollars to work to rebuild the whole thing. Looks like they have a few years to go before it is finished, but it will be a beaut!

We walked thru town and enjoyed seeing all the restored houses and buildings. It was actually quite pretty and interesting enough, that I thought about coming here for a couple of days, just to explore. There is even a Dutch neighborhood! We would have liked to have checked it out better, but there was some kind of Dutch/Tulip festival going on. Anyway, seemed like lots of stores were open on this Sunday and they all had interesting things to sell. I would have been content to roam around these streets for hours. I am happy to see this part of Germany come alive again, after so many years of being bedraggled down by the communists. It is a gem of a place.

Now on to the really cool sites. We walked to the park where the Sancoussi Palace is located. The park itself is so lovely that just wandering around it is peaceful. But, then you come upon this immense palace up on a hill and it does kinda take your breath away. It is massive and gorgeous at the same time. I think I would like to see it again in the summer though, when all the vines are grown out, as they were looking pretty bare this early in the year. The next time I come back, I do want to take a tour and see inside the place. We peeked through the windows and got a taste though. WOW.

Our next stop was the fantasy designed tea house. This was truly imagination gone wild. Have to say, it was my favorite place. All the gold, and the colors, and even the shape of the building, were so pleasing to the eye. It was whimsical but beautiful too. I have posted a photo of it here on the blog, so you can get an idea of it.

We wandered on through the park, stopping at Italian looking churches, villas that wanted to be ships, glass and gold creations by the wayside, extravagant bath houses, and of course beautiful plantings, trees, and water features. Seemed like everywhere you looked, there was something to catch your attention, something to make you go "ahhhh, will ya look at this".

Yes, we saw the graves of Fredrick the Great and all that, but that part wasn't as interesting to us. Though it was kind of amusing to see all of his dogs' graves and find that people had put potatoes on his gravestone. I found that overweird, but to each his own I suppose.

I certainly don't do justice to this beautiful, historical site with my words, but if you have a chance to get up to Berlin, make sure to set aside at least one day and go to Potsdam. I know that you will be happy that you did. This is one place that you will rave about to all your friends.

Berlin & Sachsenhausen Trip

2008-04-26T06:57:00.005+02:00

My daughter and I took a weekend trip to Berlin last week. What a cool city this is. It is such a mish-mash of architecture, styles, and people and just plain fun. Found a great apt. to stay in, which was half the price of a hotel and it even had a kitchen. I'll post the website so you can find a B&B in Berlin too.

Daughter took the 4 hour walking tour with "Insider Berlin" on Friday and enjoyed it. For only 12 euros, you get to see all the main sites in the city along with getting a good orientation for where things are. I had done this tour in Sept. and found it to be so interesting that I had wanted her to go on it too. We both thought the book burning memorial was fascinating, but we found the Holocaust Memorial to be the "high point" of the tour. It is so disorienting when you get inside of it. The designer did an outstanding job getting this feeling across. I don't know if it was meant this way, but I found the size and solidness of stones conveyed such a feeling of strength and permanency.
The tour went lots of other places too, the Reichstag, churches, Brandenburg Gate naturally, museum island, Checkpoint Charlie, the spot where Hitlers bunker stood, and of course saw a remnant of the wall. I do have a weird connection with "the wall", as the communists had the audacity to build it on my birthday.

One of the best tips our guide gave, was to ride the bus 100, as it does sort of a round trip in the city and you get to see many of the sites that the "hop on, hop off" bus does, but doesn't cost extra. It was a double decker bus, so that was fun. Buying an all day metro ticket for Berlin is well worth the money.

Saturday, we took the "Insider" tour to the Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp. Even though I have lived in Germany for over 20 years, I had never gone to one of these "places of death". I wasn't really sure if I would cry or not, but I didn't. The weather was cold and blustery, which I found fitting for some reason. It drove home the point of how miserable it must have been to have had to stand outside for hours in nasty weather, being hosed down with water, doing back breaking work, or hanging from a post with your arms ripped out of your sockets. This was the 1st camp that the Nazis built and though it was intended to be for political prisoners, it eventually followed in the path of the other camps, with mass executions and gassing. Most of its' prisoners were homosexuals, Jehovah Witnesses, clergy who spoke out against the Nazis, communists, gypsies, and social misfits, like alcoholics, homeless men, or criminals. As time passed, more Jews were admitted.

It was eerie, entering buildings where so much pain and suffering was endured. The walls just have a sort of aura that you can feel. Especially the pathology lab and the cells for special prisoners. One of the buildings that was used as a kitchen, has just opened a new exhibit that everyone found fascinating. In fact, we would have liked to have had more time there. It has lots and lots of glass cases, filled with personal items, especially things the prisoners had made. They had made small, aluminum items like cigarette cases, things carved out of bits of wood and so on. Many of the items were made to trade for food. One man had made a complete, small chess set, using airplane plexiglass for the pieces. Our favorite item though, was a small sculpture of a boot, filled with flowers. It was quite pretty and extremely detailed, but when you read how it was made, amazement sets in. A young boy, not quite 16, had saved little pieces of his bread, to make this thing of beauty. He gave it as a gift to one of the prisoners, right before he died of TB.

I would like to go back there again and spend the day, as there is so much to see and I would like the time to really absorb it better.

There is a lot more I could say about this, but I think I will stop here. I do recommend that you go to Berlin and take this tour. Our guide was very informative and communicated her passion for passing on this part of history. Visiting Berlin itself, will also convey to you a sense of the history that has had such a huge impact on our world.

Stuff Expats Like

2008-04-13T08:40:00.003+02:00

I don't know if you have read the blog, "Stuff White People Like" and all the similar blogs along that line, but no one wrote about us expats. So here is my take on it and if you are an expat, then send me your comments and I will enlarge the list. It is American based of course, so it is slanted in that direction.

1. We really like to speak the native language, especially when we are at home in our own country. The best is when you can say, "darn, I forgot the English word for that". Actually, I am looking forward to my next trip home, going shopping with my daughter, speaking German and waiting for some rude person to come up and tell me I am in America and should speak English. That could be fun.

2. We like to complain about our host country. Get a group of us together and we will howl with laughter at the quirky things the natives do.

3. When in our own country though, we like to complain about how things are done there and how much better they are in our host country. Go figure.

4. We really like not having to watch the election coverage 24/7

5. We really like not having to watch any of the stuff that captures the American medias attention 24/7. Think the OJ trial. Or Janet Jacksons "wardrobe" malfuction. Or Monica Lewinsky.

6. We enjoy watching TV shows without laugh tracks.

7. We like feeling smug about using Europes wonderful public transportation. Nothing like bragging about your minimal "carbon footprint"

8. Expats enjoy eating in the European fashion because it makes so much more sense, and Americans look quite funny when they keep switching hands with their knives and forks. Why don't they recognize this?

9. We enjoy being amazed at how many people are fat in America. We notice it as soon as we get off the plane. Not that there aren't fat people in Europe, but there is a huge difference.

10. When a Starbucks opens in your city for the first time, every expat in town will be there, even if they have never been to Starbucks in their own country.

How I stopped Smoking

2008-04-11T07:27:00.003+02:00

Like most people, I had tried to stop smoking using all kinds of methods. I also had actually stopped 3 different times, for up to a year, at various times in my life. I always felt like I was missing something though, like I was depriving myself of some wonderful treat. I used to think the only way I could really, permantly stop, was if I got hypnosis and changed the message in my brain that I got as a teenager, that smoking made me cool. Yeah, I always wanted to be cool. My ultimate goal in life.

I tried crushing the cigs up and throwing them in the trash. Ouch, that hurt, throwing a valuable commodity away. I tried writing contracts and having friends sign it as witnesses. Oh yeah, that worked real well. Not. I tried the patch for "medium" smokers. Talk about being wired! The nicotine gum tasted nasty so that didn't work. My favorite was asking friends for a cig and have them light it for me, and then I could sit at the bar with a cig in my hand and still look cool! Boy, there is nothing that pisses a smoker off like not "smoking" the cigarette that they gave you. It's funny now. How do you waste something that is going up in smoke anyway. It is wasted cause it isn't going into your lungs??? Weird. But on with the story.

Two years ago, I got the flu and the thought of smoking almost made me puke. This went on for 2 weeks and after I got better, I thought, well, I will try to not smoke anymore. I really, really wanted one though, and so I thought, if I just try this one day at a time, I can make it. At first, I had to break it down into 5 minutes at a time. As in, I really want a cig, but I won't smoke it now, I will smoke it in 5 minutes. Then I moved it up to an hour, I will have a cig in an hour, just not right now. Pretty soon, I could move it to the next day. I won't smoke today, but I can smoke tommorrow. From the very beginning, I also prayed a lot. Asking for help to stay stopped each day and at the end of the day saying thanks for the help. I do believe this was important for me to do. What I also did, and this amused a lot of people, was keeping track of how much money I was saving. I was a pack a day smoker, so that 4 euros a day added up quickly. Because I hadn't smoked for the 2 weeks I was sick, I had a good head start. Every day at work, I would make my big annoucement of how much money I had saved. I am sure this drove everyone nuts, but it helped me out tremendously. Every morning I made it a habit to calculate my savings. At 120 euros a month, it wasn't long before this sum was substantial. Money in the bank always makes me feel wonderful.

What was funny this time, was that after a couple of months, I didn't really miss it. I felt free and liberated. No more worrying about, did I have enough cigs for the night, do I have enough change, should I leave the house in the morning with enought time to stop by the kiosk, am I bothering my friends if I light one up, am I setting a bad example for my kids, and on and on? I am free, my ball and chain are gone. It it truly one of the best feelings in the world.

So, that is my story and I hope it will help any one else looking for a way out of their own cloud of smoke.

Smoking Amends

2008-04-08T08:36:00.003+02:00

This is an open letter to everyone I ever stood next to, sat next to, or walked in front of, when I was smoking.

It was not until I stopped smoking that I even realized how annoying this is: when people walking in front of me, flick their ashes off and then they blow all over me. This drives me nuts! But, the thing is, I always did this too, and never even gave it a second thought. Standing OUTSIDE, waiting on the bus, I certainly never thought my smoke bothered anyone. Ok, occasionally I thought about it, but I justified it with the thought that we were OUTSIDE in the fresh air so why should it bother anyone? Now, those clouds of smoke blowing my way ARE an irritation, especially when I have just washed my hair. Another thing I used to do and never thought about too much, was lighting up on the escalator. Now all my clouds of smoke were actually driven into the face of the people behind me. How could I have been so thoughtless???

Now the worst, smoking when sitting next to people who don't. Especially my kids. I used to have this "not so smart idea", that if I just blew it away from them, it was ok, that it shouldn't bother them. Now I know better, and boy do I feel bad about subjecting them to all those years of smoke filled rooms. Yeah, the smoking in the restaurant thing was rude, but I was a MOM and I loved my children. Why this didn't enter my brain properly is a mystery, but until I stopped smoking 2 years ago, it didn't. I also feel bad about all the money I spent on my cigarettes and telling them we didn't have enough money for other stuff. It is such twisted thinking! I stopped smoking in Nov. almost 2 and half years ago, and have already saved 3,600 euros! Is that amazing or what? I am pretty sure I thought about this when I was smoking, that it was a pure waste of money, but not a big enough waste to stop.

So, this is my open apology to all of you who got subjected to my selfish behaviour. I am truly sorry.

(Some of you may be interested in how I stopped after 35 years of addiction, but I will save that for another post. )

A Cool Website

2008-04-06T10:25:00.002+02:00

I just found this website yesterday and spent hours looking at it.
http://www.altfrankfurt.com
This morning, I went right back to it. It is chock full of old photos of Frankfurt. They have done a marvelous job of getting interesting tidbits of information about so many of the buildings, streets, etc. too.

I was most surprised to see the photo of American soldiers entering my neighborhood, Bornheim! I had no idea they came through here during the war. Some of the coolest photos are under the section: Zeppelin.

Of course the photos showing the destruction from the war are fascinating too. Hats off to the women of Frankfurt who cleaned the rubble up and literally rebuilt Frankfurt. They do not get enough credit for this enormous task. There certainly weren't many men around at that time to do it. In fact, they have tried for years to get some sort of pension from the government, but without much success.

Anyway, hope you enjoy the photos!

Nature in the City

2008-04-02T07:29:00.003+02:00

I find it fascinating how much flora and fauna abounds here, in the middle of the city. It begins first thing in the morning, before it starts getting light outside. The birds start going bezirk! In the spring time, it starts around 05:30, but in the summer, when dawn is at 0400, those birds go crazy! I can remember when it actually used to drive me nuts, they were so loud. Today, I so enjoy laying in my bed, snuggled in my covers, listening to the little guys sending out their calls of love or their "stay away, this is my roof". It is funny how the littlest birds are the loudest. Or the plainest ones. Kinda like God thought, you can either be pretty or sing pretty. In the evenings, I enjoy watching the swallows swirl around, catching all those nasty mosquitoes. How they always know which direction to go, and I think they are really having fun, swooping and diving. If I was a bird, I would like to do that.

Last month, I saw one of the coolest things I have ever seen here in the city. I was taking out some trash, when I looked toward a big bush where a bunch of sparrows were freaking out. They were all inside of a bush, which didn' t have any leaves on it, but had lots of little branches. Sitting on top of the bush was some kind of hawk or falcon, (yeah, ornithology isn't my strong point) thinking he was going to have a sparrow for dinner that day. I just froze, wanting to watch what happened. The hawk tried several times to lunge into the bush, with the sparrows screaming all the time, and scrambling to change their positions. There must have been at least 20 of them "hiding" in this bush. The hawk was just too big to get thru the little branches though. This is the part of nature that is difficult for us humans. How to pick which animal to like better. If I like the hawk better, then I want it to catch a sparrow to eat. If I like the sparrow better, then I chase the hawk away and it goes hungry or its' babies go hungry. I pondered this for a few minutes while I watched, and then decided to like the sparrows better. I walked toward the bush and the hawk flew away. The sparrows wisely decided to hang out a while longer in their bush.

Spring is exploding now too. It has been fighting with winter for the past month or two, with the trees blooming kind of early and the daffodils popping out extra early. Walking around town, I see carpets of yellow daffodils, lots of aromatic hyacinths. Coming back from the gym on Sunday, I walked past an apt. building that literally had a carpet of violets. The entire lawn was purple! Gosh, that was pretty. Especially nice are the redbud trees, their branches have a nice, delicate look that matches their blooms perfectly.

One of my favorite animals are the little red squirrels. In Ohio we have these big, grey squirrels, that are bold and everywhere. Here, they are little and shy. You don't find them in too many places, but when you do, they are fun to watch. Those little tufts of fur on top of their ears is what makes them look so cute. You can often find them in cemetaries here.

The neighborhood where I used to work had some families of huge woodpeckers. They would often hang out on the lawn, kind of hopping around, looking for food I imagine. They almost look like parrots. It was always a surprise to see them tho.

Enjoy the spring, look for some wonders. I know I will.

Engrish

2008-03-30T19:06:00.002+02:00

I just spent a couple of hours reading this blog about English mistakes in Japan and China. I laughed and laughed. It truly is a funny site. www.engrish.com/webblog.php

Trying to learn and speak German, I made tons of mistakes. Ones that the family still laughs about.

I especially like English that comes from googling something and getting an automatic translation. They can be hilarious. Stuff like menus that say "cattle broth" instead of beef broth. Or my favorite, "fiery cockerel chest strips" instead of spicy chicken breast strips. The literal translations are great for a good laugh. There is one down at the main train station, so I need to get my camera and go take a photo of it and post it on here. Maybe sometime this week, so keep checking back.

Recycling Rant of the Day

2008-03-30T08:03:00.006+02:00

I like to recycle. It feels good and I get to be smug about it. Seperating all that trash, makes one truly aware of how much waste we produce for nothing. Why is the tube of toothpaste in a box? Why is the foil pack of rice in a box? Does the 6 pack of water have to be shrink-wrapped in plastic? And do we really have to buy bottles of water to drink? Why do we use paper towels to dry our hands in the kitchen when a cloth towel can be used all day long. Why do people buy one-use batteries exclusively, when you can get the rechargable ones and use them over and over again? Can´t we eliminate some of this? I really try to not have so much packaging, but still, our family of 3 fills up a bag of plastic trash every day! Multiply that, times every household in Germany and it is a lot of trash.

Many of the Americans that I work with, simply refuse to seperate their trash. When asked why, the usual answer is, I can´t be bothered, or I get confused about what goes where. Hello?? Is it that hard to figure out where the paper goes or that when you throw the paper away, you take it out of the plastic bag first? Or that if you have a box filled with styrofoam peanuts in it, you dump the styrofoam into the plastic dumpster and put the box into the paper one? My favorite is when I see people put plastic bags containing organic material in them, into the bio dumpster!

The assumption is that the trash collectors seperate this stuff, that it is the collectors job to dump the paper out of the plastic bags. Perhaps they also think there is some special place where a person goes thru the bio bins, dumping the dog poop or the potato peels out of the little plastic bags?

And lastly, I´m glad that the stores here make you pay for your plastic bags. I wish they did it in America. People think that the little bit they do or don´t do doesn´t make any difference, but it does.

Dear Hillary

2008-03-28T06:55:00.007+01:00

Dear Hillary,

I wanted to tell you how much you have disappointed me. I had such faith in you, that you would be our first woman president. You are really smart and talented and we have been waiting so long for you to finally make it. But, you are blowing it! You aren´t acting with dignity, you are telling lies, and you are letting us down.

When I was a little girl, back in the 60´s, I wanted so badly to be a jockey, and I was told no, girls can´t be jockeys. Then, when the space race was in full force, I thought it would be so cool to be an astronaut and once again I was told no, girls can´t be astronauts. In Junior High when asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, I often said I wanted to be president, and everyone just laughed, because naturally, girls can´t be president. Now it is 2008 and all of that has changed of course, except for that last one. We are still waiting for a woman to be president.

Clean up your act and you still might have a chance. Stop letting us down. Do the right things, be honest and be dignified. Show the world what a woman can do.

Least favorite things about Deutschland

2008-03-26T06:54:00.000+01:00

1. Dog Poop Everywhere! - I am sorry, but for a country that prides itself on a history of being all clean, why oh why do they not clean up after their dogs. It is disgusting. The fine should be 1000 euros for letting your dog poop in the park where kids are playing, or in front of your house door.
2. Rudeness - Being pushy, shoving forward in lines, nicking your ankles with the shopping cart, not waiting to get on the train, not helping with strollers or giving seats to pregnant women or old people. Rudeness from retail people or servers is the worst, tho it is getting better.
3. Immitating your accent - I can´t count how many times my accent has been imitated by total strangers. This is a strange rudeness. I would never walk into a restaurant in the states and imitate the hostess´accent as she or he seated me. What is this about?
4. Price of housing - Apartments are so expensive, and to buy a house is even harder. Maybe if they built less office space (which sits empty) and built more apts?
5. Age discrimination - Hopefully, you will never have to search for a job here. If you are over 35 or 40, it becomes difficult. Even international companies like Starbucks, advertise for employees under 35. Shame on you companies!
6. Obsession with drafts - Attention: you CANNOT get a cold from a draft. Colds are caused by germs. When it is hot outside, it is wonderful to have a lovely breeze blowing on you from an open window.
7. Strange health warnings - Don´t sit on cold things or you get a bladder infection. The weather causes a "kreislauf kollapse" ( isn´t this a circulation collapse? Wouldn´t you be dead then?) Re-heating mushrooms or spinach is poisonous. (if this were so, wouldn´t this warning be in every cookbook in the world?) Riding in a car with the windows open will cause ear infections in a child (pity the poor sweating children) When you sweat, you have to put something on to keep from getting chilled (isn´t sweating your bodys ´mechanism to cool off? Why make it harder for your body to work?) Cold feet. Even when it was 90 degrees outside, all the old ladies would come up and grab my daughters bare feet as she lay in her stroller, and exclaim about cold feet and want me to cover her up. This drove me nuts of course!

Favorite things about Deutschland

2008-03-25T10:12:00.000+01:00

1. The Public Transportation - We haven´t owned a car since we moved here! It is wonderful, being able to sit and read a book and arrive at work unstressed. I laugh when we drive over an overpass to the autobahn and see all the cars sitting in a stau. In the winter it is fun, cause I never have to shovel the snow, scrape my windows, pray that the car will start and then drive thru chaos. I also never have to look for a parking spot.
2. Health Insurance - Though I complain sometimes, it is a pretty good deal. America could learn from this system.
3. Vacation - This actually holds me back from moving back to the US. I literally cannot imagine going back to only having 2 weeks off a year.
4. Seasonal Produce - I love going to the market and seeing the mountains of seasonal produce. When it is cherry season, or strawberry season, and especially "spargel" season, it not only makes you hungry for this item, it also seems to ust make good sense. Plus, because it is local, the taste is not only more intense, but fruit tastes like it supposed to, carrots taste like carrots instead of orange cardboard tasting things.
5. The Markets - Bornheim has a market on Wed. and Sat. It is a full sensory experience when you walk thru the stands, all the colors, the smells, the sound of the sellers as they yell, offering their bargains at the end of the day. It all makes me smile.
6. FKK - I like it that the Germans don´t really care about nudity. It makes Americans look silly with their strange prudishness that is all out of whack. The Bild newpaper could take the naked girl off the front page though, maybe put it on the 2nd page? It seems a bit tasteless.
7. Downtown - It is so nice to have a vital, lively downtown, whether it is 2 in the morning or a Sunday, there are always people there and something going on. When I go home to Columbus, it just looks sad and dead.
8. Ease of travel - Living in Frankfurt makes it sooooo easy to travel to anywhere due to the central location. Even going thru security here isn´t that bad and the flights are almost always on time.
9. Multi-culti Frankfurt - It is great living in a city that has so many foreigners in it. Over 30%! It not only makes me feel safe (no neo-nazis) but all the restaurants, the languages you hear, the different clothing, makes for an interesting daily life. Hate to admit it, but before I moved here, I had only met 3 people from other countries
10. The German language - It is amazing that I learned this language at the age of 31. It is simply fun being able to express myself in another language, especially when mad. Ranting in German sounds so forcefull!
11. The Trains - It is so cool, getting on a train and whizzing thru the countryside at 300 km an hours. Being able to get up, walk around, or go have a coffee, makes taking a train much more enjoyable than taking a flight or riding in a car. Basically, I love the trains! I remember my first train ride, from Hanau to Frankfurt. I was so excited, you would have thought I was a little kid.

D-Day and Normandy

2008-03-24T09:52:00.000+01:00

Last summer, we took a 4 day vacation in Bayeaux, Normandy. Ever since I moved to Germany, I had wanted to see the D-Day beaches. We checked out the Rick Steves website where we found BattleBus Tours. This looked like just what we wanted, and it turned out to be absolutely the best tour we could have taken. After a 6 hour train ride from Frankfurt, with a train change in Paris, we arrived in Bayeaux. This is a charming little town that for whatever reason was not bombed during the war. It has a beautiful cathedral and lots of little streets to wander around in. We checked into our B&B, the Hotel STe. Croix and were pleasantly surprised. Our room was perfect, everything that you could have dreamed of in a French B&B. Huge, king size bed, giant bathroom, hot water maker, and beautiful antique furniture. More was to await us at breakfast. Everything home made and so yummy. The chocolate tart was to die for, as was the french version of french toast. It was like custard, it was so soft and creamy. I can highly recommend this B&B as the price was really reasonable and our hostess was very friendly.

Our BattleBus tour was for 2 days, from 0800 to 1700. We had Sean as our guide and he did a wonderful job of making D-Day come alive for us. Two other American couples were in our mini-van and Sean did an admirable job of answering each and every question we had. If you have watched "Band of Brothers" or seen the movies, "Private Ryan" or "The Longest Day", you will already have an appreciation for what this invasion meant. As we got to the beaches, I was so surprised to still see all of the bomb craters there, some of them as big and deep as a house. The German embankments and bunkers are permanent monuments that reveal how easy it was for the Germans to repel our attack. It is just amazing to stand there and view this beach. I cannot imagine what it would have been like to try and cross this beach while being shot at and having everyone around me being killed. The courage to do this just astounds me. BattleBus tours also offer a British experience, a Canadian experience and a Band of Brothers tour. We would like to go back and take each of these tours as ours was so fascinating.

We not only visited several museums, but also several churches. The most moving was a small chapel, where 2 medics cared for 80 civilians over several days of constant bombing. You can still see the blood stains on the pews. It was a surprise to see stained glass windows with paratroopers on them or dedications to the 101st Airborne. As we drove around the Normandy countryside, you could tell how the hedgerows were an awful hindrance to our troops. One of the more moving things that we saw were the little monuments dotting the countryside. All of them neat and with flowers and all of them erected by the grateful, local French population. At one spot where we stopped, you could look out over the countryside for miles. This was flatland, where the Germans had opened floodgates, covering the land with water. Hundreds of our paratroopers drowned here.

I really recommend this trip to any American, Canadian, or British citizen. Just visiting the cemetary or standing on the beaches can bring tears to your eyes, thinking of the sacrifices made.

Dear Oprah

2008-03-23T08:17:00.000+01:00

Dear Oprah,
Maybe it´s time for you to hire someone to help you with a reality check. You pat yourself on the back for building a school in Africa and your audience adores you. Sure those 150 girls at your school are thrilled, but did the thought never enter your brain that if you would have spread that 40 million dollars around, you could have built hundreds of schools! Imagine thousands of children being able to go to school and get an education instead of just 150. Imagine thousands of children growing up and being able to enact change in their country instead of hoping that 150 will be able to do it. Seriously, what were you thinking???

Secondly, your magazine. Take a serious look at the clothing advertised and the prices they cost. A purse for $300, a skirt for $500, blouses for $$400, jackets for a $1000. This is major money for the average woman in America. If the average family earned $50,000, I doubt that the woman in this family can afford to give out $1,200 for one outfit! Most of us are happy if we can put together an outfit for $100 or so. Your magazine never has anything that has a reasonable cost. Not all of your readers are lawyers or doctors. Some of us are cooks, hairdressers, receptionists, maids, teachers, waitstaff, and yes, soldiers.

So, how about this idea. Offer lower priced clothing, ask your readers who earn big money to send the difference to help build schools in Africa. Start a program of students in Americas poorer schools of going to Africa to help the students there. Maybe they will get an appreciation for learning, a thirst for knowledge, that will keep them from dropping out and encourage them to strive harder. Maybe they could even help build the schools! That would be a far better use of your $40 million.

Something New

2008-03-22T20:49:00.000+01:00

Yep, I´m finally catching up with the rest of the world and starting a blog. I surely wish it had another name though, as the word blog sounds kind of yucky. But, since I didn´t invent it, I just have to go along with it.
I hope you will check back here often and see what develops. I have lots of opinions (who doesn´t?) and I will want to hear yours too. Hopefully, I will manage to post something here every day. It might be a weird experience I had on the bus, or one of my bizarre dreams, or just a pet peeve. It might even be an open letter to Hilary, or Oprah, or the grocery shoppers in Frankfurt (that might need an entire article!)