Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Camping, Euro Style


Saw this on my trip down the Rhine River. The juxtaposition of a castle and fold down trailers made me laugh. Is there something funny about camping under a thousand year old castle?

Only in Europe, right?

Because in America, someone would have added the Knights of the Castle Theme Park, or the Off With Their Heads Putt Putt Golf, or the King's Bounty food court. We can never leave well enough alone.

You know that's true,
Normal Girl

Sunday, August 29, 2010

Home from The Hangar

In France yesterday, while in Metz, we wandered into sort of a mall. In support of fashionistas everywhere, I offer these pics to show you what the hip French woman is wearing this fall.

Leggings and tunics are it. The leggings are pretty cool, with buttons and buckles and studs and hand painted designs. And that makes them expensive.

And if you are French, you wear black. That is pretty much your palette. That is how people knew we were Americans before speaking to us. We wore color.

Click the pics to see more clearly.

I felt a bit like a spy taking these pics. It had to be a covert operation since I got caught taking the first one. All of the store employees came out to glare at me.

The wily and dangerous,
Normal Girl

Saturday, August 28, 2010

The Hangar Day ....Whatever

Have you seen these shoes? They are called toe shoes. They are the rage here in Germany. The bottoms and the toes are heavy-ish neoprene rubber. There is a mesh on the top, but don't you think it would make your toes sweat? Apparently they are comfy enough that runners wear them on long distances.

I think they look like monkey feet.
Normal Girl

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

The Hangar Day 2

I spent most of the day shopping today. This is the Home Depot equivalent here. Have been there three times already....in a day and a half.

And of course, Home Depot. I was happy to note that the prices here are even less than at home. I am guessing that has to do with the lack of export charges or something. We bought a van full of furniture and miscellaneous stuff for under $500. It was awesome!

My one work project today was to paint a wall with chalkboard paint. It was a challenge. The paint ran all over the place and it turned out to be oil based, so where it ran, it could not be cleaned up, and then my hands were completely black. Of course soap and water did not clean it up. But, the wall is fab, so all is well.

Furniture building day tomorrow!
Normal Fraulein

Monday, August 23, 2010

The Hangar Day 1

I had such a hard time with Orbitz and our plane reservations. I made seat assignments three times. In the end, we all had either aisle or window seats. But, when we got to the airport, two of us had middle seats. Oh. man. A middle seat for 9 hours. The ladies at the counter did not help us so we went to the gate. The discussion went something like this:

Bridget: Oh, you look so pretty...
Normal Girl: Yes, and very thin and so young too.
Gate Agent: OK, what do you want?

hahahahahaha. But it worked! She managed to get us out of the middle seats. Hallelujah!

So, I sat in my window seat, watching a movie, reading a very inspiring book, trying to snooze, and watching our progress on my personal monitor.


When my seat mate said she wanted off the airplane about halfway there, I was able to say, "You should not get off, it is -45 degrees out there!

The Hangar, exterior.

I love this long wooden dish that Sheila had on the dinner table.

The Hangar, interior. House Beautiful, right?

In Landscheid, on a walk after dinner tonight. It was a little chilly, loved it!

We got a little work done today on our rooms. Also visited the German version of Home Depot and bought paint in 5 liter buckets. It was fun buying paint and finishes by verbal description. I described, the guy picked it out for me. When we open it tomorrow, we will see if we got it right.

Visit to IKEA tomorrow,
Normal Girl

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Niece 3

How does this happen? Yesterday, it was bath time.

Today, it is senior pictures.

If you are old-ish like me, do you remember your senior picture day? We put on a nice shirt, sat in the chair and smiled. We were out in 15 minutes.

I like the way senior pictures now show more personality of the kid.

She has piles of these. How she is going to choose one....I am glad it is not my choice.

Even if she is 17 going on 30, what amazing things are ahead!
Normal Girl

Finished Fringe


This beaded curtain makes me think of Star Trek the Next Generation. Not you? I spent several evenings sitting at my desk stitching bead fringe watching episodes of Star Trek TNG. Now my brain associates bead fringe with Star Trek. That is just how it works. And that is fine because I like both stitching bead fringe and Star Trek TNG.

The curtains look pretty nice, I am glad of it. Hope Vote Mom likes them too.

Bead on
Normal Girl

Friday, August 20, 2010

A Walk in the Life

Scenes from my morning walk: I have not trapped a single varmint this summer, so I was thinking I was home free. But, what in the world do you think did this last night? It dug everything out of the pot and left the dead roots. This is a first in varmintland.

The leaves have been falling for a couple weeks, but today was the first day I saw a pretty leaf. Red. Isn't it just perfection. Yea fall!!!!!

I love this point in my walk everyday. It comes at almost one mile and only when the sun is shining. It makes me want to bring a piece of chalk and trace it for the shadey days.

Nancy's birthday. So the sign said. Do you think you rent all those flamingos or buy them?

I will be gone for a week, when I come back the leaves will be falling more, hopefully the heat will abate and fall will arrive.

I love fall, did you guess?
Normal Girl

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Pack it In

Today, I packed 32 backpacks filled with school supplies into the car and dropped them off at Grace Centers of Hope. I totally missed the kids and had to just leave the backpacks. It was a bit disappointing.

But, it was really encouraging to look inside the backpacks to see how everyone did. Volunteers each took a kid's name and filled a backpack. Some folks went way above and beyond the call of duty. Someone decorated personalized notebooks. Someone added a big bag of Smarties. Get it? Smarties. Someone added jewelry (OK, that was me). One backpack was so full we could hardly lift it.

Don't you love it when people work together to do something worthwhile?

Going back to school is not fun for most kids, hopefully this makes it a little better,
Normal Girl

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Ode to Ace of Cakes

While at CHA, I made a button ring that I called Ode to Ace of Cakes. It inspired us to have some fun.

We are going to send a pile of button rings to the Ace of Cakes staff....in little cake boxes.

Cute idea, right? Think we will see them on an episode?

Keep watch for me and let me know!

These are my contribution to the pile of rings.

This was really a fun project...









Ringmaker to the Stars,
Normal Girl

Spare Me!

Taught the spare tire bracelet class last night. Had 13 students and some fun!

All class fees are going to support my mission trip to Germany. Check it out to see where I am going and what I will be doing.

We used bead soup, so everyone got the fun of digging for beads they liked.

What I really like about a class like this is that using the same materials, everyone's bracelet looks so different. Personalities come out.


I might just teach this again!
Normal Girl

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Ever Have a Week Like This?

I think the planets are not aligned this week, or something. Crazy weird stuff has been going on around here.

First, something bit my left heinie cheek. No, more like chewed on it. There are a lot of bites all in one place. I don't know what bit me or even when. What I do know is that it itches like CRAZY! I have tried every remedy I had available. Nothing worked. I went to the drug store tonight to find something else. The reason I bought this is the tag line. Rapid Action Itch Disrupting Formula. Yeah, that sold me. I laughed outloud in the store. But. Either is it not rapid or it is not disrupting, because my heinie still itches like CRAZY.

Second, I got a free Red Box movie on Monday. OK, they are only $1 when you pay, but who doesn't love a free movie? Unfortunately, I totally forgot I had it, and so if I can remember to return it tomorrow, my free movie is going to cost me $4. AND. My DVD player will not play it. I will spend $4 on a free movie that I cannot watch. Oh, and I am not even sure I know where it is at this moment.

Also, I came home a couple times after dark this week. The only light I have at the back door is a motion light. It comes on when I walk up to the door. Not this week. I have to feel my way to get the key in the lock and get in the house. I thought the light bulb might be burned out. No. After I get into the house and lock the door behind me, the light comes on. It is a little spooky.

Just one of those weeks. I have had some highlights along with the weird stuff, so all is not lost, just odd.

Normal Girl

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

One Ringy Dingy

Last week in Chicago, I worked a make it take it on button rings for my most excellent friends at Blumenthal Lansing Co. I met 23543323 of the nicest, funniest, best singers and crafters. During our Donnie and Marie song fest (admitting I did not know much here) and our Sonny and Cher song tribute (I excelled here), I helped my new friends make rings, and I made some myself. I call this one, "Ode to Ace of Cakes."


And this one, I am calling "The Seussical Ring."


This one needs a name. Any ideas?

Looks like fun right?
Normal Girl

Monday, August 2, 2010

Starlight Mints

I made these today for my winter column. Tomorrow, I will be making them into jewelry. Not sure what I will do yet, stay tuned. They look good enough to eat and were pretty easy to make. Those are the two keys to my beginning glass beadmaking column: if the beads look good enough to eat and are simple to make, they work!

Minty,
Normal Girl