I know I still have over half my Germany journal to finish putting in here. I will get to it hopefully this weekend when I can stay up late.   :)

A lost her job today. It's hard watching your kids go through this tough stuff. She obtained some debt while she had the job and now is despretely trying to find another job so she can pay her cell phone and computer. I was getting used to going to "school" every day. But, I bet she likes being home with mommy more. 

They have come to my work two days in a row and had lunch with me. That was VERY nice!

J has been sleeping at the house. Usually don't see him very often. Still no job for him. I'm just happy when I see he is safe.

S is struggling in school again this year. I'm very pleased with her teachers though. They keep me informed and that helps me not let her get away with anything. She is very forgetful though. Always has been that way since she was little. We used to play the memory game which she loved....just not seeing that it helped~ !   Ha Ha

T is doing better this year. He still fights me on doing the work. Hates to read and wants to rush through everything. Football is his thing right now. He went 65 yards for a touchdown this weekend and that was awesome to see. I believe being able to play sports will motivate him for the grades. Hopefully he will want to do good work just for himself. It is my prayer for the kids. They've got to want to do good for themselves...not for anyone else.

S's boyfriend has asked some questions about being a Christian and has shown some interest in coming to church. Just getting him up in the morning is an issue. Then, he was going to come to youth group on Sunday night, but got sidetracked. I know God is speaking to him and I know satan will try to put road blocks in the way. M coming to church would make S more interested.  

Well, I will try to write this weekend and finish up the vacation journal

If I took a bird from Germany to America - would the birds be able to understand eachother?

Monika taught me to say Euro today - it sounds like OyRo

3:30 pm Oma called and asked if I came to her apartment - says someone rang the bell. She asked me to come now ~ this after I already told her I would be there between 4 and 5pm ~ Ah Yiye! Oma says she has waited all day to see me (remember, I just talked to her at 1:30 and she was getting ready to take a nap).

I went to meet her and walked with her to the hotel. Had a piece of cake and some ice cream - that made her happy. Then we walked to the flower shop to see the window and then I walked her back home.

I got to see Heidi. She and her boyfriend were stopped at the stop sign and she recognized me because I was walking with Oma.

*Oma has "royal blood" syndrome. She doen't really want me to associate with Heidi because she is "slow". Actually, Heidi is very high functioning developmentally delayed- but, it's difficult to even describe her that way. Her English is pretty darn good. No language barriors. I told her I would be to see her before I go back home.

We also ran into Frau Metzcar and she walked Oma the rest of the way home.

*Oma cannot walk and talk at the same time. Every time she wants to say something she stops - even in the middle of the street~!

*She stops and makes over every little kid like she's never seen a kid before.

Makes me crazy until I remind myself that she is 83 years old.

There was a boy at the hotel today that did not have enough money for what he wanted...he seemed to know to make "puppy eyes" at my Oma and she gave him the money he needed. I like that about my Oma.

Monika and Thomas and I have been having so much fun with the language issues.

.....  "gift"  means "poison"! Monika says my mom once sent a package and obviously was not thinking German. The package was delayed and had been opened because my mom wrote "gift" on the package! LOL

Not everything translates word for word.

For past tense in English we will say, "I left my purse at the house"  In German, there is only the word "left" for direction. So, it translates, "My purse 'turned' left".

I had written to Monika (and used on-line translation service). What I wrote was, " There is no room in my suitcase" But, the only translation for "room" in German is, "a room". So, it did not translate to her that my suitcase was too small. It translated that I could not get my room in the suitcase.

Was up early today - Walked out of town down Baunhofstrasse *Took lots of pictures- We used to live in a house there. Did not remember that, but was trying to figure out why that name sounded so familiar (it's a main street through town).

Came back and supervised Monika making the front window ready for Mother's day.

Called Oma to let her know what I've been doing and she was getting ready to take a nap @ 1:30 -

Will go see her around 4 or 5 today. Monika is finished working at 6:30 "when the bells ring alot" (They do this at 7am on the week day mornings) So, my guess is that the bells signaled the start and end of the work day. But, most stores are closed around 4-5pm. Maybe it was set this way to let the farmers in the fields know what time it is? On Saturdays most stores are closed early. No stores are open on Sunday except places like the hotel restaraunt and the Italian Ice Store. This is old and new ways all mixed up.

Sylvia ate with us today. A little more talkative.

Yurgen said maybe 3 words and as usual in and out in 20 minutes. He looked nice today. Although all his suits seem too big for him/sleeves too long. I can't help thinking that he looks just like those bankers in the old movies.

Thomas brought the photo album and DVD today for me to see what he has gotten done so far. He will come back tonight and see if I want any changes.

Right now I'm sitting on the balcony getting a little sun. It would be nice to go home with a bit of a tan.  :)

Monika and Brigitte told me today to make sure I don't eat any wursten or eggs if Oma offers because they would not still be good and they do not want me to end up in the hospital~ ME EITHER! (I quit accepting offers of those last week).

The closest hospital is over an hour away.

I got up at 9am - had coffee and sent out e-mails, took my shower and then met Oma around 11am as she was coming down from her apartment to go to the hotel. I had a cup of coffee with her and then went with her to the jewler to get a battery for the watch she gave me.

Dinner at noon. Sylvia's (Monika's sister) boyfriend and his father came to dinner today. Syliva had to work though and she only stayed for a few minutes. The father is a flirt.

Monika and I were to go to meet Oma for ice cream at the Italian Ice shop. But, Oma came to the flowershop at 3pm to bring me the watch. So, we went then.

Frau Hoffman came and she paid for all of it. My Oma did not like that. But, Frau Hoffman is even more persistent than my Oma!

Monika was telling me that there is a woman in town that is on Brigitte's bowling team and they call her the "newspaper woman" because she knows and tells everything going on in town.

Brigitte made sure to tell her what a beautiful ring and a fine thing Oma did for me - so it will get around town and make Oma feel good.

Tonight Monika and I took pictures of me posing with the ring so we can frame a picture for Oma. Then, she can see the ring and the watch every day.

I'm so happy Monika is here for Oma.

I used to think that once Oma was gone, I would have no reason to come back here. But, that is not true anymore. Monika and I have become like sisters.

Yurgen, Monika's Uncle/Brigitte's brother (again, spelled the way it sounds) is shy. But, he looks me in the eyes and my heart warms - like some ancient memory that feels like a comfortable blanket. We played cards on Saturday after dinner - he works in the bank all week and then helps Ignatz in the greenhouses on Saturday. He's not handsome. But, I do look forward to seeing him - and he doesn't speak any English.  He seriously plays ping pong and wants to go to some big tournament in Las Vegas in 3 years. I told him he could learn English in 3 years and he could make the trip if he wanted. He didn't seem too sure about it though.

When someone is at Monika's front door, she will swing open the kitchen window and look down to talk to them. However, she does have a monitor where she pushes a button and can see who is at the door without them knowing she sees them and she can push a button to talk to them and then another button to "ring them in". It's pretty cool.

Today we had dinner (noon time is the big meal) with Oma at the Chinese restaraunt. It was good.

Then, Monika and I went to Bitburg and saw Thomas' work. He works at the Bitburger Beer factory. And today was some sort of a celebration day with a flea market and street fair and an orchastra. It was funny. All these people (hundreds) with their noses pressed up to the glass looking at how the beer is made and then Thomas came and let Monika and me through the door and gave us a real tour. All these people wondering what important women we were - We had both dressed up and looked very rich - LOL it was great fun.

Then, on the way home we stopped at Mcdonalds and got an icecream.

Happy to be back here. My feet were killing me~!

Oh Yes - the Chinese restaraunt was a trip. A real clash of cultures. I don't know why I think it's okay for Chinese people to speak English, but it freaked me out to hear Chinese people speaking German. It was like being in the Twilight Zone. The woman spoke very good English also. It was quite comical with us all ordering Chinese food and all those different languages being spoken.

First Communion~

Is not what I thought. These families do not go to church. "Religion" is taught in the school and some of these kids haven't even stepped foot into the church before this. Monika says they used to all walk together from the school to the church and she doesn't know why they don't do that anymore.

The girls dress all in white and wear a wreath on the heads. They wear a cross necklace and carry a white Bible. The boys wear suits. The families send out invitations and they make parties. The kids get lots of presents and money - But, somehow God does not seem to be so much a part of it.

The whole town is decorated. White flowers and ribbon.

Yesterday when I got back form the photo shop and seeing Oma at the hotel, I came back here to get ready for dinner. Oma came with the ring. The ring my Opa gave her 50 years ago. She put it on my hand at the bottom of the stairs in the doorway to Monika's apartment house.

I've never had anything so fine - so beautiful. I cried.

I've cried alot- or rather gotten choked up alot since being here. So many emotions.

For me, this ring isn't just from Oma - It is a gift from my Opa to his first granddaughter. I want it to be the start of a tradition. When I am old, I will give it to Isabel and when she is old, I would like her to give it to her first granddaughter....that's a long time from now. But, I know will go quickly.

Church bells~

1 ding at 15 after, 2 dings at the half (but at 6:30 there are 2 dings and then a lot of ringing - seems like 2 to 3 minutes) 3 dings at the 45 mark and then 4 dings at the hour then the regular tone to mark the time.

Sunday morning the bells ring and ring and ring - but, it is a beautiful deep wind chime sound.

Funny:

Yesterday I was to go to Oma's at 5pm. She called at 3pm to see if I would like to come then. Monika and I were sitting on the balcony waiting on a phone call. So, I told Monika to tell her I would come at 4pm and Oma say, "Oh, but Christina says she comes at 5 o'clock" OH MY GOSH...Monika and I laughed so hard. Oma is something else. Gotta love her.

This is better. Waking up and being able to go slow. I love my Oma very much, but it's better that I don't have to rush out to go to her.

yesterday when we were walking, there was a girl on a bike, about 10-12 years old. My Oma gave her 5 Euro (about 7.00). Later, at the Italian Ice Store I found out she is the owner's daughter. or rather the owner's granddaugher. Here most (if not all) businesses are family owned and pass from genertion to generation. It was the son working in the store. He showed us pictures from hunting in Italy. Beautiful snow covered mountains. He had gone hunting with his father and they were wearing clothes like you would see in a movie. Italian hunting clothes, it was awesome.

More German, "Ich keine es nich lieden ven es ist zu varm" (spelled the way it sounds). * I don't like it when it is so warm.

"g-nau" you are right.

Today I went to the photo shop to get postcards and to the post office on my own. Can't worry about getting lost-just look for the church steeple!

I ran into Oma on her way to the hotel. She had just gotten up at 10am. So the new arrangement appears to be the best for her too. I am starting to see what mom was saying about Oma. Going into the hotel, there was a man in line a head of us at the bakery counter. Oma walked in front of him as if he wasn't there and pointed to what she wanted even though the lady behind the counter spoke to the man first. Oma told the lady what she wanted and someone brought it to the table before we were even seated. Hard to tell if people fear her or respect her. Wonder if Oma has royal blood. LOL

I made the mistake of mentioning that Monika was giving me one of the feather blankets that I like so much. Right away Oma says, "I will give Brigitte money for this", I told her no. Brigitte knows nothing about it and for her to offer them money for me is not right.Then Oma changed it and said she gives money on the sly to Monika to save for her trip to America.

Later, (and for the 3rd time) she tells me how since the Euro her money is now worth half as much. Today she was telling me how her friend Haite helps her. Like, when her t.v. broke, Haite got her a new one.

Oma is, for the lack of a better word, "eccentric".

She was a spoiled only child who married a rich man (my Opa) and she has expensive tastes. Her idea of poor is much different than "normal" people. She eats at the hotel every day and sees a doctor about once a week and refuses to let me pay for anything. I love her and I know she loves me - but, she is a complicated, difficult woman. I do not want to be like her.

Not recommended public speaking - Slang

Et Hot Geschmacht (or Hooott Geschmacht)-dinnr was great

Knopps Beidel-when someone is stingy

Borgen mir dat? - can I borrow that?

Doona Veda! - That's enough!

Ayesh Zeinet (or Zaynet) - I'm here

When ever you say you will see someone later, there are 3 different ways to say it.

"Bis Kleish" - see you soon

"Bis Dunn" - the way the computer says it

"Cheus" - later

"Bis kleish" and "Cheus" are aways said in a very cheerful high pitched voice. *my spelling is probably all off on those words, but I spelled them the way they sound.

I'm writing post cards to Pam & Bonnie. I'm putting my thoughts more together.

I am at home here. I feel like I belong. Maybe now that I know what the emptyness has been about, I can let God fill it.

This is where I spent the first 6 years of my life and visited every other year until I was 16. Where I went to kindergarten with my best friend, Heidi (who I got to visit with - but, will write about that later). God has shown me a powerful truth through this time here.

The language differences can be funny. Example, "Sylvester" to us is a cartoon cat, but here it is what they call New Years Eve. So funny.

Brigitte and Monika are having so much fun teaching me dialect.

I would like to take a picture of every window in town. They are so unique and beautiful.

Well, now that I have established a new routine for visiting my Oma every day I think my vacation will go smoother. I have been so rushed to get to my Oma's in the morning -- and not being hungry because my body still thinks it's 3am.

It's 11:30 pm and Thomas just left.

Monika worries too much that she is making noise in the morning. I tell her I have 4 Kids! stop worrying! lOl I have no trouble sleeping.

Thomas smokes too. So even though I've had a shower tonight, I feel and smell smokey.

The church bells rang a lot today. Monika says it's because somebody died.

When it is a man, they ring 3 times, for a woman they ring 2 times and when it is a child that has died they ring 1 time. There are 3,000 people in this town and everybody pretty much knows everybody or knows somebody who knows somebody  :)

Sunday is "white Sunday" -- or First Communion. The flower shop is very busy. The hotel is decorated with white ribbon.Alot of places in town are decorated for the occasion. It is a huge deal here. (No separation of church and state so to speak).

Oma told me today that she will not be going to church on Sunday because she is sick. I'm not sure how she knows she will still be sick on Sunday - but, she really seems to be okay today.

I'm not really sure how I feel about sitting through Mass anyway.

I slept in this morning...tried to. Oma called and woke me up. I got ready and went to her apartment. She had coffee and brotchen ready. We looked at photo albums. Lots of pictures I hadn't seen before. It was pretty neat. She gave me a photo album that she had made of us 4 kids.

Went back to the flower shop for dinner at 12:30. Sylvia ate with us again.

Everyone (ladies) here wears tight jeans and high heels. *no sweat pants or sloppy dressing in public.

Monika took me to the Kyll river today where my mom used to go swimming as a child. My Oma gave me a picture of my Opa when he was a teenager sitting in a wash tub at the river with 4 girls. :)

The water is so clear. Ischa (Monika's dog) went in the water up to her feet and drank.

Right now the forest is being cut/thinned for energy. It detracts a lot from the scenery in places.

We also visited the roadside chapel today.

I'm enjoying all of this but Monika smokes and it is hard for me to be around. Nobody knows that she started again. She says everyone was so proud of her when she quit. She doesn't want them to know.

She drove me all around Speicer today. We saw off base housing. You can tell a big difference in the housing. The windows don't look nice, the yards a bit trashy looking in places...kid's bikes and toys laying out everywhere.America in an average neighborhood.

Mailed post cards today. Each one cost 1 Euro - about $1.25 to mail.

We did a lot in 3 hours and I'm very tired!

Monika went to help in the flower shop and I took a tiny nap.

Monika came back with ice cream and we sat on the balcony.

Then at 10 minutes after 5pm Oma came to get me. She misunderstood and thought I was coming back today at 5pm - I meant tomorrow at 5pm! However, we went and had coffee at the hotel then we walked and she told me stories about the old buildings and the people. We stopped at the Italian ice cream shop and she said when I was little I used to call it "eatee ice". My favorite is the "Zitronin ice" (lemon) made with real lemon juice. Can't find it any place in the entire world like here.
I walked Oma home around 7pm. I think she was really tired.

Earlier today I rubbed medicine on her back for her. With the masectomy and the scars on her back from other surgeries I felt so sad about all she has suffered alone - without family to care for her.

I took a shower when I got back and was feeling a bit sad.

Monika and I were having a salad and watching t.v. when Thomas came. He is a freind of Monika's. He is very nice.

Thomas said he would take the pictures from the photo album that Oma gave me and scan them onto disc. Then instead of dividing the pictures with my brother and sisters - we'll all have them.

We watched a funny movie in German and we laughed so hard. Thomas speaks excellent English and he told us stories about his american friend.

Monika made us open face sandwhiches/snack. We talked and watched t.v. while I worked on the blanket -- it's great to have all my stuff~

Monika and Brigitte are trying to teach me some dialect (each town has their own "slang") to surprise my mom. There is even television show where they say a word to someone from another town and they have to try and guess what it means. It's a language Germans use when they are out in public and don't want other Germans to know what they are talking about.

We watched funniest videos and they are funny no matter what the language!

We finally went to bed almost 11:30

This feather bed and pillows makes me think of Tante Katie. I think her whole bed was made of feathers. I would love to have this at home....

The other thing that is unique here. The windows. All the windows have window sills. A ledge big enough to line with plants and they use beautiful designed sheers. The windows are beautiful.

When we go to Trier next week I am going to buy something for my window at home.

~When I get my next (and last) house, it will have window sills to go with the other items on my wish list ie; basement, big front porch....  :)

I got post cards today while at the photo shop. Will get those out tomorrow. I also got a couple pictures e-mailed out.
Monika is a very joyful, fun person. We think very mcuh a like about many things. She is good for my Oma here.

Brigitte and Oma do not get along. Oma told me why - I don't think anyone else really knows. But the tension between them is not seen in there words, it is felt. They avoid eachother.

When Oma and I went to the flowershop, Brigitte stayed in the back "busy" and Oma waited for Monika...she ended up going to get Monika.

Monika and I stay out of it.

It is now 4pm German time 10 am American time.

I was up at 8am (German time). Had coffee with Brigitte, Ignatz and Monika and then went to my Omas- She made good coffee and got out way too much food. Everything she had was "light", "fat free" "sugar free" -- My Oma says I should eat more. I had two brotchen and one wursten. I tried the salami but it tasted sour. Here they don't boil eggs solid and they leave them out of the frigerator, for up to a week or more! (When was Easter?) I couldn't eat it.

Afterwards we walked to the jewlery store to size the ring she is giving me. The jewler says it is over 80 years old. All I know is that there was a day my Opa gave this ring to the woman he loved. He held it in his hands wanting it to bring joy to someone.

We stopped at Frau Hoffman's shoe store. Everyone knew who I was immediately -- lots of hugs from Frau Hoffman. (She may have fitted me with my first pair of shoes for all I know). Oma must have been in there before I came. (I'm sure). She picked out the ugliest pair of shoes to buy me. I'm glad I've always been able to be straight with my Oma - They were VERY shiny brown and tan bowling shoes. She, of course said, "when you see something you like, I buy it for you". That's my Oma~!

The clothes styles/shoe styles here are always different...ahead or behind I can't tell. I'm too American. I guess it's European and they lead the way in fashion. It's pointy/shiny shoes or shoes that look like bowling shoes. Lots of stuff more extremely 70's than the actual 70's.

I havn't figured out the church bells yet. They seem to ring at all times/odd times. It's  11:30 at it chimed twice.

Oma and I went to the church today. I have never seena  church so big. it looked closed. But, we went in and there were about 20 boys and girls having 1st communion rehearsal for this Sunday. Oma says I must go with her to church this Sunday.

After we left  the church, we went to the photo shop and I put 149 pictures on CD

At 12:15 I left Oma to have dinner with Monika, Brigitte, Ignatz and Jurgen.

Jurgen is a banker. Short, shy - bankerish, stuffy looking. I knew him when we were kids. He is Brigitte's brother and comes every day for dinner. He eats quickly and leaves. My guess is that he only gets 1/2 hour for lunch.

I went with Brigitte one block behind the store/house (apartment is above the flower shop) to where I went to Kindergarten. Her daughter, Sylvia (Monika's sister) works in the same building. It is their version of Children's Services. They have 8 children there now and Sylvia is a part of a team that takes turns with overnight stays The rooms are decorated so beautiful and the kids appeared very happy. Nice clothes lots of activities, toys, games, books. Looks like an aparment with extra bedrooms.She says the government gives their program between 3,000-4000 Euro per child each month. WOW!

After dinner, Monika and I went to the grocery. They have an "Aldis" here. The same but, different.

I went later with Oma to the cemetary. We were there for 2 1/2 hours and I heard many stories -- like the lady who gave her milk when she was starving as a teenager during the war. Oma put flowers on her grave. Taking care of the grave is a big thing here. NO FAKE flowers EVER. Money is paid to keep a space 30 years. After 30 years you must pay again or they put someone else in that space. The gravesite must be kept nice. Real flowers are planted and the family is responsible for watering and keeping it clean. Each site also has a lantern for a candle to be kept lit. I took a lot of pictures.

My Oma told me how her mother died in the war when the town was bombed. She was 20 years old living in another town. She found her dad at the bombed out house where her mother was killed. He had refused to go to the hospital because he wanted to make sure she was able to find him. She was an only child and the joy of her father. She was very spoiled and admits it. She says this in her own way.

I would love to have Monika video her talking and telling these stories to keep for my kids and grandkids. They won't know her like I do.

Brigitte and Monika came with the flowers for the grave. We took Oma home. It was wonderful getting back to Monika's apartment.

My suitcase came today!!!!! MINUS ONE SHOE !!!!! LOL

The plan right now is for me to call my Oma when I get up and go to her house to have breakfast/coffee across the street at Hotel Barrons. Spend the morning with her and then meet back here at 12:30 for dinner.

I'm glad I have my comfortable new jeans. Will borrow tops from Monika. I'm really happy that I packed my socks, underwear, pajamas, meds and Bible in my carryon.

It would be nice to hvae the rest of my clothes. But, I can live without if I have to. God will get them to me :)

The only thing I would really regret losing is the blanket I had started making for Monika's parents (Brigitte and Ignatz). It is my gift to them for having me here. It would be an isult to offer them money.

I was able to email the kids and friends after my shower yesterday. That was an experience! The Y and the X on the keyboard are reversed!

Woke up at 11:30 pm -- thought it was morning. Wide awake. The house is cool. But the feather down blanket has me toasty warm.

Monika and I walked with her dog yesterday to the Muhlenburg. Everything is the same yet so much has changed.

Jurgen does not take care of the place-flowers/plants/yard- it is also early spring and not as green. But, I can tell things are wild and overgrown. Of course everything is more "compact" than I remember. LOL

The dirt road from the Muhlenberg to Tante Katie and Onkle Nikki's house is part way paved now.

The field on the right hand side is all overgrown. When I was little, it was green grass all the way down the hill and there was a huge tree with a tree swing. I could still see the tree. But it was old and weak looking. That and their house have been my biggest disappoint. The house used to be the only one on the right hand side after coming to the end of the Muhlenberg dirt road - now there are new houses that have been built. The field next to their house where Jesse, Heidi and I used to jump in the haystacks is gone.

The old factory is still there. But, instead of the beautiful tiles we used to rummage through, they make plain grey cinder blocks now.

It all still brings me right back to being a little kid. It makes me smile.

The church bells...oh my gosh! what a wonderful sound~~I missed hearing them. The sound touches a part of me and continues to fill that place in me, that feeling of being home.

It's 5:15 here. I'm doing my best to stay awake at least until 8pm.

Will go to Oma's for breakfast when I get up and then will come back here for lunch at 12:30.

So...that's breakfast around 3am my time and lunch at 6:30 am-- what a trip.

7pm- tried to stay awake. No use. Still no luggage.

The sound of my Oma saying "Christina" it echos down the apartment hallway stairs. The clean, damp smell of it. The sound of my feet on the stairs...has it really been years and not just days? I must have etched the memory in my mind--every detail. It is the same.

We stayed for an hour, mayber longer. Looked at all the pictures hanging on the wall. Oma gave me a watch and showed my the ring she is giving me. Opa got it for hr in Spain over 50 years ago. It is beautiful. She says he came back from his trip and took her hand,as if they were shaking hands, and put the ring in her hand with the handshake.

We came back to Monika's apartment- I thought I was going to go to bed after my shower, but I caught a 2nd wind. Sent out a couple of e-mails. Monika went to see if the airport had called about my luggage yet.

Arrived at Luxembourg with 30 other people - my luggage did not. No customs or searches.

Met Monika and Sylvia at the door to luggage pick up then we went to lost and found.

Luggage supposed to be on 4pm flight - they will call us.

They picked me up in and Alfo Ramaro sports car! Took picture of speedometer at 150 ( which is actually only 80 or 90 miles per hour)  LOL

All I can say is I'm home.

We ate, got settled and took some pictures. Monika's apartment is so awesome.

Then, we went to see Oma - going up the stairs to her apartment / what a familiar feeling!

Fruit, yogurt and coffee. Had a couple of bites of yogurt and a warm egg biscuit - no real flaver. I'm eating at 1am. Still feel not well. I want a bed and a blanket.

The clouds look like snow mountains. We're passing over Ireland now. I'm only 3 hours away now.

Amsterdam- my gate at the end of the whole place. I get to the end, have to go back half way and then downstairs back to the end. Got there just in time. Met an older couple from Pennsylvania - great to hear American :)

Back on the propellor plane. My insides are not churned up this time.

I can see the wheels go up into the casing. Only 1 hour left.

Pinchme-- Is this real?

I'm going home --

                 That thought brought tears....