Epic Fail or Best Diet Ever...You Choose

As Jess and Brandon like to say...epic fail. I guess it was a good thing that we walked around Garmisch-Partenkirchen on Monday, because that was all I got to see of Bavaria on this visit. I had a Mediterranean salad for dinner that night, and added the chicken to it. Big mistake. Next thing I know, I'm touring the lovely porcelain fixture in the water closet. Alllllllllllll day on Tuesday. By Tuesday night, I'm passed out in bed, stomach turned inside out, wrung up, and hung out to dry. It wasn't pretty. (Any bad thoughts that are now passing through your mind about what you just read....are a vast understatement. I'm just saying.) I survived on a few crackers and some water until Wednesday night, when I ventured out of the room in search of something more solid. Unfortunately, all those delicious creamy sauces that I normally love aren't quite so attractive to a delicate stomach, so I nibbled here and there until we returned home on Friday. On the positive side, my jeans have a lot more room in them now. As Jess said after her similar experience last year: best. diet. ever. I'm starting to think that this TDY stuff is over rated. We tagged along with Russ last year, and Jess got sick. This year, it was my turn. Next year, if he has another one to Garmisch, we might just have to pass on it. Let's face it, Brandon's next in line, and he doesn't have any fat to spare.

The US Olympic Ski Team in Garmisch-Partenkirchen

We woke up to another beautiful, blue sky day, and decided to make the most of it. The first step was to head up to my favorite area in the entire lodge...the front second floor balcony. Facing one direction, you get this great view of the lobby. But when you turn around...You get to enjoy the sunrise over the mountains. The entire wall is covered with windows. And they have these great rocking chairs lined up and waiting for you. It's the perfect place to curl up with a book and soak up some warmth. We've had a lot of rain lately, so I really enjoyed this! It's also the perfect place to enjoy a supreme view of the US Olympic ski team, who just happened to shop up for a meet and greet at Edelweiss Lodge and Resort. Actually, they were in town to take part in the Alpine World Ski Championships (right outside our amazing balcony window!), and a few members of the team were kind enough to stop by and sign some autographs. Amazing! We decided to take off and explore Garmisch-Partenkirchen, since we didn't have a chance to do that the last time we were here. It's a great town, with lots of interesting architecture.

I loved all the beautiful paintings on the buildings. This restaurant was so pretty. And just check out the outdoor seating...Doesn't that just make you want to settle in for the rest of the afternoon and sip coffee while you people watch? This was a big hit with Brandon...the chocolate fountain! This kind lady was giving out free samples of vanilla cookies dipped in Milka chocolate. Yum! (Love the hat!)

Check out this bike. It was part of a wall for a museum down town. At first, I thought it was just a couple of wheels that they were using as art. When we got closer, you could see that it was the entire bike. Very cool. Anyhoo, we are off to explore some more, so I'll leave you with a video of the US Olympic Ski Team signing autographs. Enjoy!

A Day Late And A Tooth Short

We were supposed to leave for Garmisch-Partenkirchen early on Saturday morning. Things don't always go according to plan. Poor Russ was struck down with an awful toothache late Friday night, and unfortunately, it got worse as the hours went by. Luckily, a local dentist was kind enough to fit him in for an x-ray (and hopefully a painkiller until the repairs could be made). Quicker than you could say "Holy Cow! What just happened?", Russ found himself on the receiving end of the quickest root canal known to man. Armed with antibiotics, a temporary filling, and a decent nights sleep, we took off for Bavaria early Sunday morning. It wasn't long until the sun started peeking through. Things are looking up... Once into Germany, it was nothing but blue skies all the way. Ahhhhh. Now that's more like it! After 7 1/2 hours on the road, we were all a little bit beat. After a few minutes of relaxing, we were off to explore the lodge and catch up with friends. I'll share some interesting things that we saw along our journey here today... The first video is a self cleaning toilet seat where we stopped for lunch. I know, it's strange to video something in the bathroom, but seriously...how cool is this? The second is us on the Autobahn. We were doing 80, and these cars (and lots others) passed us like we were crawling. I'm OK with the sports cars doing this, but a station wagon? I'm insulted!

Interesting Art

How is it that I drive past these interesting things and never seem to notice them? Really? I can't tell you how many times I've been right beside this and never even knew it was there. It's sad, when you think about. How many other amazing things have slipped by unnoticed? Do you find yourself so caught up with your daily agenda that you don't enjoy the little things? Maybe that's something we should all work on...

Making Chocolates at Het Chocolate Atelier

It's always chocolate time in Belgium, but I felt inspired by Valentine's Day approaching fast, and decided to schedule another chocolate making workshop for me and my friends at KB. If you want to learn how to make chocolate, look no further than Bart at Het Chocolate Atelier. Not only is he very knowledgeable on the subject, he's also a lot of fun.

The first thing you do in this class, is learn some interesting information about the history of chocolate. Then you get to the really important part...The tasting! He lets you have samples of all the chocolate and fillings that you'll be using later in the class. This is an important step, because you'll be very tempted to sneak a bite later on. Bart knows that sampling in the beginning will help you stay strong and behave during the candy making process. There are a lot of steps to making a delicious praline, and Bart patiently demonstrates each one. The first step is filling the chocolate mold with rich milk chocolate. (I bet you are wishing your computer had smell-o-vision right now. Yes, the shop smells amazing!)

After filling the mold with melted chocolate, he scrapes off all of the excess, shakes out the air bubbles, and lets it sit for just a minute. This lets a thin layer of chocolate harden in the mold. The next step is turning the mold over and letting all but the thin chocolate shell drip back out again. Now you have your candy shell. On to the next step...the fillings! We filled our chocolate shells with mocha, peanut butter, and creamy chocolate. YUM! Some fillings can be spread inside the shells...While other types have to be piped in. See? There's a lot more to this candy making process that you though, isn't there? Now do you see why you just have to take a class?Finally, the fillings are added and a layer of chocolate is added to the back of the candy to seal it in. We made some dipped chocolate candies as well, but I'll save those pictures for another day. No sense in making you drool more than you already are. One of the best parts of the process is decorating our creations. What we lacked in talent, we made up for in enthusiasm. Aren't they gorgeous? OK, I admit that Bart's pralines look maybe just a little bit prettier than ours, but in our defense, we're new at this stuff. He's been doing this for a few years. I'm sure I just need a couple of more classes... Maybe after I finish eating my chocolate...

Don't forget to say hi to Bart's puppy on your way out. He's sure to meet you at the gate with his bright blue ball, and would really appreciate you throwing it for him. And again. And again. And just one more time...

Get Your Hunt On This Fall!

Russ keeps telling people that he when he retires from the military, he plans on becoming a Green's Keeper at a nice little golf course somewhere in the south. I don't have aspirations that high. I plan on becoming a Walmart greeter. Luckily, we have a few more years to work out the details. Some friends of ours find themselves a little closer to that decision. They are retiring this summer, and are moving to the lovely state of Alabama. I guess Louisiana and Texas wouldn't let them in. (Sorry, Tim, I couldn't resist.) Anyhoo, they are in the process of setting up On Target Outdoor Ministries, and it will be in full swing in July of this year. It's a hunting lodge with a twist. You get to hunt for trophy deer, turkey, and quail, while learning a little more about God's word. Not to mention the fact that Dawn provides you with some awesome meals. It's a pretty cool setup. Check out their site. And when you head down there for your hunt, be sure to ask Tim for tips on how to drive Go Karts in Belgium. They call one section "Smith Corner" for a reason. I'm just saying.

The Canal Is Lonely

Poor canal. In nicer weather, it's bustling with activity. Lately, not so much. Hmmm...what shall I do today? Run or bike on the canal in the frigid fog, or stay inside where it's warm and enjoy a nice cup of coffee? Senseo it is.