Smoke em if you've got em

Im sitting in my office as I write this. Overlooking the front yard. watching rain fall, bunnies romp, and birds flit. To bad that I have developed an aversion to the computer, otherwise this could be my view more often. But alas, real world matters have been taking precedence and so it is hard to sit when things need doing.  The adventures never cease and time flies by. There is never a boring minute.

Snow snow and more snow. I was sort of fearful of what a New England Winter would look like. It turns out they are manageable. Snow has since given way to rain and we have officially entered a 5th (and previously unknown to me) season.. Mud season. The world is greening up and the days are getting longer. Makes my heart happy. Soon.. very soon.. we will need to get a riding lawn mower. With over half an acre of grass, Its will be a necessity.

The kids are growing stronger and healthier. Our Vitamin D levels are rising... Interesting side note.. In Germany people were always naked and soaking up the sun. The Germans believe that a good sun bath will help you with any illness. The sonnenheilung or "Sun Cure" is deeply and anciently rooted in the culture. It seemed weird to us of course. But there is a very practical reason why this behavior pattern developed. When we returned to the states, I had a Vitamin D blood test to try and sus out what all was going on with me and my numbers were so low they could have been negative. Vitamin D is so important to health and well being and, with only 14 days of full sun a year (Not an exaggeration), the behavior of the Germans is actually one developed out of survival.

Anyway, in my VT journey for a healthier existence, my chiropractor suggested that I give CBD oil a try. I found a place to get some and tried it out. I found it beneficial for the whole families needs. Just as I was giving it a try, an old and somewhat distant friend from elementary school who now lives in Hawaii randomly hit me up with a business proposal. Long story short, I am now an affiliate for Prime my Body which specializes in high quality Hemp products.  http://mamaskylark.primemybody.com  My first job in 20 years... at my own pace... because at the moment I am just in it for my own product. But, eh, if you want, give it a look.  If you are interested, shoot me a text. 

Lots has been going on. Most of it a bit mundane but not all of it. Connors school  put together a musical concert. Actually, The 7th and 8th graders put it on and with very little adult leadership. In fact they pick the songs, decide the order, come up with the choreography, lighting and basically do it all.  Connor is in Chorus. (I remember when his voice was so high and squeaky that we could not wait for it to drop. And now he is a Baratone!!) He intends to continue with Chorus when he gets up to the HS. Below are the two songs he was in. The first one has some user error. You wont see anything .. but you can close your eyes and listen. Skyfall from James Bond.

I  pointed my camera in the right direction for this one. This is some internet thing that the kids decided to do. 

Spring break is coming up quick along with what should prove to be a busy trip seeing family and a sprinkling of friends. At least the kids won't be bored and fighting.  I need to think about packing. 

And Summer.... School ends at the beginning of June. Connor's Jr. High Graduation trip is an overnight trip to a camp in  Upstate New York and directly after that he is off to Washington DC for a week with school for a learning field trip sort of thing. July is going to be insane. Willow and I kick off the summer with a quick trip to NY to watch the Silversun Pickups before Heading to Canada to pick up a German friend of Willows who is staying for a few weeks. We are playing to work in a trip to NYC to watch a Broadway play with  my old pal Aimee. After that Connor is off to Summer Camp at the HS so he can learn his way around and maybe make some friends before starting 9th grade next year. And somewhere in there we need to get Willow her learners permit and start her practicing! 

Gregs work is coming along. His project is starting to wrap up and everything is falling nicely together. He graduates in a few weeks with his MBA. I think he will graduate with Honors. 

The pets are doing well. Something spooked Rosie quite intensely. We don't know what. It could be anything really. She startles at the drop of a pin. But my best guess is that it was the wind. She has been reluctant to go outside. But I did coax her out for a walk. During which, we were buzzed repeatedly by a kitty clearly wanting some attention. I did not get her repeatedly running past us at warp speed but I did get some exposed belly.

 Meanwhile, DaBella has been seen out and about a bit more. I took a nap the other day and woke to find her sitting in my room, staring at a sleeping Rosie and giving her the evil eye.

 

Plotting Course

Where is the little girl I carried? 

All grown up and looking to graduate. 

Willows transcripts have arrived from Germany and from CA and in a few weeks we will be sitting down with an academic adviser to discuss what her next few steps will be. Currently she is only attending 2 or 3 periods a day and she has already accumulated more than enough credits to graduate. She does, however, need to meet a few more requirements before that happens. In the mean time, next year, she is planning to attend the local Tech/Trade school and pursue an education in the Culinary Arts. It is a rather impressive 2 year half a day every day program. Soon we will find out how that will play into her graduation date. She has the desire to open her own bakery in the future and it is something I see her being very well suited for. She has a good plan in mind for achieving that. 

How weird though to think that she will move out in 2 years (give or take).  Is she ready for that? She is headstrong and determined. At that age I was as well, but I think she is stronger.. more mature even and certainly more worldly.. than I was.  I know she will manage the challenges of the world just fine. But still that mom part of me is already worrying and wondering what I need to do yet to best prepare her. 

Where has the time gone? Soon enough there will be grandkids! Egads!  

We'll make great pets!

I can't believe that it has been a month or so since my last post here. The flu took hold of the household and rotated through us. This gave me the house to myself for all of three days in 4 weeks.  Now we are all fairly well recovered (except for a fibro flare up that hit me like a bag of bricks).

Ive been looking forward to everyone being well once again and returning to "normal" however, the kids have stayed home all this week because it is Ski Break Week, which was poorly timed as the  temperatures soared into the 60s, broke records and melted all the snow. As of today though, the temperatures have plummeted once again and we have a wind chill of -12 going on and the white stuff is falling. It was nice while it lasted. The locals claim that we are due for at least one or two more major snow events this season.  We will see.

Apparently True Spring doesn't usually arrive until the end of April... beginning of May. I am sincerely  looking forward to long buried seeds springing to life. There is a red berry bush of some sort that still bears fruits that sits just outside my office window. Red cardinals and other song birds frequent it often for a nibble. I look forward to when the widows are open and I can finally hear them singing loud and clear. Just a few months more.

We are looking at putting up a greenhouse and we spoke to the guy about setting up solar. We will not be off grid but the panels will be ours.

Greg's rash disappeared after 3 days. The final consensus was that it's source was viral. He has since been in the hot tub without trouble and we have not changed our laundry soap or body products and there has not been any sign of re-occurrence

Anyway, last weekend, Willow and I took a little road trip over to New Hampshire. It was sort of a fascinating experience. Now Vermont is all mountain range and moose. The culture is very much like a mix of the "State of Jefferson" and Northern Nevada.  I can't even detect an accent. Vermont is very homey.

New Hampshire not so much. New Hampshire is one state over and is bordered on the East by the Atlantic ocean (4 hours away). We could tell we were in another world the minute we passed the border. The land flattened out  and scenery took on a very distinct and even creepy feel that sort of said "You don't belong here." While I don't know much of the history, it felt strongly (in parts) as though the spirits of hostile native Americans lingered there waiting to ambush.

Dotting our route were numerous far flung antique shops housing other mystery's of the past. Which cast an eerie vibe as well.And as for the people and the culture, I could not help compare them to Oakie Oregonians. Faces covered in huge unkept beards speaking mumbled words.  

It was a very strange experience.  However, we were there for a purpose and that was to meet and adopt a 3 year old wrinkly faced Bull Mastiff name Rose. Rose is the most low key, non energetic dog I have ever met. All she wants to do is crawl into your lap and cuddle. She is extremely sweet despite her fierce bulldog mug.

Speaking of pets, I realized that I have not really posted much about Dabella (Willow's cat) Mostly that is because she is Willows cat and she has not bonded much with the rest of the household yet. She was feral and is extremely skittish. She only comes out late at night to prowl around. Slowly she is letting herself be seen more and we have introduced her and Rose. Eventually she will integrate more but it is going to take her time. That said.. the following little video (A compilation of kids, pets and laughter) has a clip of when Willow met Dabella so you can get a sense of this cautious creature.

Rose has also taken quite a shine to Greg. 

The only other major thing that happened this month is that we are now receiving our CSA (Consumer supported Agriculture) shares.

A big bag of veggies fresh from the farm. I am now learning things like how to use celery roots and  beets. Time to get cookin! 

And We Are Back..

All of us! Greg arrived a week ago, Thursday night. He spent a few days getting acclimated. Saturday we joined our realtor/friend, Robbi, and her husband, Adam, for a drink and, on Sunday, Greg and Willow joined Adam and some of his family out on the shooting range. Vermont is extremely pro gun. In fact, it is only one of 4 states in the US where you don't need a permit to carry concealed.  Hunting, Fishing, Trapping and Camping are cornerstones of peoples lives here.  That and skiing. The snow has been falling steadily for a week now. Thank goodness for snow blowers and beastly trucks. Greg is loving his new ride.

 Only a month in and already our roots are planted deeper here then they have been in ages. At the end of the month, I am heading to New Hampshire to meet (and adopt) a sweet slobbery three year old Bull mastiff named Rose.

Also in a few weeks we are also set to have a solar specialist come out and discuss the possibility of getting us set up. currently we are using electric, gas and oil. 

Monday Greg started.. well that is not quite correct.. he started in Germany.. but he began to established himself in his position here on Monday. He is working out of a couple different locations and is getting settled. Not that it will take much. He was welcomed with open arms by those who remembered his 3 month stay here several years back as well as by those he has been working remotely with. The position he is currently in is short term. The project goes live at the end of March and once done, he will be moving into something else. What that is, is anyone's guess at this point. But we know there will be something so we are not concerned. 

Speaking of being concerned, yesterday, I found myself at urgent care with Greg. He broke out in a terrible looking rash. Despite the fact that it had the appearance of Measles or Rubella, the Dr was not entirely concerned and with no fever present has released him back to work unless we see any other troubling symptoms. Though unlikely, the Dr suggested it could have been related to some Hot Tub usage. Anyway we are monitoring him.

Meanwhile, Connor (who is now a whole 1.5 inches taller than me) is getting ready to attend high school next year. Orientations have begun. His class has about 300 students. The high school doesn't feel much bigger that the size of Carson High, however, this school is one of the largest in the entire state. This weekend he will be taking a course in Computer Game making at the local Tech college.  In July he will be going on a school sponsored learning trip to Washington DC.

Willow is making headway with her migraines. She has struggled with headaches since she was 10.  At first I chalked them up to hormones and growing and such, then we learned that her mouth was very tiny and there wasn't enough room for teeth to come in. I had hoped by the time she was done with braces the pressure would have eased up and she would be pain free. It didn't fix it but then we were off to Germany where we just could not get good medical care for her. Now we have been to see a Neurologist and a diagnosis of Migraines has been provided. She is taking a variety of vitamins to help reduce their onset as well as some blood pressure medicine. For the most part her headaches have subsided considerably, her energy has increased and her mood has improved. However, she is still fighting with issues of anxiety and depression. These problems came on about the same time as her headaches and factored largely into my decision to home school her so many years ago. At that time, she was ripping out all of  her eyelashes due to stress. Then when she got to High School her symptoms worsened a little and then they got quite bad in Germany. Some of that was environmental. Lack of sunlight, lack of welcoming people, and a general sense of isolation. However, given that Greg has similar issues, and so did my dad, it seems quite likely that genes are quite responsible and the other things just helped spiral her down. We are going to try her out on some medications soon and see if that doesn't help. She is also seeing a therapist regularly to learn how to cope.

Additionally, I have her seeing a practitioner of Eastern medicine. After an initial exam, willows pulse was strong on her right side and weak on her leftso she is undergoing Qigong treatments. Essentially, Qigong is energy work. I think I will be heading in for some work myself. From our few interactions, the woman really wants to share the nuances of her practice and I certainly am interested in learning more from her.

How wonderful it is to get back into the swing of things. 

Life in a nutshell

I've been gone from the airwaves for way too long. Or at least it might seem like it. However, my mere month long absence should not be taken personally. My attention has been on the ground, on the establishment of roots, to the things that will make my family (and me) stronger, healthier, happier. Laying the foundation for a solid future. Furnishing a home. And fighting the flu.

We have made significant strides. A house and two cars purchased. Several rooms painted. The introduction of DaBella (Willows new Kitty) to our household. School started. Ski lessons begun for Connor. A gym membership started. Many Drs. appointments made including Therapists, Naturopath, Chiropractor, Neurologist. New glasses and contacts (I can see! Bifocals already?!) The swift arrival of our household goods from Germany (in excellent condition) less than a week ago. The complete unpacking of said shipment.... Ok maybe not yet "complete", but I only have about three boxes left to open and most everything else has found its place.

Meanwhile, Greg has been attending to the business of wrapping things up. Working on his second to last MBA class. Closing a plant. The complete and thorough cleaning of the house and lastly to the scheduling and preparation of his own return to the states. I look forward to welcoming him to his new home on Feb 2. He is looking forward to it as well!

I expect that within another month, we will be very much settled and I will be spreading my wings a lot more. I am looking forward to soaring! But for now.. back to work.. or more immediately, sleep. Since it is rather late.

Giving props where props are due

Greg earned a 101.97% overall grade in his last (Insert retching sound) Accounting class. Apparently the teacher was impressed. Below are his comments on Greg's final paper. 

Good Morning America. How are you?

Willie Nelson's seems a good place to kick this blog off.  I have been on a bit of a country kick since landing Stateside. The rental cars radio didn't change for 5 days straight and amazingly no song repeated the entire time. Perhaps my sticking to the country channel  had to do with the feel of Vermont or perhaps it has to do with those "Windshield Wipers slappin out a tempo" as I finally find myself back behind the wheel (What a pleasure that is!!)  

We have been here for a week now. Its been a rather busy one. We landed late on Sunday in Montreal. There where some issues with getting a rental car. The one I had lined up was to small to hold our luggage.  They swapped it out for a car with a van that started screaming warnings at me the minute I put it in drive and after an hour long wait we were lined up with a Chrysler Town and Country which fit the bill. We left Montreal and arrived in Burlington in time to order room service and go to sleep. Jet lag and time adjustment took about 4 days to get through the worst of. I had wanted to stay up on the night of the 21st to welcome the Sun as I usually do on the Solstice but being in a hotel in the dark with kids passed out at 7 pm  made that just a little bit to difficult. Anyway,..

Monday I met with my home loan lender at the IRS. In order to secure my loan, they needed confirmation that our 2015 taxes had been submitted to the IRS. Don't get me started on the process of taxes and dual country filing and ... well... long story short ... we were down to the wire as the house closed on Tuesday. Needless to say that the IRS had changed its procedure (In the last few weeks) and it was not as easy an experience as we were expecting but we got it done and we were able to close as anticipated on Tuesday. Whew!

That doesn't mean we moved in on Tuesday.  On Wednesday our air shipment containing some dishes. towels,  lawn chairs and sleeping bags/cots arrived and were unpacked. Thursday was spent checking out the schools and getting the kids registered as well as doing some shopping and we started painting the rooms that needed it (Two of the bedrooms really needed to be toned down otherwise I love the existing color schemes of the home.) Friday our internet was installed and our mattresses arrived. We fought the holiday crowds as we ran some much needed errands to Home Depot, Bed Bath and Beyond, and the grocery store (all just down the road and easy to get to). Saturday we checked out of the hotel and began to settle in and make ourselves at home. Sunday was spent mostly painting. We had a fantastic feast of Mountain Home (camping .. add water and waalaa) and there were a couple "surprise" gifts on the mantel for the kiddies. Today I went to the Toyota dealership and bought a Tacoma and the last of the painting was finished.

Whew. It has been a very productive week to say the least. The work is by no means done but the bulk of it for now has been seen to and the next few days will be spent attending to smaller details... Like lining up Eye Dr. appointments. Willow keeps laughing at me because I have to take off my glasses and bring things right up to my face to read... could it be time for bi-focals?

The wind is whipping outside and more snow is on the way. It snowed 2 inches on Thursday. I bought a snow shovel on Friday to take care of the driveway and the woman at the registered said, "So you are gearing up for the season." I guess that means we can expect a lot more to come.

It is beautiful here. We are in the middle of a valley with a giant lake not more than 20 minutes away. Already it feels like home. The kids are doing well with the change. Connor is going to do great at his school. And although Willow is a bit overwhelmed by the size the the high school she is happier than I have seen her in a long time.

Meanwhile in Germany,...  The house was packed up on Tuesday and loaded on Wednesday (Hopefully the delivery will be around Jan 20th). Some rental furniture was delivered that afternoon so Greg has a place to sleep and work.  Thursday and Friday he took a Holiday with some friends and  toured a mine and enjoyed some beer and a statue of Karl Marx. Over Christmas he stayed at home and just relaxed. His school course wrapped up. He has two more classes to go before graduating with his MBA in May. He also came in first in the world wide "manufacturing simulation game" that he took part in. He is quite the strategist. In not so happy news, he learned today that the plant has been sold and that things are officially shutting down later this week after he makes the announcement to his team and immediately lets them all go. It is not an easy position to be in and I am hoping that it goes as smooth as can be for him.

With this news, it is pretty certain that he will be on a flight out here at the end of January. We will be waiting..... Unless I devour the children first.

It sure is good to be back! I can't wait to start exploring. As always, more to come soon.