Here's to good ol' friends...and new ones too

Last weekend I had an old friend from when I was in the Navy come into town for a visit.

Jon and Brett had never met before, and only knew what they did of each other from me. I've known Brett for almost a decade - longer than I've known Jon. Brett knew me when I was married to husband #1...and, uh, yeah...husband #2.

Hmmm, this could potentially be very awkward for Jon.

Brett's boat pulled into Kiel, Germany - almost 450 miles north of us. Brett is a champ, and traveled alone on the Deutsche Bahn (German train) 6 hours just to visit us and meet Jon. We arrived back at our house at 1:30am Saturday morning, and had to leave at 8:00am Sunday morning to have Brett back to the train station.

Jon and Brett became fast friends, and we had a blast in the 30 1/2 hours we got to hang out!

Leaving Weilerbach to start our day

The cute village (aren't they all?!) of Landstuhl where we went to see Burg Nanstein (Burg=Castle)

Safety first!...but, for some reason, helmets are not permitted on the Spielplatz (playground).

Jon & Brett forced to stop for a picture near one of the cool tree-trunk carvings on the way up to the castle.

There were lots of these cool carvings along the path to the castle.

Burg Nanstein

View of Landstuhl from the castle

That hanging sign reads Hotel. In this castle (this portion, I'm assuming)?! How cool is that? I'm in!

Look at the lil' explorers I had on my hands! The boys had to check out the castle's surroundings, of course...well worth the € 0.50 it cost for the view-finder!

...and, of course, we needed our token "Awesome Weather, Cool Castle" shots.

This might be the most normal-looking picture that exists of Brett & me!

Etching in the stone reads "Hier innen starb Franz Sickingen den 7 Mai 1523"

(literally translated: "Here inside died Franz Sickingen the 7 May 1523")

Jon and Brett were sure to check out EVERY nook & cranny!

Jon looking out over his kingdom

Brett took a much needed break after the long trek around the castle before we headed to lunch.

The Schloßcafe @ Schloß-Hotel in Landstuhl

The pretty hotel/restaurant at the bottom of the hill where we enjoyed our lunch.

With our castle tour complete - and our bellies happy - we headed into Kaiserslautern for the evening.

Our first stop in Kaiserslautern, Brauhaus am Markt.

Brett seems to be sincerely pleased with Jon's choice of what beer to order, and a delicious brezel (pretzel).

Then we made a stop at a cigar shop that Jon had eyed up previously when we had been to K-Town, Gudrun Wagner.

What a find!

Apparently, Brett's father is keen on making traditions of his own. So, a local bar in his small town in Minnesota made him some hats (they went with blue & gold for the Navy!), and as Brett makes his world travels, he's sure to capture moments with the ball caps included.

I like it!

It was still too early for dinner at this point, so we asked the nice gentleman in the cigar shop for a bar suggestion...

and off to Paulaner am Altenhof we went!

Is it just me, or does Brett have his drunk eyes on already?!

Brett was showing us the proper way to hold onto your beer mug.

Hmmm...some things never change. I guess sailors are not really well known for being polite and tactful!

Then we were on our way to join Dave and Meg for dinner.

There's all sorts of neat and interesting things to see as you walk through Kaiserslautern. Like these fish. You could find them all over town.

There's also a fish on the Kaiserlautern coat-of-arms.

hmmm...maybe I'll look into the significance.

With German being a foreign language to me and all, sometimes I have to use my imagination.

Brett, Jon and I wondered if 69 was an address or a suggestion.

It's nice when everyone in your group also has the mind-set of a 12-year-old!

I thought this place looked like fun... or maybe funny - a little 80's for my taste.

That's right, the High Life Disco Club!

...and finally, something a little prettier - and more mature.

While on our trek to our next stop - one of several beautiful churches in the city.

...and after a nice meal, off to even more beer...

The waitress @ Bierbrezel in Kaiserslautern, pouring the boys their metre after some confusion. She's always really nice, but seems to be the only person that can't understand any german word Jon says to her. It's always an adventure!

Jon and Brett getting ready to enjoy their "Metre of Bier"...which Jon - after other previous attempts and failures to finish the entire metre - quickly realized should maybe be enjoyed PRIOR to dinner and all the beer the boys had consumed before heading to this bar!

Notice the sweet ball caps!

We even got a show. I don't think the performers were scheduled. Luckily, I put my camera away at this point...things got much uglier.

Both these guys dropped trou at one point, and I was amazed how many people were clapping when they got mooned!

What a good time!

PROST!...to long time friends...and to new ones too!

Brett, I wish you nothing but Fair Winds and Following Seas until you return home to your family in July!

Thirty-two and three days...

This passed weekend, on the 7th, I turned 32...YAY, I say - 32 is the new 16, right?

Maybe not...I don't want to do 16 again!

I can say that, at 32, I am happier and healthier than ever!

Jon surprised me with a weekend in the Mosel Wine Valley (and a Wii!) for my birthday...and I got to thinking how much my life has changed for the better since I've met him.

I am a firm believer that people can not change other people, people can only choose to change themselves.  

Something about Jon, apparently, has moved me to change myself.

Most of you know that I have been married before...twice.  I would never say I regret either marriage as I know they are part of what made me who I am today.

But in those marriages, and in my life then, I do remember being

Impatient

Temperamental

Negative

Judgemental

...just UNHAPPY!

I guess something about Jon - and maybe the timing that he came into my life - made me take notice, and realize that there was a happier way to live.

Last time I went home to visit my sister in Texas, I remember her telling me "You've changed so much...a couple of years ago I couldn't have imagined planning a day where it was us and the kids (my nephews) all day.  I wouldn't have done that to you."

How sad is that?!  They're my nephews for Pete's sake!...but it was true, because if it wasn't about me it wasn't worth the effort!  Hello, selfish!

But time moves on, and things change.

I am 32.  I am happy.  I am healthy.  I am BLESSED!

Jon and I are headed home in 3 weeks, and I can't wait for all the nieces, nephews, babies, in-laws and mayhem that entails!

Thank you, Jon, for being patient and wonderful.  And thank you to my family and friends (if you're reading this, that means YOU!) for being...well, you...and loving me.

Here's to another great year!