Hello from Switzerland

I know, its day 3 here in Thune (pronounced toon) and this is the first opportunity that I've had to post anything.

The flight over was uneventful and luckily, not full at all. I had an empty seat next to me. When we landed, I got through customs with no issue and headed for the train station in the next building over. I got my tickets without any problems at all and headed for the platform....uh oh, what platform? There were a bout 8 of them & the trains come and go fast, so I went back to the ticket agent & he steered me in the right direction. No train changes at all & a couple hours later I was in Thune. A short taxi ride & I was at the hotel & checked in around lunch time.

Planes, Trains and Automobiles... the first time I have ever been on all three in a single day.

The hotel is gorgeous & is a few feet from the lake. The lake is on the edge of the Alps, unfortunately, it has been foggy and misty here the entire stay and I can't really see the scenery.

Last night we drove way up on the side of a mountain and had Weinerschnitzel, potatoes and spinach along with a nice bottle of wine. For desert I had a hot chocolate sundae. The view from our table was spectacular and we could see the city lit up in the valley below us. So far this has been the best meal of the trip. However, I will have dinner at Holger and Katie's home tomorrow & from past experience, I know that I will gain 3 pounds during my stay with them.

Attached are some pictures of the lake from the hotel on my first day. Unfortunately, that has been the only picture taking opportunity so far.

Tim

Little Pigs and Little Boys

Papa and I went to the Gwinnette County Fair last Thursday. We haven't been to a fair in years and thought it sounded like fun.

Thursday night was the night for pigs and cows and when we walked in they were washing pigs, lining them up and kids of all ages in their prospective groups were getting "their" pigs ready to show.

Uncle Edward says never to leave home without your camera and most of the time I remember but this time I forgot.

I learned several things that night. The first was that even young pigs can run fast, they are huge and they bite each other. I doubt there was a pig there without fresh scars from the current day's battle.

Did you know that even pigs get sunburned? Papa asked why so many pink pigs and was amazed when he was told that they had been out in the sun too long.

Did you know that you shouldn't carry a straw purse when you are looking at pigs at a fair? They look right back at you and you just know they are going to eat your purse.

Also, you should never get in the wrong aisle when they are getting the pigs ready to go in the ring. They run, they run fast, they grunt, snort and squeal and they keep running and I kept hiding behind Papa's back. I wasn't sure if they would bite me, run over me or eat my purse.

Well, the real reason for this blog is to tell you about the cutest little boy I've seen in a long time (my own grandsons and Little Tim of course are the cutest ever) but this one was so cute, I wanted to bring him home. He had bright red hair, boots, jeans and a plaid shirt. He also had a pig. He also had a pig crop and whaled on that pig when it didn't go in the right direction. He knew to look the judge in the eye at all times and he knew to keep that pig off of the fence. How could the judge ignore such a fine example of our future farmers - that little red hair boy smiled his way to a blue ribbon and won my heart at the same time.

Oh how I wish I had taken my camera.

Another lesson learned, go again next year.

Judee

I sarted my own Blog

this blog is a political one, so only for the republicans in the family(not many of yall).
I have to make a blog for my government and my teacher said it can be very opinionated, just so long as we don't freak out on anyone.

So this is my attempt http://lifeandlemons33.blogspot.com/

Again it is my personal point of view, a fair warning you are about to enter into the no spin zone!

Ok 1 more post then geology!

Ok so i had to put some great pictures of dad up there just for kicks. I thought that they were funny and that everyone would get a kick out of them!!!!!

Ok now i promise to study my geology

HEY, You, yeah im talking to YOU!!!!

hey everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!(the above picture is of the snake at the graduation party)(for giggles)

it is Josh and i just got out of Geology and i realized i am way behind!

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH shoot me now!

Anyways i told people i would post a picture of my dorm room and so that is what i plan to do and then read a crap load of geology.

Wish me luck!

COUSINS BY CHANCE; FRIENDS BY CHOICE!!!

MCMURDOS ROCK!!!!

I think it was more than chance for this motley crew. We needed a little divine intervention. Can't wait to hear the stories of the many McMurdo adventures sure to be experienced this year! Fun times ahead, so stayed tuned!! Watch out the McMurdos are out and about. :)

„Fatal error“

Hello all,

today I was victim of a complete wrong information or misunderstanding. Katie called me in the office and told me that we’ve got a parcel from our dear friends Tim and Jody. I quickly wrote an email to both and thanked them very much. When I came home I found out that it was not a parcel from them but from Tom and Judee. Oh my…………… Anyway, sorry Tim and Jody but we thank you for something different, probably for beeing our friends, okay?


Judee and Tom. What can I say. We never met face to face and we know each other only over the blog. So how do we deserve your generous gift? Anyway, we would like to thank you very, very much and we’ve been very touched. I will tell little Tim later, when he’s older, that he had got a gift also from nice people over the big pond. The clothes are so cute and an original Levis Jeans is a thing that is very, very expensive in Germany, even for children. So again our special thanks. I will take some pictures when Tim will wear your shirt and the Jeans. I think he will fit in right now. No wonder, when I think of what he’s eating over the day. In Germany we say he’s eating the hair from our heads.

Attached some more pictures, we hope you’ll like. Also one of my new car, not really new, 15 months old. It is a VW Touran, sort of a mini van. Anyway there is enough space inside for all that stuff you’ll have to take with you when you’re traveling with a small child.




The picture of Katie, Tim and myself was taken on July 5th. Can you believe that Katie has got a baby 3 weeks before that?


Time to go to bed now – you must take the chance when little Tim is sleeping as well. Today he came at 3:30, so I’m now nearly 20 hours at my feet.










Good night

Holger

Jodi Has a New Ride

Holger will be pleased to know that Jodi has a new Volkswagen EOS. We are just trying to keep the people inthe fatherland employed! It is a hard top convertible & Jodi looks great in it.

You may now druel....

Tim

A Little Tim Update

Just thought everybody would like an update of Little Tim & Family. Katie and Holger are experiencing the joys and challenges of being first time parents. They love this little baby & wonders of parenthood, but are allways tired! I can see all of your heads nodding & all of your faces grinning. Poor little Tim (and Katie and Holger) suffers from colic. I all respects, Tim Little Tim is a perfectly normal baby. I get new pictures from Holger almost weekly and I apologize for not sharing more of them. I will do a better job of it in the future.

Big Tim

Sleeping Arangements

Josh and Diana arrive tomorrow for a weeks visit. They are even driving up themselves. I think it was probably forsight that we got him a Garmin for graduation. If he has any Uncle Scott in him, he could end up in Arkansas without it.

As you can imagine, a week with the two of them in the same house has brought on many discussions about sleeping arrangments espicially since Jodi insists I am not sleeping with her for a week straight!

With that in mind, I have developed a few scenarios.

1. I lock Josh in the shed and let Diana have my room. She is a girl and needs her privacy & I know where Josh is at all times. There is a racoon living under the shed & Josh can keep it company.

2. Josh goes on the couch, Dianna gets my room and I sleep outside her room on the floor with a shotgun. I figure this is the Uncle Scott approach. Simple, easy and the prospect of extreme violence.

3. I just get a hotel room for myself & pretend the situation doesn't even exist. (holds hands over ears and repeatedly sings... la la la la to himself)

Please vote for your suggestion as to the best approach. Or, offer one of your own.


signed....

I know how I was when I was 18