It's been a while...

Being busy with university, and term papers (5 or 6 this term), and reading lengthy chapters and articles for class, and life (which included making a wedding cake), and dogs, and certainly Kev, I have neglected to update anything here.

In late October we went to see about a new furkid -- as it happens he found us! The black and tan kleine monster (little monster) is Gimli Padfoot Kasper (clown in German) Robertson. (Gimli is said like 'kim-lee' but with a 'g'; Kasper was added by friend when we knew his silliness better.) Today, in fact, he is 11 months old. He came home weighing in at 13 pounds - the size of the two reds; and is currently pushing 22 pounds. He'll end up around 25-30 pounds - yes, a dachshund! Gimli is a wirehair standard (as opposed to being smooth miniature like the old guys). He is smart, smart, smart, a clown, hard-headed (quelle suprise), and sweet, sweet, sweet. He loves playing in snow and napping in any bit of sunlight he can find. Although he is just figuring out he's bigger than the reds, and enjoys using Tas as a chew toy, he really is a fantastic pup. We've only had 'blood' 3 or 4 times (wow, I'm losing count, is this a good thing?) and Radar started them all. Here's a good pic of Gimli just before 10 months.
The first pic is at the breeder and 8 weeks old - the second is nearly 10 months...












and not to ignore the old guys...11 years old November 2006








They are still going strong - Tas is walking (albeit in a jig). He still needs help with his toilet, but he's GREAT and being the consummate hard-head. Radar is, we think becoming senile and even MORE obsessive-compulsive about toys (hence, the ball near him). They took to the new guy pretty well. Gimli loves napping with his 'old farts' - particularly Tas.

In March I was honored to make a wedding cake for Chad & Isabell - a bandsman and a fantastic girl he met here in Bamberg. (Ha! 'girl' she's working on the end of her master's thesis in, well, basically economics - she's too smart for me!) The cake was a compromise between American and German tastes. The 'normal' icing for us was WAYYYYY too sweet for the locals. So, I stabilized Cool Whip with some gel and clear vanilla flavoring. They were fantastic. Each tier alternated chocolate and white - and another family friend torted the single layer cakes and added a thin layer of tasty fillings and liquor (i.e., coffee icing, apricot, strawberry, I forget the rest).

Isa has turned out to be one of those "sister's Mom & Dad forgot to have" (there are 3 now). These Germans know how to throw a bash! It was great - music and speeches and food food food (all vegetarian I might add - the whole family is allergic to meat protein - I didn't know vegetarians had it so GOOD!). In fact, I think it's "Isa's fault" I have lost about 10 pounds - I start to prepare something (you know, meat, meat, and meat, and oh, look a vegetable) and think, "could Isa eat this?" and if not, I try to find ways to make it so she can. It's not that I don't like vegetables, I just like MEAT better... Bambi & Biscuits, best thing for breakfast! has long been one of my mottos!

University is going well. We all know how college goes - read, write, read, write, read, write, read, write, read, write, read, write - being a communications major online takes even more. Online university is perfection, wonderful, absolutely fabulous. Who could NOT like going to 'class' at any time of day, in your PJs with dogs surrounding you. I write better than I speak, so I have time to finagle my words into sane thoughts. I should finish in a couple of years (only 3-6 hours a term); I'm in my junior year. I expect to use my degree to teach communications in some manner - seminars, high school business classes, online.

This summer we are PCSing (permanent change of station) us to Seattle - well, technically Fort Lewis, Washington. I am quite excited about it as I've always wanted to see that part of the country. We gave the army 9 or so preferred assignments, they came back with two possible (El Paso or Seattle); Seattle came open first. Another benefit is we can reconnect with Kevin's brother and his new wife who've been there for a number of years.

Well, that's about it for now. I have successfully ignored a paper for about an hour now... my last one for this term! YAY!!! Gimli is waking up - which means 'puppy alert!' - from his early morning nap on the couch. I try to have PuppyCam up on YahooIM a good part of the week if you are interested. Hopefully I'll update more often than annually!

And recent pics of us - taken in the last two months.