Water, water everywhere...

Good Morning Blog! Happy Monday, It's a new week and I'm going to stay afloat!

It was a very interesting weekend to say the least. Mostly about water...and being in it...

I landed in hot water at the start of the weekend with some over my last blog post. Who'd have thought I was so important? Surely not me! Anyway, I was honest, frustrated and outspoken about it. I fear I may have lost someone dear to me but that was the unintentional price I paid. Some people have a very hard time with criticism and it pains me to think that they feel my opinions are super-personal or permanent for that matter. I'm not the only one who has hurt someone with a blog post in recent weeks. That fallout didn't flood the valley like mine did. Thank God. Hopefully time will heal these things and with more posts people will get a glimpse of the real me. Instead of feeding off speculation and rumor. And I want everyone to know I appreciate the support I've received over the last few days. Thank you.



Saturday we took LaynaLoo to Aquella in Ansbach, an indoor water park of sorts. It's small and only has one big slide but it was BIG fun!! I wonder why humans love water so much and being in it? Maybe it's because we are made up of mostly water? Or that we start out our very lives IN water in the womb? hmm. Well Alayna loves it. The smiles and giggles were priceless as daddy flung her around the wave pool. I wish I would've had a waterproof camera! We will be frequenting this place :)

You know who hates water? My Hurricane "Ivan" the terrible. He's a Manchester terrier (everyone thinks he's a min-pin) and he just turned 7 years old the beginning of this month! I can hardly believe it. He is still the stubborn, entitled child he's always been. A veritable crotch hobbit, High energy and a HUGE pig. He will literally eat himself sick, trust me, we've tried it. Well he hates getting a bath. To stand outside the door you'd think we were dismembering him alive starting with his toes. But after all the trauma, Red always wraps him up swaddled in a towel like a baby and holds him for a while on the couch. It's pretty pitiful looking. He gets a treat, shakes off and goes about his day terrorizing the neighborhood and scavenging for crumbs.

Yesterday we acquired a small miracle...a sitter!! ha! Red and I went out to the Franken-therme in Bad Windsheim for the afternoon. I highly recommend it! We definitely don't take for granted the time we get to spend alone. It's priceless. Probably because it's so rare. I undoubtedly still have a major crush on him. Yep, even after almost 9 years together.

We linked our legs together to make a human raft and float in the Salzsee for a bit then I dragged him ashore to collect some salt and give his back a nice rub down. We hopped from pool to pool of different salt concentrations and temperatures. The place is ginormous, there were steam rooms we discovered this time that we didn't even know they had! Aromatherapy steam rooms are very relaxing. Everyone just kind of does their own thing. There were no slots available for a couples massage so we thought we'd head over to the "other side" of the complex, that is nude. I NEVER in a million lifetimes thought I'd be able to overcome my shyness, self conciousness and modesty to go nude in public. But after a few minutes of being in the area in my robe, I realized that it's not a big deal over here and people aren't even concerned with you. Sure there are passing or accidental glances but it's only because it's not "normal" to be naked around everyone. Although I will say this time I almost didn't think I could go nude because I has this overwhelming feeling that someone Adam worked with was going to be there. I got over it. Red and I wanted to go outside to the salt pools and so I could lay out in the sun. But a horrible storm hit as we were walking that way we saw everyone running in. Naked people scurrying everywhere, LOL. To wait out the rain we ordered some cappocinnos and a little dessert to share and sat comfy in our robes and just enjoying each others company. It was heavenly.

We hopped from the ice room to the saunas and I quickly discovered I'm not cut out for anything over 65 degrees Celsius. I tried sitting in the panoramic sauna which is over 90-110 degrees celsius(it's huge and one wall is glass with a view of the outdoor nude area) yeah...I lasted about 2 minutes before I felt I was suffocating. My "fight or flight" reflex kicked in. I grabbed up robe and told Adam I'd wait outside for him. The bubbly pool was warm enough to enjoy so we lounged and swam in there for a bit. Skinny dipping (or in my case "chunky dunkin") is so liberating. It feels fantastic and natural. I didn't have time to lay out in the sun and the breeze was a little to chilly so I hopped into a Solarium (German for Tanning bed) and almost burnt myself. We showered together, gathered our things and I headed to the vanity area to blowdry my hair and primp. I left there feeling like a million bucks. Hand in hand with my baby we strolled downtown Bad Windsheim for some take out. Had a drink at the Greek while waiting on our food, wow, how I wish we could do this more often. 5 hours flew by!! Just to share the experience I brought the sitter (who I don't have a nickname for yet) a gift certificate for the Franken-therme so she can drag her husband there. They've been here years and have never been! How is this possible?! She's expecting so I told her they need to absolutely go BEFORE baby gets here in November!

Oh and it turns out that someone that Adam works with WAS there while we were. He and his wife arrived about an hour and a half before we left...we must have kept missing each other or something, I don't know. LOL.

Came back home, down from cloud 9 but to cloud 10 where an excited little girl awaited us. It's good for us to get a break from the baby. It gives me a chance to miss her. And I get so happy when she runs up yellin "mama, mama!" to jump in my arms.

So as you can see I spent pretty much the whole weekend in water. From metaphorical water to rain, chlorine pools, salt pools, naked pools, sweating to death in saunas and showers. Wet and wild and so much fun!!


Noteworthy Observations:

Red really missed his recliner. Like REALLY missed it.

There is no way I can avoid Bromance at any duty station. So I just have to go with it.
He just leaves a string of broken hearts behind him.

Alayna is discovering how to re-enact. And it's awesome to watch. She's super smart and totally makes me laugh.

If you can't handle me at my worst then you sure as heck don't deserve me at my best.