Posts
We woke up at 4AM to get Eric and Lexi to Frankfurt in time for their 9:55AM flight. Mr. C drove them 3 hours to Frankfurt...spent a couple of hours getting them on the plane (which went all good and fine...if a little stressful) and then turned around and drove 3 hours back.
Its been a long day already.
About 5 minutes from home, John ran out of gas...as in touch the peddle and car goes rurrr rurrr rurrr putt putt putt...he pulled into a little getrankt market and called me from his cell phone.
What an awful way to finish up that little experience.
So...long story short, he went a little ways down the road to a farmhouse...a little German girl pulling weeds...her dad was working on his tractor.
Sprechensie English? (Do you speak English?)
Un leeetle.
So in German John explained his car was out of gas...I believe he used the word, kaput. Without hesitation the guy gave John a gas can with a liter or two in it...wouldn't accept any Euro payment or anything.
I love nice people.
Thank you Mr. German Farmer.
Bye bye Lexi and Eric...we'll miss you! :(
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Medical Symptoms and B2B Marketing Processes
The medical world is very used to the fact that symptoms such as pain, headaches, and nausea are often the body's way of indicating that something has gone wrong. When a treatment is applied to the symptoms alone, it can mask an underlying problem. For example, regular unsupervised use of antacids for heartburn or reflux disease might mask the symptoms of more serious things such as barrett's esophagus, a stomach ulcer, or stomach cancer.
I was reminded of a similar challenge when a lively discussion ensued on LinkedIn about whether marketing should allow sales to “cherry pick” leads. I had written a post talking about the challenge to the overall flow of the funnel when sales is allowed to cherry pick leads. The natural flow of scoring leads, qualifying them, and then handing them off to sales is disrupted when a sales team is allowed to grab the best leads from the funnel regardless of where the scoring system has placed them.
The group discussing the issue agreed, in general, that the disruption of having a salesperson cherry pick leads was not ideal, however, it had the critical benefit of pointing out flaws in the scoring process. A salesperson cherry picking leads that the lead scoring algorithm has not deemed ready for sales may be an indicator of a deeper underlying issue. Perhaps the scoring algorithm misses certain key activities as criteria, perhaps there are opportunities in verticals outside of where the lead scoring algorithm focuses.
In the same way as medical symptoms are uncomfortable for a reason, to get your attention to a problem, the disruption of the smooth flow of leads caused by sales cherry picking can be seen as a symptom of an underlying problem. Whereas I still feel that sales cherry picking is an undesirable outcome, I do believe that if analyzed as a symptom, it can provide interesting and crucial insights into where a lead scoring process is missing the mark.
The group discussing the issue agreed, in general, that the disruption of having a salesperson cherry pick leads was not ideal, however, it had the critical benefit of pointing out flaws in the scoring process. A salesperson cherry picking leads that the lead scoring algorithm has not deemed ready for sales may be an indicator of a deeper underlying issue. Perhaps the scoring algorithm misses certain key activities as criteria, perhaps there are opportunities in verticals outside of where the lead scoring algorithm focuses.
In the same way as medical symptoms are uncomfortable for a reason, to get your attention to a problem, the disruption of the smooth flow of leads caused by sales cherry picking can be seen as a symptom of an underlying problem. Whereas I still feel that sales cherry picking is an undesirable outcome, I do believe that if analyzed as a symptom, it can provide interesting and crucial insights into where a lead scoring process is missing the mark.
Sometimes, allowing a few "breaks" in a marketing automation process is a great way to identify opportunities to improve the overall process. When looking at your marketing team's interaction with sales, look for where you see breaks in the process, and look for processes that would completely prevent or totally mask breaks in the process. Removing a symptom of a broken process, much like removing a medical symptom, may only be hiding a deeper underlying problem.
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Hostess Gifts
I've been reading a book on the history of weddings and the reasons for some of the traditional wedding traditions is very interesting! For instance, ever wonder why its called a "shower"? In the late nineteenth century, a bride would invite her closest friends and relatives over for some stress relief the night before her wedding. Everyone would bring small token gifts that would be placed in an upside-down umbrella. This would then be raised and turned over the bride, and the gifts would "shower" down on her for luck.
Whenever a shower is thrown in your honor, it is appropriate to bring a hostess gift as a thank you for the event. I recently had a bride ask me for some help in this area. My favorite go-to place for hostess gifts is Nell Hills. First opened in Atchison, KS, this store - and its owner Mary Carol Garrity - are amazing! In the past two years or so she opened a shop in Briarcliff making it much more accessible, and now she has started an online shop much to her fans' excitement!
You can find lots of creative hostess gifts here that won't break the bank. Plus, they usually have multiple pieces of each item so if you have multiple people hosting the shower, you can still get them something very nice but you can get them all the same thing rather than trying to pick something out for each individual. Here are a few of my favorites with ways to put a creative spin on the gift:
If the shower is a brunch shower or luncheon, get a bag of coffee - such as the Breakfast Blend from KC's Roasterie - and affix a coffee scoop with some pretty ribbon to the bag. This one can be found at Nell Hills for only $5!
I love these bottles which are $51 for the set of three. If there were multiple people hosting your shower you could split of the three and give one to each person. For a personal touch you could infuse some olive oil with basil or rosemary and fill the bottles. As an accompaniment, give each person a little bag of delicious bread from Farm to Market in Downtown Overland Park.
This basket from Nell Hills is filled with 3, 10" glass milk bottles. The whole set is only $12! To personalize, fill each vase with a different grouping of flowers. Not only will this look pretty, but it will show the hostess just how this gift can be used as not everyone might infer that this is a vase!
Finally, I love these black serving trays. They are $52.25 for the set which is on the more expensive side, but you could break up the set for two gifts or if there is only one hostess or couple, this would be appropriate. For a personalized touch, you could stencil the host's monogram into the middle.
If none of these options - or variations of the above - seem to fit your host or hosts, a gift certificate to a restaurant is always a no-fail gift. Or in my case, a bottle of wine! Read More...
Whenever a shower is thrown in your honor, it is appropriate to bring a hostess gift as a thank you for the event. I recently had a bride ask me for some help in this area. My favorite go-to place for hostess gifts is Nell Hills. First opened in Atchison, KS, this store - and its owner Mary Carol Garrity - are amazing! In the past two years or so she opened a shop in Briarcliff making it much more accessible, and now she has started an online shop much to her fans' excitement!
You can find lots of creative hostess gifts here that won't break the bank. Plus, they usually have multiple pieces of each item so if you have multiple people hosting the shower, you can still get them something very nice but you can get them all the same thing rather than trying to pick something out for each individual. Here are a few of my favorites with ways to put a creative spin on the gift:
If the shower is a brunch shower or luncheon, get a bag of coffee - such as the Breakfast Blend from KC's Roasterie - and affix a coffee scoop with some pretty ribbon to the bag. This one can be found at Nell Hills for only $5!
I love these bottles which are $51 for the set of three. If there were multiple people hosting your shower you could split of the three and give one to each person. For a personal touch you could infuse some olive oil with basil or rosemary and fill the bottles. As an accompaniment, give each person a little bag of delicious bread from Farm to Market in Downtown Overland Park.
This basket from Nell Hills is filled with 3, 10" glass milk bottles. The whole set is only $12! To personalize, fill each vase with a different grouping of flowers. Not only will this look pretty, but it will show the hostess just how this gift can be used as not everyone might infer that this is a vase!
Finally, I love these black serving trays. They are $52.25 for the set which is on the more expensive side, but you could break up the set for two gifts or if there is only one hostess or couple, this would be appropriate. For a personalized touch, you could stencil the host's monogram into the middle.
If none of these options - or variations of the above - seem to fit your host or hosts, a gift certificate to a restaurant is always a no-fail gift. Or in my case, a bottle of wine! Read More...
Fiat Bravo
Fiat Panda CrossFiat Panda 100HPFiat PandaFiat PuntoFiat 500CFiat 5002009 Fiat Grande Punto2007 Fiat Grande PuntoFiat LineaFiat Bravo2006 Fiat Idea2004 Fiat IdeaFiat Panda 4x4Fiat MultiplaFiat CromaThe Fiat Bravo is on sale from € 13,190 to € 22,510. Tourism is a five-door Fiat sold as an alternative to cars like the Renault Megane and Volkswagen Golf.2009 Fiat BravoFiat BravoThe Fiat Bravo is
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Marketing Automation - What does it mean?
Consistently, the term “marketing automation” is applied to our industry. I find it a term that is less than ideal when it comes to describing what the industry does, but nonetheless, the term has stuck. I often get the question of “can marketing really be automated” and I think that there’s an opportunity to clarify what aspects of marketing truly can be automated, and what aspects cannot. Also, given that the industry’s growth is surging, there’s an opportunity to look at the dynamics that are driving this desire to automate marketing.
If asked for a definition, I would say:
Marketing Automation is the art and science of automatically managing the targeting, timing, and content of your outbound marketing messages.
The Changing Buyer
First, let’s look at our buyers. Over the last decade, their ability to self-educate and manage their own buying processes has increased astronomically. Whether it is through vendor websites, analyst websites, social media, or peer reviews, buyers can acquire the information that they need in order to move towards a purchase decision.
However this transition in our buyers has meant that we as marketing organizations need to work with our buyers differently than we did previously. If we hope to facilitate their buying process, and guide them to consider, prefer, and select the products and services we are offering, we need to provide them with the precise information they need as part of their buying process.
The most critical factor is relevance. If we are able to deliver information that is relevant to the buyer’s role in the buying process, their stage as a buyer, their level of interest, and the areas of decision making of interest to them, we will establish a connection, and our message will get through. If not, our message will be lost in the clutter.
So where does marketing automation come in?
If you look at what is required, we need to first understand each of our prospective buyers individually, then we need to provide a message to them that has ideal timing and content based on their interests and stage in the buying process. This level of precision on targeting, timing, and content is nearly impossible without having a solid underlying platform to work from. The art of marketing, when it comes to creating persuasive, compelling copy, great offers, and elegant positioning cannot be automated, and likely won’t be in our lifetimes. However delivering the right selection of those messages to the right person at the right time is something that can no longer be done without automation.
Marketing Automation and Timing
Marketing automation gives us the ability to work on the exact timeframe of the buyer. This is best understood in the context of marketing initiatives like downloadable free trials. In downloading a free trial, the buyer has indicated that, at that exact moment in time, they are at the stage of their buying process where spending time with a trial is their most appropriate use of time. Your communications, as a marketer, need to reflect this buyer timing in order to best connect with this buyer.
Without automation, if a marketer is to attempt this with batch communications, the more closely one tries to align with the buyer’s timing, the smaller and smaller your batches must become, and the larger your workload as a marketer grows. Only through automation can a marketer effectively deliver a message on day 1, day 15, day 30, and day 90 to each individual prospective buyer.
Marketing Automation and Personalization
As one communicates with prospective buyers, each communication should ideally contain content that is precisely in line with their interests. The best way to do this is with dynamic content that automatically matches content to their interests. However, most prospective buyers will not explicitly declare their interests. If they do, the data is likely to be inaccurate. Marketing automation, by letting you tie web activity into buyer insight allows you to understand buyer interests based on what they do, not what they say.
On top of this foundation of buyer understanding, marketing automation gives you a platform from which to have that insight automatically personalize outbound content. Manual processes to personalize the content would quickly prove impossible, and the impact of not personalizing the content is a significant decrease in its relevance to the buyer.
Personalization and the Sender
However, the content itself is not the only aspect of personalization that impacts the buyer’s likelihood of engaging. Who it comes from is equally important. Recipients are 30% more likely, in most cases, to interact with content if it comes from a known person, rather than from a company. A marketing automation system can automatically have each communications come from the appropriate member of your sales team, building the relationship while increasing the response rate. To send your communications on behalf of 5 or 10 sales people might be possible if done manually, but to send on behalf of 50 or 100 requires automation.
Marketing Automation and Sales
As buyer progress through their own buying processes, they eventually reach the point when they would be willing to talk with someone in your sales team about pricing, contracts, or other elements of the purchase process. Knowing when they have reached this stage involves understanding their digital body language. Signs of buying activity can be seen and with the appropriate lead scoring algorithm, sales ready leads can be identified and passed to sales.
Whereas this analysis of leads has in the past been done manually or with spreadsheets, the need to identify and follow up with leads when they are most ready means that it must be done quickly. Using automation allows marketing teams to objectively and automatically score the leads in their marketing funnel in real time, identifying those that are sales ready and those that are not. Those that are not yet ready can be kept warm over time through lead nurturing, again a process that automation greatly facilitates.
The New Importance of Data
What we’re seeing in the above discussion is a shift away from batch communications that are not highly differentiated to true one-to-one personalization. However, as we do this, and we have marketing automation platforms, rather than people looking at the data to make decisions, the importance of data quality takes on a new priority.
Data, in order to be used by rules for personalization of content, segmentation of lists, and scoring and routing of leads, needs to be clean and consistent. Marketing teams are being tasked with ensuring this consistency is maintained at all times, even though marketing data may be touched by web forms, list uploads, CRM synchronizations, or sales input. The only way to consistently and constantly maintain a clean and standardized set of data is to use automation to manage marketing data quality in-line within the marketing database.
What Can’t be Automated?
Marketing remains as much art as it ever has been, even as the new buyer requires elements of science in automating how the targeting, timing, and content of a message is delivered. Compelling offers, captivating visuals, great positioning, and elegant copy are as difficult as ever to create. Likewise, the understanding of market segments, buyer journeys, stages of a buying process, and what moves a buyer along their buying process still differentiate excellent marketers from merely good marketers.
However, as today’s marketers shift from outbound messaging to understanding a buying process and facilitating it, they can only do so if enabled with a platform that automates the conversations, timing, and personalization needed. That is where marketing automation comes in. Read More...
If asked for a definition, I would say:
Marketing Automation is the art and science of automatically managing the targeting, timing, and content of your outbound marketing messages.
Let's look at why.
The Changing Buyer
First, let’s look at our buyers. Over the last decade, their ability to self-educate and manage their own buying processes has increased astronomically. Whether it is through vendor websites, analyst websites, social media, or peer reviews, buyers can acquire the information that they need in order to move towards a purchase decision.
However this transition in our buyers has meant that we as marketing organizations need to work with our buyers differently than we did previously. If we hope to facilitate their buying process, and guide them to consider, prefer, and select the products and services we are offering, we need to provide them with the precise information they need as part of their buying process.
The most critical factor is relevance. If we are able to deliver information that is relevant to the buyer’s role in the buying process, their stage as a buyer, their level of interest, and the areas of decision making of interest to them, we will establish a connection, and our message will get through. If not, our message will be lost in the clutter.
So where does marketing automation come in?
If you look at what is required, we need to first understand each of our prospective buyers individually, then we need to provide a message to them that has ideal timing and content based on their interests and stage in the buying process. This level of precision on targeting, timing, and content is nearly impossible without having a solid underlying platform to work from. The art of marketing, when it comes to creating persuasive, compelling copy, great offers, and elegant positioning cannot be automated, and likely won’t be in our lifetimes. However delivering the right selection of those messages to the right person at the right time is something that can no longer be done without automation.
Marketing Automation and Timing
Marketing automation gives us the ability to work on the exact timeframe of the buyer. This is best understood in the context of marketing initiatives like downloadable free trials. In downloading a free trial, the buyer has indicated that, at that exact moment in time, they are at the stage of their buying process where spending time with a trial is their most appropriate use of time. Your communications, as a marketer, need to reflect this buyer timing in order to best connect with this buyer.Without automation, if a marketer is to attempt this with batch communications, the more closely one tries to align with the buyer’s timing, the smaller and smaller your batches must become, and the larger your workload as a marketer grows. Only through automation can a marketer effectively deliver a message on day 1, day 15, day 30, and day 90 to each individual prospective buyer.
Marketing Automation and Personalization
As one communicates with prospective buyers, each communication should ideally contain content that is precisely in line with their interests. The best way to do this is with dynamic content that automatically matches content to their interests. However, most prospective buyers will not explicitly declare their interests. If they do, the data is likely to be inaccurate. Marketing automation, by letting you tie web activity into buyer insight allows you to understand buyer interests based on what they do, not what they say.
On top of this foundation of buyer understanding, marketing automation gives you a platform from which to have that insight automatically personalize outbound content. Manual processes to personalize the content would quickly prove impossible, and the impact of not personalizing the content is a significant decrease in its relevance to the buyer.
Personalization and the Sender
However, the content itself is not the only aspect of personalization that impacts the buyer’s likelihood of engaging. Who it comes from is equally important. Recipients are 30% more likely, in most cases, to interact with content if it comes from a known person, rather than from a company. A marketing automation system can automatically have each communications come from the appropriate member of your sales team, building the relationship while increasing the response rate. To send your communications on behalf of 5 or 10 sales people might be possible if done manually, but to send on behalf of 50 or 100 requires automation.
Marketing Automation and Sales
As buyer progress through their own buying processes, they eventually reach the point when they would be willing to talk with someone in your sales team about pricing, contracts, or other elements of the purchase process. Knowing when they have reached this stage involves understanding their digital body language. Signs of buying activity can be seen and with the appropriate lead scoring algorithm, sales ready leads can be identified and passed to sales.
Whereas this analysis of leads has in the past been done manually or with spreadsheets, the need to identify and follow up with leads when they are most ready means that it must be done quickly. Using automation allows marketing teams to objectively and automatically score the leads in their marketing funnel in real time, identifying those that are sales ready and those that are not. Those that are not yet ready can be kept warm over time through lead nurturing, again a process that automation greatly facilitates.
The New Importance of Data
What we’re seeing in the above discussion is a shift away from batch communications that are not highly differentiated to true one-to-one personalization. However, as we do this, and we have marketing automation platforms, rather than people looking at the data to make decisions, the importance of data quality takes on a new priority.
Data, in order to be used by rules for personalization of content, segmentation of lists, and scoring and routing of leads, needs to be clean and consistent. Marketing teams are being tasked with ensuring this consistency is maintained at all times, even though marketing data may be touched by web forms, list uploads, CRM synchronizations, or sales input. The only way to consistently and constantly maintain a clean and standardized set of data is to use automation to manage marketing data quality in-line within the marketing database.
What Can’t be Automated?
Marketing remains as much art as it ever has been, even as the new buyer requires elements of science in automating how the targeting, timing, and content of a message is delivered. Compelling offers, captivating visuals, great positioning, and elegant copy are as difficult as ever to create. Likewise, the understanding of market segments, buyer journeys, stages of a buying process, and what moves a buyer along their buying process still differentiate excellent marketers from merely good marketers.
However, as today’s marketers shift from outbound messaging to understanding a buying process and facilitating it, they can only do so if enabled with a platform that automates the conversations, timing, and personalization needed. That is where marketing automation comes in. Read More...
2004 Fiat Idea
Fiat Panda CrossFiat Panda 100HPFiat PandaFiat PuntoFiat 500CFiat 5002009 Fiat Grande Punto2007 Fiat Grande PuntoFiat LineaFiat Bravo2006 Fiat Idea2004 Fiat IdeaFiat Panda 4x4Fiat MultiplaFiat CromaThe Fiat Idea - for those traveling by road and usually go to a large number of miles, the most recommended is the Fiat Idea with 101 hp diesel.2004 Fiat IdeaFiat IdeaFor those who think using the Fiat
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2006 Fiat Idea
Fiat Panda CrossFiat Panda 100HPFiat PandaFiat PuntoFiat 500CFiat 5002009 Fiat Grande Punto2007 Fiat Grande PuntoFiat LineaFiat Bravo2006 Fiat Idea2004 Fiat IdeaFiat Panda 4x4Fiat MultiplaFiat CromaThe Fiat Idea is on sale from the late 2005 with some changes of the exterior and the interior. It may carry a new 90-hp diesel engine.2006 Fiat IdeaFiat IdeaThe new Fiat Idea has a new 1.2 Multijet
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Sorghof Kirwa Festival
So, I didn't really get the full meal deal about this festival we went to today, but essentially there was food and a carnival and a beer tent and then all the men in the town got together and erected a 100 foot tree into the middle of town square...
From the locals I got that the tree had to be at least 100 feet tall and that this festival commemorated the christening of the church? Beh? I really don't know, but it took over 4 hours for this thing to go up and its mighty impressive. Over the next couple of days there will be dancing and festivities including oompa music and then all the single men try and climb to the tree to get the favor of the single women.
To raise the tree they put large wooden supports under it and then gradually moved them further and further down the tree until it was finally standing erect...I took this video more for the guy thats yelling in German...its really short, and they only raised it one little bit....we watched this for 4+ hours...
Now for our cute photo break...
Lexi and Bella hangin' out in front of the carnival
Back to the main program...
John jumped into the middle of the tree raising and was put on a team to help it go up...The girls dressed in Red Cross outfits were there to supply "first aid" to the workers...in other words...unlimited beer... John received plenty of "first aid" while helping raise the tree...
We should start this festival in America...I would have been a lot more impressed with my highschool peers had they been climbing 100 foot trees for me.
One of the most important things I learned today...Baby girl is really too cute for words...oh, and time to get my brows done. :)
Read More...
From the locals I got that the tree had to be at least 100 feet tall and that this festival commemorated the christening of the church? Beh? I really don't know, but it took over 4 hours for this thing to go up and its mighty impressive. Over the next couple of days there will be dancing and festivities including oompa music and then all the single men try and climb to the tree to get the favor of the single women.
To raise the tree they put large wooden supports under it and then gradually moved them further and further down the tree until it was finally standing erect...I took this video more for the guy thats yelling in German...its really short, and they only raised it one little bit....we watched this for 4+ hours...
Now for our cute photo break...
Lexi and Bella hangin' out in front of the carnival
Back to the main program...
John jumped into the middle of the tree raising and was put on a team to help it go up...The girls dressed in Red Cross outfits were there to supply "first aid" to the workers...in other words...unlimited beer... John received plenty of "first aid" while helping raise the tree...
We should start this festival in America...I would have been a lot more impressed with my highschool peers had they been climbing 100 foot trees for me.
One of the most important things I learned today...Baby girl is really too cute for words...oh, and time to get my brows done. :)
Read More...
Fiat Linea
Fiat Panda CrossFiat Panda 100HPFiat PandaFiat PuntoFiat 500CFiat 5002009 Fiat Grande Punto2007 Fiat Grande PuntoFiat LineaFiat Bravo2006 Fiat Idea2004 Fiat IdeaFiat Panda 4x4Fiat MultiplaFiat CromaThe Fiat Linea has three-box saloon and four doors it is larger than the Fiat Bravo. It is for sale from 11,690 €.2007 Fiat LineaFiat LineaThe engine range comprises three variants: two petrol and one
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Summer..are you really here?
Yeah! Its here...Its here...
Even baby girl got into the fun...
I've got a water-baby! She loved the pool and didn't mind the frigid cold hose water.
Splashing and splashing with those little leggies...
Madmad was the brave one...she was so excited we put up the little pool.
Is anyone really surprised that this was her next move?
When I asked Eric what he was doing he replied, "Sunbathing, of course." Duh...OF COURSE...
Summer days just aren't complete without a popsicle.
Shortly after this photo it started to rain and then one of the most impressive thunderstorms I've ever witnessed occured... Oh well, it was summer for at least a few hours... Read More...
Even baby girl got into the fun...
I've got a water-baby! She loved the pool and didn't mind the frigid cold hose water.
Splashing and splashing with those little leggies...
Madmad was the brave one...she was so excited we put up the little pool.
Is anyone really surprised that this was her next move?
When I asked Eric what he was doing he replied, "Sunbathing, of course." Duh...OF COURSE...
Summer days just aren't complete without a popsicle.
Shortly after this photo it started to rain and then one of the most impressive thunderstorms I've ever witnessed occured... Oh well, it was summer for at least a few hours... Read More...
Three step process...
Step one...sit on your knees and grin adorably for daddy who is so excited to see you about ready to crawl...
Step two...rock back and forth (don't forget to scream alot because you are in absolute pain and misery from having to do this...)
Step three...concede defeat and fall dramatically to the floor to rest your weary body. Now where does she get these dramatic genes from?
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Step two...rock back and forth (don't forget to scream alot because you are in absolute pain and misery from having to do this...)
Step three...concede defeat and fall dramatically to the floor to rest your weary body. Now where does she get these dramatic genes from?
Read More...
Our daily lives...
Well, life in Germany is shaping up to be pretty good. Not that I was too terribly worried about hating it here or something. When you start to weigh your military options it all becomes quite clear...Germany or El Paso, TX...Germany or Georgia...Germany or Kansas... Now, I'm not exactly "slamming" those locations...I'm just saying that if I have a choice...the choice is going to Germany.
Anyhow...life and all that now includes some new neighbors...and an August 1st block party planned. I'm excited to get to know more people as I've found myself turning into the housewife that follows her hubby around after he returns from work craving adult conversation and contact...
The people next door to us are a newly married couple with two dogs...Madmad is ecstatic about that. She's constantly "running" bubba for them. Bubba is a 1 year old dachshund with about as much energy as maddie. I think they are a good fit for each other.
On the other side of our quad, our new neighbors come with a little baby girl that is just 3 weeks older than Bella! We were so excited about that. I haven't asked permission to post pics of her, but I figured this one where her face isn't showing would be ok... If she comes to play and Bella is wearing socks, this is the first thing she does...so far, Bella just takes it...but someday soon we may see some retaliation of sorts...
John has been working weird hours...different exercises and requirements have him home at odd times. This has proved frustrating for me, who counts on his handyman hands to take care of certain things so I can get the house in order, finally. In particular, I've been waiting for John to switch a plate magnet from one cupboard to the other. I could do it myself, but its one of those...not top of my priority list, but irritating all the same. Eric heard me complain one day and decided to do something about it all on his own! I was so proud of him...he was proud of himself...he couldn't WAIT to tell his dad about it when he got home.
The kids have found a new favorite hobby. It includes my feet and their hands...really...do they look like they are miserable?
Have I mentioned yet that Lexi is here for her visit? Two weeks...then she and Eric had back to Oregon on July 31st...I'm going to bypass that topic as it just wrenches my hear to think about the end of this time together...
Fondly reminiscent of my childhood, I came downstairs the other day and found the kids had made a sad little fort out of two blankets and a laundry basket. I decided I needed to show them how it was done. We even pulled in the lawnchair from outside....It was a great fort...lasted for two whole days.
Read More...
Anyhow...life and all that now includes some new neighbors...and an August 1st block party planned. I'm excited to get to know more people as I've found myself turning into the housewife that follows her hubby around after he returns from work craving adult conversation and contact...
The people next door to us are a newly married couple with two dogs...Madmad is ecstatic about that. She's constantly "running" bubba for them. Bubba is a 1 year old dachshund with about as much energy as maddie. I think they are a good fit for each other.
On the other side of our quad, our new neighbors come with a little baby girl that is just 3 weeks older than Bella! We were so excited about that. I haven't asked permission to post pics of her, but I figured this one where her face isn't showing would be ok... If she comes to play and Bella is wearing socks, this is the first thing she does...so far, Bella just takes it...but someday soon we may see some retaliation of sorts...
John has been working weird hours...different exercises and requirements have him home at odd times. This has proved frustrating for me, who counts on his handyman hands to take care of certain things so I can get the house in order, finally. In particular, I've been waiting for John to switch a plate magnet from one cupboard to the other. I could do it myself, but its one of those...not top of my priority list, but irritating all the same. Eric heard me complain one day and decided to do something about it all on his own! I was so proud of him...he was proud of himself...he couldn't WAIT to tell his dad about it when he got home.
The kids have found a new favorite hobby. It includes my feet and their hands...really...do they look like they are miserable?
Have I mentioned yet that Lexi is here for her visit? Two weeks...then she and Eric had back to Oregon on July 31st...I'm going to bypass that topic as it just wrenches my hear to think about the end of this time together...
Fondly reminiscent of my childhood, I came downstairs the other day and found the kids had made a sad little fort out of two blankets and a laundry basket. I decided I needed to show them how it was done. We even pulled in the lawnchair from outside....It was a great fort...lasted for two whole days.
Read More...
Shet
Shet is the name of a Hardy Boys character. Madmad and Eric have taken to playing, "Hardy Boys." Imagine hearing this over and over again...
"Shet...are you there?"
"Shet...did you get the rope?"
"Shet...help me get him!"
"Shet...he's got a gun!"
"Shet...how are we going to get away?!"
"Shet...NO! Not that Shet!"
You may have to actually say it outloud and then just watch whoever is close to you to see if they give you a look that says, Uh...did that really just come out of your mouth? Read More...
"Shet...are you there?"
"Shet...did you get the rope?"
"Shet...help me get him!"
"Shet...he's got a gun!"
"Shet...how are we going to get away?!"
"Shet...NO! Not that Shet!"
You may have to actually say it outloud and then just watch whoever is close to you to see if they give you a look that says, Uh...did that really just come out of your mouth? Read More...
The walled city of Rothenburg ob der Tauber
Rothenburg ODT is what the exit signs say for the great walled city...I was particularly interested in seeing this center of history and was anxiously awaiting my first glimpse of the ancient walls. I want to make sure you know all the juicy historical tidbits that I know so bear with me for a minute...
* Rothenburg was an Imperial City. I think that means it was kind of its own little kingdom, but I'm not sure and haven't been able to find a detailed explanation anywhere about it...
* It was the seat of government for the city-state during the medieval ages.
* In March 1945 in World War II, German soldiers were stationed in Rothenburg to defend it. Bombs were dropped over Rothenburg by 16 planes, killing 39 people and destroying 306 houses, six public buildings, nine watchtowers, and over 2,000 feet of the wall. The U.S Assistant Secretary of War John J. McCloy knew about the historic importance and beauty of Rothenburg, so he ordered US Army General Jacob L. Devers not use artillery in taking Rothenburg, but the Germans didn't know that...so, the local military commander Major Thömmes ignored the order of Adolf Hitler for all towns to fight to the end and gave up the town, thereby saving it from total destruction.
* AND...last, but definitely not least...one of the coolest things about Rothenburg ob der Tauber (which means walled city with red roofs above the river Tuaber) is that it is where they filmed the part of the movie in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang when they are in Vulgaria. Yeah...I've been there.
Our entrance into the town...through the East watchtower
John and the kids in the town square
Looking south...If you look far in the distance you'll see the south watchtower...
A closer look at the south watchtower and where the road splits...
The city is amazing...the majority of it is car-free so you can wander and look and enjoy at your leisure...and let kids run down the streets without fear of a little peugot hitting them.
We toured the shops and were duly impressed with the various life-size replicas of beer mugs, dolls, puppets, etc., that grace the many shops.
Uh, no, dear...that will not grace our walls anytime soon...and really - who BUYS one of these giant engraved swords? I hope none of you...or maybe...how many SCA'ers do we have reading this blog? And for those of you who don't know what SCA is...you are safe. :)
Maddie and Eric were particularly interested in the bakeries...ALL of them. We finally gave in and let them have a pastry treat...GIANT balls of pie dough covered in powdered sugar or cinnamon. They are still on the sugar high.
Bella got hers from applejuice/water mixture...
Madmad was sooo well behaved that day we just had to take a photo of her angelic smile...here she is just chillaxin near the flowers. Okay...so, that was the absolute first time I ever used the word chillaxin...did it work for you?
I found it incredibly funny that after the photo was taken we noticed the sign, "Biergarten" with the giant arrow pointing at John's gut. bwahahahaha
Eric finally got his suit of armour and axe fix...
And Madmad got all dressed up so he could whack her over the head with an axe...
JUST KIDDING...did you really think we'd let him hit her over the head with an axe...?
Much of the day was spent touring the Medieval Crime Museum where Eric uttered this gem,"Gee dad, you sure know a lot about torture." Errrr....I suppose a job as an interrogator has its perks in a place like this... But there may be something fundamentally wrong with a guy that can name each torture device by its proper name AND tell how its used and why. Gaaaah... **note to self...do not go see this type of museum with John again.**
This is the "water-dunker" Basically you get stuck in this thing and then they dunk you until you are about dead. Don't imagine it...you'll regret the image in your mind! (edited to add...John insists I call it by its proper name...the "ducking stool")
We've invested in one of these because it seemed to work so well. Its now set up in our front yard. ha ha
Whats a crime museum without an iron maiden? Kind of like saying, nothing says love like thumbscrews...
Then there is the wall...the incredible beautiful wall
And the incredibly beautiful baby girl sitting on top of it...
The view from the wall was breathtaking...the pictures don't do it justice...and I was really amused that when you look closely you can see a barbeque grill in the shadow of the aquaduct...can you see it?
We wandered inside the wall to see where the cannons and archers would have stood. It was very interesting...very old...very medieval...very dark. I would not have liked working in "the wall..."
Obligatory photo of me...acting as damsel in distress hanging out the wall toward the courtyard on the inside of the city...too bad my hair is too short to be climbed...
Inside the wall...notice the plank floors...most of it was old cobblestone...this was one of the newer, rebuilt sections.
We got a kick out of the laundry poles being rested on the great wall. I guess its functional anyway...
And then we also saw some monkeys...do you think there is a law against climbing hundreds of year old walls in the great Imperial City??
Read More...
* Rothenburg was an Imperial City. I think that means it was kind of its own little kingdom, but I'm not sure and haven't been able to find a detailed explanation anywhere about it...
* It was the seat of government for the city-state during the medieval ages.
* In March 1945 in World War II, German soldiers were stationed in Rothenburg to defend it. Bombs were dropped over Rothenburg by 16 planes, killing 39 people and destroying 306 houses, six public buildings, nine watchtowers, and over 2,000 feet of the wall. The U.S Assistant Secretary of War John J. McCloy knew about the historic importance and beauty of Rothenburg, so he ordered US Army General Jacob L. Devers not use artillery in taking Rothenburg, but the Germans didn't know that...so, the local military commander Major Thömmes ignored the order of Adolf Hitler for all towns to fight to the end and gave up the town, thereby saving it from total destruction.
* AND...last, but definitely not least...one of the coolest things about Rothenburg ob der Tauber (which means walled city with red roofs above the river Tuaber) is that it is where they filmed the part of the movie in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang when they are in Vulgaria. Yeah...I've been there.
Our entrance into the town...through the East watchtower
John and the kids in the town square
Looking south...If you look far in the distance you'll see the south watchtower...
A closer look at the south watchtower and where the road splits...
The city is amazing...the majority of it is car-free so you can wander and look and enjoy at your leisure...and let kids run down the streets without fear of a little peugot hitting them.
We toured the shops and were duly impressed with the various life-size replicas of beer mugs, dolls, puppets, etc., that grace the many shops.
Uh, no, dear...that will not grace our walls anytime soon...and really - who BUYS one of these giant engraved swords? I hope none of you...or maybe...how many SCA'ers do we have reading this blog? And for those of you who don't know what SCA is...you are safe. :)
Maddie and Eric were particularly interested in the bakeries...ALL of them. We finally gave in and let them have a pastry treat...GIANT balls of pie dough covered in powdered sugar or cinnamon. They are still on the sugar high.
Bella got hers from applejuice/water mixture...
Madmad was sooo well behaved that day we just had to take a photo of her angelic smile...here she is just chillaxin near the flowers. Okay...so, that was the absolute first time I ever used the word chillaxin...did it work for you?
I found it incredibly funny that after the photo was taken we noticed the sign, "Biergarten" with the giant arrow pointing at John's gut. bwahahahaha
Eric finally got his suit of armour and axe fix...
And Madmad got all dressed up so he could whack her over the head with an axe...
JUST KIDDING...did you really think we'd let him hit her over the head with an axe...?
Much of the day was spent touring the Medieval Crime Museum where Eric uttered this gem,"Gee dad, you sure know a lot about torture." Errrr....I suppose a job as an interrogator has its perks in a place like this... But there may be something fundamentally wrong with a guy that can name each torture device by its proper name AND tell how its used and why. Gaaaah... **note to self...do not go see this type of museum with John again.**
This is the "water-dunker" Basically you get stuck in this thing and then they dunk you until you are about dead. Don't imagine it...you'll regret the image in your mind! (edited to add...John insists I call it by its proper name...the "ducking stool")
We've invested in one of these because it seemed to work so well. Its now set up in our front yard. ha ha
Whats a crime museum without an iron maiden? Kind of like saying, nothing says love like thumbscrews...
Then there is the wall...the incredible beautiful wall
And the incredibly beautiful baby girl sitting on top of it...
The view from the wall was breathtaking...the pictures don't do it justice...and I was really amused that when you look closely you can see a barbeque grill in the shadow of the aquaduct...can you see it?
We wandered inside the wall to see where the cannons and archers would have stood. It was very interesting...very old...very medieval...very dark. I would not have liked working in "the wall..."
Obligatory photo of me...acting as damsel in distress hanging out the wall toward the courtyard on the inside of the city...too bad my hair is too short to be climbed...
Inside the wall...notice the plank floors...most of it was old cobblestone...this was one of the newer, rebuilt sections.
We got a kick out of the laundry poles being rested on the great wall. I guess its functional anyway...
And then we also saw some monkeys...do you think there is a law against climbing hundreds of year old walls in the great Imperial City??
Read More...
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