Back to Work in Bremen, Germany

Was offered a job at ArcelorMittal in Bremen so took a Dulles 744 to Frankfurt and
drove a C3 to an Air BnB apartment near the plant.  The job is without problems and
the technical people are very cooperative (so far).

 

Spotted a Gold Car in the rental car area but they did not give me the

keys to it.  (Rather a little while French Citroen.)

Planning to take back some German Lowensenf mustard, the family favorite.  

Amaya wants some Kinder Eggs and a pony of some kind.  Not sure I will

take the Kinder Eggs back though - we keep hearing that they are not

technically allowed in the USA because of the small swallowable toy inside.

Probably not worth the risk.

Fun Summer at the Neighborhood Pool!

Amaya getting ready for her last race of the season.  She did really well

as one of the younger in her age group.  Papa has all of her swim ribbons

in the workshop right in front of her second story apartment.

She and Addy have been helping Papa work on coins - their books are

almost full - now working on Xmas Present books.  (As well as watching

for coins to finish up Panama's book.)

The Neighborhood Pool was great for the summer.  We sure enjoyed it.

Whats Wrong With This Picture?

Noted at the bookstore tonight that this is an odd coin book.

One of the books had the back cover put on upside down.

That is the way coins are made.  Only one book of many

had this problem - I suspect it was an error by the printer

and not an intentional "coin emulation joke."

Coin Collecting - Who Wooda Thunk

I have decided that half dollar coin collecting is more fun than working.

(Not sure that I expected any singular occupation would overcome the joy of making money.)

So I am coin collecting half dollars - I am also motivating my three granddaughters to

appreciate the value of counting dollars by 4-bit increments.

The first couple of half dollar boxes were uneventful.  However, the last two yielded

some 40% silver, some NIFC coins as well as a beautiful 2002 San Francisco Proof. 

The highlight, in my mind was to find a 1951 Ben Franklin.  It is pretty worn but I find

it kind of neat that my first Benjamin was dated the year of our birth.  (Carol and I were

both born the same year.)  So on we go down the coin collecting path.  It would be much

easier to buy the coins... however, it seems to me that "discovering" the coins is much

more interesting.

Another Baptized Grandbaby Added to the Family Tree

Another baptized Grandbaby added to the Clan!

Panama & Papa - Working the Half Dollars from BNA BAC

We worked the $240 that we got courtesy of Fed at

the BNA BAC (our home bank actually).  No statistics

yet but we practically filled Panama's two coin books! 

We found a 2001 and a 2005 but nothing else from the 

years newer than 2000.  These are years where the coins

are available from the mint in uncirculated condition - no

one dropped any of these more expensive coins in our box.  

Nana thought this picture was funny.  The squinting 

makes my face more wrinkled than normal.  It did

capture my general disposition however. 

Wow is all I can say.  We did pretty well

on the first coin haul.  Good job all!!!

My Daughter & Granddaughter - Jumper & Rower

Panama came in 2nd in her first time trying this event.

Papa has been practicing jumping into the shower w/o falling.

Erica came in second in the Women's Rowing Time Trials at the Gym.

This was her first time.  She is going to keep at it to see if she can get better.

Papa has taken up rowing too:  5000 meters today in 30-minutes.  Not too fast!

His motto:  I hustled at work for 30-years, time to stroll not roll...

Going to Miss Greece - Almost Last Day Today

Today is my almost last day before I go back to the USA.

I will miss the beautiful sites here in Thisvi, Greece.

This is the top of the mountain above St Nicholas Beach.

Drive slow on this road as there are almost always sheep.

Nearly Died of Fright - Almost Stepped on a Huge Snake - Wasn't Looking!

I was taking a cool picture and nearly stepped on a Greek Python - estimate it

was 40-feet long and as round as a beach ball.  I felt my soul slowly leaving

my body and traveling down the proverbial tunnel with heaven at

the other end.  There was a bit of hesitation - almost like time for a

snap decision.  I made it!!!  Decided not to go.  It was a hard decision

as Heaven seemed delightful - the little that I could see anyway.

But I decided to turn my back on the tunnel travel.  Decided that I really wanted

to see Meteora.  Nana says that she will come back with me and take me there.

Just wanted the family to know that Nana is on the hook for at least one more

trip to Greece.  The snake?  Oh, it turned out to just be an old firehose.  Not

sure why it looked so big and onerous.  Would have been a funny story in Heaven...

A Baden-Baden Walkabout - May, 2015

This Sculptor was getting a lot of attention from the lady tourists.
I think that they were impressed by his big hammer.

Found a quiet spot where young people obviously hang out & smoke.

I noticed that they have written a few things on their local red wall.

A couple of them were cute.

I have never heard this one.  A lot of truth to it... yes indeed...

I Keep Going Around in Circles - Must be From My Work!

This turned out to be a cool picture.  It is a picture taken through a very long, large

diameter pipe that has epoxy coating on the internal diameter.  The pipe is actually

spiral formed & welded.  The epoxy is applied in a spiral fashion as well.

All told, the picture has a very spiral looking appearance.

Snake!! Open Slowly...

As I have been hiking in Greece, I have been wary of snakes, a few of the locals

are poisonous.  I did see a very small snake but later in the hike, next to a cistern

in the mountains, I spied a large molt...  This is almost as good a a big bug taped

to my underwear... I put the molted skin head onto my little finger and chased

myself around...  Oh my gosh... how old memories prevail!  

As always, Pops  (With a twisted sense of humor.)

Sunset in Thisvi on Tuesday Night

It was a stark contrast, the receding sun illuminating the cumulus leftovers
on top of the black mountain as the evening crept into night time.

White versus Black... should be Gray in between, right?!

But all I see a bit of Blue...  Alas, I am Blue as

I am Here and She is There.      I miss Her!

Good night my Dear One...   as I said...   I miss You!

At work, in Thisvi, Greece.  Oh wait, it is Easter Sunday, Orthodox Easter Sunday, so it is a day-off.

As I recall, looking at the down loaded photograph, I think that I am sitting on a bench at the Saranti Beach near Thisvi.  Let me know if you think otherwise.  Just to keep things known, Erica, Carol and the Kids are at Chunky Sneeze in DC playing games on Pops Dollar - with a coupon!

Did Anyone Ever Think of Double Readers? I did, had to, dang-it!

.

Could not quite make out my very small map plan to Meteora this weekend so

I thought that I would try double readers (1.25 mag x 2 = perhaps 250)

Well, at any rate, it worked for me tonight.  

Greek Honey is the Best; Missing my Big Honey but Bought Some Greek Honey for My Little Honey

Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!

Amaya, Papa bought you some of that Greek Honey that you liked the last

time that I brought it home.  I look forward to seeing you!

Need a Turtle Neck; Saw a Big Turtle in Greece One Day Later

There is something about a guy that retires and keeps working

because he enjoys it.  That is me.  I took a Selfie using one of those

"big eye space mirrors" and it made my neck look much worse than

it actually is.  (OK, I may be ssttrreecchhttiinngg the truth here...)

After looking at the picture, I decided that I should maybe

 consider adding turtle necks to my work attire.

Lo and Behold, one day later and I see this big ass turtle crossing the

highway.  I pulled over and took his picture after opening my car door.

For perspective of his size, note the yellow line marking the "no turtle

passing zone."  Maybe this sighting is an omen.  Maybe I do need

to start looking for old man turtleneck sweaters!

Sunday - Day Off in Domvraina, Greece

Had a day off - drove up the Mountain and through several villages.

In this picture, Domvraina and Thisvi are to the left and the CPW

Plant is to the right of the Church.  The sea is in the background.

Another view of the same memorial - typically placed by families
on the roadside where a loved one was killed.  The mountain
roads are very treacherous... unfortunately there are many memorials.

Half way up the mountain, there is a several acre - cement walled - 

compound that is very interesting to me.  Apparently, it was

built by a older Greek man that died some time ago.

He planted olive trees in the compound, he has several

garages, everything is stone or concrete walls or buildings.

I should like to go in and walk around the compound,

instead of just wandering 1/2 way around it on top of the walls.

Nick has found the surviving Family whose Father built the
olive tree/vineyard compound.  It would make a great housing
site if one was interested in living off-the-grid.

The memorial in front of the property.  Obviously some-
one kicked-the-bucket nearby at some time in the past.

Niagara Falls, Canada as Noted from Domvraina, Greece

I am living in a rental house in the middle of a village in Greece

by the name of Domvraina.  The owner of the "family" house is my age and

lives in Athens where her daughter's and grandkid's live.

  

("The Village is boring" would summarize her thoughts I think.)

At any rate, she has a cupboard of "special glasses" that her Mother kept

separate.  I looked into that cupboard to see if I could find a wine glass 

for my 3-Buck Chuck.    No... guess Grandma did not inbibe.

At any rate, clear in the back of the "special glasses" are these expresso

cups...  Small world as we just had good friends from Canadia visit.

Who know when/where she got them but she obviously treasured them.

(She has 6 of them and they make like a taster tray for my 3-Buck Chuck.)

No Name Wine - Only in Greece My Friend

The economy is perhaps a bit shakier in Greece than

America.  Perhaps that is why you can buy "No Name Wine"

in the grocery down the street.  It actually has a locked lid but

the bottle resembles the most popular bottled water bottle.

(Without the wrapper of course.)

Well, thats why it is called "No Name Wine"!
(For those who need a price... call it 3-euro chuck.)

It's not a bad wine.  I tried it with my freshly boiled eggs

after getting home at midnight.  Ya Gotta Love It and I Do!