how'd it go?

Could someone let us know how the Smith Family Christmas get together went?

Christmas Greetings From Germany

It's -15 C here and it has snowed everyday since we got here. Our lodge is in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. I hate the cold, but it is beautiful! We can see the Alps from our window and all around us when we're out and about. To get here we took the ferry to Belgium, and then drove the rest of the way. Rick is a true international driver now having driven in England, Scotland, Belgium and Germany.

So far we have visited Innsbruck and Dachau in Austria, and driven through Munich. Rick and Joe have tried skiing, but Julie and I opted to shop that day.

Yesterday we visited the Kris Kindle Market (Christmas Market). We had hot orange punch and cheese fondue while we shopped. Stalls are set up on the square with all kinds of things - it's very cute. This was the one in Garmisch - every town has it's own and each one is a little different.

We've also ridden the cable cars up to the top of one of the mountains, and took the train down. Well, Rick and I did - the kids opted for the train both ways.

We have two more days before we go home, getting home on Christmas Eve. Tomorrow we're going on a night tour of the Gorge, apparently complete with lighted torches. Gotta love any activity that lets you play with fire!

Rick is taking lots of pictures to share later. Hope everyone is having a merry Christmas season so far!

Happy Thanksgiving To All

Interestingly, even though Thanksgiving is not a British holiday, the turkey sales are pretty prevalent and the Christmas decorations are up, so it's almost like home. We started the day with a nice brisk walk downtown where we picked up a Santa suit for Joe. He's doing a charity run for St Michael's Hospice Sunday and all of the runners are wearing Santa suits.

We stopped at an outdoor cafe to get a cup of hot chocolate, and it started pouring. Rick was a good sport about it - we actually did sit and finish the hot chocolate in the wind and rain before heading home to put the turkey in the oven.

I like the ritual of preparing the turkey and the familiar side dshes (you know we'll have olives!). I always think about all of my family members preparing for the same dinner all over the world, and it connects us somehow.

For everyone out there, I wish you a glorious day spent in the company of those you love, with the knowledge that you are loved and remembered by those of us who are not there as well1

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Feeling good

Well I'm home. After all the drama of trying to get admitted to the hospital I finally had my gallbladder ripped out by the roots. Everything went fine. I see the doctor for my follow-up visit on December the 9th. It took me a few days to get my energy back but today I feel 100% better. I still get tired if I do to much but the pain I constantly felt in my abdomen is gone.
The next step is to recover through December and then get the scar tissue in my left shoulder cut so I can get a full range of motion back,after the 1st of the year.
I'll keep everyone posted as things progress.
As far as the hospital goes, it was great. It was a private hospital. I had a private room with a private bath. If you needed pain medicine you got it in about 60 seconds after asking for it. This is compared to literally six hours in a National health hospital. When I could eat again, dinner consisted of hot tea followed by creme of mushroom soup, roast lamb with mint sauce and five scoops of lemon sorbet for desert. Since I missed my lunch of chicken salad and tea because I was in surgery, they brought me that too along with my dinner. At 1:00am after my surgery the nurse came in, saw that I was still awake and brought me a tray of hot tea.
It was great as far as hospitals go. The girl who helped me get my insurance approval even came up to my room to make sure everything went well.
That's about it for now.
Cheers!

Posted by rick at 6:29 PM 0 comments

Rick's Tales from the Front

As many of you know, Rick has been battling the hospital and the insurance company to get his gall bladder operation scheduled. Because he's going through a private hospital, not NHS (National Health Service), and because they can, the hospital wanted payment up front. They would accept a guarantee of payment from the insurance company, but the insurance company would not provide a guarantee of payment until he was admitted, and the hospital would not admit him until they got a guarantee. Classic catch-22.

So how to come up with 9,000.00? We went down several roads, and eventually got a loan, freeing him for surgery. We signed the papers, and called the hospital to see how they wanted the check made out and who to deliver it to.

Surprise! They had worked things out with the insurance company!

So we are good to go. No out of pocket for now, and pleased to know that our signature alone can buy us at least 9,000.00 on any given day.

Surgery tomorrow!

Ta-Da!!!

Homecoming Pictures

In an unexpected move, both children went to the homecoming dance. Most kids went in groups not with dates, so almost everyone goes. And dresses up. Julie is in several pictures nad Joe is in a couple. I think it's fun to see the dresses. Here's the link - just paste into your browser..

http://www.mhil-ehs.eu.dodea.edu/images/Homecoming_17Oct2009/index.htm