temporarily

Posted on July 10, 2012 by Kim Halloran-Fry

We packed up our home last week and have been in a temporary furnished rental until we leave. It has been a bit of a culture shock for us all since it is right on the main street of a much larger town. When you say "on" the main street in Germany that means you have the street, then the sidewalk (no grass between) and the wall of the house juts straight up from the edge of the sidewalk. The master bedroom is streetside, downstairs so its a little unsettling to hear the sirens and trucks roar by within feet of the bed.

The house is decorated in a, um, global theme. There are buddhas, African tribal statues, Chinese vases and a certain glass tubed contraption used for herbal inhalation of semi legal substances. ahem

the shower has its own remote control. I swear it looks ready to beam you up. There are lights in the ceiling – blue and yellow flashing lights. Ceiling of the shower that is. Along with the radio.

this is the groovy upstairs lounge.

this is the toy environmentally friendly washer. When you open it you see the above.

When you press the button it unbuckles and looks like the below pic. You fill it and close it back up to wash. It actually works well for all six items of clothing you wash.

You just need to be patient because those numbers indicate how long the wash cycle takes. : )

And this man is in the back yard. Why not?

If you don’t have anything nice to say….

Posted on July 9, 2012 by Kim Halloran-Fry

"Saying nothing at all might be the kindest thing you can do." – Andrew Schultz

I still haven't had a moment to figure out a new link share but this article is worth a read if you are a blogger. We tend to greatly overestimate our own opinions as well as others' need to hear them. ; )

Rob’s Run

Posted on July 7, 2012 by Kim Halloran-Fry

The local community organized a Stand Against Sarcoma 10k this morning for our friend Rob. It was a most appropriate way to show support for this avid runner.

Krissie did an awesome job when put on the spot to say a few words, though I know she would have given anything to be cheering her husband from the sidelines vs speaking on his behalf from the truck. This a hard thing, cancer.

"One of these things is not like the others, one of these things just doesn't belong…" Yeah, that would be me up front. In my dress – partly because the pair of sweat pants I packed had to be tossed after we painted and partly because who is going to talk you into running 6 miles when you are dressed like that right? I did what I do, took pictures, and handed the camera up to Krissie so Rob could have a look at the crowd which took several frames, left to right, to capture.

Allen finished in very good time. And this run, Aidan was determined to join in. He has run 4.5mi but never a 10k til today. He did a fantastic job and is very encouraged to try it again.

Kieran and the kids hanging out waiting for the runners to finish.

We love you Krissie and family. We really do.

an (ex)patriotic 4th

Posted on July 7, 2012 by Kim Halloran-Fry

We weren't sure we would be attending the 4th festivities this year. Our movers were scheduled to load this day. By the end of Monday they had nearly packed the house so we wrapped up a day early on Tuesday. We went back to the house to clean up and touch up paint Wednesday morning and then regrouped and headed to the base late afternoon for our last American celebration in Germany.

Weekend Photography tips: cropping and printing

Posted on July 2, 2012 by Kim Halloran-Fry

My kids sometimes argue that they are never going to need to use their math. I beg to differ. Printing and framing your photographs is a good example of real like application and this article helps to explain why.

Digital images from a cropped sensor camera (which is what the consumer dslr and point and shoot cameras are) produce prints with a 3:2 ratio. (full frame or pro cameras have a 4:3 as a rule) That means they print a standard 4x6in photo. However, that also means the next size "up" is not a 5×7 nor even an 8×10. It is an 8×12. (16×24 and so on) That is a bummer because photo frames are not typically those dimensions. Most online photo labs will give you a crop tool to use as you select sizes. It is still helpful to have a fair idea in your mind of what different ratios look like so you can plan enough margin into your shots to all for the inevitable cropping of parts of your image for framing.

I had the advice "fill the frame" drilled into my head early on in film days. It isn't such good policy for digital. Zoom in close enough to isolate your subject, yes, but leave enough room around the edges to crop comfortably for enlargements while retaining all the essential elements of your image.

(I am mid-relocation so if my math was off I beg pardon <g> It is all in the linked article.)

the last dance

Posted on June 30, 2012 by Kim Halloran-Fry

The kids had a party for their last night at the dance studio. Games, candy, lots of dancing. Lots of laughing. Lots of wonderful people. I was doing really well ri-i-i-ght up until Miss Mary told them to line up for the last time they would dance out the door. Agh. Last times are hard for me. Very hard.

My lovely Moira put on a brave face for her dance-around but this was a rough night for her. It is hard to remember this is the same girl who cried for having to come to Germany.

These three look like trouble. <g>

Rousing game of freeze tag here, hand in hand.

Watching Tess looking so very big also caught my breath. She began to dance two years ago and stumbled over her own feet for months. Several weeks into it I wasn't sure she was ever going to get it. But suddenly she is no longer round and tentative but this lanky, confident girl in long braids who knows many dances. And I am happy for her, for them all. Happy they pushed through their sadness over leaving the ranch to have this German adventure. Happy for all they have seen and done. Happy that they are well and strong and so very alive.

But there were still tears over here, because that is how milestones go for me.

South of the Border Birthday Dinner

Posted on June 28, 2012 by Kim Halloran-Fry

Well, not our border but you know what I mean, right? Allen wanted Mexican for his birthday dinner last week and Alannah obliged with enchiladas from the Pioneer Woman and a Coconut Pistaschio pie. Good stuff! There were no leftovers from this one. Everyone but Abbie ate, although Tess kept saying, "It's good…but spicy!"

cattle….drive

Posted on June 27, 2012 by Kim Halloran-Fry

Oh the things I see while washing up dishes at the kitchen window.

he aint heavy

Posted on June 26, 2012 by Kim Halloran-Fry

"What is a brad?" Kieran was reading the directions in his craft book and puzzled over the unfamiliar word. I explained it was a little brass fastener that would make the paper doll's joints bend. "Do we have any?" he wanted to know. We did. That was all he wanted to know. He had spotted this project and he was sure his little sisters would love it.

He was right.

I remember standing in the driveway chatting with the neighbors many years ago. We had just learned we were expecting our fourth child. The beautiful blonde nurse across the street was flabbergasted. "Don't you want the best things for your kids?" she asked rhetorically feeling, as she did, that there would not have been a third much less a fourth if we did.

In fact I wanted the very best. I wanted them to have trusted friends. I wanted them to have good advice and a helping hand. I wanted them to have a sympathetic comrade, one so familiar he knew exactly what would make your day – and then set out to do just that.

Watching Kieran invest hours in his younger brothers and sisters – as his older brothers and sisters have done for him – I feel pretty sure they've got that.

I, who have no sisters or brothers, look with some degree of innocent envy on those who may be said to be born to friends.

James Boswell

sounds of the forest

Posted on June 25, 2012 by Kim Halloran-Fry

One of these nights soon will be the last we hike through the forest surrounding our village. I can't seem to get enough and wish to plant these sights deep in my memory, for we will not be back down these roads.

I did a quick spin in my spot listening to the birds on this damp evening. It probably loses something in recording but it was a beautiful walk nonetheless.