Since now being on the computer all day, my hand writing (that was never good) has gone to crap.
Wow, that’s a lot and much appreciated, thank you. If I only had 10 days, which towns would be the best bet? We like old architecture and museums.
That’s nice, I’m happy for you guys!
You didn’t ask me, but my brother lived in Bavaria (Wurzburg) for a number of years. I was fortunate to visit him for a few weeks there. Loved it! He chauffeured us around for some things, but his wife doesn’t drive so when my brother had to work, we used the trains. I have no bad memories of using them, so they must have been easy. I do remember driving on the Autobahn was palm-sweatingly uncomfortable.
Highlights:
Bad Kissingen, north of Wurzburg. It’s one of their spa towns, and I’ve never, ever been to a spa like that! The Germans take some other things quite seriously besides their beer. Spas are one of them, along with pastry and sex. They’re quite casual about nudity, too. I was amused to note that on many corners in the towns were a bakery, a sex shop and a tavern. Good priorities there. 
Getting back to Bad Kissingen, they offered every imaginable spa treatment, including all sorts of massage, facials, body scrubs and such. I had a full body massage, a facial and a goat butter body wrap. Buying a day pass entitles you to use all their facilities (spa treatments billed separate and booked ahead if possible), and boy, do they have pools! Cold pools, hot pools, outdoor pools that turn into indoor pools, pools that move you around like a toilet flushing, bubbling pools, still pools… you get the idea. It was expensive but what an experience!
The town itself is charming, as was every town we visited in Bavaria, and the rose gardens there were exceptional.
Bamberg, east of Wurzburg and again, incredibly charming. We went for their famous smoked beer. I didn’t care for it, but the tavern had lots of other choices, so no problem. The architecture is beautiful and the town is made for strolling.
Nuremberg, southeast of Wurzburg, is a must-see if you’re there. IMHO. Apart from its history, it is another gorgeous walking town. The open air market was alone worth the trip, and the castle has some interesting features, too.
We flew into Frankfurt but didn’t spend any time there so I have no opinion about whether it’s worth devoting time to. If I’d had more time when we were there, I would have loved to have gone to Neuschwanstein Castle.
That’s all I got. I don’t think you could ever be disappointed with Bavaria as a vacation destination. I’d love to go back!
Wow, lots of great information to digest, thank you for taking the time - appreciated.
They were $3.47 in Aldi this morning.
Thanks again for the b-day wishes. I made a red sauce with Italian sausage, we had pasta with red wine, and then we had riotously noisy sex for hours. Or watched a TV series. Can’t really remember. The pasta was good, though.
In the 80s again today and tomorrow with some rain predicted. Then we get a 30 degree drop for a few days. The fires up north are out of control.
I slept pretty well last night, so I think I really AM getting used to the APAP.
Tonight Ms. Dog is making a return visit. She’ll be here until sometime on Saturday. On Sunday my son is coming for an overnight. He has to go back to Seattle for a neurologist appointment and thought it’d be nice to spend some Mom time. I may be operating a B&B without knowing it. Are there dog B&Bs? There should be.
I"m gearing myself up for the stabbed-with-a-steak-knife shot I have to give myself today. I think I can…I think I can… Also, a friend is dropping by. I want to have done it before then so I’m not dreading it the whole time she’s here.
Bridges…I was born afraid of heights–OK, not born with it. My mom thought it was because I somehow escaped from my bed at 6 months, wriggled myself to the top of the stairs, and would have fallen—I was half over the top step–when my sister heard me screaming and got me in the nick of time. Anyway, when I was a kid, there was a bridge over the Eisenhower Expressway that scared the bejeebers out of me, as in all my bejeebers bailed and never returned. I stand before you completely bejeeberless. No matter how many times people told me the bridge couldn’t fall due to concrete and steel, I didn’t believe them. When a semi went under, the bridge vibrated. Yikes.
My coolest bridge experience was the Astoria-Megler bridge between Washington and Astoria, OR. It’s about 4 miles long and is the longest continuous truss bridge in North America. (Trusses are what bridges have to wear when they age.) It wasn’t just the length that made it cool. It was the seagulls. One flew by the car at eye level. Moments later, another flew by at eye level. Then a third. I think altogether there were about 10, all about 5 seconds apart, staring straight ahead, and flying fast and at eye level. I’ve been over the bridge a few times since and have never had the seagulls do that again.
I was going to make a more obvious Stray Cats joke. Yours and red’s are so much better! I hope Brian the Actual Cat returns.
MetalMouse, if kids are getting less practice, I imagine the games will be much more…interesting.
So your commute to work is two hours, or was it due to the capriciousness?
Good question! All I could think of was the health class definition, which wouldn’t work and which you’d have been familiar with, Nurse Boo.
FCM, that’s SO cool that he’s learning to write letters already! Handsome AND smart! He’s a catch! I bet he’s the heartthrob of the junior set.
I read that TWICE as “Bad Kissinger” and thought, “You mean the one we got was GOOD Kissinger?” That sounds like a wonderful trip! Thanks for letting us take it vicariously.
Howdy everyone. I’ve been working around the house today and then a little bit of sewing. I made one pillow for my mom out of a Mickey Mouse shirt and started on one for myself. I have to get more stuffing, though. And, I have to figure out what to do about the holes in the shirt.
Kinda blah today.
Short Term Disability.
Thank you.
Prior to my brain injury I would have been able to figure that out. Sigh…
In my decades of experience nursing people with disabilities, I can’t remember anyone who succeeded at getting STD by the time they were no longer disabled. Clear memories of several who died still fighting that battle. I wish her all the good luck and favorable karma possible.
Hubs was another one who was back to work after his quad bypass before he finally got his STD pay. fuckers.
We went to Neuschwanstein castle. A bit crowded, but cool. It’s funny the only time we hired a car and guide the guy was from - Iowa.
This is a very sweet town “Red castle above the Tauber”
It has a very cool history. We spent 2 or maybe 3 nights there. In WWII, it was getting pounded by US fources, but the guy in charge did not want to ruin such history. Six US army soldiers approach the gates of the town an negotiated a surrender so that the town would not be destroyed.
From wiki -
“The U.S. Assistant Secretary of War, John J. McCloy, knew about the historic importance and beauty of Rothenburg, so he ordered U.S. Army General Jacob L. Devers not to use artillery in taking Rothenburg. Battalion commander Frank Burke, a future Medal of Honor recipient, ordered six soldiers of the 12th Infantry Regiment (United States), 4th Division to march into Rothenburg on a three-hour mission and negotiate the surrender of the town.”
We did something right.
So much of Europe had already been destroyed 
Hey everyone. I was just starting to post when my eye doctor’s office called about tomorrow’s appointment and I managed to get an estimate for the replacement lenses. The cost will be about a thousand more each eye if I have astigmatisms but nobody has ever said that word to me so I’m hoping we will come in at 3g or less an eye.
Of course I’ll know more tomorrow, I think this call was just to prep me about how lens replacements worked and why insurance wouldn’t pay for anything but the standard surgery and parts. She seemed pretty happy when I told her that I used to watch cataract surgeries, order lenses and equipment and lunch for the doctors.
Nowadays, they administer the antibiotics and such during surgery so I won’t have to mess around with eye drops on schedule.
I’m so excited I can hardly stand it!!!
I wonder what triggered it. Do you maybe have a low-grade sinus or inner ear infection going on?
I’ve always had a fear of heights and some roads will trigger it, but usually it is knowing that there is nothing under the road that does it for me.
While you at the service station, check your tire air pressure. When you get home, change your HVAC filter. Run the sanitizing cycle in your dishwasher and washing machine. Nap.
Jut being expected to do something at a certain time gets much harder when you are retired cause then you get the I donwannas ever single time.
My handwriting used to be so pretty. Then I sat behind a keyboard.
I wouldn’t believe them either!
I am so very sorry they are so bad. Can you maybe ask your doctor for a topical numbing salve? Would icing the area first help in the mean time? I hurt for you.
My handwriting has always been marginal, so I haven’t lost anything. 
My signature starts with M then devolves into a wiggly line. It’s even worse on screens.
Supper will be ham, cabbage-n-onions, and salad. Motivation has been excessively low today. Mega-RDOS.
Howdy Y’all! Provisions were procured and it was all downhill after that. I started to sniffle and sneeze just after noon. Stoopid sinuses! Thus I did not help with cleanup activities and obviously am not at the Wednesday doin’s. Nappage and overall bein’ a sloth occurred instead. OYKW has gone to the doin’s which surprised me as usually he won’t without me. Maybe he wanted a break from hearin’ me sniffle, sneeze and blow my nose.
Most welcome – I hope you find something of use!
Bad Kissing Hen? Bad Kissing Men? Bad Kissing Yen? We could go a lot of places with this short of shitty Nixon elder statesmen, couldn’t we? 
I am envious! Maybe I’ll get another chance someday. Glad to hear the journey was worthwhile!
I’m so excited for you, and I can’t wait to hear all about how it all goes! Best, best thoughts to you!
Short term disability. It’s one of the extra things that I pay for in my bennie package at irk.
Mooooooom, it looks like you have a budding professor there.
I will likely be back to irk before I get a check. I moved funds from rainy day to cover May expenses, so I won’t be homeless or anything, but damn, this is a couple of hours a day for three or four days a week to try to get this shit straightened out.
That’s great. Cataract replacement is the most common surgery in the USA. Was very, very easy for me. I did it twice, one eye, and then the other when it went bad.
Now, my vision is perfect. An unbelievable change. No reading glasses, no contact lenses, nothing. Changed my life.
There are threads here on the SDMB about it.
My handwriting peaked at illegible and then went sharply downhill.
Beginning to feel the summer doldrums set in. I always look forward to the break because I’m ludicrously busy during my busy season, then I can’t figure out what to do with myself.
I need a hobby.
Summer? Just got a half inch of snow here.