I still subscribe to the weekly e-newsletter from Germany and love it.  Each week is the German "Word of the Week" and this one was a short time ago.  I do have "reisefieber" for sure!!!

From the newsletter:  Literally translated Reisefieber means "travel fever" - but it's not the type of sickness that keeps you in bed.  It describes the feelings of excitement, combined with anxiety and nervousness, that you have in anticipation of a trip.

I do not like all the bad things that keep happening in the world and even more so when it happens where we have been - places that were beautiful and peaceful such as Bangkok.  A couple weeks ago a terrorist set off an explosion at this Erawan shrine that killed 21 people and injured many more and this is my photo from November 2006 of the same shrine.  When the hotel behind it was being built there was a problem with the foundation being laid on the wrong date, "unlucky date", worker injuries, marble being lost at sea -  so the shrine was erected to ward off evil spirits and now people lay flowers and pray for wishes being answered.

Definitely our house is somewhat of a hotel and often a drop in restaurant.  My niece Chelsea and husband Adam spent a couple nights with us last week and then her 2 brothers (my nephews) and nephew (my great-nephew) dropped in  around dinner time:).  We managed to stretch our dinner for 4 to feed 7 but it required a lot of bread to stretch the tortellini!!!  I love these smiley faces around my table.

 Today was Alex/Lucy day so we rode our bikes to the nearby park reserve as usual and did the workout at the outdoor exercise center.  They sure are sturdy and fit kids!!!

We have a full load of stuff coming up but tonight we got a call from the couple from Pennsylvania who will be meeting us in Australia.  We had originally booked a trip to Peru/Bolivia and planned to hike Macchu Picchu (next year maybe) but several months ago they asked if we would like to join them in Australia/New Zealand.  They are so much fun and we are all looking forward to good times - and a hot air balloon ride and maybe some snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef - why not I say?  You only live once!!!!