The Euro-Condon Web Log

We are still renting and are planning on buying a house in Esslingen soon. We would like a house or apartment with a large deck. Here is a video about decks.

So here is a speed version to catch us up to date.

Todd and Donna’s neighbor is French and took a Champagne run to, well, Champagne and we had him buy us some great Champagne at great prices from a less know (outside of Champagne) Champagne House. We have a wine cellar so we have to put something in it.

We put down hardwood floors in our apartment here. The carpet was old and stained and it looks sooo much better and brighter now. And we prefer the hardwood floors for Kostas to crawl around on.

In Feb, the Fasching Parade (kind of Marti Gras) came through Esslingen. We watched with friends and had a great time.

A big crowd of friends went to Vilnius for a long weekend. There was a festival going on. We ate great food. Toured the sights. Everyone seems to enjoy it very much.

I was lucky enough to be able to spend St. Patrick’s Day in Charleston visiting family and friends (and the pub).

Since we got Migle’s tourist visa and since my Brother Chris and his now-wife Pam were getting married, we visited Charleston. That trip was years in the making. It started with an oyster roast at our good friends Mike and Sarah’s house. Migle caught on fast and really liked the oysters. Dale through a party for the Condon side of the family so they could meet Migle and Kostas. It was great and we are very appreciative to Dale for organizing and hosting it all. About 30 people came and that’s about half the Condon family in Charleston. I was able to have lunch and/or some beers with many old friends to do some catching up. We spent a few days out at Mom’s house. We really enjoyed the peace and quiet and spending time with Mom. Our friend from Germany, Verena, visited us then. We had a nice Easter dinner with Dale and Dad at their house. Migle and I then drove to Ft. Lauderdale, met friends at the airport and drove down to Key West for a week of non-parental time. Great food, nightlife, sailboats, sunsets, reading, beaches, sights, condo, shops, pool, grill, and REST. We loved it! I was lucky enough to be able to fly up and attend the retirement of one of my two mentor’s from the USAR, MG Ponder. I look forward to seeing him again on my next trip to DC. The Chris had his bachelor party. We bar-hopped by limo. I think it was just what Chris wanted. We visited the pool at Charleston Place. Kostas loves the water and loved the pool. For Migle’s birthday, we had dinner at the Penninsula Grill and then went to our favorite bar and drank Dirty Martini’s. We went to the BBQ that Dad/Dale threw for Chris and Pam. Caught up with alot of relatives and ate some tasty BBQ. The next day was the wedding and reception. It was beautiful, relaxed, and probably the best wedding I have ever attended. Might be because the bar was open an hour before the wedding started. We then went to our favorite bar for the after-party. The next day was Kostas’ first birthday. In addition to a few presents, he got one big cake to play with and then some time in his own pool. Then we flew back the next day. Neither flight (over or back) was easy but they could have been much worse. It took a week or two for Kostas to get used to the new time zone, once we were back.

I would like to thank Dale and Dad VERY MUCH for their tremendous hospitality while we were in Charleston and for letting us stay with them for a month!!

I would also like to thank my Mom and Verena for watching Kostas while we went to Key West!

The Spring Fest was in Stuttgart. We went a few times but much less than pre-Kostas.

We also arranged a big group to go to the Esslingen Wine Hike. We had about 20 people come to our house and have some Champagne before heading over to the wine hike. It was a blast but the heat slowed everyone down.

The Pictures that go with this post are here.

Take care, Jim

We found out a few days ago that Kostas is allergic to Egg Whites. That’s good and bad that we found out.  Good that we can avoid egg’s in food and that will lower the agrevation to his eczema.  Bad in that eggs are in soooo many foods.

My wife was a performing artist before she moved to Germany to be with me. Her old troupe of dancers was selected to be in a music video by the Latvian Rock Band “Brainstorm“. She’s not in the video but many of our friends are in the video. If she lived in Lithuania, then she would have been in the video.
Play it here …

We’re packing now for our big BIG trip

Jim

Migle got her toursit visa for the U.S. today. So we are celebrating! It’s good for a period of ten years - with no more than 6 months in duration at a time. You would think that either she would not need one (married to a U.S. citizen) or that it would be easy to get. But, unfortunately, that was not the case. We will use it to visit the States once a year or so. We’re using it to visit in April for Chris and Pam’s wedding and to show Migle Charleston for the first time.

We got our first snow here and quite a bit. I flew to Romania for a work trip and it started the day I left. The Stuttgart airport was shut down for a while - which is a big deal. I went to Bucharest and to the Black Sea Coast. It was a good trip. In addition to work and Kostas, I’m busy planning a trip to Vilnius with a bunch of friends in March and then Migle and Kostas’ first trip to the U.S. in April for Chris and Pam’s wedding. Most of the time we’ll be in Charleston but we may go to DC for a week for work and hopefully can spend a few days in Key West also. We have Migle’s toursit visa interview next Friday. I’m still selling the Jeep or, if not too expensive, maybe shipping to Charleston and using it as a Big John’s business vehicle. Kostas is good and just keeps growing. His first two teeth are fully in but no more yet. He is standing up if he can hold on to something. And he started crawling a couple of weeks ago - and that’s a new challenge

Guess what Kostas got for Christmas … his front two teeth! Sorry the picture looks a little strange by itself, but I wanted to make sure you could see his teeth.

Christmas was great! New Years Eve was excellent. As usual, a good time was had by all!

Migle’s parents and Steve are gone now. We enjoyed having them.

Something tragic has happened in Charleston. The Son of my last boss drowned in the Ashley River. I can’t even begin to image the grief they are going through! Please pray for him …

Merry Christmas to all our family, friends, and colleagues!

Just a quick note to say we had a great Christmas. Migle’s Mom and Dad and my cousin Steve were all here to help us celebrate. Kostas enjoyed his first Christmas morning. Of course, he liked the bows and paper more than his presents.

There are some new pictures here. Happy Holidays to all …
Jim, Migle, and Kostas

It pains me to part with my Jeep!

I no longer have USAREUR Vehicle Registration Privledges and I can’t register it in German because it is U.S. Spec, so I am selling it.

I bought it in the States and brought it here with me in January 2000. I have religiously brought it to the German Jeep Dealer for routine maintenance and the minute anything needed fixing. I have taken VERY good care of her.

It is a 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee - Limited Edition - with Four Wheel Drive.

It has a leather interior and a towing package. The leather has held up great.

I plugged all the specific information into the Kelly Blue Book web site and $9,985 came out. I know it is worth more than that but I don’t think I will be able to sell it for more.

Here is a SLIDESHOW with eleven detailed pictures.

If are seriously intersted in buying her, please email me at my “yahoo” address - my userid is “jfcta1″ or call me at 0173 363 5383.

You will NOT be disappointed in this car.

Jim

Here is a pre-holiday update on what’s going on with us.

Migle, Kostas, Greta, and I went to London. I worked most of the time but had some evenings free. All of us really enjoyed it. Greta stayed with Kostas one night and Migle and I were able to grab a show. Then I stayed back and Migle and Greta saw the Lion King. They said it was incredible. And they wandered around London while I worked. Greta had not been to London before so it was good to be able to bring her along.

Thanksgiving was great. Friends invited us over to their house. Thy live a short ride or long walk from where we live in Esslingen. They did it up right and it was one of the best Thanksgiving meals I have had in a while. I brought two desserts that I made (bourbon-orange-walnut pie with fresh whipped cognac whipped cream) and (double chocholate pie with a brownie cake bottom, chocolate mousse middle, and fresh whipped cream top). And I brought some German dessert wine and dessert sekt (german champage) from our town (Esslingen). Everyone ate too much and had a great time. Our friends have children and a Son Kostas’ age so it was cool to see them interact. Kostas hasn’t had much other-kid time yet.

Greta was here for a month. As last time, it was GREAT to have her here to spend time with Migle and to help take care of Kostas and the house. I was traveling some of that time so it was good she was here. We are hoping she can come back again next year for a month or two.

Migle’s Parents are coming to visit for the holidays. They get here next Monday and stay until the 3rd. We’re really looking forward to it. Usually we go to Lithuania for Christmas but with Kostas 7 months old, we decided to stay here and Migle talked them into coming to visit. Which is always a big deal because they don’t particularly like to travel.

Steve (my cousin) is also coming for the holidays. He gets here next Wed. We (and he) are pretty excited about that also. He’s been trying to make it over here for a while!

The Esslingen Christmas Market and Festival is going on now. It is broken into two sides: (1) a pretty standard German Christmas Market and (2) a Medieval Christas Market. The Medieval side is super interesting and unique. We love it! It is one of our favorite things to do in Germany. And it is walking distance from our house. It is very authentic (medieval look and feel) and has great food and drink and things to do and see. It is here until the 22nd. If you live in Germany - I HIGHLY recommend it!

I am planning a package tour of Vilnius for a bunch of friends in March 2007. A large arts and crafts festival is going on then. It should be lots of fun!

If you subtract out the Eczema (which we have under control but only barely), Kostas is going absolutely fabulous! A while back we started teaching him how to eat baby food and that has been interesting. Overall, he’s doing great and growing like crazy.

We bought Kostas a swing and here is a video of him trying it out. Looks like he is enjoying it! Sorry the video is so dark.
My new job is going well. I am learning alot about the other side of the fence. Things I wish I knew years ago. The move has been a great one. I’m glad I did it!

I have a new US address for here. I will email it out to those who need it.

That’s all for now …

Happy Holidays!