Finally, after all these years...

When I was in my pre-teens, we used to drive to Poland once a year with a bunch of other families. It was a long drive and sometimes and even longer wait at the border.
In order to pass the time, one of the older girls used to hand out one or two sheets of paper for a road-trip scavenger hunt. There were a few items on the list that showed up every year and frankly, were near-impossible to find.
Over time (again, LOTS of time) we did find most of them: A car with more than three colors, a truck with an elephant on the side of it,... we even found the pyramids (those are surprisingly easy to find if you don't fall asleep during a certain part of the ride). But there was one item in paticular that we never did see.
Yesterday I was on my way to a rugby tournament (yes, were else do I go these days) in Pennsylvania. We took the route that takes us through two tunnels and right through the middle of "The City". As we were coming through the tunnel, I remarked: Hey, that truck lots funny, it looks like it's reversing through the tunnel.
Then I stopped. And looked. And blinked and looked again.
here it was, after all those years of waiting:
A tow truck being towed by a tow truck!

I was just thinking...

about Americans and cash. Or the none-usage of cash. Possibly just the fact that nobody seems to carry cash on them on a regular basis. Actually, more about people being quite offended when a place "only takes cash". And the fact that those around me seem surprised at my cash-carrying habits. I keep telling people: "I'm European. We use cash on a regular basis".
It just so happens that I have a theory on why this glorious nation has forsaken its bills and coins - to replace them with plastic in various formats. I'm pretty sure that the United States is the only country I've ever been to where all the bills have the same color. I have mentioned this before, but really it does make life so much easier when you can tell how much cash is in your wallet by just glancing inside and viewing the rainbow of bills (or lake thereof) as opposed to leaving through.
Put that on the list of things that really need to be reformed in this country: The presidential election system, the color of bills,... though not necessarily in that sequence.

Things I've learned so far...

1. People used to ask my parents why their children sound like they're from New York. I don't. I really, really don't.
2. When I was about 14 I was told not to worry that people said I dressed - differently. Supposedly I already at that age I dressed like a college kid: shorty, t-shirts, hoodies. So, not to worry, by the time I would make it to college, everyone would have caught up with me. By the time I made it to college, students in Germany still don't dress that way. And while my T-Shirts have become a bit more "cut" and my shorts a bit shorter - it seems as if anything more than halfway down your thighs is still quite long. And maybe I should start wearing flip-flops as well. Then finally I'll fit in.
3. Americans should do what pretty much every other country does: Each type of bill should have a different color. It makes life SO MUCH MORE SIMPLE. Really. Trust me.
4. For all the "let's go green" - there are some fatal flaws in the whole concept. For example: "Ride your bike, it's greener, it's healthier, it will make you fitter" is a good idea. And yet there are some small details which haven't been observed that would make it more easy, e.g. bike racks in front of shops.
More to follow...

there's something weird going on

Today I baked cookies.
Generally, not a noteworthy thing (unless you happen to follow the cookie smell into the kitchen). But as I cracked open the egg I was shocked to discover "twins".

My mother came running alarmed by my "oh my goodness" yelp. And surprisingly was much less surprised than I - claiming to have had three twins in one egg-paket. There is something going on with the food.
Seriously, the other day we picked some of my sisters tomatoes and look what we found then!