GETTING LOST

Years ago I learned that you could find a lot more interesting things if you occasionally got lost.

I learned this from getting lost.

A lot.

Some military families stick very 'close to home' when overseas; meaning they rarely venture outside of U.S. housing and shopping areas. They don't learn much of the language - they don't go out of their way to purchase 'locally' - their friends are other Americans.

We were extremely fortunate, therefore, with our first overseas assignment - we were sent to Dusseldorf, where there simply were no American facilities.

So there wasn't any choice, really. Had to learn German - enough to shop, and then to survive in church. Had to learn to take the tram and the trains. And got lost three thousand, four hundred and twenty-seven times on just the one-way streets alone in Dusseldorf (it would be up in the millions on just regular roads alone).

But by getting lost, I found out alternate routes to almost every place you'd want to go in Dusseldorf - I discovered several Schlosser (castles/mansions) that were not listed on the tourists runs - I began shopping at the farmers' markt - and my two girls were dressed in the most darling German clothing you can imagine (this was in the early 80's, when the exchange rate was VERY good).

So when we were transferred to Frankfurt, I continued to get lost - and then in Honolulu - in Maryland - and now in Arizona.

Today I didn't mean to get lost - I was attempting to find an address - but I can across something that was cute enough to warrant this long, rambling and judgmental blog.

A street name.

"Almostaranch"

Well, I thought it was cute.