Discovered that Feldsalat is also called Rapunzel! It's the herb that Rapunzel's mother craves from the witches garden leading to the witch taking her baby after it's born and naming her Rapunzel. I've been eating a lot of it--very mild, light nutty flavor, tender leaves.
We were lucky again with the weather for our weekend outing. It was cloudy but not supposed to rain (it didn't) and mixed with sun at times, cool but not too cold. A good solid German Fall day.
The expedition: bike to the Rhein, take the ferry across, find the vineyard Gut Sülz (http://weinhaus-gutsuelz.de/Weinhaus_Gut_Suelz_ausgezeichnete_Weine.html) in Oberdollendorf, eat lunch at their restaurant (and sample some wine, of course), then head by foot to the ruins of a medieval cloister (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heisterbach_Abbey ). Only hiccup: I forgot my camera. So, sorry the pictures will be a little more grainy--used J's smartphone instead.
Waiting for the ferry! You can see it in the back left corner of the pic. It goes back and forth all day (7 a.m. to 9:50 p.m. except Sundays which have reduced hours) for cars/pedestrians/cyclists.
Walking from where we locked up our bikes, we passed this beautiful old Fachwerk house.
The wine house has a lovely garden in the back with a small playground and wandering goats and chickens (hmm, how is this sanitary? We did see the advantages of not having to mow the grass or pick up food that customers have dropped...)
The sun came out!
As we left after lunch we saw that the date 1659 was carved into the wood on the side of the house!
Here's to the good life! What luxury!
What's for lunch? The girls had Bratwurst with bread & butter, shared sides of Bratkartoffeln (panfried potatoes), salad, roast beef with Remouladensauce, and Kartoffelsalat. And of course, the wine: Weingut Blöser, 2010er Oberdollendorfer Sülzenberg Portugieser trocken.
GE really likes her Bratwurst (and these were huge--as long as the plate's diameter!). It's completely gone with no help from anyone, including the goats!
Spotted this quaint windmill in a garden as we trekked to the Abbey.
We are really enjoying "city" life in Bonn, but it was still wonderful to get out of it and see all the green! Spotted one maple that was turning a bright red already. Fall is not far off...
Our little GE is such a trooper! She got a lift from Daddy for just a bit but mostly hiked the whole way on her own. Thanks SH (last year's preschool teacher) for grooming her to be a "good hiker"! :)
A gate! Must pose for picture!
On the ferry back home!
September 16
Can't believe we're half-way through September already. Time is flying!
The Pauluskirche joined other congregations at the Waldau (http://www.waldau.de/ ) for an outdoor service and Familienfest this morning. We took a bus from the church to the Waldau--open roof! And great weather for it. Opened the apartment windows as doors again this afternoon. Just gorgeous. We didn't stay the afternoon, opting instead to take the same bus back (it was free) so that MK could finish her homework and we could have some quiet down time at home. We'll have to return to the Waldau some other time though since we didn't have time to explore the grounds beyond the playground or see the wild pigs and deer.
As usual, we continue our collection of cool playgrounds!!
Back at home, I had my afternoon "treat": a cup of espresso (unfortunately, it's just instant, but I can pretend with the appropriate cup and saucer!)
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| GE's quiet time activity choice: painting. |
September 17
I met with Mary's Schulleiterin (School director/principal), Fr. A this morning. I was at the school's office to get a paper for the Bonn Schulamt stating that our child was enrolled in school. While I was there Fr. A came out of her office, noticed me and invited me in to talk for a bit. I asked her how things seemed to be going. She was impressed with how MK has been writing everything down neatly and thoroughly, completing her homework, and otherwise behaving herself. However, she noted that she thought that MK would benefit from some additional German instruction so that she could integrate into the class camaraderie more. J and I had both talked about this before as well, so the only question I had was with regard to time: we didn't want MK to burn out on doing German instruction on top of homework on top of school days. Fr. A was quick to suggest that the teachers could easily accept less homework from MK until her German was up and running, so to speak. When I got home I emailed J and talked it over. I called the tutor that an American friend had recommended and set up some sessions starting next week. The focus will be on German first but she also provides homework support. We'll just plan to do less homework on those days, even if it means not always completing all the work. I just have to remember to write a note to her teachers on those days.
ME and HR continue to pick up new words and phrases, understand more of what's being said, etc. It's amazing. Last week GE came home from KG saying something over and over and it wasn't until I asked her to be quiet that I realized she was singing/saying "Gum-mi-stie-fel, gum-mi-stie-fel..." (rubber boots/rain boots)!
I am happy to report to those of you that know of GE's food/eating saga that she is eating the lunches at Kindergarten! I was concerned that she would reject the new things put in front of her, but when I picked her up today at 2:15, the teacher reported that she had cheerfully eaten with everyone else. She was sitting at a table spinning her pear (it was fruit snack time) like all the other girls at her table, smiling, and content. So happy that she's made this transition so quickly and easily! What a trooper. Tomorrow evening is the Elternabend (Parent night) for the Raupengruppe and Thursday is the some sort of "Children around the world" day when we are invited to join the children for the breakfast/snack time (and bring a typical breakfast food to share--cornflakes and milk??!! J thought pancakes and maple syrup but I'm not sure how I can share that very easily.)
9/19 Note: well, she's eating the lunches sometimes! Yesterday she refused it again, but today she says she tried a bite but didn't like it. Who knows?! It's a good experience for her anyway. I make sure she gets a pretty big "Frühstuck" in her sack, so she can make it home for a late lunch. Maybe one day she'll get hungry enough to just eat whatever's in front of her!
On another note: one of my concerns about starting KG was whether she'd handle her potty needs. We were still occasionally having some issues--especially when we were on outings--but either they have routine bathroom times for the kids or she is happy about using the little potties and little sinks (everything is sized for 2-5 years olds!) that it's not been an issue. No dirty clothes have come home yet--well, sandy and muddy, but not the accident kind.
GE has also pretty much given up her nap. She "rests" at KG but by the time I pick her up it's too late to actually put her to sleep, so we've been muscling through the last part of the day and I've been putting her to bed around 7 p.m. A couple of times the day has ended with more tears than I would like, but today was better--she just gets really hyper and can't control her actions after about 6:30--most frustratingly, she can't seem to stay at the table long enough to eat and then she's hungry when I'm trying to put her to bed. I may have to bump up supper time again to 5:30 so I can get her to eat properly before she falls apart!
9/19: today I let her eat on the run: she'd stop at the table, take a bite, then go in a circle through the apartment, come back, take a bite, make another circle, and so on. She ate almost all of her dinner this way! I just decided to take the pressure off and told her she could eat it however she liked as long as the food stayed at the table.
My dad pointed out that I haven't said much about J. :) Mostly for privacy reasons but also because I don't fully know what he's doing! He's writing a lot. He's written more in the last two weeks (he says) than in the last year. The research project seems to be coming along--he meets with the consulting researcher at the Max Planck as well as with some students who are assisting with the design. Not sure when the actual experiment will launch, but there's lots of prep in the meantime.
I've committed to another choir project--in October and November with concert in December--an open mass choir to perform Mozart "Der Kleine C-moll Messe". Should be fun! Still haven't figured out how to squeeze in some vocalizing here--so conscious of the sound carrying to the apartments below or outside. What am I afraid of? Someone hearing me?! :)
September 19
J is off to Göttingen today for the Fulbright Orientation Conference. He'll be back sometime on Friday. The girls launched off to school without a hitch. I took GE to KG, picked up a few groceries, then got dressed for a run in the woods. The sun was out but it was quite cool--probably only 50's this morning. As I shut the apartment door behind me I realized I'd forgotten to grab my keys and phone! Normally this isn't a problem when I run because someone's at home, but with everyone at school or out of town, I was a bit stuck! I quickly decided to head over to the elementary school and see when the recess times were. Luckily only needed to wait about 15 mins before the big recess when I could grab ME out of class and ask her to get her keys for me. :) Whew. I'll have to be more careful about that!
Took a different route through the woods this time than I have before. I'd already discovered a loop that took me back to our neighborhood but landed me further north so I come back through our little plaza and down our street. This time when I came to the big intersection of paths at the top of the Berg, I went left instead of right, eventually coming out in a part of town that I didn't recognize at all. I ran a bit through the neighborhood hoping to see a major road or landmark that I recognized, then realized that I was a good ways from home and wasn't sure exactly how to go to get back. So I back tracked how I'd come instead. I'll have to study the city map a bit before I take that route again. Took me almost a full hour! Home in time to change clothes, have some tea and then go to pick up HR from school.
I often wish for a mounted camera when I go on these runs or on bike rides. So much to see and take in: little details that make it "Germany" like the flower boxes and gardens, the climbing flowering vines that people have nurtured out of crack in the pavement and run up the gutter spout, the narrow streets, Fachwerk houses, bicycles everywhere, people carrying wicker shopping baskets with celery greens and a flower bunch peeping over the rim. Can't really capture the smell of the bakeries which dot the corners of the streets, but you could see them there--how do two different bakery brands manage to make it when they're directly opposite each other on the street with another one just around the corner?!
Got surprised by rain for the first time (it was bound to happen) this afternoon:
Mid-afternoon it got cloudy and I tried to turn on the lamp in the living room only to discover that the bulb had burned out. I told the girls I would run to the OBI and pick up another bulb and be right back (it's only a few blocks away). While I was in the OBI I heard a drumming sound and realized it was pouring rain outside. I'd ridden my bike with the child's seat on the back and now the padding is soaked! Hope it's dry enough to sit on in the a.m.! Or maybe I'll just put her rain pants on to keep her dry for the ride to school. :) By the time I left the store the shower was over and it was just spritzing lightly, but my seat was still wet. Live and learn!
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