May 20-26

Monday May 20

It's Pfingstmontag and everything is closed. This wouldn't be a problem, except that we have a guest coming for supper (a WLU Law student is doing a summer internship with a firm here in Bonn!) and I forgot to "stock up" on Saturday! What can I make with my pantry supplies that would impress a dinner guest? Black Bean and Sweet Potato Burritos (thank goodness, still had a couple bags of tortillas that a friend had sent in a care package from the US). I didn't have sour cream, but when I went for my morning run I saw that one of the local fruit and vegetable stands was open and when I went back they had... CILANTRO. I got the last box. Whew.  After supper we walked with our guest to the Eis Cafe' for dessert.

Mid-afternoon I took HR over to her best friends' house for her birthday party. Her mom invited me in for tea (I brought HR an hour early so the girls could play one-on-one a little before the party crowd arrived). Enjoy that so much. They are Turkish and the tea is somehow always incredible (I've tried, but have not succeeded in replicating their black tea at home).

Tuesday May 21

Another holiday day for the kids, but the stores and banks are open again. J went to work. I made a big shopping run. After lunch HR had a friend over to play. GE could have gone to Kindergarten but I let her stay home to play with her sisters.

In the evening J went out with his Doktorant friends from the Uni for a Verabschieds Party (Going away party).

Wednesday May 22

Almost back to normal... MK still had school off--teacher training day or something--but the other girls went to school/Kindergarten. I spent 2 hours in a drugstore fighting with the automatic photo printing machine, trying to make postcards for each of the girls that have a picture of them (from this year) and our US address and email so their friends can stay in touch. These machines were designed by blank-ety-blank people! But I finally finished with that task and was home before HR got back from school (a short day). Oh and did I mention how awful the weather is? Abysmal. First day in a long time that I haven't ridden my bike (it was pouring) so after cursing at the photo-machine I also had to wait in the cold and rain for the bus to come. I will not miss this weather...

Thursday May 23

Everyone off to school again today. ME had her final bicycle riding "test" on the course through Friesdorf. She did just fine. The weather is awful again today. I decided I'd rather layer up with my rain gear than wait for the bus again, so I donned my water proof pants and rain coat for my morning errands.

After picking GE up from Kindergarten I whipped up some Banana Cornbread Muffin batter because I had a pile of over-ripe bananas to use. Then took it over to our neighbors who had invited us over to play. I baked the muffins while we sat around and chatted and the kids went off to play. The big news there: they will be moving to TX in the fall! These are the wonderful neighbors who have loaned us the use of their bicycles (for visitors), the space in front of their garage for storing our bicycles, various kitchen items and occasionally the use of her stove to bake cakes (and cookies at Christmas!), extra bedding and a camping mattress for overnight guests and much more. RP has driven me for big grocery shopping runs, picked up or dropped GE off at Kindergarten when it's pouring rain and all sorts of things wonderful. I'm sure I mentioned a long time ago that her husband, TP, is an astronaut. This week it was announced that he'll be the first UK astronaut to go to the International Space Station in 2015 for a 6 month stint. Needless to say, we are feeling pretty cool-by-association! Here's more info, if you're interesting: BBC interview and ESA announcement.

In the evening J went to choir and I headed over to my running trainer's home for his birthday party! Lots of friends from running group were there as well as many other friends and family. His band played later in the evening. He's the singer. I was rather impressed! Lots of 70's and 80's covers (think Pink Floyd). Good food. Good fun. Walked home with a couple friends...

Friday May 24

I got the other girls out the door for school and then J took GE to Kindergarten so I could go back to bed and sleep a little more (no hang-over, thank you very much! Just not enough sleep! Although over the course of the evening I did have two cocktails, a Kölsch bier, and a shot of a strange herbal Schnapps called Klosterfrau Melissengeist). The sun is finally shining though, so I put some wash in before I took my nap. Got a few groceries later in the a.m. and hung out the wash. HR has a friend coming home with her from school to play. Monday she has another play-date too! Suddenly everyone is realizing that she won't be here much longer and they'd better get their play time in. ME is going over to JK's house to play and spend the night. Then tomorrow she is going over to her best friend Y's house in the afternoon. MK went to see Hanni und Nanni with a friend from her dance class. GE has a playdate with her Polish friend, P, on Tuesday.

In the evening, J and I left the girls with a babysitter and took the train to Köln to meet our good friends CN and VM for dinner. We had tapas at a Spanish restaurant (the food was fantastic!) and then walked to a typical Kölsch Kneipe to talk some more. J had wanted to experience a true Kölsch pub at some point, having heard that the bartenders simply keep making rounds with their big trays of Kölsch glasses, removing the empty ones and replacing with full ones. They keep track of how many you've had by putting tally marks on the backside of the paper coasters. I wish now I'd had the courage to whip out my camera here (I had it in my backpack) but was too busy talking with VM. (This might be the only post from this year with no pictures!) They also heckle anyone who doesn't want another (me!) or who tries to order a Coke or water instead. I was told to leave a little Bier in the bottom of my glass or he'd just keep bringing me more. Having already partied Thursday night, I took it easy tonight!

Saturday May 25

Running group... well, I just didn't make it! We didn't get home until after 1 p.m.--which was 2 nights in a row for me. I never was one for late nights and now that I'm nearing 40 (!) I can hardly tolerate them at all. So, we slept as late as we could. Our babysitter had slept on ME's bed (ME spent the night with a friend) so J went out for some fresh Brötchen while I slept a little more. Then he slept and I cleaned up and kept the kids occupied until after lunch and took another nap myself. Utterly lazy way to spend the day... However, it is dreary and cold and the sort of day I'd happily spend indoors with a book or napping anyway, so I didn't feel too sorry about it. ME came home briefly before going to her other friend's house. In the evening they called and asked if MK wanted to come over too to watch a film and spend the night, so by dinner time it was just the two little girls and J and me! After the littlest ones were tucked in bed, we watched the Dortmund vs. Bayern soccer game. Bayern won. Very exciting.

Sunday May 26

Awful weather. Was planning to run to make up for not going to group yesterday but it was... get this: 7 Celsius (45 Fahrenheit) with wind and rain. Gack. I couldn't muster up the push to go out in that. My brain/body cannot reconcile "end of May" with weather like this!

So, spent the day reading, cooking, and playing with the girls instead. The Ultimate Fort Kit came in handy again. Finally got my friend in Marburg to firm up plans to get together next weekend, so on Friday I'm going to see my best school friend, BM, in Trier and then on Saturday I'm going to Marburg to see my other school friend, IZ. Can't wait!

May 13-19

Monday May 13

Got up early to run and timed it so I could swing by the Friesdorfer Hof to squeeze my parents one more time before they drove off. They went north to friends in Braunschweig and will also spend time with old friends in Haiger and Berndorf before flying home next week.

Girls went to school and Kindergarten. Our landlord brought another potential renter in the afternoon, so the girls and I kept the apartment looking neat and clean until after they'd come and gone. J was in the computer lab all day.

Tuesday May 14

Today is my Mother's Day present: a day "free" to do as I want and not have to be tied to the kids' schedules and needs. J went to the office in the a.m. and I took GE to Kindergarten and got a few groceries, but after taking those home, I met my friend SL and we biked to the U-bahn station to go over to Königswinter. I've walked past a quaint little pedestrian zone and a tea shop several times in the last few months when out with our visitors, but never had time to explore them. The last time I'd walked past the tea shop, I saw a tea cup and saucer in a blue and white pattern that I really liked (bone china made in Germany, a jumbo cup with saucer). J had suggested I should go back and get it for my Mother's Day gift. I invited SL to come with me--who likes shopping alone?! Anyway, the shop wasn't open yet when we got there (about 10) so we parked ourselves in a cafe, drank some coffee and talked and talked. Then we poked around along the little main street and window shopped. When we got back to the tea shop, I asked if they had 2 of the cups and saucers, which they didn't, so I picked out a different mug with the same pattern and got 2 so that I'll always be able to invite a friend over for tea or coffee! I'll always think of my friend SL when I use them.

After walking around a bit together, SL needed to head home and I was getting hungry. We took the U-bahn back to where we'd left our bikes and she got off while I stayed on and headed into Bonn. I ate lunch at my favorite vegetarian restaurant, Cassius Garten, and then went to the Kunstmuseum and the Bundeskunsthalle. The two museums are right next to each other so I got a combined ticket and took my time wandering through. The Kunstmuseum has a large permanent collection from the German expressionism movement and 20th century modern art. I particularly enjoyed the August Macke (sort of a cross between Picasso and Van Gogh, if I were to try to explain it. Wiki has more info) collection.

Großes helles Schaufenster, 1912, oil on canvas

Elisabeth & Walterchen, 1912

 

The Bundeskunsthalle had a special exhibit on the Iroquois Native Americans, "Auf den Spuren der Irokesen," including a reconstructed long house. Interesting, but mostly it was quiet. It was "me time."

Inside the reconstructed Iroquois Longhouse.

Canoe!

Wednesday May 15

GE and HR both stayed home. HR has had a nasty cough and snotty nose and since I didn't have any pressing reason not too, I kept her home and figured she'd be happier with someone to play with (and she might not drive me crazy) so GE stayed home too. I took the opportunity to just stay in my pajamas (ah, what luxury!), read and lay low. Feeling draggy since my parents left--a little homesickness mixed with knocking off the coffee-drinking combined with some missing-my-mom-and-dad!). A much needed respite. Also took a nap after lunch which is typically hard to do because the Kindergarten pick up time is right in the middle of prime nap time. I think I slept for over 3 hours! (That's the caffeine withdrawal more than anything else.) Went to running group in the evening and feel like a new person...

Thursday May 16

HR is feeling much better--no more snotty nose! So off to school. GE went to Kindergarten too. I got my groceries and then took my USB stick over to the photo printer at the pharmacy. I'd been meaning to put some pictures from a birthday party that HR went to onto a CD and give them to the birthday girl. Finally got that off my list. ME also has a locket that she's been wanting a picture for. I printed out some photos of her best friend, Y, and made a little book out of them plus one that fits nicely into the locket. Then home... put away groceries, practiced music for Sunday, mixed up my favorite bean salad, and got some wash done. J left early this a.m. for a conference in Corfu, Greece. He won't be back until Sunday late. ME's friend JK came home with her from school to play. Later in the afternoon we all went to see the new Hanni und Nanni movie that just opened. It's raining--perfect movie weather.

Today, in one month, we fly back to VA. I ought to say we're flying "home" but my fingers hesitated over the keys. I have become "at home" here. In some ways I've just begun to feel that way and so it's with more regret that we can't stay longer to deepen that feeling than any sense of not wanting to return to VA. I will miss the friends I've made here whose relationships with me have just begun to deepen and go beyond the first acquaintance level. I will miss riding my bike every day (even in the rain and cold!). I will miss having a household that can be cleaned up in less than an hour (and the forced simplicity that comes with a small home!). I will miss my daily grocery shopping at fresh local markets and friendly organic farms. I will miss the freedom and flexibility that my children gain from being able to use a public transportation system. I will miss the coffee and espresso (it is possible to experience coffee that is better than Starbucks). I will miss my weekly conversations with SL and my twice weekly running group. I will miss the smell of fresh, whole grain breads mingling with wet earth on my early morning runs past the (3!) local bakeries. I will miss speaking and thinking in German. I will miss hearing my girls speaking German and watching them integrate into a foreign culture, making friends and connections. I will miss my family's old friends with whom we've renewed our decades old friendships. I hope we can come back.

Friday May 17

MK's class had a fundraiser for a benefit project in West Africa. Starting at 9 a.m. they ran/walked a course through the Rheinaue. They were supposed to go as many times around the course as possible and at the end their km will be tallied up. I helped her get some "sponsors" to pledge .50E or 1E per km that she walks/runs, then she'll collect the money over the next week and turn it in at the beginning of June. I was a parent helper--basically stood at the drink table and passed out water or Apfelschorle (a mix of apple juice and sparkling water that is popular here). The kids could choose a Kurzestrecke (short distance, 1.1 km) or Ganzstrecke (whole distance, 1.9 km). They got a stamp on a little sheet of paper marking each "Start" and then a stamp mid-way through the short or the whole routes. It was only 9 Grad (Celsius)--although we were down by the Rhein so it was probably even colder than that--foggy and Sprühregen (mist/drizzle)! Brrr. I forgot my camera. Grrr. MK walked/ran 7 Ganzstrecken plus the 2.3 km each way to and from the school. I pledged 1E per km. How many Euros do I owe her?

ME took her camera to school. She took some shots of her classroom and friends. I hope MK will do the same and that ME will take the camera with her again. One of my own regrets from my years in Marburg is that I had very few photos of my friends.

ME's pics:

her best friend, Y

her classroom

friends Y and JK

classmate A

classmate L

classmate E

friend AR

ME's friend JK came over again (same friend as yesterday) in the late afternoon and will spend the night. ME helped me change the sheets. She and JK will share the big bed in the little girl's room and the 2 little girls are going to sleep with me since J is still out of town. The girls have all been playing nicely together. It's still gray and cold outside. The heat came on again.

J sent me pics from Greece. So jealous!:

Saturday May 18

Got up early (for a Saturday) and rode to get fresh Brötchen and croissants for the girls' breakfast. Then I went to running group, came home, showered and started cleaning the apartment. The girls were a huge help (even ME's friend JK pitched in with the aufräumen)--everyone taking jobs and getting the place spotless--another potential renter was coming in the afternoon.  I fixed sandwiches for lunch to minimize clean-up and then rode into Bad Godesberg to get groceries for the rest of the weekend. Later in the afternoon (after the apartment showing) I went over to the church to practice with the organist, flautist, and violinist for tomorrow morning.

The sun has finally reappeared. Opened the windows (some of which I just cleaned!) and balcony doors to soak it up a bit. I should have thrown the girls outside at some point but everyone has been feeling more attached to "home" lately and I just didn't have the energy to push them out when all I wanted to do was stay home myself. So, everyone was ordered to stand out on the balcony and soak up some sun and fresh air, color on the balcony floor with sidewalk chalk, or just do circles out the dining room door and back in through the master bedroom door.

Sunday May 19

Sang at church this morning: a Händel aria for soprano and obligato (in this case, flute) "Meine Seele hört im Sehen" and a Bach aria, "Die Armen will der Herr umarmen" from Cantata Nr. 186 Ärgere dich, o Seele nicht for soprano and violin obligato. The flautist and violinist are members of the church and live nearby. Both are music teachers. We had fun putting it all together. The Pfarrer, Herr E, was very gracious in his introduction during the service (mentioning our family joining the congregation this year, that we'd soon be leaving to return to the US and how he enjoyed seeing our row of girls coloring, reading or otherwise keeping themselves quietly occupied in the back rows of the church during Gottesdienst--a rather unusual sight in most German churches) and his thanks afterwards. I even got an official bag for my efforts and some chocolate from the organist and choir director, AB. A number of church members and choir members as well as some of my running group friends were there to hear me.

The bag from Pfarrer E.

Inside were a copy of the Bible (auf Deutsch, natürlich), a drinking glass with the 23rd Psalm, a notebook, and a book about the artist who designed the stained glass and large art panels in the sanctuary.

After lunch the sun was still shining wonderfully warm and clear, so we all got on our bikes to go to the Rheinaue, parked ourselves with blankets near a playground, and got in some solid outside-time. After a couple of hours there was a trip over to the traveling Eis van, then we rode over to the paddle boat rentals, but there was a long wait and we were 5 and only 4 are allowed on a boat no matter the age/size. So, we'll just have to go back with J sometime before we go home (I hope! I feel a little like the sand is suddenly going through the sand timer much faster and we are quickly running out of time to do all the things we said we'll "do later"). Because the boat idea hadn't panned out, we had a "meeting" to decide what to do, but the warmth seemed to have fried our brains a bit and we couldn't settle on anything. I hauled out the blankets again, a bag of pretzels and the water bottles and we sat down for a little break. I pulled my book out again and MK got the Kindle. The other girls asked if they could cross the creek and roll down a hill nearby which then led to playing some game along the creek. Our 10 minute pretzel break turned into another hour of just lolling around until the girls asked when we were going to go home. It was nearly 5 p.m.! So, we loaded up and headed home, enjoying a leisurely ride back through the park, weaving among the crowds on the sidewalks... Sunday night popcorn supper (plus apple slices, carrot sticks, and cheese) with the windows and balcony doors wide open. No school tomorrow (it's Pfingsten, Pentecost, and tomorrow is a bank holiday) so we'll sleep in. J gets home sometime tonight.

Our first "camp".

Shedding sweaters and barefoot in the sand.

...bare feet!

Sand and sun. Can't get much better than that.

Big sisters found their own spot in the shade. Wonder what they talked about. It was very animated!

Then there was a manicure involved...

Burying HR

Grandma: a picture of The Lip. Just for you!

The mobile Eis van and the Crepe König stand.

On to a new activity: treasure hunt.

Babies! (Anyone know what kind of goose/duck these are?)

Paddle boats were very popular today.

May 8-12 My Parents visit

Wednesday May 8

My parents, "Oma and Opa", walked the middle girls to school. Then we borrowed bikes from our wonderful Scottish neighbors and took GE to Kindergarten, followed by my normal grocery shopping in Bad Godesberg. We made time for a cup of coffee at my favorite French cafe, the Epi Boulangerie, and a little shoe shopping before heading home to make lunch for the girls. After lunch and homework, my parents and I were itching to get out and move again, so I suggested we take the bikes for a ride through the Rheinaue and along the Rhein river. The sky threatened to rain the whole time, but we made it home with only a little spritzing. In the evening I went to my running group.

ME and HR in front of their school (my Dad took this when he walked them to school Wednesday morning).

GE at her Kindergarten showing her Opa and Oma where she plays and her favorite puzzles. That's her little Moroccan friend, Y, in the pink, and her Polish friend, P, with the glasses.

Shopping in REWE Center in Bad Godesberg.

Loading up my bicycle with the groceries.

Packing the paniers! It's an art: heavy jars, cans, non-squishables on the bottom, bananas and squishy things on top; plus you gotta balance them--one on each side!

Using every space: berries, eggs, and lettuce go in the front basket. Anything else goes in a bag that's strapped into the Kindersitz.

Coffee at the Epi Boulangerie in Bad Godesberg.

Epi Boulangerie

Getting Walnussbrot (a Rheinland specialty) from the Merzenich bakery in Bad Godesberg.

A Beethoven statue outside the Bosch Buchhandlung.

If you look carefully, you can see me through the glass at the counter buying fresh salmon for dinner (the cashier has it in his hand.) He's looking funny at my dad who's taking pictures of the display window. I'm sure he thought my dad was up to no good!

The new shoes! I have the winter boot version and liked them so much that when I saw this spring mary-jane, I couldn't resist!

A barge on the Rhein on our bike ride through the Rheinaue.

Thursday May 9

Today is Christi Himmelfahrt (Ascension). It's a public holiday so schools, banks, grocery stores, etc. are all closed. The weather is shifty but promising to be at least warm and with the sun showing up every once in a while! Plan for the day: take the train and the car over to Königswinter and take the cograil train up to the ruins of the Drachenfels. It was a little complicated meeting up with the car folks (my dad drove with all the girls while mom and I took the train because we wouldn't all fit in the car; J was in the lab running his experiment) because the trains weren't running as frequently (holiday schedule). There was a fair amount of waiting... There were also gobs of people out for a holiday outing: hiking or such. It rained while Mom and I walked to the train and waited. Thankfully that was about it! We ate lunch at the restaurant at the top. It's Spargel (asparagus) season and all the restaurants are offering "Spargelspeise" (asparagus food).

Waiting for the U-bahn to take us to Königswinter. Dad had driven the girls to Oberdollendorf and parked while Mom and I took the U-bahn from Bonn. Then Dad brought the girls down to the platform and we went together to the Drachenfels.

My parents at the base of the walk up to the ruins waiting for the girls to finish listening to the Drachen puppet tell the legend of his defeat by the hand of one of the Helden (Siegfried? Can't remember which one.)

HR couldn't resist climbing the stones.

Then I *had* to take her picture.

The view down from the Drachenfels.

Part of the ruins.

Watching the cog rail going back down the mountain.

Alternate transportation up to the ruins! Donkey rides! (That's me and HR down to the right, loaded up with our "outing" gear, plus it got warm while we were there and we had to shed our coats!)

After lunch we walked back down the long hill, past the Drachenburg, and back through Königswinter. Stopped for some Eis cones and then took the train back a few stops to where we'd left my parent's rental car. From there Dad drove the girls up to our friend's house, the SD's. Mom and I walked up. From there we took two cars (the rental and one of theirs) to the horse stables where they keep their pony, Jara. When we visited Germany 3.5 years ago for a week vacation, we also went riding one afternoon and the girls have been forever asking to go again. They all helped to clean Jara and then took turns riding her while my parents, the SD's, and I sat around talking and drinking the most amazing coffee (might have been the best coffee I've had all year and it came from a little barn in the center of the stable yard!!).

Leading Jara from the paddock over to the grooming station.

Brushing Jara, the SD's Icelandic horse.

GE took her job very seriously! She kept going back to the grooming box to get different brushes. Jara was *very* patient with all the attention!

MK was first.

ME was next.

Then HR...

LD even got her to trot a little which HR thought was hilarious and laughed the whole time.

ME thought it was pretty funny too.

GE was sooo proud of herself!

Too cool girl in riding gear!

I think she looks like she belongs on a horse, don't you?

ME got to ride a bit without someone leading. She praised Jara when she was done.

Lots of Icelandic horses getting their dinner (we estimated there were 100-150 horses at this stable!).

After they were done riding, Jara got her pedicure.

Old friends: my parents with VD and MSD.

Watching the ponies eat their dinner. (The main breed of horses at this stable, including the SD's Jara, are Icelandic.)

 After everyone was finished riding, drinking coffee, and helping to brush Jara down, we loaded up and went back to D's house in Königswinter for some good German grillen. All of their children joined us for supper.

VD at the grill in their garden.

Sitting up to dinner! Counterclockwise starting in the forefront: MSD, K (eldest son PD's girlfriend), PD (he was 6 when I was his au pair), me, ME, MK, (then hard to see: J, LD), my mom.

from the other end of the table...

youngest son, LD (he was 6 months old when I was his au pair!)

With PD--haven't seen him since he was 6 years old and I lived with the SD's family as their au pair. He's now a pilot for Lufthansa. Great fun to see him all grown up!

PD and his girlfriend K.

Friday May 10

Our plans for today were simple: go to Köln for lunch with my parent's other longtime friends, HM and UM. We left mid morning with my parent's rental car and had time to wander the Dom plaza a bit and then met our friends at the Gasthaus Früh at 12:30. Lots of catching up, good food and conversation...

I'm in awe every time I see this cathedral!

My dad ordered the "Hämchen" ("little ham") which turned out to be NOT so little! This was similar (if not the same) as the "Eisbein" that J had in Berlin.

lunch with UM and HM, our old friends from Hesston KS years (mid-80's!!).

 We were home late-afternoon and just hung out, took naps, etc. Then my parents and I went to see "La Traviata" at the Bonn Oper. It was a sold-out crowd and the applause went on for at least 5 minutes. Violetta was sung by Sigrun Palmadottir. Alfredo was sung by Mirko Roschkowski. Loved it!

Saturday May 11

Mom and Dad picked up a bunch of Brötchen for breakfast, then Dad and I went with their rental car to get groceries. When we got back, we biked over to my favorite Turkish market for a few odds and ends that I can't get at the German stores. After putting that all away we loaded up for an outing into Bonn. It was Saturday Markt day! Lots of yummy stalls (should have waited to get some groceries here!). We ate a light lunch at the Grill Station.

At the Saturday Markt in Bonn.

White asparagus: "Spargel"

It's asparagus season! Used to be that you could only get white asparagus in Germany. The green is pretty much available everywhere now, but in restaurants the "Spargelspeise" are still mostly prepared with the white variety.

An herb stand with lavender!

The flower stalls were having brisk business: tomorrow is "Muttertag" (Mother's Day).

Lilacs--they have the dark purple variety here in Germany that is nearly impossible to get in the States.

Grill food for lunch. J and I shared some stuffed eggplants from one of the stalls.

After lunch we took the long way around through the pedestrian zone, stopping for my parents to walk through the Munster church while J took the girls over to another flower market to get some bouquets for me for Mother's Day! Rode the U-bahn home and settled in for some quiet time...

In front of the Sterntor. Now that the weather is warm, the fountain is running again. Had to work hard to keep the little girls out of the water!

The large Beethoven statue in the Munsterplatz, Bonn.

The Munster against a dramatic sky. The weather has changed everyday from hour to hour: sun, then clouds, then wind, then rain, then clearing off again. We take everything with us: coats, scarves, umbrellas...

My mom wanted to shut her eyes for a little bit. GE wanted to snuggle... Baby knock out.

Flowers from J.

HR and GE both picked roses out for me. GE got me the white and HR got me the red ones.

ME picked out another variety that I don't recognize. Love flowers!!

At 3:30 our friends VM and her husband CN came over for Kaffee und Kuchen. I'd picked up some bakery cakes while grocery shopping and had some leftover cookies from MK's school program earlier in the week. Then we walked down to the Friesdorfer Kirmes, a little neighborhood carnival with food and rides. The girls rode the bumper cars, carousel, and a sort of mini roller coaster.

At the "Kirmes" (lawn party or carnival/fair) in Friesdorf.

Watching and waiting their turn. They rode their bicycles and then I thought it probably not a bad idea to keep the helmets on for the rides. They didn't complain...

MK driving with GE as passenger.

ME is just a blur!

GE takes a turn with ME.

HR with MK. Love the face!!!

Enjoying a Kölsch Bier with VM and CN.

GE concentrating on her pedaling. I think she thought she was actually doing the work!

HR with MK (doesn't she look cool and smug while HR's face shows the enthusiasm of a 7 year old on an amusement park ride!). ME is riding with her classmate JK.

GE "flying" on the carousel. She rode this while the big girls were on the coaster.

Sunday May 12

Muttertag: I got to sleep in. J got the girls some breakfast and made me some too. Mom and Dad brought more Brötchen. I will miss those crusty, warm, mouth-watering rolls! The weather is dramatic and "wechselhaft" (changeable) again today. My parents love to be in the woods and take walks, so I proposed walking up the Klufterbachtal from our street and then looping up past a field of horses and coming back down the Annabergerstr. GE wanted to come too. We wore jackets and took umbrellas and the weather was indeed changeable: sun, then clouds and wind, then rain with hail, a few flurries (yes! My dad saw flakes!) then sun again!

GE walked for over an hour! She did the whole uphill part (quite steep in parts) without complaining. That's my trooper!

One of the holes left by a bomb during WWII. They're all over the place. Wouldn't have known what they were except for an historical plaque explaining what they were.

The clouds moving in... Just after I took this, the wind started to whip around and then rain and hail!

As we were coming down the Anabergerstr. back into Friesdorf, I saw a movement in the woods and caught this big guy landing on a branch. He was huge!

A Maypole! These are all over the place. On the eve of May Day, young men traditionally decorate saplings (usually birch) with streamers and hearts with their love-interest's names written on them, and strap them up near their girlfriends' homes.

GE's little legs gave out at the end, so she got some piggy-back rides from me and a shoulder ride from Opa.

A little garden up against the woods with a bright azalea and a fire in the garden house wood stove.

A favorite house with wisteria near our apartment building.

When we got home, I made a quick spaghetti meal for the kids and then the 4 grown-ups (my parents, J and I) went to Muffendorf in the rental car to walk along the old main street with all the quaint Fachwerk houses. We ate a late lunch at the Weinhaus Muffendorf. 

The sun was shining but it was cool. We sat on the patio since the inside tables were full. There were gas heat lamps on either side and fleece blankets for our laps.

The first courses came: my asparagus and smoked salmon salad and a glass of a Mosel region Riesling.

The first course for the others was green and white asparagus with scallops and some kind of cream sauce (they all got the 4 course "menu" but I got the Lachs salad because there was cream, butter or cheese on the "menu" items.)

The main course: white asparagus with a cheese sauce, herbed potatoes, and a small Schnitzel.

Waiting for the last course: a vanilla creme brulee topped with a tart rhubarb compote. Forgot to get a pic of the 2nd course, a soup: a wild garlic cream soup.

Then the weather changed... Those are little pieces of hail on the table!! They shot over the gutters and through the gap between the roof and the glass cover over the patio.

Hail flying off the roof!

... and gathering in our laps (thankfully covered with fleece blankets that the restaurant had provided for us)!

Afterwards we returned home to hang out with the girls and have a quiet evening. I packed a small suitcase that my Dad had brought and gave them one of our huge ones (full of winter coats, pants, scarves, hats and souvenirs) to bring home. At bedtime we said good-bye--they're leaving early tomorrow morning to drive north to visit other friends. I can hardly believe all our visitors have come and gone! Anyone want to make a last minute trip to see us? Only 1 month and 3 days to go...