September 6th - September 12th

Friday September 9

Wow, where did the week go? I can't even say that there was anything super fantastic that filled it up! It is really fall like though, but I think we are expecting 70 degrees tomorrow. I woke up this am ready for my Nordic walk but one look at the drizzle outside and I had a hard time convincing myself to go...uh oh...so I grabbed my book and climbed back in bed! The Nordic walks are fun though and the German girls definitely try to teach me words but I think they like practicing their English more. Next week I will try out some walking sticks, Manuela has a pair of short ones that I can sample.   It's just great to go with them because they traipse through the forest and know where they are going so I can just focus on not stumbling over rocks, trees, or wild pigs...hahaha! Yes there are wild pigs in the woods! The girls were pointing out all of the tracks on the sides of the trails where the pigs had come running through, what I would give to see them! I guess they really only travel at night and stay away if people are around. All of the ladies have only ever seen them a few times, if any, and they've lived here forever. I can only hope I will get to see them! There are no other crazy animals in the woods, for those of you wondering, no grizzlies or wildcats. Lots of birds and squirrels and maybe the occasional "Bambi" as the ladies say. What I do find funny though is hearing a rooster crow in town! I ride my bike past a couple of houses where the thing must see me because I hear the "cock-a-doodle-do" and it just makes me laugh!

We are ready for Oktoberfest...outfits are complete! I received my dirndl back and it fits like a glove, I'm so excited! On Wednesday I went with Bonnie to Rammstein where I checked out the dirndl store for some Lederhosen for Dave. I didn't find anything so I had her drop me off at his office on the way home and I ventured out to a little shop in K-town that had a good supply AND they fix cuckoo clocks! So I found a nice pair for his long skinny legs, as well as a shirt and an Edelweiß (the Bavarian flower) necklace to go with my dress. Luckily everything fit Dave so I didn't have to exchange anything and he really liked it! Good work out of me!

There was a craft store in Rammstein which was great because my bead crimper broke! They actually had one, exact same as my broken one, and Bonnie found some beads she liked and asked if I'd make her a necklace out of them. Of course! I'm still having fun making jewelry and figure once I know enough Germans I can sell it to them :).

I've been a good little house Frau this week, cleaning and getting to the bottom of the ironing pile that I've been avoiding. We had a nice long visit with our landlady on Wednesday night as she was out in the yard working. She appreciates how nice I keep the grass, apparently no other renter has done that?! She mentioned again that her son would be calling, sounds like he and his wife would like to have dinner with us! Ok, sure! She also said that she had a present for us and that we would have to go to their house and drink wine...when she was clean...she was decked out head to toe in gardening gear. She's pretty cute and I'd say we lucked out with them being so nice and friendly.

Well I am about to make salami wrapped pickles...thank you Iowans...for an expat party tomorrow. It will be fun to see who has had them before since there others here that are from the Midwest!


Monday September 12

Well I finally talked with my landlady's daughter in law. She spoke very well English and told me everything that Irene had mentioned to me before! Must be she thinks I can't understand her but I can! After the phone call, Irene called me back to talk about a time to pick me up and show me where we take our yard waste to. I thought we agreed on a time for Wednesday and next thing I know my doorbell rings and there she is!  Soooo, I stopped making dinner, left my glass of wine on the counter and went for a nice ride with her and boy I tell you, I'm scared of riding in cars with Germans! She's only 65 years old but her driving....well....I'm just glad I made it back home to my glass of wine! She stopped at her house to show me and what a nice it is! I can see why we have such a nice yard and garden because hers is twice as nice and twice as big! I feel the need to do more in the yard though because they have enough to take care of at their own house. She mentioned again that she has a present for us but when they get back from their holiday they will call us to come over and drink wine so they can give us the present. They are so nice!

The pickle wraps were a big success at the Expat party. A lot of the Midwesterners thanked me for bringing them. The party was fun, a good chance to put names with faces and meet some new ones too. I think they said that there were something like 42 new Expat families in Germany, now that is awesome! A chance to get together with people from all over the world essentially. The rest of the weekend was pretty boring but relaxing! We're saving all our efforts for the upcoming "fests". Sunday we set out for a walk and were greeted with a pretty heavy rainstorm that turned into a heavier thunder and lightning storm but we still managed to have wursts on the grill!

This morning was a fantastic trek through the forest. I really need sticks...all the ladies are pressuring me! More signs of pigs :) but the rooster didn't crow at me on the way or there or home today! After the walk, Beate (bee-ahta) invited me for coffee. We had such a nice chat because she speaks English very well! I'm excited and thankful for this new friend, she might tutor me! She also is a member of the gym that Dave wants me to join and does the classes...well there's the solution to my transportation problems! I got home to Bonnie leaving a message wondering if I wanted to head to REAL with her for lunch and groceries. Of course I did, we love the Modepark Röther store there for European clothes and scarves! I found the perfect scarf to match my new JD Hoodie that I've worn for the past 3 days and will probably continue to wear it until it is super dirty, or I spill something on it, or maybe next time I throw colors in the washer :). I love it!

Thanks for reading this post even though there was nothing too exciting!  But there are lots of great things to come...Bad Durkheim's Wine Fest, Oktoberfest, Southern Germany and Salzburg trip visiting King Ludwig's Castles, Italy and Christmas Market River Cruise on the Danube!  Lots of fun trips in the near future that I can't wait to document and share with you!

Until then ~