Saturday, November 29, 2014

November Highs and Lows

HIGHS

  • reaching 10,000 hits on my blog, then by month's end 11,000

  • buying tickets to....wait! I can't say because that's a surprise for my daughter!

  • goose dinner at our favorite restaurant on Martinstag

  • a trip back to Wisconsin to spend time with family and friends:
    Dad's grilled beef tenderloin, a 5-pound bag of Tootsie Rolls from my best friend, fresh string cheese, squeaky cheese curds, Christmas shopping with Mom & Dad in Milwaukee, making pretzel turtle candies, dinner out with my two best friends, Mom's homemade spaghetti, 3 full days and 2 half days at my family's cottage "up North" with my bestie, fires in the fireplace, dinner with Udo and my parents at Pine Hills, visiting my son at his college, and planning my bestie's trip to Germany in 2016

    Pretzel-Turtle Candies

    Up North

    Up North - Duck Lake on a foggy morning

    Really? This wooden plank pathway is also slippery when icy?
    Thank heavens for this posted warning sign.


  • Enjoying a Thanksgiving turkey dinner with all my family's favorite side dishes the day before Thanksgiving, followed by a Christmas celebration and gift exchange that evening. My parents had decorated the dining room for Thanksgiving and the rest of the house for  Christmas!

  • returning to Germany with my daughter, who will spend the next month with us

  • returning home to M

  • First Weihnachtsmarkt of the season - in Horb. This also meant the first Glühwein of the season.

LOWS

  • wasting two full days with what was probably a migraine. I couldn't even read because it hurt to move my eyes. I spent the sunny afternoons in bed with the shutters closed because the light hurt and the only time my head wasn't throbbing was when I was asleep. Poor me.

  • the digestive response to eating too much cheese while in Wisconsin

  • Wisconsin weather (too cold and too much snow & ice too early) and icy, bitter wind

As usual, and happily so, my highs outnumbered my lows. I am glad to be home with M, who is also happy to have me back. He made us one of our favorite meals for our first night home (Geschnetzeltes mit Rösti), we're going to our favorite restaurant tonight, and Schnitzel (my daughter's favorite) is on deck for Sunday.

Weihnachtsmarkt season is upon us, and my daughter loves them as much as I do.
We're planning on going to the following this year:
  Esslingen (we never miss this one!)
  Stuttgart  (huge!)
  Bad Wimpfen  (new for us)
  Horb  (local)
  Tübingen  (love the town; never been there for the Weihnachtsmarkt)

 Let the fun begin!


4 comments:

  1. The last two times I have traveled between Germany/USA, I always encounter digestive problems. Too much meat in Germany, too much cheese and sweets in the US, and I change far too quickly between the two ;) Hahaha, anyways, nice list! Sounds like you had a great past month, and another great one to come!

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    1. Jetlag also contributes to the digestive issues for me. It's surprising how different the food is when the basic diet - meat and veggies - is the same. I always notice, though, how sweet most food is in the US compared to here, especially yogurt and desserts. And the bread...I do miss German bread, rolls, and pretzels when I'm in the States. It was a nice two weeks with family and friends, and it's nice to be back.

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  2. The Bad Wimpfen one is only open on weekends - we went to Bad Wimpfen during the week a few years ago and were disappointed to find the Christmas market closed.

    I had my first Glühwein of the season yesterday :-D

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    1. Believe it or not, my daughter and I have reserved a spot on a bus trip to Bad Wimpfen this Friday! We'll likely be lowering the average age of the group significantly. :-) I've heard the town itself is lovely, and it will be a bonus to enjoy the Weihnachtsmarkt as well. Ah...Glühwein. While I wouldn't drink it at home, it just belongs with a Weihnachtsmarkt.

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