Major Catch Up

Frankly, I have wondered whether to continue writing this blog or not.  I have my pictures, but it does seem that the story fails if/when there is no continuity of text.  So, at least for I while, I will continue.

Therefore:   A very abbreviated look back at the last several months.

The Baums plus Merle, a friend of Amina's, came to Bremen to visit us and the Christmas market.  There are traditions here - as in the USofA -- that you just don't mess with no matter how old you get!  There's of course the walk along the Schlachte

the ride on the one ride

and of course mulled wine for the grown-ups and hot chocolate for the kiddies.  We had a good time!

Our dear friend Ulli Brandt celebrated his 70th birthday on 20 December with lots of friends, great food, and not a small bit of silliness.  We had a great time.

There was a lovely Christmas dinner at out house with Eilaf, the Syrian young woman Werner has been tutoring, and her family - or her partial family.  Dad, one brother and sister are here in Germany while mother and two brothers are still in Turkey waiting for visas.  Biggest hit:  pecan pie!!

Christmas celebration with René and family was - as always - a celebration.  Great company, great food.

Meanwhile, my mother's situation was deteriorating daily. What to do, what to do? Finally we decided to go and so left for the US on Jan 29 but didn't arrive until 24 hours+ later due to fog and delayed flights.

Nevertheless, we were able to visit with Mother before she died, comfortably and in her sleep at the ripe age of 96.  As Michelle said, we should all be so lucky.

The funeral was a time of celebration of family; cousins came from Texas and Tennessee and Michelle and family and Lee were there from Florida to join everyone in Atlanta.  Mother would have been ecstatic, and it was wonderful to see all these folks together in one place.

Returning to Bremen, there was our annual Kohl und Pinkel dinner, a bit smaller this year since one regular was in Mexico (!), another in therapy (sadly), and Ilsemarie came late since she needed to attend a funeral, also sad.  Regardless, we enjoyed our tradition, and personally, I enjoy it more every year.  Good traditions engender good feelings year after year.  Good grief, sorry,  I am getting old.

I continue to teach my English groups, Werner continues with his volunteer activities, and the winter continues pass, the daylight getting longer day by day.

And recently we went to watch the Samba parade before Mardi Gras.  What a celebration.  Lots of noise, beats to dance by, and garish costumes and colors that make winter fly away.

I'll try to do better and try too to remember it's the little things that fill in the spaces of our lives.



Save