Book

As the saying goes,  When you get laid up, you might as well make lemonade of it. Or something like that.

So I got laid up and had to spend three plus days in bed. Though Werner disagrees with me, my considered opinion is that only those who have not been confined to a bed for days at a time can possibly think that that  is a pleasant way to spend your time.

How do I spend days in bed without going crazy or driving those around me crazy?  I read.  Books.  Several of them.

I had started Flaubert's Parrot earlier, sidetracked by Christmas and holiday events and placing the book too far from my reach.

But now there was ample time to finish it.  What a treat! If you ever read Madame Bovary and wondered why in the world it got so much attention, this will enlighten you, all wrapped up in fiction and fantasy.  If my professors had presented literary analysis the way Julian Barnes does, I'd have been entranced.  Of course I assumed it was newly published.  Silly me - it came out in 1985!  Here's the NYTimes review - glowing.

Finished that one!  Do a little needlework but that's not enough to pass the time.  Ursel to the rescue!  First a little gem of a book, a quick read, a playful and imaginative story of the Queen and books. Yes, that  Queen.You just have to read it - it won't take an afternoon and it will make you feel good and make you want to expand your reading list.  Mine has grown by at least 10.

  

And finally, time for one more.

It's literary again, with a fictional overlay.  When I read "I was sitting in my plastic chair on the sandy drive"  I of course assumed my protagonist was in Florida.  No.  Maine!  It's a different sort of beach bum on a different sort of beach but with the same ol' beach bum blues.  Fun, with more than a dash of poetry.

Now I'm out of bed and up and around on my own two feet. Next time I read three books in three days, I hope it is on a beach in a plastic chair.  NOT in a bed.

Wismar

We love and treasure our holidays with family and friends.  They are central to how we operate and function and live.  Can't do without them.  BUT we really like a vacation alone now and again.  Just us two.

Our last just-us-alone trip was in August 2012,  sooooo very long ago, when we visited Celle with our bikes.  Compared to life-before-Werner's-retirement, it's almost an eternity since our last just-us-two vacation!  Before retirement, we usually took two not-so-little vacations a year on our own, in addition to visiting family in the US twice or more a year!.  Now, well, not so much.  I confess, I miss our little vacations.  Obviously, I am spoiled. Very.

Anyway, here we are, going on a little vacation to Wismar, one of the first of the Hanseatic free-market towns, those cities along the North Sea and the Baltic Sea who got together and formed a trade and mutual protection union.  Almost an early NATO, but not quite. Lots of maritime interests here.

Our little holiday apartment was only steps from the old town square, a way easy point for orientation. There you'll find the famous town well, used regularly by the residents until into the 18th c.  And the lovely old restaurants and hotels and shops and the town hall.

The area around Wismar and the Baltic Sea is known today for its Brick Gothic architecture, buildings both public and private, religious and secular. The churches are a major attraction, all in the Brick Gothic style.  The two larger churches in the city used more than 5 MILLION bricks each in the construction, all locally made (without slave labor unless you consider the fact that folks weren't really paid so well in those days).  Amazing work.

On day two we took advantage of a guided tour up the tower that remains from the 14th century Church of Our Lady (St. Marienkirche in German or Notre Dame in French).  The nave of the church was seriously damaged in WWII and never restored.  After a while it was too damaged to do much about and since the East German government had little money and less interest in churches, up they blew it.

We had a wonderfully clear day to see over the whole city and to the Baltic Sea.  Lovely, but I was glad when the guide said we weren't going further up!

In the former side chapels of the church, there were exhibits that were so well done.  These are philosophers, set in terracotta (the brick of course) discussing the religious questions of the time, and over time, since they were from different epochs.

The next day, cold and rainy though it was, we went to the beach.  Ah.  NOT Florida.  The sand is not white and there are mountains of shells from mussels, lots of seaweed and cliffs of clay and chalk.  But the sea air is wonderful and the gentle sound of the water is my lullaby.

We ate of course.  Fish of course.  Twice we opted to eat in our little apartment and enjoy reading or sewing or watching some TV.

We even bought a souvenir!  And here they are on our breakfast table this morning: felted egg warmers.  I know it's silly and totally not necessary, but fun.  We all need a little fun, even when it comes in small packages.

Happy New Year

We seem to be developing a new tradition with our friends.  We have an asparagus dinner in spring, Thanksgiving in the fall, kale and sausages in winter (with the long walk in the cold, rain or snow or combination thereof).  And now three years running, we've had cheese fondue on New Year's Eve.  Seems we gather around food, doesn't it?  Of course we do.  What a yummy wonderful way to spend time together!

Lots of years, we've found a theater or musical event to visit and then hang around till time to shoot off all the fireworks.  Somehow, that didn't work out this year.  Nothing offered was so very appealing so we just opted out.  Easy.  We could concentrate on eating!

Here we were again in our cozy little house for cheese fondue.  And broccoli and cauliflower and carrots and apples and of course lots of yummy bread.

People sorta make fun of cheese fondue here.  Oh, yeah, great!  Yeah, that was great!  We should do that again!   But, really, we should!  It was so good!  One of the best things about fondue is you just have to slow down - one bite at a time is all that's possible. It leaves lots of time for conversation that wanders here and there over interesting landscapes.

After, there was time for games.  There was Tiddlywinks, or in German, Flohhüpfen.  Jumping fleas. That makes as much sense as tiddlywinks!

And a game that Ulli and Ilsemarie's carpenter made up himself.  Not too bad but maybe better for 4-year-olds!

Card games, too. We played 31 to everyone's delight, though arguing about the rules was almost as much fun as playing the game!

Then midnight was nigh.  Time to get out the rockets and the sparklers and head to the harbor.  We were not alone!

Once again, Happy New Year to you all.  May you be graced with health and joy and love.