Mixed Week

Last week was quite the mix both in terms of activites and weather-wise. We had everything from mild spring sunshine to winterly cold, blustery winds.

Working from home on Monday (9 March) allowed me to start early so that I could take out an hour mid-afternoon to speak on the phone to a long-time blogging friend in the US. I was our first conversation, and really very nice to hear her voice. 

Later, I asked my sister if she wanted to join me for my standard walk to Benningen, and she did; I think it was only the 2nd time that she came along on that particular walk. It was sunny and relatively mild at a high of 16C/60F.

Tuesday (10 March) started sunny as well but the afternoon brought rain, and my sister and I were quite soaked by the time we arrived at the pub where we were booked for the quiz night.

Our team had 27 points, but three teams reached 29, and so we left without a prize - still, as usual, it was a good night out with friends, and we laughed a lot (when we weren't angry at ourselves for not getting an answer right that we thought we should know).

It rained again on Wednesday (11 March); not a problem, as I spent the day at the office anyway. After work, I got off the train in Kornwestheim, hoping I'd catch a dry window to walk to my Mum's, but a cold drizzle fell, and once I reached the fields between Kornwestheim and Ludwigsburg, the wind blew that drizzle right into my face. I walked faster than usual, taking only 40 minutes from Kornwestheim's train station to my Mum's.

The three of us (my sister was there, too) shared a large bowl of salad, and of course we're never short of topics to talk about.

On Thursday (12 March) after work I packed my little red suitcase and walked to the station - not because I mistook the day for Friday; it was all planned. My train arrived in Offenburg four minutes early; this seems to have become a habit, one I certainly won't complain about!

The reason for my arrival on Thursday evening and not as usual on Friday was the appointment we had on Friday (13 March) morning: O.K. and I had to complete the formalities at the registry office so that everything is ready for the 8th of May when we'll get married.

Stork on his/her nest above the village square

Tree in the garden of O.K.'s neighbour, as seen from O.K.'s cottage

In preparation for the appointment, I had asked twice what documents we needed to bring, and twice the answer was "none except your ID card", since all the other things such as birth certificates etc. were going to be collected online by the lady who is responsible for our case. And guess what - it turned out that there was just one document she still needs... It means I'll have to go to Ludwigsburg's townhall for apply for it online, which involves activating the digital PIN on my ID card and install an app on my phone... (sounds familiar, Monica?)

It's not a problem, since there is still time, but it's somehow typical, isn't it!

Anway, a chilly wind was blowing, but it was a sunny day, and after we'd had something to eat at the small market that is held at the village on Fridays (and which I hardly ever get to see), O.K. drove us to Ortenberg from where we set off on a good long walk in the vineyards.

Magnolia tree in Ortenberg village

Ortenberg castle

Ortenberg castle as seen from the viewing tower

Unusual-looking plant; according to wikipedia, Equisetum arvense

View across the Rhine valley towards France and the Vosges mountains on the horizon

One of the wineries was open not only for buying wine but also operating a wine bar. To mark the special day, we enjoyed a glass of sparkling wine, the views and a chat with the manager, who was very knowledgeable but in a nice way, not flooding you with expert talk that would only be interesting and comprehensible to other experts.

All in all, we were out for 4 hours, and a rest was welcome when we arrived back at the cottage at about 4:30 pm.

On Saturday (14 March), the cold, wet and windy weather kept us indoors. After a few jobs in the cottage (me) and O.K.'s Mum's house (O.K.) we decided against a walk and opted for coffee and cake instead.

In the evening, O.K. drove us to the nearby village where his sister and her husband live; they had invited us for a family meal, which was very good and very pleasant.

Sunday (15 March) was still cold and mostly grey, but not wet, and we managed a walk around the village early afternoon.

Later, we met with a couple of friends in Offenburg to try an Italian restaurant that had only opened a few weeks ago. The food was good and service friendly, if a little slow... and one of our drinks was forgotten until we reminded the waitress of it, and one of our desserts was the wrong one (but O.K. ate it). It was all forgiveable, especially since they were rather busy and obviously still new at it.

It was time to go home then and almost immediately to bed with the alarm set for 5:20 the next morning.

A Sunny Week

Not a single drop of rain fell all of last week. In fact, the last time it rained here was on the 24th of February. Nights and mornings are still cold to the point of frost, but the days have been warming up nicely, most days reaching about 14 to 15C (57-59F) with Saturday being the warmest at 18C/64F.

On Monday (2nd of March), I went exploring: My usual walk to Benningen can be done on different paths, and I felt like trying one that I had not followed before. Quite unexpectedly, I came across a small hollow that looked like it might have been a quarry at one time, but it is possible that it is a natural feature. That was quite a treat for me.

A new path!

Not been here before - it's just on the other side of the rail tracks where I walk about once a week.

Man-made or natural? The pond is of course man-made, but I am not sure about the rocky walls.

It was very quiet there with only birdsong to hear, and of course the occasional train.

On more familiar ground again, with Benningen on the horizon.

I worked at the office in Weilimdorf both Tuesday and Wednesday (3rd and 4th of March). On the Tuesday, I got off the train in Kornwestheim and walked the rest; on Wednesday, my sister and I met at our Mum's for a chat, a meal and helping with a few things (mainly stow away the very last of her Christmas things).

On the fields between Kornwestheim and Ludwigsburg on Tuesday late afternoon.

Sunset, just before I reached Ludwigsburg on the Tuesday.

What you see here is not the sun, but the moon rising a bit before 8:00 pm on Wednesday.

Thursday (5th of March) I took part at an all day online course for work. Originally, it was meant to take place in Ulm; I already had my hotel room and train ticket booked, but the week before, it was announced that the course was now exclusively online with no possibility to attend "in person". That was a shame, but I was able to cancel both the room and the train ticket.

The course was interesting and helpful for some questions I have to deal with at work, but oh my was it intense! There were only five of us plus the trainer. One of the participants was the type who love hearing themselves speak, and apart from asking some valuable questions the answers to which were interesting to all of us, he commented everything else at length... and when I say "at length", I mean it! He kept explaining what they did in his company back in 2013 (not at all relevant to what we were learning now!), and just wouldn't stop talking... I was a little disappointed that the trainer didn't stop him. Instead, she rushed through the last two items on the agenda, and one of these was of particular interest to me.

When we finished about 20 minutes later than scheduled, I shut my computer, grabbed my shoes and jacket and practically fled the scene - I HAD to get out, preferably before sunset! I managed my Asperg-Eglosheim round, walking off some of the tension, but mentally feeling really exhausted.

It was my turn to host an online meeting that lasted until lunch time on Friday (6th of March). Apart from a few technical hiccups (we are all used to them by now, but that doesn't make them any better), it went very well. 

I did most of my cleaning in the afternoon, and early evening walked into town. We have many clothes shops but very few left that you could call "house of fashion", where you get good quality items and the staff is qualified to advise you and often goes the extra length for you. They have been around for decades and still enjoy very good standing in my town.

A couple of times a year they host a fashion show, and my Mum, her friend and I love attending. This time, I went with my upcoming wedding in mind. The show was good, and we had a lot of fun; however, none of the outfits presented by the models was what I could see myself wearing to the registry office. But after the show (the shop was closed to the general public by then), we were allowed to browse, try on - and of course buy - until 10:00 pm, and I ended up buying a pretty dress which will serve me well not only on the 8th of May. At about 9:00 pm, the three of us left, tired but happy.

Some more household stuff needed doing on Saturday (7th of March), but at about 1:00 pm, I left for the train station and took a train to Marbach. I walked my usual Steinheim walk; the previous time was in December and you can see the pictures of that beautiful day here.

Early March looks and feels different to December, and I was happy to spot the first anemonae in the woods, among other things. This time, I did a wider loop and walked almost 19 km altogether. I had brought a sandwich and my water flask, and stopped for short breaks on sunny benches when I felt like it, making it a very enjoyable afternoon.

First anemonae!

The pictures have loaded in the wrong order, I'm afraid - this is actually the start of the walk, looking back just after leaving Marbach.

The river Murr

Historic house in Steinheim

Church spire in Steinheim

Abandoned vineyard

This was a perfect spot for my (late) lunch - it was 2:00 pm.

The village of Lehrhof

On Sunday (8th of March), my federal state of Germany (Baden-Württemberg) held a General Election. For a few years now, my sister and I have been volunteering at one of the polling stations in our town; the last time was in February 2025. This time, we were at a different location, at an elementary school closer to home - it takes only about ten minutes to walk there from where I live.

Don't I look all serious and official?

Two regular booths for voters to make their crosses on the list, and the lower one on the teacher's desk at the right height for wheelchairs.

That way, we knew quite a few of the people who came voting, including our Mum and her friend. We worked the morning shift, starting at 7:15 and leaving at about 12:45 for a few hours to rest and do other things (I spoke to O.K. on the phone as well as to Mary, my mother-in-law in Yorkshire, who turned 92 that day) before returning at 5:45 pm.

The election officially ended at 6:00 pm, and that's when the job of counting the votes began. It wasn't overly complicated this time but still took our team of seven about two hours - everything is done VERY carefully and double-checked to make sure no mistakes are made and nothing happens that should not happen. We all signed at the end to confirm that we were reporting the correct numbers of votes, then we put the class room back in order, and at 9:00 pm I was home.

My sister and I find this good work, and we enjoy it - doing our bit for democracy in our country. The right to vote is important and not to be taken for granted, and to live in a country where you can go to a polling station and cast your vote without fear of pressure or violence is something to be grateful for.

Record-breaking Week

Last week started off chilly and wet, but by mid-week things started to feel very spring-like, and Friday held the record of high temperature for a February day in Germany.

Monday (23 February) was uneventful. I worked from home, and from 2:00 pm onwards I spent all afternoon in a video conference organised by my professional association. By the time we finished, it looked like rain and was not long enough from sunset to allow for an enjoyable walk. 

Unlike most weeks, I went to the office not only on Wednesday but also on Tuesday (24 February). It was another wet and chilly day, and I didn't do any walking other than the under ten minutes it takes me to get from my house to the train station and less than five between the stop in Weilimdorf and the office.

We had an important meeting to attend; more about that at a later stage, since what we were talking about has not yet been finalised.

Wednesday (25 February) brought about the turn to (early) spring: After a foggy morning, the sun was out for the rest of the day, and it got as mild as 15C/59F! Leaving work at 5:00 pm in full daylight felt good, and when I reached Ludwigsburg and walked from the station to my Mum's, it was still light.

My sister was also there, and the three of us had a nice meal and good chat.

It was even warmer on Thursday (26 February) at a max of 17C/62F. After two days at the office, it was good to work from home again. 

View from my kitchen at about 6:30 that morning...

...and less than half an hour later.

In the morning, I met my friend and former running buddy for an hour of walking, and after work, I went to Benningen (on my own, as nearly always). These two walks in one day made up for the lack of walking at the start of the week, and with the sunny and mild weather, it felt really good to be outdoors.

On the fields between Ludwigsburg and Freiberg

On the way to Benningen, looking back towards Freiberg. It wasn't as dark as it looks!

On my way back from the station in Ludwigsburg, I came across the black cat I showed you in my next-to-last post. This time, young Neo's curiosity got the better of him, and he allowed me to pet him. He's very sweet and would have liked me to stay out for some play time, but by then I was getting hungry (and needed the toilet). I am sure it wasn't our last encounter!

Friday (27 February) was here, and with it the record-breaking day I have mentioned in the introduction of this post. In Ludwigsburg, it got as warm as 20C/68F - not a record, but still amazingly warm for February. 

Only a short drive from O.K.'s village is the village of Ohlsbach. There, a "scorching" 23C/73F were registered, the warmest temperature known in February in Germany since records began!

I worked, spent my lunch break having a massage, cleaned and late afternoon went on a 2-hour walk, which I greatly enjoyed. That time of day, birds of prey are often very active, and I heard and saw quite a few buzzards and a kestrel.

Click to enlarge to see the moon.

You've seen this particular spot many times on my blog.

Sunset behind one of the farms out there.

O.K. arrived in the early afternoon on Saturday (28 February), still a mild day at 14C/57F but not quite as warm as Friday. This day marked the 10th anniversaroy of our very first meeting, and for the evening, I had booked us a table at a posh-ish restaurant.

My main course was a slice of tender pork covered in fried mushrooms, diced bacon and grapes, a dumpling and a heap of Spätzle, of which I managed less than half, with a generous pouring of gravy.

Before it was time for that, we went to the jewellery shop where we'd been looking at wedding rings a few weeks ago, finalised our choice and placed the order.

By Sunday (1st of March), it had cooled another two degrees to a max of around 12C/53F, and the blustery wind kept blowing grey clouds across the otherwise blue sky. But it remained dry, and when we set off for a walk across the fields to Kornwestheim after our late and leisurely breakfast, I wore my sunglasses for the first time in months.

On the way back, we stopped at the Torhaus (gatehouse; click here and scroll to the bottom of the post to learn more about this particular building). 

The small volunteer-run museum is open every 1st Sunday of the month, and volunteers serve coffee and cake. It was my sister's turn that day, and we decided to pay her a visit. My Mum arrived only minutes after us (although we had not made arrangements), and so the whole family ended up sharing a table and enjoying the delicious cake my sister had made (chocolate and orange).

For the evening, I prepared a leafy salad with yellow pepper followed by pasta with pesto and grated cheese. We ate relatively early so that O.K. would not arrive home very late at night.