This post will probably not require two mugs of coffee for Graham, as it is simply a quick summary of what the last days of July and first days of August were like.
Sunday, the 26th of July, saw us walking/hiking again. This time, we had chosen the "Durbacher Höfe-Weg", a circuit that starts from outside the small town of Durbach and covers several typical Black Forest farms along the way. The pictures show the old building (not lived-in anymore) of the first farm; the family now live in a building from the 1990s on the other side of the path (not shown here).
I did not take pictures of the other farms; they were picturesque enough, but they are also the private homes of families, and there were either people about or it was raining.
Yes, raining!! We had checked the forecast, as we always do, and were sure that we would not get wet. Well, we were so, so wrong! Even under cover of the dense forest, we ended up completely soaked. Good job it was still warm, and the drive home wasn't long; we hopped into the shower and changed into dry clothes immediately. The hike itself is beautiful and I would like to repeat it some time under more favourable circumstances.
What I really dislike about my weekends at O.K.'s is early Sunday evening, when I know I will soon have to leave. O.K. takes me to the train station and I have to get on a train just when the evening light is at its most beautiful. But there is a solution to that: I stay another night and take the first commuter train on Monday morning. It means a very early start for me, but if all goes well, I am home just after 9:30, in time for my first call at 10:00.
To reconcile myself with the early start (and to have some breakfast, as I can not bring myself to have anything but a mug of coffee first thing in the morning), I bought a croissant at the station and enjoyed it on the train; a rare treat for me. Of course I still wore my face mask as required, but it is allowed to take it off briefly when eating/drinking.
The rest of the day (Monday, the 27th of July) was hot - 30 Celsius and no rain in sight. I went for a walk down to the river after work; it was nice enough but too hot for walking any longer.
On Tuesday (28.07.), I met with my sister after work for a walk in the palace grounds. Afterwards, we had burgers and chips at the Irish pub (yes, "my" pub, the one that is frequently mentioned on my blog). Sitting on the market square in the shade of large umbrellas was ideal, and the wasps weren't bothering us too much, either. The chips were hot and crips, the (veggie) burger nice, the cider well chilled - what more could one want on a summer evening!
Wednesday, the 29th of July, saw me at my bread-and-butter client's office for the first time since March 17. I had the room all to myself and spent the time between meetings at my desk. It was good to work face to face with some of the people I had not seen in months. The plan is to have regularly one day per week there, which is fine by me.
Saturday, the 1st of August, was Yorkshire Day! Of course it does not mean anything to the people of Ludwigsburg, and we did not do anything particularly Yorkshire-ish, either, but we had a small gathering (all perfeclty socially distanced) with my parents and my sister and the friend who lives on the ground floor in the same house as my parents. Her garden is at the back of the house, meaning it was well in the shade and really pleasant to sit there in the evening, not too hot.
We had ordered food from the pub to pick up, but we should have known better - by the time we had navigated the many construction sites and the inner city traffic and brought the food out to the garden, the chips were soggy, the fish was almost cold and the burgers dry.
Never mind, we still enjoyed the evening - my Mum's delicious rosé wine certainly contributed to that, as did the friend's cat, who kept us company for much of the evening!
We now plan to have my Mum's birthday next week there in the garden, too.
The moon that night appeared unusually big and bright. I took a photo but it didn't come out well; this one is from my sister:
Sunday saw almost a repeat from the previous Sunday, when we were soaked on our walk: A morning walk was under grey skies but dry; a late afternoon walk looked promising but ended up partly in the rain again, not quite as wet as last Sunday, but enough to make us shorten the walk. It made the night cooler and better suited for sleep, though, plus we really, really needed the rain (and need much more).
All things considered, I'd say that the last of July and first of August has been good in my small bubble of the world.
I find that walks in the rain have their own pleasures. You seem to have adjusted to home working quite well. Some I know are doing better than others but we all will have to (except for those of us lucky enough not to have to work at all any more - that's a different kind of adjustment). I bet the fluffy cat leaves a lot of hair around the house.
ReplyDeleteI don't mind rain much, but wearing glasses makes it a bit difficult to see properly when - like we did that day - you have no hood, hat or umbrella.
DeleteWorking from home is something I have been doing to a more or lesser extent for about 10 years, so I did not have much adjusting to do.
Yes, hair around the house is one of the prices one pays for having a cat - having to open a tin of smelly cat food first thing in the morning on an empty stomach is another one! (I've always had cats at home but not anymore since my last one died in 2013.)
We now use the pouches of food. They are more appealing.
DeleteFirst August is also Swiss National Day. I know this because in Switzerland they celebrate my father's birthday with fireworks. Every year. Without fail. Though 2020 may have been a fail.
ReplyDeleteAs to train stations. Mixed feelings. Love them/hate them. Love them when they offer a route of escape, a route to adventure. Hate them when it means saying good bye (as in your case). The number of times I waved my dear grandmother goodbye. Alas, not that many times since she didn't live much longer after we first had to part.
Let's keep walking,
U
We do that, Ursula! (Walking, of course.)
DeleteTrain stations: Like them when the trains are on time, there are not too many people about and the station itself is reasonably clean. Hate them when none of these three factors is true.
Sorry you got caught in the rain on your longer walk. As you say, wearing glasses makes that tricky, if not hazardous, when you don't have a hat or umbrella.
ReplyDeleteWonder if the Rhine River is still low or, perhaps even lower, than it was last year. At Rüdesheim last fall, I could see the rocks barely a foot underwater in places. Know low river levels are a real burden on river commerce.
It's entirely our own fault - one should never venture on a longer walk without some kind of protection, when there is even just a slight chance of rain. Never mind, we survived :-)
DeleteThis year, I have been to the Rhine only once, back in January or February. With the mostly warm and dry weather we've been having in spring and summer so far, I guess the water level is rather low.
It sounds like a lovely time with great company, some good hikes even if wet ones, good meals, quiet celebrations....I hope you get the rain you all need....Perhaps it could just rain at night while you are sleeping!
ReplyDeleteIt was a nice mix of many good things! Yes, we really need more rain, but it is not quite as bad as it was over the past three summers or so. Just this morning I read in the paper that the farmers in O.K.'s area are 'content' with this year's crop.
DeleteSome refreshing rain every other night would be perfect!
So much goodness here: the fabulous landscapes, those delicious looking burgers at the pub, the tabouleh you made (which looks equally delicious...) and that giant cat! My nose itches just looking at the cat, I'm highly allergic which is too bad. I like cats and they always like me! :) I know you're looking forward to your mom's birthday. Please wish her a happy one from me, way across the sea.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jennifer! My Mum reads my blog and all the comments, even though for some reason she can not comment anymore. I am sure she has already seen your kind wishes!
DeleteI know I am very fortunate to have so much goodness in my life. Some is because I actively do something about it, but there is also an element of luck.
Your pictures are wonderful. I always love the Black Forest views and the very old farm house is quaint and interesting to see. You've had some good meals as well I see! I would think that going in to work one day a week would give you some variety and I hope will work out well for you. Now you know I love the picture of that beautiful cat! Enjoy your weekend my dear friend!
ReplyDeleteThank you, dear Bonnie! It is Sunday morning as I am typing this, and so far the weekend has been very good - apart from the wasps which really are a nuisance these days.
DeleteAre you sure there was sufficient food on your plates at The Irish Pub? By the looks of it you and your sister are suffering from an eating disorder! I loved the little Black Forest farmhouse. It's like a face with a round mouth - looking slightly shocked.
ReplyDeleteI can see what you mean about the face of the house! The rounded doorway made of red sandstone is typical for the farmhoses in this region.
DeleteMy sister and I had the chikdren's menue at the pub - it was too warm that day tomeat a big meal.
Lovely post! I feel the way that cat looks! The sight of those chips...I am homesick for England and those remind me of English ones!
ReplyDeleteThe cat wasn't like that all evening - he was up and about most of the time, chasing butterflies around the garden, keeping us company. He is great fun!
DeleteThose chips were as delicious as they look. It is an Irish pub and their chips are pretty much like the English ones, I would say :-)
What a charming building and such a pity that it is no longer lived in. This is such a lovely post, I enjoy all the little details, I can picture you having your early morning croissant on the train.
ReplyDeleteYorkshire day is an important day for me as a Yorkshire woman but especially because it is the birthday shared by both my grandson and my father.
The old building is probably not fitted with mod cons, which is why the family had a new house built across the path in the 1990s. That house is also beautiful, a wooden building in the traditional way.
DeleteDid you do anything special on Yorkshire Day this year?