Back To Work

The first week back to work was a mix of very intense and quieter days, where I hardly saw my desk versus hours spent on speficic tasks requiring much concentration.

I also did enough walking to keep me happy :-)

On Monday (the 7th of August), I was glad to be working from home. Checking my various email inboxes showed that a mere 138 messages were waiting for me.

I closed my work laptop at 5:00 pm and was out of the door 20 minutes later, on my customary walk to Benningen.

As I arrived at the tiny station there, it was announced that the train I had intended to take back to Ludwigsburg was cancelled, and in the local trains app on my phone I saw that because of a technical problem, trains would not run to Benningen at all but stop at Freiberg, the small town between Benningen and Ludwigsburg.

Apples ripening in the sun

Benningen

After almost two hours of walking, I was not too keen on walking another hour back to Freiberg on a hungry stomach, but I did not seem to have much choice. To add variety, I chose not to walk back on the same path, but try different paths where I'd not been before. It was enjoyable, but I must admit I was quite glad to reach Freiberg station, and even more glad to be home - it was 9:00 pm by now, and I had not eaten since my lunch break.

Part of my unplanned extra hour of walking

A path I had never walked before

And guess what: While I was walking to Freiberg, a train whizzed past me... so the originally cancelled train DID run, after all!!

Tuesday was my first day back at the office. My boss and my colleagues were pleased to see me, and we quickly prioritised tasks for the day. Because of many meetings, I hardly got anything done, but was satisfied with what I had achieved until 5:30 pm.

Another day at the office on Wednesday; it was overcast and grey with a shower in the evening. I went to my Mum's after work, where the three of us (Mum, sister and I) had a delicious vegetable soup, made with produce from my sister's allotment. 

For me, that day also marked the end of High Summer and the start of Late Summer. Why? Because for the first time this year, I spotted the beautiful orange "lantern flowers" in a garden on my way to work. To me, they say "late summer" along with rosehips and some other noticeable changes in the gardens and on the fields.

Thursday was a perfect summer's day - sunny and dry, pleasantly warm at 25C (77F) without being hot. 

View from my kitchen window at 6:17 in the morning

My Mum and I had long been thinking about going to an event called Wine After Work at the beautiful small palace by the lake (Monrepos - you have seen it on my blog many times), but today was the first time it was possible in terms of weather and my schedule. Mum's friend R who lives in the same house drove herself and my Mum there, while I wanted to walk.

The atmosphere was very nice; no music blaring, people of all ages just quietly enjoying their drinks (and some food), and watching the sun set over the lake.

On the way back up from the lake towards the suburb Eglosheim

Asperg, seen from a different perspective

I liked how the setting sun was lighting up the power lines.

I had my confirmation at this church at 14, and sang in the choir for a few years.

The weekend started effectively on Friday afternoon, but that will be my next post.