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.
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| Stork on his/her nest above the village square |
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| 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 or 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.
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| Magnolia tree in Ortenberg village |
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| Ortenberg castle |
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| Ortenberg castle as seen from the viewing tower |
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| Unusual-looking plant; according to wikipedia, Equisetum arvense |
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| View across the Rhine valley towards France and the Vosges mountains on the horizon |
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.
What a fun week it looks. I have said this before also, I love reading how you write a daily brief for a week. The photographs are also beautiful. Thank you for sharing! :)
ReplyDeleteThank YOU for reading and commenting :-)
DeleteA busy week for you. How lovely to be planning your wedding.
ReplyDeleteIt is fun and not stressful, since we're keeping it all deliberately small and simple.
DeleteIt just goes to show why you can't leave things to the last minute since forms have to be filled out and the directions for them are often haphazard. Lucky blogger who got to speak with YOU! What a lovely voice you have! That stork nest! That view across the Rhine valley! The castle! Your pale blue jacket! Just beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Kay :-)
DeleteIt was very good to have that Friday together, with the appointment in the morning and then an afternoon of walking and enjoying spring all around us.
Well, that was a busy week! Those Equisetum plants are known as horsetails -- they are notoriously vigorous weeds but also among the oldest plants on the planet, as I understand it! They'll look more horsetail-like once they fully leaf out.
ReplyDeleteI am somehow not surprised by your registry office story. It's always something.
Yes, they are among the oldest plants on earth. Originally, they were as tall as trees, but over millions of years have turned into what we now see on meadows.
DeleteI'm glad you started working on the wedding paperwork early so you have plenty of time to get it all done before your wedding day. You are so organized, Meike! Lovely views of your hike!
ReplyDeleteI had a feeling that all was not going to be exactly as the young woman said, and wasn't surprised when she came up with a document she still needed me to get...!
DeleteThe walk was so good, an unexpected treat on what is usually my cleaning and housework time on a typical Friday afternoon.
How lovely to see a stork! They bring good luck, of course, though perhaps not if their nest is blocking a chimney. Beautiful views across the Rhine valley, particularly on a sunny day. Your week sounded most enjoyable.
ReplyDeleteWhile in my area we occasionally see a stork or two, in O.K.'s area they are thriving, and we have sometimes spotted eight or more at the same time flying overhead in the middle of town.
DeleteI hope you enjoy a calm and peaceful few weeks as your wedding day approaches. My late husband and I had a very small intimate wedding in 1990 - just as we wanted . A wonderful
ReplyDeletememory
Siobhan
Just what we want, too, Siobhan. Thank you!
DeleteThat's a lovely photo of you.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Rachel!
DeleteAh yes, the ID/PIN/app part sounds all too familiar, even if for different reasons... ;) No getting away from that these days, it seems!!
ReplyDeleteLove the castle photos! 💕
It was particularly beautiful around the castle with the daffodils.
DeleteI can't wait to hear more about your wedding (whatever you're willing to share with us) and I think that's a wonderful photo of you! May will be here before you know it. :)
ReplyDeleteYes, and before that, it's my birthday, then Easter, then the May fête, then O.K.'s birthday... we'll hardly catch our breath in between all those events. Good job we're having such a small wedding, and almost everything is already done :-)
DeleteI came right back to leave another comment because I went out to check the mail and your card arrived! I love it, especially the little fox in the bottom corner! :) Thank you so much dear friend!
ReplyDeleteThat's good to know, Jennifer, thank you! Have you spotted the second fox?
DeleteRainclouds scudding across the darkling plain.
ReplyDeleteA stork against the blue sky. Wonderful images for March !
Perfect time of the year for visiting the Registrar's Office for your wedding notifications.
Your view across the Rhine to the Vosges Mountains is emblematic.
The mountains were contested boundary during the Franco-Prussian War, la ligne bleue des Vosges.
I'm reading the conflict's history, *Bismarck's War*, by Rachel Chrastil.
The war cut short the First Vatican Council in which they declared the pope
infallible on matters of faith and morals.
A third of the cardinals voted against it. At midnight St Peter's was struck by lightning.
Someone joked that the lightning was God's verdict.
Someone else said the infallible clause was couched in so many conditional clauses
that Jesus wouldn't have understood it.
The mixed weather we've had that week was very typical for March here, and it is always advisable not to put away one's winter coat too early; I certainly still need mine a while yet, with mornings and evenings as cold as near frost.
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