The best laid plans of mice and men, and all that baloney...

I missed the par-tay, yesterday. What a day to become totally ill on. Oh I tried to pull myself together, but it just got worse and worse, hey, looked like vomited out apple sauce, as they say here, it began around ten a.m. Had the worst asthma attack than I can remember having in over a year. It was disgustingly hot, very humid. I ran a high fever, had to get up in the middle of the night and had to change the bed, it was soaked. By twelve, had gotten myself into some sort of semblance of presentability, but my feet were so swollen I couldn't get into my good shoes. And that is when I had to give it up. And besides, it was HER day, and I'd have just been sort of on display, and running d0wnstairs to vomit every half hour. My hand where the intubation was, hurts like hell. And it's red and raised, and they practically ripped it off me at hospital. I think it was an infection.

By this morning the worst had passed, but I wasn't feeling all too chipper. And Tante Lotte asked, 'Where were you? What happened?' She'd saved the chair to her right for me, which really made me feel like shit. That's just RenB, spreading disappointment wherever he goes, it seems....

Whatever, Charlotte was hell-bent on visiting Peter today, so I called, and it had been raining most of the night. And I was cursing a blue streak. 'Give me a BREAK, you damned Joker In The SKY...' Sort of... And she told me to be at the hotel at quarter past ten, five times as if I were an idjit child. The photo above is more for Peter. I got there, and his great nephew was about to leav e. He is Barbara and Walter's son. The pretty young lady is his girlfriend. I saw them when they were checking in, and when I got there they were just checking out, so it was 'hello, nice to have a face to fit the name I keep hearing,' And 'have a good flight.'

So we got off on the wrong road because Walter had other directions, and landed on the Autobahn, which is about as picturesque as any anywhere else. So ok, the first part wasn't what I was thinking of, and I was nervous because I never drive, never have, and depend on public transportation. However, when I saw the turn-off for Wildon, I told him to bang a right. And we were on the road I wanted them to see, and it is the most picturesque from there anyway.

Charlotte had learned about Wildon in grade school, but couldn't remember why it was so important. And I ssid, 'Well, I don't know either, but have always found it very pretty'.

And so we got to Ehrenhausen, and I asked for a stop because I wanted Lotte to see the church there. Walter was a bit put out, he doesn't like 'surprises', or not keeping to his 'schedule'.

Well listen, Preciousses, I have been there every week since March, and the church is ALWAYS open. And yup, you guessed it, it was locked up today. Maybe they were having sacrificial rituals inside, what the hell do I know....
There were enough historical points to point out, but I was seething with disappointment. Egg on my face? Oh, just bring it on, hey.

Whatever it was only another eight minutes to Gamlitz, we got to the house, and the assistant director went all ga-ga, and when we got on the elevator, the director 'hisself' came flying out of the office to greet everyone, and it was a free-for-all in cordiality. We greeted him in his room, and there was some discomfort, because it is fine for two people, but not enough seating room for six. But Tante Lotte wanted to take him out for lunch anyway. She has a bit of trouble walking far. And the restaurant we had in mind .... is closed for summer vacation till July seventeenth. Which only left the mayor's place downtown. Renate was resourceful, as ever, and 'organised' a wheelchair so we had a brigade march downtown.

At the mayor's place. That is Barbara's husband on the left. I was sort of confused, because the entire way, he was so 'intimate' talking with Renate all the time, I thought I got things mixed up. I don't even want to GO there in what I thought. We got into a nice discussion on the way back about natural history, and history in general, and how important it is to know the meaning of where you are in space and time. He agreed fully, and we both think that you have to look at things from different perspectives, and there is no real TRUTH to anything. It was a pleasant discussion to have racing back on the Autobahn so he would make his plane in time. Even tho I wasn't at my best, I did crack him up a couple of times. My best was when we drove past a vetinarian place that takes care of 'small animals', and I said, 'Hmm, small animals... does that mean they do brain surgery on ants?' Was just being whimsical....

And here was the fambly, Peter and Renate discussing politics. I told her she always reminds me of Jill Clayburgh. She didn't know what I meant. And said, 'I'm not an actress'.... And I said 'no, but you could double for her in whatever film she does next.' There was a lot of discussion, and I mostly stayed out of it. I don't DO German politics, and mostly ignore them. And the World Cup, oh gawwd..... Renate said she likes the trainer of the German team, and he is 'so handsome'. He is. And I opend my mouf, and said, 'Oh yeah, I get it, the eyes. He has to be a water sign. Probably cancer.' Barbara nearly choked on her mineral water. We had a very nice lunch, and 'the girls' eat like birds. Tante Lotte told Peter he had a loose thread on his shirt, and tried to remove it. It was a very long white chest hair. Hilarity ensued. And Barbara said, 'Keep this in your mind and heart when your feel down.'

Dinner was near an end, we went back to the nursing home, and it was then that Peter lost it. He cried. He yells and screams, and utters dire threats sometimes, but he knew this good-bye would be final. He called an hour and a half later, and was still crying.
Gawwd... Sometimes I feel so sadistic without wanting to be. He said he didn't WANT a visit. But you know what? There is still that bond, and I have seen them often together, there's chemistry there. It was so important for her to see where he is, and see that he is well taken care of. He's her only nephew, and that isn't sexist, but a boy in the family to carry on the name was very important. I've sort of heard that one before.... It didn't give me the impetus to propagate.

From what I can gather, they were sort of horrified when we drove up, and they said so later... to the staff. But after seeing the inside, they were pleased. Outside looks like a bunker. The first time I saw it, I said, oh. my. Gawwd.... I didn't say anything to them beforehand, I wanted to see their reaction. Once inside, it's a different world, hey. And they were calmed by what they saw. Tante Lotte seemed really taken with the assistant director, Frau Lübbe. And said, 'You take good care of my nephew.'

Oh manomanoman... I nearly lost it for the second time that day.

So yeah, it was 'schön', beautiful. But it took me to the 'borders of what I can take', as they say.

Nothing went as I thought it would and planned. And that is life as well. As it was, I'm glad I got through most of the 'programme' as it was, and the weather turned nice, but hot and humid, and I am SOOO glad I had my pump with me to prevent an asthma attack. I never use them otherwise, I hate meds.

I'd like to bitch slap the people who produce those and then find the sickness to fit the product. It is disgusting.

Whatever.... it is done with, and I did the very best I could do.

And having to have been the co-pilot where I have never driven, and being on a time schedule was fucking nerve-wracking. But I achieved that as well....

So how was YOUR day...