Hurrah! Huzzah!" Blech!

Second day of snow, and two more to go, so they say... I called Peter to let him know I was coming to visit and got the bus to the train station out on the square. That's the Schloßberg in the back, all frosty. And grumpy people who didn't like the weather any more than I did. But off I went, all right....



Children play the same games all over the world, I guess. At the bus stop in Ehrenhausen, it was 'king of the hill and throwing snow and slush balls at the kids on our side of the square.




And give them a steep hill, they're goina tireleslly climb it and sled down it. They were having fun, at least....






Not something I was having, as the streets down there were poorly cleared, and I dislike that, and it had begun snowing again. Peter had rung me up just as I was about to leave. Panicked. Did I know his room number, he was in Gamlitz, and would I be able to FIND him... I had to calm him down, and said, yes, I knew where he was.


And for the first time in 38 years... he didn't know it was my birthday. He was always a terror, ringing me out of bed at a god-awful hour, because he wanted to be the first to congratulate me.... which is actually silly, because I had no process in the part of being BORN.... but it's nicely meant and all... Today? He knew the date, I sort of ascertained that discreetly. And I softly said, 'which means it's my birthday.' He looked devastated, and crestfallen. And then he got angry. 'They are stealing my memory with their damned meds! I can't remember everything any more! And I WILL SUE THEM!' I should have kept my mouf shut. Wasn't anticipating that reaction at all.

And just so's you know... we never did much on our birfdays even when there was oodles of money . It was just important to wish 'Happy Happy' have some cake, and I would do the Harry's Bar Chocolate one for him, which is so delicious, and he'd get a good one for me from the best bakery in town, we'd have some real champagne, and the birfday boy would get a small present.

We didn't go all ostentatious at Christmas either. Small things we knew the other would like.

The real killer gifts weren't on horridays, in other words. And we'd do it 'just because...' Because one of us would like or be surprised by what the other did, and really go off the charts to thank them. I really liked that. We were sort of weird like that.

Wish to thank the nice people who sent their good wishes and greetings. And to one person in particular who took a moment per telephone, and had news that dismayed me to the max. I can't divulge, but it floored me. That she would even THINK to call... oh wow. So to everyone... here's a pretty picture to bring a bit of cheer, and is so Disney I could throw up, but it might have been the day if we all lived in La-La Land... It's the city hall in Ehrenhausen this evening, and I got it lopsided because I was standing on a snowbank, but look, 'oooo! Shiny pretty!' I didn't want to correct it. Please note. In the olden days, like thirty some odd years ago, only white lights were 'chic'. Now they use some muted colors. I'll never forget the year I did a tree, and was sick and tired of having heart attacks using candles on it and waiting for it to go up in flames. With local straw ornaments on it, mind you.... My Mom saw a photo of my first one and freaked out. So that year, I decided hybrid was the way to go. Candles? Ok, but ten minutes max and watch it like a hawk. And I did the oooh, and ahhhhhh! candle thing that year. And snuffed them out, and THEN... I plugged in the lights, two strings, all white, and it was a totally different tree.

Peter was completely shocked. And so silent so long, I thought, 'ooooo.... very bad move, very bad'. And THEN he said, 'This is bee-you-ti-ful.' Big sigh of relief there. And over the following years, he came to like that so much, he would sit evenings in the living room with just the white lights on it, light the candles on the Advent wreath as the season progressed, and really enjoy it.

I shudder to think how he would have reacted if I had put on a string of colored lights.... btw. But THAT is the art of comprimise....

And NO, I hated Christmas trees, but I sure knew how to put one up and decorate it.

Sorry, am only trying to repress something I just heard.

Thank you all.