Taking off

Here we are back at the beginning of our trip: arriving at the airport. Mimi, driving us to Cincinnati, has gotten stopped for the very first time and is displaying her impressive warning ticket. It was most amusing after hearing stories of her experiences as a high-school driving teacher.

On to Stuttgart

The train from Essen to Stuttgart is smooth and quiet. We open our newspaper and book, but the view from the window keeps taking our attention away from the print. At Bonn a young couple sit next to us, with a baby about a year old. The scenery outside is wonderful, and the baby is enchanting and the ride is over before we know it. And there, at the end of the platform, my brother and family are waiting.

more to come

I am sitting in a haus built around 1780. Outside in the tiny garden the hollyhocks and roses bend over with the weight of the rain. It is a lazy day in Kettwig. I have taken dozens of pictures over the past week, none of which I can get to download, and without which the stories will not be so interesting ... so, keep checking this spot for exciting updates when pictures can accompany the erzählung.

Leavin' on a Jet Plane

My bags are packed...I'm ready to go... Actually, it's more like: my bags are stuffed and I can't lift them...