So far, this is vacation: Sleep until 11 or 12, eat bread and butter, play with the kids (Gabi and Christoph have three), read, take a walk, help with house chores (actually fun as it's not my house), read, eat, play, talk until past midnight, sleep until late morning...
Gabriele and her family live upstairs in a duplex made from the family home she grew up in. Her youngest sister, Katharina lives in the downstairs unit with her husband and two children; Elisabeth, the other, middle sister lives in the next village with her husband and two kids.
From the balcony of Gabi's apartment is a breathtaking view of the Tirolian Alps, steep rolling meadows, lush greenery, and the proud, clattering steeple of the aforementioned church. The quiet which is usual for her neighborhood has been temporarily altered by the buzz of the wood saw in their driveway. Hubert, their red haired, red nosed, quiet father has been helping cut and store away wood for the winter. His German Shepherd lays close-by, barking at us when we get too close. Both Hubert and his dog smell strongly of goat--apparently due to the fact that one lives in the basement of the little house he occupies on a meadow not so far away.
Today we went food shopping in anticipation of stores closing for tomorrow's holiday (Austrian Independence Day). Jeff and I are going to attempt to cook them a couple of our specialties: pulled BBQ pork and ayurvedic Indian vegetables. I am reminded how spoiled we are in Seattle--EVERY food item one could possibly dream of is readily available. Here--we were hard pressed to find any sort of cooking greens, fresh beets--or produce variety in general. But, no matter--can't expect paradise to be absolutely perfect!
In the checkout line the woman at the register apparently knew who I was. In '88 I went to Austria for the first time--and she remembered me from then. Elisabeth had been dating a man named Hansjörg many years ago--and this was his sister. 18 years ago she last saw me--and recognized me today. Wow. I didn't even remember that Hansjörg had had a sister.
Feeling better as the days go by--but I have a nasty cough that shakes my whole body. Still feel a little weak with exertion--but hey I'm on vacation, who needs to work?
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