"I'm late, I'm late, for a very important date, no time to say hello, good-bye, I'm late, I'm late, I'm late!"
Sing it, White Rabbit, I'm feeling it!
I know my last post was in mid-December of last year, and I have no excuse whatsoever. I'm not even going to try to excuse it- but maybe I can make up for it.
What a great Christmas time we had with Caitlin and Jeremy! They flew in just before Christmas Day and stayed until the 2nd week of January. They settled into our guest apartment downstairs and were great company and travel partners. We were able to go to Rothenburg ob der Tauber, a great Medieval walled city not too far from us ( and Faye, our Dutch daughter, was able to visit and go with us), Regensberg, Prague, and several other small, picturesque villages nearby. Playing on the Wii was also fun, although Jeremy usually kicked our butts! We bowled and skiied and played tennis too.
Cait and Jeremy also traveled to Heidelberg to visit Megh, our daughter-in-law. The only fly in the ointment was the extreme cold- especially when we visited Prague.
Prague is a gorgeous city but we were so very freezingly cold, we had a hard time appreciating it. Since Prague (or Praha as they call it) is so close to us, just a few hours away, Ben and I plan to revisit in the spring.January was so cold and snowy here that we felt the need for a warmer clime, a small vacation. So, with the help of one of the German ladies who work for me at the library, Ben and I scored a great, inexpensive jaunt to Mallorca, an island off the coast of Spain. It was only a 2 hour flight and was 'halb-pension', which means the cost includes not only the hotel room but 2 meals a day as well. While it was not super warm in mid-January (around 50 F), it was MUCH warmer than Bavaria! We had a great time, renting bicycles and riding on the beach road into the town of Playa del Palma. We were able to relax and just enjoy each other's company. It was nice, but I think next time we will wait a few weeks and go when it is a little warmer.
It was so funny, because Mallorca is a very popular German vacation spot, so all over the Playa del Palma area, signs were in German and German food, etc. was advertised. It felt like Little Germany! Of course, most of the folks in our hotel were also German, except for one group of British tourists. Not too many Americans... we just tried to blend in. We were only there for about 4 days, but on the last day, we took bus tour with the German tourists up the north coast of Mallorca. It was so beautiful and very Spanish-looking. The village of Valldemossa was so quaint. Each house had a small ceramic tile by the front door of the patron saint of their village, which says "Beata, pray for us." 
February was also quite snowy, but we find quiet pleasure in the white landscape which spreads out below our front windows. February also brings the Fasching Festival to Bavaria- similar to Mardi Gras and Carnivale in Rio. Bavaria is predominently Catholic, so the time leading up to Lent is celebrated with various Fasching costume parties and parades. Our small village of Velburg had a nice little parade which we walked down to watch on a Sunday afternoon. They were throwing candy, chips, and liquor from the floats! There was an Obama float and lots of cowboys and Indians. Fun.
Now it is March, Ben is currently in the States visiting his grandmother for her 94th birthday party AND to get his motorcycle license so he can potentially buy a motorcycle over here. We'll see. I talked to him last night and he said it was 70 and sunny there; I woke up this morning to snow! A light snow has been falling all morning, but it is not sticking too much. Kinda nice, but I must admit I am ready for spring and flowers and sitting out at the bistro tables at restaurants. Ok, guys, this is a great time to come visit!
We miss lots of things about the States, not the least of which being our family, but living here is still a great adventure. I am still trying to learn German, but as I don't have lots of opportunity to use it, it is harder than it needs to be. Not giving up, though.
God has blessed us mightily here, with Christian friends and good teaching. Our wonderful Chaplain Mike Wood had to leave us, so we are waiting for his replacement and praying for another anointed teacher. We continue to lift up our friends and families, and we pray that you do the same for us. In this difficult economic time, God is still sovereign. This is the kind of time that draws people to Him, so that is one silver lining to this crisis.
Again, open invitation to visit- we love guests!
AND if you are reading this blog, please comment so I am motivated to continue! Thanks!
Love, Nan
