Journal

Everyone should read the comments to the previous blog entry, as some comments by me have been added there.

So, we are now in our apartment, which is just across the street from the Naschmarkt, the central city market. Our phone number here is 43-1-5810236, where 43 is the country code for Austria, the 1 is the city code for Wien (Vienna), and the rest is our local phone number. I think from the US, to direct dial you would dial: 011-43-1-5810236, and, if you've taken the seven hour time difference into effect, we would be answering if we´re not out attending a concert or otherwise playing around, I mean, investigating the Austrian culture.

Our apartment is lovely. Besides the nice computer and free internet access I'm currently using to type this in, we have a TV (available channels not yet investigated), a little kitchen, a clothes washing machine of the typical German sort that is impossible for Americans to get their minds around, a nice bed, a little balcony overlooking the aforementioned Naschmarkt, a nicely appointed bathroom.

We're in Trier now, the oldest city in Germany - founded in 16BC. We happened upon a pre-Karneval open-air celebration today in the market square. And, imagine! The temperature is in the low 30s. There were bands, people in costume, bier tents, sausage stands. People were drinking beer and glühwein and dancing in the streets. A good time was had by all.

We've been back from our vacation for a week and a half now - everything was fine. Being at home didn't last long for C because she had to catch up on work trips so off to Dallas on Thursday. The good part of the trip was being able to go to Austin and see Jonathan, Kayleigh, Elizabeth, Dale, Joy and Brian.

Saturday I got to meet Magda Riha for the first time - what a pretty little girl with big dark eyes. Parental reports to the contrary about fussing and not sleeping, she was angelic while at Elizabeth's - just nursing and sleeping and letting everyone hold her. Eliz fixed very tasty breakfast tacos with homemade sausage for everyone. Thirty years ago I never thought that Rita and I would be sitting and watching our daughters nurse their babies!

I had a wonderful time laying railroad track with Jonathan and being Lady Topham Hat while Jonathan was Sir Topham Hat and reading in bed with him. Kayleigh is a real delight even if she does snort like a wrestler. She has such a winning smile and it is fun to watch her explore her little universe. It was very nice to see Joy and Brian again and I delivered the aniseed balls to Pat that Joy never forgets to bring him. Saturday evening Elizabeth fixed a great meal and then pancakes on Sunday morning. All too soon I had to leave.

We have been catching up on reading several "New Yorkers" and "Harper's that came while we were on vacation. Some were published before the election - it is kind of strange and sad to read the election oriented articles - there was such hope in the articles that Bush would not win. Poor Lewis Lapham - the editor of Harper's - he wrote such cogent, well-reasoned, well-researched essays about why Bush should not be re-elected but obviously not enough people read them.

Our first snowfall of the year greeted us this morning - about 3 inches. It looks beautiful - I love it. Pat hates it!