2022 July: It Was Over in a Flash!

Albert Einstein said, Logic can take you from point A to B, but imagination can take you anywhere.

It’s been more than eight years since my two children visited us in Germany. My daughter, Jericho, and her husband, Albert, visited us eight years ago with my first grandchild, Ruby, who was then a year and a half. My son, Jarrod, also came at that time. After a long year of logical planning and preparation to get them here from point A to B, they all arrived again, bringing my second grandchild Eva who is now seven years old! They also brought something we’ve been avoiding for the past two years, Covid!

Now it was time to use our imagination to take us anywhere since all our sightseeing plans had begun to change. So our first week was somewhat challenging to say the least. We had our infirmary! Four out of seven people came down with covid while Lutz, Ruby, and I stayed clear! Our imaginations and facemasks, securely fastened, took us everywhere within reason.

Jarrod arrived a couple of days before my daughter and her family arrived. It was great to catch up, enjoy some Venison Stew (recipe in progress!), and take a bike ride through the town and countryside.

The rest of my family arrived and brought Covid with them! So far, it was just my daughter who had done her quarantine five days prior. However, Albert and Eva tested positive! So after a day or two, we all headed to our local test center to start the testing and monitor ourselves.

As Eva’s symptoms were light and did not keep her down, A rafting party in the Kinzig was at the top of our imagination to-do list!

Thanks to Lutz for picking the perfect raft.

I’m not sure who enjoyed the rafting more, the kids, Jarrod or Opa.

During recovery, we did a few leisurely walks to the top of the mountain behind our home. The views were gorgeous since the rain turned everything emerald green.

And Eva and Ruby did some treasure hunting along the river.

We took walks to town on sunny days and played in the foot bath!

We made it to Triberg to visit the largest clock in the world! Quite impressive.

While the weather did not work according to our logic or sightseeing plans, it all worked out for the best. We caught a day with no rain, and after viewing the giant clock, we headed out to the nearby toboggan ride for the kids in Rodelbahn Gutach.

By this time, Jarrod tested positive and was feeling the effects of Covid. At the same time, Albert hung in there and pressed on. We decided to head to one of our site-seeing adventures without Jarrod so he could recover. We drove to Alpirsbacher Klostwebräu (a brewery) to take a tour.

Ruby and Eva’s teachers will enjoy hearing about this adventure at “show and tell.”

The following day Jarrod had lapsed into a covid state of sleep and sinus pain. Leaving Jarrod again to suffer alone, we headed to the outdoor farm museum in Gutach called Schwartzwälder Freilichtmuseum Vogtsbauerhof.

It was an excellent experience for the family to see and tour the original farmhouses of the Black Forest. Of course, we had to check out the vast playground area!

We introduced the family to the best ice cream spot in Wolfach. Both the girls attended a German immersion school and did a fantastic job ordering and speaking with shop employees.

The iced coffee is fantastic!

By this time, everyone was over the hump of Covid, and we set out for a castle tour. This castle, ‎⁨Château du Haut-Koenigsbourg⁩, ⁨is in⁩ ⁨France⁩ and is set atop a burg or mountain. It was exciting and educational. The kids had separate headphones for children, while the adults had more detailed info on our headphones. It was an incredible trip!

We must have walked up and down more than a thousand steps. But well worth it!

Finally, all tested clear, and we headed to the boat for a 3-day tour. The weather was perfect!

We spent one night in the harbor and headed over the bridge to Strassbourg to check out the city before taking off on the Rhein River in the morning.

The only people we could convenience to try snails were Albert and Jericho. What brave souls.

We couldn’t leave Strassbourg without a spin on the antique Merry-go-round!

The following day we took off on the Rhein to a harbor 3 hours away. We had plenty of drives to help us along.

Plus, time to relax and take it all in!

The lock was pretty cool, especially for the girls. They have never been through one and lots of science lessons were had!

The best part about this harbor was that evening, they were having their open summer season celebration, and we had a front-row seat for the fireworks!

The following morning we took off for a vast clear lake just off the Rhein. It was so cool! We enjoyed the refreshing water. Plus, we got to practice using the anchor, which was successful endever!

It was an enjoyable afternoon, and I am so impressed that even my daughter went in. She is scared of “Strange things” in the water!

Yes, even the big kids enjoyed diving off the boat!

Virus, our boat, was put to sleep for the time being, and we headed back late on Sunday for a quiet evening and to enjoy the jacuzzi. Plus a few loads of wash for packing. Jericho spent her time trying to organize their canceled flight to Munich, which turned out for the best after all. She got a flight from Frankfurt to San Fransisco with a connection to San Diego 30 minutes before my son’s flight back to Washington. Perfect timing, and we all relaxed.

The following day was a “hanging-out day” and enjoying family. A trip to the butcher shop for resources was a must! Last-minute gifts and some delicious goodies for our last supper together.

It was over in a flash! I can’t believe how fast the time went. It was such a dream come true to have my family visit us on this side of the pond. To see how we live, where we shop, how we get along, and see how Lutz moves from point A to point B and how imagination can take us anywhere, even in times of Covid! I will surely miss those morning cuddles in bed with my girls!

Thanks for joining me this month, and sorry for the later delivery. I hope you keep your eyes peeled for my next month’s post when we finally take off for two months on the Rhein. We will travel to Koblenz, then on the Mosel to Tier, and back to Kehl!

Fave Recipe:

This Chicken and Veggie Grill can be made under the broiler or in a grill net directly over your barbecue. The dynamic thing about this recipe is the sauce you choose. I’ve listed several marinades in this post so pick your favorite!

Fave Resource:

I spend time each day meditating and finding a zone of peace. Maybe you have your way of seeking that peace through prayer, walks, meeting up with a friend, painting, or exercising. With all the craziness going on in the USA, this was very enlightening: Navigating the Dark Ages.