I’m just writing a quick post to update this blog, since it’s been 13 days since my last entry. The weather has been pretty crappy since my last post. This week, we had two snowstorms. One occurred Sunday, and though most of the snow had melted by the afternoon, Bill’s planned business trip to Prague was abruptly canceled.
The meeting he was supposed to attend still happened, but his flight was called off, and there was no way to get to Prague in a timely manner. I heard that not only was the weather bad in Prague, but there was also an airline strike. So I don’t know what actually caused the cancelation– the winter weather, or a strike. I was glad he missed his business trip, because I like it when Bill is home with me. However, it did kind of spoil Presidents Day weekend, which used to be a good time for short trips away.
It’s been quite a winter in 2026. This is the kind of snow we experienced in BW. But it doesn’t hang around for as long up here.
The other snowstorm happened on Thursday. A couple of inches were dropped and then promptly melted. Not quite all of the snow from the first storm was gone. The backyard is sodden, and the creek that runs through Breckenheim is very high right now.
Bill has another trip planned starting Monday. He’ll be gone until Thursday. It’s only to the Netherlands, though, so no airplanes are involved. Meanwhile, once again, a shipper has decided not to deliver to my house. I got an email letting me know that DPD tried to deliver yesterday, and wasn’t able to, because they didn’t have my full address. Of course, that’s not true… it seems like nowadays, shipping companies just want you to go schlep to a packstation. 🙄 The same thing happened last week.
Valentine’s Day was also pretty boring. Bill did send me 30 roses, but they didn’t last long. I think maybe it’s best not to get roses for Valentine’s Day. Maybe choose another flower, or get it a day or two ahead of time… or just buy diamond earrings. 🤣 My roses arrived on Friday, but they were pretty small. I remember last year, the florist sent a small bouquet, which they claimed was the “wrong order”. The roses were tiny and quickly wilted. The following week, they sent a new bouquet that was much better and lasted a lot longer.
Sadly, these only lasted a couple of days before they were depressing to look at. But I did appreciate the lovely thought.
Anyway, I’ve been giving some thought as to where I’d like to travel next. We will definitely go to Switzerland again this year, because of Bill’s studies at the Jung Institute. But I would like to go somewhere we haven’t been yet… providing that we don’t end up in another world war. So, I’m working on that, and waiting for the sun to come out again. Maybe we’ll go out and do something tomorrow… maybe not. But I do look forward to getting out and doing something fun in Germany, soon. The days are getting longer, so it won’t be long before spring arrives, and we can get out and about… then this blog will “spring” back to life. 😆
Last night, Bill was looking for places to eat and he noticed that one of our favorite restaurants, Die Scheuer, in Hofheim, was going to be open. I’m not sure why they have now decided to open on Sundays, but it was good news for us. We’ve been to this place a few times and enjoyed several good meals there, but we tend to go out on Sundays. Until now, with the exception of Easter last year, they were closed on Sundays.
Bill made a 1:00 PM reservation, and we just got back from a lovely two hour repast. From start to finish, it was excellent! When we walked in, we were immediately greeted by the proprietor and a very cute little dog. They knew who we were, and escorted us upstairs to the very charming wooden dining room, with Eckbank Gruppes all over the place. I love the Eckbank Gruppes, because I don’t have to worry that my ass is going to be squashed. 😆
I ordered a glass of Champagne– again, perhaps too many Trek Trendy videos– and Bill had a non-alcoholic Inge (ginger) cocktail as aperitifs, while we decided on what to have for lunch… We also ordered sparkling water, and they brought out fresh bread with butter. Bill decided to use the olive oil and salt on the table, instead…
Nice bubbles… for 18 euros!
There were a couple of specials available, which were explained to us in English. One was a smoked salmon roulade, which was there in place of a tuna appetizer they’d run out of. The others were the catch of the day (loup de mer) and duck.
I decided to have a lovely pea foam soup with smoked trout, followed by the duck, which came with gravy, warm cabbage slaw, and a potato knoedel. Bill went for the smoked salmon special and braised beef cheeks with truffled mushrooms, celery puree, dehydrated carrots, and herb spaetzle. We also ordered a bottle of red wine from the Pfalz…
The food was excellent, and we were on our best behavior. A woman and a young man who might have been her son were sitting near us. I suspect they might have overheard and understood us talking about the strange and difficult times we’re in… Maybe they were somewhat relieved, as I told Bill I think it’s time we got rid of the electoral college and had more candidates to choose from when it comes to our presidential elections. Or maybe they were just very polite.
We were trying not to be loud, and I don’t think we were. But as they left, the woman smiled warmly and said “goodbye.” I responded with “Auf Wiedersehen!”, and she beamed at me! I do get the sense that a lot of Germans seem relieved when they run into Americans and they aren’t obvious fans of the felon.
For dessert, we were both undecided, and let the coin tell us what to have. I ended up with the Kaffee Grande, which was a shot of espresso with mini versions of the the desserts. Bill went for the mandarin “frischkase” tart with mandarin ice cream. I think I would have had that, if not for the coin toss.
This was a brilliant dessert. I got to try everything for two euros more than if I’d just had the cheese tart.This was my second choice.
All told, the lunch came to about 235 euros or so. Bill tipped like an American (40 euros 😳), which I think made the waiter very happy. When we left, he had a huge grin on his face. 😆 I don’t think it was just because he was glad to be taking a break and getting rid of the Americans. We were pretty low maintenance… ordered everything as it was on the menu, and didn’t complain. The dog said goodbye to us, too.
I really like Die Scheuer. I hope we’ll soon have a chance to go back there. We definitely need to visit Hofheim more often. It’s an adorable town! I don’t know why the restaurant is now open on Sundays. I hope it’s not due to money problems. That place is a real gem in Hofheim!
I don’t think I’ll need to eat again until tomorrow, but I did bring home a few leftovers, just in case I get hungry later. These are the times when I’m very grateful for good plumbing.
Anyway, I always highly recommend Die Scheuer. If you’re near Hofheim and looking for a nice place to dine, it’s a good bet. I recommend making reservations and bringing a credit card or a good amount of cash. It’s definitely not a cheap place to eat, but I think it’s well worth what you spend there.
The featured image is a Christmas decoration one of my neighbors still had up the other day when I walked the dogs…
Sadly, unlike last year, when we took a trip to Basel, this year we haven’t gone anywhere. Bill was away on business last week, in our old stomping grounds of Stuttgart. He got back on Thursday, which delighted the dogs and me. Ordinarily, we would have tried to take a short trip, or something, but this year it wasn’t really possible. Besides, given what’s going on right now, I’m not even sure how welcome we’d be. Maybe another trip to Switzerland would be okay… The Swiss are famously neutral, after all.
We do have a trip to the Stuttgart suburb of Waiblingen coming up in a couple of weeks. It’s so we can get our teeth cleaned. We’ll spend a few days enjoying some of the restaurants there and a change of scenery. We don’t really need to stay in Waiblingen, but I found us an interesting looking place that has a well-regarded restaurant. It’s a chance to experience something new and generate some content for this blog.
As for the rest of the year? Who knows? The way Trump is talking, we’re going back to war. 🙄 This time, it’ll be with our allies! It’s so distressing to be here and have to witness this madness. I deeply resent Donald Trump making ordinary Americans enemies to people from other countries because of his insanity and stupidity. Most Americans are not batshit crazy, but he’s making it look like we are.
Sigh… maybe it is time to just go home. Maybe if I’m lucky, ICE will off me, and I can go out with a bang.
Bill has a couple of business trips coming up. At least one of them is with NATO. It hasn’t been called off yet… but who knows what’s going to happen? This is a mess, and it really sucks.
I’m sorry that this post isn’t like my usual stuff, but I try to be honest when I write these things. Living over here isn’t always easy or hearts and roses… but when your own POTUS is completely nuts and is determined to make the world think all of us Americans are nuts, that’s something else again. I don’t like to be political on this blog, but sometimes situations warrant it. We are living here, after all, because of politicians.
I am reminded that last year on this date, we had a delightful $1000 lunch at a three star Michelin restaurant. This year, we’re at home, the weather sucks, and we’re wondering if we’re going to have to move. And all because so many people hated the idea of having an educated Black woman living in the White House.
Anyway… hopefully we’ll stay out of Greenland… I can’t imagine that most sane military servicemembers would have the heart to attack the people of Greenland, or any other Europeans.
I don’t have much to write about life in Germany this week. It’s been cold, dreary, snowy, icy, and just all out yucky. We had snow and cold temperatures every day until Friday, when the temperature shot up about twenty degrees and everything suddenly melted, except for the water in the barrel in our backyard. It rained all day, and there was all of that melted snow, so the backyard was like a sloppy sewer, as I uncovered soggy piles of dog shit laid bare after the snow disappeared.
On Monday, the village’s Christmas tree was still up. It looked so pretty with the snow on it, so I got a photo, which is today’s featured image. The next day, the tree was gone, and there were several naked formerly living Christmas trees lying in the Dorfplatz, ready to be hauled away. It was a little sad, especially since there was dirty snow, ice, and remnants of fireworks lying nearby.
A yearly ritual… disposing of formerly live Christmas trees…
This time of year in the northern hemisphere pretty much sucks on many levels. The holidays are over, so everything is kind of blah… The weather tends to be grey, cold, dismal, and depressing. People’s moods are grim. Nights are long; days are short. Summer seems a long time away, although summer has its problems, too.
Sitting here in Germany, at the behest of my homeland, I’m watching with shock and dismay as tensions boil over and people get killed by so-called government officials. It’s distressing to watch, and embarrassing on many levels… And I know all too well that even though we are far away from home, we’re also here because of home. It really is enough to make me want to burrow under the covers and wait until things are “better” somehow.
I have been getting some enticing ads for travel possibilities. I’ve been researching the more interesting places, wondering if it’s even practical to plan for a visit. There’s no telling what the future will hold, as tempers flare and our leader does unthinkable things. So I continue to take one day at a time… and look forward to my next trip, which will be to the Stuttgart suburb of Waiblingen. It does look like a charming area, and the place where we’re staying has a very nice restaurant. We’re going there so we can finally get our teeth cleaned. It’s long overdue! But I’d like to be going somewhere more interesting.
Bill will take an online course or two from the Jung Institute while we’re down there for his new degree program. His analyst has said he should double up his hours in analysis with her, so he can quickly get the quantity of hours needed before he can take exams. I think she has noticed he’s a natural, and he’s not getting any younger. Neither is she. And we don’t know what the future holds. As we tragically found out this week, tomorrow is never promised to anyone.
I need to get a new driver’s license at some point in the next six months. I have one from Texas, but I might have to go back there to get a new one, since I renewed by mail last time. Or, maybe I’ll just trade it in for a German license. Or maybe we’ll finally move. 🥲 I really don’t know what’s going to happen. I sure don’t want to go to Texas.
The dogs also need dentals in a big way. Maybe that will happen next month.
One interesting thing I did do this week was try purple potatoes for the first time. Bill went to the Denn’s Biomarkt near where he buys our dog food for Noyzi and Charlie. A few years ago, I wrote a post about Denn’s, which is a chain market that sells organic food. Bill picked up the potatoes, thinking they were the usual white ones. He was surprised when they turned out to be the color of eggplants…
We had pan seared Japanese sea scallops, green beans, and purple baked potatoes…
I didn’t mind the purple potatoes. They tasted a lot like white ones, and are supposedly very healthy. I was reminded, though, of Green Eggs and Ham, by Dr. Seuss, and how when I worked as the cook at a summer camp, some of the counselors would cook eggs and ham over a hire and dye them with green food coloring for a fun and educational activity. I guess it’s not exactly the same thing, but I was still reminded of it.
Anyway… I’m hoping this week will be better on all levels. Bill has to go on a business trip and will be leaving this afternoon. At this point in time, he still has a lot of work to do at his job… but again, things can change on a dime with Trump’s whims. We have very sunny weather today, but it’s extremely cold outside. I think I heard the rain and snow will be back tomorrow, too… 🫣
Featured photo is of our view from the front balcony…
I don’t have too much to write about today. I might have decided to go out and get my new banjo set up, but it’s snowing outside, and I can’t be bothered… As I’ve gotten older, I’m less inclined to go out in weather conditions that are less than perfect. In Germany, that means I’m a virtual shut in, especially during this time of year!
The view from our back balcony…
I did want to share a couple of photos, though, especially for my mother-in-law, who is stuck in hot old Texas. I don’t mind looking at the snow falling, but I don’t like walking or driving in it. I’m always afraid I’ll fall and break my ass!
Below are a couple of photos taken an hour after the featured photo. The snow is really falling right now!
We woke up to snow yesterday, and it fell off and on all day. I noticed a young man I’d never seen before, clearing a walkway to the trash bins. I also saw that he even cleared a path in front of our house. It wasn’t a lot of snow, but I appreciated his effort, just the same. Especially since he looked contented as he did it.
I remember living in Jettingen, where it snowed more often. Before I realized how compulsive our former landlady was, I’d usually clear a path on the driveway for the mail delivery. But one day, she showed up, unannounced, as usual, and furiously grabbed a snow shovel and cleared the whole driveway! I wasn’t going anywhere and my car was parked under the carport. I guess it really bugged her that I didn’t clear the whole thing. She seemed to expect me to adhere to her standards and know instinctively what they were.
Remembering that– and all of the other crap we dealt with down there– just makes me appreciate our current living situation all the more. Cheers to neighbors who are kind, helpful, considerate, and not inclined to be jerks. On the other hand, some of our neighbors seemed to want to set our house on fire with explosives on New Year’s Eve… 🤔
My German friend says that there were a few house fires this year on New Year’s Eve, thanks to the armageddon style fireworks. I’ve read that many Germans would like to ban them, and some neighboring countries already have. People do get really stupid on New Year’s Eve, especially when you combine alcohol with fireworks. A couple of people died in the house fires, and my friend also reported that there was a fire at a barn in nearby Mainz. Fourteen horses were left homeless, although thankfully, they were rescued before they were hurt or killed.
I’m glad that shit only goes on once a year!
Anyway, here’s to a new blogging year. Hopefully, we’ll be able to explore some new places and new aspects of German life. Can’t believe this has been my life for so long! Also can’t believe how fast the years have flown by… 👀
I think we’ll just enjoy the weather from inside… Maybe we’ll light a fire and drink some red wine. I’m up for coziness.
Happy Boxing Day, everybody. Bill has gone off to work today, and I’m sitting here tying up loose ends from our Christmas celebration. It was actually a pretty good day for us. The weather was appropriately bitterly cold, so we got to light a fire, which we kept going for most of the day. We got lots of cool stuff, mostly for the kitchen. I got a new banjo, which was a bucket list item for me, ever since I was a child. Bill says there’s more stuff coming; unfortunately, he ordered from a place that is shipping from China. 😬
Our morning started off with Eggs Benedict, excellent Peet’s Big Bang coffee, and orange juice…
Yum! Or… at least I think so!
Then, after I started our fire going and turned on some Christmas music, we sat down to open the presents. As usual, I bought most of them, so Bill did most of the unwrapping. I got lots of photos of that…
We got some cool Italian designed kitchen and dining gadgets, several new cookbooks featuring cuisine from Turkey, the Baltic countries, and the Caucasus countries, a new coffeemaker and a new blender, tarot cards, glasses and glass drinking straws, and a couple of Jungian books for Bill… I got him two new Alpa sweaters from Finland, and sweater soap, a new pen and Moleskine writing pad, a new bread knife, Chemex carafe, and mixing bowls, bags for the sous vide, food storage containers, and ginger jam… Charlie was there to supervise, while Noyzi stayed in his “room” upstairs.
This is a really interesting looking book about our favorite chocolatier!
And then came the most exciting gift of all…
Bill ordered a bluegrass banjo from Ireland. It came from McNeela, the same company that made the bodhran drum Bill got me last year at Christmas. I am very impressed with the quality. It was a lot heavier than I was expecting it to be, which is why Bill is holding it in the photo! I’ve always been fascinated by banjos, and have always wanted to learn how to play one… So we’ll see how it goes. I’m still working on my guitar(s), after all!
I had to do a little rearranging of my “studio” to accommodate the new banjo. And now I have space for two more instruments!
Below are a couple more photos of noteworthy Christmas gifts. I was particularly amused by the Eggsecutor, a handy device used to open boiled eggs. I loved the witty description of it on the box! Bill said it was kind of like a guillotine for eggs!
An amusing read!I bought a set of these tumblers and glass straws from a German company.
All in all, it was a pleasant holiday celebration for us… and I managed to capture a few moments on video…
My laugh is annoying… sorry! Maybe my mother-in-law will watch this.
And then for dinner, Bill cooked duck legs, roasted potatoes, and green beans, fresh baked bread, Italian red wine, and brownies and ice cream for dessert…
Man… how did I get so lucky? My husband is an absolute KEEPER. He’s a great cook and bartender, and a wonderful lover and friend!
Below is a photo of this morning’s breakfast. Bill made the bread, and “eggsecuted” the egg with our new gadget! At the end of the above video, you can see how it works!
We’ve got one more week to go before this annus horribilus is finally over… But I am grateful that I get to spend this time with my dearest friend and husband, Bill, who always makes me smile and lets me live life in high style. 😘
I hope those of you who have taken the time to read this also had a great holiday! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you all!
Yesterday afternoon, it was cloudy and damp, and the skies were kind of dark. I wasn’t really in the mood to venture out, but changed my mind when I realized that it had been ages since I last left our neighborhood. I had considered going to the Globus, but realized how huge and overwhelming that place is, even when it’s not days before Christmas. I thought about going to AAFES to pick up some skin cream, but Bill also mentioned going to the commissary to buy groceries, which I really didn’t feel like doing.
So, although the Wiesbaden Christmas Market pretty much looks the same every year, we decided we’d go there and get some photos… We did that, and also visited BrewDog for a late afternoon lunch. Below are some photos from our outing. The sandwiches we had at BrewDog were good, but I see that I didn’t even take photos of them, which is a rare thing for me!
Love these hats!Dude, where is your shirt?!
I wore a heavy coat, which I didn’t need to do. I thought it was colder than it was, because there was a stiff breeze at our house in Breckenheim. But, as you can see in the photos above, there were people who wore short sleeves and shorts. One guy, which I got a photo of, even took off his shirt. I noticed him making a hasty exit as a group of stern looking Polizei got close.
I’m glad we went to the Christmas market. It was very pretty, especially when it got dark outside at around 4:30PM. I saw a lot of nice looking things– some of which were very cute and creative– and I might have been interested in buying some of them, but it’s hard for me to shop when there are hordes of people around. I guess the grandchildren will get an Epiphany box, instead of a Christmas box. But Bill already sent a box of stuff we picked up on our latest travels, so they’ll have something to unwrap on Christmas day.
We might end up going to AAFES today… Lord, give me strength. I would like to go to Globus, too, but it’s Sunday… Maybe next weekend, when it’s sale time. The market was crowded yesterday, but I’ve seen it worse. At least we didn’t have to hunt too long for a parking spot.
Although it was chilly, foggy, and misty yesterday, Bill and I decided to go to the Dorfplatz and check out the 2025 Advent Market. Every year, our little village of Breckenheim has an Advent Market to raise funds for clubs. It’s just for a night, and different clubs sell food and crafts. Last night, they had a guy with a “barrel organ” who was playing old songs and hymns. He didn’t have a monkey– just a little elf that one finds in Germany and France at this time of year.
We didn’t stay long… I just wanted to get some photos and enjoy some Gluhwein. They had two kinds– red wine and rose. The rose was better than the red, in my opinion. It was very fruity! I think they had a church service, too, but we didn’t stick around for that. We did go to it last year, and it was very nice, though all in German. I found the pew a bit uncomfortable to sit on. It wasn’t quite deep enough for my ass. ðŸ¤
We saw one of our American neighbors and caught up with her. But then she wandered away, and the smell of raclette was overpowering. So we went home to enjoy the evening before Bill’s journey back to the United States for the upcoming work week. He’ll be back early next Sunday morning, God willing. On our way back to our house, we ran into two of our next door neighbors, to include our landlady, who is always so pleasant and friendly!
Anyway, we were once again reminded of how much we have enjoyed the last seven years in Breckenheim. This is the place we’ve spent the most years of our marriage so far. We have been warmly welcomed here. Once again, I’m reminded that it was a good decision to leave Jettingen for this place. Almost everything is better here. The only things I miss about our old house are the pretty views and the proximity to the Black Forest. But even those things aren’t so far away… and we get treated with basic decency, respect, and a spirit of welcome. We are so grateful for that!
Christmas is now officially here. I think Germany is the best place to be at this time of year! And every time there’s a festival and we’re welcomed by our neighbors, I’m reminded of how people in my homeland are treating newcomers, visitors, and immigrants. It makes me sad, but it also fills me with gratitude that I’m not being treated that way in this country. At least not yet. 🤔
After four nights in Türkiye, I didn’t have turkey on Thanksgiving… This isn’t a new thing for Bill or me. Thanksgiving is not an official holiday in Germany, although some restaurants do offer Thanksgiving inspired options for the Americans. Even if I was a big fan of eating turkey, our oven is not really big enough to cook one properly. And since we’re just two people, it doesn’t make sense to cook turkey, anyway. Even if we just cooked a turkey breast, it would probably take us forever to eat it. I’m partial to darker meat, anyway.
Although we could have cooked a nice meal at home, we decided we’d rather go out to eat. Last year, we did the same thing in the same town– Hofheim– which is a really cute hamlet about 20 minutes from where we live. This year, we tried a new restaurant, Maison d’Amer. It was listed on OpenTable.de, and located in what used to be Ariston, a Greek restaurant that I think relocated to Frankfurt. We only got to eat in Ariston once, although we did get takeout from them a couple of times during the COVID era.
Bill was a little confused about Maison d’Amer, because it looked like it had been around since before 2022, and based on the reviews, it appeared to be the inside of another nearby restaurant called Schmiede. Schmiede is another restaurant we only got to try once. But as Bill was researching, it looked like the concept of Schmiede had changed. It was no longer offering dinner, only breakfast, lunch, and aperitivos. We were curious about what was up, especially since it’s been months since our previous visit to Hofheim. We’ve just been really busy this year, and haven’t had the chance to explore our local environs. After yesterday’s superb lunch, along with an explanation about things from our server, we will have to rectify that!
Getting to the restaurant turned out to be slightly challenging. Our usual Hofheim exit from the Autobahn was closed, so Bill went to a different one, which put us in a part of town with which we were unfamiliar. At one point, Bill almost rear ended some guy who didn’t quite make it through an intersection.
Soon enough, we recognized Hofheim’s familiar old town, and we lucked into a parking space very close to the restaurant. I did make a joke about the guy whose parking space we were taking. He was backing out extremely slowly… I said, “He has tortoise nervosa.” If you were around in the 1980s and watched Night Court on TV, you might remember that joke… but if you don’t, here it is.
I have a condition… LOL!!!! I used to love this show!
As Bill straightened out the Volvo in a parking spot, I noticed something strange hanging on a nearby tree…
What the hell is this? Someone left their keys? And they’re a little rusty, too.
We walked to the former Ariston Restaurant turned into Maison d’Amer. I got a few shots of the outside.
I was surprised to find the restaurant fairly empty. There was one table occupied by a couple of ladies, but the rest of the place was deserted, except for a friendly waitress who spoke excellent English. She invited us to sit anywhere we wanted, so we took a spot in a back corner on a banquette. I immediately noticed the excellent music that was playing– soulful music that I found myself repeatedly Shazaming. I was glad there were none of those weird Bossa Nova cover songs of 80s hits we were subjected to at the Hilton Istanbul Maslak at this place!
The waitress handed us a printed lunch menu, as well as the regular menu, and a wine list. We explained that yesterday was our Thanksgiving as we had a look at what was offered. I ended up selecting a pumpkin soup with a prawn as a starter, while Bill chose a salad. For our main courses, I ordered the tajine, which was chicken, potatoes, green olives, peas, and carrots. Bill had Shakshuka, an African dish that was bulked up a bit with mashed potatoes and sausages made with lamb and beef. He explained to me that he had encountered this dish on his business trips to Africa when we still lived near Stuttgart. We also enjoyed fresh bread with olive oil and rich balsamic vinegar.
Bill was able to finish his main course, but I had to take about half of mine home. That was because I wanted dessert! Last year, we didn’t get to have dessert, because we happened to finish lunch as the restaurant was closing for a pause. Maybe they would have let us order dessert, but they seemed eager for their break, so we skipped it and went to Hofheim’s little Christmas market, instead.
The waitress was not in a hurry to rush us out, and we ended up talking to her about what was going on with the restaurants. She explained that the guy who had opened Maison d’Amer was the former owner of Schmiede. He had sold it to an Italian guy, who had changed the concept, but not the name of the restaurant. She also told us that the place was always called Schmiede, except for a brief period of time in which a woman had opened a place called Blanca Bistro that sadly closed in 2020 because of the COVID pandemic.
Anyway, when Ariston closed in Hofheim, that was a chance for Schmiede’s previous owner to move to a new place, literally next door. Then, we found out that the waitress had worked at Die Scheuer, where we had Thanksgiving last year, and Easter lunch this year. I then remembered her. She had waited on us once, when we dropped in for lunch! And as were talking, I told her we had lived in Baden-Württemberg, and she said that she’s originally from Tübingen! That’s another city that is near and dear to us!
Our desserts were excellent, of course. I had a chocolate lava cake with berries. Bill had an almond parfait with persimmon sauce. I loved the plates they were served on! I don’t usually love lava cakes, but this one was done well.
Another view of the restaurant.
As we were settling up, I had grappa, while Bill had an espresso. Then we made our way home. I took a few more photos. We had sunny weather on the way into the restaurant, but it got pretty cloudy on the way home! As you can see, Schmiede now has a new sign to go with a new concept and a new owner.
That meal at Maison d’Amer was substantial enough that we didn’t need anything else for the rest of the night, although we did sit around and drink beer while listening to music… same as we always do. We will definitely have to go back to that place another time. The waitress did warn that if we want to have dinner there, reservations are a must! But we’re lunch people, especially as we get older!
Unfortunately, our Thanksgiving holiday weekend is going to be cut short. Bill has to go to the US on business next week. But, on the bright side, it’ll give me time to make some music videos and do some shopping. So that’s a good thing, I guess. At least the Christmas stuff is put up.
I hope you had a great Thanksgiving, if you celebrated it! I feel grateful for a lot of things this year, in spite of the shitshow that has been going on since Trump came back to power.
A whole lot has gone on since I last posted in this blog. The biggest thing is that my husband’s fifth grandchild was born on Monday. She’s tiny, but feisty, and very beautiful. The next biggest thing, of course, is that we’re celebrating anniversary number 23 today. And to be honest, we were kind of “meh” about it, mainly because there’s so much happening right now.
My husband’s new granddaughter is a big thing, but so is everything in the news… and the fact that tomorrow, Bill and I are both flying to Istanbul on Turkish Airlines. He’s going there to work, and I’m tagging along. I’ve been to Istanbul before. It was about 30 years ago! But even the idea of going to to Istanbul is kind of overshadowed by everything else right now! You’d think I’d be excited about visiting Turkey again, so many years later. To be honest, though, I’m thinking about how it’s time to put up the Christmas shit and hunker down for the holidays.
Anyway, because it’s our anniversary, we decided we should go out. And because Villa Im Tal always offers us excellent service, great food, and a relaxed atmosphere in a beautiful area, we decided that’s where we’d go. And they didn’t disappoint today. As usual, we had wonderful, warm, friendly service, and we spent a luxurious afternoon enjoying delicious food in a gorgeous setting. In fact, they even gave us the prized table in the corner turret…
Right now, it’s goose season. Christmas is just around the corner, and Wiesbaden has already put up decorations. Since the menu had a lot of items that had mushrooms and truffles in them, Bill and I both decided to have the special goose menu, which offered delights that featured goose. Below are some photos from our amazing repast…
Champagne for me, and a non-alcoholic house cocktail for Bill.The bread came with rillets and the local cheese spread. It was delicious!Delicious salad with goose…A wonderful Austrian Pinot Noir that had a smokey essence that reminded me of a succulent ham.We brought about half of the goose home for dinner! It was delicious, but so filling!He was at the next table and was a perfect gentleman.Chocolate mousse and mango sorbet for dessert…And some Spanish brandy for me to help digest everything…One of Bill’s trademark mushy cards… He is so wonderful to me.
I didn’t ask how much Bill spent on lunch, but I feel sure it wasn’t as much as what he spent on dinner at Pizarro Fine Dining last weekend! And this time, their credit card machine was working, so we won’t get a bill.
The very cool wine decanter that looks like a snake…
Tomorrow afternoon, we’ll board a flight from Frankfurt to Istanbul. It will take about three hours, and we’ll debark at about 8 PM Turkey time (two hours ahead of us in Germany). Then we’ll spend four nights in Istanbul. I’ll do my best to get some good photos, and Bill will work… and maybe we’ll do some shopping. It’ll be good to see Istanbul again since 1996. And I’m glad I’ll be there with Bill, who can share the memories. Today, more than most days, I’m reminded that we must enjoy the time we have together and never take it for granted. You never know when it will all be over on Earth.
Watch this space for my reports on Istanbul! Here’s to 23 more wonderful years with my Bill.
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