Tag Archives: winter

blog news, German lifestyle, Hessen, holidays

Winter can scram now, bitte!

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. 😆

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Baden-Württemberg, German lifestyle, Hessen

Winter is definitely here now…

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.

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anecdotes

Winter is back in Wiesbaden…

We didn’t enjoy any excursions over the weekend because winter has come back to Wiesbaden with a chilly flourish. I also needed to wait for some new recording equipment to arrive, which it did in the afternoon. By Sunday, the weather was grim and decidedly cold. So we stayed home, ate takeout food, listened to music, and talked. We also enjoyed another weekend with Arran.

His lymph node under his left foreleg has gotten noticeably bigger. I don’t have to feel for it anymore. It’s now pretty obvious on casual view. And yet, Arran is still eating, sleeping, playing, walking, and being his adorable self. I know it’s probably not going to be much longer before he starts feeling badly again. But for now, we’re enjoying his affectionate company. He and Noyzi even seem to be getting along better lately. The featured photo was taken today. Yesterday, I actually caught them lying next to each other, as if they were pals.

I sense that Arran knows he’s going to be headed to the Rainbow Bridge soon. Most of our dogs have been like this, toward the end. Our beagle, Flea, used to insist on sitting with us in the last months of his life. Our first rescue, CuCullain, used to insist on taking walks with both Bill and me. Zane came and found me and slathered me with kisses two weeks before he died. MacGregor was probably in too much pain to show us this kind of affection before he passed, but instead, seemed to stay with us through Arran, who often acts like his predecessor.

Arran has always been a velcro dog, but he’s become even more so lately. Noyzi is also spending more time hanging out with me, rather than staying in his bed in his room, which is also an entertainment room that we rarely use.

I just took the dogs for a walk. Arran had plenty of energy, even though he has a peach sized swelling by his leg. He’s supposed to go to the vet for more chemo tomorrow. It seems to keep him feeling okay, even though the cancer is obviously progressing.

Still, I am amazed when I see Arran behave like he did in the video below, which was taken a couple of days ago. Arran truly is an amazing dog… resilient, loving, affectionate, and full of surprises. I don’t know if or when we will find his successor, but that dog will have some big pawprints to fill, even if Arran is, himself, just a medium sized dog.

Arran really is an incredible dog. He’s such a fighter!

It’s nice to see Arran and Noyzi getting along better. It was a long time coming. When we had Zane, the situation was the opposite. For awhile, Zane and Arran were actual buddies who got along beautifully. Then, Zane started having health problems. Arran took advantage and tried to be the top dog. He would pick fights with Zane, who did not enjoy fighting, but would fight if it was necessary.

Sometimes, Arran got the better of Zane, but there were a few notable times when Zane kicked Arran’s ass. I always got the sense that Zane really resented Arran for that. It was like he never forgave him for turning on him. They weren’t really friends at the end of Zane’s life.

With Noyzi, it seems like the opposite is true. Arran hated Noyzi at first, but slowly came around. And now, they almost seem like friends. I think it’s because Arran is very devoted to us. It’s like he knows he has to go soon, and he’s passing the torch. Or maybe it’s just comforting thinking for a silly human.

Maybe Noyzi has a little bit of Zane in him… and now Zane is in a much bigger and more imposing body. Noyzi doesn’t fight at all, but one time, Arran got too jealous and was eager to get into a scrap with him. Noyzi calmly put his massive paw on Arran’s back, and that was the end of that nonsense. Arran hit the ground and never tried such a stunt again.

Anyway, I’m going to try to enjoy this time… especially as the dogs finally bond a little. I’m sure that when the time is right, Arran will be back in the same way Zane is.

Bill did notice the sign was up for the wine stand this weekend. Maybe we’ll get to go. I know Hofheim is having a City Wine Fest this weekend. I hope we can get out and have some fun, before Bill has to go on another business trip.

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