Hi Miles and Emery!
Dad's in Germany now. If you click on the map, it will get bigger. Can you find the country that's Dad's favorite color ... and is right in the middle of the map? It starts with the letter "G." See if you can point to it!
Thanks for the big hugs you gave me before I left for the airport. You made me feel very special. Are you having fun with G-Bird and Mom? How was Cici's Pizza? Did you have the Hippopotamus Pizza? Or the Mac and Cheese & Pepperoni?
I am staying with Mr. and Mrs. Schiffer. When they picked me up at the Frankfurt airport they had their dog, Chiara, with them! Did you know that in Europe people can take their dogs inside most public buildings? If you look at the pictures I linked below, you will see a picture of me on a walk with Chiara this afternoon. Does she look like any other dog you know?! Say hi to Penny for me, and give her a big hug from Dad, okay?
For everyone else:
The flight over was fine. I got two hours worth of 3rd quarter grading done at the gate while waiting to board. We were a little late departing because of the fog in Chicago, but they made up the time in flight. The ride over was relatively okay, sans the two drunk frat boys who sat right behind me and stayed up ALL NIGHT long talking. About 2 AM I finally asked them to please be quiet and let the rest of the plane sleep. They immediately apologized, shut up, and then passed out cold until we woke them up as we were disembarking.
It's so great to see Reimund and Steffi. We had a great time catching up during the 2 hr. car trip back to Bietigheim. BIG NEWS: Reimund was just promoted to Director of the Music School. He's been teaching at the school for 24 years, and an Asst. Director for the past five or six years. This is a really tremendous honor for him. I'm so happy for him, and Steffi.
It's more winter than spring here. Snowed last night! Snow apparently covered the ground in Bietigheim when they left for Frankfurt this morning to pick me up, but most had melted by the time we returned. Reimund let me borrow one of his winter coats for our walk. It's supposed to warm up on Monday.
What else can I tell you? Oh, Kristen, you'll enjoy the pictures I took of their new kitchen and also their remodeled bedroom. You would love both. More to explain about all of it when we talk, but in the meantime, check out the pictures. And Steffi LOVES the birthday gifts you picked out and sent with me. She wanted to model them for you, so there is a picture of that as well. She put on a blue outfit that she said she "just bought for the band's trip to the USA this May." Pretty cool.
The Schiffer's are such wonderful hosts. I've only been here for seven hours, but we've already sat down for three meals together!
Reimund needed to go listen to a little bit of a dress-rehearsal for tomorrow's orchestra concert at the winery, so he took me along. A few pictures of that as well.
Tonight is a BIG football game for Germany. The German national team takes on the Czech Republic tonight, and it's a qualifying match for the European Championships. Everyone expects Germany to win, and will be very disappointed if they do not. Reimund and I are about to watch it on his big-screen. I'm sure an adult-beverage will be offered.
That's all for now. Love to all.
Click on the image below to link to pictures from today:
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| BTGermany3 |
