The last time I attended a highschool reunion was 30 years ago. It was our 10th and it was not very well attended. Mostly the nerdy kids, that had landed a great job; they bragged about “my house, my car, my boat” stuff and I couldn’t keep up with any of their lives. I was a single mom with two boys, I had a masters degree, but no house, no car and no boat either.
Then…… and now
This time, 30 years later, we really enjoyed each other’s company. We gave each other hugs, because – as one of my class mates said – now we’re brave enough to do so! Very sweet! We talked about life, fate, disappointments, new beginnings. We talked about trauma, struggles, bumps and loosing loved ones. Starting families, blending families, we enjoyed talking about kids and a few already had grandchildren! No house, no car, no boat was mentioned. Very funny: now that I have a house, a car and a boat. Technically it’s 2.5 houses and it is Ted’s boat, but that’s not the point. The point is: I enjoyed seeing my classmates again and sharing stories. It was a very hot and humid day and the white wine was plenty. This event left a warm fuzzy feeling around my heart and I felt closer to my buddies than ever before. Except Ulrike, my BFF! Knowing somebody so well at the age of 20 and still be so close at the age of 60 is special and I feel spoiled…..
The main reason for this trip to Germany is my 40th highschool reunion. It is a good starting point to remember those times way back when, it is also a reflection of what happened since. And that is a lot!
Between the age of 20 and 30 was the most difficult time and the time when major life directions happened: I had my sons when I was 25 and 26 years old, I went to university, finished with an MA degree despite being a single mom and working for a photographer. It was tough! I moved, we moved many times, we had a tight budget, but I always found time and money to travel: a few times in Greece, France, Croatia and Italy, then Bali, Tunisia, Turkey, USA. In retrospect, I accomplished a lot, and if somebody would tell MY story now, I wouldn’t believe it!
Between the age of 30 and 40 still lots of changes happened: getting married, moving, still moving, but this time further away: to the US. The kids were slowly getting to be teenagers, exploring their own lives. This was fun to watch! And painful sometimes, watching them going through their identification process, separating from the mothership, creating their own characters. I was and still am very proud of them! I heard once that “once you are a parent, you wear your heart outside your body” and I’m sure every parent understands those words….. I started my own business, worked a lot and traveled to numerous juried art shows and wholesale shows all over the US. And if somebody would tell MY story now, I wouldn’t believe it!
Between the age of 40 and 50 I had more changes sweeping through the homefront: divorce, marriage, more moves. The sudden death of my father was a major hit, it haunted me many years! Professionally there were challenges, opportunities and finding passions that I forgot I had: I started teaching in College and I love it! Inspiring my students, sharing my experiences from my own business, helping them find their way, this was always meant to happen. As a little girl I had a “classroom” in our basement, a school board, some chalk and a hotchpotch of little chairs for the neighborhood kids and my sibling. And I played being a teacher. And I guess I was very good, because all of them ended up having a profession and I blame my highly advanced teaching skills for all their successes! And of course, if somebody would tell MY story,…..
Between the age 50 and 60 more changes, more moves, more challenges: being widowed, remarried, working on my career and being financially independent, settled and worry-free. Excessive traveling, for days, weeks, and even months, all is good. Being away for 8 months was only possible because of Covid 19: the lockdown + remote teaching + internet = flexibility on steroids! You just have to see it and create something so beautiful out of the many negative impacts this pandemic had for everybody. As mentioned in a previous post, I don’t consider myself a tourist, I am a traveler! Two days before my 60th birthday my younger son got engaged to his girlfriend and I guess, there will be more excitement in the next decade in my life! And of course, if somebody would tell MY story,…..
In 4 hours, my best friend from highschool, Ulrike, will pick me up and we will visit our school where the reunion will happen: we will be shocked to see all those old people, we will laugh, talk, and we will have a great time! Our graduation year had ~90 students and half of them will attend today. And I am most nervous of not recognizing anybody anymore. I do hope they’ll have name tags or something, so I’d better bring my reading glasses. Not that I ever need them, because, of course I didn’t age…..
Leaving California is not easy. You leave gorgeous weather, perfect temperatures, crisp ocean water, and a lot of happy people, because the weather does affect your mood, in case you didn’t know!
Leaving California is also great for your wallet: nowhere else are prices so ridiculous, over the top and beyond, nowhere else they expect tips for services not performed, and nowhere else those tips are expected to be 30% [[additionally to a $790 dinner at Justin – I almost had to postpone my trip 😬! But I have to admit that we did receive a gift bag, a special goody bag, filled with a tiny micro jar of seasalt (1/2 teaspoon) and a small bottle of Fiji water, I’m talking plain drinking water]]. So I’m glad to go to „anywhere-is-cheaper-than-California“ country now! Good bye!!!
Anticipation is a mixture between expectation and prediction. Expectation leans more to wishes, predictions more to the known. Maybe it is a right side vs left side of the brain thing? Who knows???
I know anticipation really well, I’m in the middle of an overdose right now: the next trip awaits me and it’s packed with predictions (high school reunion in the heart of Bavaria! Cruise through the Caribbean! Broadway shows in New York City! etc) and expectations (will I recognize those people I went to school with? Will the hurricane season be in full swing? Will my non-profit loose momentum during those 6 weeks while I’m gone?, etc) All those hard facts, the predictions have a „!“, whereas the expectations end up with a „?“. What’s more exciting?
We shall see and I’ll make sure to keep you posted. Let the journey begin…
Every time I leave Munich it is tough. It is tough to leave my family, my friends, it is tough to leave all those hugs & kisses, all those tears.
But then there is the good- bye treat at the airport, which are white sausages, pretzel and sweet mustard. It is the ultimate Bavarian comfort food that makes it a little easier to leave – kind of like a band aid with a Mickey Mouse print…
There are a few rules how to eat them though:
You cannot eat them after 12pm! The saying is: a white sausage shouldn’t hear the 12 o‘clock church bell ringing! They are made fresh every day in the morning and they have to be eaten immediately. Therefore white sausages are eaten for breakfast. And yes, traditionally you have to drink Wheat beer with them. And yes, beer for breakfast – it is Bavaria for heaven’s sake! 🍺
You should never cut the white sausage like you’d cut any other sausage: they have to be peeled, but lengthwise! Or alternatively you can grab them with your hands and suck them out of the skin…
White sausage, cut and peeled lengthwise
You have to eat sweet mustard with white sausages, any other mustard would be a crime. Similar to eating French fries with honey instead of ketchup. The combination of white sausages with a salty pretzel (which is actually called a Brezn), and sweet mustard is the ultimate taste combination made in heaven. In the Bavarian heaven. In the Italian heaven, the ultimate combination is tomatoes and basil, in the French heaven it is butter. Butter with everything and anything…
And here I am, on my way into the airport, via the Bavarian heaven
You might wonder by all the food posting I do (and therefore all the food I am eating), that I must have gained weight like never before! Infact, I wonder myself 🤣
But would you say no if somebody – like my sister Petra – invited you for breakfast and it looks like this?
Or you meet your friend Wendl from highschool to cook dinner together, and you create this Bavarian classic: bread dumplings with chanterelle cream sauce and endive salad, would you say no to this?
As Wendl says: cooking is the sex of old age
Wendl and I have a history together, it’s kind of a love affair, but not with each other: we share the love of cooking and eating. So every time I am in Germany, Wendl and I cook something delicious 🥬🍲🌶️🥗🫒🍷 And did I mention that we know each other for 40+ years?
Or would you refuse to eat those spinach and cheese dumplings I ate today for lunch? Would you? Followed by Kaiserschmarrn, a dessert classic in Bavaria 🥰
My good bye dinner party two days ago was not only lots of fun – 15 family members showed up with fun stories, good mood and big appetites – we also had delicious food!
My sister asked me a few days ago what I’d like to do if I had the chance to try something totally different. My answer: something food related, not being a chef, but a taster (if there is such a thing). Somebody trying, tasting, combining, presenting food to perfection. That’s what I would do! No wonder that I like to eat and drink…..
Every year in October, the Farm Museum in Ingolstadt let the past come alive by inviting art and craft, food and music vendors to keep old traditions alive.
With my sister and my niece we spent a few hours there, we admired a photo exhibit, we bought some handmade craft and enjoyed the permanent exhibition of the museum.
Petra, Edith and Stephanie (from left to right)Stephanie and Petra at the photo exhibition❤️Sisters❤️I bought some hand dyed wool 🧶 but since I’m not sure what to knit, I’ll just wear it as a turban in the meantime…
Unfortunately – fortunately the weather goddess is already sad that I’m leaving soon. She’s crying and so we have to deal with rain. It looks like she’s very sad: the prediction is rain until I’ll leave!
The good thing is that there are plenty of indoor activities (cooking, eating and drinking as a last resort 🤣🥗🍷)
Petra and I visited a Salt cave today and spent 45 min relaxing inside this grotto, breathing saline air, listening to a waterfall, soft background music and being lulled in warm light shining through thick rocks of pink salt. Having a warm blanket wrapped around – it was challenging not to fall asleep…
And what else to do? Walk, talk, party!
Erwin & PetraIf there is such a thing like a great-aunt, that’s me. With my great-nephew NiklasGood-bye party with my mom & Helmut, Erwin, Stephanie, Jürgen & Anja, Tamara, Saskia, Roberto & Kira, David, Jessica & Maxi and Niklas. Age range: between 2 month and 85 years! Winner of the cuteness contest: Niklas
About a month ago I bought Jonas. I mean I bought a Vespa scooter from a guy named Jonas, so that’s why the Vespa is called Jonas now.
And today, my brother Jürgen and I took a whole day driving around with our Vespas, enjoying another beautiful fall day here in Bavaria. We drove along fields with corn, cabbage and potatoes, piles of sugar beets along the way, sunflowers and poppies still in bloom. The smell of wet soil, fresh cut grass and moist fall leaves. The sun partly hidden behind the clouds, occasional rainbows inbetween. We drove through many little villages, we stopped at a few ferry crossings along the Altmühl river, it couldn’t be more perfect, romantic or beautiful!
Jonas is 20 years old; quite a senior Vespa, but he is a great scooter with some age related issues…
The tubing connecting the gasoline pump and the gasoline filter was so old and brittle, it broke, and all the gasoline was gone in a matter of just a few minutes. Gas tank empty, that means:
Fortunately Jürgen is an expert: he repaired the broken tubing and we were back on the road again in an hours or so. And so we continued and enjoyed our ride.
Then, another part of the old tubing decided to claim retirement a few hours later, so Jürgen, still an expert, repaired the second issue, and we were back on the road again in 45min or so. I guess if we would have continued a little longer, and if a 3rd issue came up, he would have needed only 30min, right?!? 🛵🛵🛵
Many more villages later, Altmühl River, Schambach River, the Main-Danube channel and the Danube, we crossed many bridges, we drove through forests and fields – it was a gorgeous day and Jonas and I were very happy (I guess Jürgen too 🤩)
It is the middle of October and fall is in full swing! Night temperatures reach down to the freezing point, the days are barely warmer. Rain showers shake hands with sunshine, hail knocks down some leftover flowers and heavy wind gusts blow the colorful leaves off the trees. And then it starts over again. You never know what to expect and/or what to wear.
Citymap of Ingolstadt from 1810. It is surrounded by protection buildings and a citiwall that is still intact. Nowadays the Danube on the south side of town has 3 bridges for traffic crossing over, 2 pedestrian bridges and 1 for trains… Ingolstadt was founded in the year 806 and had a busy history, being a custom point for the salt trade from the Alps to northern territories. Here, every shipment of salt had to cross the Danube, which made it a popular location for thieves and bandits.
Today my brother Jürgen and I spent a whole day together. He needed a haircut, a motorcycle helmet, tennis shoes, lunch, a walk and everything wrapped with meaningful brother-sister conversations.
On our way to the motorcycle helmet store we found this neat barber shopWhat a fun place!Billiard table, retro furnitures and fixtures, super cool!
With his new haircut, Jürgen bought a new helmet and afterwards we had a tasty lunch at a restaurant at a nearby lake, the „Auwaldsee“ in Ingolstadt. At this lake I learned to swim, to ice skate, I learned to play Romme, I read books, many MANY books. Back then we rode our bikes to this lake, we spent our childhood afternoons there, and for us, it was perfect! The lake seemed huge, biking around took forever, swimming across seemed impossible! And today after lunch Jürgen and I walked around the lake, 3km, 1hour, just a little afterlunch walk. And it was beautiful! And perfect!!!
I know it’s confusing, but when it comes to „home“, I’m kind of a schizophrenic. What is home? Where you grew up and know every sound, every smell, every little detail inside and out? Or is it the place you live with your husband, a comfortable warm place you enjoy and where you can do whatever you want? Or is it the place you want to be buried? I’m torn and never know what to answer, if I’m asked. So, I’m home now (home #1, where I grew up).
After a short 3.5hour flight from Istanbul I landed in Munich, where my brother Jürgen picked me up and we went to a fun, loud, techno dance party / concert, that left Jürgen in shock. He never was a club, dance party, techno guy, so starting this when you’re 55 years old is a stretch 😱. I on the other hand was sore from dancing the next day, I couldn’t hear well and my voice was hoarse… I always loved techno!
Klangphonics at the Technikum in Munich
Home late, the next day was already packed with a 20 people family lunch at the restaurant Wild in Hagenhill – good food mixed with good company – what else do you need? So this is home then?
And right after lunch, the whole crowd meets at Jürgen & Anjas house for coffee / tea and a variety of homemade cakes! Delicious!!! Just like home!🤩! My nieces Saskia and Tamara should get an award 💝. My family stretches from 2-month old Niklas (our Mini Schneider) up to 85-year old Helmut!
Maxi Schneider & Mini Schneider3 siblings: Jürgen, Edith and PetraGoodies for coffee / teaMom, Stephanie, Tamara and PetraSaskiaKira, Roberto, Maxi Schneider, Saskia and Tamara
And that’s not all: last night my sister Petra and her husband Erwin took me to a lecture about the James Webb Telescope. This was so interesting! I just love it when you learn a lot while being entertained, while you can laugh and think „Uhh, Ahh, Really?“ Prof Andreas Burkert from the TU Munich is such a good talker: a big bravo to his fun, informative style of lecture! Looking at the unimportance of our home planet, how small the earth is compared to the universe. It makes you question why people think so much about themselves, how important they think they are. Listening to Prof Burkerts lecture should put you back into perspective…
And today? Home improvements are on the daily chore list. A remote garage door is needed to make the life of my mom and Helmut more bearable. So here we go, „home“ improvements. Everything involves the word „home“….. I wonder why?
