Schopfloch

Schopfloch

My day - I wake up and go downstairs. The table is always set with breakfast and there is usually a vitamin of some sort on my plate. I make some coffee with the espresso machine (they can't believe I drink it black) and then I try some of the assortment of fresh breads that are in the basket. On the weekends I sit and chat with the family. During the week, Doro and I sit and then clean up together. After breakfast we usually go out and about. Around 12 or 1 we have lunch followed by coffee. At 4pm every day we have tea and cake. Doro's parents come home from work at that time. Her Dad talks to us in Polish and her parents often discuss patients. Most of the time they speak German. They take turns translating for me. Her Mom will explain things in English and her Dad explains them in Polish. Sometimes our conversations are so mismatched, I forget what language we're speaking. Then Mom and Dad go back to work and we hang out and prepare dinner which we eat around 8:30pm when the rents get home. After dinner we usually sit by the fire and have wine and fruit or chocolate. Her Dad quizzes us in Polish and then when we can't process any more new info we hit the hay. 

View on my walk

We went over to Grandma and Grandpa's for lunch the other day. Grandpa is 90 and Grandma is 89. She cooked a traditional German mittagessen of potatoes, sauerkraut and wurst. It was delicious. They both know I don't speak German, but that did not stop them from talking to me. Half the time I didn't have a clue what they were saying, but it didn't phase them. They kept right along acting like I was on the same page. I will get to see them again on Xmas. Grandma is going to make her famous potato salad so that I can try it. 

Dramatic skies over Schopfloch

I also went to the stable with Dorothea and saw her ride her horse this weekend. She wears a riding outfit and everything! Her horse is beautiful and a bit of a clown. He kept nudging my arm, just like Cosmo does when he wants attention.

Outside the train station

Doro's sister, Anna, has come back home for the holidays. We all got dressed up and went out to dinner with some of their friends last night. They all spoke German all night, but somehow managed to include me. I cannot explain how it worked, but it did. We had lots of laughs. 

Foods -

Our daily tea set-up

I have tried several new things since I have been in Germany. I had a type of fruitcake the other day, which is popular around the holidays. It is filled with dried fruit and nuts. Yum! I also tried salad which is made from cress and field greens. It looks like grass, but it is very tasty. They eat soy sauce (tamari) on their salad here. I do not partake in this practice, but they love it. Every day they introduce me to a new bread. I have no idea what they are all called, but I have yet to try one I do not like. 

Me in Tübingen

Last week I got to visit Tübingen, which is a small town about 30 minutes from Schopfloch. It has lots of sweet little shops. We had lunch in the main square and did some shopping.