AND NOW, Back in Lititz

Cheers, yes yes, it’s me again. For sure, I have fewer challenges then my twin, little 3-D Pat. No problem understanding the language here, but there is the small matter of no trains to hop on and no driver’s license.

This morning I asked my friend Chris to get me to the gym so I could “Spin with Tim!” Not one drop of my yummy wine did I spill! I bet even Marcy couldn’t do that.

On my way out I bumped into Ellen! We had a nice chat and I listen to her new Ipod, ooo, I love this song, Beyonce. “Cuz if you liked it then you should have put a ring on it”.

I hopped a ride home with Ellen and her dogs. I need to get a few things done around the house. In the middle of making a quick lunch there was the strangest sensation around my nose, almost like I had just walked into a glass wall or something. Then my lips had this tingly feeling, but I like the way they look. I think its, COLOR!

After lunch I headed down to the basement to throw a few pots.

Catch up on the wash.

I find the best way to relax after all my chores is to sit outside with a bit of wine. But I am feeling so excited about these red lips, I think I’m going to go over and show Ellen.

Ellen and I had some tea and more wine, when all of a sudden Ellen yelled out, “Oh my God Pat, your eyelids are blue!” Gee whiz, am I turning into the other Pat?

To be continued

Gumption Trap....Hitting the Wall

The incident scene.....




There was a book that I remember reading in the early 70's called "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance". I liked it a lot, I remember that too, a kind of alternative "On the Road" sort of book, I think. Other than the fact of liking it, though, I really remember very little about it. Except for this concept....The Gumption Trap.....I remember that part well because it made so much sense.

The Gumption Trap is what happens when something goes awry and deflates your energy balloon. And sucks away your enthusiasm. You're gung-ho, ready-to-go...and then you get lost, or your car breaks down, or you're trying to fix something, you think you've got it, but you've screwed up and have to start over. Gumption Trap. Drains the energy and enthusiasm right out of you.

I like that, naming it, understanding it.... those times when things don't go right, when you have to recalibrate and regather your energy and steam.

Not knowing the language of the country you're living in is hard, everything is more of an effort. You have to plan how you're going to navigate. And you have to gather energy to make yourself try new things. It's fun also, but there are times when you definitely need Gumption.

I don't mind screwing up, it happens, I usually just roll with it using humor and a smile. But sometimes it gets old.

I've ordered food and gotten the wrong thing more than once....the chicken sandwich rather than the veggie, the wrong rolls...3 rather than two, the extra beer.

At the crepe stand the other day, I'd practiced saying what I wanted, but I didn't know the order of things. I said "kirsche crepe bitte"...cherry crepe, please. After the woman made the crepe she asked what I wanted on it (I think)....I thought I'd already said that part, got confused, and ended up with a "sugar" crepe. Not as bad as it sounds, but not cherry.

OK, you say "crepe" at the beginning and then LATER when she asks, then you get more specific and say what you want on it. OK.

I was going to get Chinese Take-Out for lunch the other day.....I KNOW this routine. Comforting. But it was Fat Tuesday and there were stands that people had brought in and set up. I told myself to eat the food brought in for the event, the Chinese food will be there tomorrow. So I go around to all the stands....all sausages....all kinds of wursts.

I started to get a "bratwurst" because I knew how to say that one and then I kicked myself, and said NO, don't get something just because you know how to say it, get what you want.

The "Rotewurst". I knew you didn't say it like "rot" as in rotten fruit. But I couldn't quite remember......rote, as in "wrote" or as in "root". Took a stab at saying it, the woman looks at me funny, stab again.....she says it....ah... wrote/root UH Vurst. Ah. Ja.

Yesterday when I got back from a little outing, I was in Konnigstrasse and needed something to eat and a milkcoffee to make it through the afternoon. The temptation is, of course, to go where you've already been and know the drill. But I don't want to get into any ruts and go somewhere just because it's easy.

Try somewhere different, it might be a new and interesting experience. Um hmm.

So I go to this little glass-surrounded stand that has outdoor seating and umbrellas with heaters on each corner. Outside but warm. I go inside the stand part, figure out what I want, practice saying it, figure out the money. I might mention here, that I've made several money mistakes also....aggravating, funny....but still. I want to get this right, dammit! I'm getting tired of screwing up.

I start to order from the man at the coffee counter and he starts to say all kinds of things I don't understand. A young woman comes over and says all kinds of things too. I'm doing something wrong....what, what?.....hmmmm.....oh, OH! I'm supposed to go outside to order out there....from the waitress. OK. Oooooo.....k.

So I whip around, flustered yet again for not getting the full scenerio....and walk straight INTO the heavy glass door. I'm leading with my NOSE and BLAM! The door rattles but does not move. Oh owowow!! My nose hurts like hell! I'm seeing stars. If I'd been in a cartoon my nose would've had littles birdies chirping around it, I would've completely flattened to that door and then slumped down into a puddle on the floor. Yosemite Sam.

Fortunately, I didn't faint and my nose didn't bleed, but I was mightily embarassed, which, I suppose, is the easiest thing to deal with. Even though, not only did I not order at the right place, but I didn't understand what they were telling me and then I run smack into the door. Oh good grief!! A total, complete and royal screw-up. It must've been hilarious to anyone watching. I bet.

My eyes wouldn't stop watering and my whole face was throbbing, from the start of my hairline down to my teeth. I could tell things were starting to swell....besides hurting, my nose felt like it was growing into a potato.

But.....I actually managed to enjoy my milkcoffee and nutella/banana crepe. I'd gotten a crepe with someting in it besides sugar, dad-gummit, so I was going to enjoy it come hell or high water.

And then the funniest thing.

This woman and her son were walking by and came over and asked me...ME??????....something....what, what....oh I get the drift. "Yes, you sit down out here and they come out and take your order." I said all this in English and pantomime but she got my drift.

And then I added, "whatever you do, do NOT go in there to order, do NOT turn around and do NOT walk into the door with your nose leading the way!!"

It's stupid, and it hurts!

OUCH!

Gumption Trap. I'm not going to be caught by the Gumption Trap. I'm not letting it get me. I'm trying a NEW coffee shop tomorrow. I am! I'll figure out first if you order inside or outside. I'll practice what I want to order. I'll figure out the money. I'll check for any walls. Or doors. I'll lead with my hands. I'm gonna get it right!







Leftover confetti from Fat Tuesday parade......




Guess what this beautiful woman's dress is made of......

This photo is everywhere.....I had been looking at it for weeks before I realized what the dress is made of. Cool!

And Then She Waved.....

The other day I was on the Ubahn....the train, tram, trolley. It was dark and so the window reflections are deceptive.

I like to watch people and try to guess their story....or make a story up about them. But you don't want to look at people directly. Anywhere this is true, but here especially. I don't want to be rude.

Because half the seats on the Ubahn face one way and the other half faces the other, frequently you are sitting tight across from someone. So rather than staring directly at the person across from me, sometimes I watch people in the reflection of the window beside me.

Recently, my second daughter, Ariel, sent me her list of 25 Random Things. She says I should make up a list about myself. This is the kind of thing young people....or myself.... have time for. This is an idea from Facebook. I hear people are addicted to Facebook and I can see why. This is really interesting stuff....what someone choses to pick out of everything they could say about themselves. Or it may be just something done in a second without much thought. I can hear it now, "oh Mom, it's not that big a deal, just do it quick".

Anyway, her list is so cute, I told her, I'd want to be her friend in a minute.

Here are a few of the things on her list to give you an example. She sent it to me because I was part of some of those 25 things.....it's only fair that I know what she wrote. I presume she won't mind me putting this on my blog....it's out there on the internet in Facebook for all to see anyway......

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6. I really wish Queen had ended "We Are The Champions" with "of the world."
**7. My mom invented the high five during an intramural bowling match at NC State in the early 70's.**10. In 7th grade, I spent my life savings on a unicycle.12. I would like to do a triathalon, but I tend to sink in water.14. Thanks to the lies of my mom, I spent the first 6 years of my life thinking that frozen peas and carrots were candy.18. My family is made up of Little Stevie, Chatty Patty, Alyssa the Brain, me, Lucy the Rebel, and Anna the Nut.
19. I love when you are walking directly at someone, and you both step the same way to go around each other and then you both step the other way and it keeps going back and forth.21. My nose is slightly crooked due to a freak frisbee golf accident.22. For my 21st birthday, my parents sent me silly putty. I was thrilled with this gift until I found out that they sent my sister a camera for hers.24. My ping pong skills are legendary.25. I have a tendency to dress for the weather that I hope will occur, not the actual weather. I end up being cold quite a bit.

and before you get all sad and say, "it's just so hard to be fair all the time" about #22, have no fear. i am, in no way, scarred from it, and i thoroughly enjoyed that silly putty.

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Anyway, so, of course, I've been thinking of my own Random 25 for the past week. At first it was hard to come up with so many things...but now, I have 30+ interesting tidbits on my list and it's impossible to trim the list down. There are a bunch of items on there....cool things, very random stuff.

One of the things I put on my list....a favorite occupation of mine....is to smile at people and then watch their surprise and then watch their face ease into a smile of return. I find this especially neat with old people who don't expect to even be noticed. I love to watch their faces be happy from a little click sent by someone passing. Even if just for a moment.

Here in Germany people don't smile as much as at home. Mostly eye-contact is avoided. It's just a cultural thing, who knows why. And so people are even more surprised when I smile at them. Usually, though, they do smile back after getting over the surprise of it.

The other night when I was on the train, I looked at the window beside me. It sometimes gets really confusing. There are reflections and there are reflections of reflections. This time, though, I was looking right at this old woman....directly. It took a minute to realize that it wasn't a reflection at all. It was another train right next to my train, so I was looking at a real person, not a reflection at all.

Her train was going in the opposite direction from mine and she was sitting so she was facing me. It was very close.

Sometimes, trains stay at the stop for a few minutes, getting the timing of the schedule just right.

It's funny, where people place their eyes when they're right next to you or across from you on the train....avoiding eye contact.

But we'd made eye contact. Certainly by mistake, each mistaken in our perception of what we were looking at. We looked at each other eye-to-eye. Once I figured it out, I smiled at her.

This woman sort of drew herself up, it seemed to me, a little defensively, but then changed her mind and gave back the tiniest, little pinched smile before looking away as I did also. Our trains didn't leave right away, though, either of them. I glanced back at her a few times and she at me, still tightly held together and with that same little pinched smile.

Then one of the trains started to go....it's hard to tell which one...and as I glanced back at this old woman, she looked over, and then, she waved at me. I waved back, of course, but it really, really surprised and thrilled me that she'd beat me to the punch and she had waved first. So touching, so touched. A very small and brief moment really, but still....

Reflections.....

The train beside me.....though not the same woman....

Fat Tuesday

The first inkling I had that something was up was Friday when I saw these little witches across the street. Then I started seeing spiderman and elephants at the Ubahn stop. And a whole herd of cowgirls (cowgirls?) in red. What is going on?!!

Then there was Mr. Corn on the plaza! I love fruits and vegetables that become people!

All weekend there were signs.....more costumed people.....extra doughnuts at the bakery.....ah-HA! Faustnachts I bet....only here they're called Sparbacks. On Konigstrassee there are stands for crepes and, of course, wursts.....roasted corn, yes....and nuts....and gluhwein (hot mulled wine) even, up at the end.

This morning when I crossed Konigstrasse, there were balloon people and a feeling that something was about to happen.

When I got back to the plaza, drums were beating and loud music was playing from a large speaker and people were congregating. There was an announcer up in a 4th floor window evidently saying funny stuff.....people were laughing.

Mr. Announcer yelled, in English, "ARE YOU READY TO PARTY?!" And then the music, I kid you not, was that John Denver song, "Take me Home Country Road"....."take me home mountain mama....to the place ......where I belong.....WEST VIRGINIA!" and EVERYONE, everyone on the plaza started singing! HA! Mr. Announcer, in his big fancy chief berger hat, was singing and bopping along too. HA!

I saw lots of groups getting ready. This is the group I want to be part of. I first saw them jumping up and down .....and dancing.....up at the end, near the gluhwein stand.

Right after I took this photo, the top woman slid right off to the ground. Too much gluhwein? Well, they were havin' a LOT of fun!

I could tell a parade was gathering. I waited and WAITED for that parade to begin. That's the thing.....I had no idea what time the parade started, I couldn't ask anyone either.....I woulda gone to get some coffee......or something warm! If I'd known it was 2 hours.....

But there was a lot of getting ready before the parade....singing, waving arms, oompah jumping up and down, drinking....stuff. Eating, laughing at the announcer who musta been a riot....

Parade starts....lots....and lots of bands. Oompa, some. Again, "Country Roads"! Must be a hit in Stuttgart. And a really fun song......something flies, something swims in the river and, I think, something climbs.....and then lots of crowd arm waving and finger pointing to the sky. Looks like great fun! Better than the Chicken Dance.

Wolf pyramid.....

A slogan we all know! I heard this said by the announcer several times....

HA! What's wrong with this picture?! There were several "Native American" groups....and covered wagons. And several Confederate flags too.....I'm confused....

Colorful Mardi Gras Band. Lots of drum from many of the bands....very cool.

Crowd scene. Very warm, friendly, fun crowd. Lots of confetti, lots of plastic squeeze string. Lots of bonhommie.

But no Naked Bike Riders.....

The Tale of Two Pat’s

There are two Pat’s. One is very colorful and ornaments some times with a crown. She wraps herself with good friends and lots and lots of good old belly laughs.

Oh, and she likes to drink wine too! This would be the ”Three-Dimensional” PAT!

Then there is the “Flat Black & White Pat” she is a whole lot of fun too. Sure, she’s not as colorful as the 3-D Pat, but she makes up for it in size! She sure is bigger then 3-D Pat, and notice, she likes to drink wine too! Lots of wine (check out the table at bottom of photo).

Now 3-D Pat is always on the go, busy, busy, busy, and very talented too. Sometimes, it’s hard to keep up with 3-D Pat! But, Flat Pat is busy as a bee too. Here she is snow blowing our driveway, and remember, this Flat Pat doesn’t even have legs. Yeah, that’s a right, no legs (try walking all those steps with no leg 3-D).

We miss you 3-D!

On the Tower!

For all of you with vertigo issues.....just remember, these are only photos!


Since going up steps has become a serious interest....some might even say obsession....I'm branching out into going up towers as well as hillsides. This beautiful tower, the Schlaich Tower on Killesberg, unfortunately, wasn't open.....due to the slippery conditions of the snowy ground. I hope it'll open before I leave. [I don't know how many steps :( ]

This is a tower we could go up. [1282!!! steps, whooo doggies!] It's the TV tower, visible from about anywhere in Stuttgart.

That's a long way up! [1282 steps!]

The view down.....I'm trying to see where we live.....wait, wait! See that little triangle, past that hill and then a little to the right and up from that squarish church tower? Left cornerish in the photo....

Zooming in, zooming in. I think that's it! See the church with the copper green steeple right in the middle of the photo? That's the church we see when we come out the alley between the two buildings from our apartment!! Holy carumba, this is almost as good as NASA or whatever group took that amazing photo that Terry showed us. Am I sure that's our church? No, but I'm going to say it is anyway, and I'm stickin to it!

Train Station Tower. I had a heck of time finding it.....I thought the tower was in the middle of the station. So much for paying attention. A most wonderful display with the most amazing model I've ever seen on one of the floors going up. [369 steps!]

The view down Konigstrasse from the Train Tower...

St. Peter's Church Tower, Munich.....very narrow and rickety steps..... [308 steps]

Anna and Steve made it to the top and had a good look-down.

The Rathaus (City Hall) Tower in Rothenburg. If you look close, you can see people at the tower at the top.

These are the steps we just came up. HA! You'd never see this allowed in the US.

Or this! Finally out the top hatch. I'm thinking I should be able to count each of these steps as two. hmmm......[204 steps].

That was a little dicey getting out here, but the view is always worth it. That tower was so narrow, you couldn't possibly pass anyone without going out on the railing. Oh no! I wouldn't! I love this....

I really, really hope this tower is open at some point while I'm here. I want to count those steps! And feel that thing sway. It's only supported at the bottom by a ball the diameter of the central pole. Oh, and all the cables....well, thank goodness.

PS....I'm sad to report that I lied about the 1282 steps on the TV tower. There are no steps open to the public. You have to go up the elevator. Pooh. But at least I'm fessing up to it now. I debated about it.

Scenes of Stuttgart

I set out to find the Chinese Garden.....on Panoramastrasse....so of course, the view below was amazing. Inside was very quiet and peaceful.

By virtue of following the "Go Up All Steps" rule, I found this little fortification on an outcropping overlooking the city. I got there, just by luck, at noon, on a very warm day. Suddenly all the churchbells in the valley started to chime......first one, then another, then another. I sat on a bench, closed my eyes and felt the sun, and listened to the noontime chiming down below from all directions. Ten minutes of warmth and glorious sound......

A view down Konigstrasse, the main pedestrian walkway in the city. I don't usually like the severe cutting-style of pollared trees, but here the trees have a very sculptural quality, little starbursts of limbs against the sky.

The Art Museum......the glass cube. Very cool building.

There it is.....the Tea House. Somehow I missed a turn and now I'm above it.....how to get down there?....

Found it!

Another little stone fortification above the city.....