Just Being...

I wasn't going to blog today because I have promised myself that I will use some of my "writing time" to study my German instead.   However, like most days since moving to Germany,  I experienced too many things that I just don't want to forget and therefore have to write.  (The real reason I write this blog- my mind likes to play hide and seek with my memory)

Today I was in a state of "JUST BEING"  Like a child, I took in all the sights, sounds, smells of my surroundings as I ventured through my day... the crunch of snow under my feet, the old church bells ringing, the German conversations flowing so smoothly (not mine), the horn honking behind me when I didn't go the minute the light turned green, the smell of fresh bread streaming from the bakery, the windshield wipers fighting to get the ice off my windsheild, the train whizzing by me on the drive to Stuttgart and my heartpounding when I could get out of my 2 x 4 parking space in the Parkhouse.......

I had my second visit to the hair salon since moving.  My German was much better this time and I actually enjoyed my appointment.  Funny how my 2 hours is just as much a German lesson as Tuesday and Friday mornings. I think there is a bit of a difference between my salon visits in the States and here.  When I sat in the chair she told me very straight forward (as in not scared she would hurt my feelings) what she thought would improve my hairstyle.  I am slowly getting used to this very direct approach in Germany, now that I understand it is part of the culture.  After washing my hair, just like my first visit, she plopped my chair back and started working on my face.  She literally spent 2 1/2 hours on me for the price of cut and color without ever asking me to buy a single product.  Besides the cut and getting rid of my grey, she massaged my head, fixed my eyebrows (even though I didn't know they needed fixing),  gave me a complete makeover and taught me numerous German words since the majority of our conversations are in German.  I was starting to wonder why on both of my visits she had given me such a lavish treatment.  So, of course, I asked her, "warum du das alles für mich?" (Why do you do all this for me...informal 'you' because she said to use "du) At this point I was scared her answer might be, Cause you look like death warmed over.  BUT, instead she responded, "It is important to feel good when you leave a salon"  Well let me tell you, I felt great.

I had an hour to kill before picking up the kids, and asked what would be a good restaurant close by. She asked me if I like Asiago cheese or so I thought.....Again, bad translation.  She really had asked me if I liked Asian which in German sounds like Asiago to me.  I decided to try this restaurant, Reisekorn (after getting home, I googled and of course it is a Gem here in Stuttgart-check out their website-

http://www.das-reiskorn.de/

It was beyond words to describe this local Gem! If I had been a tourist here, I never would have known about this restaurant.   I don't know how Ruth Reichl (one of my favorite authors and food critic) does her job, because I experienced all the sensations she talks about when eating a meal that are difficult to describe
Menu:

Karroten Linsen suppe (I understood the carrots, but when I asked if they could explain what I was tasting besides the carrots....their base is Coconut and Lemongrass with a touch of curry) 

Gebratanes Huhnchen in einer Mandarinen-curry Sauce mit Gemuse auf Safranreis.
 Ending with a perfectly brewed cup of Schwarzt Tee

Then the most incredible thing was said today by both of my children..."I love it here"  I'm not even sure why I spent so much time stressing about them acclimating before the move.
Here are the reasons they told me that like it here-

• Cooper tells me he likes school here better than Alabama because he gets to do Math (Is he really my child:)
• Karina really likes her classmates and has been invited to play with TWO Friends this week after school.  She told me "mommy, my friends are all so nice to me"
• Both are picking up German and have now joined a "Little German Explorers" class after school.  Cooper keeps saying, "Guten Tag" (Good day) to me when he knocks into me or steps on Rocky....He means to say "Entchuldigung" (excuse me)

Well, time for me to think about shoveling the snow off the sidewalk or studying my German.