Our daily life moves in slow motion for me. I laze in bed each morning with a cup of coffee, reading e-news, checking posts from friends via email and FB. Long walks every day, daylight lasting much later into the evenings, and window shutters that provide total blackout in the apartment, all contribute to later awakening. Now if we could only hush the sounds of late night revelers; guess I need to try some earplugs.
Some days we don’t leave the apartment till late morning. Chris is usually busy with his photos and writing for the blog (my excuse is that he is on the computer and the tablet is not an effective tool for writing.) Today he’s out wandering with his camera as I tend to chores of the laundry type.
The washer is on the 3rd load, and it is 5 hours after the first load started. I looked for the short cycle but it seems all the settings run for 2+ hours. This method is supposed to be more efficient and use less water. I’m worried the fabric will be worn through in a few months! Without a dryer, everything is draped on the drying rack, hung on doors and across windows … it all dries rather quickly in this lower humidity. But cotton dries with a crackly crunch without the tumbling and softening factor of a dryer. It was finally time to try out the iron today. Now I understand why the fashion is to always wear a jacket or sweater layer, it hides the wrinkles in your shirt.
It has been interesting to observe what women wear. I’ve seen shorts with tee shirts and sandals go by in one direction while boots and coats pass on the other side. The temperature started today at 55, it is now 68 with a forecast high of 73. And when the sun is out, it can feel much warmer than when the clouds pass over. I’ve learned that a jacket and scarf are always useful, and I expect my arms to soon be well toned from taking my sweater/jacket off only to put it back on 15 minutes later.
This might be a long post but I thought some of you might want to know other dimensions at living away from our mother country, though Chris’ pictures do tell colorful stories with far less words.
Carmen
9 Sep 2014I love the little details of everyday life, it’s as if I’m living it so please don’t cut those out! Thanks again & again for having us experience this too in some small way. I know I look forward to the next detail of everyday life. I like the idea of purchasing pics, I will take a look at the website.
Take care
Carmen
Chris
9 Sep 2014Thanks Carmen!
Nadine Long
8 Sep 2014Love the story and pics, have fun kids, Nadine
Chris
9 Sep 2014Thanks Nadine, glad you could visit. Hope all is well with you and yours. 8^)
Chris
9 Sep 2014Oh, and by the way, if you want to follow along more easily you can subscribe and we’ll send an e-mail whenever a new post is added. 8^)
Alice Mathias
8 Sep 2014I’m living vicariously through you!
BruceM
8 Sep 2014What an exciting time this must be for you 2. Moving to an entirely different area and (in your case) culture is such a rush.
We remember how entranced we were during our 1st year in Oregon, probably made even more so by our 55 collective years in Florida.
Every day we were breathlessly pronouncing something like “Look at all the bicyclists on the road!” or “The leaves are turning orange & red!” or “It’s warm but I’m not sweating like a pig!” and “Look at the sheep in the meadow just half a mile from our house!”
We’re wishing you the best in your journeys & journals.
Bruce & Trish
Linda
7 Sep 2014Saw the picture of mushrooms (Girolles) (Pfifferling in German). They were in season when we were in Germany and some wonderful meals with them as the feature vegetable.
Erica Franco
7 Sep 2014Hey guys! Love the blog, sounds like such an amazing adventure, Pat and I are jealous! Hey I heard if you put about a 1/2 cup of white vinager in your rinse cycle of your wash, it will keep the cloths soft and fluffy when air drying!
Love you guys, keep writing!
Erica