Life: Idiotropic

It turns out that this blog is really a venting forum about the weather. And, may be I wouldn't have cared so much if I didn't have company, but it's been three solid weeks of rain for me and now almost two for Dad and Angie who really would like to see something other than the underside of an umbrella.

This week was spent running out to do errands and short local sightseeing in between rain showers and thunderstorms. The kids played well indoors amusing themselves with the spread of toys from one well organized playroom to every square centimeter of the house.

Monday we took a walk around Gangelt since it's old and has quite a few original walls and towers in it to see. The church is pretty too, but we couldn't go in that day because there was a funeral. The bells of the church were going crazy - it was really pretty though. I love the church bells around here. That is something I'll miss when we go back home. It really is a wonderful sound to hear.
On Tuesday we took a walk down by Burg Trips - the once castle, now rest-home in Geilenkirchen. It's a pretty little walk and the sheep were out by the reflecting pool.

I was thrilled to see a blue heron really close by and got a picture just before he flew away. There are a lot of blue heron here and even more in Holland. Just before we got to the car, we saw a family of baby ducks in the water and stopped to watch them for a while. Elise loves ducks, so she was excited to see them and I can certainly relate to the mother with so many chicks in tow. Angie didn't like walking in the rain (and who could blame her), so she waited for dad and I in the car while we enjoyed a quiet walk. It never poured, just sprinkled, so it was not too bad. We finished in time to pick up the girls and get coffee and cake at the bakery. House guests are not good for the waist line. There is entirely too much celebrating going on and now Angie and I can't seem to stomach a cappuccino without a hearty serving of whipped cream on top! My dad likes his coffee with a couple scoops of vanilla ice cream. Yum.

The other day I was reading one of my travel books and getting excited about little things that I was discovering near our house to see. EVERYONE was mocking me. But, in that book I found this odd little overgrown place that I'd walked by before in Sittard. It's in a hidden corner where no one ever goes and is completely covered with grasses and weeds. All you can see is an odd little door and some dark windows and there is no plaque or sign to say what it is. I'd always thought it was kind of strange. In the book, I found out that it's an old fort - Fort Sanderbout. I don't know much about it, but that there was an old Jewish cemetary there. There are tours available. I'm going to call for one. So during Tiara's ballet class dad and I walked there and got pictures. Below is the fort and then Tiara in front of her dance studio.