Life: Idiotropic

Spring is here, really truly. It's finally here.

There is proof of this in the large thick comforters hanging out top story windows to air out and dry, in the cotton candy blooms covering the trees in every direction, in the happy tweeting of birds at an increasingly early hour, and in the time spent with friends walking, talking, and enjoying our surroundings.

It was all topped off today but a visit to my favorite cafe in Immendorf with friends where the girls all got to order a large scoop of home made ice cream all by themselves for only 50 cents each and I got to relax with a berry topped cream cake while the kids played. This evening while the girls wrestled Kirk outside in the grass, I unloaded the summer bin and replaced the contents with every wool sweater, turtleneck, and long sleeved dress I could find in their room. Yep. Winter is finally over.

The events of the last couple weeks have been mostly joyous, with but one sad tragedy. Just one day after a triumphant Luci learned to tie her shoes ALL BY HERSELF, she found a baby bird newly hatched laying in the grass. It's egg was partially still stuck to it's new damp feathers. I suspect that a marder or other critter had taken the egg from the nest and was scared off before eating it. The bird had definitely hatched there. No nest was visible. The bird was barely moving. I was sure it would die soon. My neighbor suggested digging a hole, which Arianna did, but I could not stand to watch a bird being buried still alive. Besides, it was cold out and starting to rain and get dark. So, I brought it in, put it in a safe place in the bathroom where the drier kept the room warm, and gave it water and a little food. Fed and watered it at least every two-three hours even that night... prepared the girls that it wouldn't survive, but still tried. It perked up that evening. The next morning, it was still doing OK, but slow. It wouldn't eat as much. That afternoon it passed away, so I found a nice French cheese box, and we had a burial for it. Luci balled. Absolutely balled. She has my love for nature. Now she's trying to convince us that she needs a pet bird.

On a happy note, I've been outside in the sun which is wonderfully good for my mental health! One day I went walking from Geilenkirchen to Burg Trips and back with a friend, enjoying a cappuccino reward at the end. Saw baby lambs, baby geese, a beautiful blue heron, and a lovely large goose who hissed at me when I got too close. Went into a pet store and found out that dogs and cats cannot be sold legally in pet stores. You can only buy them from breeders or rescue shelters. And, the owner of my favorite cafe had found my local blog and asked if it was me who wrote the nice things about the bakery, so she wouldn't let me pay for my coffee and apricot quark kuchen. It was very nice.

Another sunny day afforded me the opportunity to go to Maastricht with a friend and walk the route that she goes. Funny how we are such creatures of habit. I still park in the same garage each time I go to Maastricht and I still walk the same route. Holly does the same thing - different parking spot - different route. So we did Maastricht the Holly way - by following a row of amazing shopping opportunities and ending at the most delightful surprise ever - a bookstore and coffee shop housed in an 11 century church. This isn't a church bookstore. This is a church building erected in 1274 that is now filled with book covered tables and a modern 3-story platform of books. It is a modern, secular bookstore - AND, it has an English section! (English sections here in Europe almost always carry books written or translated into British English, not American. Not a problem, really, but it is a difference.)

Everyone is happy. Life is good.