Paul's BIG 50!

Jane Austen in Emma declared that "Surprises are foolish things. The pleasure is not enhanced, and the inconvenience is often considerable." Well! we pulled off enough of a surprise for Paul's 50th birthday, that he declared was not in the least foolish nor inconvenient! And it was an actually pleasurable event enhanced by the many amazing friends in attendance.

We were blessed with a day of wonderful weather, good food, and superior drink for this grand celebration. The only unfavorable part were the friends and family, who for many reasons, were not able to be with us.

Thank you to all for the may well wishes and congratulations to Paul, on this, the beginning of his next decade.

Everybody knows it's Paul's 50th! plus some shark teeth for the occasion!

Celebrating in the garden on Alleghany Street!

Paul the selfie king!

Dad the photo bomber at Thanksgiving!

What I like 'bout here, The Count Down, Day 66 & 65

Day 66: Poppies growing as wild flowers alongside the roads and in the wheat fields.

Day 65: Sitting and sharing lunch with the older ladies from the Gemeinde "church" www.feg-rebland.de and finding out that "little Old ladies" are the same around the world.

Bald kommt der Nikolaus, December 6, 2009

Wils and our neighbor friend got a visit today from the Man in the red dress, Saint Nikolaus and his buddy the Krampus or Schwartz Peter.

Bald kommt der Nikolaus

Im Winter, wenn es stürmt und schneit

und's Weihnachtsfest ist nicht mehr weit,

da kommt weit her aus dunklem Tann,

der liebe, gute Weihnachtsmann.

In seinem Sack sind gute sachen,

die braven Kindern Freude machen.

Doch auch die Rute ist zur Hand

für Kinder, die als bös bekannt.

Das mag wohl früher so gewesen sein,

heut gibt's nur brave Kinderlein.

Die sagen schnell ihr Sprüchlein auf,

Knecht Ruprecht macht den Sack dann auf.

Und Äpfel, Nüsse, Pfefferkuchen,

darf gleich das liebe Kind versuchen.

Knecht Ruprecht aber fährt geschwind

davon zum nächsten art'gen Kind.

(unbekannter Dichter)