Count down: Saturday 59, Sunday 58 Monday 57,

Saturday July 3rd; Countdown - day 59 - I like living here, when during the World Cup, I can be surrounded by 3,000 of our closest Friends while watching Germany boot Argentina 4-0.

✈

Sunday July 4th; Countdown day 58 - what I like about living here is even while in Europe we are able to celebrate our Nation's Independence Day with good American friends and that we can spontaneously sing the American National Anthem AND make it sound great with harmonies and proper breathing and inflection. Guess we have sung that a time or two in our childhoods! Oh, say can you see....!!!!

plus good hamburgers and marshmallow roasting.

✈

Monday, July 5th, Countdown day 57 - I like hearing a hawk call so directly overhead, that I duck to see if it is landing nearby.

Count down day 60, FRI-day What I like...

One of the local stores has started to re-carry drinks in a can. What I like about this is that there is a "Pfand", or as we older kids remember as a "Deposit". Here in Germany, the deposit is 25 cents for plastic bottles and aluminum drink cans, 8 to 10 cents for bottle and glass jars. It may be a pain to pay up front for the use of these items, but boy does it make you bring them back to get your refund! That refund money has saved my more than once in the check out lane. I like deposits on bottles!

Count down day 61, Thursday, What I like...

Day 61

• I like hearing the local church bell ring the top of the hour.
  

Count down day 62, Wednesday

day 62

• I like being able and being expected to hang out my laundry...

there is a controversy about that "right" in some areas of the USA at the moment.

Count down day 63, Tuesday

• day 63 I like being in a room of 5 friends and then notice that we are from 5 different continents!

• 
  

What I like 'bout here, The Count Down, Day 64

Day 64 till the flight to the USA.....

I like going for a Pole Walk about with friends
The kind of a walk that Ends
with a Breakfast
of fresh baked rolls and breads,
with various
jams and spreads,
tomatoes drizzled with balsamic vinegar
and olive oil,
Eggs boiled hard,
wonderfully strong coffee All
Enjoyed on a fabulous Stone deck
listening to birds - watching
dogs romp 'round the garden and pond.
I like going for a Pole Walk about with friends.

Wednesday night in Germany

This is what happens on a Wednesday night at our church. Fußball!

We had over 2500 people gathered on Wednesday evening (for "Wednesday night supper"). We had several "small groups" going - one in the main sanctuary, one in the foyer, one in the bar, and one outside. Here are a few pics ...

First - outside a rather large "small group" is gathered.

Go Deutschland!

German vestments.

Inside - another group anticipates a German win ...

... and in the bar?

more people.

dinner on the lawn - Wurst, Pommes und Brot!

Hopp Hopp Deutschland!!!!

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.

48K for a 48th birthday

I decided, that in honor of my 48th Birthday, I would do some-thing that I had not done before.

For this special day, Thursday, June 10, 2010, I determined, as my challenge, to bike ride for 48 Kilometers.

And I did!

On a hill above Lörrach-Stetten on our way to Adlehausen. I am in Germany, the cows are in Switzerland.

I never tire of the wonder of being in two countries at once!

Taking a break in Adelhausen. We had just completed level 4 and 5 hills to get here. The water was a welcome addition as we had almost finished our own.

We made it down the hill to Schopfheim for a mid-morning refreshment and enjoyed some people watching. Hit a top speed of 57 kph coming down the hill ... I love speed, but I love my skin too, so I slowed down a bit ...,

Happy birthday to me ... I had fun!

now what shall I do next year?

What I like 'bout here, The Count Down, Day 67

ok, So we missed the drama of marking the 75th day til we fly back to the US. For those wanting to know - it was last Thursday, I am off by a week and a day.
Moving on: Purpose of this blog entry is to take note of the things I like about living here in Germany. Hopefully I'll make at least one a day to contribute to the count down.

Day 67

I like being able to ride my bike home from the grocery with Baguettes sticking out of the basket. It makes me feel so continental, however, not French, as they would not have paper wrappings on the bread as the Germans do.!