Leaving Germany I head toward Spain

I'm on a flight with a bunch of Germans heading toward Alicante we're eating sausage and cheese!

Walking the dogs..Chelsea is dead?

Melissa and I would go and take the dogs for a walk in the fields or woods. God, I love that! It is the best thing in the world to be outside looking at the incredible landscape in Germany. The rolling green fields, the forest. One day we went to a different walk where there was a stream and Chelsea went nuts in the water she loved it so much, was running, grabbing at things in the water. Marching, jumping straining to get in then jumping out. Missy and I were hysterical, she was so funny. There was so much joy in her at that moment. She was delirious with delight. This moment is what a dog is all about. Especially a Golden Retriever, they are real water dogs, come alive around and in it. I have had many goldens and think they are the greatest family dogs ever. Anyway, it wasn't 2 months after that and I get an email from Melissa that Chelsea has died, I could not believe it. She said Chelsea got up one morning and just had a heart attack at her feet. All I remember is that look of complete bliss on her face in the stream that day, in the woods in Germany. It makes it all worthwhile doesn't it? Just to see or experience one fleeting moment of sheer joy. If we could all be so lucky as that great, great, wonderful dog........Chelsea!

German Food...uh humpf!

I do love wiener snitzel though!

Just hangin' out

A German Castle

German fields of green, so gorgeous.

Behind melissa's home, outskirts of the neighgorhood, are acres of fields and along the rim a cool forest, there's a wakj that rims the fields thru the forest.

A ......s-l-o-w start today......

I have awoken for my first day in Europe. Things are a little slow today. I did have a good nights sleep though in the crazy bank building my sister lives in. It seems as though a doctor built this gisantic square box, and put a ton of money into it, and then went bankrupt. This is where my sister, her husband 2 dogs and a cat live, in a quaint small town called Bad Kissigen. Bad Kissigen is know for it's "Waters". Older people come from all over to take the "waters". So we go downtown one day and go to the sacred fountain in the park where water bubbles out from miles below the surface of the earth. It's a foul, egg, sulphur, concostion, that has people filling their glasses there 3 times a day. The doctors send people there for the "cure", god it all sound so medieval. I go and get a swig, ugh, it is salty, sulphery horrible. I guess people swear by it, cures everything, although I do feel a slight headache coming on...haa haaaa!

Thunderstorms in Germany........ faswoosh!

So after 10 hours I land in London and then catch a Lufthansa flight to Frankfurt, the cheapest flight so far 73 dollars. We board the plane, there are only 10 people. We sit, and sit and continue to sit. Now remember I have been sitting on a plane for 10 hours, hanging in Heathrow for another 3 and a half hours, and now I sit once again. There are moments in life when pulling your hair out seems like a great idea. The pilot comes on and tells us that there are thunderstorms in Germany and we must wait. Wait for a storm to pass? Doesn't that take hours? I start talking to the woman next to me, she is a very nice Persian lady who lives in Germany. She has been working in London and is on her way home. She is a translator. We take off and it is uneventful except...I am, so tired. I fall asleep and wake myself up by snorting very loud! I was snoring. I jump at being suddenly awakened and apologize for my adnoids..sp? She said it's fine her husband snores. I am dead beat. Need fresh air and my feet on green grass. I am soooo tired of being in a sitting position 30,000 feet above the ground when all of a sudden the plane drops about a thousand feet. This gets me going, the lady and I look at heach other, startled, we laugh, and then know we are in for something with the damn storm. The rest of the way to Germany was like an amusement park ride. I was no longer tired. I thought to myself, if I'm going to die please let me be alert and smart until the very last moment. I may have to parachute out over the German countryside or something. I feel my stomache tighten. We just look at each other again and laugh. The pilot gets us safely on the ground. The storm has passed. I set foot on the European continent! Wahoo! There is my sister and her husband Mattias. I love them both so much. We pack us all into the car and head out to the autobahn, soon I ask Mattias how fast are you going? He smiles and says in mph?.....120...yes, I my adventure has begun.