Love another bird feeding station!

7.V.07 - MoM

Thank goodness the wind is gone. All is calm and quiet again. I am impressed that you also did the Sunday X-word. Sandy and Charlie do it together every week. I save my energies for Monday's. Sandy is always trying to get me to "graduate" to Tuesday's but I am happy with the brain stimulation I get from my so-called "200 Easy New York Times Puzzles" that I keep in the bathroom. I like feeling my little cells scrambling around remembering strange things. Sometimes I am amazed at obscure things that are hidden there. Even for the briefest "visit," I take time to do a few words.

The big excitement of my day was Charlie and Sandy coming by this afternoon and putting together my new APS bird feeding system. Charlie chipped out one brick so we could put it in the middle so the squirrels can't jump on it from the bank. Will keep my fingers crossed that they don't decide to "fly" from the edge of the "new" living room roof. It has a hanging feeder, a flat one, humming bird feeder and a suet thing.

While they were here, I got a few more loose ends taken care of. I hadn't been able to get my bedside lamp plugged into my new remote, it needed more push than I had. Also, the double pane glass door is fogging and it was bad enough today that I could not see for sure if it was the wren that was "singing" loudly from the top of an old feeder on a pole on the deck, that they sometimes use for a nest. (The male builds several nests, then gives the female her choice.) They are very noisy, singing at the top of their lungs early in the morning. Charlie is going to get in touch with the glass people and will ask them to replace the glass in it. (I do hate to have anyone see the closet mess that is out for sorting in the back half of my bedroom, but (oops a surprise shower is raining on my new bird seed I put out today --I need to shut my bedroom door).

After more treatment on the deck fountain scale with Sandy's suggestion of half and half white vinegar and water HOT, and a stiff brush, I think I am about done with it. I have it on the kitchen counter so keep I have been able to keep after it every little bit.

I think I may be able to get serious about the bedroom mess tomorrow however I just remembered that I have those new plants in the chaos I call the sun room. With FL help, I'll relax and attack both a little at a time.

* * * * *

This finishes the letter of 30.I.86.

It looks now as if we may try to make a trip to WVA in July for a month. Naturally we are not telling the people here yet that we are going to be away as the Frau does not like to have the house completely vacant. We just decided a week or so ago that we had better make a trip back. After Jan and Bill Fendrich and Rosie worked very hard to clear out a lot of our stuff upstairs and to get the house ready to rent, we have decided that we are not going to rent again for now. Will tell you about our reasons when we next see you.

We have no other real plans for travel, but might hop over to "Merry Ole" sometime in May for a couple of weeks after the Fendrichs have been here for their 2 night visit at the end of April. Also, after the lease is firm, we may loop up to Den Haag for those wonderful pepper hot frog's legs and excellent TexMex food. [And, probably we needed some more books from the fantastic American bookstore.] Also, want to wait for a little as need to be around as I think that Frau Manhardt may take out the red seating bench in the downstairs kitchen and put in a nice matching base cabinet along that wall. It is heresy here to have a kitchen without a corner seating arrangement but it worries her to see me have to put things like my pressure cooker under the bench and hear that my roasting pan is under my bed. She does not know about all the appliance things that are in DoD's closet. I told her that would no longer be a problem when we got the extra apartment as most of the things I don't use very often, but she thought that was not good to have to run up or down for them. We are not planning to have a real kitchen there, but will keep the sink, the only thing in there now.

I had planned to make a copy of the enclosed stuff, but have decided I will never get that done so will send it all to you. How about checking this out for next fall. Were you interested in the Brittany area along the coast, north and east of Brest or somewhere else? If we were up there we might check what is involved in that cooking school I told you about for some one of your times over here. We will pay for the expenses involved in the article.

Probably will go shopping after DoD finishes his nap, so want to get this in the mail then. Still waiting to hear from you one of these days. I can't believe how fast the time slips by. Enjoyed hearing from Marty and Christmas and hope to get a letter to her one of these days. When I get working on the German vocab on the disc, nothing else seems to get done,

A blustery day!

6.V.07 - MoM

I almost got blown away, today. I knew it was a little blustery but didn't give it much thought, except to put my deck tomato plant in a corner near the sunroom so it would be a little protected. Later, I decided to go out to take some pictures of my fantastic blooming bulbs. I took my crutch and got into the side yard when I realized that the gusts were much stronger than I thought. It was a little hard to keep my balance and the branches were creaking. I didn't want one to fall on me but then I saw that one of the front deck chairs had blown into the flowerbed. It was still wiggling and ready to take off again. Since I knew my bedroom door was unlocked, I decided to go ahead and try to rescue the chair instead of returning to the patio. It was spooky, but I managed to snag the chair with one hand while steadying myself with the crutch and somehow made it up the one stone step to the deck. I was able to anchor both chairs under the built in bench and get in the house. The wind was so strong it wasn't easy to keep the screen door under control. I'm not sure I would try it again.

According to the booklet that goes with my AgroGarden, it was time to "prune" my 3 tomato plants. With their very detailed instructions and pictures, I think I took care of them okay. There are blooms ready to open so it will soon be time to hand pollinate them. The lettuce is coming along really well, too. The first day I saw this in a catalog, I decided it was going to be a me to me Christmas present. I told Sandy on the phone that I had found my present and I wasn't going to tell her. She surprised me and said she could guess what it was! She knows me too well.

As usual, especially on Sunday, the morning was devoted to the paper and the TV section crossword and falling asleep in my chair with the computer on my lap. In the early afternoon, after my Boost, I decided I could not live with the mess left from the magazines. Besides, Sandy had said that perhaps Charlie might be early in the week, so I now have it back under control. However, I could not carry a couple of sacks of recycle mags and a large trash bag of stuff, so it is at the ready when he does come by. It is nice to have the living room back to normal. I really love the renovated room -- it is so large and calm with such an expanse of glass. It is a constant battle, however, to keep the area around my chair and "office" neat.

I had the food from my rotiss chick and our Mex lunch in Woodbury on Friday, but wasn't sure I was going to eat Sandy's salad with beef or my beans and enchilada. It turned out that I opened her salad first and the greens looked so fresh and good and the beef was chewable with my lousy teeth, that I made that my dinner. Now, after I do some more on the letter I started copying from last night, it's off to bed.

* * * * *

I need to do to the copy of the letters first as I used to, as it is a little hard to read as it gets darker. The older computer ink has a tendency to fade. This is a continuation of a letter to Sandy and Bob of 30.I.86.

Since Christmas we have continued to have some big and little snows every few days -- enough to keep the snow fresh and pilling up. The weather has been wonderful for me this winter. We have about 4 feet on the ground now. Today, however, we are having "Fohn" and in the mid-40s F. I am sure that our neighbors have not shared my enthusiasm for all the snow we have had. About the time they got their driveways cleared not only would we have another snow, but the snow plow would come by and they had to shovel out yet again. A couple of them have piles in their yards over 10 feet high from shoveling off their parking place for their guests. Since the front loader came along this week and loaded snow into big trucks from the piles along the street, we have sidewalks again and our street is 2 lanes again for the first time in several weeks. The mountains are so beautiful, as were the yards, trees and houses. We had even more total snow than our first winter in Switzerland. It was respectable even by River Falls standards, little or no drifting -- just deep. Our coldest temperature was about 5° F. One night it registered 32 F in my room so I had to crack the radiator to keep the water moving. Had a hard time sleeping a couple of nights when there was a little wind and the snow was blowing in my window, so had to sleep with it closed.

I had to do our first "dessert" evening a few weeks ago. You know hoe I hate to make desserts and I am not particularly fond of eating them. I would much rather spend hours making cocktail snack things for a good "Happy Hour." This was for Herr Wontroba and his wife. A few days before they were to come here I had tried to make an apple pie. I could not resist green apples labeled "Osterreich Granny Smith." The crust was a disaster. The flour is different and I was trying their equivalent to Crisco for the first time. It could not be rolled into one piece so I just pressed pieces into the pan for the bottom and picked up pieces a little larger than a silver dollar to put all over the top DoD was so impressed with the good flavor that he insisted the rest was going to be the dessert for them. I reheated it a little and quickly covered the mess before they could see it with some ice cream and it was very okay. They considered it apple strudel and had never heard of eating ice cream with it. Then when I offered a little cheddar cheese with it that was quite a shocking idea. SOP for hot drinks here is serving tea bags or instant coffee and having a fancy thermos of hot water on the table. Give me a good cocktail party any day! I never have felt that I could make a good piecrust, but I have begun to work on it. Using your recipe, lard and butter and the instructions with my mixer, I finally turned out a very acceptable pie even better than when I tried to cut in the shortening by hand. The secret is to dump in all the water at once, they say a little at a time makes it like "India rubber." Of course, I have read all the stuff about the flour, weather, etc., changing the amount of water needed but so far has seemed to work out well.

It was a rest day!

5.V.07 - MoM

Suzy, you had suggested I do a FL weekend sort of take it easy. Yesterday, I thought no way as I was on a roll. However, I changed my mind this morning. Before I got up I felt a little strange. My blood pressure was high for me and I took a nitro for a flutter. I felt fine by the time I got up, but decided to make this an almost nothing day.

Bill e-mailed mid-morning that the problem was solved and he would explain later. It's funny, last night I had e-mailed him to same suggestion you sent me later. I knew he didn't have my old one, as our families were in touch occasionally by letter then.

I hope your pain continues to abate and that you will soon be back to normal, Suzy. I'm glad you didn't crack any ribs. Remember when I fell getting out of Grandpa's trailer and cracked some?

Some time ago, you asked me about "Gasoline Alley." In Iowa I don't think we took a paper. However, as you remember "Harley" took at least a Sunday paper (Des Moines Register) with comics. I don't remember reading them when we lived in Iowa, but only when we came back in summers and still only the Sunday's. I don't remember reading them in the Berkeley Gazette. I'm not even sure there was a Sunday edition. Of course, DoD kept up with them forever. In Los Altos, I finally read the Chronicle comics regularly when I started working at Rancho, and was a steady forever after. We continued the Washington Post by mail when we moved to Shannondale.

* * * * *

Today's letter is from Saalfelden written on 30.I.86.

Dear Sandy and Bob,

Thanks so much for sending on our Visa cards. The Peoples continue to arrive in time to keep me in bathroom reading material. In January, after I had not received September, October and November Bon Appetit but did receive the December issue, I sent them a note about it along with my subscription renewal. On the renewal bill for the first time I noticed the address had our name followed on the next line by 5760 Saalfelden" and the next line was the Purstinger" bit, then the last line was "Vienna, Austria." Can you believe that the next day the September issue arrived. I have not written to tell them as there has still been no sign of the other 2 missing issues.

At last there is news from the "additional apartment front." The Frau came by yesterday to discuss it. It seems 2 of her daughters and families were interested in having more room for their Christmas and Easter visits and thought it might be nice to take over the downstairs and then we could add the little apartment upstairs that one of them uses. As you remember, it is a cute little apartment but being under the eaves it is not very light and the rooms are very small. I had been looking forward to being able to go outside from the back of the house right onto the terrace and garden. However, they had begun to think more about it and tying up so much space for so little use, so when we continued to express more interest in downstairs than upstairs, she finally committed herself yesterday to letting us have it. We expect to sign the lease next Monday. There will be one change -- "your" bedroom will now become part of their upstairs apartment and we will mover our things from there to the downstairs. That room is hard to heat in winter and is sort of a stepchild anyhow. Since the family is only here for short, infrequent periods, it will not bother us. [That room was not connected with our unit -- you had to go out our front doot onto the hall stair landing. You slept there, too, Suzy. You would have like it better when we also had the downstairs as DoD would not be in there looking for stuff at his desk and waking you.] So the next time you visit you can have your own bedroom and bathroom, without having to be in DoD's office. It will probably be a couple of months before it will be ready to move into as she wants to modernize the toilet room and the tub bathroom (somewhat the same set up as ours upstairs. And the cement floor in the kitchen has to be removed and redone as well as painting, etc. It is going to cost us a goodly amount to have both apartments, but will be worth it especially as she thought she might rent it to a young family or make it into a doctor's offices. It is still hard for me to believe we are really going to have it. Will be happier when the lease is signed, sealed, registered and delivered. As you know, we have been waiting for a decision since the middle of last April.

Lots of exercise today!

29.IV.07 - MoM

I started the day off slowly, as usual on a Sunday, with the TV guide X-word, and all the other features of the StarTrib. However, after a couple of naps in the middle of the day, I decided to see what I could do about the magazines I thought might be added to Marty's sale. It was one of those things that is not easy to just do a little bit. I was at it for over two hours and have hardly scratched the surface. I was going to try to put them in ziplocs for a year at a time (6 issues). After seeing how many Reminiscence and Country Living there are, I might think about donating them to a long time care facility and limit the ones for Marty to the cooking selection. I think lugging them to the front room sofa from the walk in closet one reasonable armload at a time, was good exercise for me.

Currently, I am waiting for my Salisbury Steak TV dinner to be done, then will have my gin after. Later: Even though my taste buds continue to go downhill, I did manage to eat all of it. One dinner used to last me two meals. I wonder if they are making them smaller. I finished off with ice cream. Now I can enjoy my drinks even though I am starting them at 7:30 p.m.

Sandy, I remembered my other accomplishment besides managing to raise the grow lamp -- I finally managed to reset the on/off time of both lamps (I think). I will know better tonight at 9:30, I think it is. (I started to bed earlier than usual last night.)

Spring is really here -- I wore a dress for the first time this year and enjoyed wearing my thong sandals and letting me feet breathe! If this continues I may get out my "summer" lace ups (a size smaller that I can wear without sox). I hate having my toes all cramped up in sox and shoes.

• • • • •

This is the rest of the letter continued from yesterday's blog. I think it is from Saalfelden perhaps around 17.XI.07.

Could not find a birthday card at the last minute for Herb, so sent him greetings on the Pope card from Frankfurt.

Just called Computerland and they say that they sent REPORT out today and I will have it in tomorrow's mail. I really don't believe anything they say anymore and with Wednesday a holiday, I might get it on Friday or so. The Manual is due to arrive in a shipment from Apple this week. I will believe it when I see it. Have decided to get on with my Christmas letters and work further on FILE when they are done and I can give it full concentration. Worked into "Search/Update" but need to go thru it some more and really did not understand all I should for printing. This was just with their examples. So, I will do the Christmas letters with WORD and work out fancy stuff for next year. Since I have been leaving your letter in memory, it could go on forever, as I add a bit more every time I come in to do other things. I just changed the margins on this portion so have a few more lines to work with.

Have the Christmas letter written and have started printing them. Have worked it out so I can use both sides of the paper, carry over the last few lines or the canned part, then have plenty of room for the personal stuff. I find it harder to cramp things into the small space left for some of the people that I need to write more to. I do a small bunch of the 1st side, then tear off a batch and run page 2 after I have the personal message. Can't do it easily to this letter as I had torn off the edges. Could hand feed, however. Will probably use both sides for long letters in the future.

Enough for now. We did not need to go shopping today (Tuesday the 20th) so did not get this in the mail. Want to have it ready for tomorrow's shopping trip. Hope you did not get the flu. Our love, to Bob.

Ho Hum -- Just another day more or less

28.IV.07 - MoM

Another perfect day for temperature. No need for heat or cooling. It was in the mid-70s. I am glad to have the Venetian shades in what was the bar that we installed soon after we arrived. We haven't used them a lot but the sun was blinding me on my left so they really helped.

In the morning, I finished up and mailed the rest of the few checks I write each month. Since I mostly use the laptop by my chair in the living room, the OIB is so handy. My desk is still staying neat, but I like using the new laptop instead of the older one at my desk. Besides, I can put my feet up in the recliner there.

I took care of a couple of weeks washing. It is so easy to hang it up and or put it away at once. Wouldn't it have been nice If I had done that in Los Altos, instead of having the pile in the corner for the family to dive into to find what they needed. Where was FL when I needed her. I still have several Sunset books on the subject of daily routines that are a kick. I always started at full bore but it only lasted a few days.

I managed do a little more on the closet on one of the shelves. I kept it to a reasonable amount of time and managed to toss some. I have an added incentive to pour it on this week. I am trying come up as much as I can for Marty's yard sale next weekend. Better for her to have it than Goodwill.

Only had time for a quick 15-minute nap before calling Thea today. Looking forward to bed tonight. Thank goodness her own ears and the telephone were working today.

* * * * *

This is a continuation of a previous letter to Sandy and there is no date. However, I think it was Dec of 1984.

Well, since this did not get mailed over the weekend and we did not hear from you before you left, I will enclose the letters with this. But, what are we to do with the two music tapes that came from J. Lindell of Stillwater, Minn.?

Our visit with the Wontrobas was very nice and they were so thrilled (the only word that fits) to have us. They thanked us so much for coming! And we were invited back for Christmas. We were asked our preference of days -- the first day of Christmas or the second day of Christmas. Chose the 2nd day. Frau Wontroba had learned a little English many years ago in school but has forgotten it. She does understand a little and knows a few words. Her sister was very good in languages and laughed at her attempts so she put it out of her mind. Herr Wontroba was just here to fix the water leak in the basement and before I could tell him how much we enjoyed our visit, he was thanking us for visiting them.

Got the FILE disc copied and began work on FILE yesterday. Have been trying to get DoD to start on WORD but he wants to read all of the stuff first so I am still getting time on the machine. Took one of the house pictures in today for a Christmas card Can you believe they expect to have them ready on Thursday of Friday of this week, even tho there is a holiday on Wednesday? Hope all of the picture fits on the only style of card we saw. They are cropping out the houses on the right, but hope they leave the little bit of mountain that shows. (For some reason my calendar shows a holiday on Wednesday, but the garbage did not go early, so guess it is wrong.)

Need to get back to work on FILE as I want to see if I can work it out for feeding into the Christmas letter. I have thought of a bunch of uses for it already. Was able to format another disc for WORD without going thru any stuff frm the Manual. Do not need it yet but glad to know that it is easy to do. Also, had no problem formatting one for file.

"No Name Jive"

26.IV.07 - MoM

I am starting this with split concentration, something I can do with a little effort -- the Democratic debates just started.

It is a great to have the sprinklers on again. A real plus is having the two coiled hoses built into round level boxes that are always on -- no fussing with turning on spigots. All winter I have been making numerous trips from my bathroom to the birdbath on the deck with ½ gallon jugs for both cleaning them and keeping them filled. It was so easy to get out the hose and squeeze the trigger,

I enjoy my bird watching from my desk/eating table. This spring I put out a ball of nesting stuff that I bought at the bird store and today there has been a chickadee making constant trips to it for nest building. Now that I have all a great view from my chair in the living room I am going to put a feeder in the patio. For several days there has been a phoebe (or pair) building a yearly nest just outside the window in a bend in the downspout. There is also a woodpecker working on the nearby tree. One of these days, Suzy, I'll send a picture of our Pileated woodpecker eating at the feeder last year.

I am continue to be surprised at how much can be done in FlyLady's 15 minutes. I had let a lot of stuff collect on the kitchen counters while scrubbing fountain parts and cleaning and planting the AeroGarden in the past week. Since Paige was going to be cleaning today and always washes the counters, in less than 15 minutes I had them cleared. I hereby swear that May is going to finally be the month that I "serious up" and get my bedroom/closet under control again!!!

I am still working on getting to bed earlier but was late again last night. However, I forgot my alarm so woke up late (6:30). I really caught up this afternoon with 4-fifteen minute naps. I must not be caught up yet as I am yawning and very sleepy right now so I am going to try again to get to bed early. I have my evening meal out of the way and am just finishing my 2nd drink. I just might make it tonight!

* * * * *

This is the rest of a letter from Saalfelden to Sandy and Bob on 17.XI.84

It was lovely getting back here. Even tho we were not expected, the house was warm and comfortable. We had not left a high/low thermometer out this time but it had been -3° on our digital that morning. From the cold rain last night there was fresh snow low down on the mountains this morning.

With the housecleaning and shopping in the morning, then getting a few of my records up-to-date, I have not had a chance to get the FILE disc copied and to start work on it. But I did seem to spend a lot of time fooling around with what I did. DoD is making noises about wanting some time at it to start with what I did. DoD is making noises about wanting some time at it to start some of his records so we will have to work out something.

Really nice to be able to poke in "freezer" and find out what I had left before making my meat purchases for the weekend. By the way, the "lonesome butcher" and the whole meat department is gone from Meinl. Bought all we could there but what he had was limited. We will miss him. Seem to have about filled up the page, so will get this off and write more later. Loved traveling with you -- you did well putting up with me. DoD just got back from picking up the packages that came to Herr Wontroba and we were invited to their place tomorrow afternoon. He saw the house that they built and is fabulated. They did it all, including digging the foundations by hand starting in 1947 and even built the furniture. He says that their "Florida" room is fantastic, Last line on page - more later.

A little cool for real spring yet

25.IV.07 - MoM

Suzy, your food "creations" continue to amaze me! It's great that Bill is also so open minded and adventurous. More power to both of you.

After several days of occasional work at cleaning the AgroGarden, it is "planted" and started. It isn't really that hard to do. A strange coincidence, this is the 3rd planting, and all of them were started on the 25th (the first one on Christmas day). It could be that the tomatoes and the "greens" will be ready to eat at the same time. I can see a start of blooms on the tomatoes. Their stocks are really sturdy.

I also spent a lot of time still trying to get rid of the white crusty stuff on the three "pans" of the fountain. So far, the top looks pretty good and this is on the under side. It would mostly show if one was sitting by it.

Tom finally made it by today to put more water in the fish tank and install a new feeding system. Next time, he says, he will redo the "plants" for spring. He has said he was going to for about a month, so I hope he does it this time. He hasn't been able to find anyone to help him and he keeps getting new hospitals, restaurants, etc. He also has birds, and shows and judges dogs and horses. He's a real nut.

The local weather said that it just could be possible to have 80° this weekend. Today was overcast and from the 40° this morning it only got up to 59° and was mostly overcast. As soon as it is a little nicer, I'll try to get some pictures. So far mostly bulbs, but I see that the first spray of Bleeding Heart is beginning to show color. I can see it from a north window in the former bar room, now part of the living room. What a wonderful improvement that was. Too bad DoD wasn't here for it. However, he liked small, cozy rooms while I love space.

This afternoon, after my more or less usual V8, Boost, etc., I began to feel a little hungry, so I decided to eat "dinner" (chicken pie and ice cream) at about 4, and have my drinks at 5 p.m. That seems to have worked out well for today. I really am going to go to bed early tonight. I am already yawning and it's only 6:30. I wonder if you inherited that 3 a.m., sleep time from me. In my night school days, before marriage, that was my pattern, but I could sleep till almost noon. And, again at the Drug Store, I kept crazy hours but only slept till 10:00 a.m. I like daylight now too much to want to sleep late. Now to see if I can stay awake to copy a letter.

* * * * *

Today, I found some of my letters from early Saalfelden. This one was dated 17.XI.84.

Dear Sandy and Bob,

I am trying out margins with the Christmas letter in mind, so will see how it works in a letter to you. As I write this you are still in Paris and there is just a chance that we will hear from you before you leave. I do hope so as there is much mail for you here, We have not tried sending a packet of mail, but I am sure that it will get complicated before we get thru with the language bit,

What a neat picture of you that Bob Bailey sent us and so beautifully matted along with a very nice note and the good picture of Bob and the group from the paper. A very nice thing for him to do. Also, had the pictures from Deb and fun to have. The ones I took when she was here were not good and the man said we did not have to take or pay for any we did not want. Did keep a few dark ones from when Marty was here as they show the table. Did get a really good one good one of the 3 of you under the lamp in DoD's room planning the trip and a good one of him at the computer with his schedule books spread out. He wants to do a photo and letter spread on what goes into planning a trip including a schedule plan and the actual way it ended up to send to some of our friends. We have a picture we can use for a card and they do print nice cards as they do in the states so will order on Monday if they can fit in the whole picture onto the card. Looks as if they may have to reduce it a bit to get it all on.

Was a fortunate thing that we did not try to continue the trip. Of course, as night follows day, DoD follows me into my sicks, He was a little rocky when he woke up in Paris Thursday, but insisted on going on with our trip to Frankfurt. Never did toss, but we took a taxi from downtown station to Sheraton at the Flughofen then we checked our big bag, did a bit of shopping for scarce items at the airport, then he got into bed and skipped dinner. He insisted that I was going to eat Chinese from one of the restaurants, as that was one of the reasons we had chosen that hotel. [It is connected to the airport by a walkway across the street from the hotel.] I got the food as take out but was not an unqualified success as it lacked the things to season it into hot stuff, but it was good food and I was pleased to be able to eat again. [I wonder why I can't enjoy hot stuff any more when I used to love the "hotter the better?"] He had very strange dreams as I had had -- almost like a fever delirium. With a light breakfast and lunch, we made it home okay. He managed to throw it off quicker than I did as he was starving when we got here so he insisted we eat at Hindenburg, where he put away liver noodle soup, a creamed veal dish, and hot apple strudel. But the whole thing still leaves you weak. Today is the first day that I have felt normal, and he is still not up to par. We do hope that you missed it!

23.III.07 - MoM

I have a good radio by my bed that I leave on all night but in the bathroom I have a little tinny one that doesn't get the best reception especially during the night. This morning in the newspaper they had a long article about HD radio. Remembering that my two favorite nighttime stations, one am and the other fm, are both HD, I decided it was time to think about replacing the tinny and noisy little radio in the bathroom. So, I spent a lot of time this morning researching the various models and checking the buyer's comments and recommendations on Amazon. It doesn't help that I am dumb about the whole thing but anything would be a great improvement and the prices are reasonable and within the range I had expected to pay. Will research it further tomorrow. Any suggestions appreciated, but probably will order it tomorrow.

Currently, I listen mostly to talk TV stuff. Recently, I have been hearing a commercial with Randy Travis singing. It has reminded how much I enjoy his stuff that we have. Think I will try to get all my various tapes, discs, etc., together and see what is useable and start to enjoy them again.

I made some more broth today and think I will try to mix it with some V-8 to make a soup of some sort. Tonight, I had some augmented potato salad that Sandy brought by on a shopping for Charlie. I always add a lot of stuff to potato salad and deviled eggs for my taste. She made the recipe from the Star Trib that I sent to her that was for the Red Lobster biscuits. I think they are even better than the original, and the texture was super.

I am going to be go bed early tonight!! I keep falling asleep!

* * * * *

Still copying from a 4 page letter to Sandy in late December of 1984 from Saalfelden, Austria.

I am enclosing a check for postage for People. Will try to keep some track of it and send more before too long. I still have a couple that I not read as I save them for bathroom and just before turning out the light at night. The toilet room here is not as warm and cozy as some of our others so do not spend as much time there. [It was in its own tiny "room" but with no heat, so eventually we bought a little heater and ran an extension cord so when all the heat was automatically off during winter nights we didn't freeze when we got the urge. I'm sure you girls don't remember that we had a nice separate little room for the toilet on Harvard, in SF. Nice with only one bathroom.]

I found out why the crab was $10.50 per can. It was all full leg meat and just beautiful. We did not try to save any but will eat the little last today with lunch. Still have a can for New Year's morning. Found that we can get the same brand (but may not be that fancy) in Innsbruck, and can get chili powder there, and even closer in Kitzbühel. Don't know what Saalfelden has against chili powder. However, I got the good stuff -- 4 jars of Spice Island in München so that should last me a little while.

Had a nice letter from Bob's mother and a very good picture of them. I do hope that one of these days I can get a picture that I could send. The one Deb took would not be bad if I could just take off my chin with the light hitting it. Also, had a cute card and note from Patsy. Tell her we enjoyed hearing from her. Hope they can get over to see us. [Charles did get there and stayed with us for several days. I didn't recognize him when we met him at the train -- he had shaved his beard and was so nattily dressed that he looked years younger. I wasn't used to having someone around drinking gin on ice in a glass like mine and was always drinking out of any glass that looked like mine. It was a fun visit.]

It is now Saturday. Had a nice time at the Wontrobas. She had done much fancy cookie and goodies baking and wanted us to try everything. Glenn and I finally broke each thing in half so we could share and sample more things. A lot of their homemade movies were made from the car, but we enjoyed them anyway. Saw three reels (large full ones) of their 97! Once they rented a pilot and little plane for a present for her birthday, then flew out of Munich and over this area and the mountains for several hours while she took movies.

22.III.07 - MoM

I am starting this tonight while my dinner is underway. I have one of my Schwan's mashed potato ball is in the oven and the skillet is ready to pan fry a couple of the coated catfish filets that I am going to have for dinner. Considered some peas, but I had managed to drink a large can of V-8 this morning that is supposed to take care of 3 vegetables. I am going to finish it with some maple nut ice cream.

The weekly local paper came today and it has a new section that looks like it is a monthly, that has interviews and stuff about local people although it seemed to have a set lot of questions to complete the sentences. I guess stuff about me would not be too out of place. Pat should receive the sample cards tomorrow and she has my e-mail address. With her current interest, I am sure I will hear from her as soon as she gets them.

While I still had blooms of my Poinsettia I decided to scan a trial. The colors are vibrant but will the bloom is too large for the space. I seem to remember seeing some smaller ones. Perhaps, it will be my Christmas card this year. Nothing like planning ahead to when I will be 90!

This morning I e-mailed Marty to get more info about an accident Ben had yesterday at home when he fell and hit some furniture and Nate had to take him to emergency. This is the reply from her:

Hi! Sandy just told me that Ben had opened his forehead. How many stitches? Is he sufficiently recovered to enjoy the attention? Love, Oma.

Hi Oma, He had 4 stitches in the big cut between his eyes. The
other, smaller cut over the outside corner of his eye didn't need stitches - they used the glue on that one. He was a real trooper at the hospital, and was more interested in watching cartoons on the little TV in the room than anything else. He isn't really gettind any extra attention - life goes on as usual. I'm hoping he doesn't get too big of a scar!
Marty

* * * * *
Continuing the 4 page letter written after Christmas of 1984.

The picture that Bob Bailey sent was taken in front of a monument that says "Maximillian Emanuel Churfurst von Bayern, Belgrad's Eroberer." It is a very good picture of you and looks nice on the marble shelf over the radiator. I am having a print made of a picture I took of a lovely azalea plant DoD brought home and the decorated quails. Wow! Did I ever get a great picture of the rose garden in Mirabel Gardens [in Salzburg] with the red ivy and changing trees in the background and with you and DoD. Hope the slide prints up well. I am having several copies made of it. Sometimes, the colors are not as good from slides. I got some other good pictures that day, too. The slides of Venice turned out great and restored my faith in my picture taking. It all shows what a difference a sunny day makes.

Having quite a time trying to fit in our use of the Apple. DoD is much into FILE and REPORT now and has a number of projects going. My recipe file has already come in handy as I could not remember where I had seen "Oven Fried Trout," and I checked "Fish" and it was one I had put on file as being in Sunset Favorites. Trying to get all the interesting sounding things from Bon Appetit. That is my martini time reading and check them to put in when I find time. Also, want to work on my hotel file and something for slides. Had a letter from Jim Bensen and he is using his Apple IIe to do tax returns for people. Is having some problems mastering the use of his PFS File and Report, but they were bootlegged so can't check with the company.

In May 1984 Bon Appetit there is a picture of the Chateau Hotel de Coatguelen near the coast. They offer 3 day course in the art of cooking. The hotel has 16 spacious rooms each of which opens out onto the extensive grounds. There are possible excursions and one is a boat trip up the Trieux (?) River and another to the Ile de Brehat. Think it is something we ought to do sometime when you are over here. The price for three days lodging with one cooking class a day is about $220. DoD thinks it is a great idea. For information and free brochure, write Mme de Morchoven, Chateau Hotel de Coatguelen, Plehedel, 22290 Lanvollon, France. The hotel closed this year on November 5 for winter. That must have really been a fantastic meal you had with the Martinats. I enjoyed the restaurants you found for us while we traveled. Sorry I missed the lunch in La Rochelle, but we will get back there again.

21.III.07 - MoM

Again, I did not accomplish much today and don't know where the time went. I did get the rest of the rotiss chicken vacuum sealed. Also, sealed the Schwan meatloaf pieces. And, I have another pot of good chicken broth cooking on the stove. Will cool it overnight in the sunroom and if it is "jellied" tomorrow, I will consider it done and ready to freeze. Otherwise, I will cook it down some more.

I ordered 3 easy x-word books from Amazon last week. It was hard to tell from the pictures the size of a couple of ones. They came today and I am delighted as they are the 8 ½ X 10 or is it 11" that I like so much. They are easy to read even without my glasses and just challenging enough to keep my brain churning and make me think. I keep them in the bathroom. However, I should live so long to finish all of these -- 2 books of 200 each and one of 500! They are NYTimes and edited by Will Shortz, my favorites. They are just in time, too, as I only have 5 left in my current book. I might keep one in the living room as that could be enough to woo me away from so much Freecell.

Tomorrow or the next day, I should receive my new AeroGarden but will wait until Charlie is here to set it up. After doing my first one Christmas Day, he is now experienced. I saw in another catalog that they have a new selection for the tomatoes with 3 different kinds in one planting. The one I have only has one kind of mini. I am looking forward to getting it going.

For some reason I had gotten the slicer in my brain as a Mandoline-type thing instead of the one I bought last year. I don't know if Sandy explained how come I park it at their place. The little old one we had for years was usually only used to slice bread when I was using my bread machine a lot, but it was falling apart and needed two sets of hands to use. When I got the new one I soon decided I was too lazy to clean it for slicing for only one person, so I sent it home with them and they slice what little I need done out there.

* * * * *

Tonight's letter is a continuation of a letter to Sandy and Bob, started the day after Christmas and mailed on 30.XII.84 -- our first Christmas in Saalfelden.

I also got a doll for Christmas. When we were in Kitzbühl another day last week, I fell in love with a "costume" doll. Later, saw the same ones in a kit form for a little less, but this one was beautifully made. Friends from DoD's office days (Charlie Buxton) are heavily into doll collecting -- I am sure I showed you the picture of their Swiss doll. His letters are getting me interested in it and as you know, I always did enjoy dolls. This one was named "Sophie" but I am not fond of that name. I remembered Dan saying that every German family should have a "Gabi" so I renamed her. (I presume there are Austrian Gabies.)

I think I told you we had invited the Wontrobas for a Sunday. We were going to use the plum pudding. Herr Wontroba came by a few days before and showed us a list full of prescriptions for his wife for a bad eye and sinus infection and said they would not be able to make it, and that they would also have to postpone the Second Christmas Day invitation. I was not all that unhappy even tho we like them a lot. Then one evening last week they came by with a big pot of azaleas and primroses for us and she was better so their invitation is back on (today). We had been in Kitzbühl all day and they had been by several times looking for us. They didn't want to bother us in the evening (about 7 p.m.) but we insisted they come up "for a drink." We were having late dinner of tacos and were on our last drink before dinner. She had a coke and he enjoyed his first drink of American whiskey in a long time. I did not try to get out snacks as I knew they would not stay if I tried. We had a nice visit and they were able to see our decorations. We still have not made it to Italy so I will wait until our passes expire in mid-January before I re-invite them. Still have the plum pudding. Glad we were not on that train to Florence that was blown up. DoD has been dragging his feet on Italian trips, but as you know, that has not made me all that unhappy. We recently cut a planned 10 day trip including Rome back to the Verona-Florence plan. Of course, that does not mean that plans may change again on very short notice. Either tomorrow or Friday we are going to make a pickle run to Vienna. DoD read about the Christmas tree in front of the Rathaus there and it caught his fancy we will include the pickle shopping. [It was great to be able to be spontaneous for travel plans.]

Frau Mänhart called us a little before 6 p.m. Christmas Eve to tell us we should attend the ceremony at the cemetery at 6. It was very unique. It is the custom for everyone to gather at the family graves and bring little trees or evergreen branches with candles on them. Then they stand there with all these lighted trees while the band plays Christmas carols ending with "Silent Night." I think almost every one in town was there. It only lasts for 15 minutes. It was beautiful in the snow. There were only a few graves without even a candle burning, so I want to adopt one next year.

20.III.07 - MoM

Happy Vernal Equinox!

Currently, I am happy with each day closer to spring and the bulbs and flowers. I am not sure what I am getting into, but today I got a couple of my flower "notes" ready to mail to the girl [Sandy interposes: the "girl" is one of the main newspaper reporters for the RF Journal] I met at the Woods' who was so interested in seeing them. I called her to check the address and she was delighted that I was going to be in contact. She said that she had been telling her boss about me this morning and suggesting doing an article. WHAT AM I LETTING MYSELF IN FOR!

Since the horoscopes are on the comics page, I usually give them a quick glance and forget it. However, after the Woods' party, my unexpected appearance there and my conversation with Pat Hunter, I decided to clip and save it. It's strange: "Your plans are revised because you're adjusting to circumstances beyond your control. While this sudden shift may be frustrating and could inconvenience you temporarily, the end results will be spectacular."

Only 3 BEBugs today and it was hot out there so I didn't even bother to suck them up. Saw none in the kitchen or the rest of the house either.

I was able to eat breakfast at my desk but did not watch TV to the left, just had it on for sound. Turning my head to the left is still painful. Now that I know I need to avoid that, it was a less painful day.

I'm really impressed with your FL progress, Suzy! It is inspiring me to make an effort to spend some 15 minute stints on my bedroom and closet!

Trying for early to bed tonight, for a change.

* * * * *

Tonight is another letter to Sandy and Bob, from 30.XII.84 -- evidently the day I finally mailed the letter.

Dear Sandy and Bob,

Really beginning to wonder how much time I save using this thing to write my letters. I spend so much time editing them till they say what I really want to instead of batting them out any old way. Try to write one, then I patch it for several other letters. But I am getting faster with it. I did spend a lot of time on a long letter to the Fendrichs as they wanted some information about trains, sightseeing, etc. They were over for the first time last September but with an American Express Tour. Some of the stuff can be used for some other people who are asking for information. Kenny Maas is just waiting to make her plans when I write and tell her we are free. Right now Suzy is holding up things. Have Bob's "window" penciled in for mid-April. We are looking forward to seeing him.

We had a good Christmas yesterday and due to a 6" snow and several other little ones during the past week, it was white. We have had colder weather than we had last year in Switzerland, thank goodness. Nothing like yours, but we are staying pretty consistently below freezing day and night. Lowest so far is 8 F. Things look pretty as we have much fog that freezes on the trees (and sidewalks). I love having my own room as I can have the windows open and the room is in the low 30's. DoD only has a crack of air and his room seems so hot and stuffy. He moved his bed to the other side of the room a couple of days ago. He loves to move furniture. It looks good.

The present department included an electric slicer, much the same design as the one we left behind; a nice barometer and thermometer in a glass case for placing on a table. Looks great on the bookcase in DoD's room. We had saved the tableware we bought in Vienna at the start of our trip for a Christmas present. We are going to get another set (6) so we don't have to have such mixed messes of silver when we only run the dishwasher about every other day. Then, when we were in Innsbrück last week I began to look for a Robert Coupe. Could not find that, but did find a Krupp with the same design of blades and works so bought it. What a blessing it is for me. My chest and back problems are getting worse all the time and the painful time is using my arms in the kitchen. I wear the 2" funny platform shoes I have, but the cramps are almost unbearable at times. Have tried taking arthritis medicine (Clinerol), calcium tablets, Valium, etc., but not much help. A couple of Tylenols and martinis at night seem to help a little, but can't do that all day. So being able to cut down the cutting and chopping time is wonderful. I could just fix plain food but do enjoy the cooking and now enjoy making cookies, fruit breads and want to do so many more things. One of these days I am going to have to break down and have it checked further by a doctor. Luckily using the Apple does not bother it as I can keep my arms close and in one place.

19.III.07 - MoM

LAST Night of Winter!

I really wanted to accomplish a lot today, but spent most of the day in my recliner as my neck doesn't give me fits when I sit there. At breakfast at my desk, it was only minutes until the pain began, so I had to take my cookies and tea to my chair. I also had the rest of the shrimp dip and chips while enjoying my Monday's NYT easy x-word. That is just challenging enough for me. I only had to check 2 things with Google.

I am delighted with the results of my bug purge last week. There were only about 15 BEBugs -- hardly enough to make it worth while to take the "snood" off the vacuum hose. I was able to enjoy a couple of short naps in Lafuma. With the door glass panes open and the shades pulled against the sun, the temp was perfect for napping. There is no neck pain in that chair, either. Thank goodness, it doesn't bother me in bed either. Enough complaining.

I realized this morning that when I was walking without the walker that I sometimes was favoring my bad leg causing me the limp around and that perhaps it was becoming a habit. So, I told myself I may be old, but there is no reason to hobble like I am. I found it didn't hurt that more when I made the effort to walk normally. This is my new crusade.

Will be having some more of the rotiss chicken, another potato ball, and the V-8 veggie substitute. Perhaps, I'll get out some freezer broccoli or peas, if not tonight, soon..

* * * * *

This is a continuation of a letter I wrote to Sandy and Bob in Dec of 1984 from Saalfelden, Austria.

In the same mail was a note from Albert Pico, that Treedy has been in the hospital for several weeks with a variety of problems and would soon be transferred to a convalescent hospital. The note was written Dec. 3. [At that time she had a beautiful apartment in Riverside and Fina was taking care of her. Later, Al got a house for Tweedy and her sister Ruth in Lompoc where he lived. Fina had "retired" back to Mexico.]

Have my addresses all on FILE now, and enough information that I could almost make an FBI report from them. Started a recipe file today that will be mostly for where to find the recipes and what ingredients are needed. Can put the recipe on too, where necessary. Have done a little work on the examples on REPORT but need more time to work that out. DoD says he will welcome any suggested uses for either. We ordered 3 of the solutions things, but as you know it may take a long time to get them. When I take the keyboard in about the "a - y" problem, I am going to see if they can adjust the space bar, too. Forget if I told you that the little switch by the 80-40 column one is to change the keyboard to American and the symbols are not at all in the same place so they gave me a little sheet that tells where they are. To follow the programs will make this switch necessary. So - I can't be hitting the y accidentally for the a as that is really the z key as it is really underneath it all an American board. Wow -- what a sentence that is.

Finely used up all of the parsley from the freezer, and the dill we put in went into pickles last week that are not too bad a substitute until I can get back to Vienna. They have been working for a week so will take them out tomorrow and put them in a jar.

It is snowing on Pa's Gang [Leogang - some nearby mountains] and seems to be moving this way. Last time I looked it was about 36 F but could drop, I hope. Also, snowing on the other mountains around us. (What did come in was cold rain and 36 F all night.)

DoD says that the high point for him of our travels was the landing beaches and the museum. He is rereading his Time-Life World War II books with the map he got on the trip beside him and enjoying it so much more. I got good slides of the maps in the Memorial and the one at the the beach. Also, a good one of the roses. And, have some of the "stones." As usual, have plenty of hotel pictures, but they will go into the information on the hotel FILE I am setting up. I plan to use it for friends that want info about places over here. Jan and Bill Fendrich are planning a trip in April and are looking for $50-70 range near the station. Could help in a few of the smaller places, but they are thinking of the larger cities in Germany and Austria. We will try to get them to stay for a night at least. Does Bob have a "window" for his time over here yet? I am still trying to hear anything at all from Suzy. From the letter we got from Chris with a small packet of mail this week, I know she is still around.

NEXT MORNING -- 6:00 a.m. (11.XII.84) Yesterday DoD moved the bed in "das Büro" back to the corner to give him more room around his desk. This morning when I went out to dust, I remembered the lost earring, looked on the floor about where the front of the bed had been and there was the poor little mashed thing. It looks repairable, but I will send it to you as is and let you get a local person to repair it as you probably know the jewelers there better than I know the ones here. (Time out to finish housework)

Well, DoD just finished his breakfast (he was still asleep at 7) and now has just informed me that he wants time on the Apple to study some on FILE. This is more than long enough. Happy Holidays, and THANKS for sending People.

Mom's Sunday Blog

18.III.07 - MoM

I hope I survive the agony of the knot in my shoulder/neck. I even took a couple of Tylenols this afternoon and they didn't help much. I can't stand to eat at my desk in my good office chair as the pain is horrendous. The only relief I was getting was in my recliner with my legs up. While talking with Kay today she suggested an exercise and it did help the first time I did it, but can't make it work again. I am also using the "knobber" with a only a bit of relief -- the kind that hurts so much that I get a little relief when I stop.

Of course, I couldn't keep to my chair but decided I wanted to see what I could do with my herbs for a note card design. I am feeling frustrated with no flowers to work with so I decided to try this. I did manage to make a set of 12 after a lot of the usual fussing with it. It is nothing spectacular and will still take some computer printing additions and tweeking to the scanned stuff. The main thing I guess is that I enjoy working at it.

(I am happy that since I have started writing this while in my chair, my neck is feeling some better again.)

Only about 25 BEBugs today and it was plenty hot in there and that usually brings them out. I even took my 15 minute nap in Lafuma out there.

Nothing else new -- just the Sunday papers in the morning. Did miss the weekly TV section that meant not having my favorite x-word -- my Sunday morning pastime. Not worth the hassle of a call about it. It doesn't happen very open and I am just happy to have the weekend papers at the front door again.

I went to bed about 10:30 p.m last night, only turned over once and could not believe that I slept the entire night without waking and with no leg pain. I guess I was catching up on all the previous short nights. So far my neck hasn't given me much trouble at night.

* * * * *

Continuing a letter I sent to Sandy and Bob, in mid - Dez, '84.

Had a letter from Thea today and heard about their car being stolen. Will quote her letter. On October 19th about 12:30 p.m. Herb went to our local shopping center to get things for the weekend. It was crowded and parking spots were full. He drove around a few times and saw a woman getting into a car. He went to ask her if she was going out (she wasn't). As he turned around, only about 5 ft. away from our car, a young black in a Volvo drove up in back. Herb said to him, 'I'll let you right out.' In a flash this guy jumped out of his car into ours and drove off, leaving the car he was in with the motor on. Herb called the police immediately and found that the Volvo had been stolen in Berkeley two days before. To make a long story short, we did not get any report on our car until October 31st. It was found by the police in a parking lot at 15th and Alice in Oakland. There was not too much damage -- the radio was wrecked and the ignition was jammed and the back bumper had to be replaced. We had a bunch of stuff in the trunk but only a few items were stolen. We did not get back the use of our car until a week ago, but the radio had to be sent to the factory for parts. It still has not been returned. We had a rental car for almost a month -- a 1983 Buick -- 2 door. We managed O.K. The insurance company had our car washed, polished, disinfected and sterilized. I, of course, went all over the inside with Hezol anyhow. Herb said it was filthy when he first saw it at the police parking lot. Both the insurance co and we thought the car was gone for good. It had only 16,500 miles on it, 3 new tires, full tank of gasoline." The letter came after I had sealed the card and letter I had written Suzy so she has not heard about this yet. I'll bet Herb was fit to be tied!

Mom today

17.III.07 - MoM

Happy St. Pat's Day (Pat Dupzyk's birthday, too. His given name was Robert Raymond, but nicknamed Pat due to his birth date. He is probably dead by now from Parkinson's. Last time he called us was in late 90's.)

I didn't get up until a little after 6 a.m. After all, I didn't go to bed until 12:30 a.m. I had to nap several times mid-day but that isn't all that unusual.

I was able to get my hostess thank you note done and out in time for the before noon mail pick up. It always takes me a bit as I have to compose it, decide on the print style, match the color of the ink to the design for the message and envelope, etc.

My efforts on the BEBugs continue to seem to pay off as there were only about 30 today and I only had to make two quick vacuum passes. I had another one land on my finger while at the computer last night. Even with the glass in the doors in the sunroom open, it was still beastly hot. That does help warm the house. I really need to get a new little fan for the door to bring the heat in better. I found one in a catalog but didn't order it at once, so now I need to find it again. Haven't checked with Amazon.

Nothing much else new today. Having sliced rotiss chicken again, this time with one of the Omaha Steak Co., Au Gratin Potato Balls. My V-8 juice was my veggie again. I still do my Boost at least once every day. The shrimp dip with chips tasted great for breakfast this morning.

(Fascinated by the new verbs that are turning up these days. In an Op Ex this morning was a new one to me. At least, I think it is a verb. If not what is it? The quotes, etc., are theirs. The "bold" is mine.) -- Ever since Sunday's announcement that "The chairman, president and CEO will office from and be based in Dubai to run the company from the (United Arab Emirates)," there have been questions about what the transplanted Halliburton will owe to the United States.

Will send this via Sandy and her e-mail again. Will give it a quick "proof" after I eat.


* * * * *

Just came across this letter and it fits in more or less with the timeline of recent letters. Our first Christmas in Saalfelden.

Copy Mid-Dez 84

Dear Sandy and Bob,

Want to get the check in the mail, so hopefully you will get it before you leave for Florida. Had a letter from Chris and he said he hopes to see you there.

Had a pretty successful overnight shopping run to München this week. Still trying to get to Italy, but planning a shortie to Verona for next week now. Did not see how I could get things ready to have the Wontrobas next Sunday and be away during the week. Tried to find canned pumpkin or mincemeat to make a pie but could not. Sorry now that I did not buy the jar of mincemeat we saw in the store in Frankfurt Flughafen on our way home from Paris, but we were pretty loaded down and DoD was feeling peasley. So instead we will have a plum pudding that we found in München and DoD will make his good hard sauce.

Got a lot of Tex-Mex stuff and canned crab ($10.50 per can at Dallmayrs). I am going to put away part from each of the 2 cans to make another breakfast. Even got a jar of Kraft mayo to take the place of the stuff we got here that I don't like. Came back with almost $100 of stuff.

We stayed Hilton, as usual, and the Vista gift was a large bottle of Champagne. Like that better than the tin of candy in Vienna. Could not believe the crowds in the stores. The Pltaz in front of the Rathaus was again having its Christmas Fair. We found a good Lebensmittle in a department store a block from Becks and Dallmayrs. I did strike out on tomato sauce, however.

Still have not had snow, although the temperature has been mostly in the 20's. Even the all-year snow covered peaks are losing snow. It has been so dry. Had a bit of precip last night, but then the temp warmed to 26 F. But when we went shopping first thing this morning, it had stopped but the temp had dropped and the walking was plenty slippery.

Just got back from buying our tree in the Rathaus Platz here. It is a nice sized silver ttip and is on one of the little white plastic tables in the corner between the book cases and balcony door. [Our trees there had to be small as we had to get them home on foot.]