Why do parents do this?

Innsbruck

Last nite it started snowing – yes snowing – and did not stop until lunchtime today. This is just crazy.

Last week most of our plants started producing buds. The snow was nature’s way of telling them not to get too eager.

I killed the indoor plant I bought about a month ago. This was a new world record for me. I think it started dying when I picked it up in Lowes. I have told Cate I will not buy any more indoor plants because I just cannot cope with the inevitable losses and subsequent trauma.

Sure everything I plant outside dies as well – but it does not do so in front of me and I may not notice it for ages - when one day I look at a curled up brownish crispy thing and think – ‘didn’t we have an Aspidistra there a while ago?’

Kjm90i

The line above was typed by Sissi. I refuse to let her do what she really wants to do – which is sit on the keyboard – so she hovers at the end of the desk and marches across it every five minutes. She is rubbish at typing. 

I have been collecting unusual names of check out people. In the last four days I have seen Waynomi, Roechelle, Jezzica and Synthia. I am not sure why parents do this to their children.

What’s the matter with good old fashioned names like Molly, Lenny and Biggles.

It was very loggy

The Little Log Cabin in the Woods lived up to its name. It is very loggy  but was surprisingly comfortable.

There was – however – no Internet or TV so I missed out on the US Masters on the weekend and did not see Bubba win his second green jacket.

When we checked in - the owner said that the area was teeming with wildlife but we saw nothing – nothing – during the entire weekend.

No squirrels, deer, skunks, foxes, beavers or bats, lizards or snakes. We saw not even one bird – except in the far distant sky. 

There is not much in French Lick apart from a thumping great hotel and casino and the West Baden Springs Hotel. In great anticipation we booked a table for Saturday night at the 1875 steak restaurant in the hotel – and were mightily disappointed.

The other two nites we ate Candy’s Chili- and it was delicious.

I made Cate go to the casino as I had never been to one before. It was not like anything I have seen in a James Bond movie. Apart from the fact that everybody smoked – the standard of dress seemed to be beach grunge.

We saw the Ohio river and some of Southern Indiana. Which is much like Northern Indiana. We are itching to go to Kentucky and are thinking of going to the races.

We have booked it

Donaukanal

This weekend we are having our first weekend away in Indiana – at a place called ‘A Little Log Cabin in the Woods’ near French Lick.

This is about two hours drive from Indy so we are going down on Friday afternoon and coming back on Monday morning.

The lady I spoke to said that the cabin is so secluded we can go naked all weekend.  Indeed - we are not allowed in the spa unless we are naked.

This may be the opportunity for Cate and I to try baked bean wrestling – which we have been wanting to do for a long time now. But you know – so many things to do – so little time.

And speaking of beans – we are taking our dinner for Friday nite and I am trying out Candy’s Chili recipe. I am following it to the letter and even have the Red Gold brand diced tomatoes.

We got an email from our cycling holiday people saying that they had a special offer for two people for a 7 day cycling trip on the west coast of Sweden at the end May – and would we be interested.

Cate decided to take me for my birthday - so we have booked it.