The boys went back to school this morning after two weeks of being at home.
It was the first long stretch of school holidays in several years where we opted not to travel.
Mary Polly came through on her way to Dresden.
We went on lots of day hikes.
We had new friends around most evenings.
So even though we were home, the time felt full. (Of course, there were also a lot of hours on computers and iPads.)
We hiked the area around this waterfall for the second time this spring last Saturday and we think it might be our favorite Baden-Württemberg hike so far.
And of course, any time there was a blue sky, I made my way to the hill above this nearby village (Bebenhausen).
Also while school was out, we made our first visit to a German dentist. Mercifully, he spoke English and so he was able to tell me in great detail about all the problems in America. Here’s just a very small sampling of my two hours at the dentist:
I can tell these boys drink too much juices. In America, people are drinking juices and sodas all the time. Even everyone drinks too much Coke Zero. You think you can drink as much as you want because it says zero calories, but your brain is thinking, ‘AH-HA something sweet is coming! I will tell the pancreas to make more insulin.’
And now every second person in your country has number two diabetes.
The problem you have in America is a lack of discipline.
No more buying juices for these boys.
But actually you are quite slim for Americans.
It might have been offensive it it weren’t true, and more importantly, if he had not been super smiley and expressive the whole time he was telling us how wrong we are. So it was hilarious.
A few other random bits from the inside of my head and reading I’m consuming lately:
I finished reading The Good Lord Bird by James McBride this week, which is a historical fiction narrative of a freed slave who joins up (begrudgingly) with the abolitionist John Brown. I read up afterwards on the true bits of the story and John Brown was a madman for sure. But he’s the kind of mad(wo)man I think I want to be, especially in my old age. Like really, I’ve been thinking lately that I’d rather go off the deep end than just fizzle out in a fog of nicety.
I read an older article recently about the difference between being nice and being an ally, and it has me all angsty, mainly because (and saying this is a part of my commitment to calling out racism in myself when I see it) I land pretty firmly on the side of nice. Here’s a quote from the article about nice people like me:
A nice person likes to see diversity at gatherings, but may not understand that “diversity” is not just people of different complexions or lifestyles (but who all have similar assumed world views and behavior patterns). True diversity is, at times, grinding and intense and messy and loud and awkward. I have seen, on more than one occasion, people who say that they really don’t want this or that injustice to persist, but they then check out when they are confronted with its existence in their own unconscious behaviors. Nice people don’t want you to feel bad, but if someone has to, they’d much rather it not be them.
For sure yes on true diversity being messy and loud and awkward. (You can read the full article by
Also, randomly:
I love this hoodie.
I think these modern city maps are fun.
I’ve been watching this children’s program in German (because toddler is my German level.)
Best movies I’ve seen lately >>> (streaming) McFarland, USA and (in theaters) Beauty and the Beast. (All the happy feels!)
This song is my favorite right now. Our instructor used it in a “yoga dance” session in Guatemala. It was part dance + part prayer + part love.
In the next few days, we will say goodbye to a gal who’s become a dear friend in her four short months here in Tübingen, celebrate Ben’s 16th birthday (he can’t drive, but he can legally drink/purchase beer and wine in Germany), AND welcome some visitors from Aberdeen! Bring on walks with friends and late night chats!
Lots to look forward to!
The darkness in the world is so heavy, but there is light every single day.
Onward!
XO
Alison
So funny about the dentist. When I started classes here at University of Edinburgh I was often told about how “the Americans” built this or that, or how we lay out our roads. On the one hand, how annoying, but on the other, they had a point. Too funny.