Our Lunch Hour Walks Allow us to Breathe and Enjoy!

This lovely picture actually belongs somewhere down in the middle of this blog, but I accidentally deleted it from there so had to re-post it. So, as you read, you'll find where it really belongs and refer back to it, okay? I'm off to a really good start...

As you saw from one of the last blogs, our office is on a really industrial street. There are huge warehouses, a LeGrande Johnson-type sand, rock, and gravel company right next door, etc. But, looking across the street, we are surrounded by a beautiful "forest" and a small stream that meanders nearly all the way into Ober-Erlenbach, which is where we walk every day. Our office is located on the outskirts of Ober-Erlenbach. We've clocked it at a mile each way, so we get a pretty good walk in. This has become our path since the weather has gotten wet and rainy, 'cause it consists of either roads, sidewalks, or paths made of pavers. Rather nice. When the weather dries out, we'll probably wander more in the farmer's fields like we did at first. This is just a close-up of the same thing.

(Insert the first picture here of Hank standing by the pile of "rocks"--) A few weeks ago, we saw in one of the farmer's fields huge piles of "something"!! It looked like rocks at first, but on closer inspection, it looked more like tubers of some sort. Then we got educated and learned they are sugar beets! So, this is for you, Colleen, for spending your childhood in the sugar beet fields! Is this what yours looked like, or do the Germans have a different variety???

Close-ups of our "rocks."

The path we take into town goes through a lovely private club, with tons of tennis courts and a large gymnasium and, naturally, a bar. But when we arrive in the little town, we are met with charming houses, the usual church and steeple, our bank, stores, and a wonderful "eatery" that we will tell you about. Note the grapevines decorating this cute little house!

And this is a real tree! It's trunk starts on the left, and for some reason decided not to grow upward. So, it's being held up by large boards and just keeps on growing!

Here's a close-up of it's needles.

Of course, the majority of the houses have large flower baskets hanging in the windows! Remember this is November, really cold weather, but the flowers just keep blooming!

And, yes, it is cold, but I can't wear a coat to go walking or I get too sweaty and couldn't possibly go back to the office, so I change to a long-sleeve shirt, don my earmuffs and gloves, throw a scarf around my neck, and we're off. I'm sure people wonder what's going on when Hank is in at least his suit jacket (and oftentimes his overcoat) and I'm hanging out in my summer wear, but that's just the way it is, folks! Of extra note...I'm sporting my wonderful walking shoes and socks over my nylons, so I make quite a sight. Glad you're not here to be embarrassed, kids! It's only Dad who has to bear the burden!

Here's the man of the hour who keeps up appearances and tries to make up for mine!!

Now it's time to share our newest find! For several weeks we walked past this little "Hutte" every day, knew it was some sort of eating place, and finally we went in and asked. Well, it's a Turkish place, run by the sweetest guy in the world. So, on Tuesdays, when we have to go directly from work to our German class in Frankfurt, we go to Arda's and buy a Doner for lunch and then eat our usual lunch sandwiches for dinner on the way to Frankfurt at night.

Here's sweet Arda. I will now describe a "Doner." Behind Arda you can see a "hunk" of meat. Don't know what else to call it. It consists of turkey and veal. He shaves off a lovely serving of this, puts it into a heavenly kind of thick bread which has been sliced open part way and then toasted. He then adds shredded red cabbage, onions, tomatoes, zucchini, just a ton of vegies, adds a yogurt sauce-dressing, wraps it up, and off we go. It's sort of like a subway but soooo much better. I guess it's so good 'cause Arda is so great. Doesn't he look like a wonderful branch president? I hope he is one some day. His home is attached to his shop, and we sometimes see little kid toys sitting by the tables, so we know he's a family man! We're so impressed with him!

Well, that's all for now. Sorry for the usual picture mistakes. I'll keep trying! We love you all.