End of Summer in Bavarian Alps

We tagged along with Ric when he had to be in Garmisch for a conference. We stayed here, at the Army lodge, a very nice upscale resort, popular during ski season.
A beautiful place, set in the mountains, but a little weird to be overrun with Americans all in one place.

Can't argue with the indoor pool though. Nightly swimming of course.

One day the kids and I hit the nearby town of Ettal, home of the largest monastery in Germany. Here the monks run a brewery and sell beer out of their little gift shop next to the church. Eh, it's a living.
The beer deliver trucks parked outside.


And after touring the church, we headed next door to a cheese factory for a snack of... (wait for it)... cheese! And fresh yogurt and fresh bread and butter. The kids tried out the age-old task of milking a cow from these udders placed under a table. Turns out it's pretty darn hard to squeeze those stinkin' udders just right.

At night we went out for German food. This involves my typical ritual of being hopeful that THIS time I'll like my meal, but mostly just being dashed when it's some bland meat served with potatoes on the side. I'm am COMPLETELY NOT a picky eater. I like everything as long as it tastes good. German food does not taste good. I've actually yet to order something at a German restaurant that I really, actually like. I swear. These people have no taste for good cuisine.

But those Bavarian boys can dance in their Lederhosen! We enjoyed some local dancing this night.

The second day, the kids and I hiked to a nearby lake, the Riesersee (see means lake). A very small, but very picturesque lake just a short walk up the mountain from our lodge. There's another hotel here, you can rent boats, and just hang out swimming and sunning for a day. Food fare= pizza with Salami and hot dogs with sliced bread. Do you see what I'm saying about the food here??!


The boys were brave enough to swim out to this very far dock and hang out. They met a local German boy and we wound up staying for hours while they stared down at the fish, jumped off the dock, and basically just lazed around.

I was hoping that the kids didn't notice the ladies sunning, in complete view of everyone, thonged and topless. I was descrete enough not to snap photos.


It was a great end of summer week. The last time we came down here (see 4th of July) it rained for 4 days straight. Seeing Garmisch-Partinkirchen in the sunshine was a real treat.

Next stop, Back to School.

Big Trip for a Big Kid

Today I sent my oldest off.

Ethan was invited by good friends to join them on a trip with their son. Not a playdate, not a day trip, not a sleepover, a VACATION. They will be gone for 5 days. Not in Waldenbuch, not in Stuttgart, not in Germany... in Italy. With sunscreen, banana bread and books for the car, and passport for the boarder, he was off this morning. Last night he slept like a baby (with me); I tossed and turned and wondered if I should just call the whole thing off. But I know that he's in good hands (the Dad's a Navy fighter pilot, I'm pretty sure he can navigate a BMW) and that he'll have a great time (including a day at the beach). After all, he's only been saying since he was 4 that he wanted to go to Italy and eat pasta every day. So now here's his chance.

And for us left behind, we'll wile our days as a family of 4 which will be a new experience for all of us. Alex and Evelyn are already plotting fun things to do since they don't get to go to Italy (yet). And enjoying then winding down of summer. And I'll be counting the days.

Visit in the US and Quick Trip to London

The night before we left for the US, we wrapped up Ethan's 9th birthday celebration with some homemade cupcakes...

while Dog tested the patio furniture. (She's such a DOG. At least, that's what I tell her all the time, yet she won't stop being such a DOG. Imagine.)

Arrival at Nana's house with plenty of FUN chores, like blowing pine needles off the deck.

And on for a week in VA with Nanny and Pop Pop and Aunt Christina and Uncle Rob. And the POOL, where Evelyn got to be a great swimmer. She's following in her brother's footsteps of learning to swim at the Zschoche's backyard pool.

Aunt Christina, cousin Jana, and Evelyn hang in the hot tub.

And cousin Robby, the fish. He and Ethan look so much alike!

Then back to Nana's cottage with the goofy, goofy Arnot sisters. Isabella (middle) is 8 and Elle (5) and Evelyn show off their super cool, Dollar store fun sunglasses. I think the 3rd Quarter earnings for the Dollar General in Seven Lakes just rose.

And the even more goofy, Arnot clan. From left, Katy, Frank (Grandaddy), Aunt Heidi, Uncle Mike, Judy (Nana), and Elle.

And awaiting us back home was one little boy with one fewer tooth...

While Evelyn and I had a great visit with the family back home, Ric and the boys took a trip to London. No documentation since I had the camera, but they had a whirlwind of a tour to see all the Harry Potter sites around the city, checked out the new Harry Potter movie, the London Eye, Buckingham Palace, The Lion King at the theatre, The Tate Gallery, Madame Toussouds, Ripley's Believe it or Not, and a couple of dinners of Fish and Chips to round it off.

We missed being together, but all of us had a great couple weeks of travel.