Down To Earth

And so we're home again ...

On Tuesday we took a trip into Friedrichshafen - Colin took the boys and his Dad to the Zeppelin Museum, whilst Andrea and I went shopping ... they still have C&A in Germany (all the C&A branches over here were shut down a few years ago), and we spent a pleasant time trying on lots and lots of hats! In the end we bought almost identical hats - strangely enough, I have never been a hat person as I never seem to look right in them, but this year seems to be my year for hats! Next stop after C&A was K&L, where I found another hat I liked, in khaki this time, then H&M, where Andrea bought a gorgeous jumper. We finished off with a trip to Wolle Rodel, the local yarn shop, where I treated myself to some lovely 100% merino wool that I will use for my Verity hat.

We then wandered down to meet the boys, and relaxed in the sunshine with a cappuccino for a while before heading back. I went back with Andrea, via Kaufhaus (a local shop that is very similar to the pound shops we have here, ie they buy in bankrupt stocks etc), where I picked up a ball of Regia Galaxy sock yarn for a bargainous 4.99 euro, a ball of Fortissima sock cotton for 3.75 euro and several circular needles and dpns which were super-cheap from 1.50 to 2.39.

Andrea had students coming in the afternoon (she teaches English), so we headed out to Lindau for the afternoon to give her some peace and quiet. After a little wander around we stopped for coffee and a little browse in a couple of shops, and I picked myself up a lovely pink stripy scarf for just 2.80 euro. We didn't stay out long, it seems that we were all very tired, but still it was nice to be out and about.

In the evening we went out to the same pub we went to last time, for schnitzel. Honestly, you just wouldn't believe how huge the portions are ... and how delicious. I had mine with garlic again and it was the most wonderful thing I have tasted in a very long time (since last time, actually). Colin and Ethan headed back to the apartment relatively early (Ethan was very tired, and starting to be a real pain), while Sean and I stayed up drinking with Andrea and Robert ... we kept going until after midnight so that we could see Seanie's birthday in, and Sean was surprised and pleased that I allowed him to drink - yes, he is now just 15, but I would far sooner allow him to drink with us so that he sees what effects alcohol can have on him, while he is safe with his family, hoping that when he is old enough to go out drinking with his friends the novelty will have long since worn off and he will not be particularly interested in getting drunk.

We drank a strange concoction called cola weizen. It's basically weizen beer with coke in it, half and half. It didn't taste bad, to be honest (though after the huge glass of pear schapps that I downed in one I probably wouldn't have noticed if it had). We stayed until around 1.30 am when it was apparent that everyone was exhausted, and then wandered back round the corner to our apartment.

Our journey home on Wednesday was uneventful. Our flight landed at Stansted at around 5.30 pm, but it was 10.00 pm when we got home (by the time we'd got the bus back to the long stay car park, started driving home, had a stop for fuel and dinner etc). We were all exhausted, but still we managed to get up this morning ... Colin is away tonight, working in London, and I am sat up in bed writing this, with Ethan snoring his cute little head off next to me (I would far sooner have the bed to myself, but I suppose being realistic it won't be that long until he decides that he's too big to snuggle his Mummy, so I'm taking advantage while I can).

I really need a good night's sleep. I will try and post some more pictures of our trip soon.