Angels in Germany

We just got back from Germany. We took Larry and Robin to the Rhine river and stayed in a castle. Had a super visit. Loved the castle and the food and the hikes and the river. We were in the car, all the suitcases loaded, and our seatbelts fastened, but the car wouldn't start!
Bummer.
We asked the hotelier for help. He and his wife turned out to be angels. They called a repairman. He came but couldn't fix it. They called the German touring secour. They couldn't help us either. They called Europcar and helped us make car reservations. Then they drove us to the train station and helped us get tickets to Koblenz. We took the train, then a taxi to Europcar where we rented a car and drove home to Brussels.
In the meantime, the angels were hard at work. We left them our car key. They arranged to have the car towed to the garage. Then they PAID the garage after the work was completed. Then they picked up the car and it is now parked at their hotel waiting for us to come and pick it up. Then they emailed me with the news.
All this because they are just good people. When was the last time you can remember helping strangers to this extent?
This was huge. There was no way in the world we could have done this without them. I've never felt so indebted in my life!

Pita Row

Pitas, waffles, Leonidas. That says it all!

Father's Day in Belgium

Dad was lucky to have 3 of his sons here for Belgian Father's Day. Next week, on American Father's Day he has a ward conference in Charleroi. So that one doesn't really count. We tried to spoil him as best as we could. He talked to Natalie and Seth as well. I think he had a great day.

Leuven and Domus

Groundhog hunting

Groundhog, gopher, mole. Whatever is digging up our yard was in for a surprise. Pop and Tommy went hunting for him. I think Tommy had a blast. Plenty of mud and water! We also had a great time at Villars Abby. Amidst plenty of rain, we had a window of sunshine while we were there. Dan arrived today, and he and Jake and Steve went running. I guess that's so they don't feel guilty about eating a Dame Blanche at Domus tonight!

Jake tries Speculoos spread for the first time

Speculoos spread. Dangerous stuff. So stinkin' good. I decided we should document Jake trying it for the first time. It got the A-OK from him. Still sad that I had to give away 4 jars of it to the Delta people because I put it in my carry-on baggage....
Oh well. Nice to give Delta employees a break.

Please place your bets

Steve's mission papers were turned in on May 20th. They expect a month or more before his letter actually arrives. So you have lots of time. But please place your guesses here. Who will guess the most accurately???

I have my own personal hope for him. I hope it is French speaking. And where? France. And I can't get passed that. So I guess that will be my official guess. And when? Again, I hope for September. Make that September 16th.

June 4th

Mel and I share the same birthday. And this year is quite eventful because we are TOGETHER in the same town and in the same house and we blew out our candles together. Isn't our cake absolutely beautiful???
Everyone called too. So everyone gets a good mark!

Thanks again

Dad and I had a wonderful trip. Thanks again to all of you!
Just a few favorite shots. I really should be gardening or mowing the lawn, or doing the laundry or cleaning the house. Had way too much fun posting all these photos though. And I have more, but these will more than satisfy you, I'm sure.

Heber

Ok, we have this little piece of property in Heber Utah. The place has a backyard that is big enough to build another house, but Tom thinks it isn't flat enough to build a house on. All we need is an Italian architect. They can build anywhere on anything! Roads are there where no road should go. Houses are there where no house should be. So I say, let's get an Italian to build us a house in Heber. Now that would be fun!
Can't you just imagine that 4 layered house? Top layer is the bedrooms with a deck. Next layer is the kitchen/living area with a deck, and the last layer would be the pool and TV/Entertainment level, of course with a deck.
Like I said, good thing I don't live in Amalfi. I would need way too much money and I would have way too much fun. Although if you need to drive very often, you literally take your life in your hands on those extremely skinny roads with rock cliffs on one side, and sheer drop-offs to the sea on the other. Don't forget there are tour buses, cycles, pedestrians, and parked cars on these narrow roads just to make it more challenging.
By the way, did Jake and Mel REALLY motorcycle there from Rome? You guys were either really brave or really dumb!

The views

We walked through the village of Praiano. This is a private patio on one of the paths. This is what they see every day of their life! No wonder the Amalfians say that when they die and go to heaven it won't be all that different.



Or how about this one? There is a villa in Ravello whose balcony has this view. Called the infinitive balcony. Can't really tell where the sea ends and the sky begins. Thus "infinitive".




It' a good thing I don't live on the Amalfi coast. I probably wouldn't get much done. This is the view from our BED! Just wake up in the morning, and WHAM, you have this incredible view.

The Napolise know the art of hanging out

Ever been to Naples? One day is enough. Tom and I got a kick out of how they have really perfected the art of hanging out. The plazas are full of people just chillin'. Or being sure they are seen, depending on your age. The Museo Archeologico Nazionale is full of relics from Pompeii and Herculaneum, which of course were preserved so well thanks to Vesuvius. But you see, that Hercules even has decided that hanging out is the cool thing to do in Naples. Even their laundry hanging out is artistic.

Twenty one years later

Thanks to Dan and Lara, Seth and Heidi, Jake and Mel, and Noel and Natalie, we had a wonderful get-away to the Amalfi coast; it was their Christmas present to Tom and I. They know their parents well!
Twenty one years ago, at this exact place in Ravello, Tom and I had lunch. We went back and reminisced. We ate lunch here in 1988, a year before we moved to Europe. We had no idea at the time that we would live in Europe of course. And absolutely had no idea we would be back to this exact restaurant 21 years later.