A month in Freiburg

In the stables/training area near our apartment, we happened to see a horse throw a little girl. We moved on quickly because we didn't want to create more drama for the teachers and the girl, and James and Eddie talked nonstop about the incident for the next day. James asked me to go back to the teacher to ask about the girl as well as find out what precisely had happened.

"Will you tell me what the teacher says in English?" Asked James.
"I am not a German champion," he said. "I am an English champion."

Watching the goats is a favorite past time.

Our train-watching spot.

The boys are starting to enjoy playing together. There is always a lot of fighting involved, but they can often play together for twenty or even thirty minutes without incident. I really like that they are learning first hand about other people outside of their typical orbit. Seeing and interacting with people in a totally different part of the world, who speak a very different language, will I hope stick with them. In taking this trip, our hope for the boys is that a door opens. To know, even if only on a cellular level beyond memory's reach, that other cultures are out there, going out about their business thousands of miles away, is valuable perspective. It is important to us for the boys to learn first hand that there are many different ways of living.

Blurry, but still love it. James took the picture.

Our days follow a comfortable rhythm. The boys are up around 7:00 a.m., Buck or I make them breakfast, and they play for an hour or so until we are ready to leave the house for the morning. We usually go to a park, a pool, to the river, or simply for a walk. Sometimes we'll go into town or to the library, but most shops do not open until 10:00 or so. Around 11:30 a.m., we stop by the bakery to say hello to Buck. They boys split a "bun." (A roll with either sesame seeds or poppy seeds, the only two varieties without dairy.) And then it's home for lunch followed by a nap for Eddie. During Eddie's nap, James and I either go for a walk, or perhaps a bike ride, or we read and have quiet time.

We hiked up a mountain last weekend and found this swing.

Another picture taken by James.

Sometimes I feel bad for not doing more. I have strong urges to take the train to a new little town every day, but I don't think that kind of exploring suits young children, or at least not my young children. Yet we are learning all the time. It's interesting to see how Germans parent, and I really like being a fixture in the community. I am certain we stick out because of the yelling and English-speaking and work-out clothes. (Guilty :)

We finally made it to Strandbad, a beautiful outdoor pool about a half hour bike ride from us. You ride along the Dreisam, the beautiful river running through the city, and the pool is enormous with acres of perfect grass, a large kiddie pool, a very tall water slide, a lap pool, rows of private cabanas, a beer garden, and an ice cream parlor. We chose a perfect day to make the trek. Our bike trailer got a flat tire about a half mile from the pool, but we continued on anyway. James and Buck went down the water slide many times and James loved it. I went with James once, and it was HIGH. And fun. Eddie said he wanted to go, and Buck dutifully began the trek up the steps. Halfway up, Eddie emphatically changed his mind.

We got a flat tire on the buggy five minutes before we got to Strandbad. We decided to keep going and stop by the closest bike shop on the way home. The tire had looked a little wonky before setting out, and before we left the apartment, I looked up a few bike shops in the area just in case. (We do not have service on our phones.) It turned out that the closest bike shop closed after their Mittags Pause (mid day break. Except for major grocery stores, all stores take a 2 hour break around 1:00 p.m.) So Buck rode my bike and pulled the bum trailer alllllll the way home. 

The left wheel was vibrating so strongly I was sure the whole thing was going to fly off.

Helpers!