February through 17th
Written February 16-18
Dear Friends and Families,
It has been quiet since guests left, but that's what retirement does for us. It is still a bit snowy, not heavy but an inch or two every few days. It makes for pleasant neighborhood walks.
| From the backyard to the street, snow dresses things up. |
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| At our neighborhood palace, a white walk across the courtyard is special, even for a young shoveler. |
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| Meanwhile, there's at least a bit of color in our yard. |
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While we have some quiet home time, we are planning our next travels, starting with a one-hour drive over to Rothenburg ob der Tauber, the quintessential German walled village, to celebrate a belated Valentine's Day. The travel website TripAdvisors rated Rothenburg's Hotel Herrnschloesschen as one of the 25 most romantic hotels in the world. We'll see (next).
Next month, March, Marianne heads to California to see her family. She will help Ava celebrate her fourth birthday! While Marianne is away, I will try my hand at solo travel. I have planned a three-week drive in Germany, Belgium and The Netherlands to see engineer attractions, such as airplane and car museums, as well as selected UNESCO World Heritage sites. This time, no churches, castles and squares, but rather fossils, an old steel mill, a few old coal mines, old and new shipping canals, and Dutch windmills. I will report on my travels, of course.
Later, in April and May, we plan a drive through Northern Spain and Portugal. Marianne is planning the details already and discovering that there are more places than even retirees have time for. Any suggestions or endorsements before we settle on a doable itinerary?
After that, we will settle back at the house, making it welcoming for visiting family. Looking forward to pleasant summer weather makes me forget the inconvenience of current cold and snow.
We will try to keep up these diaries and remember, you can always stop by and ring the bell. If we're here, we'll answer and offer refreshments!
John and Marianne