Thawing Out

So Sunday we went to church, then to a lovely gathering at the US Army Europe chaplain's home.  It's been so much fun introducing my Girl to the folks from my new world.  They've all been so welcoming!

Sir, the Girl and I have spent the past 10 minutes trying to remember what we did Monday.  Obviously it was nothing incredibly exciting - I think that was the day it snowed like mad and we hibernated. 

Tuesday, we went with my friend M on a shopping jaunt over to Mannheim.  We had fun in the Real (a large discount-type store) and at the mall, though I don't think I'll ever get used to seeing a mall full of dogs!  The German people take their dogs everywhere, including restaurants.  All the dogs I've seen have been well-behaved - it's just startling to see.

Today, the Girl and I had a date with Miss Clairol, and I'm now thoroughly Medium Natural Brown.  It's the best $6.85 I've spent in months, though it wasn't nearly as much fun as an appointment with Polly back in the inlet!
Then Sir came home, and we all went to Old Heidelberg for the last day of the Christmas Market.  We got our souvenir mugs full of Kinderpunch Gluhwein, my Girl bought some gifts to take back to her girlfriends, and we snacked on some of the amazing yummies from the food booths.

 OH, the deliciousness of these mushrooms covered in a creamy garlic sauce.  I'll dream about them till next year!!

 Bratwurst on brochen..and hot,puffy little pastries drowned in powdered sugar, which covered our hands, mouths and coats before we finished the paper cone filled with them.

 Even an ice skating rink on top of the underground parking garage!  Winter wonderland at its best.

We topped off this day with a return visit to Die Kartoffel, the steak restaurant about which I blogged a couple of months ago.  It was our official celebration of Sir's birthday tomorrow!  We went with our neighbors, a delightful family of four who kept us laughing the entire evening.  Ladenburg was magical at night; the food was as amazing as it was the first time we went - my Girl the Carnivore was in her glory with a sizzling steak on the slab of rock in front of her; and the entire main floor of the restaurant was filled with Americans, including our  friends from our Speyer trip the other night.  The world is feeling cozy and small today, and I like it!