Here Come the Germans...

I decided to split the entry about my vacation into two posts - one about my family in Germany and one about the overseas knitting and the yarn hunting, etc...

So, this one is about the family. This way you, my dear reader, have the option to skip the boring German stuff and go to the next blog entry - which will be ALL about knitting, I promise.

So - let's get started with the most senior people in my family - so to speak hehehe... Mom and Dad.

Mom, the very talented knitter and needlepointer (is this what you call a person who does needlepoint?). She actually learned needlepoint as a profession about 50 years ago and her main work back then was to embroider priest's robes for $0.50 per hour - can you believe this salary??? She still does a lot of cross-stitching, too, and of course knitting.

Dad, the very talented tailor. He learned this craft professionally. He started out tailoring men suits. And he can sew anything and everything one needs. While I was there he fixed my backpack.

As I've mentioned before, Mom taught me how to knit in 5th grade. I guess she was faster than Dad teaching me his trade because I never really got interested in sewing and I try to avoid as much sewing as I can with my knitting...

OK, so here are my wonderful parents.


I took this picture on Father's Day, May 25, which is on a different day in Germany than in the US (no, y'all did not miss Father's Day...) - it is paired with a Catholic holiday which always falls on a Thursday, Ascension Day (if my religious brain serves me right - that's 40 days after Easter). Traditionally, all the fathers and of course the non-fathers, too, go out and have a real manly day with lots of heavy drinking and good food. Most of the companies are closed on the Friday after Ascension Day and that is a good thing... I am sure some of them would not be very productive at work the day after. ;-)

Also, in case you remember that I said the weather was really bad and now you see blue skies and sun on the photo... I wasn't whining, it was really bad. That Thursday was one of the 1.5 days when we had nice weather. So, Mom, Dad and I went for a hike and here is a picture of Dad and me with a view of the Alps and my hometown in the background.


Here I am with my siblings. Finally I got a current shot of the three of us.


And then there is my nephew, my sister's son. He is a little brat - but, I am only his godmother - so I am not responsible for his upbringing. I only fly in, spoil him rotten (if you can do any more damage, I don't know) and leave again after 10 days. Hehehe... He is always very proud when I bring him cool stuff from the US that none of the other kids at school have. His favorite line: "You can not find this here, my aunt brought it for me from America." So - here is my godson:


And of course, you can never get a picture of him where he doesn't make funny faces and looks cross-eyed. Little boys...

And then, the cutest thing of all... The little niece I have been talking about for weeks now. You poor readers... She is naturally much cuter in person. I had such a good influence on her - every time I held her, she fell asleep (or does that mean I am boring and people fall asleep while I am around... who knows...). She slept for hours, I kid you not. My brother said that he needed to speak to hubby to make me stay as a full-time nanny (fat chance - no thanks, I am also in this case only the aunt that flies into the country to spoil the child rotten). My niece and I got so good with our little routine that I actually made her miss some meal times. So here is the princess (with the queen, hahaha...):






Guess who knitted the little cardigan Julia is wearing in this picture. Yep, the fluffy pink baby blanket also traveled with me from Georgia to Germany.


And yes, every once in a while her eyes were open, for a minute or so. ;-)


SO - these are my favorite people besides hubby and the furry kids. Now you know. ;-)

And then - while I was in my hometown, I got an email for the 20-year class reunion from my high school. Here is the picture that they saved and sent to all the classmates. See, if you can pick me out:


OK, OK, OK... I'll give you a hint. Look to the right. I am standing in the first row, grey jacket, black scarf, white sweater, long bangs and glasses. Did you find me? Too bad I'll miss the reunion in July this year. But oh well, timing is just terrible. I can't go back in 8 weeks for another trip - I'd love to though and meet all the people. 20 years is a long time and a lot of things happened.

OK - I am off to the knitting post for the trip to Germany. Y'all want to know what I added to my stash, right???