Canoeing on the Donau

And we didn't capsize once.

Strawberry Fields

London On My Own

Work took me to London. For two afternoons, I was off in my favorite city. The weather was perfect - sunny and warm and I could do whatever I wanted. 

So I walked around Kensington. I visited all my favorite spots and found a few new ones.

I sat on an old park bench with a cup of coffee. Telling myself again that I would love for us to rent a flat here for a few months. Or even just a few weeks. Heck, even one week would do.  

 

But even though London was lovely as always, I must have missed husband and son and daughter very, very much. See the shopping bags? When I retured to my hotel, I noticed that every bag contained gifts for them. I had forgotten to buy something for myself!

Hair cut

Princesses II

Yesterday was not the first "Princess Party" Daughter had. Years ago, she was around 4, we had a "Princess Day". She invited all her friends, they dressed up, put flowers in their hair, had tea and cake and walked up and down the street to be admired by our neighbors. 

At one point I asked them if I they had special names, being royalty and all.

One little girl said she was Cinderella, anothers name was "Princess Violet", another girl wanted to be called "Princess Rose Blossom". We had a "Princess Sunflower" and a "Princess Pink Heart". 

When it was Daughter's turn to declare her name she looked around, held her head up high and announced: "My name is "Princess Gummi Bear"!"    

Birthday Party or One Afternoon with 11 Princesses

Take an old, old castle,

let 11 girls dress up as princesses,

  

add a bit of a history lesson,

and beg her Godmother and her brother to come along. You will have a very, very happy daughter. And one very, very exhaused mother.

Dogs

No matter where we go, she will insist on bringing a toy dog. I guess she thinks if she pesters us with it long enough we will get her a real dog.

And because this tactic hasn't worked so far, she has now decided to never leave the house without two of her stuffed dogs:

Metallica

Husband with Robert Trujillo

and James Hetfield

and Kirk Hammett

and a goofy Lars Ulrich