Cousins and Cherries

Even though we were still jetlagged, we had to get up very early today and board the train to Himmelpforten (literally heaven's gate) to visit with family. The children were tired, but so excited to ride the bus again and then take the awesome Metronom.

First we visited my uncle Gernot and aunt Sophie for brunch. My cousin Christoph the chimney master was there and I got to meet his girl friend Maren, who is very nice, and their brand new baby boy Eric, one of the most content babies I have ever seen. Johana fell in love with him :) Later my cousin Jan the architect came with his six year old son Linus, a real cute one, who loves soccer like Sophie and they kicked the ball around (kind of a theme with ALL the boys we meet here).

One of the big attractions was the humongeous cherry tree, we were all enjoying the cherries right there under and in the tree, spitting the pits into the adjacent hedge. There is always something liberating about spitting cherry pits.



















In the afternoon we went to visit my aunt Regina and her children and grandchildren, it was a bit strange at first, because I had not been in the house since it was still my grandmother's 7 years ago and who died 5 years ago. Also, recently my uncle had died. I was surprised though, that I actually did not mind being in the house. We had the typical German coffee and cake affair, which is always lovely. I think life would be better if we all would have cake and coffee every afternoon. My cousin Silke was there, very pregnant and due in August and also her brother Michael and his wife Michaela with their kids Matthias and Melanie.

Our kids had played with each other many years ago and did not remember each other, our reminding of how Matthias used to kiss (and bite) Johanna was not helping much either. After a while they had a blast though. It is amazing how well the girls are doing with their German, I guess all the Oma (German grandmother) training is paying off.

It was a bit sad to see my aunt mourning and to realize that I had not seen her in 7 years because of typical family disagreements. I think she was happy to see us again.

But it is also funny to think back to old times. I reminded my aunt how she once broke a wooden cooking spoon on Michael's leg in anger ( I am sure he deserved it ;)), he is sure it was at least 20 or more. We reminisced about playing with playmobil in the basement and I blamed him for my obsession with it now. When I saw Christoph's big motorcycle (what a machiiiiine), I had to laugh and think of the time we went out on a small motor schooter and were thrown out of the local pub for messing with the billiard table. Oh yeah, I had some fun times with cousins and we all love cherries, actually, there seems to be a genetic disposition in my family to be just completely crazy for that fruit.