two thirty seven in the morning...

it's two thirty seven in the morning,

at least as i start to write these words.

sunday morning that is.

and just back from elisabeth's birthday,

as she hit the big three zero.

feeling old i am, with thirty five?

nope. not yet. we'll let that moment happen later.

maybe.

a sweet evening it was though,

just a small circle of friends and family,

up in the vineyards, in mike's garden by freiburg.

and elisabeth and i hadn't seen each other in much over a year.

and at first, she reckoned that this wasn't a birthday to celebrate,

as the past months have been hard months for the girl,

however, then deciding that at those times,

all the more you need to find the reasons to celebrate,

embrace the good things around you.


had a moment of "homesick" in the sense,

simply smelling the open fire,

and that always reminds me of the cabin back home.

the cabin, which mom just told me this week, has been sold.

i was glad they met their decision,

but sad knowing that the visits there,

will be no more.

my old swingset from childhood days was still there,

or just the memories of sitting around the fire,

out on the pier, watching and making wishes on shooting stars,

or falling in love and awe with the northern lights.


had already spent the day in freiburg with patti,

as i had been trying to get to freiburg all week,

primarily to ikea to get plaids, for whenever the brother

decides it's time to arrive.


he's in amsterdam now, however still unsure

to when exactly he'll find his way here.

he's now thinking of driving from there to paris,

as cole really wants to say "been there, done that, seen that."

however, paris is a city you can always tempt me with,

and it just might make more sense, for them to drive here,

and have us find our way to paris together.

even if just for a day, and an evening.

we'll have to see what the boys say tomorrow.

thinking of the work i need to do this week,

it might be better to let them do their thing, their way.


freiburg wasn't meant to be an all day adventure at all,

i had maybe about 4 hours of sleep in me,

many thanks to the ihringen weinfest from friday night.

however patti came by at nine to pick me up in the morning,

and first, a quick stop in the city to get me my starbucks

[which of course, is the closest i can get to my second cup coffee]

and then a quick stop at gaf gaf to see if the owner was there


but i'll never learn,

that going with patti means shopping with patti.

so on account of today, there's now a new belly ring,

two new pairs of earrings,

a pair of black pants

and a short sleeve - oh is that my decollete - black dress

which i think i'll only be wearing over the black pants,

or maybe a pair of jeans.

rather nice though, i have to admit.

and of course, sweeter than sweet champagne coloured lingerie.

oh, and two rings that i bought at gaf gaf,

as the owner wasn't there.

so i'll have to call her during the week,

and set up an appointment with her.

oh, and a necklace too.

i swear, in all honesty, this is the result

strictly and solely played upon under the influence of patti.


had lunch in the osteria,

kind of my own religion whenever i find myself in freiburg.

whether just for a coffee, or an evening with a glass of wine.

you can not go to freiburg, without going to the osteria.

that's just the way it is for me.

same table. same chair. each and everytime.


we finally made it to ikea by around two,

and the feet were definitely aching by then.

to be honest, i believe they were still aching when i woke up

or better said, got up in the morning.

i still wasn't even feeling awake by then.

isabelle had sent me text messages already,

simply saying "oh my feet!!!"

will the day ever come, that either of us will ever learn

to wear practical shoes, rather than "oh but i like" shoes?

prolly not.

ikea was simply getting the plaids, enough for the boys,

and some for the couch as well.

a few vases to use for display purposes for my fleurs,

and a clothing rack... the retail store kind of rack.

have decided, definitely a need for the upcoming projects.


finally home and a cup of coffee, with the contemplation

if i'm really capable of starting work.

between fleurs that need to be made,

emails that need to be written,

and a desk that actually had the promise of looking caught up,

i decided a nap might just be the better contemplation.

and simply a day off.

with nothing of the likes. and nothing of the sort.

i can't even recall the last time,

i've given myself and entire day off. of nothing.

however, the short nap became a rather long nap.

and aside from the coffee i was drinking tonight,

very possibly why i'm ever so wide awake

as now the clock stricks three am in the morning.


i guess the only bit of work today,

was simply deciding with elisabeth,

that yes, she'll do the designer's market in ludwigshafen this week,

if i come up for the saturday or sunday as well.

i reckon i'll do the saturday, which is from eleven in the morning

until eleven in the evening,

and that will at least give her a day off

between the friday and the sunday.

markets can be grueling,

and i know something i should be doing more of myself,

but today's decesion was that as elisabeth does them all anyhow,

she might as well just take the fleurs and the shirts with her,

and whenever i can step in, swing in to cover a day,

or even just a shift,

we'll be good as gold.

our designs work well together,

so not really sure why we haven't thought of this earlier.

although we have done events together in gallery days,

or at her atelier as well.

i guess, everything simply takes it's moment.

but i'm already so far behind on fleurs,

and now to make a batch for her by thursday,

so she can have them there already for friday,

meaning i'll have to find my way to freiburg once again this week.


oh, and friday. how can i forget friday.

ihringen. wine. three girls called angela, steffi and isabelle.

there you go.

steffi is the bride who's wedding i photographed a few weeks ago.

i had only met her approxiamately a week before the wedding.

as she was referred rather last minute.

and officially, a wedding photographer i am not.

thought she was rather sweet,

someone i could definitely enjoy getting to know.

and yes, sometimes you just meet people along the way,

and you know there's a chemistry or a connection.

and steffi was one of those.

the day of the wedding, i went to the salon to photograph

or better say, document the day from the very start.

of course, isabelle was her stylist as well.

so during part of the conversations,

i mention to isabelle, that i'd love to see steve bailey play again.

hadn't seen him for at least three years now,

and simply feel like having a great music night out again.

steffi bolts out, that she knows him as well,

and he'll be playing at the ihringen weinfest on the monday.

and here she was, the bride to be in about three hours time,

and she's pulling out her calender saying we'll go together,

on the friday.

steve won't be playing, but the friday night is always a good night.

and that was that. the three of us. yup. ihringen.


so friday we headed out, met at steffi's shortly after seven pm,

still undecided who was driving,

and who will get to take care of the rest of the girls.

i decided that with me heading out to freiburg in the morning,

and with the brother showing up possibly any day,

it might be better if i be the driver.

we took steffi's car and decided to leave the last word for later.


we get there, and really, just a picture perfect little german village.

and masses and masses of people, already out on the streets.

first stop is champagne of course,

and getting some cheese and grapes with that as well,

simply because we all came to the conclusion,

that none of us had eaten yet. all day.

and that lead us to the next destination,

getting ourselves a glass of white wine,

grauer burgunder to be exact.

considering i had personally decided to drive,

we were off to a great start.

and that also lead to the next decision,

that we really needed food. then and there.

steffi had grown up in this area, so she knew what was best were.

took us to the sweetest little courtyard,

where one of the most renowned chefs in the area,

does the food each year for in this courtyard.

apparently, you usually don't have a good chance of getting a table

but fate was on our side.

and then when i heard isabelle ordering a bottle of wine

instead of just a glass,

i just kind of buried my hands in my head and thought,

whatever shall be shall be.

white wine again, but this time the weisser burgunder.

it was still early in the evening,

and no, we weren't filling our glasses full.

but something says, it doesn't matter how full the glass is,

rather how often that glass isn't really empty?


dinner left us feeling fine,

and yes, the wine left us feeling fine too.

and off, back to the streets and the fest we were.


we'd walk into this courtyard, that courtyard,

and then steffi already had the next bottle of wine.

basically, the time that i decided i'll be getting water instead.

and i reckon,

this was about the time, that the three of us had all decided,

the feet were already in much much pain.

it didn't really stop us much from dancing,

nor from walking.

but we did grab any moment or chance we found to sit down.

and that in itself, was enough of a problem as well.

just in finding a place to sit down.


fast forward five hours later, i'm not sure how many bottles later,

i did order the third bottle, staying with the weisser burgunder,

however just having a small glass of that for myself.

and the girls definitely had at least a bottle thereafter,

and never mind the glasses that kept finding their way before us

as we hit the last courtyard of the night.

and me, i believe there were about 3 bottles of water as well.


we closed down the last courtyard,

and the evening was simply good.

it must have been about three as we finally headed back to the car,

i was definitely fine to drive by then,

and although the girls had a bit of a sway in their step,

they were definitely a lot better off than most that we passed,

walking back.

and then at steffi's, us in for another cup of coffee,

just to finish the evening.

isabelle was going to stay there for the night

and i decided to find my way home.

patti was going to be coming by just a few short hours later.


and yup. that's been the weekend so far.

it's now three thirty three.

and i'm still awake.

sunday will be a bit more sleep i hope,

but really about taking care of work.

small bits and pieces around the home

before the brother eventually gets here. whenever.

monday? tuesday? wednesday?

and then the fleurs. i must make the fleurs tomorrow.


and it feels alright like that.

especially after a day like today,

i feel good again. and new again.

yet another reminder to the self.

there must always be time to play.


and contrary to the past weeks,

it had been a long while, since i had reminded myself of that.


[simply blurred photographs. and not a blurred state of mind.]