Summer is in full swing, despite the deceivingly cool weather we still have from time to time. We have enjoyed our local swimming pools, I have soaked up as many rays of sun as possible, and most of all - it is world cup time! I have seen a few different games played - every Germany game, of course, and a couple of the US games, including the last one tonight, where they lost to Ghana and ended their run in the tournament. Sigh. Watching the games is always interesting, as everyone gets excited, even if it isn't your country playing. The entire mood during the World Cup is full of excitement - it is not limited to one city or one state - it envelops the entire country.
Part of watching the world cup includes the grill parties that go along with them. It is becoming quite normal to see a little round grill set up with sausages sitting on top, turning a nice crispy brown. Even here I feel the irresistible urge to be near the grill, to work with the fire, and turn the meat. :) Simply feels like home, when I get to do that. The best sort of grill parties are the ones up in the hills around Stuttgart, surrounded by vineyards, sitting on the grass in the shade or tossing a frisbee with friends.
Since March, when the weather finally let up from snowing every week, I have been back on the road, jogging through the fields and vineyards near our house. In May, I saw a poster for a 10K here in Waiblingen, and since I haven't done a race since the 10-mile race in Philly a year ago, I decided to join in. Good thing I did, and trained a bit for it too, because it paid off. In a relatively small field of competition, I was able to come in 8th place for women overall (122nd from the whole group), and 2nd place in my age group (20-30). It felt so good to compete wholeheartedly at something, and win for the first time as well. Around the same time, I began playing soccer with a few friends on Friday evenings. This is an area where victory often eludes me - I think I have hurt myself as much running alone with the soccer ball as when I am engaged in play with another person. :)
Besides these things, I have been also occupied with the family a lot. Summer also means more parties and events that they want to go to together, or for example, a trip to the grandparents that we made by train last week. Let me just say, surviving seven hours in a train with two children under the age of 4 is quite a feat indeed - and we did it twice. For me, it was lovely to see a new city (Potsdam, a little outside of Berlin) and get out alone on the bicycle and explore. We got to spend some good time together as well, and I was thankful for that, as the time is flying by. I am preparing for my German language exam, writing cover letters and getting ready to apply for jobs. My summer travels are being planned, and my time post-au-pair is also starting to be roughly planned out. Things are moving and shaking, and I'm just trying to keep my balance in the midst of it. I look forward to what is coming next.
