Here I am. In the now. In the kitchen in the now. In Wettenbostel. I have a little tickle in my stomach as if something exciting is going to happen… like a child waiting for Santa… but what the excitement is… I do not know. There is a wintry chill in the air which makes me feel a little like Christmas and I am cooking some food for myself which makes me feel homey and content. I can not believe that I have a little time one my own in the quietness of the kitchen. Like all of the “little ones” are all snug, tucked in their beds… my hosts down the street at their home and Jörn asleep.
So what to talk about today as I am preparing my meal. I remind myself of when I was little and would concoct a delicacy from vanilla ice cream and chocolate syrup, stirring it and explaining it to… I don’t know… the audience… as if I was Julia Child. My story to tell. That is how I feel now. Cooking my simple meal feeling extravagant about it as if I was a chef. Brown rice. Zucchini with some leeks, onions flavored with a little olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper and oregano. Bon Appetite!
Today I cleaned rooms. Yes you have heard me say this before…. but sometimes, cleaning rooms can be a delight… yes and some distraction and time for a break or two… but definitely room for delight. The beds are covered with big fluffy comforters and pillows. Preparing the beds, cleaning and tidying up has room for some fun. Time for warmth as if guests will be arriving soon. And they will… a new seminar this weekend… in a few days.
Jörn is the most recent addition here at Wettenbostel. My fellow traveler of sorts, as noted in recent posts. Living in the town about 30 kilometers away, he arrived here on bicycle intending to begin an extended tour. In his spirit of go with the flow, what he found instead was a whole world at the Seminar Haus inviting him in for a spell. So he parked his bicycle and for now… he is here. Jörn is German, as is not unheard of living here in Germany. And his German is very good. His English is… growing. And in all fairness… my German is… well as Jörn said today “Genau, genau, genau”… that is practically the only word I can regularly recall. Under most circumstances Jörn and I can communicate fairly well, him bravely speaking and expanding his English and me speaking slowly and finding simple and alternate ways of saying what I am trying to say. But the other day after working, working working, I went to ask him a question and he ran away from me with the laundry basket on top of his head screaming, “I don’t speak English!” I guess it was enough.
Returning again to the kitchen, enjoying my lovely meal, still appreciating the tickling coolness of the air… I will see what is next that calls me in the quietness of my evening. A little painting. Perhaps some Buddhist chanting. Some writing or reading. All in this day. And tomorrow can wait until… well tomorrow!
Photo from the Seminar Haus gardens by Michael Hartley
Gypsy Woman 
Oh, I completely understand the joy you can get from cleaning. I love the feeling of a clean house…getting all the laundry done, bathrooms cleaned, rooms dusted, vacuumed and floors mopped. What a feeling of accomplishment to be able to provide a clean, stable, loving environment for those you care about.
Good luck with learning German. When we lived there in 1996 I learned a lot of German from watching television. Espeically entertaining watching old ’80’s sitcoms!
Hey Eileen, so good to hear from you! And your response is so sweet. It is good to hear from someone who has some experience with German and Germany!