What else could go wrong today? Fact or fiction?
Thursday, May 21st, 2009by Rach
Rothenburg ob der Tauber
“Something’s burning”
Yes, we were cooking rice porridge for breakfast. But in doing so we were also singeing the edge of the custom-fit-into-our-kitchen-bench chopping board. Small consolation that we were obviously not the first to have done so. Or that Rob had known that could happen and had given insistent instructions the other day to remove the board before igniting the gas. Not an auspicious start to the day.
We knew we weren’t going to make it to Oberammergau today, even though that had been the plan. Not after yesterday’s adventure; today we had a little ding to attend to, so we did not expect to leave Rothenburg at all.
However, the Fiat workshop (how fortuitous that there should be one right here in this small town) was both unwilling and unable to look at a repair job (not so fortunate). But the guy was very helpful and sent us off to Ansbach, 30km away, to a workshop where they *might* give us some attention.
INSERT DETAILS HERE WHEN THE MEN RETURN
(they have a story, but will tell another day!)
Before heading off, a better parking spot became free and so Rob decided to do a quick wriggle manoeuvre of the Bear Cave into it. Not going far, we didn’t perform our usual pre-take-off checklist (cupboards latched, olive oil lying down, sink bench shut, fridge locked, toilet seat down, toilet paper in cupboard, drinking water container in bathroom, roof vents closed, windows in position, car seat belted in, electronics bag on seat, bikes strapped down, correct number of people in each vehicle, shoe box by door, door locked…..) and so…..the computer, which had been charging up on the alcove bed came crashing down, firstly onto Jgirl14’s head, secondly onto the table and finally all the way to the floor. Now there was a hole in the table as well as The Other Van! Quick repair jobs (to head and table) ensued, and then the broken van with men inside was off in search of hopefully-similar-success, leaving us with money to pay for parking if they didn’t return and some groceries.
In the supermarket we got carried away, thinking we were being helpful purchasing provisions for the next few days so that we wouldn’t need to return there before Oberammergau. As we packed tins and jars and vegetables and bread into our reusable cloth shopping bags and wicker basket, someone commented on how we had *only just* had enough money and how good it was to get rid of about thirty coins. Someone else innocently enquired, “Do you still have enough money for the parking?”
The parking? What parking? How could I have forgotten?
No, as a matter of fact, there is not enough. If the parking warden comes by we’ll have to pay in pasta, pickles and pumpernickel.
Ah well, something else to add to the inauspicious list.
Then Mboy6 became far too closely acquainted with stinging nettles. It’s quite likely you heard his cries from wherever you are in the world. This photo is just as he is realising that he is hurting:
A bit later Tgirl5 fell on the concrete and left a trail of blood from her knee all the way back to the Bear Cave, along with a good smear over her otherwise clean skirt. It’s OK. I wanted to do more handwashing today.
I wish I could say “Finally”, but that’s the wrong start for this sentence….our fastidious timekeeper learnt tonight that just because a box says “cook for three minutes on each side” (actually he did well to translate that, I thought!), you don’t set your alarm and sit down to wait the time out. Sometimes two and a half minutes will be plenty. And in true form for today, two and a half minutes would have been more than enough tonight!
It was one of those days. Oh yes, somewhere in there, when Jboy13 was burning the dinner, Rob was investigating an apparent leak from the water tank too. And just to top things off, it’s my Dad’s birthday and we cannot connect to the internet to send him geburtstag greetings!
So after (a late) dinner, we decided to finish the day pleasantly with a little walk through the town. We just needed to put new parking tickets in the windscreen and we could be off. But did we have the right change? No!! We would have to go to the supermarket first to get change…..and so our little walk got later and later….especially as Grandpa’s purchase turned out to be kaputt and so had to be returned to the store….honestly, you wouldn’t read about it!!
But it did turn out to be one of the best walks we have done. We climbed up the ancient stairs into the tower and walked around the city wall, right up where once upon a time soldiers would have patrolled, the children’s imaginations ran wild….and we wandered back from the Market Square down the main street feeling like Little Red Riding Hood or Hansel and Gretel might pop out of one of the little lanes or poke their heads out a window and water the flowers in their windowboxes.
Rothenburg ob der Tauber turned our day into a fairy tale.
Time on the road: 1 1/2 hours (but only The Men)
Distance covered: 60km
rayres