4 Generations

69 years separate the eldest and youngest of the group and one has to admit the eldest who was in most respects the fittest of us all throughout the visit and especially this morning when we hurriedly gathered for a pre-breakfast group photo. Sadly son J had a 10:00 flight to catch.

Memmingen Airport was again a dream it taking under 10 minutes from pulling the ticket at the carpark entrance to J disappearing behind the security check. By the time I got home breakfast was done and Jochen, Katrin and Kimo were packing tent and luggage into their car for the 3-hour journey back home to Weinheim near Heidelberg.

Very sad departure but lots of joy that we had managed to get together for the reunion. A huge big thank you to Katrin for making it possible and to Angie for dealing with the consequences of having 10 people in the house for a few days.

When Katrin got home she sent me a quick photographed copy of the last such gathering in 1986 in Weinheim. In it is also Aunt Gerda who is younger than me and who had not been able to make the trip looking after home and animals. Maybe I can get myself on the road and see the lovely Auntie again.

The younger one's disappeared for a bike ride and I met them up in the village at the Mueller family house as we had been invited by MrsMY to have another tour of the garden - the many types of tortoises they breed, donkeys, rabbits, sheep, koi fish. While they have a Limousin beef herd at the nearby farm, all animals in their garden are strictly under protection from slaughter - a family rule and includes the animals they rescue such as deer or birds of prey.

A big thank you to the family for the tour. MrsMY came around in the evening for a horse ride with Angie but before they set off, the grandchildren had a quick horse sit. Even though it was late (8:30 pm) the horseflies were dreadful and the horses constantly being attacked. However, the young horseriders coped well. Extra photos of those events.