Dog Days of Winter

The house is full of life again!

My second daughter returned home last night at midnight from her class ski trip to Italy. I had been looking forward to having a leisurely family breakfast with three of the kids home (oldest daughter is still in Copenhagen) but I had forgotten the poor girl needed to be at school at 8:30 this morning to take her French exams.

So after I saw her off, I joined my youngest under cozy blankets on the sofa. I savored another mug of coffee and taught him how to play old-fashioned, low-tech Solitaire with a real deck of cards. My kids thought these games were only played on iPods :)

Later this afternoon, my girlfriend Claudia dropped by with "our" puppy, Martha, and her parent's lab, Lisa. Six-month old Martha is nearly as big as 11 year-old Lisa. And she's a real brat - full of eager energy and totally jealous when we give the old dame Lisa a little loving. It was great to have all the girls over :)

While we grown-up 2-legged girls sipped wine, my older son played with both dogs on the floor in front of our feet and the fire. He was very good at petting them simultaneously so neither dog could complain. Contentment all around!

Now off to English Comedy night at Lulu with KettwigeFrau and hopefully a few others expat blippers...