What a wonderful day

Woke up at 7:00 and checked out with the help of "Glympse" software where Luna's parents were on their drive from Berlin to us. Shock - they had managed to get on the road at 5:00am despite only getting to bed at 1:00am after a wedding party on Saturday. Quickly made a dough flan base and popped it in the fridge to cool while Angie took Sultan & the dogs for a walk. Wash & shave and return to the kitchen to make an apple flan.
Then MrB called to say he was about to do some honey extraction & if I wanted to take a look. Popped over to his incredible professional, stainless steel shining "laboratory" and got to get some hands on experience & learn another heap of information. After 30 minutes I had to go but not before MrB filled a jar full of honey and said it was for our vistors - thank you MrB on their behalf. Could you have a fresher product - less than 2 hours before, bees had been on the combs!

Got home as Farmer Franz popped by for a "chat". Had to cut him short after a while, sorry Franz but will make up for it. Angie had meanwhile returned from riding & taken the flan out of the oven & decorated it with a clear jam/marmalade  like covering. Water the greenhouse, get the BBQ out of mothballs, try to brush the wet dogs who had been for a swim,recheck the Glympse - oh no they are just  5 minutes away.

As they drove in they had to stop well short of the house having been surrounded by the dogs and there followed a wonderful welcome. Can't be sure Luna remembered them but I think she did. Alina had to go to the horses while Matteo took charge of tennis ball throwing. I was somehow in a daze, Oliver took charge of the BBQ, Angie whirled around getting all the food prepared and eventually we managed to eat lunch, but no thanks to my lack of effort made worse by drinking a pint of shandy. There then followed hours of swimming, interspersed with checking the horses, lots of talk, (Angie's first meeting), coffee & apple flan with whipped cream (which was better than I had hoped) and a wonderful time. Alina desperately wanted to ride but with such gorgeous weather, the flies were just terrible and it looked like it would not be possible but Angie did saddle up Sultan and Alina donned her riding boots for a session on the lunge. Although Alina couldn't reach the stirrups she sat & moved very well & beamed from ear to ear. Meanwhile Steffi noticed a swelling on Matteos forehead - he had collided with a post the day before and within minutes it really did look alarming. Oliver, Steffi, Matteo & I set off for Ottobeuren hospital while Alina & Angie fed the horses, tidied up & later followed with the dogs. In the meantime, Matteo got the all clear but keep an eye out for certain reactions. Then all met up at Ottobeuren Basilica, took a peek inside & then proceeded in the direction Of the ice cream parlour. The Blip is  from the Basilica looking down on the marketplace where a Bavarian Umpah band were playing and all the restaurants outdoor tables were packed.

Followed a good ice cream, although I am still puzzled by what Matteo's pink & turquoise coloured scoops really contained. Walked to hotel, checked in & Steffi and the children headed for bed. Walked back to the cars with Oliver and were forced to detour to a beer garden for a glass or two. When the SMS came from Steffi that Oliver ought to get to the hotel soon as the children were asleep and she was waiting for the luggage so as to also get some sleep, it was dark. Sorry Steffi, it was Angie's fault luring two unsuspecting men..... Luna spent the first half hour in the beer garden whimpering, waiting for the children to join us. Another round of farewells & we returned home.

Thank you for the lovely bag of "Berlin" pressies: book, chocolates, "Freche Nudeln" and Scharfes Gelb liqueur. It was a lovely day for us and the dogs who collapsed after getting home. Have a good trip to Croatia tomorrow (5:30am start!!)and a wonderful holiday. You are all very, very welcome to come again, hopefully soon.