14.4.07

Expat or Gardener?

This blog used to be about being an expat. More often now it seems to be about my (our) garden. This weekend, it is about both.

I wonder sometimes how fast I would high tail it out of here if something were to happen to me and M. Would I board the next plane, stay until the end of my work assignment, consider staying longer? After over a year here, I feel sad to think about leaving my life here. Whenever I have a weekend to myself, I take have the opportunity to check my independence and comfort level with my life here since it's important even if I am in a relationship.

I arrived last night at the airport in Munich and rode the bus in with a colleague from work. We chatted away until I got to customs, then I switched to German with the border patrol. No issues. I went to the rental car stand and picked up my car, a BMW 1 series, which I fondly or mockingly call "The Sneaker". As it turns out, it's a fun little car to drive.




I took it for a test drive and reach about 160 km/hr (100 mph) but people were still flying by making me look like I was standing still. But this car has good pep! 6 speed manual and a nice sun roof - perfect for this weekend.


This morning when I got up, I decided to head out and do all our normal Saturday morning errands. First stop, the metzgerei. Gruss Gott! The friendly butcher welcomed me in and his colleage helped me with my order. I ordered all in German (shyly) and (amazingly) got everything I wanted. Hackfleisch, schweinfilet, schinken (100g) and allgau bergkase. The women sent me on my way with a smile and a wink.


Next I went to the veggie guy and got some fresh white asparagus and a few other veggies for some pasta sauce. A short stop and Tengelman and the grocery shopping was done for the weekend. I made a pit stop at home for some blueberry pancakes and then headed out for round two. The garden shop and the hardware store.


After a few hours, I stocked up for the garden work and made my way to the wine guy. As soon as I walked in he said, You're the American! This is probably my favorite shop in Munich- fair prices for great wine and no matter how long it's been, the owner always remembers me and sends me on my way with some extra goodies from Italy.


I headed home and the only incident was in the garden shop Parkhaus. Not sure what I did but a woman was yelling at me. Seemed that I may have been causing a traffic jam while waiting for a spot to open up.


I spent the afternoon in the garden working away (pictures for M. below) and just as I was finishing up, L. and B. rang the bell and invited my up for a BBQ. They live on the top floor of our building so we sat out on their porch, ate too much and had some beers.


A report came in from M. He managed to finally eat at the Weber grill restaurant (the best porterhouse he ever had) and will soon be getting us the beer can chicken gadget I suspect as his friend ordered the beer can chicken and it was supposedly amazing. I'm not quite sure the details but somehow he managed to get the waiter's Weber grill waitstaff shirt because he kept saying how much he loved it. I can only imagine the scene. Silly foreigners.


Tomorrow it is more gardening and another neighbor invited me to a BBQ. I didn't even need to do all this shopping today! Now it is time for bed. I wish the weekends weren't so short.


For M:


First, watch out for all that fatty American food!


Second, don't forget the Shake and Bake (sounds like I am contradicting #1).


Third, here is the garden after today:


Bamboo Week 1 & Bamboo Week 2.











I'd say he filled out quite a bit already.

Here is the herb garden. The plants were very stressed when I transplanted them. I gave them a good watering and we will see how they feel tomorrow. There are some seeds planted for the trellises in the background.


And here's the yard with the new lights. They aren't too bright but I think make a nice border. We may want to buy a second package.



More pictures after tomorrow!

Posted from Munich

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

you should plant some vegetables...

i've been working in mine and i have some nice lettuce coming already, in a few more weeks i should be able to eat 100% from my garden.

hows everything going? we havent talked in forever...

watching the red sox game right now :-) they are up 8-0 on the angels

Kyle

vailian said...

Your postings having inspired me, I planted about 6 kinds of seeds in little turf pots. OK, so they are seeds I bought ages ago (the prices are in Deutschmarks, a subtle hint), how long will it be before I have peppers, sunflowers, and some kind of twirly vine thingys?

Un-Swiss Miss said...

The daffodils are wonderful! And have I mentioned how much I like the undulating border?

J said...

"Not sure what I did but a woman was yelling at me."

LOL! Glad to hear that that doesn't only happen in Germany!

Schokolade Mädchen said...

Ha! I've been yelled at by bus drivers and grandmas. And that's when I choose NOT to understand German:+)

Haddock said...

The garden is coming along really nicely! :)

Unknown said...

Michelle - I think I knew you'd love it in Europe. I think you really do have the best of both worlds right now, switzerland and Germany..

Both are so nice and I think you'd be sad to leave too. It's been 3 years exactly since I've left. I still think about going back every day!

But now I have P and it would have to be together that we'd go this time.

"you don't miss what you have until it's gone"...

Michelle said...

ET,
Hope you find your way back. Sounds like this is where your heart is - well, here and with P. :)