

It's an overcast, gray Saturday afternoon in small town Germany. The sun has been largely absent for the last week or so--with occasional short-lived appearances...just enough to make a person wistful and nostalgic. When a few streams of sunlight manage to fight their way tooth and nail through the clouds, the whole world seems to turn from black and white...to vivid color. Everything is so green and lush. The red-tiled roof tops in the village sparkle. The fallen leaves--crimson, copper and gold--suddenly light up the paths along the farm fields.
But the moments of sunlit beauty don't last long. In two shakes of a lambs tail, the clouds shroud the village in darkness once more. Once again, my glowing, alabaster skin becomes the only beacon of light the people of the village have. It's a burden.
As you can tell from the photos above, all snapped this morning while the dog and I sashayed around the village, it's pretty wild and crazy here today. The Germans are out in force as I type, sweeping their walkways (always a Saturday tradition), riding bikes--whizzing along the bike path, and going for long walks with their dogs out in the countryside.The pastry truck has made its rounds. The chimneys are puffing out great clouds of smoke. Small cars zoom along the tiny, narrow streets. A soccer game is being played down the hill from our house. The cheers in the distance occasionally filtering through the windows. It's sprinkled several times, as clouds have raced by overhead.
At the moment, a brilliant early sunset has turned the light outside into an orangey-pink gorgeousness. The church across from the house is looking quite lovely.
As do the forests on the hills surrounding the village.
Alright. Enough with the village, and the sun, and the people. Blah, blah, blah. Hello? I haven't even mentioned all the running I've been doing lately! I apologize. I know that's why you're here. Let's see...There was a 4 mile trail run Wednesday, a 2 mile hill run yesterday and yet another 4 mile trail run today. In short, my donkey booty is incredibly firm and taut at the moment. I'm feeling amazingly good...while simultaneously missing my beer and pastries in a most ferocious, ravenous and bloodthirsty manner.
Of course, this will all be over by Wednesday, when we gather here together to celebrate the unforgettable, noteworthy and illustrious day of my birth...nearly 29 years hence. There'll be hugs all around. Two cakes (one from my most awesomely awesome German friend, Tanja!--That's her little Jack Russel terrier up there in one of the photos.--The other, baked by none other than Mr. Lush! Homemade carrot cake, y'all! Woot!) Party favors will abound...packs of cigarettes and such. Oompa music will fill the air. We'll dance with handsome, elderly German men in the beer tent. It will be Eurolush Fest 2009. Please join me.
A Wednesday birthday warning:
You'd be ill-advised to come between a gangsta bitch and her beer & pastries.
After my birthday, I promise you no more talk of healthy endeavors. No more exercise discussions. No more weighing and measuring. No more calipers. No more running challenges with crazy Aussies. Instead, we will discuss other pressing topics. Important topics. Timely topics. Strange topics, even.
Like my new obsession with...
and I'm NOT kidding here...
are you ready for this...
Okay, now I'm just avoiding telling you...
Alright, alright...
My new obsession with...
mushrooms.
There.
I said it.