fufaraw

Unbearable being in our heads last weekend, we took a scenic drive, just to clear out the cobwebs and festering thoughts. We wound up at the Big Four.



There used to be a huge lodge there. All that's left is the fireplace from the main reception room. See that low rock wall on the left? It had been baking in the sun all morning when I decided I needed to get off my feet. The heated rock on my still-sore butt cheek and back of my thigh felt so...damn...good I nearly melted right into the ground on the spot. I basked a bit before we walked back to the car and headed back downhill toward home.

Things in fu's brain have not gone well in days since then. So when OH suggested another drive I really didn't have the presence of mind to agree, until he reminded me of the heated seats in the car.

I put on my shoes, grabbed my purse, Al,* and a shawl should I need it, and off we went. Those seats are
mahhhvelous! And I feel much better now.
 

* Al is my passenger emotional support bear. When the driver takes curves too fast or tailgates another car or anything else that reminds me I am not in control of the car, I clutch Al tight and he helps me not to scream. When I first knew this bear, no matter how he was posed, he always looked down. So I named him Newton for Sir Isaac, and as I got to know him better, called him Ike. And then I discovered that Newton had based all his theories on gravity upon studies and theories put forward by Ibn Al-Haytham, Arab mathematician, astronomer, and physicist of the Islamic Golden Age. So now he is named Ibn Al-Haytham and called Al.

There was mention of hot chocolate today in <lj user=spn_darkside>, which reminded me of a story.

OH was stationed in Germany at the time, and was out with his unit on maneuvers. Two other wives and I drove up to Berchtesgaden to visit with yet another wife whose husband was also away, and one ridiculously early dark o'clock, we drove out to the village huddled on the shore of Konigsee to watch the cows come home. The cows are pastured up on the mountainsides through the summer, but in the fall, they're brought down to winter in barns and paddocks in the village. It's an annual observance and celebration of the turning of the seasons, and the cows are decked out to participate in the celebration. All the cows wear flower crowns in their horns, and the first cow (you do know there's descending order among a herd, yes?) wears a broad collar, embroidered all over in flowers and scrolly designs, and a huge bell hangs from her collar. Each cow after her wears a collar less ornate and fancy and a smaller bell than the one before, but even the last one in the procession has her collar and bell.

We waited along the village street for more than an hour. The sun wasn't actually risen above the mountains ringing the lake when the bells tolled the approach of the herd. There was cheering, which the cows accepted as their due as they made their way to various enclosures. And then the crowd dispersed to go about their mornings, cheerful and chattering amongst themselves. We stamped our frozen feet on the muddy ground and suffered a definite sense of "Is that it?"

Our hostess asked, "Does anybody feel like hot chocolate? We could go to the gasthaus," and she gestured to the ironically and aggressively Bavarian half-timbered inn a ways up the slope. It looked like there was heating inside there, and that sounded like heaven.

We settled around a table in front of a roaring wood fireplace, the room full of breakfasting tourists and village celebrants, and ordered hot chocolate. It was brought in a tall silver pot, with a long silver spoon for stirring. The top quarter of the pot was piled whipped cream, and there was a bowl of whipped cream in addition. The first sip was a surprise, since neither the chocolate nor the whipped cream was sweetened, but as we sipped a welcome warmth spread, and our smiles broadened. The milk itself was rich and the chocolate was decadent, the whipped cream just adding more welcome richness. I'm sure our cholesterol levels rocketed that day, but none of us cared. As we poured happiness from a steaming silver pot, we were warm and blissful, and somehow thrilled that we, as few ever have been, were there when the cows came home.

lerayon wrote:

When I find myself in times of trouble
Mother Fanfic comes to me
Speaking words of wisdom, AO3

lcn71 wrote:

And in my hour of darkness
Wholock/Wincest/MCU
Speaking words of wisdom, AO3

beanside  wrote:

A03, A03
Yeah, A03, A03.
There will be an ABO
On A03.

OH was just back from a grocery run, stacking stuff on the bar preparatory to putting it in the fridge or the pantry. As I walked past I scooped up a can of peanuts.

"I'll just be taking these peanuts."

He pulled his wallet out of his pocket and held it out to me.

"And whatever cash you got."

I took it, and kept walking.

 *    *    *

Also, if you missed it, I was interviewed by meus_venator for spn_darkside's Discussion Sunday yesterday.