Lechy Lech

Day four in the mountains; two of them sunny, two not. But we are now old hands at this. When it is sunny, we fly into action: we walk long distances and sit outside and engage in many other frivolous activities. When it rains we walk less, sauna more and nap like old people.
Best of all, we are getting more comfortable here. The butcher for example knows we come in July "that California girl and her husband who reads the Bild" a very, very cheezy publication that Thomas, under duress, was seen reading. (It was either that or the mustard jar). He was somewhat perturbed to hear this description of himself (it was only once!!!) and is marching in every morning with well worn Kafka. But there are no secrets in this town, and once is enough.
We have also been staying up late...Thomas was even seen two nights in a row drinking schanpps past midnight. It is like Maine here...cocktails flow easily and new people in town are swept up and asked to parties they have no business attending.
We were asked to come over to a very special house built by a well known Austrian architect for a barbeque. (see below) But we could not come that early, so we said better not...they would be eating already. K was having none of it, and needed refreshment. So she grabbed us by the hand and dragged us in..accepting champagne for herself and a very red faced Thomas.
He thought we were gate crashing, which we were...but K (god bless her) does not listen to him that much and besides it was 7 o'clock already and a girl gets thirsty.
And the girl has been cooking. mon dieu. For dinner we had risotto...as promised, but before that came a parade of cheese drizzled with pesto; beets cooked to perfection, salad, cheese  I think, oh and for each a half an avocado with god knows what on it, but even Frederick ate like a starving man. Then lunch...just a little lunch in the middle of their work day. Again pasta (she knows her Thomas), but also at least 5 other little dishes as well...AND a top secret Schneider recipe of ice cream and coffee and no one will tell us what else, but it was insane. All on a tuesday during the work day. We are presently watching the Olympics with the very cute son of the concierge here...German kid who is here visiting his mother and will attend the soccer camp with F.
The picture below is of a device the owner (friend of G and K's) designed to protect the house against avalanches (!). Their house is in a so called yellow zone (red the worst) and there will come a time when the weather is so bad, that the planes that bomb the mountain (and thereby set of mini avalanches, reducing risk of larger ones) directly in front of their house cannot fly.  In that case they will simply pull up this thing below and make a cup of tea. G is skeptical...but his friend says he could theoretically stay in his house as it is engulfed in snow. Hasn't happened yet...stay tuned.

avalanche barrier

private fish pond

Side view of house

first Wiener Schnitzel of season