Trip Day 20 - Singen Sat

Saturday October 1

The day! Today we will get together with family and friends and celebrate with James. Corry is amazing. A nice German breakfast and then she had to drive quite a bit to pick up Werner from the rehab for the day. It would have been awful if he could not have been part of the celebration.

 

Ute had brought some cards from the rest of the family who could not come. So nice. 

Of course James had fun to open and read them.

Even though we had declared "no gifts" Maren could not resist. That book of adventure routes is so special.

While the three of us had fun at the table, Florian did his baking.

The result was super. Damson plum cake as it should be. 

Sweet lunch. Perfect!

I think Ute forgot that you have to hold the whipping cream dispenser totally straight down.

Short before 5 pm it was time to call a taxi. After a hic-up first (availability) we were on our way.

We had a nice private room and the view would have been so nice ... if the weather would have cooperated. 

And then the guests arrived. The excitement, the hellos, the hugs. James lived in Singen for 7 years and went hiking and skiing with his friends in the Alps. Corry and I from the north (I think 400 miles) had 3 months of dating before James and I left Europe 47 years ago. Keeping in touch was not always easy. But how wonderful was this reunion!

We had some champagne to start with.

Franz did compose a poem for James and read it. So nice. We were so surprised.  Here is is:

Lieber James,

Du hast geladen zu Deinem 80-sten Geburtstag heut,

uns Leut.

Für die Einladung und before es gibt Speis und Trank,

unser herzlicher Dank.

Schön, dass Du feierst mit uns diesen Geburtstag im Hegauland,

wo Du einst beruflich gewirkt und - durch Corry und Werner - Christa Deine Frau fürs Leben fandst.

Uns hat die Alu zusammengeführt welch ein Glück,

sonst könnten wir heut nicht blicken auf die Zeit mit Dir zurück.

Beim Skifahren und Wandern haben wir mit Dir erlebt schöne Stunden

die heute in unseren Köpfen noch drehen ihre Runden.

Auf Zebra-Skiern bist Du gewedelt in Schwüngen groß und klein,

da schauten wir Flachlandtiroler ganz schön drein.

Egal ob in Gstaad oder Osttirol

wir hatten stets Freude und fühlten uns wohl.

Doch dann warst Du entschwunden unseren Blicken,

es bot sich Dir eine neue berufliche Chance in USA auf Amerikas Landrücken. 

Geheiratet und rüber in die “neue Welt”,

so wie sie Dvorak musikalisch hat erzählt.

Aus den Augen seid ihr uns zwar entrückt,

jedoch in unseren Gedanken bleibt ihr präsent zurück.

Gesundheit, Glück und Erfüllung in Eurem jetzigen Heimatlande,

lasst aber nicht versiegen zu uns die Bande.

Translation:

Dear James,

You invited to your 80th birthday today,

us people

For the invitation and before there's food and drink,

our heartfelt thanks.

Nice that you are celebrating this birthday with us in Hegauland,

where you once worked professionally and - through Corry and Werner - Christa found your wife for life.

Alu brought us together, what luck

otherwise we could not look back on the time with you today.

We spent wonderful hours with you skiing and hiking

that are still making the rounds in our heads today.

On zebra skis you are weaved in turns large and small,

we looked quite nice there.

Whether in Gstaad or East Tyrol

we always had fun and felt comfortable.

But then you disappeared from our sight

You were offered a new professional opportunity in the USA on America's backcountry.

Married and over to the “new world”,

as told musically by Dvorak.

You are indeed removed from our sight,

but in our thoughts you remain present.

Health, happiness and fulfillment in your present homeland,

but do not let our bonds dry up.

Dinner was a la cart and the servers were so nice. The owner was not there and everything was set up perfectly. 

This VIDEO (1:59 minutes) is really special. Our friends are singing in German of course but I will try to manage a translation.

I am not sure how to tell you what melody it is, but here is the text:

Listen here you people

Hear what makes us happy

James will soon be 80

Is that not great?

That's why we're here

celebrate with you

And wish you stay healthy

With good reason

Let it ring loud

from Mount echoes

James, long may he live

three cheers for him

For he's a jolly good fellow, 

Which nobody can deny

and so say all of us!

I was so busy talking with everybody that I didn't take many photos. This was one of a few.

But there was a call for a group photo. Ha-ha, it was a bit of a kerfuffle until everybody was organized.  

I didn't organize a cake ... but dessert. 

Ha-ha, the fruit on James' birthday dessert: Kapstachelbeere 

... Cape Gooseberry (also Peruvian ground cherry)

Of course we had to google and had a lively conversation.

Well, and then came the time when I (the hostess) was approached that it was closing time. Oh, what a good time we had. James and I feel so blessed. Having wonderful family and wonderful friends, that's what every human needs. Thanks to the Lord!

*  *  *  *  *  *

Some photos from friends are already in the above blog But more photos from friends. Inge shared a whole bunch which I did not find in my computer until now. So, here is a addition: