Stupendous

This time change business is one major pain in the Spring, but in the Fall it is one of the best things! Since I worked Saucier last night I got to come to pastry and hour late. The sun was out, cold, but not the usual iciness that surrounds the early morning walk. I fully passed out after I closed my laptop last night and the sleep was stupendously deep… yup stupendous! I didn’t really get to do much in Pastry when I arrived… decorating the mousse bowls, a tray of éclairs, cookie cut outs, cheese cake filling, and vanilla quark. Quark…. I need to find or make this in America. It is like cream cheese, or even more like dry pureed ricotta that tastes like sour cream and what makes the cheese cake so delectably good. I love the texture and how it isn’t heavy or too sweet. Lunch came all too soon and then it was time for me to take a break… Last day of Pastry…. How sad… it was really fun… But I got the most important recipe before I left- the cheese cake :)

I had five hours to myself the hills were calling and I attempted to explore some roads and paths I hadn’t been on before … I started walking down one… the trail became tractor tracks and squelchy mud. I went a little further and recognized marsh. Turned around, warned a couple who were going to attempt the path as well, and found a new trail. This one was great. At one point I found a sunny spot overlooking a green field spotted with dry cow patties. The sun felt so good and the trees surrounding my spot kept the wind calm. I sat and enjoyed that red bench for quite some time till my need to explore continued and I ventured onto the next path. At one point the was a “fork” in the road. One was the normal path the other was parallel but snuggled in the pine forest. It was like a scene from the Lord of The Rings. I understand the concept of ever greens now . In Florida everything is a “somewhat” green shade throughout the year, but here those ever greens really do stick out. I looked around at all the pines then in the middle of one patch the yellowist of trees. The contrast stopped me in my tracks and I stood there for some time just loving the sight of it.

Three hours down and two to go. I had just gotten back when Maya knocked on my door. Strudel? Yes! We walked up the hill hoping, hoping, hoping that Café Meyer was open. As we got closer we saw a good crowd on the outdoor patio. Yay! We walked in… waited for a table as the waitressed rushed around with plated heaping with schnitzel and pommes (fries). Sprechen sie English? A little. Is okay if we sit? No reply.. She walked away. We sat ourselves in a corner waiting in eager anticipation of that lovely strudel. We waited. And waited. Two other tables were waiting too. The waitress went over to there tables and brought them menus. One waitress picked up some dishes from the table we sat at and left us some menus as well. We waited… waited…..waited. Um what should we do. Okay here she comes. She took the other tables order, looked at us and walked away. I could tell a random conversation happed about us. One of the waitresses would mention to the other waitress something about English before flying out  the door with another schnitzel and pommes and beer. The table nearby received its order and another couple walked in and sat. The Waitres walked over and took their order. Looked at us and walked away…. Um…. Awkward? Did we break a rule? I should never have opened my mouth about the English…. We sat… waited….waited…. I wanted to run away… More awkward waiting… waitresses looking at us and walking away. We tried to look as sweet and ready to order as possible, but nothing happened… More waiting… more schnitzel going out the door… cakes being served and we English speakers left strudelless…. Losing all hope, we got up and left… an hour and a half to go and no time to attempt the other restaurant. We made our way back to the Bavarino. Cake, coffee, and a sandwich there…no strudel. Nada…. Squat.

My night in Saucier wasn’t anything terribly exciting so I will skip the general details but the one portion of the night that was somewhat interesting and new experience….

 Warning: the following might be graphic for the squeamish.

Tonight I killed my first fish. They keep an aquarium of trout in the kitchen and for one of the dishes a trout is killed and in the pot within minutes. I have yet to do this task though I did watch Maya do it once. Today was my time and my moment. I grabbed the net and scooped up my unsuspecting victim. It was a calm one… no fight.. just confusion and wide eyes. I grabbed the wood stick firmly held the creature… sorry dude… Gave it a good wack. Then another, and a third for good measure. I sliced its stomach open….its guts were all soft and giggling as I reached in and ripped them out…. Scraped the inside, rinsing with cold water, and plopped the body in my bucket. I brought my work to the chef who was pleased and about three minutes later.. “Rebekah, One more please!”

This time I had a bit of confidence from my prior experience. Scoop…. Uh oh… this one is a bit of a flopper. I tried to keep it still but it flipping body made the net flop around on the table… Yup… a fighter. Sorry dude…Wack! Flopping some more. Wack! Flop. Wack! Flop. Wack! Flop. Wack! Its eye ball was out but its body still jerking… It won’t die! Fish Zombie?????? Wack! Wack! Wack! Wack! Wack! Finally it died…. And its blood spotted on my jacket. Cleaned it, scrubbed my slimy and sticky arms… Good riddens…. Thankfully that was the last of the evening… My hands still smell of it…

A beer, chatting in the cigarette room, and back to this apartment, which I don’t plan on leaving tonight either. I’m eager to see what tomorrow brings, but even more eager to sleep. I have reached the 1082 word mark… Thanks Microsoft Office of keeping this number for me :) 10 days left in Sonnenalp. Good grief. Someone just parked in front of the apartment playing really loud music with an annoying beat… hope they leave soon….bloody waste of car battery. Time to turn on one of my usual playlists… Here’s to another stupendous night of sleep. 1,142 words… few more words to make it 1,150.