The family had to go to Vienna for a christening on the weekend, and because they were only there for two days, and they would be spent with their family, not doing too much expect family stuff, the suggested i stay at home. I think that was the best thing to do, becuase i was really quite nackered from the week, and it was good to chill out, have the place to myself, and sleep.
However, they told me that Grandma (who lives only two doors down) had a full weekend planned, and that she would be here in about an hour to pick me up.
We actually ended up having a really cool day. We went and saw the Schlo� Eggenberg, which is a castle or manor a little out of the centre. It is a great structure, with the most beautiful gardens. Trees and hedges and flowers as far as you can see, with exotic peasants and peacocks roaming through the garden, its really worth seeing. But at the Schlo� was an exhibition for Roman art, mainly stones and ruins found in the province. It was facinating, there had been a roman settlement less than an hours drive away from Graz. There were all sorts of things, and it was great to trot through them, checking it all out.
We went from there to lunch which was also really nice, good to have a chat, and then back to her house where we sat all afternoon and talked. Im a person who really likes to chat when i get going, and so this was really good to talk about everything and anything. And later that night we went to the ballet together, which was also great. But the drive from the Schlo� where we had lunch, back home was the funniest thing all day.
Grandma has many names, Omi, Lolli, but the one i like the most is the one here late husband used to call her: fauler Schieber. This literally translates to 'lazy shifter'. When Lolli gets in the car, she uses two gears. She starts in second and then goes to fourth. She then gets angry when she stalls it every second set of lights, and wonders why that always happens. I didnt say anything. She drives a tiny little Fiat Panda, and has had the same type of car for tens of years now. I think her driving is best described in two words: look out. Things like touch parking (when i say touch that counts for at least 8), amber lights, people beeping horns at you, and road rage, are all normal parts of driving on the road. She doesnt even blink an eye at them. The handle above the passengers head has to be the most used thing in that car, much more so than those other silly things, like the brake pedal and the indicators. Nah, im being harsh, she isnt that bad, in fact, there is an upside, now im just not excited anymore when i ride rollercoasters, because its more of a 'been there, done that' things, so ill save money on themeparks.
But it was what she said was the funniest. She said, yes this car is a little old, and a little unsafe (glad she reconises it), but its fine for me. It was when i drove my grandchild (the baby) around that i felt responsible and needed to get a new car. But as i said, it is fine for me and most of the others i drive around, like you, we have had long enough lives already. Haha, i didnt say anything, but there was a little chuckle in me all day long.
Paz