Seeing:
* this inside of my office a little more than normal.

Hearing:
* a soccer game between FC Bayern and some other team (don’t ask me who) that we (i.e., mein Schatz) streamed over the internet because it wasn’t showing on local television (that’s what you get for being a Northern fan of a Bavarian team). Anyway, the broadcast that we streamed was from the Netherlands and even though the game wasn’t that exciting (to me), listening to the announcers speak Dutch was pretty awesome because it’s has so many similarities to German. Totally possible to understand bits and pieces. Especially the part when they said, “that was embarrassing” — when the FC Bayern goalkeeper strayed too far from the goal and the other team made an easy score. The context probably helped on that one.

Tasting:
* maple sugar candy melting on my tongue is one of my favorite things in the world. And I was lucky enough to get a surprise package of maple candies sent to me straight from Western Massachusetts from Suzanne and Cari! I would have eaten them all already, but I thought I’d save a couple for mein Schatz, who’s arriving home tonight after having been out of town.
* tangy clementines. Mhm, nature’s candy!

Feeling:
* soft, soft towels against my cheek. Thank you, Ute!

Smelling:
* warm Schmalzkuchen (fried dough sprinkled with powdered sugar) wafting through the air at a local outdoor Markt tonight. When it’s cold outside, somehow that it the best, most comforting smell ever. Funnily enough though, they remind me of the summer I spent in Sierra Leone. In the village where I was living, there wasn’t much in the way of fresh veggies, but they sure did have their own version of Schmalzkuchen — I have to admit they were a significant part of my diet for three months!