Dear friends
Sunday morning sitting sipping coffee with a large slice of cake at The Park Cafe in Wiesbaden, Germany was a favourite pastime in the early 70’s for me. People watching at the outdoor tables in summer time, or inside enjoying the warmth and reading the days English newspapers that we picked up at the HaupBarnhof (Central Train Station) on our way.
The Character of the Park Cafe changed when the sun went down. Coffee and cake were still available but they usually followed Starters and Main Courses. The centre of the floor became a square for dancing, and the rhythm from the combo in the corner soon had you joining in the dancing. I have many memories of evenings spent there with friends, eating, drinking and dancing.
I was young then and every social occasion seemed to include alcohol. Now what brought that to mind I hear you ask?
One morning during the week while enjoying my coffee and the last slice of cake from my cake tins, my mind drifted back over the years… Shaking myself from my daydreams I sorted through the bundle of papers on a side table. My eye was drawn to something I had missed earlier, it was an article on the dangers of heavy drinking….
It went into great detail and to be truthful it scared the life out of me.
So that’s it! I have decided!
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There is no easy solution so after today; there will be no more
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READING!
Nick said,
May 25, 2008 at 8:28 am
Good for you. This binge-reading is turning into a terrible problem. So many town centres are no-go areas after dark with all the problem readers coming to blows over their favourite articles and coshing each other with rolled-up newspapers. Ordinary decent folk are terrified to go out. Lock ‘em all up and throw away the key, I say.
steph said,
May 25, 2008 at 8:57 am
Phew! Grannymar
You had me seriously worried for a moment.
I need a strong coffee now to recover. Cheers!
Grannymar said,
May 25, 2008 at 10:37 am
Nick ~ The rolled-up newspapers really worry me
Steph ~ You can pour me a cup while you are at it!
Magpie 11 said,
May 25, 2008 at 12:40 pm
The wielders of rolled up newspaper aren’t readers they’re Morris dancers who have done a risk assessment and done away with sticks!
Grannymar said,
May 25, 2008 at 12:45 pm
Magpie
I can just imagine you doing Morris dancing!
TheChrisD said,
May 25, 2008 at 2:02 pm
All that spontaneous reading can’t be good for you
kenju said,
May 25, 2008 at 4:04 pm
HA! That sounds like me. I don’t drink much….a beer nightly and a few glasses of red wine now and then and a margherita occasionally (usually when someone else is paying…LOL) - but I’d be hard pressed to give any of it up!!
Brianf said,
May 25, 2008 at 5:16 pm
Grannymar, I feel for you. I am a recovering thinker.
See me post from last August.
http://www.brianf.us/2007/08/03/hi-my-name-is-brianf-and-im-a-thrunk/
Grannymar said,
May 25, 2008 at 5:42 pm
Brian I think I thought about that before
Baino said,
May 25, 2008 at 9:33 pm
Excellent! http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080325125937.htm
I knew it was good for me! As for rolled up newspapers . . .better than a broken bottle!
Grannymar said,
May 25, 2008 at 9:38 pm
Cheers Baino! I’ll join you!
Xbox4NappyRash said,
May 25, 2008 at 10:33 pm
Kind of related, I’ve had some lovely times in Wiesbaden myself, not so much cake mind.
And early 70’s was a bit before my jaunts there too, but anyways.
Paddy Bloggit said,
May 25, 2008 at 10:40 pm
I was a teetotaller for years …. then took my first drink in my mid 30’s.
When my mother died I had a few nights at home where I drank myself silly.
The after affects I suffered were a slight headache but a lot of tiredness. I used to sleep for hours the day after.
I came to the realisation that it was getting me no where …. so I cut out the binge drinking ….
Now it’s a few pints of Budweiser now and again …..
Grannymar said,
May 25, 2008 at 10:44 pm
Xbox4NappyRash ~ Welcome on board! Wiesbaden is a very beautiful place. I really enjoyed my time there.
Paddy ~ I am a great believer in ‘A little of what you fancy, does you good’.
Xbox4NappyRash said,
May 25, 2008 at 10:52 pm
Thank you.
I had a few boring work trips there, but it made enough of an impression that we went back with a load of friends this time last year.
Lovely town indeed.
Grannymar said,
May 25, 2008 at 10:57 pm
Xbox4NappyRash
I lived and worked there for a couple of years. I walked right across town every morning through the park and past the lake on my way to the hospital and back again in the evening. Each season had its glory.
Xbox4NappyRash said,
May 25, 2008 at 11:08 pm
Sounds lovely. The general area is beautiful, the Rhine valley.
I’m stuck in Holland at the moment so any kind of natural beauty is a delight.
Grannymar said,
May 26, 2008 at 10:15 am
Xbox4NappyRash
I travelled up along the the Rhine valley by car, rail and by boat. Each journey held its own beautyand memory.