Tom and Brenda's car next to frozen lake

Had our usual breakfast at the hotel and got off about 9:15 and headed towards St. Moritz, a large resort city. Arrived there about 10:45 and parked and walked around the town where I bought my doll and a small cup. We stopped at an outdoor café and had cokes and talked to some people from the USA that were on a town bus.  Then it was only 11:10 am – too early for lunch, so we took a ride up the mountains (almost 10,000 ft) where there were only rocks, creeks, (from melting snow) and beautiful, beautiful snow covered mountains.  Down in town one could see the snow covered mountains way off in the distance and it was just hard to believe we were way up there, right there!  There was very little traffic and we stopped at two tram rides, lifts, to the very top but both were closed until June  6th!  Kristopher was very disappointed. We saw a large lake way up there completely solid with ice yet! It was a beautiful sunny day and not to cold out. Probably in the 50’s. We stopped several times and took pictures then went back to get on our way. We stopped at a small restaurant in a small village about 1:15 for lunch. (We waited until Jeremy woke up from his nap.)

Morris and Tom had deer stew with noodles and Brenda and I ordered something we didn’t know what we were getting. It turned out to be a wooden platter filled with just meat – dried deer, dried ham, and uncooked bacon (also two slices of brown bread).  I made a sandwich out of some of mine, but Brenda just couldn’t eat hers so Tom traded his meal for hers!  Very interesting! It was here Kristopher took me to the bathroom after we ate (he had been before we ate) and I got back to the table and was telling them I just couldn’t find how to flush the toilet when I found out Kristopher took me to the men’s!  Oh, Well!!!

Got on our way again and I kept saying we should see some mountain goats as I think of Switzerland having lots of them, grazing on the green hills.  We went around a curve and on both sides of the road there were goats.  Tom stopped, backed up and parked and grabbed his camera. Out of the car jumped Morris, Tom, Kristopher and Jeremy . They walked right up to them and lo and behold they had bells on them and were tame!  One little brown one wanted to be petted and we spent about 15 minutes there taking pictures. Oh, Tom and Brenda about a month ago were on a ride and they went across the river and saw pigs. Now all the time Jeremy says “Go across the river and see pigs.” - he love them.  How he says, “Lets see goats.”, not once a day but at least 10 times a day.

It was a very tiring day so about four o’clock we started looking for a guest house. We went through two small villages and could not find any we thought looked good, and as we were leaving this one small village to get back on the highway there was a sign pointing up a gravel road that said guest house. Thinking it was just up the road we decided to find it.  Well, we climbed and climbed on this gravel-one-way road and around and around curves for probably 5 miles!  Tom and Brenda just knew it was seasonal and wouldn’t be open after going that far!  Well, we rounded a sharp curve and there before us was a small darling village right on top of this mountain.  And the nicest guest house ever – not too told – and a full tiled bath with shower in each room.  The woman who ran it had 4 children of her own, one a darling little girl 3 years old, and she and Jeremy fell for each other.  There were several small children playing out in the yard so Kristopher fit in real well.

She hadn’t opened official yet so she said to give her a ½ hour to get the rooms ready.  Well, I went up while she was still making the beds in our room (I took Andrew up to change his diaper) and she had to stop a half dozen times to talk to and touch Andrew – of course I couldn’t understand a word she was saying, but I could tell by her expressions and town of voice she loves babies. I did get through to her I was the grandmother!

She hadn’t opened her restaurant yet, and as she was in this town, she offered us semmels, cold cuts and cheese, and drinks for our supper which we took.

Morris and I took a nice walk after supper and at 7:15 pm the church bells rang and rang and we saw about 14 (mostly old ladies) leave there homes and walk down to the church, which they all stopped at the cemetery (right beside the church) to water all the flowers.  Then at 7:30 the bells rang out again and this time we saw the priest hurrying down the road, with one of the little girls from where we were staying. By the way, the church was only two doors down from where we were staying. Morris and I were high above the church on a road looking down at all of this.  It was a lovely sight.

We played Uno again tonight. Oh, I’ve got to tell one more thing – tonight we put Kristopher down to sleep on the couch in our room but we did not open it out. Well, it looked so small, if he rolled over he’d probably fall off so Tom decided to open it up without taking Kristopher off! Well, he tried 3 times and Kristopher never woke up and it was so funny, Kristopher would get caught right  in the middle and we all started laughing and Kristopher never woke up thru the whole ordeal!  Oh, it was here Kristopher left his teddy bear and blanket.  Brenda had to tell him the next night and I felt so sorry for him. She gave him another old baby blanket and a smaller teddy and said we write and see if the lady would send it to him.  I hope she will.

Wednesday, May 20

Got up about 8:00 and left our best yet guest house. We wanted to go thru Prein as Tom received a telephone call before we left and found out that Ray Benfield was in the hospital – had a gall stone attack. Tom wanted to check on him.  We got to Prien at 11:45 and went to Ray and Evelyn’s apartment. She was here and said Ray was doing well (he had passed the stone Sunday night and was feeling fine) and he was back at language school. He got out at 12:00 and was home at 12:15 so we waited on him. Talked to him until 12:45 and then we left and stopped at the American Air Force Base again for lunch of hamburgers, hot dogs, French fries and Cokes with ice.

After lunch we let the boys play out by the lake on the swing set, while I held Andrew and watched all the beautiful sail boats. Tom and Brenda went to the American bookstore and picked up a few magazines and books (in English). Oh, there were 3 tour buses visiting there, all really old people (mostly women) some could hardly walk!  They had lunch served to them by waitress (we had to through the cafeteria line) and then on the stage they had entertainment by a family (it looked like to me) who sang and the father played a guitar. We enjoyed it. Jeremy would clap and clap every time the people would – really loves music and loves to sing already.    

We had another 2 hour drive home and it was a hot drive!  Was really glad to get home – Brenda went to the store; fixed supper; Tom had a meeting and Morris, Brenda and I all wet to bed early. Had porkchops, baked rice, toss salad and fresh green beans for supper.

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