Slowly realizing there just may not BE another shoe...

I don't know how it is that I lead such a bizarrely charmed life. But honestly, the longer I live, the more I realize that I somehow never fail to fall ass-backwards into luck and happiness. Seriously, I must have done something awesome in a past life.

To start with, Fulbright could have placed me in, I dunno, Mannheim or something. Nothing against Mannheim; but as beautiful as Germany is, the boringer cities are definitely out there: cement-covered, industry-oriented... or I could have found myself in, say, some small coal mining town like that place in "Schultze Gets the Blues". But do I?

Nope! I end up in Neustadt an der frigging Weinstrasse. A place that is not only perfectly situated (France, Austria, Switzerland, and Bavaria, not to mention several major cities and airports, are all within a few hours' travel), but is also 1) in a familiar area (the Pfalz); 2) head-scratchingly, hard-to-believe-it's-real beautiful; 3) the wine capital of Germany, for god's sake!; 4) in the middle of a protected national forest; 5) full of interesting history; and 6) populated with the highest concentration of sweet people I've ever encountered.

And then, as if simply being here weren't enough, I find the perfect living arrangements. I remember thinking, before I left, that I'd maybe like to live with a family -- but on the other hand, would I miss having my own space? Well, impossibly, I managed to end up with both! And as usual, it was just handed to me: a cute little self-sufficient guest apartment in Hambach, which is a village in the hills around Neustadt, covered with vineyards, scenic views, and expensive houses. In fact, the place is only one street over from the Weinstrasse! But it's still close enough to the gorgeously cobblestoned downtown and the school to be able to walk there; and the rent is surprisingly reasonable. Not to mention that the apartment is, thanks to its inestimable landfamily, completely furnished -- right down to the carrot peeler and dish-drying rack!

But of course that couldn't be all of it. The best part is actually said landfamily: the Hamanns. My apartment is a guest suite attached to their house, and they are just wonderful people. Brigitte, my landlady, not only went out of her way to make Shauna and me feel at home from the first day -- popping by to make sure we had enough of everything, taking us around the neighborhood to show us bus stops and grocery stores, etc. -- she's just personally the sweetest lady. On the Thursday that Shauna left, I was feeling terrible; and just when I kinda hit a low point, Brigitte shows up out of the blue, gives me a hug, and takes me upstairs to feed me sherry and chocolates and peppermint tea! And the whole family is like this! They're happy, funny, intelligent, comfortable to be around, and have just kind of taken me in. I really wish I could do something for them, too, but what? They'll just all have to come to Arizona some time and I can try to start to return the favor. :)

So anyway, I guess the word is just "blessed". I am bewilderingly blessed. How? Why? Don't really know. But I think I'm just going to stop questioning it -- or doubting it, or waiting for the other shoe to drop. That attitude just spoils the gift. So instead, I am going to wallow in it; to roll around in my undeserved fortune and laugh like a crazy person and be glad my name somehow ended up on the cosmic "To Be Lavished With Gifts" list.





(...and say to the wide Universe: thank you.)