Today, for the first time, I don’t really know where to start? That’s because I experience so much and do so little. And when I write “do so little” , I can only shake my head at myself. Because I mean something completely different, of course. I mean: I am alone. I am lonely. I cannot immediately share what I am experiencing. And I realize only now and here how important that is to me: a together. I strongly expected to have a problem with being alone. If someone asked me what I’m good at, my answer might be: wrapping presents! Or: pretending to know about dogs! Or – yes indeed: making beds :-). Being alone, I know, is not my thing at all. What I’m doing here right now … no idea … must have something to do with age!

And what I “experienced” yesterday was this: I picked up a sugary sweet voicemail from Munich, I got an adorable WhatsApp comment on this blog, and Oliver brought me mail up from Worpswede. And then? I felt more lonely and abandoned than ever before in my life. Right. The delightful was the horrible. Because all my loved ones are here with me, accompanying me intensely and I just miss you all so badly anyway … does that make sense somehow?

But hey, I forgot – there is something else I can do well: hang in there! And because I’m not really alone here despite everything, Oliver gave me the idea of the day this morning before my French class! I walked to Manu (um, that’s a three minute walk) and borrowed a vélo éléctrique. Now, of course, that’s another thing for all those who know me: Astrid rides a bike? Can’t be! But really now. With such an electric thing the way out of the comfort zone is somehow quite comfortable … and then there was sun! And I wasn’t afraid of kilometers (yes, my man: this little allusion is placed with much love just for you)! And I have my radius ver-ver-VERVIELFACHT! I will say: after my slump last night, a big outing really did me good:

to Villerville, back to Trouville, a tour along the beach to Tourgéville

and another little shopping trip to Touques (no idea how far it all was, but it feels mega far – and I NEVER, really NEVER chose the 5 out of 5 possible electric assist options). Especially for the fairly hilly stretch towards Villerville, though, I would very definitely advise the e-bike. I am in any case aired (oh man, that was really cold), I am stable again – and I can “Le local à vélo” in Trouville only recommend. For 35 euros rental fee, I just cycled over my low point yesterday! Merci, Manu!

That was fantastic – although and just because

ce n’est pas toujours facile !