22 - 28 August 2011

Our car doesn't quite fit into our underground garage with the top box on, but it will do eventually since a small amount is scraped off the top every time we go in and out. It most certainly does not fit in with Simon's mountain bike, prized possession particularly loved since he is finally back in the saddle, on top of the car. A little more than a small amount was scraped off. Justine is very sorry.

15 - 21 August 2011

There is a shrine to St. George built into the cliffs above Saalfelden, at the Einsiedelei, where Brother Raimund the hermit lives. On a very hot day, with visitors Rufus and Polly, Elizabeth sat in the cool chapel and considered St. George's effigy. Her observation was that St. George looked very surprised and she thought he was probably riding along on his horse, who has a smile on his face, with his spear by his side, when he suddenly noticed that he had impaled a dragon on the end of it. Perhaps he then made the best of a bad situation and invented a cock and bull story about rescuing princesses. It paid off because he is now one of the most venerated saint in the world and presides over the side altar in the Maria Alm church.

8 - 14 August 2011

Austria is a small country, not much bigger than Scotland, but it shares its borders with 8 countries, Germany, Italy, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland and Lichtenstein, all of which can be reached in just a few hours. Simon and the children popped out to the Czech Republic at the weekend for a camping trip with the Rogers family, and in the hope that a different country might actually have different weather, perhaps something resembling Summer.

1 - 7 August 2011

Renting here is usually cheaper than buying, and residual savings invested over a 20 year period can leave the renter with an asset similar in value to that of the homeowner. Justine and Simon are converts and particularly enjoy the time saved on house maintenance, but there must be something cultural about englishmen and castles. Their castle, purchased this week, is 38 square metres, sleeps two, and is available to let through www.holidaylettings.com.