first day of autumn

I was in the middle of a long-overdue cleaning frenzy on Saturday morning, when Frida called to tell me herself, the Prototype and the kids were already on their way to Baumgartner Höhe where they intended to have a picnic. Would I like to join them? I immediately dropped my cleaning utensils, got changed and hopped on the 48A Bus. I love taking a walk there and am looking forward to the day in the distant future* when Otto Wagner's beautiful church will be open to the public again. I still have a photo of my first visit (pre-renovations) back in 1989, with Frida, myself and the Mermaid posing in front of the church during the (then) obligatory week all students from the provinces spent sightseeing in the capital. On beautiful days, it's a real pastoral idyll (click to enlarge):
When we walked back to F. and P.'s car through the premises of the psychiatric hospital, we happened upon a hysterically sobbing Italian teenager, accompanied by her parents who, juding from the guide-book wanted to see the church, refusing to go past the wrought-iron gates after having been screamed at by an inmate in his pyjamas. Admittedly, he was very scary and very loud and all the way back in the car, we tried to come up with child-friendly explanations for psychological illness to give Frida's 5-year old who kept quizzing us "Why was the man shouting?" and "Why was the girl crying?"

Lunch-break purchases: Two birthday presents. Can't go into detail as both recipients read this blog...

* September 28: I read in the paper today that it will re-open after six years of renovations this Sunday (Oct. 1)