Re-Connected

I really enjoyed my holiday and also my - sort of - internet fast. My only regrets are that it is over already and I am not exactly looking forward to what my (work) inbox has in store for me. So, what was I up to? I first spent 3 nights at Linsberg Asia spa with Mademoiselle as a sort of "consolation prize" for the trip to Japan which was not meant to be. We even had a "cherry blossom treatment" called hanakazumi to put in some cherry blossom element as well. This was the view from our hotel room:

The weather was very summery and we were mostly outside, reading magazines by the pool, exposing our pale winter skin to the impressively strong April sun and looking forward to dinner. Despite all the relaxation and luxury, we both agreed that we would probably freak out if we had to stay for an entire week and made an excursion to nearby Wiener Neustadt to pre-empt cabin-fever.

Back in Vienna, I got some things done that I don't have time for when at work, such as replacing the broken glass pane of a picture frame, getting a quote for the plan I'd drafted for my new and improved hall, driving to the Parndorf outlet center in the mistaken assumption there would be fewer people on a "normal" Wednesday (not so during a school holiday!), etc., etc. On Thursday I drove to KLU, stopping at my Granny's in Styria on the way. In KLU, more organisation matters followed such as having Flocki's tyres changed, shopping for a new bathroom cabinet (which in the end turned out to be a generous Easter present by my Dad), but mostly I enjoyed more glorious sunshine in the hammock in my parents' garden, reading and studying kana. The smell of lilac was gorgeous:

On Sunday, we had the traditional Osterjause, of course, consisting of ham, boiled eggs and horseradish. The cheese next to the eggs is not traditional, but a "souvenir" my Mum brought back from Montenegro, where she and a friend of hers had been during Holy Week. I don't know its name, but it is made out of sheep's milk and is smoked.

I also baked, but more about that in a separate post.