I'm glad to report that Kenai's birthday party went off without a hitch yesterday -- we had combined it with a Halloween party, and a house warming, inviting a variety of the neighbors to join us. All told, we had about 15 children and 25 adults join us for the afternoon of perfect weather here in Warmbronn. Kenai's dressed as the blue Power Ranger, though took off his costume part way through the day because it was too warm, and had a cake to match. He invited three girls from his German kindergarten, and I invited another family around the corner with children of the same age. After six weeks at the kindergarten, he is settling in and actually playing with the children, though mostly the older (5-6 year) girls. Yesterday following the party, we walked over to the playground in the fields, where he ran into another friend from kindergarten, and he and she played happily on the different apparatus for awhile. We had a bit of a chance to talk with the girls' parents at the party, as well as some of the neighbors that visited, and received several invitations for follow on visits. One of the families, the one from the neighborhood, are the streetside poop victims, who have held no grudge from their seige! They have a four year old boy, another around six, and a two year old girl. Indeed, remarked upon by the Americans was that all three German families with children had three children, in spite of the heavy discussion of low birth rates here. I am told the birth rate is around 1 here among lineage Germans, but perhaps those who decide to have children, are inclined to have more. It is true that most of our neighbors, though most of them in our parent's generation, have either one or no children. We built a makeshift pinata with Halloween candy, which delighted all of the children. Kenai still asked several times about his friend's at home, particularly Breanne and John John, and why they couldn't come to his party, but then enjoyed the crowd. Hopefully it is the seed for some lasting friendships.

One family brought us a traditional German house warming gift -- bread with a cloth of salt in the center surrounded by candles. Apparently, bread and salt are for the essential things in our life, flax and wax as a token of hospitality to welcome a family to their new home. That was really neat to receive.

We have received no visible reservations of our association with the US Military, which I think we both expected and feared. Of course, we're not with the military, but for any observer we are -- in any case, our affiliation, while not secret, is not public, and is still from the defense department. At the Canstatter Volkfest (Stuttgart Oktoberfest in Americanisch), the Brits at the next table's first words at learning we were an American table was "oh, George Bush.." - the woman responded, "we no speaky Bush here", which won laughter and continued conversation. At the time, it was so clear it was an affiliation comment, but I realize now could be read as a topic comment-- so put on your best bad accent, and think in context of a world of foreign language. She was not one of "us", but a visiting teacher from Chicago, and not keen on the Administration's education reforms. Still, it fit my sentiments. Back to the point, we've been surprised, given the German thoughts about the Iraqi war, that we've not had any comment on the US position there, or reluctance to talk with us further.

Chris discovered yesterday that rootbeer is an American phenomena. Of course, in hindsight, we do know that it is a rural American drink, but he said it was interesting to watch the German children try it, and then try to figure out what it was. Now we know what to bring to German homes. We also made the sherbet/sprite/lime punch that is so popular in the States. I'm not sure how the German children received it, but Chris loved it!

The dogs have still succeeded in sneaking next door a few times to poop. Chris stood guard the other day and what to his wandering eye should appear, but a little dowel in the neighbor's grass. Then two nights ago they came over and proudly announced that the dogs had not pooped that day. They are such a kind couple who have rented one floor of the next door home for some twenty plus years. Renting for twenty years, the same home; that is different from us. In any case, they are glad to have the dogs wander the joined yard. Between the two homes, are entirely fenced in and the dogs have a yard approximating what they had in Maryland. It's only the poop that is an issue!

The festivities continue today with a Halloween party for the organization, and I think we'll take Kenai trick or treating on the base tomorrow.