Waldersbach

We liked having a "staycation" because we were able to do some of the things we never have time for during the week. We went to Plumy Park, ice skating, swimming, had Emilie and her family over, went to Fegersheim and then took Thursday to go up to see Cheryl and her family in Waldersbach.

Eric, the oldest, was in class with Talia. Actually, I met Cheryl when we were both pregnant, me with Davina and she with Sarah and actually talked her into sending her son to St. Jean. Good move as he turned out to be an excellent student.

Last year, their dad was posted to be the Lutheran minister of Waldersbach, in the Vosges mountains. He's in charge of several communities up there. It's actually a historic position, previously held by Jean Frederic Oberlin in 1860.

http://www.answers.com/topic/jean-frederic-oberlin

It's a whole different lifestyle from downtown Strasbourg where they lived for seven years. The children attend a school in the next village with about 40 students in all grades up to high school.

It wasn't nearly as remote as I thought it would be. Basically I got there in about 45 minutes and it was a straight shot off the highway. I did get stuck in the snow once I arrived in Waldersbach but that was only because another car wanted to pass on the small one-lane road where they live. That made me go on a packed snow bank that my little Yaris can't handle. I called James who came down but the best solution was to simply roll back down the hill, let the guy pass and then head back up on the paved part of the road, no need to drive on the snow.

They, of course, had way more snow than we did. They took advantage of the hill behind the house.

On the right is their new cat. They got her from the SPA in Strasbourg after Aleph died only a month after moving up there. It was sad since they now live in a great place for animals.

Cheryl took me for a walk around the house. Of course the sun came out as the kids were ready to go back in but in the sun, Waldersbach showed off it's true charms. I was ready to move up there!

It's definitely a trade-off living in a location like this. There are some very distinct advantages and disadvantages. "Remote" in France is not at all the same definition as it would have in the U.S. Remember this beautiful place is under an hour from a major city.

We can't wait to visit them in the Spring! (Hopefully the sheep we can hear and see from their house will have some little sprogs soon!)