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*Chapter 32*
A Time For Giving

 
 
I looked out of the Dormer, no snow but the sky looks full of something wintry, oh well, no escaping the training schedule. Sports bra, thermal bibs, merino socks, jersey, phone – everything else is downstairs. Mum was already in the kitchen similarly attired when I got there, coffee already dripping into the jug.

“I thought you were going out later?” I queried.

“I got a better offer, you don’t mind company?”

“As if, I’m only doing an hour though.”

“Suits me.”

“Morning, girls,” Gran offered joining us.

“Morning, Mum, you could’ve stayed in bed, we’ll be out in a few minutes,” Mum advised.

“I’m guessing you’ll want breakfast when you get back?”

“There’s sausages in the fridge,” I suggested.

“Done, now can I get a cup of that coffee?”
 
 

The two Bonds, resplendent in their rainbow jerseys, headed up the valley at a steady pace, it was to be a tempo ride, yeah they might do a couple of sprints but the intention was for endurance rather than speed.

“How you doing?”

“Okay I guess. You?” I posed in reply.

“So so, not getting any younger,” Mum mentioned.

“Not sure I should be out with such an old lady!”

“Why you!”

I sprinted out of Mum’s reach with a giggle, it was all in fun and we were soon chatting away about nothing in particular.
The aroma of sausage, bacon and mushrooms greeted the Bond girls when they returned to the schloss.

“Full English?” I queried as I stripped off a couple of layers in the kitchen.

“Ew!” Gran exclaimed.

“Gabrielle Bond down here now!” Mum ordered.

“Yes, Mum,” I sighed, returning to the bike cave.

“How many times have you been told?”

“Too many,” I agreed.

 
 
We did the present thing after Gran’s breakfast effort, I had a small pile of gifts to open – maybe not as many as I’d like. Of course some of that is because of what I have been given prezzie wise, no big parcels but the rents main present is a necklace, Gran gave me earrings to match it. The girls – well gift cards and CD’s don’t make a big impact size wise do they?

Jules got me a jumper, a thick woolly with a cowl neck, I was more surprised by Mand’s offering though. There wasn’t much weight to it and it rattled slightly, I was expecting choccies but inside were five model cars for my collection, well cool! She must’ve got them on one of her trips with the girls when I was out of commission; they were some of the new models - a little Citroen C2, one of those BMW Mini’s, an old school Volvo estate car, an Audi A8 limo and a Lamborghini Police car.

Presents opened it was time to get ready for whatever we are doing at the Weinstube for the stranded tourists.
 
 

“I can’t wear this, it’s got sauce all over it,” I complained to anyone listening.

“Let’s have a look,” Gran suggested, “and put something on in the meantime eh?”

“Er okay,” I agreed. It’s not like I wasn’t dressed at all, I had my under stuff on which for wearing Trachten is quite a lot. I mean to say I had my dirndlbluse on over my BH and an unterrock so it’s not like I was just in bra and pants. Still, I hung the dirndl over a chair and went to find a dressing gown to appease Gran.

When I returned downstairs Gran was inspecting my frock. There certainly was a quantity of sauce decorating the skirt, a splash of custard too, Gran gave it a quick wipe with a cloth before declaring, “It’ll wash.”

“Not time, Herr Thesing is picking me up in half an hour, I’ll have to wear something different, sugar!”

For something different read my other dirndl, the one from Switzerland, you remember, from when I did the thing with the Alpine Horn? I swapped blouses, the Swiss one is a bit fancier but as the two dirndl are the same length I kept the under skirt, tie the apron in place and slip my shoes on. I was already wearing my new necklace and earrings but I added the Edelweiss ohrstucker in my second holes, a quick dab of face paint and I was ready.
 
 

“My you look beautiful; Jen, doesn’t she?” Gran stated when I reached the lounge.

My face was turning pinker by the second, “Gra-an.”

“Well it’s true.”

“What’s all the…fuss about,” Mum enquired joining us in the lounge, “what have you done with my daughter?”

“Mu-um!” I complained again.

“That’s the one isn’t it?” Jen suggested.

“One?”

“From Switzerland, don’t play coy with me, I’ve seen the photo’s, Gabrielle Bond.”

“That one, “I allowed, “yep, it’s that one.”

I’ve only actually worn it once since Switzerland and that was just to show Steff when we were bored one afternoon. I mean realistically it’s not something I’m gonna wear a lot is it?

Beep, Beeeeeep!

“That’s me.”

“I’ll bring your jacket.”

“Thanks, Mum, tschussie!”

“See you later!”
 
 

“And she says she’s not German.” Tomas muttered to himself as the tiny blonde climbed into the back seat of his car, looking the complete works, hair braided, dirndl perfect.

“Sorry, dear?” Therese queried.

“Nothing, love, talking to myself.”

“Sauce?” I enquired.

“Coffee,” Connie supplied, “you?”

“Vanilla sauce and Wiener.”

“Sucks,” Con stated.
 
 

As you know it isn’t far from Dernau to Rech, a couple of kilometres so the drive was over almost before it started and the Thesing’s Mondeo was soon parked outside the Stube.

“Hi, guys,” Ingrid, that’s Pia’s older sister greeted us as we climbed out

“Hi, Inge, not here yet?” Tomas enquired.

“Papa is down there now, should be here about quarter past.”

“I’ve brought Spekulatius and so on.”

“Great, we’ve got glühwein ready for when they arrive, I’ll give you a hand, Gab, can you and Connie give my sister a hand inside?”

“Sure, come on, Con it’s freezing out here.”

“Nice Kostüm!” Inge called to our departing backs.

 
 
With Ingrid in nominal charge, well she is nearly twenty; we prepared to receive the visitors.

“Nena and Steff are coming after lunch,” Pia mentioned.

“They dressing up too?” Con enquired.

“I did suggest it,” Pia supplied.

“Did I miss something?” I asked.

“Papa asked if we could sing a few carols like we did for Claudia.”

Not more singing, I made a right fool of myself last night!

“Oh right.”

An unrighteous racket announced the arrival of the Stube bus, closely followed by four more assorted passenger carriers.

“Action stations!” Ingrid announced.

She is such a drama queen!
 
 

You don’t really want to know every detail so I’ll skip to the highlights. We greeted the Englishers with glühwein (or coffee if they preferred) along with Tomas’ Weihnacht biscuits, which certainly had them in the mood. Then whilst we cleared the debris from the restaurant Helmut and Inge took them on the cellar tour.

Mum, Gran and Jules arrived at some point and found themselves helping Eva with the snack lunch.

“It’s snowing,” Con observed.

I looked outside, “Barely, it’s not even settling.”

Yeah-famous last words.

 
 
The von Strechau’s, well Max and his parents, the Baroness has gone to his aunts for Christmas, arrived shortly before one, they certainly looked the part in their Kostüm. But I’m getting off the point, Steff and Nena arrived with their families not long after - we had our choir even if the white stuff was still falling. The party really got going when the visitors returned from the cellars, we were soon distributing the snack foods and the wine was flowing well.

 
 
“If you can please find seats,” Helmut suggested in his best English, “we have some entertainment for you, I’ve convinced my daughter and her friends to sing for us, I give you the Ahr Angels!”

We waited for the audience to settle down before running through a medley of traditional Christmas numbers, I’ll always be a reluctant public singer but I was feeling more relaxed by the time we paused for a change of pace. Hark the Herald always goes down well and I do know the words.

We got the first verse out and then I moved forward in preparation for my solo as we enthusiastically murdered the next verse. At least it was sort of planned this time – not like last night! The others rejoined me on the chorus and we finished with much gusto and some applause.

After that we mangled several more carols before finishing with Silent Night – guess who ended up soloing again; I’m sure our audience thought it was planned. We had a very enthusiastic ovation during which we agreed to do Jingle Bells as a reprise this time in English – well we tried but no one seemed to care if some of it was ad libbed!

 
 
After our little concert it was time for some party games, thankfully the staff got to have a break during those jollies.

“Heya, Gab, want a drink?”

“As long as it’s not your punch, Strechau.”

“I’m wounded, fair maiden, Sprite®” he plonked a glass in my hand.

“Thanks, it’s getting quite warm in there.”

“You look gorgeous in that dress.”

“You don’t look too grubby in your Kostüm either,” I replied – well he doesn’t.

“It’s getting a bit steamy in here,” Con pronounced.

“Maybe we should go outside, eh, Gab?” Max suggested.

“As if!” I declared, “It’s snowing out there.”

“In that case,” Max leant in and planted a kiss; I had to turn my head at a weird angle to reciprocate – it just happened okay!

“Get a room you two!” The others chorused before falling about in hysterics.
 
 

“You ready, Gab?” Mum called into the cloakroom.

“Minute,” I allowed breaking off from my lip lock with Max.

“See you Sunday?” Max suggested.

“Guess so, I know Gran’s looking forward to it.”

“Gabrielle!” Mum insisted.

“Yes,” I replied, “best go before we get the full name.”
 
 

“Whoa!” whilst we’ve been having fun inside the snow has been falling outside, not like feet thick but enough to cover everything including the main road.

“Come on, kiddo, Jules and your Gran are in the car already, we’ll follow the Thesing’s back to Dernau,” Mum instructed, “and sort out your lipstick before your gran sees it.”

Oops!

Maddy Bell 08.03.16