Golden Wedding Anniversary

My parents celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary this past weekend!
I wish I could have been there to help celebrate the big event, but alas, it is a rather long way from here to Germany (there are no direct flights from here during winter!)

From all the reports, it sounds like the weather in Germany was rather Alaskan -- snow and unseasonably cold temperatures. But the weather did not dampen the spirit, and relatives and friends congregated for a big feast. Note to Americans: Europeans really know how to mark special occasions! While many Americans prefer to hide the passing of time, Europeans will acknowledge and celebrate big birthdays & anniversaries by inviting their friends to a big formal affair!

Here's a picture of my parents -- in icing -- from their wedding day 50 years ago!I've always thought that when my mother was young that she resembled Ingrid Bergman, whereas my father has always looked like a quintessential professor to me, then and now!
I want to wish my parents all the best on this special occasion!
And I'll excuse them & my siblings from having to travel to chilly Alaska in another 10 months, when I reach the ripe old age of 50! Instead, we'll all get together in Germany at some other time (preferably when it's warm) and celebrate a family reunion...

For an anniversary present, I gave my parents a Llama.
Yes, that's correct!
I donated funds in their name to Heifer Foundation. I actually chose the category "where most needed", given the crisis in Haiti right now, and a food- and income-producing animal (such as a llama, goat, chickens, rabbits, cow) will go to a needy family somewhere to help them move toward self-reliance, with the animal providing a sustainable source of food and income.

Why a llama in particular? Our family lived for many years in Chile, and thus our family has a soft spot for the people of South America.
Read more about llamas here.


Liebe Mutti u.Papi, Hier sitze ich im kalten Norden und ueberlege mir was ich Euch zur
Goldenen Hochzeit schenken kann? Es soll etwas besonderes sein, etwas sinnvolles, etwas
was lange haelt, darf nicht viel Platz einnehmen, und es soll Bedeutung haben --
immerhin habt Ihr 50 Jahren, viele Weltreisen, 3 Kinder, 7 Enkelkinder zusammen-- und so
kam mir die Idee: Ich schenke Euch ein Llama.
Keine Sorge, dieses Llama kommt nicht auf den Balkon! Eine arme Familie irgendwo in den Anden bekommt in Eurem Namen dieses Llama durch Heifer International geschenkt, und verhilft ihnen zu einer besseren Existenz. Dieses Geschenk ist in dem Motto von Confucius: "Give a man a fish, and he has food for a day. Teach a man to fish, and he will eat for a lifetime."

Ihr habt uns Kinder durch Euer Beispiel und die vielen Jahre in Chile und Philippinen gelehrt auch an andere Menschen zu denken, und ich hoffe Euch mit diesem Geschenk eine Freude zu machen.