"space is shared in europe, not protected. Tables are shared, the air is evidently shared because smoking bothers no one. Cars, houses, buses, apartments, cafes- so many important aspects of life are smaller, thus more cramped, thus more willingly shared. It's not offensive to go nose to nose with an acquaintance during routine conversation because no space is being violated. Talk with your hands, hug, embrace, even kiss at times. Even for friendly people, such familiarity was difficult for americans to understand."

this is a quote from a john grisham book, and i just had to laugh as i read it. it's so true. you know that personal space we all hold so dearly, well it's not so dear here. when waiting in line if your not close enough to count the neck hairs of who ever is in front of you well then you will soon be one place further back in line. we had to laugh once watching a visiting girl wait in line, as we stood outside watching she stood in line but 3 feet away from the person infront of her and after 3 people stepped infront of her she finally caught on and snuggled on up. we keep telling each other that when we get home we better drop this habit quickly otherwise we may get a strange look or two at the 7-11 lineup. so there you go if your coming to europe be warned and get to know your fellow line upers.

in other news lynnette was very pleased to hear after a long journey home a touque which she knitted for our nephew finally made it. ok originally the touque (winter hat for you non canadians) was meant for me but somewhere the pattern shrunk, so plan 2 was made and it was sent to ben for his birthday, and that's where the adventures began, it was being sent to lynnettes sister in-laws parents place (a mouth full) but somewhere along the way a house number was left off and it stopped on route. when we finally realized this a month late! bonnies parents phoned up the post office and were told "ya it was here but we sent it back to hungary since it was wrongly addressed", great we figured that was it we will never see it again. well a week later they get a call and are told it is sitting in the post office waiting to be picked up, apparently it didn't go back to hungary rather to someone on the same road with the same last name and they so nicely brought it back to the post office since it wasn't theres! so there you go the adventures of the touque that could.