It Had To Happen

Well, I suppose it didn't HAVE to happen, but it did, and there's not a whole hell of a lot we can do about it now.  Gwynneth sent us into the heart of Kaysersburg without a care in the world. In her world of digitized navigation the fact that the streets she directed us to went from two lanes to less than one in the space of a block was of no concern whatsoever.  And since the narrowing occurred as a sharp left turn was required was pfffthd to her.  For us however it meant leaving a good bit of our car's paint on the side of a house.  Oops!  How the hell did that house get in the way???
So we spent the better part of the day wandering aimlessly - that is from cafe to cafe for coffee, then wine, and lunch - through Kaysersburg, which we all agreed is just block after block of fucking cuteness (and that IS a quote).  We're ruined for cuteness now, in fact, so it's a good thing we're heading home soon.
Champagne had been planned for the day since it's Dad's birthday, but we all agreed three hours was too long a drive just to drink bubbly in a cave.  So after Kaysersburg and a quick mountain route over to Munster to see cheese making (erp), we returned to Kienzheim, between Kaysersburg and Riquewihr, for another wine tasting/degustation. I.e., another erp.  Another ridiculously cute village complete with ancient walls and cobbled streets and charming squares with umbrella'd tables and fountains and giant pots of breathtaking fleurs.  [And astonishingly, we have seen exactly two other Americans the entire time we've been in Alsace, and I'm actually not sure they were American.] A perfect afternoon, complete with late light, warm breeze, and delicious wine.
We came home for take out pizza - I know, but it just seemed like the right thing to do at the time - and a bottle of crémant (the local version of champagne) to celebrate Dad's 81st, and then dragged ourselves to the winstub across the street for molten chocolate cake and coffee ice cream.  And, um, more wine.  What can I say?  We were celebrating!  As you know, Dad, now better known as Lurch, enjoys celebrating his birthday almost as much as say, putting his hand down a disposal.  So you can imagine his response when our winstub owner followed us out the door to present him with a celebratory bottle of wine to take home with us.  He at least managed a thank you while in hearing distance, but we'd gotten no further than across the street when he started in with the "Jesus Christ. What the hell am I going to do with another bottle of wine?  I already have a bottle of scotch to fit in my suitcase, I can't drink another damn bottle of wine, how the hell..." You can just hear it, can't you?  Happy birthday, Dad - I know it's hard to take, but we love you, and every now and then we're going to do nice things for you.  And guess what? You're going to have to just smile and say thank you.
Oxoxo!