How to Cut Grass in Germany

...very carefully or you will electrocute yourself (I'd say!). First, you must have grass AND you must be allowed to walk on it. (Please, people. I am not making this stuff up.). There are grassy areas designated for the dogs only as dogs here are *king*. They are allowed in the restaurants, in the stores, supermarkets, trains, trams, etc. Everywhere. No leashes, nothing. And they are, like everything else here, very polite and orderly. So likewise they get their own parks. We almost rented a flat that had a beautiful garden, but was strictly told we would never be allowed on it. If we wanted to sunbathe, we would have to do it on the driveway.

But I digress. So if you have grass that you are allowed to walk on, then you must next buy a lawnmower--an electric lawnmower. I kid you not--one you must plug into the outlet. No gas-spewing thing for the yard here. Then, when you want to cut your grass you must see if that time falls within the time the city allows you to cut it. I.E., not within the daily quiet time, or on the weekend when people would like to relax (yep, no grasscutting on the weekend--at all--or the polizei will be over pronto to fine you). So you most likely cut it during the week. This makes it hard to catch the sight of this event, but I have managed to twice now, and I just wish I could have some popcorn and a seat across the street, as it really is quite amusing in a Fear-Factor-meets-environmentalism sort of way. Man plugs in lawnmower at utmost inconvenient time for him and proceeds to cut the grass, rushing to get it done before quiet time while at the same time NOT chop the electrical cord up with the blades and electrocute himself.

Knitting! I am 3/4 of the way done on a sock made with Regia Cotton, and about 2/3 of the way done on a top called the Tomato. It's a cotton t-shirt made with Blue Sky Alpacas Cotton. It's organic and hand dyed in a color called pickle. My t-shirts always seem to go wrong even though I measure all throughout the process. I hope this one fits, but by the way this summer is feeling I may need to make it long-sleeved!