Well Conner came for Xmas and fixed the problem. Thank God for Children! So we are back in business!
And now the rest of the story. The first day of cousin Frantisek's birthday consisted of a dinner and dance with family in a local restaurant. Excellent food, drink, and conversation with translations by Frantisek's son David and others. To end the evening we all got into a big crowded circle for one last dance, a kind of traditional celebratory folk dance with everyone involved. The next day after a visit to the local art museum to see a brilliant display of 19th century czech landscape painting, we went out to the country winding down dirt roads into the big woods where Frantisek and family have a weekend cottage. The second part of the birthday celebration took place here. There was much beer, wine, slivovice , great food aplenty, and friends, family, and Franta's old team mates from the Hlinsko soccer team with whom he used to play professionally. They of course arrived already pre oiled up. Much fun with singing dancing eating and conversation. A wild and wooly evening. Excellent!
At the end of September our friends Jim and Jan Henderson from Cedar Rapids and Jim's sister Anna came to the Czech Republic on a hunt for relatives. A successful one I might add. After a visit to the big flea market near Prague we headed south to the town of Strakonice which we used as a base of operations. The village of Dobravice nearby was the family home. With help from an english speaking cousin of Jims they met many relatives. After a trip to Olomouc and a visit to Prague they returned happy and full of good memories.
Well that brings you up to the middle of Oct. I will give you Nov and Dec. on the next post! Hopefully this afternoon! Stay warm where-ever you are!