I’m going to try to write something kind of upbeat today, even though this past weekend sucked almost as much as the previous one. You might think it would have sucked more, since we had to euthanize a family member. But, in my mind, it was less awful, since now we know Zane is no longer suffering and there will be no more awful surprises regarding his situation. It was a blessing that we were able to say goodbye on Saturday of a holiday weekend. It gave Bill and me two full days to recover and grieve before Bill had to go back to work. Even when it came to ending his life, Zane was very considerate. He waited until we were finished with our vacation to Scotland and picked Labor Day weekend to say goodbye. (not that I really think he did that on purpose… it’s just that he was always very courteous and thoughtful, whether or not he meant to be)

Yes, I miss Zane and am bereaved… and Bill has had a few more crying jags over the loss, mainly after he watches the videos I made. Arran has been a little sad, too, because he knows we’re grieving. I also think he genuinely loved Zane, even if Zane was his rival. Zane was a pack member and they had good times, even though they also had some fights (mostly started by Arran). Losing a pet just plain sucks, no matter what.

In any case, I have been trying to boost my mood. I have read and shared a few disgusting jokes, since I love a good nasty joke. I’ve had lots of wine, which really isn’t so great for mood boosting. And this morning, I’m watching YouTube, where some time ago, I discovered the adorable Wenger family.

The Wengers currently live in Berlin, but when I discovered them, they lived near Stuttgart. Based on the videos posted by American mom, Katie, they were near Esslingen, which is where I think her German husband, Roman, is originally from. Katie is originally from Georgia and, as far as I can tell, she met Roman when he came to the States on vacation. They fell in love and got married, and Katie moved to Germany, where they had their children, Callum and Linnea.

I was initially attracted to their family vlog because of Katie’s big, tortoise shell colored eyes. I found them kind of mesmerizing. I also liked her personality and enjoyed how she interacts with her kids. They seem to mean the world to her, and I find that very nice to see. They lived in London for awhile, but moved to Berlin a few months ago for Roman’s work. Katie recently announced that she’s expecting her third baby in February 2020.

Although I write blogs myself, I don’t typically follow a lot of them. I probably like vlogs slightly more, but even they have to have a certain hook to keep me watching for more than a couple of videos. I have found that since we moved back to Germany a few years ago, I enjoy watching videos made by or about other expats, or done by Germans who want to share their culture with the world.

I used to watch Don’t Trust the Rabbit fairly frequently. It was put on by a very pretty German woman named Trixi who commented on the quirks of German culture and language. But I don’t think Trixi has uploaded any new content recently. Trixi also made a channel called Trixi Rabbit, which is more about her personal life, but again, she seems to have fallen off the radar. I have also watched Wanted Adventure by an American woman named Dana, who lives down near Munich. Dana and Trixi have even collaborated on a couple of videos. Frankly, I find Dana kind of annoying, although some of the subjects she tackles are interesting.

I do like Katie and her cute little family, though. Katie reminds me a little of Nigella Lawson, minus the British accent. She’s interesting to look at, has a good on camera presence, and seems very much at home on video. I like how devoted she is to her family and I appreciate how she tells the ongoing tale of how she left the United States for Germany. Katie eventually went to Luxembourg and, I think, got a Luxembourgish passport. It’s interesting, for me as an American, to see her adventures as a real European resident as opposed to someone on SOFA status, like Bill, me, and most of the other Americans we know who are affiliated with the military. I think her children are very fortunate. They’re going to get an upbringing denied to a lot of American kids.

Here’s another one of Katie’s videos, for those who are interested. They do help take my mind off of our recent troubles. And look! This video from February 2018 is one that I can especially relate to right now!

So anyway… if you have some time on your hands and like hearing about how Americans raising families abroad, I recommend “Meeting the Wengers”… They really are a cute family and they make me smile.