No ned hudla!

The electricity board certainly not in a rush today to get our power sorted. Seemingly Atlanta or Upper Allgäu power-cuts were more important than our single knocked out phase.

Evening walk with the dogs on the Schickling route at Ottobeuren. As we drove down the packed snow & icy slope to the car park, I wondered how English cars would cope. Even took a photo thinking it might be my only chance of a Blip today as it was already pretty dark.

PS Having posted this I realised no one will believe this. So have, at least temporarily in case my allocation runs out, posted in Extra photos this boring, meaningless shot.


Set off thinking about the time in the 1970's when a snow flurry had blocked the A3 on my commuter route anear Kingston Vale and we diverted in to Richmond Park only to be faced with a huge tailback trying to get up a tiny slope and blocked by all the cars that couldn't make it. Made me smile.

Walk was lovely, the wind has gone and it was so tranquil strolling casually over the meadows. I wanted to try and see if I could photograph the distant traffic winding up the hills from Ottobeuren. Has always been an image I like - the lights of cars winding up a snowy mountain. But no success, there was too much light from buildings - it was nearly 18:00 and well over an hour since sunset. I did try the dogs but had difficulty seeing them in the camera as it was so dark. But as always the camera amazed me with how much light it managed to get for the Blip.

Back at the car park, loaded the dogs and had just sat myself in but with the door open as a small Suzuki car came down the slope and turned right next to me. I couldn't see who was in it but presumed another late night dog walker. But then heard the tyres spinning and motor roaring although we were on the flat.. Got out as the headlights were slipping closer and closer. The driver stopped trying to slither further, wound down the window and a young female voice said "I was just trying to turn around". I replied no problem. I'll push you back a metre and you can start again. However she put her foot down again and got stuck again.

Not having heard a strong local accent I turned on my best "High German" - Mit Ruhe (with calm) and pushed her back again and said "now very slowly" and off she went up the slope.

If she had been a local I would have said "No ned hudla" a Swabian expression for "don't rush, slowly, no stress, take it easy". A kind of slogan for our rural Swabian area and often see emblazoned on T-Shirts. Few Germans living north of southern Germany would know what the expression means. Probably not even most Bavarians. Hudla is the local variation of Hudel the old German word for the wet cloth that was used to clean out the ashes from the Bakers oven before the bread was put in. If the rag was not moved around quickly it would burn.

So fellow Blipers, it's the silent, quiet, reflective time of year - No ned hudla, Christmas will come in a week. Don't stress yourselves and take it easy on the roads.