Glashütten #70, Oberfranken, in der gegend von Bayreuth, Deutschland (see description)

Glashütten #70, Oberfranken, in der gegend von Bayreuth, Deutschland (see description) One of the smaller buildings on the left is a new building father put up when he had plans for a chicken farm. I remember the incubator with it's lights and the baby peeps. I was allowed to touch them, pick them up and hold them, but they weren't toys (I was reminded often enough).

The small trees in the middle of the picture is where the creek ran and is our property line. The road ran directly behind and parallel to the house. Over on the right a ways it curved roughly ninety degrees and ran down to Glashutten. I found a map of what the area looked like in 1992, it's all built up so you can't really compare it to this picture, but it will give you an idea of where we are and where Glashutten is. It's the next picture. If I haven't moved it in the meantime, it will still be there. ;)

The day I got the measles (I was 7 or 8) that meadow in front looked like it was ten miles long. I was walking home from school and felt progressively more and more tired. I didn't think I'd make it home and had to keep stopping to rest. When I finally made it to near our property, instead of taking the road, I cut across the meadow like I usually did. There was a stump of a cut down tree and I sat on it. I really didn't want to walk anymore. As I sat there I thought, "So this is what it feels like to die." :o) I didn't want to die on the stump so I thought I'd try to see if I could make it home.

When I got to the door I dropped my school bag, sat on the floor and called for Mother. When she came I told her, "Ich sterbe, Mamma" ("I'm dying."). She took one look at me and the first thing she did was put her hand to my forehead. I don't remember anything after that except being made to sweat underneath the featherbed. (!!) I vaguely recall the doctor coming and mother telling me I had the measles. I wasn't allowed out of bed(1) for at least 10 days and even when I thought I was feeling better, wasn't allowed to go to my cousin Helga's wedding. :o( To this day I joke that I don't know whether I had the Measles or the German Measles. I had the Whooping Cough too and don't remember when that was. All I remember from that is being made to lay in bed, feeling fine and having this wonderful cough that sounded like it came from a huge animal.

When I say I was in bed, I wasn't in my bed. I never had a bed of my own. Up until I was about 7 I slept between my parents. Hey, it wasn't my choice, that's how it was done! I suppose as a form of birth control it worked since I was the last one. Then at one point I was moved to Brigitte's room and we shared her bed. It wasn't what we call a full bed here, but it wasn't much larger than a twin either.

Brigitte took good care of me in that bed. I don't remember the summers, but in the winter the featherbed could get hot enough to make you sweat. There was no central heat, so I suppose the bedroom was as cold as it was outside. I imagine the walls were good for keeping the wind out though. The walls were good for one more thing, and that was lowering my body temperature. Whenever I got hot I'd stick my left leg out and put it up against the wall, the cold felt so good. Brigitte always became aware of that and made me stick my leg back under. It became a nightly winter ritual. I'd try to sneak my leg out - ever so slowly, carefully - then, tap, a light smack on the leg to remind me where it belonged. To top it off, she'd then always tuck the featherbed in around my side again. What is it about Germans and wanting to make me sweat, anyway?

(1) I was on the sofabed in the livingroom for the measles and the whooping cough. You try and get a child these days to stay in a bed for 10 days with nothing to do but look at the walls.

If I remember, someday I'll write about the chamberpot and the copper hot water bottle.