Q, R, S = Quatsch, Reinigen, Schwimmen

As our time here winds down, I find myself racing to the end of the alphabet. Twenty-six letters is a lot! We’ve been here about that many weeks, but let’s just say my posts haven’t exactly kept pace with our calendar. So today, I’m taking a shortcut—three letters, one post.

Q is for Quatsch

Quatsch has long been one of my favorite German words. It entered my vocabulary well before I ever cracked open a German textbook. My Savta Fanny used it often, swatting away silly remarks with a sharp, affectionate “Ach, Quatsch!”—her way of saying “Nonsense!” or “Rubbish!”

At school, both kids quickly learned that Quatsch—which also doubles as “mischief”—is strictly verboten. Rafi came home beaming one day with a little booklet Frau Boller had handed out, where each child could collect star stamps to redeem for small prizes. When I asked how you earn them, he explained solemnly: “By not doing Quatsch.”

Leo learned the meaning in a more hands-on way—by befriending a particularly “spirited” child whose Quatsch-making talents revealed themselves during a few unforgettable playdates. (Highlights included: trampling the neighbor’s plants, spitting on toys, and enthusiastically hurling pillows off beds. All within the first fifteen minutes.)

Serving up the best Johannisbeerenblattflammkuchen in southern Germany!

Now that school’s out for two full weeks, the kids have ample time for Quatsch of their own. The other day, while Erol and I were trying to squeeze in some work (first clue: it was way too quiet), I emerged from the bedroom to find two grinning children proudly announcing they’d made a potion I had to try. Pushover that I am, I took a cautious sip and found myself puzzling over the tangy, creamy mix. “What exactly is in this?” I asked. A bit too proudly, they confessed: a splash of milk… and half a bottle of red wine. “I tried it too!” Leo declared. “Four times!” God help us.

Thankfully, today’s Quatsch was more whimsical than worrying. The boys opened their own pop-up restaurant—Rafaleo Haus—where I was lucky enough to sample a “Basilikum-Kuhmilch-Latte” (basil cow’s milk latte) and a “Johannisbeerenblattflammkuchen” (currant-leaf tarte flambée). Very exotic flavors… and equally creative spelling on the menu.

Spelling remains elusive in both German and English

And then there’s quatschen—the verb form—which means to chat, or more precisely, to shoot the breeze. When our beloved neighbors were about to head to Scotland for the holidays, we had a farewell evening at their place. I gave the boys 15 minutes on the coveted PlayStation, which—surprise—morphed into an hour and a half, while the grownups quatsched over three bottles of sparkling wine well past bedtime.

A little Quatsch never hurt anyone, right?

R is for Reinigen

As our time in Freiburg winds down, so begins the inevitable Reinigen—deep cleaning—as we prepare to leave our lovely apartment. Realistically, we’re doing more Putzen (daily cleaning) than an all-out Reinigung, but there’s definitely elbow grease involved. The timing lined up beautifully with our assigned cleaning day at Leo’s kindergarten—part of a lovely tradition where families take turns sprucing up the space. While Erol and I worked our magic, the kids had a blast rediscovering every toy in the room.

I was genuinely sad to say goodbye to both the kindergarten and Rafi's school. They had such kind, thoughtful teachers and lovely classmates—and we saw both boys really become part of a community. On his last day, Rafi came home with an adorable booklet of handwritten cards from each of his classmates. Leo's teachers also gifted him a beautiful handmade photo album and a collection of his drawings. I baked about five dozen cupcakes for the occasion, which were well received! We’ll miss everyone so much.

Leo proudly delivering cupcakes for his last kindergarten day

Farewell to the beloved Frau Boller and the Sonnenklasse (Sun Class)

S is for Schwimmen

Summer has arrived in full force, with temperatures climbing past 30°C. We’ve been taking full advantage, hopping between some of Freiburg’s best swimming spots.

First up: the Dreisam River, where locals lounge on the rocks, read, sunbathe (sometimes with more skin on display than expected), and wade into the chilly current.

A dip in the Dreisam River

Then came the Lorettobad, literally next door to our apartment, with its dreamy, almost retro atmosphere. I can't believe we're about to leave and are only now beginning to enjoy this amazing attraction right in our backyard.

At the Lorettobad

And finally, the Strandbad: a sprawling outdoor pool complex complete with water slides, a trampoline, and a playground that kept the kids busy until dinner.

At the Standbad. Wow, what a pool!

In two days, we’ll say goodbye to this apartment and move into a small place our friends offered us in the Kaiserstuhl, a hilly wine region just outside Freiburg. After that, we’re off to Erol’s hometown of Windsbach—where this whole adventure began—for a final stretch with family before we head back to Canada.

Hard to believe it’s almost over.