Eating Jager-schnitzel

Yesterday my cousin, Tom, and his wife, Mary, came over from the Seattle area to spend the weekend with us. They were able to get a room at the same hotel where we are staying. And after a short, light picnic in Riverfront Park, we headed into Leavenworth.

Leavenworth is a tourist town, a Bavarian themed village that survives on tourism. One of the things they do is have festivals. They mirror all the festivals in Germany. This weekend was Oktoberfest, and town was crowded with young people who had obviously been drinking a bit of the imported German beer. Tom wanted a beer and Mary wanted Jager-schnitzel. Well all four of us wanted it.

Wayne worked at Die Musik Box for a long time, and the owners also own one of the best German Restaurants and beer gardens in town. Wayne used to eat lunch there every day because at worst he had to pay the discounted employee price for lunch, and frequently, they bought him lunch. Even though he doesn't work there any more, they still really like him as late as week before last, they bought him lunch!

So we sent Wayne in to see if he would be able to get us in more quickly. Also, another of my cousin's, Tom's sister, Sandy and her husband, Del, were going to meet us in Leavenworth. So we needed a table for six. The hallway going in was full, but Wayne got us that table, with no waiting, and as good a server as I have ever seen.

We all ordered Jager-schnitzel, which is a pork cutlet pan fried with Jager sauce. Jager sauce is made from bacon, beef stock, red wine, mushrooms, and onions. And it is really yummy. It comes with sweet and source spiced red cabbage--so good it's almost like eating dessert--and spatzle, little pasta type dumplings that are simmered in water and then sauteed. It's wonderful! And we don't eat it very often for obvious reasons! Tom and Mary drank beer, I had a coffee drink with chocolate wine, and Wayne stuck with black tea--good for cancer patients.

We had a great time visiting and then later walking around the downtown area of Leavenworth, watching all the inebriated individuals trying to walk around. We had a blast, and other than the fact that he had a walker with him, Wayne looked like himself. It was great to take a night out and not worry about his cancer, but just go and have a good time. And Tom made Wayne some chocolate chip cookies. We need more days like yesterday!

Tonight we are having dinner with some friends we haven't seen in a long time, so that should be fun. Wayne slept most of this afternoon, so he should be good to go for a couple hours tonight. Getting out and doing things is a lot of fun when he is able, but it does wear him out. Still, we are trying to get together with all our friends before we leave so we can say good-bye.

The plan at this time, I believe, is that Fern and someone else will come on Friday night and we will load up and go on Saturday. However, Fern is working on the logistics of this move and we can probably go any time after his chemo. He may have a couple of bad days if the tegretal interacts with the chemo again, but at least I know what we should do, and we'll be at Fern's and she will know what to do.

Anyway, Montana here we come!