Names, Horses & Authentic Living.

" Seeing a man about a horse..."

Do you do this too? Remembering names is not the easiest thing in the world. Who hasn't mumbled some sort of name hoping it was the right one or rather skirted the issue by re-assigning a new name to them... " you " ? My little trick is to associate features with people:

• " Oh, Bob the man with the black car was there. "
• " The man who always rides a gazillion times up the hill on his bicycle. "
• " The man riding his lawnmower sporting Ray Bans. "

Bob had a job with a new client yesterday and it was the man with two horses. That is how I think of him, as for the last few years he and his wife often ride around the area on two wonderful steeds. Never having enough time to chit chat whilst the horses are impatiently trying to take the bit between their teeth, names were never mentioned. They probably think of me as ' the woman who walks all year round ' ...

Yesterday, he brought a computer to our house for Bob to sort out, I met him officially and when Bob had finished we were invited for a cup of coffee at his house. I knew they were weekend villagers ( it sounds silly, but a lot of people work elsewhere during the week and therefore are known as weekend villagers to me ). They live in a cute authentic Burgenland cottage and at times when I walk past their home, I hear the horses neighing in their paddock. Romantic indeed.

Fences and hedges are a two fold thing: you can't see in and you can't see out...Privacy indeed. Yesterday after a few years of walking passed, I got a glimpse of the other side of the hedge. A little bit of Burgenland paradise. Oh yes, they have created an authentic, rural oasis of relaxation. A text book image of a place to unwind, relax and enjoy life. Stress & hurry are left at the gate and only donned again on the way back to the city.

Burgenlanders, born or transplanted, love life. Life not defined by how much you have ( of course there are plenty of wealthy people here ), what you look like or who you know. Not at all. Life in Burgenland is akin to living as authentic and real as can be. There are tough times as well as good times, but Burgenlanders enjoy every day to the fullest. They live and breathe that lifestyle that eludes so many. A good life, a happy life and a life not defined by possessions.

Last Saturday we were invited along to a Buschenschank ( At Rennhofer's and it was very nice ) in our village. There were about ten of us and we had the best time. While I sat enjoying the evening, I realized why our area is so special. Most of the villagers have grown up together. Gone to Kindergarten, school and through life together. That forms unbreakable bonds of friendship. Genuine friendship and great people.

Biggi