Matched, Hatched & Dispatched.

Would you read your newspaper without it ?

Ask any woman older than fifty what section of the newspaper she reads first and the answer might surprise you. The smaller the community of the newspaper is, the more this seems to happen.( Men mostly grunt, cheer or lament over the back page news, so I don't include them.)

Back in South Africa I often remember hearing the more mature ladies discussing the latest news on the " Matched, Hatched & Dispatched "...or also know as " Marriage, Birth & Death ".

Being single, you might now and then take a peek at the " Matched " section, just to see who is off the menu ! Once you are married you want to see others becoming a " Mrs. " for the joy of it... or if Marriage is not all you thought it should be, you don't want to be the only stupid one !

The Birth column is cute but one wonders what some parents were thinking when they chose the name for their bundle of joy? Are some of those outlandish, dare I say freakish names a small revenge by the mother for having had a hard and painful labour ?

Sadly, years down the line you want to see if you know anyone on the dispatched list. As awful as it is to say, I am sure that in a way, one would be glad to read the list as opposed to being on the list. Reading about a person being survived by three generations makes you feel better because you know they have had a good life.

Frankly, there should be a fourth section. Right between " Hatched & Dispatched " is a space for
" Mismatched " ! They can even split that space into " Mismatched once ", " Mismatched twice " and sadly it happens " Goodness, Mismatched yet again ".

Of course the online environment has moved this " Matched, Hatched & Dispatched " up another notch. Oh yes, now you can peruse these sections of newspapers from all over the world. It is like being a nosy neighbour of the world.

Twitter is fantastic as it allows me to be the fly on the wall ! The other day, I started following the New York Times wedding announcements ( @nytimesvows ). Wow, you must read one, but don't blame me if you get hooked on them. New York does most things bigger, better and with style. Fabulous.

Each of those wedding announcements is an article in itself. It goes into detail of how the couple met, where they are from, what they now do, where they studied and with what zest ( cum laude / summma cum laude ) and finally what their parents do. It is pure pleasure to read these announcements. They have an air of Victorian glamour about them and I can tell you, once you start reading one, you read them all.

Sunday mornings, I read a few out loud to Bob just because they are such a treasure. But don't think it is all roses. The best bit is the slight irony of the writer. At the end there is always a stark line : The bride's / groom's previous marriage ended in Divorce / death...

Biggi

Amazon.com:The Knot Ultimate Wedding Planner & Organizer [binder edition]: Worksheets, Checklists, Etiquette, Calendars, and Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
Amazon.uk:The Victorian House: Domestic Life from Childbirth to Deathbed

The Uhudler Express: Great Way To Sight See In Burgenland.

Hot weather, ice cream and the Uhudler Express.

Hot weather and ice cream go hand in hand. A lifetime of gorging on ice cream in the summer months has conditioned us for it. You know, as soon as you hear that little bell tinkle ( the one unique to ice cream vendors ) you turn to look for the van...at least I do !

Eberau, which is a leisurely ten minute drive from us, has a fabulous Coffee Shop that also sells delectable ice cream. It takes huge willpower not to go their daily. Oh dear, just writing about it, makes me want to savour one of their ice creams..

Eberau's village square must be one of the most romantic, scenic and idyllic ones in our part of Burgenland. We decided to get an ice cream ' to go ' and proceeded to lazily devour it under a shady tree. " What does yours taste like ? "..." Oh, its divine and oh so tasty. " I mean what more is there to talk about during these moments ?

All over sudden, the gentle reverie was upsurged by the cacophony of a choo-choo. Sort of like a greeting from Thomas the train. How intriguing indeed. Turning to see, we spotted a jolly and colourful mini-train car carrying cheerful passengers. When it stopped right in front of us, it was like a group of bees had spotted a pot of honey. People came from all directions to get a close up look.

What a grand idea. A little choo choo train ( The Uhudler Express ) to sight see. From coffee shops to vineyards. No stressing about having a glass of our delicious Burgenland wine and driving.

Can you imagine what fun a hens party would be ? One where you get to try wines from different vineyards, get a chance to ride in the Uhudler Express and have the fresh air keeping you awake...

One of the main assets of Burgenland is its beautiful scenery. The colours that nature bestowed on it are just so breathtaking. All the different shades of green intermingled with cheerful flowers and trees are an impression that resets your inner compass to its perfect setting.

Wildlife still runs around freely and with confidence. Sitting in an open choo choo train and witnessing a buck bounce around, a pheasant waddling on the field and jumbo sized rabbits hopping all over must be a once in a lifetime treat.

Biggi

You can see the train circling the village green.

That really look like fun !