Did I ever tell you about how at Christmastime one year OG and I visited a friend of OG’s who lived in a glass house at the top of the world in Greenland with her child and a black cat? And even though the house didn’t have any furniture, it did have a Christmas tree that needed decorating. After that, we sat on the rug in front of the fire and sang Danish holiday songs. It was the true meaning of gemütlichkeit. Although I must say the bathroom situation in a glass house left a little to be desired. Glædelig jul, as they said there, @original.gitti ❄️ #adventureswuthog #ogandme #snowglobe (at Brønlundhus) https://www.instagram.com/p/CXI_qRSlPcw/?utm_medium=tumblr

“Shhhh,” OG said softly, gesturing for me to be still. We were on a nighttime hike. I was looking for Bigfoot. OG was looking for peace and tranquility. And if I’d just be quiet for a few seconds, she would have that. This is the photo she took of Martinskopf that morning. I blamed the fog for not spotting Bigfoot. “Next time, OG said. “Next time.” 🏔 #adventureswithog #ogandme @original.gitti @gitti.tagwerk (at Martinskopf (1675 m)) https://www.instagram.com/p/CWqc2BngyJZ/?utm_medium=tumblr

You know about the sizes of the beer steins at Oktoberfest, right? So as the song goes, “Eins, swei, drei, g’suffa!” and it wasn’t long until OG and I asked for a third Maß. Oops. Those are the big ones. 🍻 Well, after much singing and dancing a few polkas, OG suggested we shouldn’t sit down or we’d be among Die Bierleichen — what the Bavarians call “beer corpses.” So we decided to take a long walk. But I was tired. And there was a blue horse tied up near a beer tent. Seemed to make sense at the time. (Did I mention the size of those beers?) 🍻 Well, we hopped on that horse and OG grabbed its mane and off we went. There was lots of shouting. And police whistles. It’s sure seemed like trouble at the time. But at Oktoberfest, it’s all about Gemütlichkeit. So, after we circled the grounds a couple times at a gallop, my lederhosen were chafing a little bit. And so were the security detail who were chasing us. Meanwhile, the crowd was cheering OG to ride faster. Finally, we’d had enough and OG brought Blue Horse to a firm stop. I nearly knocked her off. (See: beer size). 🐎 Well, it all ended well. OG did some fast talking and the next thing I knew we were being body surfed down a long table back to where we started. “Noch ein Bier, bitte,” I heard myself say. OG suggested maybe we should just go ahead and order brezelen (yes, big pretzels instead of big beers). Good choice, OG. And thank you for this card to remember that ride. @original.gitti #adventureswithog #ogandme (at Oktoberfest) https://www.instagram.com/p/CVvBElUAu4c/?utm_medium=tumblr

Every family has one — that slightly-on-edge aunt who was a wild child in her youth and now is a proper matron in her dotage. But you can see the crinkle around her eyes when you ask about her time at Dschungel Club in Berlin in the 1980s. And fueled by one more Asbach Uralt brandy than she intended to drink, she tells you. And you drink up her raucous times among the punks and skinheads and rockers and hippies. And Bowie. Yes, that David Bowie. And induced by just another tipple of the amber fruit, she pulls out this painting. 🦄 That’s what happened one night when OG went to visit her Aunt Sabine. I just sat quietly in the corner, taking in the gestures and the laughing. I couldn’t understand a thing. After those drinks, “Tante Sabine” switched to Bairisch, and I could tell even OG was working to keep up with the phrasing. I didn’t need a translator when Sabine raised her arm to show how smooth it was. And then pointed at this painting of her that is called “Achselplüsch.” That’s Armpit Plush. I didn’t know whether to laugh or look shocked. Ever have that moment when you want to laugh so badly and OG looks over at you to say don’t do it, and then you almost get sick to your stomach trying to hold it in? 🦄 @original.gitti and I left Sabine’s very late that night. She sent us away with some pretzels and the last few swallows of brandy in the bottle. Oh, and OG had this painting tucked under her arm. I’m lucky to have this postcard she made from the original. 🦄 #adventureswithog #ogandme #tantesabine #achselplüsch (at Dschungel-Club) https://www.instagram.com/p/CT2MfUug-Nn/?utm_medium=tumblr

OG wrote: “Do you remember that day…when you got your old Schwinn bike out of the shed and you drove in circles so fast that I screamed out loud? That was a really fun day!” 🚲 I do remember, OG. I’ve always wondered what happened to that little dog that was chasing in circles. And I can still hear your shouts, @original.gitti. #adventureswithog #ogandme (at Schwinn Bicycles) https://www.instagram.com/p/CR_f7MFgolD/?utm_medium=tumblr

Servus (hello), OG said to her many admirers, as she carried her long board after surfing on the Eisbach. The “ice brook” is well named — the water is cold cold cold. OG wondered to me if next time she surfed if she should wear a wet suit instead of what many people wear in the Englischer Garten — nothing at all. Even though I was an official photographer from that event, no photos can be found from that day. Fortunately, this postcard illustration captures the moment. I remember it well, @original.gitti. #adventureswithog #ogandme (at Englischer Garten München) https://www.instagram.com/p/CQ3wxCHghqt/?utm_medium=tumblr