On my tour of errands in the center of town, I walked under a medieval passageway (between the post office and the delicatessen)–and came upon a woman about sixty, who was dressed in well-worn traditional Bavarian dress, with the long skirt, apron and bodice–and a crown of flowers. A luxuriant crown of flowers, all around her head. The original Queen of the May. She was seated, singing, and playing an instrument I had never seen before, a very large lute with double strings.

It was almost scary.

I wanted to go back and look, but I’m too polite, and besides, one shouldn’t stare at fairies.

I look out the window. It’s the exact grey I expected.

I saw a woman with what I thought was nappy black hair, but it was the intricate pattern of a knitted cap.

Anna Rebecca Harrison hosted a Splash! meeting of Munich business women at her apartment last week. Anna has just launched a new business, Lady Butler, to help women get organized. To demonstrate just how organized a person can get, Anna graciously opened her closets to us.

It was terrifying. Anna freely confessed to being on medication.

Nevertheless, I felt hope. I bought ten plastic shoeboxes with pull-out drawers, just as you see here. It took me days to fit the little tabs in the little slots. I love my shoeboxes. My closets are unlikely to look like Anna’s any time soon, but I am no longer tripping over my shoes.