we're no prudes, but...

I've come a long way since a group of women in the Russian Urals invited me to join them nude in their home-made sauna house after a church get-together.

I declined, in case you are wondering.

Living in Europe we get to see our fair share of nude statues and, although as a girl I would have blushed with embarrassment and avoided them at all costs, these days I hardly notice if a statue is clothed or not.

After living in New York where small strips of fabric can pass for clothing, but nursing in public is still taboo due to our "prudish" culture, I've come to appreciate what some might call a healthier approach and appreciation of the human body that you get in Europe. People here are definitely not embarrassed about their bodies and actually show more respect for them in many ways. Here in Germany it's totally normal and perfectly acceptable to breastfeed in public. Without a nursing cover. Gasp! And, I do it. All the time.

As for Jon embracing the European culture, somewhere there are some blackmail pictures of him posing on a (Ukranian?) beach sporting a speedo and a mustache. They are just waiting for him to run for a public office or something to make their debut to the world.

Really, really, we're not nearly as prudish as we once were. And we have come to respect that things are different in Europe. But...

The other evening when we were spending family night at our favorite playground, some sun bathers began appearing on the lawn.

Jon was the first to remark, "Oh my. I think that guy's naked."

To which I responded, "Of course he's not, I'm sure you just can't see his swimsuit because he's sitting down."

Later I was happily watching as David and Jon kicked a ball on the lawn and... slowly became aware of a man strolling lazily out of the trees behind them fully, FULLY, naked! Aaagh!

I immediately did my best to avoid looking in that direction. It proved to be difficult since we had to walk that way to get home AND because instead of sitting discretely, as he'd been before, he (or maybe it was the other naked guy on the lawn?) reclined fully onto his side (in the very classic nude statue pose) to better display his full figure to the world! AAAGH again!

OK. So we're still too prudish for Europe.

The blessing of the day? I had forgotten to put my contacts in that morning. Who knows how I might now be scarred if I'd been aware of any more detail.

So... how was your family night?