TOOTHACHE !

I have a toothache! And wouldn't you know it, my Dentist is on holidays! This is the second time this has happened. I've just realised my teeth are getting old!

So, I took the plunge this morning and rang up another Dentist. In my very best German I expained my problem. Then I got on Roger's bike (mine has a flat type because I haven't ridden for sooooo long) and off to the Dentist I went!

Very nice lady but the surgery is not as modern as my normal dentist here in Schopfheim. She also could not find a problem with my tooth. After doing xrays she decided to drill anyway and has put in temporary fillings in 2 back teeth!

So now I am back home and looking forward to a cup of Earl Grey Tea. Where is Jocelyn when I need her (to have a cuppa with that is!!).

MAMMA MIA

UNBELIEVABLE! Roger and I have just returned from the Cinema in Schopfheim where we saw Mamma Mia IN ENGLISH and for 5 euro each.

We have the cutest little cinema and have only been there once before. It usually never shows movies in English but the owner ordered the wrong movie. We were absolutely thrilled to bits.

What a movie. Meryl Streep was awesome! What a gal. She just keeps getting better - not to mention those old boyfriends of her's!!

I couldn't help thinking of my darling sister Brenda all through the movie. She is such an ABBA fan. We saw the stage production of Mamma Mia together back in July 2001 when it first came to Melbourne. Now, that was a night.

Aren't memories just fantastic?

Dream on Gaynor !

AND dream on Brenda - SWEDEN 2009 here we come! What the .............

MARK'S 40TH BIRTHDAY - FRIDAY NIGHT

Roger and I had the absolute pleasure of helping our friend Mark celebrate his 40th Birthday last Friday night, along with 28 other friends of his. It was held at the beautiful Bottmingen Water Chateau, complete with moat! The Chateau was build around 1409! Unbelievable.

Mark and Kevin

Guess Who !!

Head Table !

First shot at trying to blow out the 40 Candles

Enlisting help! (They were unextinguishable candles!)

Have I mentioned I love living in Schopfheim ? ? ?

As I left the house this morning to travel by train to Zurich with my friend Amanda (to encourage a lovely friend), I was greeted by our next door neighbour Heinz with a lovely bowl of boysenberries (called bromberen here in Germany). He said that he and Hannalore were up at 6am to go to the Black Forest to pick them. He had already given us 2 frozen containers of them and they are so delicious.

Heinz and Hannalore are the loveliest of neighbours and have given us produce from their garden, give us good advice about things and generally love a chat (in German of course).

We just love this place and the community we live in, even if we do struggle to speak the language. We feel very, very blessed.

Yesterday a friend (from Basel) and I caught the train a couple of stops from Schopfheim and then walked back. It was a glorious day for walking and it wasn't long or strenuous. Then we came back here for lunch.

Today in Zurich Amanda, Amy and I had our packed lunch on the lake. The sun was shining brilliantly and we had to sit in the shade. I can't believe that it is now rather cold and wet. So glad we got to sit outside and enjoy the sunshine. (No pictures of us sunning ourselves I'm sorry!!)

The Littlelies on camp ! ! !

Lia (nearly 3) with Dave and Simea on the Scandinavian Night

Annike and Malte (18 mths old)

Elina at the Oscar Night (9 months old)

YOUTH CAMP DENMARK - 26 JULY - 9 AUGUST 2008

Approximately 80 people went to Saedding in Denmark for a 2 week Youth Camp. Ages ranged from 9 months old (there were 4 littlies) to 55 years old (that was me, I hadn't quite had my Birthday by then!!). We travelled in cars, an 8 seater van and a bus. It took around 15 hours.




We stayed in a boarding school and the accommodation was wonderful. This photo shows just a small part of the wonderful grounds. The facilities were very good.

Here we are on the Scandinavian evening. I put the crosses on our red singlets (bought from an Op Shop) with white paper!!).

We visited the second biggest city in Denmark called Arhus. It was a 2 hour bus ride from where we were staying.
The kids went canoeing for around 2 hours one afternoon. We bowed out, but it would have been a lot of fun (and no incidents, now that's boring!!).

Peter and Regina, part of the Youth Leadership. They have been married a couple of years and are an absolute delight (Russian heritage).