MY DOINGS !

So, Friday I jump out of bed and the sun is shining, so I think Spring when I dress! Well, that didn't work did it. I was freezing all day and felt very silly, but I wasn't the only one.

We headed off to Centrepoint, but left a little later than usual. I then hung around the city for an hour before catching the tram to Ligia's place. She was celebrating her Birthday with friends. What fun. Lots of Spanish speaking ladies! Flair! Then it was home by 6.45pm. It's good to have Roger at home to cook the meals!!

Saturday Claudia and Jose Luis came to lunch. Claudia is my friend who has the hobby garden in Basel and it is just the loveliest spot in Basel. We haven't caught up for ages, so it was good to see them both, but we decided the catch up wasn't the same with the men there! We we are arranging another get together soon.

Sunday we went off to Church and then I cooked all afternoon. I had already made a Chicken and Corn soup for Monday, so at least it was a start. I cooked an Apple Cake, yummy Date Cake, Bean and Pasta Soup and Cauliflower, Leek and Roasted Red Capsicum soup. We then decided to go for a walk as the sun was shining and it was a beautiful day.

Monday we were leading the hike around Schopfheim. There were 16 of us altogether and then 14 of us for lunch back at our place. What fun. We filled them all up and sent them on their way back to Basel on the train just after 2.00pm. Everyone enjoyed themselves.

Then Monday night Roger and I headed into Basel to go to the movies to see Gran Torino. There were 5 of us in our little party. Good movie.

Needless to say, Tuesday I was wacked! I had a headache all day so just decided to lie low. Not a bad idea every now and then. My batteries do need to be recharged quite a bit these days!! Tuesday night a friend from Church, Stefan, came to dinner and I made a Chilli Con Carne.

The rest of this week has been busy and I have enjoyed myself. The sun isn't shining though!




Tomorrow we head off to Munich by train for the weekend to say goodbye to our Aussie friends Peter and Narelle. They are going back to Australia in July (we want to avoid the 'before going' rush!!) and then are moving to Taiwan. Will let you know how it all goes next week.

Tonight it is back into Basel for both of us for the Centrepoint A.G.M. Hope it's a good one!

EMOTIONS - TAKE 2

I think I'm over my SAD (Season Affective Disorder) - as Pam would say (thanks Pam) and this week has been great. Emotions.....why do we have them, and was I silly to share my heart with the world?!! I would normally keep most things to myself (believe it or not MY DARLING CHILDREN!!!).

The sun has shone each day this week (so far, and it's Thursday night and the sun isn't shining at the moment!), and it's amazing what a difference it has made to little old me.

Monday I went on a walk with a group of 7 other women and we ended up in Riehen for coffee. That was pretty good. Roger went on the long walk and he enjoyed himself as well. Then in the afternoon we had a big bedroom spring clean. You know, vacuuming the mattresses on both sides, giving the floor under the bed a good dust, doing the dressing tables (I HATE DUST - AND I HATE DUSTING - my blogging friend Pam would really relate to that!). Everything got a good shake and I removed one blanket from the bed (haven't missed it a bit). So, that was Monday!

Tuesday I did a bake, had a lovely talk to Tom on the phone and finished writing a letter. Also had a great chat to sister Irene so ended up catching a later train into Basel. I wanted to go to France to post some articles. Whilst on the tram Roger called to ask where I was. We ended up going to France together and then back into Basel where we bumped into a friend. We were heading for the Vegetarian Restaurant "Tidbits" to meet friends so we could discuss the movie "The Reader". It was good but probably didn't go deep enough for us. The movie raises lots of issues.

Wednesday I was back into Riehen to visit a friend and meet her 2 sisters who were visiting from America. That was fun. I was exploring a new area and I like that (not quite knowing where I'm going and having to work it out - ah, adventure - love it). I would have loved a walk Wednesday afternoon but had to be satisfied with a walk to Aldi to do a little shopping! Our friend Johnny came to dinner (our normal Wednesday evening event) then we watched a Nooma video "Bullhorn" together and discussed it a bit.

Today I met one of my lovely German friends for coffee in Schopfheim and we spoke "Dinglish" together. Renate was at my Girl's Night and she had asked me for the recipe for the Shepherd's Pie that I had made. I was a good girl and wrote it out in German. She laughed about a couple of things I'd written, so we cleared those things us in a hurry! I had put grated cheese - or so I thought, but it actually meant fence grate!! Oh dear. I think I'm enjoying myself learning German more than I ever have (shhhh, don't tell Roger!!). Had to catch the 11.15am train into Basel to have lunch with Christine before my usual Crochet class at Centrepoint at 2.00pm. What an absolutely delightful group this is. Gives me such a buzz each week. One of the girls had left her purse behind and fortunately she rang Centrepoint just as I was about to leave. So I was able to deliver it to her on the Rhein where she was having a beer with her sisters. Of course they invited me to stay. How could I refuse! I was home by 5.45pm.

I'm pretty happy with this week so far and there's only Friday to go!

E M O T I O N S ! ! !

This week has been one long rollercoaster ride for me and I must be honest and say I haven't enjoyed it that much.

I have not been terribly well, but that is past now and I am in good health. I have been suffering from lack of sunshine (!!) and I never thought I would say "I don't want any more snow", but this week I did.

I visited one of my lovely and very special German girlfriends on Tuesday. She lives just outside of Basel in a very lovely little village and it was covered in a thick blanket of snow, but when I arrived it was raining and bitterly cold. I got off the bus, literally threw myself into her arms and burst into tears! Poor Ilona wondered what on earth was going on. (All the more difficult when language is a bit of a problem and when we are together we speak Denglish!!).

Anyway I survived the day and maybe I felt a little bit better at the end of it.

My motherly, tender heart was going out to our beautiful daughter Jocelyn as well and I felt I really needed to be with her for her appointment at the Neurosurgeon. But of course I am in Germany and she is in Melbourne. Completely impossible. I rang her on Tuesday night our time which was Wed. morning her time just before she went off to her appointment. I sank into bed covering her in prayers. Couldn't wait to get on the phone to ask how things went for her but when we rang she was not yet home from work.

So we spoke to Glenda and had the loveliest, encouraging conversation. So very special for me to have these conversations with my family when sometimes distance seems to tear my heart out. I love being where I am and I know God is always with me and this is where he wants me to be, but it's not always easy and sacrifices have to be made, though I don't look at it as sacrifices (if you know what I mean).

Wednesday we also booked (but have not yet paid for) our fares home to Australia on 31 July and coming back on 13 October. We would have been here 3.5 years by then. We had our 3 year anniversary on Tuesday actually (10 March). We officially arrived in Germany on 2 March 2006 though.

Our lovely African friend Johnny came to dinner on Wednesday night and that was very uplifting for us both. He 'had the talkies', which is most unusual for Johnny and great for us. We had a good laugh.

Today, Saturday, as I walked to Aldi to do a little shopping, Schopfheim was abuzz with people going to the Garden Centres to buy plants. I think Spring is here at last and today is 16C. I think I am finishing the week on a much better note than when it began - for which I am thankful.

Now I will get ready to meet Kevin in Maulburg and we are going to try out a new walk for our Basel hiking group to do next Monday 23 March. Roger is at a special Choir practise all afternoon. That's why I've conned Kevin into coming with me!

I had my Girl's Night last night which was great and there were 7 of us here. 4 Germans, 2 Aussies and 1 American! Roger and Kevin caught up at a local Schopfheim Gasthaus (one of the many Loewen - Lion!!). They were trying it out as we want to get the Aussies/N.Z'ders together for an Anzac Day dinner on 25 April. They gave it the BIG TICK. They were both a little 'talkative' when they came back at around 9.45pm!!!!!!

IRENE'S BIRTHDAY

Hot off the press is this gorgeous photo of my much beloved sister Irene. It is her Birthday today and she's had a few treats which are well deserved. The picture about sums up what she is up to these days! Working hard surrounded by files, computer, phone but of course the many people are missing!

My beautiful sister has always been there for me and we have great chats on the phone and have always written to each other (though maybe not so often these days). We have lived a long way from each other since 1980 and of course distance is huge now, but that has never stopped us from being there for each other and enjoying each other and a good laugh (sometimes about the silliest things).

Remember when we were trying to beat the guys by going up the stairs (they took the lift)........

Remember those games of Chinese Checkers........

Remember sitting outside the Cafe in Schopfheim drinking.....WELL.....whatever you like !

Remember looking for somewhere to eat in Basel? I'm sure you chose the most expensive place just to nark George!

Remember walking up the 'hill', past the horses (and George with a carrot or two in his hands)!

Remember us meeting you in Mulhouse off the train (you were expecting us but we thought we were surprising you!).

Oh so many happy memories, this is but the beginning.

I love you so very much and it is so beautiful to see you growing old gracefully. You are a very, very precious sister.

MY BABY TURNS 27 !

I'm finding it hard to believe that GLENDA JAYNE is 27 today. I remember well the day she was born Sunday 7 March 1982.

Glenda is now a happily married lady to Tom (4 years) and is confident, passionate, fun to be around (obviously not happening at the moment), caring and thoughtful.

Five things I really love about her:

• She has a beautiful nature
• Her conversation
• Her consideration for other people
• Her intelligence
• Her readiness to entertain

HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY DARLING GLENDA

The Lost Glove

I had to pop into the bank before heading off on the train yesterday morning. On my way to the train I dropped my glove (in the rain) and didn't realise until I was on the train and it was about to leave the station! My lovely brown leather glove! My third season of wearing them!

Roger and I headed off to Loerrach to meet Boyd for lunch. It was great to get to know this young man who is touring Germany as part of "The Ten Tenors" (Australians mostly from Queensland).

When we came back to Schopfheim I retraced my steps back to the bank and there was my very soden glove sitting on top of a rubbish bin near the train station. What a relief.

Do you think I love my gloves?

MY HEAD IS SPINNING ! ! !

Roger and I are home after 5 days away immersing ourselves in German learning. We left home at 8.35am on Tuesday 24 February and headed for the train which took us to the end of our line - Zell. We then took a Bus about 15 km's to the small town of Utzenfeld in the Black Forrest. The bus stop was right outside The King's School of Languages. Allen Broome said hi and then sent us, along with our bags to 7a Wiesentalstrasse which is were we stayed for the 4 nights we were away. It was a family owned Pension (Bed and Breakfast), only 1 bedroom so it was good to have the run of the cellar to ourselves!

Top picture is of our hosts sunroom and then the views from this room. There was plenty of snow around and we really had to be careful when we were out walking because of the ice on the road and footpath. Utzenfeld is a very small village but is on the main route to a very popular snowfield called Feldberg (I think this would be about 1/2 hr Bus ride from Utzenfled).

On an early morning walk before our lessons! It really was COLD. And yes, we did have a small snow fight, but it's just not the same without the kids!

We had to find places to eat out each night. Here we are at Gasthaus Adler in Schnau. We were able to walk to this village, 4 km's away.

It is a very traditional Hotel, and also very friendly.

Here we are with our wonderful teachers Allen and Annette Broome. They are originally from Manchester, England but have spent 37 of their 39 years married in Brussels and then Utzenfeld.

Roger and Allen hard at work!!!!!

At least I have a pencil in my hand!

Roger had lessons for 3 hours each day with Allen and I had 2 hours a day with Annette. Allen and Annette catered the lessons for our individual learning which we both appreciated. Roger has gone ahead in leaps and bounds with his German speaking and I have realised how much I don't know and that it is just going to be DISCIPLINE that keeps me on the right track. I will need to do work each day on my German if I am going to benefit from this time away.

Tuesday night Allen and Annette invited us to their home in Aiten for Dinner. Wednesday night we invited ourselves to our good friend Johnny's (in Zell) for dinner. Thursday night we went to Gasthaus Adler and then because we both finished our lessons at 12 noon on Friday we caught the Bus to Zell and went to one of our favourite Gasthauses, The Lowen (The Lion). They have a delicious 'special of the day' and being Friday it was fish!

We arrived home at 3pm and now the hard work begins!