My Blog

It's good to know people are reading my blog - especially my beloved children! Thanks Tim for your great help on getting the soccer over the internet. Haven't tried it yet, but will certainly do so this afternoon. Another warm day here in Schopfheim. I went out shopping early to beat the heat. Also I wanted to get some special German biscuits which are only available at Mini Mal and that is a longer walk than the other supermarkets around here. Some of you would know that I don't really like shopping, but I actually find the supermarkets fascinating here. Maybe that's because I don't understand anything that is on the labels (that's not quite true). So, I wondered around looking at everything and seeing what is available at Mini Mal that isn't available in Neukauf where we normally shop. I know it's more expensive!!

I am going for another picnic up the hill in Schopfheim with my lovely friend Sabine. She has 1 1/2 hours for lunch. On the way up there we call in at a farm to buy ice-cream! It's SO yummy. Ah, Sabine does my heart good.

Tonight special friends are coming to dinner. I will make stir fry chicken and also a pavlova as Wirt is always teasing me about them. Hope it turns out okay. Then our lovely friend Carole is coming hopefully to stay overnight. Did I say we are never bored?

Home at Schopfheim

It has been a particularly warm week with most days in the 30's. Fortunately we are on the ground floor of a 2 storey house AND we have the canal in the back garden. I went down there this morning to wash out a garden container and the water was beautiful. The canal babbles along quickly so it is lovely and clear and clean. Roger and I didn't go for our usual Monday walk with the walking group as it was going to be hot and the walk was quite long. We need to do other things during the day as well as walking. Next Monday will be shorter and we look forward to catching up with all our friends again then.

Roger has been busy unpacking all his books. He found a very nice cupboard in the garage (we have just received the key from Frau Betting). So he emptied it, cleaned it up and we brought it inside. I think it looks very impressive where Roger has placed it. Now we just need another one to put the rest of Roger's books in!!

What about the soccer!! GO AUSSIES!!! (That's said very quietly..... we are completely outnumbered here....not a good feeling). Now our TV is kaput. What a tragedy. What are our options. Our Tim used to watch TV on his computer. We need to try and do this, but so far, no luck. Any one out there got any suggestions? We also need to find some Aussies near us so we can all shout together ON SUNDAY.

Last weekend we had a great time entertaining both on Saturday and Sunday. Those who know us well know we love having people in our home. So we were both happy come Sunday night and we had great food and stimulating conversation with new friends.

More photos

I'm really a novice at this. Someone is going to come along and show me how to do this properly. But Jocelyn wanted photos, so at least they are here! This is an Arcade near the Duomo in Milano. Magnificent indeed.


















This is the Duomo and is an amazing structure. And guess what? It's free to get in! Most of them cost money.














This is just one of the wonderful views we had from the train on the way home. Hard to take it all in really. "Pinch me, I can't believe we are travelling through such a beautiful part of God's creation" 

Our trip to Milano

There's nothing like a daughter to remind you that your blog is not up-to-date AND once you start something you have to continue with it..... Thanks darling Jocelyn for the reminder! SO.... here I am again with some beautiful photos of our trip to Milano last week. We went there to celebrate our 30th Wedding Anniversary. The train trip from Zurich was magnificent, as was the trip from Milano to Basel.




We were amazed to see snow still on the Alps. What a beautiful sight. But we were glad we were on the train.















Here I am talking to Nadia who sat next to me on the train. Obviously this is a candid shot!! We are both not looking our best (thanks Roger!!). She is a lively Christian young lady of Swiss parents but brought up in Sicily, Italy. Completely gorgeous.
This is the Central Railway Station in Milano. A very impressive looking building. We stayed in a Hotel very close to here, and as we didn't have a lot of luggage, we didn't have a problem walking. Mind you, on the way home, we had a little more luggage (do I really have to go into detail????).
After other Italian cities we have visited, Milan was disappointing. It was noisy, dirty and not pedestrian friendly (we have been spoilt in Germany). Needless to say we were happy to come home to Schopfheim and our little haven. 

What a week !

Roger and I started the week meeting our walking group at the Ettingen tram stop just out of Basel. The rain was falling steadily, but we decided to 'press forward'. There were 8 of us gallant walkers (GO GIRLS - and Roger of course!!). The rain didn't ease and we squelched and sweltched (I don't think that's a word but it looks good) and 3 hours later returned on the tram to Basel. Nothing that a good bath couldn't cure Monday!

The rest of the week we have been applying for an extention to our stay here in Germany and putting in our Visa application. It has been all consuming and we have had to have patience and lots of time to do this.

Friday we are off to Winterthur in Switzerland (near Zurich) for a Seed Conference led by Derek Webster. We are really looking forward to getting to know lots of people.

Sunday we will travel from Winterthur to Milano by train and spend a few days there as a treat for our 30th Wedding Anniversary. It will be good to spend time together in a new place just enjoying the surrounds (and maybe just a little shopping).

What a life. We have so much to be thankful for as we travel around, meet interesting people and make many new friends.

Fun and Games!!

I woke rather early this morning as the lady upstairs clomped around at 6.15am. As I am sleeping rather lightly (with my darling away) I woke and couldn't get back to sleep. I had a beautiful chat to Roger for a very long time. He gets back from the US on Thursday and I can't wait. In the meantime our boxes have arrived safely from Australia so I have been busy unpacking and enjoying all the contents (and sometimes thinking "why on earth did I pack this!!"). The place is a mess, but hopefully I am making headway with it all. Six boxes are empty so that must mean something.

A friend came and kept me company at lunchtime. She works locally so was able to come in her lunch-hour. It went all too quickly and we had a great chat together. Friendships are very special, and of course I realize this yet again as I am far away from all my friends in Australia. Still, I am beginning to make friends here in Germany/Basel and it is a very special time for me. I know I am going to have a lot of fun in the coming months.

I'm being watched

Wouldn't you know it. I slipped out to do a small shop this afternoon and it started to rain. Not heavy but enough for me to get annoyed that I had not taken the washing off the line. I was also airing the doona's!! I ran....and walked.....home! The lady across the road was at my door. She wanted to tell me that it was raining and I had the washing on the line. I did have to have a bit of a laugh to myself. She asked me where 'mein mann' was. What does that tell you? I said in America and he would be back on Donnerstag. Now she will think we are American (not that I have anything against Americans, but after all, we are Australian). And I am missing mein mann.

Our boxes arrived safely from Australia this morning so I will have plenty to do over the next few days. It's very exciting opening the boxes to discover what is inside. You should see our little home! Well, you shouldn't actually. It is a complete mess. You know, a work in progress! And yes, I am thinking, why did we bring this, why did we bring that.

The day was made complete with a lovely phone conversation with my darling daughter Jocelyn. I think she was wanting to have a good chat to me, but it was the other way around and she was a good listener too.

I am one happy lady!