Mittwoch, Dezember 31, 2008

2009 coming up !


December 31/08 4:33 p.m.
wishing all my friends, fans and readers
A Healthy,Happy 2 0 0 9 !
Die Landfrau
Link !

And it went with a Bang

December 31/08 8:02 a.m.

No, dears, not yet the old, for us somewhat hateful 2008. Landfrau is talking about, what else, the Christmastree. Had been both out of the house yesterday, Herr Husband and myself, on different errands. I came home first and there was our tree, looking as if it had turned pirouettes, little angels which sat at it's foot had been whirled around as if they had jumped off a merry- go- round, christmas ornaments on the ground and the light chains trailing up to the living room door, one of them broken. And Herr Hund creeping around with a very bad concience. As I figuered out he had been lying at his favoured spot, head on radiator,looking out into the garden, next to the tree. It is his habit to rush out to the front door barking, if he hears noices outside he does not like. So, something must have upset him and he got entangled in the lightcordes and whirled the tree around till the cord fortunately broke, when he tried to rush to the front door. - Since we were expecting visitors in I had been tickled pink that I now I would have undecorate the tree wreck before they arrived. All the decorations were thrown somewhat loveless into their boxes.
But I have forgiven Herrn Hund, he will receive the ultimative watch dog medal in the shape of a christmas tree.

Freitag, Dezember 26, 2008

Ready for next Festivities


December 26/08 3:38 p.m.


So here we are, Christmas almost over , playing around with presents, Landfrau with mobile station for i-pod, Herr Husband with solar-light for garden, moving it around into spots of sun, which seem to move faster than Herr Husband. - We had a great very lively time, with our little Miss Sunshine "bouncing off the walls" and the family brunch yesterday. But now we are the leftovers and Herr Hund can relax and unwind his jealousy. He had to spend half the time behind bars, tried to bite the toddler. - Great day today, sunshine and cold and a flat tire after half ways on my bike, so I had to push - such is life. -

And Herr Hund puked into his basket, so blankets are rotating in the washer and with this we are now looking forward to march into the New Year next week.

Mittwoch, Dezember 24, 2008

Freitag, Dezember 19, 2008

Trimming the Christmas Tree


December 19/08 7:13 p.m.

....is something Landfrau either loves or hates, depends on the occasion. This year it has been a hate occasion, just like two years ago, when I managed to keel it over. This year it has been the battle of the lights. Having read that those light chaines with lights missing are a fire hazzard,decided to get rid of the 2nd chain, since three of the tiny lights were out. Unfortunately only made the decision after I had put it on the tree already and it had nicely intertwined with the first chain, which looks like a candle imposter. Herr Husband offered to run out to get replacement and after "felt" 10 hours (Landfrau already tapping her foot) returned with a device fit to equip a x-mas tree sitting on the open, stormblown deck of an oceangoing vessel batteling a hurricane. It had black wires the size of a baby's arm, really! Was meant for in and outside, but who needed that. So he made a second run to stores one after the other out of light chaines. Finally ended up at a garden market and phoned about the choice to make, because there they had at least four models. Told him to get excactly the same which had the lights missing and got as an answer that he would not know what it looked like. I REMAINED CALM - cross my heart and hope to die! X-mas spirit. Well, described it to him best as I could ,sat down and prayed he might come home with the right one, and, hurrah, he did. Before fitting it I tested it for burning, everything okey doke, put it on, tried the lights - zilch, put it into another socket, same. By then had decided to cancel Christmas. Then Herr Husband came and tried, it worked, seemed I had not pushed it in deep enough, could have sworn I did. My stupidity. With the result of the distribution of lights I am not sooo satisfied, but it has to stay that way. In the meantime 2 lightbulbs went blanc, used the replacements, none left, so should the next one fail, Landfrau is back at where she started from, a chain with missing lights. And merry Christmas to you too!

Sonntag, Dezember 14, 2008

A Wedding and a Party and other Catastrophies

December 14/08 8:12 a.m.

These had been very busy 3 days, with our small catastrophies on the side. We just seem to need them, life might be too boring otherwise. We had a nice, leisurely drive to Büdingen - Hessen, where we spent two nights at a hotel . Decided to drive the day ahead, so we would not be pressed for time on friday, wise decision! We arrived at the hotel (Schlosshotel Büdingen) where we were having the wedding celebration dinner in the adjoining restaurant the following evening and Herr Husband stated bluntly that he would hardly be able to walk . Something had happened in one of his rotten knee- joints (now weekend, will see doctor tomorrow). So he crept along with help of his cane and Landfrau slaved again unloading the car, bags,presents and all what we ever think is needed on an short trip. Other people take half of that for 3 weeks. - For our dinner we decided to test next nite's restaurant, they gave us a nice table in front of the little fireplace and Herr Husband ordered a whisky for an opening drink, took it and gulped it with bulging eyes. Landfrau stared at him with open mouth, like, now tell me what was that for? Turned out he suffered from terrible toothache and thought that the drink might cure it. Wrong thinking, so next morning we found a dentist in the phonebook who had been willing to give him an appointment right away. And then we were locked into the casle compound. They have a big shenanigan going on this weekend and had unloaded about a million x-mas trees, every guest will get one as a present, and, as they claimed, for security reasons the gates were locked and the castle closed for the public. Great, and us, beeing the only guests locked in. No one at the reception and the caretaker,who had been unloading the damn trees all night long nowhere to be seen. In the end found him but from then on it had been a continious hunt to get in our out of the castle, till we finally blew our top. Well, at least we made it in time for the wedding, it took place at some other castle, where the owners rent out a very plush kind of reception hall,which puts you right back into middle age. The marriage registrar had been a very apt, funny guy, who really took the stiffness out of the ceremony , he made it a remarkable event. After the little reception at the place the party then drove to the restaurant, us having the nuisance again with getting into the castle compound (and that has been when we blew our top) and we got hold of a key so we could at least get in and out of a side gate.
The following reception, dinner, speeches and drinks had been great and Landfrau knocked over her glas of red wine and christened the parents of the bride's father, sitting next to us, who then kept dubbing the spots with salt all night long and once a while I got the evil eye, embarrassing! - Later on the crowd let fly lighted paper balloons, a terrific sight in the night sky alongside the moon with the dark castle looming in the dark, Count Dracula had been missing!
Next morning along with the joung couple and little Miss Sunshine (one year old daughter), we had the lousiest breakfast EVA, and I mean EVA, so much if you have the Fürst von Ysenburg and Büdingen as your host. But we took it with humor, at least we have not been poisened.
Drive back home after breakfast had been without any other incidents, remarkable! -
Back home Landfrau started to unload the car, told my invalid to stay put inside, and what did he do, started to roll up the blinds, which he normally never ever does, and since we had those burglary devices fastened inside, forgot about them and broke the blinds in front of the garden window door. Fortunately we were able to roll it up and take the broken part out, otherwise we would have even locked out our X-mas tree, sitting in the garden,waiting to be taken in. And us sitting behind closed blinds for the holidays. Seems we are doomed to the Fort Knox syndrome.
And last not least I of course have to mention the big outside Party at daughter No.2's place, about 100 people milling around, they put up a tent, with heaters , there had been BBQ game sausages (verry lecker!) potatoe pancakes, a little helper kept baking continiously , cake, cookies, beer, spiced wine and what have you and the hostess, my daughter,suffering from a stomach flu. Asking myself how many guests might take it home as a X-mas gift, hope I am not one of them, with the little young family beeing our guests for 5 days over X-mas. We then sneaked away after a couple of hours, and chapeau to Herr Husband, inspite of all his newly developped ailments he kept himself very well.

Mittwoch, Dezember 10, 2008

Rush,Rush, Rush

December 10/08 8:14 a.m.

Every time I open my blog, this silly still of Kirsty McColl gets on my nerves. She deserves better,some other time. - X-mas panic seems to want to have me in its grip again today, tomorrow morning we will be off for the wedding celebrations in Hessen, hoping for good road conditions, otherwise it might be a long drive. Big jug of hot coffee is a must. And now it is time to roll up my sleeves, and yippee..bought a new outfit I am going to wear tomorrow- joy,joy! But Herr Hund has to board with daughter No.2 - Sad for Herr Hund, he always is sooo dissapointed when we pack bags and dont take him along. -

and for the taken out video here a very nice replacement,sorry,no facility to embed but look here:
http://www.myvideo.de/watch/5382130/The_Killers_Human

Sonntag, Dezember 07, 2008

Funny Dreams

December 7/08 ..... 8:31a.m.

To get rid of funny dreams might be the best way to write them down.
Had been wearing ballerinas but one of them did not fit and kept slipping. Had been in a strange place, entrance to a jewish cemetery I wanted to visit, but never got around to do it, because people kept serving food and urging me to eat. Outside a car had been parked with open doors, and on and off rain kept pouring.
Contemplating about dreams brings back a childhood memory. Had been a secondgrader, I think ,anyway not very advanced yet, and we were asked to write down a story of what we had been dreaming. I had been a quite serious,honest child, so meticulously I wrote down my dream I had been having the previous night. At that time my grandmother just had died and I had a kind of scary ,confused dream about her, well, like dreams normally are (see above) .- Teacher called me up in front of the class and asked my what kind of stupidity that was and I had to redo the composition. I felt very humiliated but decided to show her. So I made up a story about me beeing a princess riding in a carriage, well, crap like that. Teacher then praised me and said that this was a nice story.-
Now I swear, this had been my first lesson in lying and how you could better get by by not telling the truth. Still hate that teacher today.

Oh, and ran across one of my posts from 2 years ago,still makes me giggle:http://landfrau.blogspot.com/2006/11/news-about-god.html

Samstag, Dezember 06, 2008

And again, bad NIKOLAUS

December 6/08

Very busy today in the Netherlands the guy, but around here, still reckless. - Did not want to deprive new "followers" of my blog of last and before last year's picture, too nice to get lost in the world wide web.

Have a great Nikolaus Tag!

Donnerstag, Dezember 04, 2008

Walk on the Levee

December 4/08 12:11 p.m.



...with Herr Hund this morning almost eye to eye with a buzzard. Birds of prey are so beautiful, no wonder the Arabs are keen about them - and about horses. -
Horses...out there it sometimes hits me right into the stomach and for a moment I terribly miss the times when we had been roaming this contryside, my horse,Herr Hund and Landfrau. Had been some of the nicest times of my life. But then I imagine horse galopping around in horse heaven at his delight happy as a lark.

That C.P. X-mas Panic

December 4/08.....7:58 a.m.

Yeah, thought I would go without it this year, but bingo, there it is, big and fat. And I do not know what triggered it off, might have been the counter I installed here in my blog, might have been finding out that I left out a very good friend on my X-mas card list, and now I have run out of enveloppes, might be that we have to go on a small 2 day's trip next week , which I am really looking forward to, mind you,but that does not iron out panic, nevertheless. But since Landfrau suffers from that sickness every year, I will overcome it this time too, latest at December 27th - that's a promise.

Sonntag, November 30, 2008

Yesterday's Efforts







November 30/08 ...12:25 p.m.






Some of the decorated corners by diligent Landfrau , venturing out now into real world, ready for Herrn Hund's adventures.

Forget about Rudolf

November 30/08





Here -also this year for this first day of Advent the favourite of my favourites:





E N J O Y!!!





YouTube - The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl - Fairytale of New York

Samstag, November 29, 2008

Change - The Landfrau Way

November 29/08 ...... 7:55 p.m.

You never heard of? - Here you are: today Landfrau had been very busy, decorating the house for X-mas time, pumpkins out - santas marching in and angels drifting in (you see - change), which would not be too bad if there had not been running from the basement to the atticroom involved ,and that about 10 times. You can not imagine how things can dissolve into thin air within a year, still missing a very fat golden angel, think I have seen the guy around in summer, but now...dissapeared. Probably does not want to sit around looking happy. -Also put up the outside lights on the spiky Ilex. Prickly job! -
Earlier we bought our X-mas tree, it's going to be delivered end of next week, still plenty of time, since in Germany you do not have the decorated tree sitting in the house already weeks before X-mas. Then I had to fix dinner and Herr Hund kept nudging me for his evening walk in the dark. We went up on the levee, which at nite is nice, hardly any bikers who give you the evil eye when you let your dog run free. And it's great to watch the incoming airtraffic,the airport beeing right across the river. You can make out the pattern of their drifting in one after the other,
it's like a line up. And they have their headlights on,great. Well, otherwise you could not see them of course.
Aside from that Landfrau thinks she starts to hate X-mas.

Freitag, November 28, 2008

The ultimative X-mas Doll

November 28/08....8:20 a-m-



Now, no worries, dear friends, there will not be an ultimative X-mas story from now on every day till X-mas. But Landfrau thinks this one is a bummer, should be shared. The other day I had the unpleasant task of cleaning the storage room in the basement, what a drag! -anyway, ran across a case of forgotten,rather beat up toys from the girls toddler time. Oldest daughter had a favourite doll, she called Marjolejn (named after a dutch friend long lost) . Now there she was, poor Marjolejn, all beat up, dirty, limp body,sticky hair, she had lost quite some weight on account of gone stuffings. Landfrau thought it a brilliant idea fixing up the doll for the next generation to be put under the tree,charming idea,eh? - Was not so easy, with thread and needle I am not exactly an artist. The result in the end had been quite presentable nevertheless and proud Landfrau went out with little M. to buy her a suitable outfit. She looks real cute now.

Now, during the nite, in bed dozing and contemplating I suddenly had a kind of a hunch that the doll might not be the genuine Marjolejn. Dug out the old photo album right awy,could not wait till morning, and bingo, Marjolejn on photo did not match fixed up Marjolejn.

Gee whizz, an imposter will be sitting under the X -mas tree, I'm afraid.

Donnerstag, November 27, 2008

The ultimative X-mas Dog


November 27/08 8:04 a.m.

Really had a good laugh yesterday. Each X-mas Herr Hund also gets his present from Santa. It's a plate with an assortment of dogs treats, which he is allowed to gobble up at his own time and delight. Of course Santa puts that plate under the tree and when we start our annual X-mas ritual, Herr Hund is the first one to rush into the room for his "present".
So ,stowing away my shoppings I had set a bag with the dog goodie packages at the basement staircase. When Herr Hund started sniffing at the bag, Landfrau told him to stay away,these were the goodies for his X-mas plate. I then asked him where his plate would be and he rushed into the living room right to the spot where we always put up our tree. Also, for a couple of years now, we have a hard time convincing him that it is not X-mas eve yet when we put up the tree and he sporadically goes and checks for his plate. -
This dog really is looking forward to X-mas - for him the spirit is right.

Mittwoch, November 26, 2008

That nasty Scale

November 26/08 10:01 a.m.

For two days it had been friendly, this morning, darn, had to spoil my breakfast. But you wait and see, NASTY SCALE! bought a CD _Christmas Rock & Pop, and now I will get going, especially to my favourites - driving home for X-mas and - the little drummer boy -
And, dear friends and fans, you have seen me dancing in the previous post, am I not great? - Now it's bike time with Herr Hund against the wind, and Herr Hund is suffering from the green apple quickstep, not so nice.

Dienstag, November 25, 2008

It's Time again.....


November 25/08 ...5:43 p.m.


....that we dance the X-mas time dance, folks, so here we are:
And if you want to see us move, just
touch the LINK
and remember, X-mas is only 29 days away!

Sonntag, November 23, 2008

Snow,Snow falling on Garden


November 23/08 11:23 p.m.


Looks real nice, but is not nice to be in and to drive in.
I's nice to be inside and to look out.

Weekend Song

November 23/08 8:38 a.m.


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The Old man in Black, always worthwile listening too!

Freitag, November 21, 2008

For crying out loud!

November 21/08 12:32 p.m.

Just came in from my (today really) duty walk with Herr Hund, felt like the "Flying Robert" and had been hailed and rained upon to boot. Only Herr Hund seemed to enjoy it, must be nuts, that dog. Towelled him down and now he is smelling up the living room, nice... -
And all my efforts from 2 days ago to make my garden winter shipshape, down the drain, pond , terrace and garden full of debris from cypress tree. real great, looking forward to some more slave hours of cleaning. Well, keeps the old bones going, so to say.

P.S. 5:42 p.m.
And old bones made an effort to clean the leaves mainly out of the fishpond, almost "fishing" precious veiltail on the way. Damn thing had to have same colour as japanese maple leaves. Walk with Herr Hund tonite had been a real wet one, slush and wind, this time even Herr Hund decided it was "Hundewetter" and started to run home without beeing ordered.

Mittwoch, November 19, 2008

Good Morning Song

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November 19/08 9:31 a.m.

Slept late, Marianne Faithful got me awake. What a voice! - ENJOY!

Sonntag, November 16, 2008

A Talented Girl

November 16/08 9:01 p.m.

Just have a peek, and if you are an animal lover, more so, this young woman is really talented. Maybe a Christmas present is still something you are looking for?

www.bilderwerkstatt.eu

Mittwoch, November 12, 2008




November 12/08 5:50 p.m.




A terrific full moon hanging over our village makes me think of Creepin’ In by Norah Jones ,always worthwile listening too, and for sure will give me "wild dreams" during the nite. Well, as long as Landfrau does not start "moonwalking" it's o.k. - in a way.
Instructions for getting to the song:
Open the hyperlink, go to
Media, touch the recordplayer and choose "Creepin' in"

Dienstag, November 11, 2008

Hey friends, what do you say?


November 11/08 8:33 a.m.


How do you like the new look of my car, keen? - And remember . mardi-gras season starts today, be alert!

Sonntag, November 09, 2008

The Feast

November 9/08 10:40 p.m.

...is over and the goose has vanished and believe me, it had been real good. Aside from almost burning the red cabbage, everything went well. That we could not say about our guests, first we had a phonecall from daughter, if we happen to have cool packs in the house. The hockey kid got a ball smack into the face and was harbouring a black eye, very attractive. But he is a tough cookie.Then later on son-in-law got his finger in between the closing terrace door, when he came in after putting wood onto the kiva stove. He is a tough cookie too by the way, denied the cool pack. Herr Husband is permanently disabled, that left daughter and Landfrau, but the two of us decided to stay in one healthy piece for that night. For Landfrau night is not over yet, but I am full of hope. Herr Hund had his feast after the guests left, he got the tidbits from the carcass.
The parade had been nice to look at, noticed that there are more and more young families in the village, which is good. And our decorations were nice to look at too, nothing went up in flames.

Samstag, November 08, 2008

Before and After


These are the lucky ones (till X-mas)

November 8/08 8:17 p.m.




It is like with ice scating, free scating and score, cooking the goose is a task Landfrau hates, handling that big,naked ,greasy bird and cleaning all that greeasy stuff, oven etc. afterwards. But tomorrow, feasting on the bird, with dumplings, red cabbage, glazed chestnuts, apple sauce and lots of yummy gravy is another piece of pie I'm telling you. And the chores left for tomorrow are the ones I like, decorating outside with lanterns, setting an attractive table for the family - and tasting the wine! that's nice for sure. Hope the weather holds for the parade, which will pass by our house after dark. All those lanterns carried by toddlers and bigger kids and St. Martin riding in front on a white horse. My younger daughter claims, that for her St. Martin always had been the beginning of the -Xmas time, when she was small. And for Landfrau it is still the beginning of X-mas stress looming ahead, every year again X-mas comes too soon.

Freitag, November 07, 2008

Poor Goose

November 7/08 2:31 p.m.

Still running around, thinking it can live happily ever after. Tough luck, will be it's last day tomorrow. I see those geese milling around almost the whole year, they arrive as small yellow fluffy gooslings at the place of our aspargus/strawberry farmer in springtime. From then on they have a very happy life outside on the meadows. When I drive by with the car or the bike, I am glad that the one I am going to pick up tomorrow does not run around with a sign with our name on it. Then I would not be able to eat it, that's for sure. But so it is going to be our feast" in honour of St. Martin" on sunday and we will be joined by daugther , son-in-law and grandson. Lots of preparing to do till then.

Mittwoch, November 05, 2008

A Breath of Relief

November 5/08 8:56 a.m.

...is breathed worldwide, I think. Obama is the next president of the United States. It is a hard task he is up against and let us hope he will have the strenght and insight to do the right things. Reallistically he will not be able to fulfill all the hopes put into him, not right away anyway and he will not touch Europe with kid gloves, no illusions about that. Hopefully he will be able to re-unite an America, which had been torn with hate and viciousness lately. -
So let us all look forward to and stand up for OBAMA 08.

Montag, November 03, 2008

Just take a Minute

November 03/08 1:44 p.m.

In all the election huzz-buzz we keep forgetting that there is another America, a land my former horsebackriding friend from New Mexico, Sid Hausman, is very much part of.

Wolfs Robe has just started on his next project he is teaming up with Sid Hausman Cowboy singer ,entertainer ,song writer and artist. This project is titled “Two trails one Land” a recording dedicated to the Cowboy and the original people of this land ,how they worked together on a common goal “survival”. Sure they fought each other of coarse mostly in Hollywood but most people don’t know that some of the first Cowboys were Native. They inevitably needed each other and this recording will celebrate the people who really made the West. You can visit Sid’s website at: www.sidhausman.com/

So, just have a look and listen to: http://www.akaflutemanent.com/news.cfm

Sonntag, November 02, 2008

Lazy Sunday

November 02/08 8.42 p.m.

And the weather has been like velvet. Had a nice bike tour this morning with Herr Hund, who keeps dripping from the mouth, old bugger, so many bitches in heat, such good smells.
In the afternoon we joined daugther No. 2 and family at a very picturesque "Landcafe" set in the middle of fields and packed with people. Fortunately daugther had been wise enough to reserve a table. Son-in-law and grandson arrived with son-in-law's showpiece, a tractor, very appropriate for a "Landcafe". On their way they chased about half a dozen horseback riders, never mind, if you can't stay on top, you should not ride in the open, that's what Landfrau always has been told during her riding career. Must admit that at that time I hated people with noisy,steaming tractors. Well, bygones are bygones. And tonite I have been the lazy bugger, just fixed a pizza toast - and you know, it had been great. Now I am into a nice glass of red wine, life can be good.



Samstag, November 01, 2008

And here again - Your Weekend Song....

November 01/08 8:24 a.m.

....which I dedicate especially to my good friends Bill and Norma in Vancouver B.C. in memory of "happy" times.
All my other friends out there in the cyber world may enjoy it too!

'>http://

Freitag, Oktober 31, 2008

Mittwoch, Oktober 29, 2008

O, great! - HALLOWEEN the 2nd

October 29/08 9:17 p.m.

Landfrau is a freak for perfection, or she at least tries to be. You might have noticed, the header of my blog I change according to the time of the year seasonwise. So are my decorations changed inside and outside. In front of my door I have, or now I should say I had, a collection of pumpkins, real and artificial, you hardly can tell them apart, in a little case, like in a fruit shop, real cute,and a little girl made of straw and a plant.
Now tonite I heard a scream , Herr Husband had slipped and was sitting right in the middle of my, what had been, decoration, pumpkins smashed and bashed. And the scream was not sorrow of having destroyed my piece of art but on account of not beeing able to get up anymore by himself. Fortunately he broke nothing this time, except my Halloween deco. -Tomorrow we shall have pumpkin soup for lunch.

Montag, Oktober 27, 2008

O, great! - HALLOWEEN

October 27/08 3:00 p.m.

Gee
I want this one, maybe then I can shop till I drop on government's or whoever's nickel too! -
But please not on mine.

Donnerstag, Oktober 23, 2008

Like an old Movie

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Can't get enough of them

October 23/08 7:49 p.m.

What I am talking about? Three guesses- my friends the wild geese of course. Right now they are all over the places, looks like they are deciding where to assemble for this hard journey farther south. Gives me a cozy feeling to hear them in the morning crossing our roof making noisy calls. I always regret when they have left. They fit into the autumn setting of those terrific colours of all shades of yellow, red and orange. Landfrau just loves fall, even if she needs gloves bicycling in the morning with Herr Hund

Mittwoch, Oktober 22, 2008

Look at a little Lady



October 22/08




Everyone's darling is already 1 year old today - Happy birthday, sweetie-pie and many happy returns! Stay happy and healthy!

Dienstag, Oktober 21, 2008

The late Autumn Blues

October 21/08 7:11 p.m.

Have been kind of down today and the grey sky has been no help. Sometimes I do not mind this somber setting, there are days I even love nature misty and grey. But today... - In former times I used to take my horse out to the riverbanks and afterwoods I usually felt fine and my world had been set allright again. Dog and bike do not have the same effect. Maybe a nice glass of red wine tonite will chase away my gloomy feelings.
And oh yes, tomorrow will be a day of joy, wait and see!

Montag, Oktober 20, 2008

Samstag, Oktober 18, 2008

The Honorable Visitor

October 18/08 2:20 p.m.

Our 11 year old grandson, the field hockey kid, is supposed to stay with us overnight, his parents are invited to a wedding. He has, like almost every weekend, a hockey game and grandpa is supposed to pick him up after the game. Now, yesterday on the phone grandfather got strict orders:
Don't come to pick me up before I give you a phone call, and
don't come before I call you and wait around for me!

That started us thinking, is he embarassed to be seen with limping grandpa who on top walks with a cane? Or has he other "engagements" up his sleeve before we pick him up?
We are curious but obidient!

Freitag, Oktober 17, 2008

Weekend Song

October 16/08 5:10 p.m.
Great, great CALEXICO - with my favoured -" Across the wire"

'>http://

Mittwoch, Oktober 15, 2008

The forgotten Victims

October 15/08 4:10 p.m.

Just as I had been thinking about Ike (remember? the hurricance) today and how people might be coping, I happened to hear a report on WDR 2. It has been an interview with a lady, who had been running a famous fish restaurant in Galveston and how they now fight to clean up the unbelievable mess and how insurances refuse to pay etc. Also she mentioned that there are still about 300 people missing. But appparently all this is snow (or should I say water) from yesterday and all a nation seems to be interested in is how a vicious pair of politicans tries to throw mud at a decent man who deserves to be the next president of the USA.

Dienstag, Oktober 14, 2008

Just nice to relax by

October 14/08 7:22 p.m.

Simply listen.....


'>http://

Again - a Fish Story

October 14/08 2:15 pm.

Digg this, my sweet, houseguarding, fishfeeding neighbour is a complete nut about animals, like she feeds ants sugar, when she spots them running around. Now, our newest addition to our catastrophy pond, the veiltail, has the habit of kind of swimming sidewise rather close to the surface. Looks funny, since it must be a very greedy fish, it has mutated to a thing like a golfball with fins. Mrs. neighbour figured out that there must be something wrong with Mr.veiltail, so she "dunked" him about 4 times a day deep to the ground. Poor fish had been so frightened it went for hiding under the fountain pump when first time I inspected the pond after our homecoming. I feared it had been a goner in the meantime. Slowly it starts to act normal again, when it sees someone at the edge of the pool. And it still eats "light" food, the greedy monster.

Sonntag, Oktober 12, 2008

Back in the Chaingang















October 12/08 9:11 p.m.
..sigh, sigh - and almost, but only almost , finished with my unloved task of unpacking bags. I's fun at the hotel, where you have those "virgin" cabinets where you put your nice clothing, but at home...cramming them into overstuffed (with crummy clothes ) wardrobes , it is a pain in the neck. You agree? And tomorrow my messy garden cries for attendance, so I will have to roll up my sleeves and get going as long as the nice weather lasts. And talking about the weather, again we have been soo lucky, only one day a bit of rain, the rest pure blue sky and most of the time sunshine. So, thanks to all of you ,my anti- rain dancers, you did a good job once again.
Yes, it has been a great vacation, such a nice place and sea and country side and I enjoyed beeing spoiled with good food and wellbeing. We did a lot of sightseeing too along the coast and inland, this former eastern part of the country up to now has been unknown to us and let me tell you, it's lovely. Only thing we regretted is, that we did not take our bikes along as we had in mind first, it would have been worth it. But we rented for one day, so Herr Husband could get around for a bit too, walking is out for him for long distances. The walking had been left for Landfrau and Herr Hund and we enjoyed the lonely beaches, empty of beach people. During high season dogs are only allowed at the dog beaches - a nuisance.
Our first stopover on the way to Warnemünde had been Worpswede, a bit of an dissapointment, our chosen hotel turned out to be rather crummy and the little village had been overcrowded. We had a nice dinner though with my cousin and husband, who live in Bremen and came to see us, for them it only had been an half hour's drive. On our way back we made a stopover at a little country hotel in the middle of nowhere (Dünsen, never heard of before) and it had been a real treat, we slept like on cloud seven.
So now we are back home safe and sound and Herr Hund did not want to get out of the car, he wanted to continue the holiday. So did Landfrau.

Donnerstag, Oktober 02, 2008

Mittwoch, Oktober 01, 2008

Well,well, well

Ocotber 1/08 2:41 p.m.

A little bit of sunshine right now at this moment at our home for next week at the baltic coast. Packing bags is not such a drag, when Landfrau has a positive "lookout".

Montag, September 29, 2008

Where are my Dancers?

September 29/08 7:34 p.m.

My dear friends, this webcam http://www.webcam-worpswede.de/ I want to see in full sunshine at least 3 days from now, so get busy, dance the anti- rain dance.
Worpswede will be our first stop on our way to the baltic sea, Landfrau has always said she wants to see Worpswede before she dies!

Sonntag, September 28, 2008

Last Rays of Summer




September 28/08 4:21 p.m.




Have a look, just soo pretty , they never blossomed nicer and Herr Hund enjoying the still warm cobblestones.
Why can't it always be like that?

Samstag, September 27, 2008

My Friends are back

September 27/08 5:51 p.m.

Every morning now again they pass our roof on their way to the riverbanks, this morn' in dense fog, the sun breaking through. They woke me up with their loud calls and it's a bit eerie when in no time they vanish like ghosts. - But seeing them at the riverbanks there is nothing ghostly about them, they are just a noisy crowd, maybe discussing the route they want to take further south. But I bet before they are leaving they will feast on the leftover grains from the harvested corn fields. So we should enjoy them still for a little while.
The snap has been taking on this morning's
walk with daugther and the rat pack(dogs) with my mobile phone camera, neat?

Freitag, September 26, 2008

Should not miss out on her

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September 26/08 9:26 p.m.
No BobDylan without Joan Baez - here is your weekend song, folks

Bob Dylan.

September 26/08 8:39

Yes, those were the times, I am fed up with all the bickering about elections, a nondescript woman from Alaska, zillions down the drain and guilt beeing a word never heard of.
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Donnerstag, September 25, 2008

One more Week

September 25/08 9:48 a.m.

Well, bad thing is, again no luck in winning the US trip (radio quiz) which will take place end of October- bummer - good thing, I do not have to pack bags , a task I hate, so soon again after our upcoming trip. Which now puts you in the spot my dear friends and faithful blogreaders, you have to start dancing the "anti-rain dance" for us. Do not hesitate, it worked before. So, GET GOING, p l e a s e....

Montag, September 22, 2008

Gee, that's me!

Your Autumn Test Results
You are a playful, spirited person. You have a limitless imagination and amazing creative talents.

When you're happiest, you are outgoing and expressive . You love celebrations, and you enjoy showing off a little.

You tend to be afraid of change. You are never ready for things to be different.

You find solitude to be the most comforting thing in the world. Being alone with your thoughts feels very peaceful.

Your ideal day is active and full. You like to keep busy with your favorite things, and you appreciate a routine.

You are very impatient. You spend more time waiting for something than actually enjoying it.
The Autumn Test
September 22/08 1:03 p.m. Olala, I could fall in love with me!

Samstag, September 20, 2008

MINI MEETING











September 20/08 6:16 p.m.








Or you could call it "meet many minis" (from all over Germany, Holland and Belgium) and each and every one of those little cars looks different,( and mine the only one with two dents,haha). I personally think that this is one of the assets making this car so special., not the dents, mind you, but the difference in appearance. The event started out at Schloss Dyck and since the weather played along offering us a tremendous autumn day it had been a success for the organizer, a local cardealer, who represents BMW. The program however had been cut out definitely for young folks (us having raised the age average considerably). Around lunchtime we decided to call it a day and went for lunch at a nearby country inn and had great food in a nice ambience.




And the party tonite and the drive to the Nürburg Ring tomorrow we leave up to the young mini - crowd.




Landfrau will feast on apples.

Freitag, September 19, 2008

I am an Apple!

September 19/08 8:41 a.m.

You do not believe me? Now here, listen: Two days ago there had been this fruit and potatoes vendor from the "Alte Land", a region near Hamburg famous for its apple orchards, ringing at our door. Normally we have our gate closed, but I had been in a hurry (stupid ladies lunch) and had left the gate open to take my car out. So there he was, smiling nicely, offering me a piece of apple to taste (like snowwhite, eh?) and our stupid "watchdog" made friends with him right away . Usually I have no problem with getting rid of unwanted visitors at our doorstep, but like I said, in a hurry etc. So, the sample tasted good and the kilo price had been right, I told him I would buy some. Turned out the minimum amount would have been 20 kg, well with a household twindled down to two oldies and a dog who does not go for apples I said NO.T he nice guy then offered to sell me the half amount and I could keep them in the basement over winter, they would not rot etc. So, as I mentioned- in a hurry - I said o.k.ok. and made the deal. He then offered me a "present as a new customer of another sample of apples, which he would let me have for free. So I told him to just leave those in front of the door, since I really started to be short of time. To my surprise I then found the same load I had bought as a present. And this morning in bed I started calculating again and it dawned on me that the nice guy had cheated me in a very sneaky way, the "present" I had paid for too, since I had paid the double price for the ones I had really bought. You follow me? Now things like that happen when you are in a hurry and now I am into apples, eating them gallore, keeping ten doctors away at least, making apple sauce, apple pie, apple desert, apple jelly (messing up my complete kitchen on the go) and those damn apples won't get less, have the feeling I am still left with 40 kg of apples. Offered some to my neighbour as a present, oh no, she had bought some too, offered some to my daughter - oh mom, we have our own apple tree! (forgot that with their rented place goes a little orchard across from their home) -
Might put up a stall at the market place of our village ( now this is a joke) .
And what teaches us this whole story? Never make deals when you are in a hurry.
Happy that I did not buy potatoes too!

Dienstag, September 16, 2008

King no more











September 16/08 7:47p.m.








Now tomorrow the hard task of de-decorating the village will start and the king has outreigned. I think folks were quite happy with the festivities and also the weather played along, kind of cold, though. Exept for one night, where we had an invitation, we did not participate in anything, we were just bystanders and at nite happy to be cozy couch potatoes.

Sonntag, September 14, 2008

That's taking it too far!


September 14/08 11:34 a.m.


Outragious and insulting and has nothing to do with politics, what a weird election game.

Freitag, September 12, 2008

Mittwoch, September 10, 2008

Let's Celebrate







September 10/08 6:21 p.m.






Our whole little village is in complete uproar. This year will be an anniversary, the 150th celebration of the SCHÜTZENFEST. Just to give you an idea, the pics show the "residence" of the Schützenkönig and the place, where the parade is passing by to salute him and his royal household (not quite ready yet). A big tent has been set up for the festivities and lots of beer will be consumed. There is a merry-go-round for the small folks and beer pavillons and food stalls, where you can buy sausage and such, for the visitors. -



So, let's hope the weather holds, or we will have a lot of Schützen not only wet from the inside but the outside as well.

Dienstag, September 09, 2008

Lovely,lazy Day.....

September 9/08 7:56 a.m.

.....started out with a visit to the vet, a check up, since lately Herr Hund has developed a heart condition. But thanks to the medication he has to take now twice a day for the rest of his (I hope still long) life, the x-rays showed an improvement. So we celebrated with a lunch at the Fährhaus at the ferry landing, a place we love, especially if you can sit on the outside terrace. - Home, I took a sunbath on our front porch, even fell asleep, rare for me during daytime. For doggie's nightwalk we took the bikes, Herr husband zooming ahead with his electric driven bike, and we had a beer at the beachbar next to the camping grounds with a lovely view upon the old part of Kaiserswerth. Now its 8:00 p.m. and already getting dark, maybe I will have a glass of wine on the front porch, if it's not too chilly already.

Sonntag, September 07, 2008

A Shot into the Oven

September 7/08 2:11 p.m.

That had been our steak dinner last nite. We decided to try this new steakhouse, the media has been raving about on tv and in the papers. The meat comes from Nebraska+USA and they offer different cuts from the ones used around here. Well, the place had been packed and the service friendly, but as to the food: the meat was o.k. moml's not cooked enough (they offered to put it on the grill again), the sour cream had a strange taste to it and the desert they really fooled up. We ordered a mousse au chocolat (not a challenge for a normal kitchen), first it did not come and after complaining they brought something(claiming they were out of mousse, mind you, were had been early, the first guests)which we could not quite figure out what it should have been, we decided on a dish beat up from some prefix powder. We got that for free, but never mind, if you go out for dinner,you want the food you order and it should taste good, not a replacement for free, even if it would have been good. And the invoice in the end trippled the ones we usually had,when we had a steak dinner at the Block House, where we always had been satisfied up to now. Naturally the ambiente can not be compared, but if I have the choice between better food or better ambiente, the food wins.
Today is my (long deceased) mother's birthday. I remember those family reunions with a set coffeetable in the garden and we always had prune cake. Nice memories...The prune cake we will have today too, but the weather is far from inviting to sit out in the garden.

Freitag, September 05, 2008

My September Song

September 5/08 8:54 p.m.

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Here it is again, a great weekend song for faithful blogreaders. And ......fall is really falling in around here.

Donnerstag, September 04, 2008

The Busy Bee

September 4/08 8:57 p.m.

...that's me. And do you want to know what I did today?

fixed breakfast
made the beds,cleaned the bathroom
walked the dog
washed a window
fixed lunch
ironed a load
cleaned up shelves in the guestroom (a ton of books for the containers)
took a bike drive with Herr Hund
mowed the lawn
sweeped the entrance driveway of leaves
same action in the backyard
changed a light bulb in the tower room(hard task!)
fixed a night snack

...and told Herr Husband, he could never afford me if he had to pay me.


Mittwoch, September 03, 2008

Sing a X-mas Song

September 3/08 3:00 p.m.

That's what I told Herr Husband and I gave him an akku bike as a premature X-mas present. It's now he can make use of it not during cold and rain in the winter.
But as it goes with this guy who has a little black cloud hanging over his head permanently, every time he wants to take the piece out, it starts raining. We had a test run though, where I went along with my "normal" bike to see if he seems safe driving. It looks good, so hopefully not another broken foot (or worse). For X-mas the piece will be adorned with a big red bow.

Freitag, August 29, 2008

A Heavenly Present

August 29/08 6:25 p.m.

The weather frog has predicted a weekend out of this world temperature wise. - Great, so we will have the one and only bar-b-que nite this year tomorrow nite. There is but one place to buy a real good steak the right cut, that's the big local outdoor market downtown. Decided to have lunch for a change in the city, but voted against it, too crowded, tooo noisy, too many cars and too many construction sites. Maybe us country bumpkins are not used to the huzz buzz anymore. Instead we choose to visit the riverboat restaurant Canoo (faithful readers are familiar with the place, for all the others, again the link) and it is always a pleasure to sit there,this time on the outside deck,with a view upon the city skyline and the river traffic. And the food is good too. The place in the meantime has a bit of a beat up character, but never mind, it adds to the charm.
Back home took a bike tour with insulted Herr Hund (because he had to stay home during our downtown trip) now his little world is ok.

Watched Barak Obama's speech this morning at the internet, will he be able to live up to his promises, should he win the presidency? Time will tell.

Donnerstag, August 28, 2008

Some other Kind of Advertising or I want that little Helper

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August 28/08 9:56 p.m.

Really good for a laugh and there is not much to laugh about nowadays. And Landfrau wants the "Come here and help me in the household "- edition.

Montag, August 25, 2008

Short Trip and lots of Action






August 25/08 4:50 p.m.






Had visited with the young family for the baptizing of little Miss Sunshine. It has been a very nice and successful event and the garden party on account of the occasion was a hit. Old and young ones mixed very well and our little lady had been the star. The weather played along too (thank you all - dancers!), food had been great and the cake buffet could outdo every fancy cafe-restaurant.



We stayed at our little country inn in the neighbouring village and Herr Husband is always good for a surprise. Last nite, it still had been pitchdark, I was woken up by a voice asking me to switch on the light because someone had lost his bearings and was sitting on the floor. So happened that he decided to sit down in the lounge chair to get his eyes aquainted to the dark for finding back to bed after the bathroom visit but seated himself between sofa and chair, because he mistook the two armrests for belonging to the chair(look at the pic!). Well, it had been quite a deep seat and then he could not get up anymore. But this time he at least did not break anything. Herr Hund was annoyed, that his blanket was occupied. -
Landfrau laughed so hard, she could not go back to sleep for quite a while ( little sins are punished right away).

Mittwoch, August 20, 2008

Mystery of Electricity

August 20/08 8:17 p.m.

Last nite suddenly our lights went off, so we checked our fuses, turned out the main fuse had blown out, we switched it on, same thing a few minutes later. Then our neighbour showed up and told us his fuses kept blowing out. So obviously we kept turning off each others electricity and we could have continued doing this all nite, if he had not contacted us. We live in a duplex type house, but with complete seperate electricity circuits. Now lots of activity started, a team from the electricity company, and they also brought a test car, or whatever you call them, our own electrician, neighbour and man of the house, the last two only "watchers" tried to find the mistake, zero, nada. The fuses kept happily blowing. Outside supply lines were checked,no luck, so the team left, after having emptied half of our(messy) basement, embarassing comments towards Landfrau from man of the house included (which won't make me tidy up that ugly place) and the electrician and the two unlookers kept switching around, till we finally were left with lights minus groundfloor lights and had been better off than our neighbour,who had no kitchen and basement lights . This morning I got up at a real early bird hour, wanted to bake a prune cake for this afternoon's company of a friend from Southern Germany, suceeded to have it ready before the electrician showed up again, but put in the double amount of sugar in the rush. So, the place was checked and doublechecked, in the meantime we had elelctricity all over the place, so had the neighbour. Later on the electrician found a foul line in the neighbour's kitchen, the ceiling lamp, and now the neighbour has to have the painters in to redo the kitchen, because the ceiling and walls had to be opened. But the electrican claims, that this has not been the reason for the short circuits and that it will happen again for sure.
Then he left and we are waiting for the bill.

Montag, August 18, 2008

Zut alors,

August 18/08 7:02 p.m.

...or, shit happens (as us Germans say). The German horseback riders ( jumping team) blew it. Now we have to keep our fingers crossed for the single competitions.

To start the Week with...

August 18/08 8:20 a.m.
...folks - dance the anti- rain dance for next weekend, it's never too early! And as a reward a nice song from Billy Ray Cyrus, the guy deserves listening to.

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Samstag, August 16, 2008

One Day of Summer during a Summer which is no Summer


August 16/08 7:56 p.m.


Sounds like the title of a novel, doesn't it? Well, it's no novel but a novelty that we could have breakfast AND dinner outside in our little backyard. Puts you into a kind of holiday feeling, if there was not the abundance of work nevertheless for Landfrau. But I took the time to bake a prune cake and we had a piece,what do I say, greedy Herr Husband had three, with whipped cream, the real Mc Coy! - So now we have to look into the next weekend, there will be the baptism of little Miss Sunshine in Hessen and all the worldwide friends and readers, who had been so nice with their birthday wishes for our grandson are asked again to keep their fingers crossed for nice weather, because the party and reception is going to be a garden party, so friends, kick over the sunshine for little Miss Sunshine!

Donnerstag, August 14, 2008

Wow, here we go again!

Nadine Capellman,Heike Kemmer,Isabel Werth
dpa Bildfunk (Jochen Luebke)
August 14/08 7:06 p.m.


Our horseback riders! the German dressage team went for gold, great success for the girls!

Mittwoch, August 13, 2008

Catch a falling Star

August 13/08 6:39 .m.

Last nite a rain of falling stars had been predicted around midnight, so I had been busy peeking out of the windows up front and back. For a while there were no clouds but a rather bright moon, so I was about to give up when a big falling star came my way, had the feeling it almost hit me. I had been so surprised that I forgot to make a wish, pity! Later on I saw a smaller, far away one, but that had been it, because the sky started to cloud over and all my unwished wishes have to wait for another two years, then this phenomena should happen again, so the experts say.

Go for Gold!

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August 13/08 11:06 a.m.

Simply too beautiful to watch, Landfraus' heart goes out to this dream pair and I do not think I should deprive you of watching this tremendeous "gold ride".
Sorry, could only find a German version, but words are not necessary anyway.

Sonntag, August 10, 2008

Sunday Song

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August 10/08 8:53 a.m.

A nice song for a sunday morning, makes you want to travel, doesn't it, to far away . strange places.