Crazy Bird

July 17/07 The Weather Pixie: Niederrhein



Had been an eventful day for man of the house! A small bird had been hiding in our garage, could not be found,only heared. So m.o.t.h. tried to locate it, no luck. We decided that it must be sitting in the rainpipe leading through the garage, because it kept chirping also outside. Decided to get a ladder for Landfrau (of course) to climb on the roof to have a look, then suddenly bird showed up in the garage. Well, I had to leave the house,and when I came back I found a completely messy kitchen, stove pulled forward,dishwasher the same,woolmice and grease smirking at me. Fortunately both devices are not attached to the wall (stove and fridge,not grease and woolmice,mind you).

Turned out the bird had decided to come into the house and had gone plum hiding behind the kitchen gadgets. In the meantime it was running around in the garden, calling for its mum, but it seemed, that with all the handling it had kind of adapted man of the house as a mum and would not leave him alone. By that time I could have wrung its neck, cute little,poor bird or not.

Thank heavens bird family seems to be united by now, have not heard any chirping sounds no more.

And man of the house has missed his chance beeing St.Francis ........

My sister birds, you owe much to God, and you must always and in everyplace give praise to Him; for He has given you freedom to wing through the sky and He has clothed you…you neither sow nor reap, and God feeds you and gives you rivers and fountains for your thirst, and mountains and valleys for shelter, and tall trees for your nests. And although you neither know how to spin or weave, God dresses you and your children, for the Creator loves you greatly and He blesses you abundantly. Therefore… always seek to praise God.

Hot,hot Summer

July 16/07 7:40 p.m.

..and a sad,sad day for the family, some things can't be helped.

Back from the Seaside

the rat pack
nice view!

Juli 11/07 8:42 p.m.

Yep,guys an' dolls, here I am again,your old Landfrau! - and,yes, thanks for dancing, it really helped, weather has been very agreeable,only swimming in the Nordsee I did not, grandson called me chicken,never mind,grandson's dad has been chicken too. - Aside from not swimming in the sea (and the unheated pool outside), we did a lot of bicycling, walking with the dogs,playing games of mini golf (me the winner!) games of tennis, me acting as fotograf and (mini)movie maker. Also Monopoly has been a hit,guess who won - Landfrau, of course. And we had good food and nice drinks and aside from that we kept loosing grandpa, who managed to show up at the wrong meeting point and claiming that he had been right and everyone else wrong. -

So, time went in a jiffy and now its unpacking bags and doing loads of laundry.Can someone tell me where all those dirty piles come from?

Expensive kms

July 2/07 6:40 p.m.

Had to dish out € 25,00 plus admin. for this ugly snapshot. (if you want to look at a bit "prettier" Landfrau, look here ), and I did not get fined for sleeping at the wheel, NO..for speeding!! 11 ks too fast, ridiculous! Well,shit happens,as the saying goes.

And you, my friends and fans,have to live without new posts for a week and I have to live without internet,hope I survive. So long, and yes,keep on dancing!, we will need it at the rainy seashore.

THAT AWFUL SMELL

Juli 1/07 10:07 p.m.

Have been sniffing around like a hunting dog the last couple of weeks, terrible fertilizer smell wavering around in our kitchen garden. Having bad thoughts about sueing neighbours on account of smell-abuse. (Specially our pet peeve neighbour who keeps pestering us on account of our (rotten) fence), found out today that Landfrau is the guilty party, had made my own fertilizer,made out of nettle pellets and water (great stuff,the plants love it) 10 litres of water and a certain amount of pellets make a sud,which miracolously mutates and changes smelling from very bad to still bad. -
Happy, I kept my mouth shut, Landfrau- country woman is not living up to her name,
bad, bad.

There is no water in Holland (Netherlands)

June 30/07 1:50 p.m. The Weather Pixie: Niederrhein

Another year, same place, same crew, except this time daughter No.2 and son in law will join us for the weekend. We will leave 4th of July (without fireworks) and are starting to plan the "treck". Man of my life came today with 3 cases of water (12 bottles each) to take along. Well, he has to drink 2 bottles a day, but mind you,there is a store which sells water in the vicinity of the hotel. Besides, all we only have to pack additionally is:

3 bikes
luggage for 3 persons
1 sunumbrella
1folding bench
1 folding chair
a stack of beach towels
1 cooler
1 picknic bag
1 bag of dogfood (no, there is not the special dogfood in Holland)
1 bag for dog
1 dog

and all that,what comes up in the run.
But,obviously, there is no water beeing sold in Holland.

What Landfrau wants to pack is sunshine, so....keep on dancing!!!

DANCE II

June 29/07 10:35 a.m. The Weather Pixie: Niederrhein

YEP..folks, keep on dancing, it starts workin'!!!

DANCE

June 26/07 10:10 a.m.

Dear friends worldwide, please join me in the anti-rain dance for our region,
here we go:

One, two, three :
boom, boom, boom,
NO rain - NO rain
boom, boom ,boom,
NO rain - NO rain
boom............

Thanks a lot!

Where is the Salt?

June 24/07 7:30 p.m.

HOUSEWIVES! Here is one for you.

Dinner finished, dishwasher stacked, kitchen tidied up, want to watch a special TV show, everything finished just in time,uff, all Landfrau has to do is switch on the machine, and there blinks the sign: REFILL SALT! Now ,first of all,the sign never blinks if one has ample time,no,by no means! and then the hunt starts. Kitchen is small, so salt has to be stacked somewhere else. Only remember,where I have not stored it, in the washroom with the detergents. Got wet. Wrecking brain, big cabinet in hallway?no, under the staircaise to the basement? no, in the (somewhat messy) basement room? BINGO! - But then, hunt continues,refiller gadget?? Wow, under the sink,where it should have been,only has been hiding in a corner,the little devil.
By then, show I wanted to watch,is half over and now it dimms on me, why housewifes are sometimes a little bit behind in knowledge,they miss the starts fooling around looking for things, and then they give up on doing what they really wanted to do.

Otherwise sunday has been uneventful.

Chaotic Start into Weekend

June 23/07 6:49 p.m.
The Weather Pixie: Niederrhein

And I thought it might be relaxing, but no, not even peace and quiet in the shower. Husband came running to show me his eye,which looked, as if someone had punched it in a boxing fight. And you could see the black stripe running under the skin,very scary. Turned out, a tinny vein had broken,but nothing serious. Next got phonecall from (pregnant)daughter - yes, our family is in a fertility phase - that she is suffering from a very bad cold and is not feeling well at all. So good mummy offered to do the weekend foodshopping, and since I was coming anyway, grandson said, might as well put a song for him onto a CD, which he had been yearning after since the previous day, but all we managed on our computer was, to cancel all the songs on his iPod, which turned him into Rumpelstilzchen

"in his rage drove his right foot so far into the ground that it sank in up to his waist; then in a passion he seized the left foot with both hands and tore himself in two."

Fortunately the songs could be reloaded back home. So, thought I owe him, even it it had not been my fault. Well, made someone happy today.

Previous weekend for sure had been more fun with our houseguest from Texas.

And the weather...my,my, I call it a no-weather. Hopefully we will now have all the rain you can get,so there might be none left starting from July 4th,when we leave for a week for Holland with our grandson, because beeing at the seaside with a kid in lousy rainy weather is a punishment for someone who has killed his mother and father. -
So, for now there is still hope for an"uneventful" sunday.

Oh,yes, and the dog had a cyst removed and mustbe treated with a liquid,which I had managed to spill, almost all of it, and it should have lasted for a week. Great?

SCENARIO

June 20/07 3:50 p.m.

Happened Yesterday.... (Landfrau,daughter No.2,grandson (main cast) )

Daughter No. 2 (on phone): Could you please pick up grandson and take him to church for the final school service at 3:30 p.m., have meeting, can not make it. And then he has to go to the barber.
Landfrau: sure, no problem.
Landfrau looks at clock,gee,3:20 p.m. already, heats across Interstate to not have poor waiting grandson in need. Arrives in time, grandson plays tennis on the street with friend and is very astonished at grandmas appearance.
Grandson: what do you want, omala (thats what he calls me)
Landfrau:your mom said should take you to church service.
Grandson: No, my friend is here,we go by bike.
Landfrau: No, your mom said....
Grandson: but I cant let my friend go by himself.
Landfrau: then I take you both in the car.
Friend: no, need my bike later on.
Landfrau: I give up,then we meet at the church,where is it?
Lenghty explanations of grandson,how to get to the church,very confusing.
Friend: but the service is at the catholic church, not the protestant one.
Grandson:but I am protestant,what should I go to the wrong church for?
Landfrau(exasperated): if the service is there...and now ,are you both sure??
Grandson:we meet there,and if the service is not in that church, then I will drive in front of you with my bike to the other church.
Well,fortunately first church had been the right one.
So,arriving there,grandson and other kids rushed in and Landfrau was left cold by herself. Sat through a boring service with cranky (sibling) kids and parents,done by a timid parson woman and another fat woman in a white long kind of nightgown,could not figure out her role,but had been badly played,anyway. Sneaked out before the end and waited for grandson in front of the church. When he came out, asked him about the haircutting business and how we should go about it.
Grandson: you do NOT know,where the barber is?
Landfrau: No,how should I and besides,what is the whole thing now about,why should I come along anyway,you go by bike and you know the way.
Grandson (turns around) and calls his mother on his cell phone.
Landfrau: let me talk to her.
Grandson:there was the answering machine.
Landfrau: but you have been talking.
Grandson:wanted to know name of my haircut.(liar - had been complaining about mean grandma)
Landfrau ,voice rising: The barber knows,my goodness!
Grandson: I really do not know what you are cranky about.
Landfrau: Here,my friend, is your money and your housekey,

and I left.
Came home and got the evil eye from "grandpa" having left the poor boy alone. Told him the poor boy could very well fend for himself.
Got a phonecall later that nite from "poor boy",who claimed that certainly some things had gone wrong that afternoon. His way of apologies!

We parted friends!

A Present

September 1966

June 15/07

....for a very good friend far away at the westcoast of Canada. Happy Birthday! And have a drink on us!

International Week

June 14/07 7:54 p.m. The Weather Pixie: Niederrhein

We are definitely going international this week. Daughter No.2 has two French boys as exchange students (grandson had been in France last month) for a week. They are very well behaved 10 years olds,except they do not eat and do not talk. We took them to an icecream parlor yesterday afternoon and really wrecked our old brains for our somewhat rusty knowledge of French language. But it worked out. -

Tomorrow we will have our Texas friend as a houseguest till Sunday, well actually he is a Montana boy,who now lives in Houston. With him we wont have difficulties regarding eating and talking! And we do not have to wreck our old brains! - Unfortunately the weather pixie does not behave too well at the moment,so..no enjoying of outdoor meals. Shame on the pixie!

Please,please....

June 12/07 8:49 a.m. The Weather Pixie: Niederrhein

Landfrau wants a polar bear! And €5 million!

(read complete article)

Meanwhile, Wirtschaftswoche magazine reported that Knut is likely to boost the zoo's revenues by €5 million by the end of the year.

Paris Hilton and the G8

Foto: ddp/Republikanischer Anwaltsverein

June 9/07 9:49 a.m.

Wish I could take bets about the percentage of people interested in G8 versus Paris Hilton (in jail or not) in the U.S. 80% for Paris, my bet. - And talking about jail, an outrage, peaceful ,mind you - peaceful (not the black rioters) prostesters locked up in cages. - But our Mrs. Merkel has been beaming in competition with the sun: Agreements are wonderful and there will be a start looking into the damages of CO² abuse in 2050. And Africa will get all the help it does not want. Will our(my) grandkids be wiser, once they take over?

NorahJones.com

NorahJones.com

This great gal', let her brighten up your day (nice new website)!

Oldies for my Oldie

Bretignolles sur mer

June 5/07

...and a nice birthday trip to LA FRANCE. Have fun!

Sun shining on us and riots in Rostock

my corner provencale

June 2/07 6:24 p.m. The Weather Pixie: Niederrhein

It is always the same,the autonome scene is making it hard for peaceloving demonstrants to voice their demands. Considering all the aspects, the G 8 summit is as un- necessary as a hole in the head, of those there will be enough in the near future anyway till the whole thing is over and done with, without satisfying results, mark my words.-

More pleasant topics - our weather, see my pixie, has decided to be more friendly,which in turn triggers a fierce outside activity with Landfrau. And Landfrau also is proudly presenting a sporadic rush,comes like a jiffy but till now vanishes overnite. Strawberries are the culprits, I have found out. Gobble them up anyway, to hell with looking kind of "measely". Will be bad, if the rush wont vanish any more, will have to think of something then, like an astronauts' outfit. or so -

Those were the Times

May 31/07 7:40 p.m.

Had to dig out old photos to prepare a page for a friend's 70th birthday. Ran across pictures of that gorgeous looking woman all the time,looked twice, looked again..it had been me! - Gee whizz, one should skip looking at old snaps of oneself, unless you have been a hangdog all your life, then it's alright.

Coast Guard

Just a "fast one" - above link got lost on the former post. So..upon request! my friends..

HERE IT IS AGAIN!

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Black Forrest Snow

dpa

May 28/07 4:04 p.m. Weather pixie Düsseldorf

Where is the global warning regarding global warming? Or, is it the other way around, that with global warming we are into a new ice age? - Somehow I have something like that in the back of my mind. - Anyway, our bar-b-que last nite had been outside,but we ate our food inside, cozy behind picture window. We had fun together with our "little mother to be" granddaughter, who later on left to roam around Düsseldorf with some friends. Now she left for home via Frankfurt, where she drops off a friend who had joined her carpooling.

And granny and grandpa are having dinner tonite at our favoured Italian, also behind picture windows.

Have to take it as it comes, my mother used to say and right she is!

Dear Mr. Putin

May 25/07 7:32 p.m.



...pay attention.The ever so perfect Germans are really on the verge of outdoing you in screening global opponents. But then on the other hand you might listen to Mrs. Merkel, she promises a peaceful,friendly event, probably something like a great vernissage. -Let's wait and see what is going to happen inside and outside the barbed wire fence.

Like onVacation

May 23/07 11:03 .m.

We are really lucky to live at a location other people would travel to for vacation. Had a beer tonite at our favoured little restaurant (Langster Fährhaus) at the riverside. Watched the Rhine traffic and the ferry going back and forth. We can go there by bike,so it's an excercise to boot. All under the condition,that the weather plays along, which at the moment it does and we hope for a nice weekend. Little mother to be - our granddaughter - is coming for an overnite visit, so we hope to enjoy "outdoor" living. -
Landfrau had been an eager beaver today, painting new wooden garden pannels, I am developing into a jack of all trades! (and that at my ripe age). Better late than never.

Garden - growing...

May 22/07 6:54 p.m. Weather pixie Düsseldorf

Gee, Landfrau is going haywire, bought two rose bushes today and another plant, will turn into the little gardener - woman of the year, wait and see!

Mixing with People...

May 20/07 3:12 p.m.

..is something Landfrau must have detested already as a kid. I remember that birthday party of a classmate, must have been about 8 years old, hosted by the daugther of the owner of the local pharmacy (really something,if you live in a small village) I just decided for myself I just did not want to go. Few days later my very upset mother had found out and I had been in for some nice talking to. I' m old enough now to cope and by the time I have joined the vanitiy fair I am fairly o.k. and it sometimes happens, like today, that I discover a companion in spirit. My tolerance level rises with my wine consumption, but before I start to love everyone, man of my live drags me usually home (fortunately!).

Our friend's place (it had been a housewarming), really is a showpiece, very nice, attractive roofgarden, if there were would not be the passengers leaning out of the airplanes to peek, passing over every 10 minuntes or so - or so.

Here comes the Sun!

May 18/07 10:18 p.m. Weather pixie Düsseldorf

And here are some garden pictures. I am especially proud of my lawn, now will it survive next winter? Bets are taken!

YouTube - A Trip to the Observatory - and more rain around here

YouTube - A Trip to the Observatory

May 16/07 10:28 a.m.

Farmers can stop complaining,slowly but surely nature develops into green hell around here. So I let you have a peek into a world where the sky is clear and the sun mostly (I suppose) shines. (former) Penfriend of mine works there, lucky guy!

(ALL) Wet ,wet in Hamburg

May 14/07 7:51 p.m. The Weather Pixie: Niederrhein

Had a hunch,that the weather would not be so great for our trip, never mind, at least it has not been too cold on top,always have to count your blessings!

Now, from the beginning: Our train ride from Düsseldorf to Hannover, simply great, relaxing, comfortable,only...about 5 minutes late and gone was our train to Hamburg and with it of cse. our seat reservations. We were lucky however to have a follow up train pretty fast and it was not packed, so we had seats again and our arrival time in Hamburg had been almost correct. The Hotel, very nice (have a look) and after unpacking took the opportunity to visit the spa area ,had a nice swim and visited the whirlpool.

At night we had dinner at that excellent Fischereihafen Restaurant,guess what we had? fish,fish fish! We were lucky,that our taxi could still take us right up to the frontdoor, on account of the port day roads in the vast vicinity had been closed off and we had our doubts what we would be in for the following night,when we had to board our sailing bark for the river cruise. And right we were, we had to push through milling crowds of people for about half a mile,to find our ship - which does not sound much,only my companion with his walking difficulties had been in for hard times. When we finally discovered our ship (had past by it first,because it had been dwarfed by one of those enormous Russian sailing ships) we were not allowed to board it before all 70 passengers were soaking wet by an enormous downpour, accordingly the crowd evaporated enough steam to get the boat going without sails. Well, people took it with humour and a welcome drink and later on a very nice buffet dinner helped. So we cruised around on the river and later on returned to the mooring place for the fireworks. A nice and noisy event!

Then came the hard part,trying to get to the tram station (no fat chance for a taxi) and we had to push our way through thousands of people, stepping on the one or other pizza and "bratwurst". We finally made it and even managed to get up to one of the ticket machines.By the time we reached our hotel,we were kind of beat.

Next morning,after a leasurely breakfast,we left for the railway station,there companion discovered he had left his treasured cap on the shelf in our room. So back with a taxi he went,to pick it up. Cost him € 7, the little cap excursion. Fortunately there was enough time.

Then we boarded our train,which,approaching Hannover developed into a real slow poke,so we had about one minute left to run from platform 12 to platform 4 , stairs down,stairs up, and that with all our luggage. Before the doors closed we were pushed by the conductor into the train,never mind the right waggon,and it turned out that the train was to be seperated at the next station, so we had to make another run for it to pass the two engines and to get into our train,where we had to walk through the whole length to get to our reserved seats. - The Deutsche Bundesbahn likes to run trains,but obiously does not care so much for passengers. - Never again a train ride,where I have to change trains.

We were picked up by our daughter at the station and later on went to her place to pick up Herr Hund, who turned summersaults seeing us, we got some good wine and a nice dinner.

Great ending of a,after all, interesting trip.

Rainy Weekend Trip

May 10/07 4:36 p.m. The Weather Pixie: Niederrhein

I`m afraid, thats is what it will be for the Harbour Birthday in Hamburg. No turning back, hotel is booked, train tickets are reserved (Yes, we go by train, less strain) and the evening aboard the sailing bark SWAENSBORGH has been a Christmas present from our daughters. Bad thing about train travel is,that you can not drag along so much luggage, having the vice of always packing too much, I`m in for hard times. Well,shops are open in Hamburg Saturday,so...
This time Herr Hund has to stay home, he will stay with our daughter's family and can fight with his buddy "mad Max".
Now,friends, I will have to see what not to pack...see you next week (If I do not fall off the ship, have done that before, but that's another story).

It`s raining Birthdays

May 08/07

Another one in the family!

Happy Birthday!! little mother to be,and take good care of yourself and the "kid in the tummy" We love you both!

Home, sweet Home...

a mouthwatering sample
view of the castle from hotel
view of hotel from castle
the crazy moon (my dream giver)
Part of Bourscheid castle


May 05/07 8:48 p.m. The Weather Pixie: Niederrhein





.....ain't so sweet, when you start turning like a cotton pickin` hamster in a wheel as soon as you have closed the door behind you. Unpack bags first, or water the lawn? Water the flower pots, run with the dog, check the answering machine, and yes, check E-mail (ugh,spams,spams). - Well, folks, kind'o settled now,so are you ready for a bit of Luxembourg tales?


Had been staying at our Sporthotel Leweck again,lovely place!


Weather has been great and Landfrau really pulled through the whole program, swimming, massage, sauna, turkish bath,relaxing, reading, taking endless walks with Herr Hund,us two had a ball in the "wilderness" of the Ardennen forests, and getting out of breath climbing steep hills, well,me, not the dog, he is a bundle of power. Sometimes thought, we had gotten lost, but fortunately our hotel perched on one of the higher hills and could be spotted from far away,well - almost.


And at night we had those delicious 5 course dinners and a bottle of good wine. Not to forget the nightcap in the bar. Sounds good? Naturally!


Man of my life had to pull a special stunt again (always good for a holiday surprise,that sweetheart) - he slipped at the poolside and fortunately there had been a soccerteam around, needed three of them to pull him up. He hurt his already damaged shoulder again and had to be halfways dressed by Landfrau-nurse for the rest of the stay. He did not have to be fed,though.


And then one day we had lunch visitors from Luxembourg town,our very good friends,who live there and British friends,who just have moved back from France to L. We had not seen each other for about 12 years and decided,that we all had not changed a bit, if we left the spare parts under the table. We had a great time,talking about old times. Next day, our friend phoned to surprise us with the news,that he had developed shingles, it should not be contagious if you have had chicken pocks as a kid, I know I have had them, been scratching myself since nevertheless. Man of my life is sratching too, only he does not know,if he has had chicken pocks!


Life is never boring,you see. Next weekend we will be in Hamburg for harbour day, looking forward to brandnew surprises. Will keep the world posted!

Annie Lennox

Annie Lennox

April 28/07 9:04 a.m.

Nice to listen to,for the weekend and all non-travellers, LANDFRAU IS ROAMING AGAIN and the weather is great! Meet you in a week,friends.

Snow from Yesterday

Skyline Frankfurt from Eschborn-hotel

Restaurant "Klostermühle" Arnsburg
Old Protestant Church at Nonnenroth

(17th.Century)

April 23/07 The Weather Pixie: Niederrhein

That's our first trip of several. Are you anxious to hear about my Bob Dylan concert? Well...let's say: it has been an experience. First of all we had the tough luck to be stuck in a terrific traffic jam,caused by Kroatiens, arriving per busloads from all over Europe to watch a basket ball game in an indoor arena next to the "Jahrhunderthalle" where Bob Dylan had his performance. So we had been too late to have a bit of a chance to get in any way close to the stage. And coming into the theatre, I thought I had gone blind on top of that, pitch dark the whole place, you could only feel your way around and on the stage (invisible to only 1,64 m small Landfrau anyway) like the black theatre in Prague - only black dressed guys with black hats, well, the one with the white one was Bob Dylan, and he had been favoured with a little bit of spotlight. But..as we had been told by an expert, we were there for the music,otherwise we could have gone to the movies. Son in law finally spotted a kind of a beam at the side of the emergency exits, a little more room was there and after I had kind of catapulted myself up on that beam ,on which people were dwelling like chickens in a pen, I finally caught a glimpse of the stage. O.k., like we were told, we were there to hear,not to see. And the music has been great,no doubt, that old guy Zimmerman really kept going and he even played two of my favoureds. Aside from that I had lots of fun, one young woman asking me to hold on to her beer while trying to jump up onto the beam and going right away down backwards with a summersault. Good I held the beer! Had my laughing fit after it turned out,that she had not hurt herself. And then there was that awfully fat medic, passing by in intervals with a strecher and coming back with a person tied to it. Don't know,where he collected them. Time went in a jiffy, we decided to leave before the encore,to have the chance for a cab. Wise choice!

Sunday morning we had a great breakfast in the little garden at my daughter's and son in law's place, the weather had been pure sunshine. Later on we drove to Hungen (near Giessen) to visit with our granddaughter,the little happy mother to be, and her living companion. Had to have a look at their cute place, which is not quite finished yet,but very representable even with the missing last touches. We stayed at a little country inn we always favour, when we are in this region and had dinner together at an old cloister mill ,where our "big" grandson joined us. The oldies had fun with the young crowd !

This morning we left for home with a car with out-of order airbags, shuck Mercedes! So we had to run it to the repair shop, hopefully to have it function again for our next- week trip to Luxembourg.

Till then,there is lots to do!

Robert Allen Zimmerman...

April 19/07 9:54 a.m. The Weather Pixie: Niederrhein

....here I come! Yes, sleeping two more nights, then it is not X-mas,but Bob Dylan concert in Frankfurt! Never been to an event like that, Landfrau is quite excited. Son-in-law is nice enough to take old mother i.l. along. It is an indoor concert, so we do not have to worry about the weather, but it looks promising,little bit on the cold side though. Hope it will get a bit warmer, then we will have Bar-B-Q at our( little mother-to- be) grand daughter's and living companion's place in Hungen (near Giessen) on Sunday. So, tomorrow,bags will be packed,and "Herr Hund" comes along, so he can fight with cats at my daughter's and granddaughter's places. I am afraid, he would not win.

A Very Busy Weekend

April 16/07 10:08 p.m. The Weather Pixie: Niederrhein

Started friday nite with dinner party at a restaurant located in an old railway station building, but trains still pass by, almost across your plate. It had been birthday dinner for daugther no. 2 and we were a "small" crowd. Food was good and landfrau took a souvenir home in form of two olive oil spots,sitting right in the middle of breasts,very keen!

Then on Saturday I took the opportunity to get front- and back garden water pressure cleaned, including furniture and what have you.Had to take advantage of our great weather with temperatures in the high twenties. Have been running in between to my former riding stables, to watch a bit of the big competitions going on and to chat with former riding friends,only found hardly anyone I knew, lots of strangers though, well, never mind, had no one special to cheer on.

Then, in the evening, we had been invited by my brother and sister i.l. to a very nice place close to their home for dinner. The food had been excellent, although eating out two nites in a row is a sin! By the time we came home, I had been so bushed, that I dived into bed head over heels and fell asleep over the first two pages of my night reading. Nice man of the house took off my glasses and put away my book.

So, today, wanted to take it a little bit easy and enjoy spick and span gardens in my lounge chair and then we had drop in visitors, and there I could kiss my leasure time goodbye. After another run to the stables, with bike and dog, we had our first dinner outside, candle light chicken , and here I am, bushed again, but nevertheless the little eager beaver blogger,so the world can participate in my life (big deal, eh?).

Again A Birthday

April 13/07

See the bandaged hand, birthday-child? You had to ride that pony without saddle the first day you got it against parents orders, and - whack - into the barbed wire. Which would not keep you from artistic performances. But, Blacky had really the character of a midget, nasty! - Anyway,you had your fun, which your mom wishes you to have today. Cake is coming up!

Till then.... A HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY and a good year to come!

AAADD

April 12/07 10:14 p.m. (sorry ,folks, not my brainstorm, but good nevertheless!)

Subject: AAADD
Age Activated Attention Deficit Disorder.This is how it manifests:I decide to water my garden.As I turn on the hose in the driveway, I look over at my car and decidemy car needs washing.As I start toward the garage, I notice that there is mail on the patio table that I brought up from the mail box earlier.I decide to go through the mail before I wash the car. I lay my car keys down on the table, put the junk mail in the garbage can under the table, and notice that the can is full.So, I decide to put the bills back on the table and take out the garbage first.But then I think, since I'm going to be near the mail box when I take outthe garbage anyway, I may as well pay he bills first.I take my check book off the table, and see that there is only one checkleft.My extra checks are in my desk in the study, so I go inside the house tomy desk where I find the can of Coke that I had been drinking.I'm going to look for my checks, but first I need to push the Coke asideso that I don't accidentally knock it over.I realize the Coke is getting warm , and I decide I should put it in therefrigerator to keep it cold.As I head toward the kitchen with the coke, a vase of flowers on thecounter catches my eye--they need to be watered.I set the Coke down on the counter, and I discover my reading glassesthat I've been searching for all morning.I decide I better put them back on my desk, but first I'm going to water the flowers.I set the glasses back down on the counter, fill a container with waterand suddenly I spot the TV
Remote Control . Someone left it on the kitchen table.I realize that tonight when I go to watch TV , I will be looking for the
remote control , but I won't remember that it's on the kitchen table, so I decideto put it back in the den where it belongs, but first I'll water theflowers.I pour some water in the flowers, but quite a bit of it spills on thefloor.So, I set the
Remote Control back down on the table, get some towels and wipeup the spill.Then I head down the hall trying to remember what I was planning to do.At the end of the day:the driveway is floodedthe car isn't washed,the bills aren't paid,there is a warm can of Coke sitting on the counter,there is still only one check in my check book, I can't find the
remote control ,
I can't find my glasses, and I don't remember what I did with the carkeys.Then when I try to figure out why nothing got done today,I'm really baffled because I know I was busy all day long, and I'mreally tired.I realize this is a serious problem, and I'll try to get somehelp for it, but first I'll check my e-mail. Do me a favor, will you? Forward this message because I can't remember to whom it was sent.

Happy Easter - Almost Over

April 9/07 The Weather Pixie: Niederrhein

We really have been spoiled, great weather and good food. Had been for brunch at Daughter No.2's home, at my brother's place for coffee on Saturday and the rest of the time just taking it easy, which also included some biking with" Herr Hund", somehow must at least have the feeling to be getting rid of (too much ) good food, chocolate easter eggs, and Landfraus' favourite, the cholesterin bombs - hard boiled eggs. Scale will tell (but only tomorrow). We are so favoured, to have our own gardens with lots of sunshine, to venture out along the riverside is a pain in the neck on weekends and holiday weekends above all. People are milling around like lemmings, only they do not jump into the river, they accumulate.

So,now in for some more cheesecake (homemade) and tonite I will bed my bad concience and dig out my good intentions (loose weight,loose weight) tomorrow.

HAPPY EASTER

April 7/07

To all of you,reading this - and not reading this......

Spring - Bigstepping

April 5/07 4:55 p.m.

Our own blossoms of spring! Nice? Think so.

Have been adjusted today and got a shot - uff,painful- into the inside of my hand, now my snapping finger hopefully will keep itself covered for another year or so. So, folks, I'm as good as new and can roll up the sleeves for hard work to come. -

Promised dog a bike ride, had him along for shopping at the weekly market,he is definitely a country dog, with other words ,an embarressment. Spare me the details. O.K., Landfrau loves him nevertheless.

So.now I'm off, see you later, alligator!

No Easter this Year!

April 4/07 10:14 a.m.

My,my, who ate the Easterbunny? (Not my dog!!!)

Construction Sites

April 3/07 7:39 p.m. The Weather Pixie: Niederrhein

Wish, weather-pixie could make up it's mind, what kind of weather to present, crowding summer yesterday and crowding winter today, anyway feels like it! - The stupid statement,if you wake up in the morning and nothing hurts, then you are dead, I can top with my nightly construction sites. Wake up in the morning and a new one has opened up. Had an appointment yesterday with my "beloved" osteopath (spelling?) you know, the one who bends you around, only to hear from the nurse at the reception that he was not in, mind you, after taking my card and my money. I stayed amazingly calm,somehow my blood pressure pills must be working! -

So, for one day at Easter we are invited for brunch at younger daughter's home, nice not to have to feed the bunch for a change. Landfrau gets old and lazy!

I'm so smart!

March 31 /07 3:40 p.m. The Weather Pixie: Niederrhein

Brother, is Landfrau ever the little super brain! Managed to get the clustr "spy" map onto my blog, now I can see who is NOT reading me and then I will fall into a deep valley of depression. Just blogging away into outer space and no one soaking up my brainstorms,sob,sob!

A real good laugh!

just touch the text for enlargement!

Latecomers

March 24/07 2:21 p.m. The Weather Pixie: Niederrhein

...are punished by life - an old German proverb. and, how true, how true. Got an e-mail yesterday from our wintersport place in Sauerland, stating: snow in abundance and rooms available. So, thinking back and forth for an hour, we decided to treat ourselves to a nice weekend in snow,we phoned, just single rooms left. We declined,not yet ready for single rooms, time enough 20 years from now, or so.

Birthday Blog!

March 22/07

Blog has birthday today!

...so friends, one year you have shared my stories and thoughts. And blog and me have a wish list at Amazon.de and Amazon.com (USA) under Landfrau's real name. Make your choice (just kidding,ofcse),but have a look anyway!

A Bear Problem

March 19/07 8:07 p.m. The Weather Pixie: Niederrhein

We Germans seem to have a bear problem. Remember Bruno? Killed by the vicious Bavarians? Now Knut is a danger, but in my opinion rather "in danger"!

IS BERLIN'S POLAR BEAR BABY TOO HUMAN?
Knut Should Be Killed, Say Some Animal Activists
Berlin's polar bear cub Knut is more famous than ever. Even star photographer Annie Leibovitz has been to take his picture. But not everyone loves the little bear. Animal rights activists want him put to sleep because he has been raised on a bottle. more... [

This is nice!

berlitz_ Just touch the link ! - This is great!

Dissapointing Democrats

The Landstuhl hospital is just one of the stops on the way back to the United States for an injured soldier. Here, Mary Robles, aged 5, stands with her father Master Sgt. Daniel Robles as he receives a Purple Heart in San Antonio, Texas in January.
(SPIEGEL-online 3/14/07)

March 18/07 3:40 p.m.





48 senators for and 50 against settlement for a date of retirement of troops from the Iraq. Necessary voices would have been 60. So, Baby Bush could leave without regrets for Camp David. -
And we shall see more pictures like the above and the USA will have to stock up on more body bags.

2 Blind Eyes and 2 Deaf Ears

March 16/07 3:07 p.m.

Landfrau usually tries not to indulge into longer stories of relatives and/or friends, but this one is such a bummer, I just cannot resist. From our eye-doctor lady we got for our tearing eyes (dryness) a recommandation of spray drops ,which you spray upon your eyelids (closed) and the problem is solved for a while. So, to have them in easy reach I put them on the shelf of the downstairs bathroom. Told so to the man of my life. Then, yesterday coming home from an errand, I found a terribly upset man with swollen,almost closed watering eyes and a red face sitting in the livingroom and yelling at me that I had told him the drops were sitting in the bathroom. As it happens, he had grabbed a can of moskito spray (4 times the size of the little eyedrops container) and had given himself a full dose right into the face. My flabbergasted question,why he did not read the label and checked anyway,that the can was far too big, got the reply that he could not see,because he had been out too, and ,coming home,wanted to apply the drops,since his eyes were watering like hell. Now, first, using the stuff when its too late,does not help, second, if he would have listened (and that`s where the deaf ears come in) he would have followed my precise instructions -on the shelf, not the window sill - but of course would have missed the chance of almost blinding himself and...yelling at Landfrau.
Had a nasty laugh,after it turned out, that no damage had been done!

FourOld Eyes

March 13/07 The Weather Pixie: Niederrhein

.....and some old teeth Landfrau is writing a post about today. So, for the eyes we had a unison check up, and both of us, man of my life and myself wo`n't go blind for another year! Our eye-doctor lady is really taking good care of us, thanks, dear! -
Dentistwise it has not been unison, partner chickened out. But he joined me later on for lunch, the pleasant side of life! - We had delicious fish, yummy. Then Landfrau parked companion for a (two hour long - poor guy) coffee at our Italian coffee shop and dug head over heels into the big department store for "spring shopping", which is a real drag if you are not favoured with barbie doll measurements any more. In and out of booths and getting in and out of clothing wanted to make me shout :" there is no toilet paper in here" just for the sake of seeing what happens. But was not brave enough after all, well, finally found what I wanted and I am still happy with my prey even here at home. That will have to do for a while.

Birthday - and a Quiz

March 10/07

This charming little boy has his birthday today (has grown a bit in the meantime) - so, all the best and hopefully you will be a good uncle later on this year, and - here comes the quiz- what does that make Landfrau then same time??? (relatives excluded from the drawing for the winner).

A clue, little boy is a relative of mine!

And the winner gets, as usual ,choice of a personally addressed picture -post card. Take your choice, there are enough pics in my blog. GOOD LUCK!

Happy Birthday!

BIRTHDAY

March 7/07 2:45 p.m.

Two birthdays coming up, one of it starts with B - like blog - so, friends, family,fans and otherwise, start your collection, Landfrau wants a biig present! - little joke -
More about the birthdays in due time and also some very good news! So, stay put! - Vetured out today to see my dentist in the city, demonstration , so big traffic jam,two bridges closed, one I was about to cross, just one car left in front of me,when a nasty cop blocked the road. Had to circle back into unknown "fields", how I love that, feel like Hänsel and Gretel without breadcrumbs. Found my way home,sitting in several traffic jams,was not the only one,standing up the dentist. So, for another try tomorrow. -Right now on the verge to buy a vacuum cleaner called "cats and dogs" and hopefully that it might help to serve my "hairy" problems, if it sucks up cats and dogs, I don't want it.

Rising RHEIN

March 06/07 2:12 p.m. The Weather Pixie: Niederrhein

...and more rain to come. And you can see,where we usually walk,you really can get your feet wet.

Mean,mean moon!

March 04/07 5:05 p.m.

...or should I rather say: mean clouds. Anyway, we have not been lucky in this neck of the woods,should have looked like above,but...

let's try again next year! At least we did see some sun today, and father Rhine is testing it's limits, old rascal! Should have taken my camera, but there will be more,predictions are: rain,rain, so - no sunshine.

Moon

March 3/07 3:12 p.m. The Weather Pixie: Niederrhein

Will we see the NO MOON tonite? Or will this lousy rain kill it?