Shit happens!

July 16/09...8:82 a.m.

But nothing beats homemade shit! Ripped off part of my car mirror backing the car into our garage, bad but not so bad, since it just snapped off and flew to the ground. But then stupid Landfrau decided to drive over it and it made KCHHH and it was a goner. € 50 down the drain unnecessarily. For that I rewareded myself the "Deppenorden"! -
NO COMMENTS PLEASE!

Memories are made of this!

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July 14/09...8:35 a.m.
Why do good times pass so fast? And it seems I have been away for ages but it has been only a week.

Seaside, a Boy and the Tour de France

July 12/09 ....10:10 p.m.

One word Landfrau put on her "bad list" : AUSREISSER !

Being at the seaside with not exactly beach weather and having a (pre) teen along, who is a sports freak, an alldaylong TV run of the Tour de France is not really my piece of cake! - Aside from that we had fun, and who is talking about the weather anyway. We went on bike rides on dune paths, had refreshments at a dune pavillion with a terrific view of the sea, went into the little village with our bikes and for a swim in the hotel pool, where I must admit that I had been the absolute coward, the outside pool gave me the shivers. And the sea only saw my feet. Our last day gave us a marvellous experience, 2 seals from a station, where they raise abandoned baby-seals made an event out of setting free two youngsters, that had been so cute, they were set in their crates at the beach and as soon as those were opened, they robbed toward the sea, dived in and were frolicing in the water. Only, after a while, they decided that it was enough and now they wanted to go home. But with all the people at the shore cheering them on they decided the peace and quiet of the wide open might be the better idea and they left toward the sand banks.-

The last two days our daughter joined us to pick up her son and we enjoyed our time together. And, oh yes, mad Max came along too, so the rat pack had been together again at the seaside and Herr Hund made a real effort to learn how to be disobidient.

Here we go again!

July 3/09....7:54 p.m.

Getting our feet wet at the seaside - Netherlands! Stay tuned ;-))

Funny Weather

June 27/09...1:24 p.m.

Nothing to say? Talk about the weather. Today it is an effort to breathe, so sticky. Poor Herr Hund with his thick fur, went real slow on my bike tour on his behalf, never mind, gives me time to look around. Some fields have turned yellow already, might be harvested soon. And the corn is growing fast. I actually dislike cornfields, for me they are murder fields, too many corpses have been found in cornfields over the years. And there are the cabagge fields, which evaporate that nice smell in late fall and winter, always makes me gag, but the farmers take their time, to plow the remains. Thunder is now growling outside, too bad, no chance to bike for an icecream and relax outside the parlor. Will fix some strawberry tartlets instead. My strawberry marmelade yesterday turned out absolutely delicious. Unfortunately Herr Husband likes it too (had the hope he wouldn't), now I have to guard it like a miser.

I blew my Top today!

June 23/09...6:09 p.m.

Not that I do not blow it on other occasions too,but never mind that. But today had been the utmost. Had to have my routine breast check up and mind you, that is no piece of cake, having your tits sandwiched between two plates and standing in a twisted weird position, girls, you know what I am talking about. Anyway, had an appointment around lunchtime and after having had the x-rays taken sat in the dark stuffy little room, waiting for the doctor and my results. After leafing through outdated magazines for half an hour, I decided to put something on and go and check for the whereabouts of the doctor. A very astonished nurse asked me, if he had not seen me yet and after my denial told me that he must have forgotten about me and she would send him right away. Well, he showed up pretty fast and I asked him what kind of halfwitted action that had been, letting me sit around half naked for such a long time and if he has had lunch in the meantime. The nincompoop kept apologizing no end, he had been on the way to see me and them something came up and he forgot about me, blablabla. So I told him that this calls at least for a reduction on the invoice, fat chance that will happen,though. After I had given him hell I felt real good and by the way, my results were o.k.

My Friend sings on Sunday

June 21/09....5:23 p.m.

So good to find old friends on YouTube and good to see that old friends age too! ;-)

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Good for a Laugh!

June 18/09..8:52 a.m.

Yes, always good for a laugh are stories which involve Landfrau and grandson. Two days ago daughter #2 asked me to take care of the kid, I should see to it that he had his lunch and then give him a lift to his hockey training, feed and walk the dog (mad Max -my once a while houseguest), grandson would be home from school at 1:45 p.m. and I should be at their place by then. Obidient mom was at the place a little ahead of time, sat in the sun in their yard and by the time it turned to be 2 p.m. started to worry about the kid not there yet. So I gave him a ring on his cell phone and had the astonished question where the heck I was. So I told him that I was waiting for im right in front of the door and it turned out that he was waiting for me inside of the house. He had been early, but who would think of that, the door being locked and the dog not barking, because he knows me. We still would be sitting inside and outside of the house waiting for each other, if I had not phoned.

Home, sweet Home?

June 13/09 ....8:09 a.m.

First of all, have found out that I really DO NOT LIKE WORK! - Being spoiled during holidays is so much nicer, friends. What Landfrau hates about travelling though, is packing and unpacking. Lets take packing - inspite of my list there were several forgotten items, like - very important- passport for Herr Hund and my own personal alarm clock I hardly can do without. Forgot to switch on the outside timing lights and was not so sure about having switched out my nespresso machine ( well, I did, but uncertainty kept nagging on me!) . Have to keep working on my proficiency, seems to get harder with age.

Enough of that. Our little vaccation has been great and really something urgently needed. Just "chillin'" , good food, good wine, massages and not overdoing activities...the early morning and late afternoon walk with Herr Hund up that steep hill behind our hotel almost did me in, but once we reached the top we were awarded with such a great view and with a path we had all to ourselves. Never met a living soul. Then you think the world belongs to you. - One evening our Luxembourg friends joined us for dinner, its always lots of laughs with them, we are friends since over 40 years. Only our headwaiter, whom we called Obama among ourselves (could have been a brother) treated them very upnosed, they refused to stuff themselves with the big menu which we ate every nite. -

And then, during our last night I lost Herr Hund, had been watching a late movie, really enjoying myself in my bathrobe together with Robert Redford, when Herr Hund decided that he had an atttack of diarrhea and wanted out, but pronto. Since our room had been at the end of a very long hallway Iwas not so sure if we could make it to the elevator. Fortunately we had a fire escape staircase right across from our room, but the door could only be opened from the inside. Landfrau in bathrobe let out Herr Hund and Herr Hund vanished into the dark of the night. Whistling calling... no dog. So woke up Herr Husband who would not trust his ears when I told him that the dog got lost, then dressed in a jiffy to look for our lost friend and by the time I was ready, a very excited Herr Hund showed up at the bottom of the fire escape. He must have run to our ususal entrance and finding everything closed, remembered where he had come from. Well, I was so glad to have him back, but by that time Robert Redford had left me. Now I will never know how the movie ended.

So that had been the exciting finish of our vaccation . Now I am back home and wish "Obama" would serve me breakfast!

About Time

June 7/09

Falling off Horses on Islands

June 6/09....12:30 p.m.

Almost every morning during our biketours Herr Hund and Landfrau pass the racetrack of our (former) riding stables and inevitably riding stories cross my mind. And there are plenty, believe me. Some refer to holidays, I vividly remember my first ride on German grounds. At that time we lived in France but out of some forgotten reason decided to take our vaccation at the island of Juist, one of the northern German islands. I had started with my first riding lessons in France and there I rode those very easy to sit, smaller French breed horses. A treat! - Now, beeing a very eager beginner-horsewoman, I decided to book a ride at one of the local island stables. Got my first fright when I saw those huge creatures, but everything went well, I started to relax and enjoy myself, loping along the sandy beaches, but..then we reached harder ground on the way home and, never have been taught that position, where you stand in your stirrups, I started to bounce like sitting in an effen Deux-Chevaux and off I went, very much to the estonishment of the other riders. Was I ever embarassed!-
My second island flop happened only a few years ago at the Netherlands seaside , Schouwen-Duiveland . We have friends,who take their horses and put them up at a local, also rental, stable. So they meant well and invited Landfrau and daughter for a ride. Our friend told the stable owner that we were very good riders and that was a mistake. They gave us horses, which must have been sitting in their boxes for at least a week, probably beeing unmanagable for normal riders. Daughter had a run-away ,as soon as we reached the beach, she dissapeared as tiny dot at the horizon and me, I got a trotter, who must have been astonished that there was no sulky following up and stormed off in such a brisk trot that he just bounced me off too, only this time I fell at a high speed on ground where the water just had receeded and mind you, on top of beeing soaking wet I had the feeling I had fallen on pur concrete and I had hever been so bruised around my lower half up to the waistline in all my life. For 3 days my favoured companions were icepacks at the weirdest places.-
I have been riding horses in New Mexico and in Arizona, never having had any trouble. I should stay away from island-horses, for me, they are jynxed.

Life full of Highlites

June 4/09....8:50 p.m.

Would not be so great, to live a life full of highlites. You would never know boredom and sometimes it is just good to be lazy, empty and bored. Had such a day today, which had been full of tasks but utterly boring. My tonites highlite will now be a glass of wine and the relief to know that life will have real highlites in stall for me in the future and then boredom can go and fly a kite.

Busy Bee - that's me

May 30/09 .....4:31 p.m.

Really have been buzzing around today. First biketour with Herr Hund (fortunately his paw looks very good, the awn must have come out by itself) to pick up fresh aspargus and strawberries at our local farmer, then mowing the lawn and watering flowers and shrubs, then another biketour into village, this time minus Herr Hund , he is always such a slowpoke, sniffing no end and making me wait for him continiously - a pain in the neck. Had to pick up some small forgotten things and as a reward treated myself to a delicious icecream- cone from the Italian icecream parlor, feeling like a kid, dripping icecream all over my fingers and licking it off. Then at home I prepared some strawberry shortcakes with whipped cream, which we just devoured. Feeling a bit like a glutton, but never mind, had enough excercise, so I don't have a bad concience. Will go easy tonite and just prepare a nice green salad ,with tomatoes ,garlic bread crumbs and hard boiled eggs and fresh french bred alongside, a treat. - Enough food talk for now, enjoy my beautiful rose, it is still blooming in my garden!

Season`s Opening

May 28/09......6:66 p.m.

Yes, my friends, our Herr Hund had been the one, opening up the season being the first of awn victims. That's what the vet said anyway and that usually they fill in much later in the season. Well, Herr Hund had to live up to his name, country dog! - Fortunately the thing sits or sat, one can not really tell, between his toes and this way has no chance of migrating. Amazingly our patient does not limp, otherwise he would be good company to his master. For the time being no bandage, just antibiotics and we have to wait and see. Maybe we are lucky and the thing does not have to be cut out. So, keep your fingers crossed for us!

Summer Impressions

May 24/09.....4:18 p.m.

Landfrau promised herself a real "effn" lazy day today. Kept my promise up to now. Have to come inside for a while, soaking up sun while reading two papers made me kind of sweatty (but not smelly,haha) - a pool would be nice but all we have, is the pond, where at the moment we have the ultimative fish mortality, there are two leftovers to go but I bet that in the end we are stuck with one bugger who does not want to die and then pity grabs my heart and I go out and buy another couple of companions and the whole story starts anew. Well, such is life, or in this case rather the death of fish. This way we can stick to our neverending fishstories. The money we have spent on replacements could buy us a real good fishmeal by now. -
Last nite we had friends in for BBQ and foodwise everything turned out perfect, exept for the "test- grilled" sausages, which Herr Husband burned and Landfrau refused to eat. Our guests had been more brave, even claiming they were alright. The politeness of the invited! Herr Hund got mine and did not complain either.
So, if it would not be hate- monday tomorrow and we had a pool, life could be perfect.

Country Life

May 16/09 ...2:24 p.m.

I know, I know, I am repeating myself, but to enjoy living outside of a big city but having it close nevertheless has something. This morning Herr Hund and Landfrau went by bike (Landfrau - bike, not Herr Hund) to pick up aspergus, strawberries and potoatoes from a local farmer, freshly harvested. On the way through the fields and bushes we came eye to eye with a deer, so close I almost could have touched it. We stood there, staring at each other and I tried even to keep my breath, that I would not chase it away. Fortunately Herr Hund had been practicing his usual slow poke tour, by the time he arrived at my side, the deer had gone. Also I enjoy the horses, which have been turned out by now upon the various meadows, they so much enjoy the fresh air and joung grass, frolicing around. Now I will peel my aspargus and then dolly up, dinner date with my brother and sister-in-law.
At times life can be enjoyable!

Crybaby

May 11/09 ....9:20 p.m.

Complain often enough, loud enough, sometimes it helps. My little garden fork is on its way, daugther no. 1 took pity on poor mom, put it in the mail today. And I still have a promise on flowers (to be planted) from daughter no.2, made today at birthday party of son-in-law. Good food,good wine & good company, joung folks, love that! Evening had been a bit chilly,though, Herr Husband had today's sunshine mistaken for summer, he wanted to leave before he turned into an icicle, dressed too summerly. Grandson ran around in short sleeves, that kid must have fishblood!

Same Procedure as every Year, James!

May710/09...... 2:16 p.m.

What am I talking about? Well, look at the date,glorious mother's day! Up to now I got an electronic card which did not arrive. - It had been cute, when the kids had been small, hiding them for days & then coming up with the most atrocious little gifts, you had to be hilariously joyful about.
Not that I really take much notice of the occasion nowadays, only thing is, that I start teasing Herr Husband the day before, like I expect at least breakfast in bed (hate it, crumbs!) and he goes haywire, because he hates preparing breakfast, what am I saying is, he hates doing things around the house which involve hands, and that does not leave much to do. We had times it escalated in such a way that he started yelling at me that I was not his mother and me beeing pissed off in the end at his attitude.
Yesterday I did some garden work and my little handfork broke. So I said that I wanted a mother's day fork for a present . I DID NOT GET ONE!
Now we will take the bikes and drive for an icecream, it is a great sunny day, but not over yet *ggg*!

This is just too funny!

May 5/09 ...6:57 p.m.

For all my friends, who do not have the opportunity to watch our little video in YouTube! -Gives you a little impression about action around here. - Now, this will be it for now, this is not a baby blog *g* .

Little Miss Sunshine Content

May 2/09 ..11:22 p.m.

Having a toddler in the house is a somewhat different experience. Has one forgotten already the time when our kids had been small, having the run of the house? - Most of the "untouchables" had been put away, but in the garden a terracotta bowl had been a victim, calling ball,ball, grabbing and throwing it had been done so fast you did not have time to blink. Well, not too bad for collateral damage during 3 days, I would say, oh yes, a lump on the head from a headover tumble from the couch, which my heart made skip a beat for a moment. An adult falling like that would have broken his or her neck, I bet. Certainly the little queen had us dancing around her galore but can you say no to such a doll? Anyway, we enjoyed it , but honestly, every day and all the time would let us reach our limits. -

One thing is for sure, mother nature knows why she does not favour older women with offspring anymore and if older men think they still must father and raise kids, its their own fault.