close to home

Well, another 2 weeks are over and we are packing again to leave Texas tomorrow morning around 6 am. The weather finally is giving its best, so we could sit in the backyard the whole afternoon, yesterday. We had a BBQ in the evening and a lot of fun!
Even right now it is 74* and I'll keep this post short to enjoy the last warm sun rays before being back in "Good (c)old Germany".

kinda bad luck

It's official: I've got a bad cold! Since two days I'm having such a sore throat and this morning I woke up and had no voice.
Next Friday my sister wanted to show us Sea World in San Antonio, but - as we figured out today - most of the parks are closed because of winter season. So we don't go to Sea World. But there are some more attractions in San Antonio, so I think we will have fun anyway.

At least we could spent time as family together!

feel kinda sick today

Today we just hang around. The weather is a little better, the sun came out for the first time we are here and the fog is gone. But it is still cold. Rumors are we're gonna have some snow tonight, others say it would be warm on Monday... we'll see.

My sister wanted to show us HEB today and so we went there shopping. I like that place! They offer a lot of European stuff so it felt close to home (no, not the TV show!).

We just got back (it's around 2pm) and I feel a little sick now... Hope I didn't catch another cold!

blasting start of the year

yesterday morning I went to my kitchen to have some water; since it was still a little dark I switched on the ceiling lamp.

At the same time I was switching it frizzeled and cracked very loud and with a bang the light flashed for a second, something popped out of the lamp and then it was quiet and dark again.

I realized the fuse was blown and after I had fixed that I could see what had come down:

The light bulb was exploded and charred and the bulb socket is still sticking in the holder in the lamp and I wonder how I can unscrew and remove it...
I am so glad and thankful that it didn't crash into my face or something.

Here you can see the difference between a new bulb and the grilled one...

the celebrity in me

I saw something today in an other post and thought I could try.
Have you ever thought I'd look like Gwyneth Paltrow???



After that I uploaded a bunch of pictures. Some were kind of embarrassing (one said I look like Jared Padalecki, HAHA!) and another one said I'd look like Angelina Jolie!! The funny thing with that special picture is that somebody put a clothes-pin on my nose:


This is my new haircut, by the way. But it does NOT look like Angelina Jolie, AT ALL.

I tried another old picture:



Do Gillian Anderson and Gwyneth Paltrow have something in common? Well, sure: my face, HAHA!

My insight: It depends on the picture - AND (if I had any doubt): I am an individual...

what's your best quality?

I wouldn't say I am intelligent if you'd ask me about my qualities... and a lot of mistakes in my life prove that black is white. But I made this Tickle Test and that's what result says:

What's Your Best Quality?

My Result: Intelligent

People who are highly intelligent are more likely to be unique than many. Higher intelligence also offers greater possibilities in terms of how someone is likely to interpret the world. In addition, intelligent people are typically more able to articulate themselves well and to have high integrity.

Take this test >

What is YOUR best quality?

new style of brushing teeth

Today I had another appointment at my dentists. They showed me a new style of brushing teeth six weeks ago - you only do it once a day and you don't need toothpaste anymore! Listerine does it!
At the first meeting they scaled all my teeth and taught me how to brush my teeth differently to avoid calculus.

The idea behind the concept is like you would never give your shoes a shine like in the picture on the right because you won't get the brush in between. That's the same with teeth and while the brush can't get into the spaces caries can grow and destroy the teeth from that point.

That's why SOLO-MED company developed a new kind of tooth brush that will clean every single tooth and additionally little brushes for the spaces between the teeth. They have them in different magnitudes so it would fit for narrow and wider spaces.

I tried this style of brushing teeth over the last six weeks and I really like it! Since I don't need toothpaste I always brush my teeth in the evening while watching TV... it's actually kind of relaxing...!

And this is how to do it:

You probably think that would take a long time... but I only need about 10 minutes for this kind of brushing my teeth. And in the morning I use Listerine to feel refreshed.
If you know some german you can visit the SOLO-MED site here.

tagged for eight things

A while ago I was tagged by April for eight things.

Here are the rules:
(1) Each player starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
(2) People who are tagged need to write a post on their own blog (about their eight things) and post these rules.
(3) At the end of your blog, you need to choose people to get tagged and list their names.

1. My favorite ice cream is Vanilla and I love it when it comes with hot raspberries. Unfortunately my body doesn't deal well with dairy products anymore and that's why I can't have it very often.
2. I like the scent of freshly washed clothes, especially bedding. The best ever is, when I can have a bubble bath or a hot shower in the evening and then crawl into my bed covered with recently laundered bedding.
3. I like to cook and even more when I have a bunch of friends around my table enjoying what I've prepared.
4. Sometimes I have the bad habbit of picking my finger tips around the cuticle when I watch a movie that is really thrilling or grabbing my attention so much in any other way that I am like a part of it.
5. Being at the sea is something special to me. I remember a vacation I spent in Italy; we went to the beach every other day to relax from sight seeing tours across the country. The most impressive was one evening I spent at the beach when it was already dark but still warm. The almost full moon was shining on the water, leaving a silver band there. I think I was sitting there for almost an hour, just watching the moon and listening to the waves.
6. I don't like celery. I think it is the only kind of vegetable I don't eat because if I chew it, it tastes like soap in my mouth. The funny thing is: In general the taste of celery is a MUST in some soups and sauces (like Bolognese) and if I don't bite on it, it doesn't taste like soap for me. So here comes the trick: I grate the celery so I won't bite on the pieces but I have the taste of it in the dish.
7. I like to sleep at night with an open window. I even don't like shutters because I love to be woke up by the sun. Problem: I live in a city and my bedroom window faces a big road and I don't want to sleep with the smell of exhaust gases. So I keep my window closed. And since the time I read an article in the newspaper that it is much better to have the shutters closed during night (at least during cold seasons) to keep the warmth inside (and so reduce the energy costs), I do close it, too. Only solace: it is wintertime and if I waited for the sun to wake me up it would be way to late for me to get up, anyway.
8. I love to take pictures (not at least to share good shots at my blog) and I've got this great new toy called cellphone. I always say it should better be called a camera that also can telephone. Check it out here. I really don't want to miss it anymore.

Ok, here we are, I did it. Now I have to tag somebody else and I choose Stefanie and Allison.

my new shoes - fall 07

OK... they're not brandnew anymore, I bought them Tuesday 23, so it's 10 days ago. But I am still HAPPY I found them marked down, so I decided to buy them in brown and dark blue. I bought another pair in black but those were not Docker's but half-boots, lined with lambs wool. So now I'm prepared for the winter.

more or less (the dancing bird)

Do you know the feeling when your day is so cram-full of things you have to do that at the same time everything seems so empty?
I had to work so hard the last weeks, staying in my office from 6.30 a.m. until 5 p.m. that I was no longer in a position to keep my household the way I like it. To say nothing of emails or birthday cards that I should have written or phone calls I should have made to cheer up my friends.
Can you imagine how desperately I waited for October 15 wich was the first day of my two-week-fall-vacation and can you figure it took more than one week for me to have a rest?

Anyway, I do not want to fall in Anju's category of "people who don't update their blog often enough" so at least I want to share something really funny my friend Antje sent me in an email yesterday:


Lustige Videos – Gratis Fun Video – Deine funny Videos bei Clipfish

tagged for my living room

Almost four weeks ago I was tagged by Lady Choconet to show my living room. I am sorry that I am that late, but here it comes!

I took the picture ten months ago, but nothing changed in my living room so far; so I thought to present that one. I will probably add some more in a time...

By the way - the lady sitting on the couch is my mother - just in case you'd think this picture was taken from a catalogue with a model on the couch to show how comfortable it must be... :-))

Well, to continue that game: I'd like to see an Indian living room and I tag Anju. I copy "the rules" set up by choconet: Anju, please present us your living room. Don't worry, it can only be a very tiny picture or just one detail from the room like a cupboard you like most or so.

Not much time

I've actually not much time to write (details will follow hopefully soon) but my sister sent me a link to a YouTube video - I just wanted to share because it's so funny!

Blog-Break

Only for those who miss me:

I've got a bad sinusitis since last week Thursday and I have to stay at home from work until Friday.

Today is the first day I have not such a big pressure in my head (only if I bend down)...

Talk to you later

Indian Food

At the beginning of this year I bought a coupon book for restaurants.

The deal is you order 2 meals but you only pay that higher priced one.

The idea behind is to find places you usually don't go.

That's how we got to the SHAHI-RESTAURANT last night. It was a wonderful, warm evening and we could sit outside!

And the food....! All I can say I LOVE Indian food!!! (Ok, Indian food made in Gemany - I have to trust that it is the same like the original)

last match of the season

Yesterday afternoon I was asked if I'd like to go to the last soccer match of the season 2006/2007, that took place today in the Commerzbank Arena - a real big stadium (they had 50500 visitors today)...! And because I have never been to a stadium - although I am a soccer fan - I certainly wanted!

Can't explain the atmosphere... the sound of 50000 shouting and cheering fans... even if it were not my favorite teams I don't want to miss that exciting experience!!!

We started at 1:12 pm in Wiesbaden by train and get off the train at Frankurt Stadium train station at approx. 1:50 pm. At the same time it stopped raining...! The second highlight: We had no tickets so far to get into the stadium and if you try to get tickets at that late point of time you usually have to pay something like a black market price... But a few steps from us a young guy sold some tickets: one ticket was 22,- € (29,50 US $) but he gave us two for 25,- € (33,70 US $)!!! Somebody else, who saw this, came over and told us (I hink he was a bit jealous) that he had payed 28 € for his single ticket... and we had two tickets for 3 € less - isn't that cool?!?

Unfortunately I forgot to bring my camera so I only took some pictures with my cell-phone camera... Those are not really good, but you can take a look at the Commerzbank Arena and also see pictures in the internet- I could find some via google (pictures there are mostly from the soccer world cup last year).

Thanks again, JR, for making it possible!

the tag game

It's really time for me to continue the game after I was tagged by wolfsong and start to share "ten things". I had a few days to think about and I decided to start with some basics and then list some things of deeper matter. But not too deep, otherwise this list will never end...

1. I was six years old when an orthopedist found that something was wrong with my skeleton. The doctors still don't know what the problem is but it has a bad effect on my joints.
2. I was fourteen years old when I had my first surgery (of sixteen so far) at different joints
3. I love to go in for sports but I was never allowed to stay at a certain team (see 1 and 2) besides physiotherapy, a little bit of biking and walking and I am joining a Pilates class since last wednesday; my major wish is to run a short distance at full speed
4. I love to travel. I have been to Austria, Czech Republic, France, Italy, Israel, Netherlands, South Africa, Switzerland, United States (Florida, California, Maryland) and on my way to the U.S. I had stopovers in London (twice) and Iceland, but I only stayed at the airport there.
5. My sister and her family moved from Maryland to Texas four weeks ago, so I hopefully will visit them in Texas, soon.
6. I love sunny weather and my favorite vacation is a combination of beach holiday and sightseeing tours every other day
7. I like my new (I think after only 5 months you can still say it's new) camera and love to take pictures
8. I love to cook - especially for a bunch of friends - and have parlor-game-evenings at my place
9. I try to get up at five o'clock in the morning to have time to read my bible and workout (gymnastics) before I go to work (but sometimes I don't meet that claim)
10. My favorite bible verses are 1. Corinthians 13:4-7 and I try to live according to it

well, 10 things of my life so far... maybe one day I am ready for a "50-things-list" how I saw it recently on other blogs. Now it's time for me to tag some fellows at my blog, here I go:

Allison

Amy

April

Choconet

Sis

blubbery in my head

well, Fran would say "I feel yukky" - I think that sounds good so far to explain my mood - having sinusitis since saturday, that's why I din't like to stay at the pc frequently and for a longer time this week... stayed at home from work monday & tuesday and had a kind of ropy day today - time didn't want to pass by.

Anyway, it's leisure-time now!

Monthly Review - April 07

When I moved to my place July 2005 some things in my appartment were missing, because this one is bigger than the last one. I said to myself, okay, it was pretty expensive to move - I should wait for a better moment before buying more stuff like cabinets for my kitchen.

Would you be surprised if I tell you this adequate moment came ---- NEVER?!?!

Meanwhile I almost felt sick only by entering my kitchen, seeing all those kind of things just standing around on my countertop or somewhere else that actually better stay in a closet! Please don't think I am someone who always has to clean up everything - I tolerated it for almost two years after all! But as you know - enough is enough! AAAnd here we go - I bought some new cabinets in April and I am SO happy!

Something else I thought about to buy since last year November was a water dispenser - you won't find so many of them in private homes in Germany, here we usually know them from some work places or hospitals etc (public places). When I first tried to find a good one that fits for me (with size and money) they were too expensive and big. But I got an offer at the beginning of April I couln't reject. And as you know it is very healthy to drink a lot of water beside the fact I don't have to carry home reams of water bottles anymore that purchase was worthwhile! Isn't it fancy?



Oh and I almost forgot to talk about that secret wish I had for a long time: a drill/screwdriver! After I bought it 2 weeks ago I ran all around my appartment to find screws that needed to be fixed! That was a lot of fun...!

Coffee, Coffee, Coffee - and Tea

Usually I am not somebody who drinks a lot of coffee... only at work (the famous coffee break). At home I only drink tea (and water or softdrinks of course and sometimes a glas of wine. But that's not the topic).

One reason is: I always didn't want to buy a coffee machine only to brew a single cup of coffee time by time. But NOW the time has come... I found something absolutely cool... I am SO excited!!!

Maybe three or four weeks ago I surfed the internet if "senseo" could be an option but I found a kind of allround machine, a tiny small one, that brews one or two cups of coffee AND espresso if you want AND you can draw hot water for tea. And the best of all: It is the best machine of 10, tested by "Stiftung Warentest" (independent company that tests and compares different kinds of products to protect consumers) and I found a special offer online (68,80 EUR).

Now I can drink tea as I am used to do and can have a cup of coffe any time I want. And my guests have the choice, too. Take a look at my new treasure (it arrived 3 days ago):

I ordered it online (click the link), but I don't know if they have the same price like when I ordered it January 15th...

my different faces

my different faces