Samstag, 21. Dezember 2013

Christmas Time

Magical Moon I 
As for so many, Christmas time to me means family time. My husband and I grab our cats and go to my Mama's house where we usually stay for about three weeks. It's also the time when my sister comes to visit. My other sister and my brother in law won't come this year because they are celebrating Christmas with his family this time. However, they came for a short December visit two weeks ago.

Due to the Christmas Markets, the Advent sundays, and the Advent Calendars the whole December is a magical time in Germany. Some of my most Christmassy moments I have captured in photos (unfortunately I don't have a photo of my sister and her husband on the Heidelberg Christmas Market...).


Expecto Patronum - very nice decoration at the Wertheim Village 
Magical moon II
Luis pays a visit!

Marina arrives at the airport.

A visitor at my workplace.



Sonntag, 24. November 2013

Oma



“Oma” is German and means “Grandma” or “Granny”. It’s pronounced /’o:ma/.
Even though I am composing this text in English I will keep on calling Oma “Oma” because that’s what I have called her all my life and a translation wouldn’t capture the true meaning of this word for me.

There are two reasons why I am writing this for my Oma: The first is that last October was the 10th anniversary of Oma’s day of death. The second is that Oma was one of my first heroines and it is not exaggerated to say that that’s what she will always be to me. She looked like a cute little old woman, charming and caring but she also must have been very, very strong and brave indeed. Some might call her a feminist – not because of the things she said but rather the things she did. As a child, the most obvious hint for me that she was different was that she was wearing trousers and not dresses and an apron. How modern! The other thing was not so easy to see because it was so normal for me that it took some time to realize: Oma was living alone and not with Grandfather. When I finally realized this and asked Mama, I would get the answer that she had left Grandfather and I wouldn’t ask further.
Later, bit by bit I learned the whole story but I never mentioned it to Oma herself and neither did she. Except once that is. Aged 80 she was sitting with my Mama at the table and I was passing by when she said (to Mama not to me but she knew that I was within earshot) “Do you think it was right? That I left Papa, I mean.” To be frank we were shocked! Mama answered and I didn’t dare to interrupt them but in the retrospective and with what I know today I should have jumped to her, grabbed her, hugged her and should have said just two words: “Yes, Oma!”

Of course, as usual, I used to have two Omas but I’m writing this for my “Wertheim-Oma” – my Oma who had been living in Wertheim, hence the pet name. However, Wertheim was not her hometown. In fact, my little Wertheim-Oma had made quite a journey until she was finally able to settle in what was to become her place of death!
Oma was born in a town in Silesia and was an only child. I understand that her grandparents whom she visited quite often were more or less well-off – not really rich I think but they were able to live in a neat little city house with one of those beautiful iron-cast balconies at the front. Whenever we saw such balconies she would smile happily and tell us grandchildren: “My grandparents used to live in a house with such a balcony a long, long time ago!”
When I think of Oma I usually picture her on a balcony as well – even though not such a beautiful one. I see her waving us good-bye from her balcony in Wertheim – not a very nice one actually with corrugated iron sheet in a wine red color but still nice in the way that for all my life this was Oma’s balcony. She would always step out and watch us walking to our parking space. Even though it is now 10 years since Oma died I can still see her when I pass the house where she used to live.

Poor Oma was not born into happy times. She was 10 years old when Hitler came to power and 22 at the end of WWII. She married her husband when she was 19 years old. I wonder whether she really was in love with him or not or whether back then he treated her nicely. We have postcards which at least give you the impression that as a young couple they were quite affectionate. But this fact actually makes their whole story only even sadder.
We don’t have a wedding photo of them – they went to a photographer but Grandfather was a soldier and Oma was also forced to work away from home. They had taken home leave for getting married and the family members they left behind had to flee before they were able to collect the pictures.
After the war, Oma and Grandfather were lucky enough to be in West Germany (unlike Oma’s parents) but it took some time until they found a place to stay. In 1948 Oma’s first child was born, my uncle. Later they found a place to settle in Baden-Wuerttemberg where in 1949 my Mama was born in a refugee home. Eventually by the help of the war refugee integration scheme they were able to move into a house there. However, life still was not easy: Grandpa wasn’t allowed to work in the profession that he had learned (he was a butcher) and had to work hard to earn at least a little money – maybe one aspect which made him turn into an alcoholic in the end. Oma mostly cared for their four children – after my uncle and Mama two other girls followed. Already when the children were small Grandfather had turned into a traditional patriarch – beating the children up for no good reason at all, only giving Oma little money to care for the household and prepare the meals and then reprimanding her for not buying enough meat. I know that my Grandfather had had a tough life – losing his father at the age of 4 in WWI, his mother marrying his cruel uncle, himself not being able to work in the profession he had chosen and earning more money. However, you always have a choice and because of the way he treated his family he more than deserved it that his wife left him in the end.
Even though Oma and her family might had found a place to stay, they weren’t treated as normal residents: the stain of being a refugee was not to be removed for some time. But even though they never had much money, Oma insisted that her children went to the Gymnasium – the highest secondary school form in Germany preparing the pupils for an academic career. This was far from being usual at that time! Oma was an ardent lover of proverbs and one of her favorite ones was “Nobody can steal what you have in your head!”.

Grandfather’s behavior got worse over the years. When Mama, my uncle and my aunt had already moved out of the house, my other aunt, the baby of the family, and Oma sometimes had to lock themselves in to prevent Grandfather focusing his anger at them when he was drunk. He even used psychological terror and put a knife in his little bedside cabinet threatening Oma to kill her.
Oma endured all this for years and years. Maybe for her children’s sake. The situation had to deteriorate even further until she finally took action. My other aunt had moved out and married and with all the children out of the house Grandfather’s behavior worsened. When Oma had to get her thyroid operated and came out of the hospital with a fresh operation wound and Grandfather forced her to remove the water from the basement after a small inundation, watching his weakened wife while she was doing the hard work and sneering at her, the urging of her children finally persuaded her to leave him. Remember, this was at a time when divorces were absolutely inacceptable and leaving your spouse was also out of the question for most people!
As Mama was already living in Wertheim, she and her brother and sisters decided to rent a flat for Oma there. My aunt collected Oma from the house where (against the plan) Grandfather was also there and certainly not pleased to learn that he was now being left alone by his wife! I only know little of how he reacted. Of course he was angry, also with his children. However, he stopped reprimanding them when they threatened to stop visiting him. Naturally, the relationship of the children towards their father was never a warm and loving one. Later, when he was staying in an old-people’s home one of the geriatric nurses once reproached Mama for coming to visit her father that seldom – but actually it was quite nice of them not to break the contact completely!

Oma was not even 60 when she came to Wertheim, the place where she finally found something which came at least close to a home. But Mama told me that she looked like 80 back then due to the operation and maltreatment of Grandfather.
Social relationships, e.g. the Wertheimer Silesian Club or the senior gymnastics and of course a whole bunch of grandchildren helped her recover soon!
She never had a relationship to another man again. I think she was through with that! In some ways this was a pity because she really was a charming woman. I remember her accompanying me to the orthodontist. After the treatment she asked him whether he remembered her: “We once danced at  a dance event together!”. She was probably 30 years older than him but she was looking all flirty and attractive, smiling at him a smile that you could not help to return! She was not really trying to chat him up, of course, but then and there it struck me that she must have been a damn good catch at her time. Well, Grandpa, your loss!!!

One of the few times when I talked to Oma about Grandfather was when she called us to tell us that he had died. Mama and Papa were still at work so I answered the phone and there she told me. I was 9 years old and was confused to hear that news from her as they never really belonged together for me and I didn’t know how to react (his death, on the other side, wasn’t a real shock as he had been very ill for a long time and as he never knew how to treat his grandchildren he was not much closer to me than a stranger). Of course I was sad but during that phone call I was rather worried about what his death meant to Oma.
I’d love to see her happier time in Wertheim as her happy ending, but real life usually mixes too much drama in and true happy endings are rare. Oma developed dementia in her last years and I guess also a sort of geriatric depression.
She still missed Silesia very much and often told stories about her childhood there. But the mood of her stories had changed – she only seemed to want to get as much stories across as possible rattling on in a monotonous voice without seeming to realize you were sitting in front of her. I still remember how she told me about one exceptionally cold winter where she went ice skating on the river and had frostbite on her toes afterwards. I have heard this story several times but I remember it how she told it for me the last time. It was the day of her death and I somehow had the feeling while listening to her that part of her were already gone – a common feeling when meeting a person suffering from dementia. The world turns into a hostile place for them because they often don’t understand it anymore or – even worse – they realize in their clear moments that their brain doesn’t work properly anymore.
Today we know that you’re not supposed to convince a dement person when they misunderstand something – back then we didn’t know and this lead to several disputes with her (I especially remember when Oma and my aunt visited me in hospital and my aunt had a quarrel with Oma because she insisted that she never had heard of carnival in her whole life).
Also, I still have to cry when I imagine how my Oma had her hair made for the celebration of her 80th birthday with the Silesian Club and was waiting in the restaurant in vain for her visitors because she got mixed up with the date of the Silesian Club meeting! I was so sorry when Mama asked how it was and she told us in an upset manner “Nobody came!”.

Still, she sometimes had clear moments. Oma spend the weekend of Mama’s 54th birthday at our place and on Sunday she and Mama were sitting at the table together and I passed by as she asked her the question I told you before. I held my breath and couldn’t move for a moment. After all these years she wasn’t sure whether her decision had been right! The question caught Mama out of the blue. Surprised and nearly impatiently she said “Yes!” (a very elongated “yes”). “Yes, of course Mama.” I can’t remember if I stayed longer but I think I left the room out of decorum. However, as I said before, I wish I had gone to her and shouted: “Yes, Oma”. And I wish I had told her that I had the greatest respect for her for leaving her husband in a time where this was far from being normal or even socially acceptable! I wish I had told her how she was (and will always be) my heroine! In some way, life in the end was merciful to her. “One stroke in old age and that’s it.” That’s what she always said how she imagined a death with dignity.
The day of her death Mama and I had decided to take her to us, because we realized that finally she wasn’t able to live alone anymore. We received the phone call in the evening. Her neighbors said that Oma had collapsed in the staircase while talking to a neighbor and friend of her. Mama, Timo and I rushed to her. Timo waited downstairs to show the paramedics the way as soon as they arrived. Mama and I went upstairs.
There Oma was lying, part of her face strangely distorted – an effect of the stroke she had suffered. She wasn’t addressable any more. Mama turned to me to say something (I have forgotten what it was) when Oma opened her mouth for the last time and babbled something. Maybe it meant nothing. But for Mama and me “Traudl” was discernible. Traudl was Oma’s pet name for Mama. Mama rushed to her. “Yes, Mama, I am here. Everything will be fine!” I am very happy for Oma and for Mama that they had this moment together. Oma’s last time she had seen her own mother must have been some kind of trauma for her: Her mother was in quarantine in hospital and Oma wasn’t allowed to approach her. She looked at her through a window several meters away and they were only able to wave goodbye to each other. We’ll never know whether Oma really was trying to call Mama but I am convinced that Oma was still there and was able to feel Mama’s and my presence. The paramedics soon arrived. Oma had suffered a severe stroke and the doctor later told Mama and my aunt that if she survived, she would be a complete nursing case.
I woke up during the night because the telephone rang. I heard how my Mama stood up and took the call. I heard her leave the house and only then stood up. She had left a note: “Oma has passed away. I’m in the hospital. Kiss, Mama.”
Despite my grieve I was relieved: That was what she would have wanted!

I feel sorry for my little Oma when I think of how many things went wrong in her life. So at least she had deserved a quick death without ailment. When I pass the house with the flat that her children had rented for her so that she could leave her husband, I look up to the topmost balcony on the left and there I can still see her watching me and waving towards me. Oma, you want to know whether it was right to leave grandfather? Yes, Oma, nothing could have been more right and I am and will always be proud of you!

Montag, 21. Oktober 2013

The Mushroom Foray

At Mama's birthday we decided to go into the forest the following sunday to go on a mushroom foray. My Papa was an ardent mushroom picker but we never dared to go till now. 

It was a cold but nice sunday afternoon and we found quite a lot of mushrooms without even having to venture far off our car. It is really interesting to see how the forest can turn you into that child again that accompanied Papa on some of his forays. And Mama and Timo also seemed no less excited when they found a new specimen ("Look what I have found!")!

Our excitement was a little diminished when we had to throw some of our booty away in the end because we were not certain about the species. But we found some very nice boletes and we prepared a delicious meal with them (Couscous, aubergines, courgettes, onions, soy cream)!

And by the way: Yes, we're still alive!

The forest, its smells and the whole atmosphere - I really only realized how much I had longed to re-experience all this when I was there again. A lot of memories came back to me - real experiences mixed with what my own childish perception has turned them into - of enchanted forests, a blond little girl jumping with a cry of joy on what she referred to as "Puff-Puff Mushrooms"*, forest cabins - some creepy, some inviting - and Papa asking in a whisper "Shall we try whether the huntsman's at home?" or his explanation after our knock remained unanswered that surely, he's out hunting - "Maybe next time we're lucky!".

We certainly won't let 11 years pass until the forest will have us again!

Against my husband's bold claim, I was the lucky finder of this storybook-mushroom!

* The inside of a certain kind of mushroom eventually turns into dust and stepping on them lets them "explode" in a funny *puff* noise. It turns out that the name I made up as a child was not far from the truth - or at any rate not far from the english name for it: "Puffball".

Sonntag, 13. Oktober 2013

A Visit to the Emerald Isle

At the shore near Spiddal

My husband and I finally went to visit my sisters in Ireland. As usual, it was over much too soon. This time our visit was split into the visit at Marina's place in Barna (a charming little chalet filled with paintings, books, and colors) and Anke and Adrian's place in the countryside (a newly built house which naturally still needs a little furnishing but which already has a very beautiful kitchen).

Family evening in Anke and Adrian's kitchen


Slowly but surely Ireland turns into my second home. At least I had a slight "coming home feeling" when we reached Galway this time. Of course this also has to do with the fact that my two sisters live there but it really seems to be more than just that. 


Little gate in Marina's neighbourhood

Fuchsias - the blossoms that always remind me of Marina; found near her place

At a ranch where I joined a horse trekking tour Anke and I fell in love with this "little" fella and her brother. Irish Wolfhounds are such lovable creatures. I'd love to get one as a companion some day but unfortunately they don't grow very old!



The pain of leaving Galway was eased when were collected at the airport by my parents-in-law and when we returned to my Mama's house to find all three (Mama, Emma, and Leo) well and happy to see us again!

Dienstag, 10. September 2013

Birthday

I turned 28 at the end of August. I can't remember when I stopped to like my birthday. Fact is: Even though I certainly don't think that I am old, I am a bit worried because I still don't have a plan for my life. That's why my birthday freaks me out! In some ways I feel like a child who has just found out that all the adults have been lying to it presenting themselves as wise and flawless when  really they are as clueless as before.

However, my birthday wasn't too bad in the end. Timo woke me up by singing "Happy Birthday", Emma and Leo were there, a small birthday table as well (a table with candles and my presents) and we all had breakfast together. A short rather unpleasant intermezzo ensued when I found out that two of my skirts in my wardrobe were moulding (no - I didn't see the striking parallel then). Then we went to Mama where yet another birthday table was waiting for me and in the afternoon we had cake (my favourite birthday cake: Schokokusstorte = Chocolate Kiss Cake*1) and and a few friends and family came to visit me.

Birthday card by Marina showing a monkey (not Chester*2)
The fragrant presents from Anke and Adrian - Leo is interested!
A photo of the chocolate kiss cake my Mama made for my wedding (the dark thing in the middle is a "Schokokuss").

*1: A chocolate kiss cake is a biscuit cake with a topping made of quark, cream and chocolate kisses (website in German) - a kind of German treat consisting of a dry waffle base topped with white "foam" (sugar and egg white) coated with chocolate.
*2: I will introduce Chester in one of my future posts.

Dienstag, 27. August 2013

London Calling

Two years ago during our honeymoon, my husband and I fell in love with London. I am actually a country girl in many ways but still there are some big cities that I really could picture myself living in - and London's one of them (or rather on top of the list). 
Consequently,  we went to London again last year. And this year.

One thing I like about London is the tube - it's so easy to travel even for tourists and you feel soooo cosmopolitan when you pass the ticket barrier with your oyster card and a "I don't give a fuck" attitude or when you roll your eyes because somebody stands on the left at the escalators (no offence, Marina *g*).

Another thing is its multiculturality.
And that the city is vibrant with activity. 
And its interesting history.
And Shakespeare's Globe Theatre.
And ... I really could go on like this forever!

So here are some of the things we did this year:


We stayed at a very nice hotel called "The Royal Horseguard" - it had a TV in the shower. I watched Scooby-Doo on it. However, the bedroom was somehow more comfortable for watching TV. But then again, I am just a commoner.


We visited Dr. Johnson's House - a real gem and definitely recommendable! Johnson's ideas about the imagination were part of my master thesis - I really think that he was a genius.

This year we finally went INSIDE the Tower of London. The last times we didn't because of the extremely high price for the tickets. I still think they are expensive but you really get something for your money. You can easily spend several hours there.
We went to the theatre to see "Ladykillers" - very funny though the second act wasn't as hilarious as the first one.
 
We also met Marina and Matt in London. Their hotel even featured gadgets that our hotel didn't: a bottle opener!

We attended the Even Song in Westminster Abbey - to hear the choir in this gothic cathedral really was a sublime experience!


After we joined the Jack the Ripper tour near the Tower on our last evening we had dinner at the Dicken's Inn at the St. Katharine Docks. A nice ending to a nice holiday. Next year we're planning to visit Edinborough - but then again I heard London's nice, too. Who knows?

Mittwoch, 31. Juli 2013

Leaving One's Beaten Track

Yesterday I went running again. As I have been staying at my Mama's house for some time I was happy to be back on my usual running track. But life can be quite ironic sometimes and I was confronted with a traffic sign telling me the street was closed due to construction work ahead. So I was forced to leave my beaten track and took an unknown one, a small track leading into the forest. I wasn't too happy at first: I tend to feel quite insecure when I'm on an unknown way. There are too many questions in my mind which usually keep me from enjoying the run. Where does the track lead to? Will this track be too long or too short for me? Will it suddenly end and force me to turn around (I can't stand this when I'm running)? Will the track lead me to a degenerated, incestious, cannibalistic tribe deep in the woods? (The usual questions, you see.)
However, this time I was able to enjoy the new way nevertheless! It offered a splendid view over the river loop and provided a surrealistic fairy tale atmosphere which made me even forget that I was running. Plus: it was neither too long nor too short and led me back on my usual track in the end but with the advantage of having had the opportunity to receive new perspectives and to learn that the unknown is not necessarily hostile or insecure.
It is nice to have one's beaten track, to be sure, but it turns out that it is also very advisable to leave it from time to time!
Have fun, good luck, take care!
Sibylle

Not part of the running track (neither the usual nor the new one) but a new track we found during a nice summer evening stroll.

Freitag, 26. Juli 2013

Red June

A wonderful evening in June surrounded by the color red in an Italian restaurant
Even though we're already heading towards the end of July I just have to share my June impressions with you! Curiously, the color red seemed to be a recurring theme during that month: e.g. the dinner in the Italian restaurant with a very red and very delicious rosè wine, the iconic red roses, the red tablecloth and the red peppers in my spaghetti aglio e olio (without the aglio and parmesan to make it stomach and vegan-friendly - not on the photo); the red poppy near the street on my way to work - so beautiful against the luscious complentary green of the meadows; and a lot of red food in general (tomatoes - dryed, in paste form and fresh, peppers, and berries).

July has faded the luscious colors of June a little - suddenly summer is THERE: Saturday is expected to hit the 40ºC limit. Still I try to enjoy the hot temperatures - I complained too much about the cold and long winter. And the hot temperatures in combination with our family fest revived some nice childhood memories which were epitomized when my sister Marina and I ran through the water jets of the lawn sprinkler. As the red was the dominant color of June, July was probably light blue - the color of the mainly unclouded sky (or when it was clouded the clouds were of a light blue color as well).

I wonder what color will be dominant in August. Maybe the faded yellow of the corn,  oats, and wheat fields near my Mama's house where I'm staying at the moment (my apartment is again too hot for poor fluffy Leopold)? We'll see. I'll let you know!

Have fun, good luck, take care!
Sibylle

Freitag, 14. Juni 2013

Gone

Last Wednesday my sister and her husband have moved to Ireland. It is still something I can't really grasp - as they weren't living nearby I am used to not seeing them every day. But naturally, Ireland is further afar and so I must become reconciled to the fact that I will see them less often.

The plus is that they own a big house and having two sisters living in Ireland will certainly result in me going to Ireland much more often - yay!

Anyway, the last weekend (or rather Saturday, Sunday, Monday, AND Tuesday) was under the motto "Saying Good-bye to Anke and Adrian". And it was awesome!

Saturday:
The Saturday evening farewell party was made a little complicated by severe weather in our hometown. Timo and I were just driving to my Mama's place (the location of the party) when it started to hail. We took refuge in one of the underground carparks in the town where we were forced to stay one and a half hours because it was bucketing down all the time. When we left the carpark we saw that the thunder storm had left extensive damage and it took us ages to arrive at the party. But in the end we finally all had a nice evening with even nicer food (kidding - both great)!

The odyssey to the farewell party.


Sunday:
We made a trip to Miltenberg - a lovely town near the river Main with a lot of timber-framed houses and a castle with a beautiful view over the city, the river and the surrounding landscape.
I wanted to go to Miltenberg with Adrian and Anke because I knew she would especially love one spot there: At one point you are still in the town of Miltenberg, walk through an old gate in the town wall and you suddenly find yourself in an enchanted forest (or that's what it looks like). A really dream-like experience!

Not the gate I am referring to in the text but also picturesque!


Monday:
Anke, Adrian, and Mama visited Timo and me in the evening and I cooked vegan Pancakes and made vegan Icecream (at the moment I am doing the so-called 30-days vegan challenge from the German vegan chef Attila Hildmann). I don't want to blow my own trumpet but the food was great! We really had a nice time together and Anke and Adrian were able to say farewell to Emma and Leo, too!

Tuesday:
After work, Timo and I went to my Mama's place again and Mama made potatoe salad and Klopse (some sort of little flat meat balls - I had a vegan alternative of course) and Anke prepared apple crumble and even a small vegan wholemeal apple crumble for me - yummy! Different to most of the other people who know about my vegan challenge plan Anke is very understanding and interested and she even encouraged me to try it out. And I know that it is not self-evident that others prepare a special meal for me. @ Anke: Thank you, Spatzl!

Later that evening it was time to say good-bye and at one point I was close to bursting into tears. However, I was able to keep my composure because I knew it would have made their going so much more difficult. 

Anke and Adrian - stepping into a bright future!


Speaking of the devil...right now, I received a text message from her! Luckily, today distances do not have the same meaning they used to have in the past. 

Gone...yes, but still so close!

Lots of love to my two Hiberno-Sisters Marina and Anke!

Sonntag, 26. Mai 2013

One Wedding and a Holiday

It's been a while since I published my last post. I feel a little bad about this but then again it gives me more things to write about. 
For example I finished my dress and was able to wear it for the wedding of a friend of mine.




I wore it with black opaque tights, black pumps, a black vintage (well...at least from the 1970s!) belt from my mother in law and a golden studded black clutch. I tried to set my hair in a Old Hollywood glamour style kind of way but ended up with large - "I've put my hand into a power socket" - curls. But it looked all right after some combing.


I was able to give them a DIY-Card for their wedding (the crabs are an insider-joke):



And was secretely amused by the phallic table decoration:



All in all it was a very nice evening. Contrary to popular opinion I actually like to go on weddings because they offer good food (and lots of it!), dancing, a reason to dress up excessively, a feeling of being moved to tears (always when the couple enters the church and the organ plays a traditional wedding march - love it!), more food, and the knowledge that you can relax because you're not in the center of attention (that's the best) and ... food!

Another reason why I haven't written for so long is that Timo and I went on holiday. For the first time in more than ten years I was able to be with my sister on her birthday! I was so excited especially because it was a very special birthday: her 30th. We had a great time and went on a mini-holiday within our holidays - a nice trip to Dingle the town on Dingle the peninsular.
As usual, Timo and I ate a lot and slept a lot because the change to the Irish climate somehow always make us tired and hungry. But weren't idle the whole time. We went running, shopping, for beach walks, to an exibition launch of Thomas Ryan, to the Blasket Center, more shopping, and ...for many lunches and dinners and snacks!
Some impressions from our holiday:

Marina`s birthday table

Ennis cathedral



Beach on the Dingle peninsular


Add caption

Beach near Marina`s chalet

Dienstag, 7. Mai 2013

Running...

I can't remember the time when I started to go running. But I do remember that at the beginning I wasn't even able to keep running for much more than a kilometer. Over time I got better and these past years I was at least able to run twice a week during the summer months albeit only 4 to 5 kilometers. However, I never really enjoyed running - I did it to keep fit and healthy and to stay in shape but I always had to overcome my weaker self when I went for a run. The high feeling so many runners described was absolutely unknown for me.

That's why I am very proud to say that finally this has changed! A little over a year ago I started to go for longer runs. It wasn't a conscious decision - I had had a bad day and was angry and sad and disappointed of myself and all that at the same time. The decision to go running then was rather a meant as a punishment for me. And so was the extension of my usual running route. But curiously enough somewhere on the way all my bad feelings vanished into thin air! I returned home a different person and the new running route (about 10 kilometers long) became my new normal route. During the last summer I managed to go running three times a week and the great feeling during and after the run usually returned most of the times. And even though I had a winter break I am happy to say that I have now come back to go running three times a week.

Last weekend I went into a sporting goods shop to get a running analysis and new running shoes. The fact that my sister Marina has problems with her knees at the moment (and I really hope she's getting better again now) really was a matter for reflection for me. And the trainers are certainly not an item where saving costs is advisable. In the end I bought black nike shoes. I tried them on in a different color and my first thought was: Oh my God, they are the ugliest trainers ever! But they felt rather like wearing socks and not shoes - they are extremely light and have a quite soft sole. I've been running three times since my purchase (the magical number three again!) and I think it was a good one. 

I really can recommend running to everyone and to those who wonder why they don't feel exalted after a good run: Keep on trying - when you finally attain that level where your body releases pots of endorphins it is worth the hard work!

Mittwoch, 1. Mai 2013

Progress

I have mentioned before that I want to become more prolific in all kinds of creative work. And I am happy to say that - at least compared to the time before I have made that resolution - I have made progress.

Some examples:

I have finally managed to paint the frame for my poster. 



I love how you can still see the grain of the wood. All in all it is not a perfect frame but I am still proud of it. However, I must admit that my father-in-law helped me. (Oh, and yes - that's Leopold in the back in one of his favourite poses - leg-up!)




I have changed a dress which didn't really fit.




I tried to paint a picture with oil colors.

I can't really paint with oil colors. Originally, I wanted to paint a somber and eerie landscape. Instead, it looks like the gruffallo will pass at any moment. I am definitely not a great painter. But somehow I like it all the same.

I certainly could have produced more...but it's a start!