The Perverseness of Life

Why is it that sometimes not getting what your heart so desires, makes what you already have seem so much sweeter? And when slapped down, it sometimes just increases you will to succeed.

Sadly the cold punch season is over, but that means the Glühwein season is approaching. It has to be said Germany has it's merits above no speed limit on the motorways (I know you are sick of hearing it). This place does Christmas really well. Glühwein is just one of the small parts that make up the whole great experience.

Flea Market

I am doing a flea market (inside) this Saturday. For anyone in the area, it is in the Schwelmer str. 10 in Flingern (Düsseldorf) from 09:00 - 17:00. The flea market is taking place in a disused machine hall so it'll be good even if it rains. 

We've got everything you need (and plenty you don't but might like), funky secondhand clothes for grown ups and kids, antiques, preloved books, English and German, new things, crockery, pictures, some electrical appliances, telephones, new toys, oh you name it.... and some jam. It is all in a good cause. I am going to save my takings to go visit friends in China (silly people that moved away!).

Oh do come along. You might find the steal of your day!

Chaos - Why No Pictures or Posts

A while back we had some renovations done to our place. Needn't have been too disrupting, some new windows, more insulation and new vents on our radiators. We weren't anticipating weeks of chaos. Too bad, it happened anyway.

We got back from our holidays (good thing No. 1) to be swallowed up by workmen traipsing in and out of the place, dust saturating everything and mess everywhere. That was just the windows. The day after the heating vents had been swapped, we had water pooring out of all of our radiators. A big hooray and thank you goes out to the lady who amazingly saved our laminate flooring (having to have that replaced would have been a nightmare). The water meant getting everything up off the floor and desconstructing my office. For those of you not in the know, it is about as big as an under-the-stairs cupboard and is stacked to the ceiling. This is the reason why I have never published a picture of it here and am so unlikely to ever do so. It is a very small room, but very central to my life. Despite it being so small, if it is out of action then our place falls into chaos and with it, any ressemblance of organisation I might have pretended to have.

Why should this affect this space you might ask. Well, with no space there to organise or blog, and the space elsewhere covered in the stuff from there, not only have the physical spaces to do these things been filled, but also the motivation or interest. Add to that a lack of personal laptop (it had to go back to it's owners, my old employers (good thing No. 2) and you have seen the result. Yep, no blog.

I have thousands of pictures from our wonderful holiday to a beautiful part of the world. I have news that I shall devote a whole post to. And lots of thoughts about autumn and the new routes my life is currently taking. Hmmmmm..... just have to get that office sorted.

September Always Brought Beginnings

Tomorrow I shall be back with pictures and news. Big changes here. And they are good ones.

What a Day!

This time three years ago, I'd just started out on this journey called motherhood. I really think that day was the most moving of my life. No squishing romanticism going on here, it just was. My mother said once that once you know you are pregnant, nothing ever is the same again. Well "that" moment came to me early one September morning when the little man that brings so much joy (and a whole load of other emotions!) physically came into my life and could be touched. One thing amongst many others struck me at the time and that is how much one little person can create/bring forth/ draw out (I can't find the word I am looking for) love from so many all by themself. You bear a child which is so intricately part of you, it is born and immediately has a sphere of influence that you do not realise and cannot necessarily influence.

Well today, we celebrated his birthday at home, with friends, with family and in Kindergarten. Once again, I am amazed at this little man and the circle of people he has collected around himself. Some of them certainly are our doing, the friendships he has are not. The love shown on this day by those people makes me so thankful. Thankful that this little man has the capability to reach out to others, inspire their love and affection (so important for a fulfilled life), thankful to his friends, our friends, my friends and the family for showing this and for giving him all those lovely presents  (and I get to play with too).

Trusty Companions

Whilst clearing out my stuff and saying goodbye (to that beautiful French abode), I found these guys. Oh these trusty friends of mine, they accompanied me to many gigs, down country lanes (when I should have been revising), to my high school leaving do (with a lovely purple long dress), in conversations about the meaning of life, a good photographic angle, in a dark room, .... I couldn't believe I could live without them. Who would want to live without boots? I was told once that I would grow out of boots, well you know what, I haven't. I have just changed the brand. Now they are beige instead of brown. But I still love them and wear them until they look this beaten. 

Well as clearing out goes, I was clearing out and that meant saying goodbye. I cermoniously put into the rubbish bin (and yes I lifted the lid several times over the course of the week to take them out again, but didn't) and said goodbye. But not without a photo shoot. I now have a nice series of docs to put on my wall.

Summer

Over a week ago, we had one day of beautiful sunshine. And we were lucky enough to be invited to a pool opening party. The cousins had a great time playing in the pool, entertaining grandparents, and generally enjoying summertime.

Since then it has gone back to be a Welsh summer. No disrespect to Wales, I love the country and yes, a good summer there is perfect. I have experienced many though that were mainly rain and a lot like the one we are having here. Everytime I get frustrated about it, I remind myself of those millions that have had far more water come down on them than we have this year. For us it is frustrating, for them life threatening and terrorising. So once again I am counting my blessings and saying thank you for this beautiful day. Oh and please, if anyone is reading this that has some say in the matter... please can we have some more sunny ones.