The story

Monday's special

2012-01-30T06:20:00.000+01:00

“There are no failures - just experiences and your reactions to them.”
Tom Krause

“There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.”
Colin Powell

“My imperfections and failures are as much a blessing from God as my successes and my talents and I lay them both at his feet.”
Mahatma Gandhi

“I didn't fail the test, I just found 100 ways to do it wrong”
Benjamin Franklin

“Failures are finger posts on the road to achievement.”
C.S. Lewis

“Often the difference between a successful person and a failure is not one has better abilities or ideas, but the courage that one has to bet on one's ideas, to take a calculated risk - and to act.”
Andre Malraux

“To be wrong is nothing unless you continue to remember it”
Confucius

Djokovic vs Nadal - what a match!

2012-01-29T14:44:00.001+01:00

I admit: Iam not a tennis player, but I do enjoy watching it and since Australian Openhad this amazing match between Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic and I could notresist watching it, spending my Sunday morning somehow different than Iimagined (for example taking a walk with Peter, some reading, you know stufffor the soul or mind), but no here I was, shouting, getting all agitated due tomatch which actually did not influence in any way my life, but it was soamazing!

At onepoint I thought, how their bodies must have felt, but their brains did notallow any pain. They jumped, twiched, twirled, gave everthing, sweated,focused. I never felt such a presence from two players, you could actually ‘touch’their concentration.

So manytight points, so much energy and force behind the balls, the speed was simplyamazing.

And thenthe tie break in the fourth game, oh dear me, I really thought I will have aheart attack, so exciting, so dramatic, so full of life.

Theresilience, the coolness, the strenght, the stuborness, the involvement, thededication to the moment.

At onepoint I could not resist the tension anymore and I stood up in my living room,jumping around, shouting, pacing and trying to cope with this match. Come on,someone must win, after four hours and then the tie break, can one of you endthis? Please!

Come on Novak!

Well yes, Iam his fan, he is such an amazing player, not that Nadal is not good, please donot get me wrong!

But no,Nadal nails it, after 88 minutes for the fourth game, he is still there, sohere we go, another coffee, another water, a new game is to be played.

I need arest, I honestly do, I feel under so much pressure, a small amount from whatthese two guys must have felt.

Where dothey take so much energy? Do explain how they manage to get so fresh after morethan 4 hours of playing? Tennis is my mind a true battle against your oponent,you don’t fight the time, you simply try to be better than the other, itinvolved technique, intelligence and the ability of foreseeing what the othermight do next.

Well I post this review now after 5 hours of an amazing time spend in front of the TV, when I stilll believe that Novak will win, somehow the result does not count, right? The feelings which I had (and still have) were and still are GREAT!

Saturday

2012-01-28T18:58:00.002+01:00

How much I love weekends! Mean to relax, to enjoy life and to share quality moments with the loved one. I had one of these days when I did everything which I wanted, had a nice haircut, a bit of copper in it, followed by coffee with a good friend, some lovely shopping (I will only say underwearand let your imagination in peace LOL), a bit of lunch, then some time at home, cooking (spicy thai curry) and. now some baking.No complaining from this girl, just smiles! I just hope that all of you are having as a great day as I did, worth working hard and looking forward for the weekend.

Today ...

2012-01-27T07:32:00.002+01:00

I will be finally home at the end of the day. And that is all that counts!

Bad Homburg Landmarks, Castle and Catholic Church

I got the blues

2012-01-26T19:29:00.004+01:00

And yes I've got the blues, missing is the word. Enjoy some of the best blues by Rolling Stones, the music did help a little bit to cope with my feelings.

As I sit by the fire
Of your warm desire
I've got the blues for you, yeah

I can see you're so far from home
But it's no hanging matter
It's no capital crime

(unreleased song till date)
I will haunt you baby
Hope you know the reason why
I Love you baby and I don't know the reason why

Well, baby
Can I have you for myself
Yeah, if I can't have you, baby
I don't want nobody else

Wordless Wednesday - Timanfaya Volcano

2012-01-25T07:22:00.002+01:00

Tasty Tuesday - Cabbage Lasagne

2012-01-24T18:36:00.000+01:00

The basis: one medium cabagge, which I chopped finely and then I added it in a pan with some olive oil and let it fry for 5 minutes with the following spices thyme, oregano, cayenne pepper and salt.

Separately I stirred fresh onion, minced meat and tomatoes, plus the spices as above.

In a resistant form I did add the first cabbage layer, then the meat layer and ended up with one white sauce (2 eggs beaten with cream). The last touch: Gouda cheese.

Then in the oven for 40 minutes, et voila!See More

Time

2012-01-23T21:29:00.003+01:00

Monday, the day before a four days trip to Estonia, a hectic day with so many small and big tasks to be solved prior to my departure. With such a loaded working program no wonder I started thinking of this week's GBE 2 theme, TIME.

For me time is a precious resource, which became very valuable lately. I spend a lot of my professional life on business trips (if I think back in 2011 I had around 60 flights only for business!!!) thus I have learned that I should not waste it.

Time management is key for me, it is a skill that helps me to keep a comfortable level of control in my work, and to minimize my stress level.

Having this hectic schedule requires a lot of planning and with time :) I did learn how to apply some tricks, below some of them:

Keep a TO DO LIST and on a regular basis take the time to tick what you have done, it will bring satisfaction and a bit of motivation for the remaining items
Set up some goals, for the week, for the month, for the year. If you know what you want to achieve it will help you focus.
Prioritize, learn how to classify issues as important or not relevant. Sometimes we spend too much time on the not so important items and loose the big picture.
Manage interruptions effectively. Each day I get calls which actually do not bring any added value to my current problems, but I have learned how to use them. Even small talk brings you some good points which might be used a later stage. People remember if you are nice and friendly, take the time, it will pay!
DO NOT PROCRASTINATE. Yeah I know, easy said hard to do. What helps is to draft an action plan, to break your activities in small manageable steps. Again if you achieve a small step it will give you a great feeling of achievement and then you will look at the next with more enthusiasm!
Learn to say NO, my biggest issue at the moment. No lessons from me, just my personal goal!
Relax from time to time, no point is being under pressure all the time
Allocate the tasks according to your day's schedule. I for example am a morning person, I love to be in the office starting 7am since for 2 hours I will not get any important calls, will not attend any meetings, thus I will be able to do some work, under quiet conditions. If you are a late afternoon person no point in being at 7am at work right?

In the end I will leave you with my thoughts and with one of my favorite songs.

Monday's special

2012-01-23T06:16:00.000+01:00

“The greatest barrier to success is the fear of failure.”
Sven Goran Eriksson

“Success means having the courage, the determination, and the will to become the person you believe you were meant to be”
George Sheehan

“Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.”
Herman Cain

“To succeed in life, you need two things: ignorance and confidence.”
Mark Twain

“To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children...to leave the world a better place...to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson

“If A equals success, then the formula is A equals X plus Y and Z, with X being work, Y play, and Z keeping your mouth shut.”
Albert Einstein

Winter tale

2012-01-21T17:12:00.001+01:00

Another sunny winter day. He was on his own, as most of the time, simply waiting for people to notice him. He was never allowed to leave the room, he had to be pleased with the given conditions. There we happy days, when the room was spotless and smelling so nice, others were not so shiny. But he did not know anything else, he just took life as it came.For sure, he was also cleaned, taken care of, but in the end it was for the comfort of others, he was sure nobody gave him a second thought.From time to time someone would lift him and he could catch a glimpse of the nearby mountains through the small room which was bringing light in his life. He was so curious to know what was beyond those walls which kept him a prisoner. He was very determined that one day he will see the world as it is.But less did he know, that today was THE DAY when everything will change. Suddenly he felt a woman's hand, which with a lot of force pulled him and threw him through the narrow window. He land in the snow and he just started breathing and enjoying the view.The young couple which he almost fell upon looked scared and amazed, not understanding why a toilet seat landed close by!

Censorship - NO!

2012-01-19T19:36:00.000+01:00

Censorship is a word of many meanings. In its broadest sense it refers to suppression of information, ideas, or artistic expression by anyone, whether government officials, church authorities, private pressure groups, or speakers, writers, and artists themselves.

These restraints have the effect of limiting the diversity that would otherwise be available in the marketplace of ideas and so may be considered censorship in its broadest sense.There are almost as many justifications offered for the suppression of communication but the root is always the same. It is a fear that the expression, if not curtailed, will do harm to individuals in its audience, or to society as a whole.

For example the so-called obscene material is attacked because of a fear that it will corrupt personal morality or perhaps even lead to deviant sexual acts. School textbooks and library materials are sought to be purged by groups who fear that they may inculcate subversive values in children. Information concerning national security is controlled by government, with particular severity in wartime, for fear that its revelation may aid an enemy. In the judicial system, pretrial publicity about a crime may jeopardize a fair trial. Publication of personal information by police (such as the names of victims) or by the press (such as one's sexual preferences) may seriously intrude on one's right to privacy. The fear of such consequences, real or imagined, is what drives the censorial impulse.

But for me an important aspect is the one in respect to mental censorship. For me the freedom of speech and of thought is valuable, without it I cannot imagine living. In the end I am pretty lucky of living in a society where I am allowed to express my feelings and my ideas without the fear of being oppressed. What about you? What does the word censorship bring into your mind?

Wordless Wednesday - Papagayo Beach

2012-01-18T07:18:00.003+01:00

Tasty Tuesday - Parmezan Crackers

2012-01-17T06:05:00.002+01:00

If one afternoon you wonder what would suit a hot chicken soup then the answer lies here - parmezan crackers, the recipe is to be found here, I only replaced the poppy seeds with oregano and thymian.

The ingredients to give you a taste:

300g plain flour

2tsp baking powder

1 tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp onion salt

115g butter

2 tbsps vegetable/sunflower oil

2 tbsps oregano & thymian

130ml water

30g parmesan cheese

Enjoy!

Monday's special

2012-01-16T06:30:00.001+01:00

“To read a poem in January is as lovely as to go for a walk in June”
Jean-Paul Sartre

“Every man should be born again on the first day of January. Start with a fresh page. Take up one hole more in the buckle if necessary, or let down one, according to circumstances; but on the first of January let every man gird himself once more, with his face to the front, and take no interest in the things that were and are past.”
Henry Ward Beecher

“I do think New Year's resolutions can't technically be expected to begin on New Year's Day, don't you? Since, because it's an extension of New Year's Eve, smokers are already on a smoking roll and cannot be expected to stop abruptly on the stroke of midnight with so much nicotine in the system. Also dieting on New Year's Day isn't a good idea as you can't eat rationally but really need to be free to consume whatever is necessary, moment by moment, in order to ease your hangover. I think it would be much more sensible if resolutions began generally on January the second”
Helen Fielding

Pet Peeve?

2012-01-15T16:59:00.003+01:00

Sunday is a special day for me, I always look forward to the GBE2 theme and share it immediately with my husband, he is as curious as me. Today I was puzzled for a couple of seconds, when I read Pet Peeve. We both reacted with what??? And then of course, it came! The definition puts it nicely - a pet peeve (or pet hate) is a minor annoyance that an individual identifies as particularly annoying to him or her, to a greater degree than others may find it.

And then I started thinking! Where is my inspiration? What am I suppose to write? To be honest I kind of lost track of any worthy idea, but then it hit me, I could actually reveal something about me, something I know get on people's nerves, even if most are too polite to mention it.

I confess - I do love a clean house!

To start with an example: I need to vaccum all the time when Naila is with us, I love her to bits, but her hairy traces are really really annoying.

I do hope that I am not yet a freak (and never be one), don't get me wrong, I can sit on my armchair and not jump at the sight of small crumbs identified on the floor (well I do control the jump, trust me LOL)

Another example, a visual one this time. My husband used this collage to explain marriage, for me this is clearly an indication that a clean side bed always looks better, agreed? :)

What I hope is that I don't get too much on my husband's nerves, in the end I love his patience, his look when he notices that I have to start cleaning again (you know what I mean? understanding, loving and just a bit of wondering why now!), his presence. Just I do like to clean :)

Saturday Smorgasbord

2012-01-14T18:44:00.007+01:00

A day just for us, actually a weekend just for us, as dreamt yesterday. While adding these lovely photos which I found on Pinterest, I am enjoying a lovely hot vanilla pudding, I like the warm feeling it gives.
Enjoy your Saturday!

I have a dream

2012-01-13T15:42:00.002+01:00

Dreams could be generous, serving the better goods of others, dreams could be insignificant, just attached to a certain moment. But I do believe in the power of dreams, they are the energy behind some our unexplained actions.

Some of latest dreams:

To take a cruise with Peter, to simply enjoy the salty smells, to loose myself in the endless blue, to have just for a second the feeling of being stranded.

To sleep more, somehow after New Year's Eve I feel the lack of good sound deep sleep. But in the end you cannot plan it, but you have the chance of dreaming more right? :)

To find silence of mind, so many thoughts, so many ideas. Just to rest, relax and enjoy the lack of words, actions, facts.

To have a weekend just for us, without any plans. And you know what I have a feeling that this weekend will be just that! Am I a dreamer? Maybe ...

Fill in the Friday blanks

2012-01-13T09:21:00.004+01:00

An idea via Carissa from Lauren’s blog!

1. The last thing I ate was a cookie with my usual coffee. When being on site you live on cookies!

2. The last song I listened to was Sweet Child of Mine which became the tune of the day, yesterday.

3. Using the letters in my name I can spell CAUDAL, AUDIAL, ALCID, CAULD, DUCAL, LUCID, LUDIC, DULIA, ACID, CADI, CAID, CLAD, DUCI, CAUL, LAIC, AULD, DIAL, DUAL, LAID, LAUD, CAD, CUD, LAC, AID, DAL, DUI, LAD, LID, AAL, AIL, ALA. Nice list right?

4. If I had to dress in one color for the rest of my life I would pick brown.

5. If you were to look in my bag right now you’d find laptop, many electrical gadgets, wallet, lip gloss, passport, agenda, papers, a book, 3 mandarines, 1 bottle of water, hand cream, business cards, many many pens, keys, and I am kind of tired of looking, I need to rearrange my backpack!

6. When I finish filling in the blanks I’m going to keep on working, the break is done!

7. My all time favorite song to dance to is hard to choose. I guess I will always move my little tush on Take That, Backstreet Boys, Blue and so on :) I know, I love boys bands for dancing!

Happy Friday, I will be heading home!

Ambition

2012-01-12T18:20:00.002+01:00

Motto:
Sonnet #1
The days are darker with eyes open wide
I often close them in hopes of escape
For is seems my dreams are the only place to hide
Even then the angels begin to change shape
There is no good and evil
Only a lust for power
Greed will change people
True colors are shown in the darkest hour
The weight of the world has took its toll on my soul
I’m no longer the boy i used to be
“All that shines is not gold”
Has never meant more to me-
There’s nothing to believe in
Gone are the hearts of men
by William Shakespeare

Is ambition a way of anspiring to climb as high as you can? Of being the best you can be? Of achieving your dreams? Or is ambition only the drive within you which enables you to stay focused on your dreams? Is ambition related only to power, wealth and / or fame? In the end is ambition a positive or negative desire?

I guess like anything in life it depends on how you season it! If you take too much you most likely end up in being too eager, if you take too little you never try to grow.

Ambition is basically an instinct. No matter what background or age you are, you are surely ambitious in any way. This eagerness is a driving force for both individuals and society, since we set our goals and try to achieve them by being ambitious. Sometimes trying to reach our goals is a risky undertaking but only through this we find our talents, we become mature and we progress.

What is my ambition? To live as much as possible of what I dream with my eyes open, to enjoy life at its fullest and to make a mark in my environment as little as it may be. But somehow I never see my dreams as belonging only to me, since I see myself as part of a group, a circle (family, friends, work) and in the end they are a vital important part of my life. Plus I find my motivation, my reminder, my stability within this circle, you keep on walking since you feel backed up.

What about your ambition?

Wordless Wednesday - Sunsets in Lanzarote

2012-01-11T07:14:00.003+01:00

Tasty Tuesday - Apple Crumble

2012-01-10T17:22:00.000+01:00

My favourite winter fruit, apple and a great combination found here

Ingredients

For the crumble
300g plain flour, sieved pinch of salt
175g unrefined brown sugar
200g unsalted butter, cubed at room temperature
Knob of butter for greasing

For the filling
450g apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1cm/½in pieces
50gunrefined brown sugar
1 tbsp plain flour
1 pinch of ground cinnamon

Preparation method

Preheat the oven to 180C.

Place the flour and sugar in a large bowl and mix well. Taking a few cubes of butter at a time rub into the flour mixture. Keep rubbing until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

Place the fruit in a large bowl and sprinkle over the sugar, flour and cinnamon. Stir well being careful not to break up the fruit.

Butter a 24cm ovenproof dish. Spoon the fruit mixture into the bottom, then sprinkle the crumble mixture on top.

Bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes until the crumble is browned and the fruit mixture bubbling.

Serve with thick cream or custard

My first giveaway in 2012

2012-01-09T22:01:00.002+01:00

My best friend Monica is a singer and if I may say so, a good one! She is passionate about her music and in December 2011 she fullfilled one of her dreams - she had her first concert! And at the same time, together with her bandmate she released the All in green album, which brings me to this giveaway idea. I do hope that you like their music, it could be found here.

And now to my giveaway ...

Choose one song which you liked, make a note and if you are lucky you can win the whole album, either on electronic form or via CD, your choice, the winner will only have to tell me! What do you say? Are you in? Plus you will help some young artists to be able to organise their next concert! Enjoy the music, below my favourite one!

The conditions? Very very easy!

For one vote - leave a comment and be my follower
For two chances - like the page All in green on Facebook (you can follow their webpage here, from where you will be directed to the Facebook page as well) and let me know about it!
For three votes - tweet :)and let me know!

I will select the winner at the end of next week, good luck!

Monday's special

2012-01-09T07:28:00.001+01:00

“Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any one thing.”
Abraham Lincoln

“Tenderness and kindness are not signs of weakness and despair but manifestations of strength and resolution”
Kahlil Gibran

“How few there are who have courage enough to own their faults, or resolution enough to mend them”
Benjamin Franklin

“We need the iron qualities that go with true manhood. We need the positive virtues of resolution, of courage, of indomitable will, of power to do without shrinking the rough work that must always be done.”
Theodore Roosevelt

“We have come out of the time when obedience, the acceptance of discipline, intelligent courage and resolution were most important, into that more difficult time when it is a person's duty to understand the world rather than simply fight for it”
Ernest Hemingway

Vlad Tepes - Romanian history

2012-01-08T17:55:00.004+01:00

This afternoon, while visiting some friends, I started telling them the story of Vlad Tepes (pronounced tse-pesh), the one who was taken as an example for the Dracula figure in Bram Stoker's novel. Don't ask me how we started talking about him, but fits also this weekly theme under GBE2 - History.

While searching I found a website which provides a very detailed history of this historical figure.

Some details for you, which maybe will inspire you to read a bit more in order to realise that my native country, Romania, is not only about vampires and garlic.

To begin with, his castle, Bran.

Vlad Tepes intermittently ruled an area of the Balkans called Wallachia in the mid 15th century, being also called by the names Vlad III, Vlad Dracula and Vlad the Impaler. The word Tepes stands for "impaler" and was so coined because of Vlad’s propensity to punish victims by impaling them on stakes, then displaying them publicly to frighten his enemies and to warn would-be transgressors of his strict moral code.

His portrait:

King Sigismund of Hungary, who became the Holy Roman Emperor in 1410, founded a secret fraternal order of knights called the Order of the Dragon to uphold Christianity and defend the Empire against the Ottoman Turks. Its emblem was a dragon, wings extended, hanging on a cross. Vlad III’s father (Vlad II) was admitted to the Order around 1431 because of his bravery in fighting the Turks. From 1431 onward Vlad II wore the emblem of the order and later, as ruler of Wallachia, his coinage bore the dragon symbol.

The word for dragon in Romanian is "drac" and "ul" is the definitive article. Vlad III’s father thus came to be known as "Vlad Dracul," or "Vlad the dragon." In Romanian the ending "ulea" means "the son of". Under this interpretation, Vlad III thus became Vlad Dracula, or "the son of the dragon." Thus the origin of Dracula.

The scholars make the connection between Vlad Tepes and Barm Stoker's character based on several facts:

The fictional Dracula and the historical Dracula share the same name. There can be no doubt that Bram Stoker based his character upon some reference to Vlad Dracula.

Stoker researched various sources prior to writing the novel, including the Library at Whitby and literature from the British Museum. It is entirely possible that his readings on Balkan history would have included information about Vlad Tepes.

Stoker was the friend of a Hungarian professor from Budapest, named Arminius Vambery, who he met personally on several occasions and who may have given him information about the historical Dracula.

Some of the text of Stoker’s novel provides direct correlations between the fictional Dracula and Vlad Tepes (e.g., the fighting off of the Turks--also, the physical description of Dracula in the novel is very similar to the traditional image of Vlad Tepes.).

Other references in the novel may also be related to the historical Dracula. For example, the driving of a stake through the vampire’s heart may be related to Vlad’s use of impalement.

If you want to find more, just go and read the information on the site, I found it fascinating.

And this what the movie making business made out of this!

Saturday Smorgasbord

2012-01-07T19:02:00.004+01:00

The first Saturday in 2012, sadly rather grey and moist, not very inviting, but in end I would have ignored the strange weather if I would have not had an intense pain in my shoulder. Any sudden move brings tears into my eyes, thus I am very much irritated my by lack of mobility and speed.

Nevertheless We went to Frankfurt for some errands, had a quiet slow walk and a lovely lunch. My better half did his best in humouring me, even if I know that I haven't had my very best mood on.

Today's lessom? That even the smallest muscle is critical and that without your health in the end yo do not have much.

To enjoy: some cartoons, just because ;)

Love & Kisses

2012-01-06T18:31:00.004+01:00

but

A kiss may ruin a human life.
Oscar Wilde

Enjoy your weekend!

Making a difference

2012-01-05T19:50:00.003+01:00

Motto:
"We must become the change we want to see in the world."
by Gandhi

One of my new friends in Germany, B., is a lady who had some tough moments in herlife, but somehow she never lost her positive, healthy and sane way of thinking. She has a lovely family, two sons and two grandchildren, works as a technical assistant - one of the few people who can still draw technical items by hand. We met by chance, at the beginning of my lite in Germany, I did not have a car (still in Romania then), thus I had to travel by bus and train to work. And being a person with habits, I always took the train at the same hour in the morning (in the evenimg, well, you always know when you get to the office, but when you leave is another story!) And of course, B. is also a person with habits, so we shared the same train and with time we started to chat. And we did not yet stop ;) And I must say that she has my mom's age, so I guess that so ehow I am the daughter she never had and she is a kind of German mother, but nevertheless the friendship is there. She is warm and sweet, we meet now on a regilar basis, talk over coffee hours and hours not noticing how time flies.

But I digress.

B. told me one day that she thought that now that the sons are out of house, she has some time available, which she would like to invest. So she started helping at a food pantry, because she thinks that her small controbution brings some light into some people's lives. She already tells me stories about her regulars, there are so many people who had to overcome many hardships.

B.'s dedication may seem small, but for me she makes a difference and for this she has my respect and admiration. A role model in my eyes.

New beginning

2012-01-04T20:04:00.002+01:00

My most pregnant new beginning during the last years was the move to Germany. And to put it bluntly I don't regret it. I have my family (just being with Peter would be enough), I found a job which I like and I start slowly to enlarge my social circle.

Funnily enough tonight one of my oldest friends (literally!) contacted me and told me that she also moved, also in Germany, some 200 km away from where we live. And while chatting with her, I realised that her fears are so similar to mine: did I make the correct choice? Will I be happy? How will my family adjust to the new environment? How will my job evolve? I tried to comfort her and to be a good friend (even from the distance). I know it will be hard, but she will manage, she is one of the toughest people I know, very determined, very intelligent (she is a dedicated doctor!). But for a while some days will be harder than she expects, the fears will be present, she will have doubts. It helps to talk, I remember that, and to acknowledge small successes, like finding new ways to go to work (without GPS), to discover your favourite coffee place and be a regular, to walk around and enjoy nature.

But in the end “A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.” )Lao Tzu) right? And she did the first, as did I almost 4 years ago. It ain't easy but boy I had fun so far!

Wordless Wednesday - Cesar Manrique's House

2012-01-04T07:04:00.003+01:00

Perspective

2012-01-03T18:24:00.002+01:00

Constantly moving
searching, restless, hovering
never finding rest

Tasty Tuesday - Avocado Salad

2012-01-03T07:12:00.001+01:00

Ingredients
2 avocados - peeled, pitted and diced
1 sweet onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 large ripe tomato, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 lime, juiced
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
In a medium bowl, combine avocados, onion, bell pepper, tomato, cilantro and lime juice. Gently toss until evenly coated. Season with salt and pepper.

Something light for the start in the new year!

Work work

2012-01-02T18:20:00.003+01:00

Motto:
“The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary.”
by Donald Kendall

A very suitable theme for this week's GBE2 post, work, why? Well, just started my new working year, manic Monday indeed. I will not mention the high number of emails, I will not consider the long list of travels ahead (might even land in India!!), I will not focus on my long to do list. And you know why? Cos I actually like my job, I did look forward to get back, to be active, to see my colleagues, to have a nice cup of coffee at 7am with some nice coworkers, to discuss with my team.

You go to work five days a week, thus for the most part, your job is your life. If you have a job that you dread going to every morning, sooner or later it will catch up with you and force you to make a change, therefore it does help to actually like your job.

Some time ago I found this graph and thought well, lucky me, I do rock :)

I am blessed of having a job which I like, where I am appreciated, and my quest of success is on the right track (I hope!). Sometimes it helps to ponder and realise that life is good!

Monday's special

2012-01-02T07:10:00.000+01:00

“Another fresh new year is here . . .
Another year to live!
To banish worry, doubt, and fear,
To love and laugh and give!

This bright new year is given me
To live each day with zest . . .
To daily grow and try to be
My highest and my best!

I have the opportunity
Once more to right some wrongs,
To pray for peace, to plant a tree,
And sing more joyful songs!”
William Arthur Ward

HAPPY NBEW YEAR!

A new year ahead

2011-12-31T14:24:00.003+01:00

An optimist stays up until midnight to see the new year in. A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves. ~Bill Vaughan

A New Year's resolution is something that goes in one year and out the other. ~Author Unknown

Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man. ~Benjamin Franklin

Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right. ~Oprah Winfrey

I wish you all health since without it nothing really makes sense. I wish you all that 2012 will bring some dreams come true and leave some for the years ahead. I wish you all that the moments of happiness overcome those of sadness.

As for me, no resolution list, just the wish that things will be better and happiness, tranquility, joy and balance will be present in my life on a daily basis.

I think in terms of the day's resolutions, not the year's. ~Henry Moore

Happy New Year!

Goodbye 2011, Hello 2012

2011-12-30T16:33:00.004+01:00

To be honest what I really really want is to find ourselves in 2013 so all of this rumble will stip in respect to the end of the world. I just want people to enjoy each time, to live and to be happy!

Out with the Old and In with the New

2011-12-30T12:03:00.002+01:00

A new year ahead - change.
Reflect, ponder, wonder why
Tranquility yes.

Some nice giveaway

2011-12-29T14:34:00.004+01:00

Vicky had a lovely idea for a giveaway here, maybe you are interested!

And a bit of laugh for a nice quiet afternoon on my side:

15 Minute Free Write

2011-12-28T18:42:00.001+01:00

As per instructions: This week, we’re doing something a little different. Instead of a word or picture prompt, we’ll be free writing. For those of you unfamiliar with the process, it is exactly what it sounds like. You sit down and write whatever comes into your mind for 15 straight minutes. The goal is not to write a story, article, or even anything coherent.

Timer on

Arnold raced out of the door and he was indeed very annoyed. His sister kept on knitting while he was trying to explain how the day went, completely ignoring his presence. Why does she keep on knitting shawls? Why does she find that so fascinating? She started with beige heavy wool and ended up knitting a blanket like shawl. But she did not give up, she went to a sky blue one (and he must admit that one was not so bad), followed by one deep blue. She was into the blue line. Now, after finishing his requested white and black shawl, she is busy knitting one green shawl for their mother. Yes, he understands that this might be a nice Christmas gift bur why ignore him? He wanted to explain, he just wanted to have someone to talk to. She is so dedicated to her crafts project, but Lydia used to listen to him before, she was always there.

Arnold went walking on the empty streets, strange how in the winter at 7 o’clock in the evening the city seems to quiet. Actually not winter yet, today is the 1st of November 2010, so late autumn, but somehow despite the mild temperature winter was lingering just around the corner.

Sharky’s restaurant just nearby, a funny name for a fish restaurant which never served shark. But it had lots of yummy dishes, like baked salmon with wild rice. That was a nice idea for Arnold, he should make a reservation soon, and maybe Lydia would join him. Oh! Lydia again in his mind.

So what exactly did he want to tell her? He had a horrid day, so much to do and not really concentrated. His mind was drifting apart during the 10 working hours. He was so relived to realized, at 6pm, that he could actually go. And then he just wanted to see Lydia, share a nice cup of latte macchiato and just talk in front of the fire. But no, she was just knitting, smiling at him, but miles away.

So now what to do? He did not want to go home, he felt like he had to walk. Look, his favorite coffee shop, Madera, sadly not open at this hour. How he loved the elegant wooden comfortable chairs, the nice atmosphere, his waitress, always there, Birgit with a nice smile, always running. Birgit who knows what he wants before ordering it, namely his latte with a slice of chocolate cake. Does he eat too much chocolate? A trip to the gym? No … That does not really sound nice.

Walking, walking … And then Carmen appears in front of him.

- Arnold, good evening!
- Carmen my dear! This is indeed a surprise. What are you up to?
- Oh just running to the gym!
- Oh really? That is indeed funny, I was thinking if I should go there myself, worried about my chocolate sweet tooth … But decided against it.
- So then what are you up to? Why walking alone? Where are you going?
- Just walking!
- Lucky you, Arnold! You are special to be able to enjoy the simple fact of walking.
- Well, actually …
- Arnold sorry to interrupt you but I really need to run. I will be late and then the babies need my presence.
- Oh yes, Max and Moritz. Arnold said with a fine grin under his moustache
- Don’t smile, it fits them! I know that Dennis choose very funny names for them, but the two darlings are great!
- Of course they are, sorry Carmen. Do run and we will catch up soon.

Carmen started running, literally, finding a fastest route to Mrs Fit among the small streets in the old town. And Arnold was still alone. He was wondering if he should continue his walk or not or just maybe find a place to rest. Suddenly home sounded nice. But he not so convinced, he knew that he will end up working even more, the computer was always lingering itself in his mind and he knew he will start it and finalise the reports due for tomorrow morning. A never-ending story, there were always reports due, and his boss Jessica was so demanding.

And then suddenly he heard a cry coming from a corner. It was as if he was not sure that he heard a cry, but he knew there was someone or something in pain. So he turned briefly to try to identify the source. He looked eagerly in the darkness and then he saw it. It was a little puppy dog, a kind of Collie dog, all curled up in between two houses. The dog must have felt his presence since he tried to lift his head to look up at him. Two big dark eyes were looking in the direction of a tall, blond and somehow handsome thirtyish young man. And then Arnold knew, this is why Lydia was ignoring him tonight. So he can find this little thing. His dog …

Timer off, and now I wonder what this all means and what you think of it?!

Wordless Wednesday - Cactus Garden

2011-12-28T07:37:00.001+01:00

Tasty Tuesday - Stollen

2011-12-27T07:01:00.002+01:00

Ingredients
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
2/3 cup warm milk
1 large egg
1/3 cup white sugar
1/2 tablespoon salt
1/3 cup butter, softened
2 1/2 cups bread flour
1/3 cup currants
1/3 cup sultana raisins
1/3 cup red candied cherries, quartered
2/3 cup diced candied citron
6 ounces marzipan
1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions
In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm milk. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
In a large bowl, combine the yeast mixture with the egg, white sugar, salt, butter, and 2 cups bread flour; beat well. Add the remaining flour, 1/4 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition. When the dough has begun to pull together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead in the currants, raisins, dried cherries, and citrus peel. Continue kneading until smooth, about 8 minutes.
Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl, and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
Lightly grease a cookie sheet. Deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll the marzipan into a rope and place it in the center of the dough. Fold the dough over to cover it; pinch the seams together to seal. Place the loaf, seam side down, on the prepared baking sheet. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise until doubled in volume, about 40 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C), and bake for a further 30 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow loaf to cool on a wire rack. Dust the cooled loaf with confectioners' sugar, and sprinkle with the cinnamon.

Recipe from here

Monday's special

2011-12-26T07:51:00.002+01:00

“Christmas gift suggestions:
To your enemy, forgiveness.
To an opponent, tolerance.
To a friend, your heart.
To a customer, service.
To all, charity.
To every child, a good example.
To yourself, respect.”
Oren Arnold

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-24T11:52:00.002+01:00

Dear friends, a small note with much love and many smiles - Merry Christmas and I hope that all your wishes will come true!

Wordless Wednesday - Jameos del Agua

2011-12-21T07:28:00.000+01:00

Tasty Tuesday - Raspberry Smoothie

2011-12-20T07:46:00.002+01:00

Lanzarote was the place where smoothies were to be enjoyed, and I was attracted to one made out of raspberries. I found a recipe for next summer :)

Colorful Rasberry Smoothie Recipe
1 medium banana
1/2 cup of red raspberries (or strawberries)
1/2 cup of black raspberries (or blueberries)
1/2 cup of yogurt
1/2 cup of ice

Directions:

Cut the raspberries into small pieces that will fit through a straw. Blend the banana, ice, and yogurt with the black raspberries. the strong dye of the raspberry will create a dark coloring. Add a few pieces of the red raspberry at the bottom of the cup, pour the smoothie 1/4 then add more pieces of the rad raspberry. Finish at the top with more pieces and enjoy.

Monday's special

2011-12-19T07:41:00.000+01:00

“How I wish that somewhere there existed an island for those who are wise and of good will”
Albert Einstein

“No man or woman is an island. To exist just for yourself is meaningless. You can achieve the most satisfaction when you feel related to some greater purpose in life, something greater than yourself.”
Denis Waitley

“True friendship multiplies the good in life and divides its evils. Strive to have friends, for life without friends is like life on a desert island..to find one real friend in a lifetime is good fortune; to keep him is a blessing.”
Baltasar Gracian

“The optimist lives on the peninsula of infinite possibilities; the pessimist is stranded on the island of perpetual indecision.”
William Arthur Ward

“You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment. Fools stand on their island opportunities and look toward another land. There is no other land, there is no other life but this.”
Henry David Thoreau

“No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent.”
John Donne

The worst Christmas present would be ...

2011-12-16T17:05:00.001+01:00

if I don't manage to take off to my hometown tomorrow. Currently we have some heavy winds and rain, it looks rather scary outside and Frankfurt airport has some problems. I cannot think of anything else and my travel will also mean less blogging till after New Year's Eve (some posts are scheduled ahead!) but please believe me that I will think of all of you dear blogging friends. I wish you all Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and may 2012 find us all healthy!

Keep on smiling!

Favourite Holiday Tradition

2011-12-15T16:25:00.003+01:00

Motto:

A Christmas tree! A Christmas tree!
With dark green needled memories
Of childhood dreams and mysteries
Wrapped present-like in front of me.

A Christmas tree! A Christmas tree!
I glimpse a past wherein i see
The child that then grew into me
Not forward fast but haltingly.

A Christmas tree! A Christmas tree!
A time for being with family
A time that's gone so fleetingly
Yet lives for always deep in me.

A Christmas tree! A Christmas tree!
When twelfth night comes whole hauntingly
One lingered look and then i see
No Christmas tree where it would be.

A Christmas tree! A Christmas tree!
With feelings now felt longingly
No corner in my house to see
The magic of that Christmas tree.

by David Keig

When this week's theme was announced under The Writers' Post, my immediate thought was Christmas Tree. This is what brings the whole family together, we love to share ideas about decorations (I try to bring an extra thing each year, by having a different theme like blue and white, or multicolour), we gather around the tree to sing carols.

I cannot wait, one more week since we always start decorating the tree at Christmas Eve!

Wordless Wednesday - Mirador del Rio

2011-12-14T07:24:00.002+01:00

Tasty Tuesday - Potato gratin

2011-12-13T05:38:00.003+01:00

The original recipe comes from here, I tried it and all I can say is that I did not even have a chance to snap a picture, it was so delicious that we ate it in a second or two :)

For 6 people you will need:

1,25 kg potatoes
3 fillets of pork (à ca. 330 g)
3–4 spoons of olive oil
salt
pepper
1 onion
125 g diced bacon
1 spoon tomato puree
italien spices
500 g diced tomatoes
150 ml stock
50 g cream
sweet Paprika
75 g Gouda cheese
rosmarin and oregano

Instructions:

1. Clean the potatoes and boil them for 25 Minutes. Then peel them, cut them in thin slices and set them aside.
2. In the meantime dice the meat and grill it for 12 Minutes in oil. Add salt and pepper and them set them aside.
3. Clean the onions, dice them and together with the bacon add them in the already used oil. After they are a bit done, add the tomato puree, tomatoes, cream and the stock. Add salt, pepper and paprika together with the italian spices. Boil them for 10 minutes till you get a nice sauce.
4. Use a temperature resistant form, add grease on the walls and add the potatoes in layers on the bottom as well as on walls. Add the meat in the middle and then add the sauce together with the rosmarin. On top add the grated cheese and put it in oven at 200 degrees for 25 Minutes.

I served it with salad and was delicious!

Christmas Carols

2011-12-12T21:08:00.003+01:00

Sometime ago, Sush from First do no Harm, asked me of some traditions from Romania, and this week's BFF theme, gave me this opportunity. My favourite Christmas songs are the traditional carols, and one famous singer is Stefan Hrusca. I shared 3 songs with you, I know you don't understand the words but I am sure you will understand the meaning, the music, the feeling. Enjoy, I know I did tonight!

And the winner is ...

2011-12-12T20:46:00.002+01:00

Do you remember my giveaway? Guess what? We have a winner and it is .... (drumrolls please) ... Diane :), the Southhamdarling! Happy for you and thank you for taking part in my giveaway!

Please drop me an email with your address, I will post the earings this week!

Smiles!

Monday's special

2011-12-12T05:54:00.000+01:00

History is a cyclic poem written by Time upon the memories of man.
~Percy Bysshe Shelley

If you want to understand today, you have to search yesterday.
~Pearl Buck

History is philosophy teaching by examples.
~Thucydides

The great eventful Present hides the Past; but through the din
Of its loud life hints and echoes from the life behind steal in.
~John Greenleaf Whittier

Until lions have their historians, tales of the hunt shall always glorify the hunters.
~African Proverb

The memories of men are too frail a thread to hang history from.
~John Still

History with its flickering lamp stumbles along the trail of the past, trying to reconstruct its scenes, to revive its echoes, and kindle with pale gleams the passion of former days.
~Winston Churchill

Curiosity

2011-12-11T20:20:00.003+01:00

When reading this week's theme under the GBE2 group challenge, the first thing coming into my mind was the old saying 'curiosity killed the cat' and inquisitive as I am :) I thought it would be worth in searching its origin.

The meaning is clear, inquisitiveness can lead one into dangerous situations. I hope my research will not damage me at all :)

Now to the saying's origin :)

The 'killed the cat' proverb originated as 'care killed the cat'. By 'care' the coiner of the expression meant 'worry/sorrow' rather than our more usual contemporary 'look after/provide for' meaning.

That form of the expression is first recorded in the English playwright Ben Jonson's play Every Man in His Humour, 1598:

"Helter skelter, hang sorrow, care'll kill a Cat, up-tails all, and a Louse for the Hangman."

The play was one of the Tudor humours comedies, in which each major character is assigned a particular 'humour' or trait. The play is thought to have been performed in 1598 by The Lord Chamberlain's Men, a troupe of actors including William Shakespeare and William Kempe. Shakespeare was no slouch when it came to appropriating a memorable line and it crops up the following year in Much Ado About Nothing:

"What, courage man! what though care killed a cat, thou hast mettle enough in thee to kill care."

The proverbial expression 'curiosity killed the cat', which is usually used when attempting to stop someone asking unwanted questions, is much more recent. The earlier form was still in use in 1898, when it was defined in Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable:

"Care killed the Cat. It is said that a cat has nine lives, but care would wear them all out."

Curiosity hasn't received a good press over the centuries. Saint Augustine wrote in Confessions, AD 397, that, in the eons before creating heaven and earth, God "fashioned hell for the inquisitive". John Clarke, in Paroemiologia, 1639 suggested that "He that pryeth into every cloud may be struck with a thunderbolt". In Don Juan, Lord Byron called curiosity "that low vice". That bad opinion, and the fact that cats are notoriously inquisitive, lead to the source of their demise being changed from 'care' to 'curiosity'.

The earliest version form of the proverb in print is from The Galveston Daily News, 1898:

It is said that once "curiosity killed a Thomas cat."

And to finish a song!

Inspired from here

Xmas baking

2011-12-11T13:22:00.005+01:00

Despite having a heavy cold I decided that I need to bake, to fill the house with the wonderful aroma of cookies :)

So here I went, ending up with many more than I thought, but I am sure that I will make some people happy!

Coconut cookies
Honey cinnamos stars
Cranberries cookies
Espresso stars

Orange Xmas trees
Almonds cookies
Marzipan balls
Chocolate cookies - not so pretty but delicious
Cookies which I will fill with jam :)

Any takers?

Fill in the Friday blanks

2011-12-09T09:21:00.005+01:00

Via Carissa from Kissed a Frog I ended up on Lauren's blog for her weekly Friday Blanks and I got inspired for a little positive post:

1. Love is worth experiencing!

2. Being in love feels like seeing the other as they really are and care for them deeply, truly, madly.

3. My favorite quote about love is
Love is the condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own. ~Robert Heinlein

4. The most important thing in a relationship is honesty, communication, trust, respect and commitment.

5. A “deal breaker” for me in a relationship is betrayal, no matter the form.

6. The way I show love in my relationships is constantly reminding my husband that I love his and also showing him that by small gestures (cooking his favourites meals).

7. I love my husband, my family and my friends!

Love is in the air!

Yes!

2011-12-08T18:19:00.002+01:00

Motto:

Celebrate good times, come on, let’s celebrate.
There’s a party going on right here
A celebration to last throughout the years
So bring your good times and your laughter, too

Reason to celebrate tonight? Despite the cold (very annoying after its prolongued visit of 4 weeks), the long meetings (some lasting for a day!), and despite being away from home (but hey! back tomorrow), I had my yearly evaluation today and I am very pleased. It was very positive with remarks like good job, a true drive, clear project management skills proved. So I can dance :)

Feeling good about myself tonight!

Wordless Wednesday - First walk in Lanzarote

2011-12-07T07:14:00.000+01:00

Tasty Tuesday - Apple Marzipan Muffins

2011-12-06T06:34:00.003+01:00

Muffins ... an easy job, somehow I always manage to get them baked. This time I propose a variation with apple, almonds and marzipan (almond paste!)

Ingredients

280 gr flour
120 gr sugar
2 eggs
250 ml milk
6 spoon of nut oil
100 gr marzipan
50 gr fine chopped almond
one big apple chopped
1 package of vanilla sugar
3 tablesppons of baking powder

Mix the flour, sugar, eggs, milk, oil, vanilla sugar, almonds and baking power. You could add a pinch of salt just in case. Then gently add the marzipan (finely chopped) and the apples. Grease the muffins forms add the mix, and bake for 35 minutes at 150 degrees. Just before they are done I did add a touch of self made marmalade on top as glazing.

A cup of coffe and you have a moment of paradise!

My favourite things

2011-12-05T20:45:00.003+01:00

Sometime ago I posted a list of my favourite things, which included some of my ideas then, nevertheless the list changes each day right?

So here we go, my answer to this week's BFF challenge:

- Favourite jewerly: silvery ones, I cannot wear gold, feel unconfortable
- Favourite drink: you should know by know, come on it is .... coffee, right :)
- Favourite colour: blue, which as per many beliefs brings peace, or keeps the bad spirits away
- Favourite make up product: mascara
- Favourite past time with friends: cook dinner and share it!-
- Favourite scent: lavender
- Favourite series: Murder she wrote, love Jessica's character

I cannot wait to read everyone's else entries, should be fun!

Have a great Monday evening!

Monday's special

2011-12-05T06:52:00.000+01:00

“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.”
George Bernard Shaw

“Speak when you are angry - and you'll make the best speech you'll ever regret.”
Dr. Laurence J. Peter

“We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.”
Epictetus

“Communication works for those who work at it.”
John Powell

“The way we communicate with others and with ourselves ultimately determines the quality of our lives”
Anthony Robbins

“He who knows, does not speak. He who speaks, does not know.”
Lao Tzu

“Good communication is as stimulating as black coffee, and just as hard to sleep after.”
Anne Morrow Lindbergh

Truth to be told

2011-12-04T21:20:00.002+01:00

Truth to be told I am blessed! Today I am feeling very grateful, so full of energy, mentally strong after a lovely holiday (7 full days spend with my darling husband) and ready to enjoy the winter holiday (probably while ignoring the heavy rain and grey weather covering Germany for the next days).

And now you migh wonder why do I feel blessed?

Some thoughts come into my mind:

- I'm healthy (well the cough and throat pain I just consider as a 'gift' given by the air conditioning in the plane)
- I'm loved and the feeling is present each second (due to Peter, mom, family, friends ...)
- I love and this ability is simply wonderful
- I can work and earn my own money
- I am travelling more than the average person which gives me the opportunity to experience so many new places and people (even if for some this seems tiresome!)
- I am planning to bake many many cookies for Christmas holiday and also to give as presents (please don't tell my friends OK?) together with my friend Johanna and her two lovely children
- I enjoy the comforting atmosphere at home, while Peter is working in the background and I simply write
- and yes I am able to write!

Truth to be told I am lucky right?

Happy Sunday, I'm off to enjoy my tea with lemon and honey. Life is good!

And I'm back :)

2011-12-04T13:03:00.004+01:00

Dear readers, our holiday found its end, nevertheless it was a great week, with lovely weather, good food and a well-deserved relaxation for both. But to be honest I did miss writing, it became such a big part of my life, so it did not take much to find my place in my favourite armchair and start thinking of what to share with you next.

On a weekly basis, for some weeks ahead, on Wednesday, I will post our holiday best photos, so stay tuned :)

And since I fell in love with Lanzarote and its amazing art mostly due to Cezar Manrique, I thought that you would join in for a special giveway. I bought these earings from the shop located in Cezar Manrique's house and they are based on his design. They are special to me, since they remind me of a wonderful day and I would love to give them to someone who would like to have a small memento from this gorgeous island.

The rules? I make it very easy: just be my follower and leave a comment :)

And I am sure that even my male followers will find a suitable owner for them right?

Happy to be back!

P.S. The giveaway will end up next Sunday :)

Tasty Tuesday - Roasted Butternut Baked Penne

2011-11-29T06:33:00.000+01:00

This is a dish made in Heaven, Jessica from How Sweet it is always finds great ideas.

The recipe is to be found here, all I can say is: try it! I threw in a mix of different kind of pasta, from penne to farfalle, made the puree in a mixer and had a great result! Enjoy and thanks Jessica!

Monday's special

2011-11-28T06:47:00.000+01:00

As long as there's pasta and Chinese food in the world, I'm okay.
by Michael Chang

Also, with men, there's a preference toward comfort food that's a little more healthy, like meat, pasta and potatoes. Women choose things like chips, cookies, chocolate and cake.
by Brian Wansink - Is it true? I wonder!

I'm crazy about westerns. I need to do a western once in a while. It's like you know, eating bread, eating pasta, drinking wine. It's in my blood. I need it.
by Franco Nero

Life is too short, and I'm Italian. I'd much rather eat pasta and drink wine than be a size 0.
by Sophia Bush

Pure bliss ahead

2011-11-25T21:16:00.002+01:00

See you in a week :)

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T21:00:00.003+01:00

Germany and Romania do not celebrate Thanksgiving, thus this is not a tradition which me or my family follows. Sadly since I love to cook and I am sure that I would have lots of fun preparing the meals. Nevertheless I have many reasons to be thankful and one of them is actually the support received for this blog from all of visitors, readers, followers.

Thank you!

Happy Thanksgiving!

High & Low

2011-11-23T19:29:00.003+01:00

After a long working day yesterday, 17 hours out of which 11 spend in London (but no excitement there, I saw London from the taxi!), I was a bit beat today. So many emails, meetings, phone calls, decisions, assessments, comparisons ... that I was so happy to meet Peter in town, have a coffee, get some sushi and relax.

Now, in my comfy armchair, with lavender scent in my nostrils, I cool down and think that in the end I will remember the capuccino, Peter's support and my homey feeling. That counts right?

Wordless Wednesday

2011-11-23T09:57:00.000+01:00

Tasty Tuesday - Poached pears

2011-11-22T06:32:00.000+01:00

2 pears
1 cup of brown sugar
150 ml of red dry wine
lemon zest from 1 lemon
juice from one lemon
1 cinnamon stick

Preparation:

Peel, halve and core pears and set them aside.

Combine wine & sugar in a large saucepan over medium heat - stir for 5 minutes until sugar is fully dissolved. Add the cinnamon, the lemon zest and the lemon juice. Add the pears and simmer for 25 minutes.

Take them out and let them cool. Serve with vanilla sauce and some blackberries.

Enjoy!

From Australia to Germany

2011-11-21T19:56:00.003+01:00

Luan, one of my dearest followers has a great idea, each month she features a fellow blogger and guess what? November belongs to me. I AM SO THRILLED.

The post can be found here

I was so amazed for her introduction

'Claudia is such a positive person who always looks on the bright side of life. Her blog is guaranteed to get you thinking more positive and her stories make you put your life into perspective on so many different levels.'

Thank you Luan, it was a pleasure to answer your questions and also to get such lovely words from you.

P.S. Funnily enough this fits this weekly BFF theme, called What am I thankful for, and trust me I am :)

Monday's special

2011-11-21T06:43:00.000+01:00

“Chocolate, men, coffee - some things are better rich”
Anonymous

“Actually, this seems to be the basic need of the human heart in nearly every great crisis - a good hot cup of coffee.”
Alexander King

“A cup of coffee - real coffee - home-browned, home ground, home made, that comes to you dark as a hazel-eye, but changes to a golden bronze as you temper it with cream that never cheated, but was real cream from its birth, thick, tenderly yellow, perfectly sweet, neither lumpy nor frothing on the Java: such a cup of coffee is a match for twenty blue devils and will exorcise them all.”
Henry Ward Beecher

“Men should be like coffee, hot sweet and strong”
Dutch Proverb

“Behind every successful woman is a substantial amount of coffee”
Stephanie Pi (how I agree!!! LOL)

“Coffee should be black as Hell, strong as death, and sweet as love”
Turkish Proverb

“Coffee and love are best when they are hot”
German Proverb

Laughter

2011-11-20T19:13:00.002+01:00

Motto:
Laughter is an instant vacation. ~Milton Berle

What makes me laugh?

When someone tickels me, especially when I know it's coming.

When someone tells a good joke, fitting the situation.

When I watch a nice comedy serial, like IT Crowd do you know it?

When a child smiles, like this afternoon. A dad and his daughter are walking. The child is not older than 3 years. She suddenly says: 'Start counting, I will hide!' and she goes behind a bush and starts counting :) Her dad hides behind a wall, and the girl goes: 'I see you, I see you :)' and had a wonderful smile on her face.

When I spend a nice evening with my friends, just being silly!

Laughing, being happy, smiling brings in me an incredible warm feeling, and in the end what soap is to the body, laughter is to the soul. ~Yiddish Proverb

Keep smiling!

Saturday

2011-11-19T17:43:00.004+01:00

After a very strange week, being sick, attending a workshop not at full energy, I was looking forward for this Saturday. I just wanted to relax, to enjoy my presence.

I started with a visit to my hair dresser, since I believe that if you pamper your exterior, your interior will follow. Great cut, felt at least a couple of months younger :)

Some small shopping and then I went into the kitchen and I cooked and baked.

Jamie Oliver is always an inspiration, and here I was with my sheperd's pie and smiling. I hope that our friend Marion will enjoy it tonight.

And then I stared these amazing rolls, very time consuming but I cannot wait to taste them tomorrow. The recipe for the Honey Potato Rolls can be found here

Life is good and I am grateful that my cold is fading!

Happy Saturday...

Wrong priority?

2011-11-17T19:03:00.003+01:00

Despite having a bad cold, I decided to travel to Estonia for a workshop organised for our current project. For me, being in a critical stage for the project implementation, I considered my attendance a priority and I was hoping to have some great insights and learn something useful.

Strangely enough I am dissapointed. Most likely due to my health and my unability to focus 100% but also because I am not actually seeing an added value after the first day. I do hope (cos hope dies last right?) that tomorrow it will better, both with my cold and also with the work aspects.

One thing I have taken with me after the day, I was reminded of this great story:

Four blind men encounter an elephant. One grabs the leg and concludes it is a tree trunk. One holds the tail thinking it is a whip. Another touches the elephant's trunk and decides it's a hose and the fourth man pats the side concluding it's a wall.

The wise man tells them, "All of you are right."

I hope you all are healthy and having a better Thursday, I would feel actually better knowing that!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-11-16T10:27:00.003+01:00

thus I have to recover!

Tasty Tuesday - Beetroot bolognese

2011-11-15T06:31:00.001+01:00

For 4 persons

Ingredients:
2 onions
250 g celery
olive oil
400 g minced meat
salt
pepper
Salz
Thymian
1/4 l red wine
500 ml stock
50 ml tomato puree
400 g Spaghetti
300 g cooked beetroot
ca. 100 g Feta

1. Dice the onions, clean the celery and cut it in small pieces.
2. Add the meat in a pan with a bit of oil and cook it, then add the salt, pepper, thymian, onions and celery. Let them on the fire for Zwiebeln 8–10 Minutes. Then add the stock, wine and tomato puree. Let them another 15 minutes to simmer.
3. Cook the spaghetti separately.
4. Add the small pieces of beetroot to the bolognese sauce for another 2 minutes.
5. Before serving, add the feta cheese on top of the pasta and sauce.

Simply gorgeous!

Soldier Songs

2011-11-14T20:48:00.003+01:00

This post is dedicated to this week's BFF theme, Soldier Boy, a collection of songs. Somehow it tranfers the little war going on in my body, fighting the cold away.

Monday's special

2011-11-14T06:39:00.000+01:00

“Nature will bear the closest inspection. She invites us to lay our eye level with her smallest leaf, and take an insect view of its plain.”
by Henry David Thoreau

“Man's life is like a drop of dew on a leaf.”
by Socrates

“Autumn is a second spring where every leaf is a flower”
by Albert Camus

“Never say there is nothing beautiful in the world anymore. There is always something to make you wonder in the shape of a tree, the trembling of a leaf.”
by Albert Schweitzer

“The fall of a leaf is a whisper to the living”
Russian Proverb

“With time and patience the mulberry leaf becomes a silk gown.”
Chinese Proverbs

Close up

2011-11-13T19:32:00.003+01:00

George Albert Smith (4 January 1864, London – 17 May 1959) was a stage hypnotist, psychic, magic lantern lecturer, astronomer, inventor, and one of the pioneers of British cinema, who is best known for his controversial work with Edmund Gurney at the Society for Psychical Research, his short-films from 1897-1903 which pioneered film editing and close-ups, and his development of the first successful colour film process, Kinemacolor.

He pioneered the use of the close-up with Grandma's Reading Glass, As Seen Through a Telescope and Spiders on a Web (all 1900), and I found two to share with you:

Source Wikipedia

For me this is an amazing breakthrough for the world cinematography, imagine how many lovely suprises we get we are drawn into a movie and suddenly a small detail brings light within the story.

Maybe you would wonder how come I am writing about this? Sunday is dedicated to the series called Coast, wonderfully entertaining, lovely scenaries and great stories. Today it took me to Brighton, thus George Albert Smith. A sample below, maybe you will find it as surprising as I do!

Happy Sunday!

Autumn Leaves

2011-11-12T07:32:00.000+01:00

Peter is a wonderful teacher, he shows me music from different perspectives and one great examples of different means of interpreting a song is by listening to the following versions of Autumn Leaves.

Wynton Marsalis at its best

Eric Clapton, great voice

Chet Baker's approach

Simple jazzy

Another trio

and the original

Hometown - Timisoara

2011-11-11T14:51:00.004+01:00

Timisoara, my home town, one amazing city in Romania.

Some background for you:

Timisoara was first mentioned as a place in either 1212 or 1266. The territory later to be known as Banat was conquered and annexed by the Kingdom of Hungary in 1030. Timisoara grew considerably during the reign of Charles I, who, upon his visit here in 1307, ordered the construction of a royal palace. Timisoara's importance also grew thanks to its strategic location, which facilitated control over the Banat plain. John Hunyadi established a permanent military encampment here, and moved here together with his family. In 1552, Ahmed Pasha conquered the city with a 16,000 Ottomans and transformed it into a capital city in the region. The local military commander, Stefan Losonczy, was captured and beheaded on July 27, 1552 after resisting the Ottoman invasion with just over 2,300 men.

Timisoara remained under Ottoman rule for nearly 160 years, controlled directly by the Sultan and enjoying a special status, similar to other cities in the region such as Budapest and Belgrade. During this period, Timisoara was home to a large Islamic community and produced famous historical figures such as Osman Aga of Temesvar, until Prince Eugene of Savoy conquered it in 1716. Subsequently, the city came under Austrian rule, and it remained so until the early 20th century except Ottoman occupation between 1788-1789 during Ottoman-Hapsburg war. During this time, Timisoara evolved from a strategic fortress to an economic and industrial center: numerous factories were built, electric illumination and public transport were introduced, and railroad connections were established. The city was defortified, and several major road arteries were built to connect the suburbs with the city center, paving the way for further expansion of the city limits.

It was the first mainland European city to be lit by electric street lamps in 1884. It was also the second European and the first city in what is now Romania with horse drawn trams in 1867. Gustave Eiffel, the creator of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, drew the projects of one of Timisoara's footbridges over the Bega.

On October 31, 1918, local military and political elites establish the "Banat National Council", together with representatives of the region's main ethnic groups: Hungarians, Romanians, Serbs and Germans. In the aftermath of World War I, the Banat region was divided between the Kingdom of Romania and the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, and Timisoara came under Romanian administration after Serbian occupation between 1918-1919. In 1920, King Ferdinand I awarded Timisoara the status of a University Center, and the interwar years saw continuous economic and cultural development.

During World War II, Timișoara suffered damage from both Allied and Axis bombing raids, especially during the second half of 1944.

After the war, the People's Republic of Romania was proclaimed, and Timisoara underwent Sovietization and later, systematization. The city's population tripled between 1948 and 1992. In December 1989, Timisoara witnessed a series of mass street protests by Romanians, Hungarians and Serbs, in what was to become the Romanian Revolution of 1989, the beginning of the democratic movement.

And now this is the face of my hometown!

There are no words to describe my town, it is home, pure and simple!

P.S. Wikipedia was my source :)

Vacation

2011-11-10T10:38:00.002+01:00

Motto:
Travel and change of place impart new vigor to the mind. -Seneca

In 2 weeks we will be here:

Location? Lanzarote - Canary Islands!

Conclusion:
No matter what happens, travel gives you a story to tell. -Jewish Proverb

High & Low - Wednesday Hodgepodge

2011-11-09T15:14:00.004+01:00

Since until now I had a very unsual day (including being insulted by a very unsecure male), I decided that I will celebrate my day with the Wednesday Hodgepodge and ignore all negative vibes.

1. Of all the tools and gadgets you own which do you most enjoy using?
For the tools I'll definetely go for our Nespresso coffee machine at home, it is amazing and the coffee is simply divine.
As for gadget I would say the Ipod, which treats me with lovely audiobooks while travelling. And the Kindle!

2. When (if ever) is impatience a virtue?
Well it is with me :) I want everything now :) Well kidding but actually there is some truth in it, I can wait but not for too long.

3. What temperature do you keep your thermostat set to in winter? Do you have another way to heat your house besides a furnace of some type?
Well I like it warm in the evenings, but during the day I do like a bit of constant fresh air. And according to many of my friends and aquitances, I am warmer than most, so I can stand cold.

No additional heating possibilities, just house heating.

4. Do/did you have a close relationship with any of your grandparents?
For this, I will repost an older entry

There are some letters which had words attached to them from the beginning, no matter how I would have felt while writing this post I knew I have to write about Grandparents. I was blessed to know all of my 4 grandparents, I even knew two grand-grand-mothers and one grand-grand-granfather. I thought that I would share with you some of my most vivid memories of these amazing people who were and still are part of my life.

Bunica (= grandmother in Romanian), Mimi. She is the mother of my mother and was and is a beautiful woman. I have one of her pictures when she was 18, she was so delicate but strong, so at peace with herself. She was born before the second world war, survived many hardships and still is one of the most optimistic woman I know. She did not lose her passion for life, she finds each day something worth smiling. My earliest memory of her ... Mimi reading to me bed time stories. Grimm Brothers, 1001 nights, simply great stories which filled my imagination, made me dream and put me to sleep. She had a great voice, calm, melodic, following the story with the perfect intonation. I am actually sure that I love books due to her. Books are part of my life since before I could read or write. They were always there and I cheerish them so. Mimi lives with my mom in Romania, is 84 this year and she will be travelling to see us in one month. I cannot wait, so many places to visit :)

Omi (= German version of grandmother) is the mother of my dad, living in Germany, Augsburg. The best seemstress in town a couple of years ago while she still lived in Romania. She was the costume designer of the local theatre and of course I was the best dressed grandchild in town :) She was so creative, never tired of new ideas, of finding new colours to match my complexion. Sadly she cannot do that anymore, old age got her hands, but still I can admire her work. My mom still has some suits made by Omi.

Otta (= German version of grandfather), the father of my mother. The most patient grandfather in the world. I think I drove him nuts with my questions, especially WHY?? We had a routine, on each Sunday morning (to give my mom some space), Otta took me for a ride in town, we went on a bus drive around the city and he showed me old building, told me stories of his youth. He never got tired of answering me questions. And somehow he always managed to answer them. One question I remember pretty well: how is butter made? Why of milk? Where does milk come? and so on and so forth. I miss him a lot. Unfortunately he died 10 years ago but he always will be in my heart. In a way I will never forgive me for not saying good bye. He died while I was on a business trip and I was not there. Miss you Otta! Miss your blue eyes looking towards me!

Buni (= Romanian version of grandfather), the father of my father. The kindest man ever, he loved me so much. I had the luck of having him in my life only for 8 years, but I can still remember his smile. He was in charge of me for the first 2 years of my life since my mom and dad were studying when I was born, so during their remaining study years he took care of me. He was the only one left, everyone else in the family was still working, so he learned how to change diapers, how to feed me, how to calm me down. Bless his heart! Sadly I was not allowed to go to his funeral and say good bye, by then my parents divorced and the second wife of my dad was pretty weird. I visit his grave as often as I am in Romania, I need to 'see' him. Miss him!

I know I am lucky ... I still have 2 wonderful persons in my life. I have / had so much love coming from their side. But still I miss Otta and Buni ... I hope they keep smiling!

5. When did you last have a family portrait taken?
Long time ago.

6. What does the word patriotism mean to you?
Being proud of being Romanian.

7. Do you like to play cards and if so, what's your favorite card game?
Rummy, I loved it as a child.

8. Insert your own random thought here.
I need sleep :)

Wordless Wednesday

2011-11-09T06:34:00.002+01:00

Estonia and darkness, two words which go along just fine at the moment. You get light between 7.30 am and 4pm if the sky is clear. No snow yet, thus even less light. I miss the summer day with clear blue sky till 11pm.

Superstition

2011-11-08T19:36:00.002+01:00

Song motto:

As a foreigner, administrative issues in Germany are a challenge. You have to understand / speak German very well (not only for the discussions held with adminstration clerks, but also since most of them have accents!), to be very patient, to try to grasp the rules and fulfill them without getting irritated.

When Peter and I decided to get married, we were planning with a summer wedding but ended up in November. Reason? We underestimated the paperwork needed to get married in Germany especially for foreigners. But we did get married and I did learn my lesson. If something sounds easy at the beginning while dealing with townhall, finance department or any other administration offices, do not believe it, there is always something lurking around the corner. You might called me superstitious but I would say I am a realist!

So here we were with another endeavour, registering our car from Romania to Germany. I calld, got myself informed and thought I knew what I need to prepare. How less I knew, so at the beginning of October I got a very calm lady explaining what I am missing and what I need to bring forward for this registration.

One month of to dos, of getting papers in original (!!) from Romania, going through technical inspections and this morning I had the list ticked. So I thought, well, let's give it a try, most likely she forgot to tell us something.

Seven thirty in the morning, we with my bags packed for Estonia, Peter with lots of work activities in his head, thus, not very confident or enthusiastic. And guess what? We had ALL correct papers and she pushed us to get it registered. Somehow I could not believe it, I was still expecting the but ... But no, nothing came! Just German numbers for our car and happiness on both our faces.

If I still keep my belief? Oh yes, this was only the exception to confirm the rule, but boy am I happy! :)

Tasty Tuesday - Pea Soup

2011-11-08T05:48:00.000+01:00

One of the dishes which is always succesful, so easy to prepare but so delicious.

The version below was inspired by some fresh dill which was simply attracting my taste buds.

400 gr frozen peas
1 big leak
a bit of olive oil
a pinch of salt
pepper
400 ml chicken stock
a bunch of fresh dill

Chop the leak and add it in the oil followed shortly by the peas. Add the stock and boil them together for 20 minutes. In the end add the salt, pepper and the dill. The use the mixer and create the cream. I added some grilled shrimps and a bit of cream. Et voila! Enjoy!

Monday's special

2011-11-07T07:55:00.003+01:00

Since I believe you already know by now that I am passionate about cooking, here are some of my favourite quotes:

Hunger is the best sauce in the world.
Cervantes

Strange to see how a good dinner and
feasting reconciles everybody.
Samuel Pepys

A good cook is the peculiar gift of the gods. He must be a perfect creature from the brain to the palate, from the palate to the finger's end.
Walter Savage Landor

Kissing don't last: cookery do.
George Meredith

Cooking is like love. It should be entered into with abandon or not at all.
Harriet Van Horne

Savory seasonings stimulate the appetite.
Latin Proverb

Nature vs Nurture

2011-11-06T17:38:00.006+01:00

Motto:
"[Nature and nurture are] a convenient jingle of words, for it separates under two distinct heads the innumerable elements of which personality is composed. Nature is all that a man brings with himself into the world; nurture is every influence that affects him after his birth."
by Charles Darwin

As Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote that "...man is a bundle of relations, a knot of roots,
whose flower and fruitage is the world. His faculties refer to natures out of him, and predict the world he is to inhabit, as the fins of the fish foreshow that water exists, or the wings of an eagle in the egg presuppose air. He cannot live without a world.", I also believe that the world around us influences our view on life and our choices.

For me autumn is a pure joy, the mix of colours and textures is inspiring. I love the anbundancy, the smells, the way light plays in the forest. I truly come to life in autumn, I live intensly during the day enjoying the sun. I create many dishes, mostly with the autumnal products, like beetroot and berries.

Today was a gift, a perfect sunny day, with high temperatures, great company. Under the influence of nature I enjoyed autumn, pure and simple.

Saturday Cooking

2011-11-05T15:30:00.003+01:00

After a usual Saturday morning (breakfast in two, shopping, cleaning) I suddenly became so inspired today :) Somehow I am under the magical spell of cooking, and here I was preparing a lovely lunch: pea soup with shrimps, beetroot bolognese and poached pears with vanilla sauce!

Some photos and do watch this space for recipes, they will come I promise :)

No special plans for this weekend, just to enjoy Peter's and Naila's company. Heavy travelling ahead and I want to enjoy the days off.

What about you?

Behind the mask

2011-11-04T19:00:00.003+01:00

Motto:

“Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.”
by Oscar Wilde

And now I would like to know which song you like best?

You sit around and I watch your face
I try to find the truth, but that’s your hiding place
You say you love me, but it’s hard to see

Desire

2011-11-03T18:45:00.011+01:00

While away to the 2 day Seminar in Niederwald, I discovered a wonderful location, Hotel Jagdschloss, where I would love to return for a weekend and discover the forest, the vineyards, the nature.

The magical forest

Discovering a house

Welcome

The castle

Lamp posts

The former gardner's house

Front view

Forest, hills, nature

I can imagine taking long walks, then a lovely candlelight dinner. A desirable location for a small break. Do you agree?

High & Low

2011-11-02T07:12:00.003+01:00

There are moments in life when it appears to be like this

But then the darkness fades away and you get this

I'm off for a 2 day seminar and I am not sure if I will be able to post anything tonight, thus have a happy Wednesday and I'll be on my way to achive the possible first!

Tasty Tuesday - Winter salad

2011-11-01T06:01:00.002+01:00

Inspired by Jessica, I adapted her salad , since I did not have any pomegranates. The rest is more or less the same except the vinaigratte, based on lemon.

It was a pure delight, very filling though. But yummy!

Monday's special

2011-10-31T06:15:00.000+01:00

Well, it is Halloween so thought that quotes will be suitable

Only the knife knows what goes on in the heart of a pumpkin.
by Simone Schwarz-Bart

Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie.
by Jim Davis

We fancy men are individuals; so are pumpkins; but every pumpkin in the field goes through every point of pumpkin history.
by Ralph Waldo Emerson

and

Pixie, kobold, elf, and sprite,
All are on their rounds tonight;
In the wan moon's silver ray,
Thrives their helter-skelter play.
by Joel Benton

Nothing on Earth so beautiful as the final haul on Halloween night.
by Steve Almond

Nothing beats a haunted moonlit night on All Hallows Eve.... And on this fatal night, at this witching time, the starless sky laments black and unmoving. The somber hues of an ominous, dark forest are suddenly illuminated under the emerging face of the full moon.
by Kim Elizabeth

Happy Halloween!

Going out

2011-10-30T10:08:00.010+01:00

One of the most common found social custom in Germany is called Stammtisch, which basically means regular table. It either is organised within family members or with friends. Since I moved here, I was always playing with the thought of organising such a table, with friends for sure, but you need to find the right location. Plus you don't want to spend a fortune on going out, the purpose is to have fun and enjoy the company of your friends.

The search went on, since both Peter and I love to go out and eat, finding new locations, sampling new dishes.

Thus, when one of our friends told us that her husband is making one of his dreams true, somewhere back in my mind I was hoping to find THE place. They opened a new restaurant, called Dalmatino, and yesterday they had the official opening. And guess what? I think we found it! We are already planning to get a couple there in the next days, to see what they think. Slowly but surely, I feel that I find my place in Bad Homburg. And that feels good.

At the beginning you feel a bit lost, you are the new face but with time you meet people, you make new aquitances, you develop friendship, basically your social popularity increases and I know that yesterday was just a small step into that direction.

Some pictures to witness the lovely evening yesterday.

On the way

At the place

Night in Bad Homburg

the last one is from a concert from the Culture Night!

What a great night, this for sure will be repeated. Happy Sunday!

Saturday Happy

2011-10-29T14:00:00.002+02:00

Another Saturday and very unusual for me, without many things to do. I was super active yesterday, did my usual weekend chores, so here I am with a free day, able to do whatever I want.

Thus I proceed :)

Morning walk with Peter, coffee for sure, some small shopping (found a lovely fuchsia wool to knit a special gift for my niece), came home and starting cooking. A lovely chutney based on cranberries, apple and pear (yummy for meat!!), a nice orange ginger cake (recipe will follow on a Tasty Tuesday, promise) and a nice warm soup.

And now? Now I am debating with myself, shall I read, sleep, or knit? Decided to blog instead :))

Tonight we will be busy, an opening of new restaurant Dalmatino, owned by two good friends (will take pictures promise!) and then off we will go to the Culture Night. This is based on a very interesting idea, when for 5 hours all major cultural locations in town open their doors (till midnight!) and will organise special events, like concerts, art exhibitions. I cannot wait to walk around and enjoy the evening and the culture.

So what about you? And Saturday plans you would like to share with me?

As you might have notice, I am in a good mood and would love you to catch it :))

And I decided to smile!

007 Philosophy

2011-10-28T14:59:00.007+02:00

As you might have remembered, on Monday I have attended a workshop which actually still makes me think. Among other comments made by Esa Saarinen, I took down what he calls the 007 Philosophy:

1. Don't get irritated!
2. Immediate action
3. Self respect
4. Secret weapon
5. Style
6. The true significance of the current missionw ill become clear later in the Bahamas
7. In Her Majesty's Secret Service

Some of them are simply for fun (at least this is my interpretation), but some are worth reflecting, especially 1, 3 and 5. And for sure a secret weapon is handy.

But now to a very serious matter: who was the best James Bond? Anyone interested in voting? :) Just click below on the link if you want :)

BooRoo

Thanks!

Thrills and Chills—Halloween Style

2011-10-27T19:08:00.007+02:00

A smile a day :)

High & Low

2011-10-26T20:03:00.002+02:00

After some tough hours behind, the day after did not bring any notable high or lows, thus decided to take the Halloweenie-Hodgepodge and share some thoughts with you.

1. What gives you goosebumps?

Unknown dogs, darkness and being alone in an empty house. And for sure the cold temperatures in Estonia during winter time. Believe me there is truly cold!

2. Halloween—are you a lover or a hater? Okay, that sounds harsh...Halloween—yay or nay?

Halloween is not part of my culture, I do appreciate the 'madness' and like to see the kids be happy. Europe is getting more and more open towards this holiday, but it still takes some years until we will get similar dimensions as in USA.

3. Can you respect someone you do not trust, and can you trust someone you do not respect?

No and no. Trust for me means to rely upon a person's integrity and character and that for sure involves mutual respect.

4. Apples or oranges? Yes, you have to choose.

Apples. Love them in any shapes, size, meal :)

5. What is something you wish was in your town (shop, restaurant, attraction, etc.)?

Would love a river in order to walk on its banks.

6. What non-food item is in your refrigerator or freezer?

To be honest none

7. Are you at all superstitious?

Sometimes :) This question reminded me of a cartoon which I would like to share with you.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

Just realised how nice our home looks under the delicate lights of candles. Love cosy evenings at home, simply sharing moments with my husband.

Bad Day

2011-10-25T17:52:00.003+02:00

One of those days when it would have been better to sleep in! Nothing seems to work today, only problems to solve and no solution visible. So it does rain sometimes in my world as well ....

Update: just lost a follower, wish I knew why!