Sunday 30 August 2009

Currant buns and a crafty Sunday.




Today was a really nice, sunny day here in Rheinland. For some of our politicians the sun won't be shining as there are county-parliament elections today, and some will probably be very unhappy over the results this evening. I decided to have a crafting day. Yesterday evening I started covering paper for a mini album, and after my morning coffee I got to work on it and spent 6 hours filling the pages. The time went by in a flash, and it is always a good feeling when a new piece is finished. As I wanted to craft, I decided to make my meal this evening - later on I will make hot chilli chicken wings - and thought a currant bun would do for a morning snack. I had lots of boxes and tins full of crafty bits and bobs spread out through my flat, and made a firm resolve to clear everything away when my album was finished. I kept feeling peckish while I was crafting, so I took a second bun, and a bit later number three, because I felt really hungry. After finishing I really did clear up. Sorted all my bits and pieces, paper to paper, buttons to buttons etc. And then as I looked in the button box, what did I see? A bit more than half a currant bun, must have put it in there while I was rummaging for the right button. And in the paper box - same story again. Half a currrant bun, still fresh. And the third one turned up in the kitchen, on the coffee-maker, just minus one bite. At least I now know why I was still hungry, and am looking forward to my evening meal. Perhaps I will use a plate this time, as I don't want to be finding bones in the wardrobe tomorrow!

Saturday 29 August 2009

Happy Birthday B!!



Today is the birthday of my best friend B. Happy birthday, have a lovely day, thanks for being my friend and a part of my life!

Wednesday 26 August 2009

The Bishop and the students


In the list of 100 things which I saw on Tracy's Blog and copied off SusieJ's blog, who copied it off Donna's blog, who got it off her daughter's blog who..........I mentioned that I once hitched a lift with a bishop. I had been studying Theology and Psychology for about 3 months, it was round about Christmas time and I was invited by a fellow student to go home with her to Durham over the holidays. I was thrilled, as I didn't fancy the idea of staying on in college over the hols, but neither of us had more than a few shillings....not enough to buy a train or even a coach ticket.
So we decided to hitch-hike. We were both scared stiff, even back in the 60's we had heard lots of hair-raising stories of what might happen to girls who did such risky things. We packed our bags and took the bus to the edge of town, and at first rather shyly, we put up our thumbs. We were hoping to get a lift quickly, as it was cold, and we had a long journey in front of us. A few dubious looking cars and lorries drove slowly past us, but didn't stop. Then a Bentley drove by, stopped, and reversed. An elderly lady was sitting next to the driver. Both were well dressed and groomed. The lady said, " My husband and I don't approve at all of young ladies - she meant us!- hitch-hiking, but we don't want to leave you standing here, either. Put your bags in the boot and get in!" We couldn't believe our luck, and scrambled onto the very comfy back seat. We introduced ourselves, and started chatting to one another. They asked us what we were studying, and asked a lot of interested questions. We were proud to have a chance to show off our theological and psychological knowledge, and tried to impress them with lots of important sounding phrases. At mid-day, they stopped in front of a beautiful country pub, and said they wanted to have a spot of lunch, and asked if we wanted to accompany them. Red-faced, we had to admit, that we didn't have enough money, and they told us that we were their guests and they would be honoured to invite us. We all had a lovely lunch, and were soon chatting as if we had known each other for ever. They told us that they were visiting relations north of York, but that they could take us that far, which was a good part of the way for us. At York, the man got out and said he had to "disappear" for a moment and went into the station. We thought he needed the loo. After he returned, he said they would have to leave us there, but he would give us his address in case we were ever in his neighbourhood. He took out our bags, gave us an envelope and drove off, waving and smiling at us. In the envelope were 2 return train tickets to Durham, and his card, with his name and occupation - he was the Anglican Bishop of N. He and his wife must have amused themselves heartily over our naive theological tales. They were elderly then, and must have long since died. I hope they are enjoying their well-deserved place in heaven, and I will never forget what they did for us in that cold December more than 40 years ago.

DoodlesDumpkinsAward for me - WOW! and it is going also to; Sue Bubbles, Gina, SusieJ, I'm Maria and Crafty Tracy!


Valerie's Award


Conditions of this award:
1. You have to put it onto your blog.
2. You have to continue to make us smile.
3. You have to pass it on to 5 friends and notify them.
4. You have to say who awarded it to you.
5. You have to list 5 things we didn't know about you.

Condition 1 - done!!
Condition 2 - This will be a pleasure!
Condition 3 - will be done asap, with pleasure!
Condition 4 - I GOT IT FROM DOODLES DUMPKINS THANK YOU SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH!!!
Condition 5 - this will be hard! OK, let's start;
5 things you don't yet know about me.....
(a) I am not normal.
(b) I am proud of not being normal.
(c) I studied theology, psychology and philosophy - which proves (a) and (b)
(d) I am retiring at the end of the year (my boss doesn't know it yet, either!)
(e) I am addicted to plastic bums (For strangers who may land on this blog by mistake explanations will follow in the near future!)

Wow, Doodles, now I have really let my trousers down! Thanks again for the award!
I am passing this award on to Sue Bubbles (The Crafty World of sue-bubbles), 'Cause she's been through a lot and always comes out on top,
Gina (to encourage her to start her blog!)and 'cause she keeps us all going, SusieJ (This Is My World),another lovely girl with a wonderful dog called Max, Hi I'm Maria (Scrappers delight)'cause she's a lovely girl and Tracy (Crafty Tracy). 'cause she has a big heart for animals.

2 awards for Doodles-Dumpkins



I got 2 nice awards this week: And I want to give them to Donna, because she had the courage to start a blog and made it so beautiful that we are already copying off her!
First the "Fabulous Blog" award. And these are the conditions attached - you have to thank me for giving it to you,
pass the award on to five other Bloggers, and list 5 things you are addicted to. Enjoy.
And here comes the second one! The "Honest Scrap" award
This also has conditions attached!
And now to the Conditions of the award:


you must thank the person who gave you the award, list their blog and link to it
you must list ten honest things about yourself.
you must put a copy of the Honest Scrap logo on yourblog.
you must select at least seven other worthy bloggers and list their links.
you must notify bloggers of their award

100 things( seen by Tracy,copied from Susie-J(thank-you-so-much-in-advance!) who coped from Donna who......thanks girls, nice idea:)

Highlights the ones you've done


1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band at school
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Been lost for words when answering a child's question often!
10. Sang a solo at school!
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a soppy girly film and cried all the way through
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetablespotatoes, carrots,beans& cucumbers
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked got a lift from a Bishop!
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Made snow angels
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise on the Nile
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelos David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud with my dog!
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts clas
s59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp (Terrible, just terrible)
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Been on the television
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Read an entire book in one day

and I think I could add a few more when I have time, like taking sermons and funerals and other strange things!