Erlangen Bier Fest Teaser

Sorry that I haven't posted for a while.  We were in Erlangen, Germany at the Bergkirchweih... also known as "the berg" and the beer festival.  We dressed up,  drank good German beer, sang, and ate lots of sausages and giant pretzels!  Oh the tales I have to tell.

Seagulls are big

Sometimes I forget that I'm on a island. Then, I'll hear the familiar squawking of the seagulls or see one of them swoop down to steal food. My Sifu said that he watched one take an entire chicken breast from a person's plate at a restaurant on the beach! Seagulls are really big here. I threw some old bread into the garden, and they quickly chased away the smaller birds who saw it first. I see now why my neighbor chases them away from her yard. Poor little birds don't have a chance. They were trying to quickly grab pieces and hide in the shrubs to eat. Anyway, to give you some perspective on the size of the beasts, that's a deflated soccer ball in the yard. Oh and picture this: As I looked out to see what the seagulls were doing, I noticed one of them was standing with his beak wide open. He was stretching his neck out as far as he could and then withdrawing it pumping back and forth with his head. After a moment, I realized that he was choking on a piece of bread. Stupid seagull tried to swallow a very large piece instead of picking it apart like the smaller birds. Don't worry, he didn't drop dead in my garden; he managed to finish what he started... the eating bit, not the choking.

Just for fun:

Towns such as Peterculter are pronounced "Peter-cooter," but the area of Cults is pronounced as it is spelled. 

Changing seasons and a pollen forecast website for the UK

"To be interested in the changing seasons is a happier 

state of mind than to be hopelessly in love with spring."

- George Santayana -

Things are changing here in Aberdeen. However, it's still cold some days. Tonight's low is 39°F. It's amazing to see so many things blooming, even with it feeling cold, cloudy, and windy.

Winter

Spring

Victoria Park - Winter

Victoria Park - Spring

With the changing seasons, you may notice that your allergies here have kicked into gear. I've talked to many people who are often wondering what is in the air. I found a website that gives pollen counts here: http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/health/public/pollen-forecast. I really like the calendar they have on their website. I've attached it below.

Monthly fish and chips visit and our anniversary celebration!

So, another difference between the UK and the USA that I learned today: In the UK, the expiration date IS the expiration date. There is no 7-day rule for milk. I opened my milk today expecting to use it since it had expired only 2 days ago, and it was sour and clumped. Yum! Anyway, moving on.

This weekend, Steve and I celebrated our 6th anniversary. We went to Cafe Boheme for dinner. Steve ordered duck, and I ordered lamb shank. It was really good, except for the wine incident. The server had just filled Steve's glass and was putting the bottle into the cooler. He knocked over Steve's glass of wine. I had to jump to avoid getting wet! All the server did was refill his glass with our bottle. We weren't compensated in any way for the full glass of wine that kid spilled. Steve said, "Well, there goes £6 onto the floor. We didn't feel like it was worth the fight since we were celebrating and trying to have a good time. We decided it was probably best to not have that extra glass of wine anyway.

Afterwards, we went to the theatre to see Iron Man 3 with some friends. It was a really good movie. A plus was that now the Union Square theatre allows you to take your drinks from the bar into the theatre! After the movie, we went to The Globe where there was a band playing. We saw some young girls there acting really dumb. They were daring each other to do things. One acted like a mime in a box in the middle of the bar. One was dared to talk to some guys and was eventually rescued by her friend, the wingman. One girl was doing something at an empty table with some leftover wine glasses. She slammed them down on the table while yelling "yeah!" breaking one and cutting her finger. Not smart. She could have really hurt herself.

The bars here close at 1:00 AM, so we went to a casino for one last drink. Well, I had water. I was thirsty, and then I was hungry. So on the way home we stopped at a chipper to get me some cheese and chips! I know it's bad for me, but every now and then is okay. It was FANTASTIC. While we were in the chipper, a guy stumbled in the door and asked Steve, "Whatre youuuu.... gonna dooo... at tha endofthwa world?" Steve wisely chose to pretend he wasn't there. The guy behind the man wasn't so wise. There is never a dull moment in Aberdeen after 11 PM.

On Sunday we went for our monthly fish and chips with Pam and Fin. For this trip, we went to Hornblowers Fish and Chip Restaurant in Gourdon. The restaurant overlooks the harbor. You can choose a regular or lighter portion if fish and chips. There is beer, cider, and wine if you want an alcoholic beverage. They also serve a variety of fizzy drinks and milkshakes. For desert your choices include cheesecake, apple pie, sticky toffee pudding, and Mackie's ice cream amongst others. It's a great little place, and you can take a walk around the harbor after eating. We got to see the crab catch for the week while we were there!

Photo from: http://gourdonview.wordpress.com/

My Dog Gives Good Advice

My dog has a good idea. She's found the warm spot in the house, the spot in front of the dryer. I started thinking about a few things as I looked at this picture. I thought, 'How simple was her decision? She was cold. She was uncomfortable. Instead of suffering through it, she went somewhere warm.' I thought about experiences. My experiences and how we react. Some from others. A bit of both. Angel has the right idea. Go to places that are warm. I think that works in so many areas of life literally and metaphorically. Just as you would not willingly sit in the freezing cold or scorching sun with no protection...just as you wouldn't willingly allow your body to be abused, so should you not allow your heart and mind to suffer the same. Surround yourself in warmth. 

Yesterday wasn't a good day for me. Things just kept going wrong, and I was really down. I guess we all have those days when frustrations keep piling. I thought about just sitting on the couch in front of the tele for the rest of the evening. Instead, I forced myself to leave the house. I walked to places I enjoy. I ran some errands, and despite all of my emotions screaming at me to fold under their weight, I got on my bicycle headed toward Kung Fu training for the night. Man it was hard to keep moving...to keep surrounding myself with...well anything except loneliness. After training, I kept moving. I was afraid to be still. Have you ever felt that way? Like you just don't want to be alone with your thoughts because they might take over you? So, I took Angel to the park. We ran and played together. When I got home, Steve hugged me and told me, 'Everything will be okay.' I was on the road back to my happier self, and after a conversation with God, I found her again. 

Today I played Mah-Jong, ran some errands, and then had coffee with my neighbor. She has had such an interesting life. Sitting with her chatting over coffee was like hanging out with my own grandparents. It was nice.

So I'll say it again. Surround yourself in warmth: God. Peaceful people. Loving people. Happy places. Cozy spaces. And don't forget your loyal, slobbering, furry companions that will always be there to lick your faces.