Someone, at some point, told me that it was a good idea to keep stamps in the house so you can post letters without having to plan a trip to the post office. (This is Germany. You can’t buy stamps just anywhere, where would we end up?! It’s a huge improvement that they introduced stamp […]

I often tell people I don’t wear (/use?) nail varnish. It’s not strictly true, but it’s as true as it needs to be for most purposes. I used to once, but I haven’t regularly in years. The following photo shows my not-empty tub of varnish removal pads. There were originally 30 in there, I haven’t […]

On a train. The last of 5. Next stop Wiesbaden, the capital of Hessen (central county in Germany). My new saddle bags are being dropped in at the deep end 🙂 Packed to almost bursting point and still overflowing into my backpack. The plan is to cycle for a couple of days with my folks […]

I found a pair of saddle bags for sale online last weekend and asked if I could pick them up the next day. They were en route to somewhere I was going by train anyway. The seller gave me his address and I said I’d phone when I knew when I would be there. Then […]

I think I’m going to have a writing weekend. I need to get lots of scraps of memories and thoughts and experiences and feelings out of my head and that generally works best when I write. I don’t have much time to write tho, or at least haven’t been making proper use of the time […]

As I was getting ready to cycle home in the rain I noticed something a little bit scary… This is my coat, backpack and rain skirt… and it’s all pink! I also have a purple and white helmet and pink and grey trainers. I suddenly felt more girly than I have in decades.. (I let […]

I had a very interesting conversation the other day where one topic flowed into the next until we arrived at the following question(s): Do I have to like one colour more than other colours? Why does it matter what colour something is? Does the colour make any difference in the way things work? It was […]

We did it! 🙂 A couple of hours of chaos and a large pot of leek& potato soup later and the kitchen is now close to perfectly accurately straight, level, aligned… You name it, it probably is it. It is quite an experience to watch someone take your rental kitchen to pieces… and then put […]

H – yes, this is another story about H – made us matching chopping boards at the weekend. He needed one and apparently making an extra one isn’t much extra effort. He brought it round yesterday evening. It is beautiful, like all his woodwork is beautiful. I am very impressed. It still needs oiling, but […]

I went to pick up a couple of CDs last week. When I got there, the lady selling them pointed towards a huge cardboard box. “You can have a rummage through that too if you like… actually.. you can have the whole lot if you take them away. My husband used to be a DJ. […]

A week or so ago, I found someone online with a pair of skis to give away. I recently bought a pair, but these are a little bit longer and a friend could use them when we go on our skiing holiday. I wrote and arranged a time. On the evening of the pick up […]

Last week, my knees started really hurting. Luckily for me, my brother has had a pretty good variety of sporting injuries and suggested I adjust the height of my saddle. I did, and noticed the difference instantly. My knees still have a bit of “residual pain” in them, but they don’t exactly hurt while cycling. […]

I’m clinging to Christmas for a little while longer.. Hope you all had a good one 🙂