Monday inspiration

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New Stitch

I spent a considerable amount of time yesterday learning a new stitch with the knitting in order to give myself a challenge and it certainly was that.  I'd been trying to get started all week and thought I would do another bookmark to make sure I could get the stitch before I tried any bigger projects with it.  The stitch I have done so far leaves a squiggly line pattern and the new one should leave more of a pointy zigzag pattern (yes, that's about as technical as my knitting vocabulary gets people).  

As you can see, the zigzag didn't quite come out but I was pleased with the overall effect (if you overlook the two gaping holes I managed to get in there - oops) so I'm going to start my new project soon.  I'll be waiting until after this week's visitors have left though as I don't want Lucas' first words to be one of those that turned the air blue around here yesterday.

The Saturday Update

There's not a lot to report this week.  I've been working hard at school - preparing for the new year five and planning another little project for next year (fingers crossed.).  It's funny but although I have already been at the school for almost two years, it's only now that I'm really starting to feel a part of things.  It really makes me want to work harder and better which is why it's lucky that I have more time for it than ever with my MA and French course finished.

I did three lots of Zumba this week and started the Race for Life training plan in preparation for my 10km race in October.  That and the amount of salads and fruit I have been eating have paid off with a 3.25lb loss this week so I am at my lightest weight for 2012!  Just have to not blow it next week now!  I have to say the weather helps a lot.  I just know that I'm too good and treating myself when we have visitors and this week we've got my sister and baby nephew and in two weeks my mum and step-dad!  Must retain my will power!

I also had my first experience at a German opticians this week.  My supply of contact lenses from Specsavers is finally coming to an end and I decided to make a fresh start here.  I passed the eye test (luckily it was done by numbers and not letters as I have more problems with my accent there and it could have been fun) and have to pick up a test pair of lenses next weekend.

Next week promises to be fun with a short work week and the aforementioned visit from Briony and Lucas, which means another trip to the zoo, rediscovering Bremen and if the weather holds, baby's first trip to the beach!

One Day

Don't worry, I'm not going to start posting about every single book I read but I didn't feel like I could let this one go by without a few words.

Nico picked up this book in the airport on one of our trips to England and hasn't gotten around to reading it yet but I've heard so much about it, I decided to make it my modern book for May, polished it off in under three days and I have to say, I wasn't disappointed.

I don't want to spoil the book for anyone that hasn't read it yet but it totally blew me away.  It follows the lives of two friends by telling their story on a certain date every year for twenty years.  First it made me feel nostalgic about the university years, and then it made me feel lucky to be where I am now.  The writing is beautiful, at times funny and sometimes sad but really moving.  I'm not sure how I feel about the ending but I am looking forward to seeing the film version, which from what I've heard, doesn't seem to have strayed to far from the novel.

Get yourself a copy!

Progress Report

Look at Nico's chillis going great too!

I mentioned a while ago, a craft project I did to turn an old Christmas plastic boot into a little flower pot.  I planted the seeds in March and they are growing fantastically.  The seeds on the balcony are starting to come through too, but I'm thinking of planting some of these seeds out there too now that it's getting warmer.  Here are the before and after pics.

Before

After

Huckleberry Finn

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As I mentioned in the Saturday Update, I've recently been reading The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.  It took me a whole week and over a hundred pages to really get into this book.  I think the main problem for me was the fact that is written in dialect and therefore, I really have to concentrate when reading in order to follow the story.

I was really disappointed at first, that it seemed to be the first book in a long time that I wasn't going to get along with somehow as I realised the author also wrote The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, which I also wanted to read, but was quickly giving up hoped of.

I'm pleased to report that over the weekend, I got to grips with the story much better, the action became more exciting and I finished the book.  By the end, I was laughing out loud with the scrapes that these boys got into - it was really enjoyable reading and I am looking forward to reading Tom Sawyer at some point in the future (fully aware that Huck Finn is the sequel, never mind...).

28 things...have a facial!

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On Saturday we headed to Orkideo in the Roland Center so that Nico could finally redeem his Christmas present - a massage voucher.  While he was there, I thought I would take the opportunity to get a facial.

A friend told me several years ago that she swears by facials and feels great afterwards and I've wanted to try one ever since.  

It started out exactly as I expected:

1. Cleansing milk massaged into the face and then washed away.

2. Facial scrub massaged into the face and then washed away.

3. Cooling eye pads applied and the steam machine started to open the pores.

The next bit was not so expected:

4. Pores cleansed by stabbing them with a little stick.  (Basically doing everything the magazines have been saying not to do i.e. picking my spots.)  My Mum has been trying to do this for me since I was a baby - would that I had known that people pay for the treatment, I may have let her carry on!  I was told to keep my eyes closed which was fine, as soon as she was finished and I opened them, my face was awash with all the stingy tears that had built up!

5. Eyebrows plucked.

6. Refreshing toner wiped over the face.

7.  Moisturizing cream applied.

To be fair, now that I know what to expect I think I may have a facial every few months.  20 Euros for all of that in half an hour was good value and the salon was nice and clean.  Nico also enjoyed his massage so I think we'll be going again.