Cycling...again.

If you had told me a year ago (or possibly even just a week ago) that today, on a Tuesday (when I work 8-5), I would work all morning with no break 8-13.20, because I had to cover someones duty and a lesson, then have three meetings in the afternoon, and then lock myself out of the flat and spend twenty minutes on the doorstep like a tramp, and then decide to spend an hour and a half cycling through and around Bremen in the rain, I would have told you to have your head checked but that is exactly the day I have had today. 

Okay, so it wasn't just a random bike ride, we had another flat viewing over and out the other side of town, (I'm not writing about the flat until we make a decision but they aren't cat haters!), but by the time we got to the viewing I had chilled out so much that I could actually see myself making the thirty minute commute every day.  The nicest thing was how green the surroundings were; instead of feeling like the wicked witch in The Wizard of Oz, powering away on my bike through the busy town, I felt completely at peace with everything (even when the route we'd chosen took us directly past the car towing depot from the other week!). 

So my advice for stress - get on your bike!

A Note on Bank Holidays

Yes I can see you all over there on 'the island' feeling all smug with yourselves because it's Bank Holiday Monday yet again and I'm working while you all sun yourselves, go shopping and enjoy barbecues yet again.  And you probably all remember what I said about German bank holidays and how if they fall on the weekend, that's just tough luck, no day off work like in England and feel even smugger.  But I have finally found the loophole that makes it all worthwhile...

Yes, here in Germany we have two Bank Holidays coming up.  I'm not sure what exactly they are for - they are Christian holidays I think, since there's no Royal Family to marry off over here.  So just like the 3rd October was a Sunday last year and that was tough luck, these holidays fall on a Thursday and Tuesday and this time, never mind tough luck, the Germans don't see the logic in having a Thursday off and then going into work for just one day, so they 'bridge' the holiday and we get two days off!!  So this week is a three day week, a full week next week and then another three day week and I'm going to make the most of it and feel very smug at the same time.

The Saturday Update

This week I've been getting used to a gluten free life, marking my final year pupils' exams, exercising my green fingers on the balcony and flat viewing.  

As expected as a result of not point counting while in the process of mourning my carb filled ways, I have put on 2.5lb this week.  I'm a little upset as I had been feeling much better, not snacking and cycling lots but that's what happens when you take your eye off the ball.

This week we are expecting another parental visit so I am not expecting good news next week either but I'm feeling so much better and fitting into my clothes a little better at least!

Accents

One of the first things I noticed more than ever, even the first time I came to Germany, was my accent.  Although I like to think I 'speak properly', it's actually hard to define what 'properly' is when there is a different accent just about everywhere you go in England, and even more in the 'English speaking world'.  One of the first things the teachers told their pupils when I worked as I language assistant was "Don't say your 'u's like Miss Shires", when I read them a story that included the word bus.  No matter how neutral I try to make my accent, that's the one thing I can't hide.  

I was a little surprised yesterday, however, when I met the teacher whose course I will be taking over in Autumn and he guessed that I was from Newcastle!  I have nothing against Geordies, I love Newcastle, the people and the accent too actually, but there is no comparing the Geordie and Yorkshire accents...or so I thought.  It seemed a little poigniant this week given the news item that Cheryl Cole has been axed from the US X-Factor because of her accent.  Surely they could use subtitles like they usually do when Brits appear in their programmes.

It's something that is different wherever you go.  Here in Germany I have always been rather safe.  With the exception of East Germany (Dresden) and South Germany (Munich), I have had no problems understanding the prevelant 'Hoch Deutsch' or high German.  My biggest issue this year has been picking up information in Plattdeutsch which is a whole other dialect that Nico's family speaks.  Of course, they are very good at switching into German for me but I like to listen sometimes and it's amazing how similar some words are to the Yorkshire or Scottish accents and dialects in English.  (Or not so amazing when you consider the history).  The biggest issue I ever had with German?  The Swiss.  I was completely lost every time my Swiss friends got together in Barcelona.  However, learning that German national television does actually use subtitles when showing the Swiss on TV helped me fell better!

Gluten Free so far.

Well, after just three full days on the gluten free diet, I have to say, I feel great.  I thought it was going to be tricky to find things to eat but to be honest, I'd already cut down a lot on bread because of the Weightwatchers and knowing that it affected me in a negative way and cutting out past hasn't been too bad.

I have been eating rice crispies for breakfast which I used to eat anyway.  I wasn't convinced they'd keep me full for long but actually I have been able to get to lunch without having a morning snack, which I always needed after weetabix.  For lunches we have been having rice cakes with different spreads and on an evening we have been having some of our favourite Weightwatchers recipes that don't involve wheat products and have found more than I expected.  Apart from this we have been researching wheat substitutes online and in the bio-shop in Bremen and there are plenty.

Ok so Weightwatchers has gone out of the window this week as I've been concentrating on finding something wheat free rather than the points, but as I say, the snacking has reduced and I've been eating more fruit or rice cakes with jam as desserts.  I'll be building the gluten free theme into my Weigtwatchers planning next week to get back on track.

I have to say, although I knew bread and a lot of pasta affected my badly, I didn't realise just how many things they did cause.  Since cutting it out I have not only seen an improvement in my tummy (less bloating, stomach pains and indigestion), but also more energy, less fatigue, fewer mood swings and my skin is better.  I haven't felt stuffed after meals like I used to and am already more comfortable in my clothes.  Long may it continue!

Food for Thought

Just lately, the focus has moved off Weightwatchers but stayed with food.  First we got hooked on Gordon Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmares - the American version which is car crash television at its best.  (You know it's going to be bad and maybe put you off your dinner but you have to watch anyway).  We also watched a little bit of the English version which didn't exactly make me proud to be British but at least we don't over dramatize everything like the Americans.

Just lately however, we have started watching Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution.  I had never heard of this before but basically it starts with Jamie going into a town in America which has been statistically shown to be the most obese city in the most obese county in the most obese country in the world and make the kind of changes he did in school in the UK.  The second series sees him try the same thing in LA.

One of the most spectacular things that has left me dumbfounded when watching these is the ignorance of kids when it comes to food.  In the LA version we saw high school pupils answer the quiz by saying that honey came from bears, hotdogs grew on plants in fields, and chocolate comes from a lake!  Today, watching primary school kids in the first series who can't identify tomatoes, potatoes or aubergines but immediately recognised chicken nuggets and pizza.  

Although the all time winner that I have heard this year is that German children think that cows are purple due to a certain Milka chocolate company!!

Dance...

Dance like nobody's watching...

Love like you've never been hurt...

Sing like nobody's listening...

Live like it's heaven on Earth.

A family friend bought me a card with these lyrics for my 18th birthday and I love the sentiment.