Lucas and Briony!

Lucas and Briony arrived yesterday (along with some hail stones).  It made my work day drag but it was great to see them when I finally got to the airport.  

Lucas trying to work out what is going on (on his first tram ride)

Meeting the Stadtmusikanten

At Knigge, waiting for the ladies to arrive

Of course, he charmed all the ladies and tried to get me and Nico some new artwork.

When he arrived at the flat, there was a stand off between him and Pete, they are kind of used to each other now - Pete gets his peace and quiet under our bed when it's all too much for him but on the whole they get along.

More on the visit tomorrow...

Reflecting

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 At the weekend, I saw some clips from episodes of the American TV series 'Girls'.  I had read about this new series which is supposed to be a younger, more realistic version of Sex and the City - a series I loved.  When I excitedly tried to see what all the fuss was about, I have to admit, I was sorely disappointed.  I'm not sure if it's just that I don't get 24 year old humour any more or if it's something wrong with the series - it made me cringe the whole time I was watching it.  Some parts just weren't at all realistic but for me, I have to have a character I can identify with and I really couldn't.  I found it offensive to twenty-something women that the series portrays them in such a way.  The only good things I can say about what I saw is that they included some actresses who weren't size zero.  In that way, and for me that way alone, the series was more realistic.

This started me thinking about how much I have changed in the last three years.  In my head, I don't feel any different to the 24 year old me but when I look at where I am and what I'm doing I can see that so much has changed and in a good way.  If you had told me three years ago that I would be where I am now, I would not have believed it but I couldn't be more grateful for every single change in my life since then.  

Around this time three years ago, I drove back to my Dad's house from my place in Harrogate having been sent home from work 'sick'.  I'll never forget the drive because I don't know how I managed to stay on the road in the floods of tears I was in.  That week I had found out that my contract at the school I was at would not be renewed and that they were cutting German from the syllabus entirely, I found out that I couldn't stay in my flat as my flatmate had anorexia and was moving home - I couldn't afford the place alone, and the guy I was seeing finished with me to go back to his ex.  I couldn't see anything good in my life and didn't think it would ever get better.  I'd spent years studying and doing everything I was supposed to do to get the job I wanted and it wasn't good enough.

Today, I can see more than ever that everything happens for a reason.  If I hadn't had that terrible week, I would be in a very different place now.  Losing that job, led me to a brilliant interim job at a specialist languages school and ultimately to my job here in Bremen, which I love.  If the situation in England had not been so dire on the languages jobs front, I would never have considered looking this far afield.  Having this job led me to Nico - my boyfriend and best friend who understands me more than anyone and makes me the happiest girl alive.  Meeting Nico eventually meant moving into our lovely flat together and building a home with Pete the cat.  I can't explain the change in mental state that I have had here - somehow I don't feel like I'm on some treadmill anymore, trying to reach the future and get to where I want to be.  I feel like I'm there now.  It doesn't mean that I don't still have goals and things I want to do, it just means that I feel like I'm where I'm supposed to be right now.

I guess when I consider all this, I must be a different person to three years ago and I definitely do find different things important, funny or difficult.  My message today has to be to those who find themselves in a situation like I was in three years ago - Hold on.  It does get better!  Everything happens for a reason and makes you stronger - I'm living proof!

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