Okay, I guess there is no point in continuing this blog as it was - facebook has simply taken over the task of staying in touch with people and letting them know what's happening in my life posting photos. Yet I am not really willing to give this blog up for good. I doubt anyone is still following it but that shouldn't be an issue either as long as I enjoy it, and I think in order to do this I need to use it for something different. Making my mind up at the moment and will be back soon.
In the meantime take care!
Friday, January 28, 2011
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
The Holiday is Over...
Okay, I guess I will have to use this word again - neglect. I haven't written anything since June and there are 2 reasons for it (not excuses, I am just trying to explain): First of all I discovered facebook and because the purpose of it (or at least one of it) is to keep people kind of up to date on what's happening in one's life I thought that maybe keep writing a blog is a bit useless. But I think I have changed my mind about that because what I post on facebook is only ever a fraction of what's happening, and not always the most importatnt stuff.
Reason number two was a far more serious one: My life was completely dominated by the wait for the holidays in Mallorca. I know you already know this because it's quite obvious from my last posts, but let me assure you that you hardly have an idea how obsessed I became from - let's say July - on. I could hardly think, talk or write about anything else. Sometimes I thought I would die from impatience, I felt physically sick thinking about the number weeks/days I still had to wait!
And here I am now, back from these holidays I couldn't wait for. Most of you might think that I am very sad now, depressed that it's all over - but I am not. I hardly ever am after a holiday, because as much as I love going away for a break (and holidays are precious to me!), I always like coming home, too. Here's where all my stuff is and there is no bed in the world as comfortable as my own. And of course the 3 P's - I miss them terribly when I'm away!
As much as I love getting away from my routine at home I need this routine to appreciate the more special times. As much as I love going out for dinner sometimes a home cooked meal, eaten on the sofa is better than the fanciest restaurant food. And as much as I like my beer and wine (and you know I do!) and have (reasonably!) larger quantities of each when I'm on holidays, I don't want to indulge in it every day. So being back home is fine!
And being back home after one holiday always means one thing: Planning the next - and that's also something I love to do! First we have a short break coming up next month, going to Duesseldorf for 2 days and then on to some village (I cannot remember the name) in the Schwarzwald (Black Forest) to visit a friend. I am very much looking forward to that!
And we have also started thinking about next year's holidays. The (preliminary) plan so far is to go away twice. In the last few years we have always only had one holiday a year (except for maybe a longer weekend here and there) and the time inbetween seems too long. So in 2011 we would like to go away twice, once in spring (or maybe around Easter) and again in September. Except for the places where we have already been and would always love to go again (Mallorca, Formentera, London, Paris...) there are only a few new ones that I "have" to visit:
1. New England - but we would need a bit more time than we actually have, especially when we split our holidays in two, so I don't think it's an option for next year
2. The UK - easy for us to reach and drive around in our own car and I would love to drive through Scotland/England/Wales exploring the country
3. Italy - something we have been talking about for years, a tour through (some part) of Italy! And that's definitely high on the list for next year, so we will start by getting a travel guide and trying to decide which places/which part we would like to visit. And if we decide to finally do it, it's time to learn some Italian which is a nice project for the winter months ahead!
Of course I won't try to learn the language to a high standard, but I definitely want to be able to understand the very basics and get around without expecting the whole of Italy to speak English or German. And I need to be able to read a menu because Italy and food definitely are one for me.
So now is not the time to whine but to look ahead! And as autumn is definitely here now it's time to get back to nice dinner parties, watching DVDs, reading lots of books and drinking red wine again (which I don't like in summer). And of course to writing a lot more about Nat's World:-)
Reason number two was a far more serious one: My life was completely dominated by the wait for the holidays in Mallorca. I know you already know this because it's quite obvious from my last posts, but let me assure you that you hardly have an idea how obsessed I became from - let's say July - on. I could hardly think, talk or write about anything else. Sometimes I thought I would die from impatience, I felt physically sick thinking about the number weeks/days I still had to wait!
And here I am now, back from these holidays I couldn't wait for. Most of you might think that I am very sad now, depressed that it's all over - but I am not. I hardly ever am after a holiday, because as much as I love going away for a break (and holidays are precious to me!), I always like coming home, too. Here's where all my stuff is and there is no bed in the world as comfortable as my own. And of course the 3 P's - I miss them terribly when I'm away!
As much as I love getting away from my routine at home I need this routine to appreciate the more special times. As much as I love going out for dinner sometimes a home cooked meal, eaten on the sofa is better than the fanciest restaurant food. And as much as I like my beer and wine (and you know I do!) and have (reasonably!) larger quantities of each when I'm on holidays, I don't want to indulge in it every day. So being back home is fine!
And being back home after one holiday always means one thing: Planning the next - and that's also something I love to do! First we have a short break coming up next month, going to Duesseldorf for 2 days and then on to some village (I cannot remember the name) in the Schwarzwald (Black Forest) to visit a friend. I am very much looking forward to that!
And we have also started thinking about next year's holidays. The (preliminary) plan so far is to go away twice. In the last few years we have always only had one holiday a year (except for maybe a longer weekend here and there) and the time inbetween seems too long. So in 2011 we would like to go away twice, once in spring (or maybe around Easter) and again in September. Except for the places where we have already been and would always love to go again (Mallorca, Formentera, London, Paris...) there are only a few new ones that I "have" to visit:
1. New England - but we would need a bit more time than we actually have, especially when we split our holidays in two, so I don't think it's an option for next year
2. The UK - easy for us to reach and drive around in our own car and I would love to drive through Scotland/England/Wales exploring the country
3. Italy - something we have been talking about for years, a tour through (some part) of Italy! And that's definitely high on the list for next year, so we will start by getting a travel guide and trying to decide which places/which part we would like to visit. And if we decide to finally do it, it's time to learn some Italian which is a nice project for the winter months ahead!
Of course I won't try to learn the language to a high standard, but I definitely want to be able to understand the very basics and get around without expecting the whole of Italy to speak English or German. And I need to be able to read a menu because Italy and food definitely are one for me.
So now is not the time to whine but to look ahead! And as autumn is definitely here now it's time to get back to nice dinner parties, watching DVDs, reading lots of books and drinking red wine again (which I don't like in summer). And of course to writing a lot more about Nat's World:-)
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
51 Days...
My books from Amazon arrived in 2 batches, the first one-luckily-on Friday, in time for a weekend of reading! I started with the biggest one, “London – The Biography” by Peter Ackroyd. I’m on page 576 of 793 now, it is one of those books that’s narrowly printed and so are the other ones, which is good. Have you noticed that some books you can buy today are printed in such a large and widely spaced font that you can read them in something like an hour? It’s ridiculous and a complete rip-off!
So I am satisfying my hunger for London by reading at the moment and with every word I read my desire to go there for a few days grows, but I am quite sure we won’t be able to go there again this year (unless we win the lottery, can quit our jobs so time is no longer an issue and then we can buy a house in Highgate and I will join the “Friends of Highgate Cemetery” and wander amongst the graves all day, unless I am shopping or eating at Fifteen or roaming the streets of London and live happily ever after).
But there is a light on the horizon growing steadily bigger – today it’s “only” 51 days until we go to Mallorca! I am always impatient when it comes to holidays, but this year is one of the worse ones for sure. Not only am I counting the days, but how often I have to do certain things at work, for example I have to prepare the weekly tender reports 7 more times, I will receive the monthly invoice for the shopping I do in the mornings one more time and so on. Sometimes I am driving myself mad, but hey, doesn’t that show how badly I need a break?!
And also some sunshine! For the past few days the weather has been quite nasty, wet and windy. If it was cold (not that we have anything like this heat wave that’s apparently going on in the rest of Europe, but that’s something I am very grateful for) one might well think it’s November. Which suited me well last weekend as all I wanted to do was stay in and read, but now I wouldn’t mind being able to sit outside to do that, or have a barbeque again. Well, 7 weeks and 2 days and hopefully sunshine and outside living and barbeques galore!
Until then there is one more bank holiday (first Monday in August), on 24th June it’s the Heaven 17/Human League concert and Daniela is coming to Galway for a day, and I am sure we’ll go to Connemara again some time soon. Maybe we’ll make a trip to Kildare Village again too before the holidays. We are trying to distract ourselves in any way we can!
So, enjoy the fine weather if you can and mind the storms!
So I am satisfying my hunger for London by reading at the moment and with every word I read my desire to go there for a few days grows, but I am quite sure we won’t be able to go there again this year (unless we win the lottery, can quit our jobs so time is no longer an issue and then we can buy a house in Highgate and I will join the “Friends of Highgate Cemetery” and wander amongst the graves all day, unless I am shopping or eating at Fifteen or roaming the streets of London and live happily ever after).
But there is a light on the horizon growing steadily bigger – today it’s “only” 51 days until we go to Mallorca! I am always impatient when it comes to holidays, but this year is one of the worse ones for sure. Not only am I counting the days, but how often I have to do certain things at work, for example I have to prepare the weekly tender reports 7 more times, I will receive the monthly invoice for the shopping I do in the mornings one more time and so on. Sometimes I am driving myself mad, but hey, doesn’t that show how badly I need a break?!
And also some sunshine! For the past few days the weather has been quite nasty, wet and windy. If it was cold (not that we have anything like this heat wave that’s apparently going on in the rest of Europe, but that’s something I am very grateful for) one might well think it’s November. Which suited me well last weekend as all I wanted to do was stay in and read, but now I wouldn’t mind being able to sit outside to do that, or have a barbeque again. Well, 7 weeks and 2 days and hopefully sunshine and outside living and barbeques galore!
Until then there is one more bank holiday (first Monday in August), on 24th June it’s the Heaven 17/Human League concert and Daniela is coming to Galway for a day, and I am sure we’ll go to Connemara again some time soon. Maybe we’ll make a trip to Kildare Village again too before the holidays. We are trying to distract ourselves in any way we can!
So, enjoy the fine weather if you can and mind the storms!
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Another binge?! London!
Another month gone, July already. 58 days today until we are finally going to Mallorca, we are so impatient!
I am just starting my next reading binge I think, have just finished re-reading "Necropolis - London And Its Dead" and I am currently re-reading "The Victorian Celebration Of Death"...I don't think I have ever read the same book(s) twice in just 3 months.
Tonight I will order some books from Amazon, all about London and/or death - it just keeps fascinating me. There are about 20 books on my Amazon wishlist but I have already narrowed it down to 6 - unfortunately they don't come for free.
So, I will try to do a proper update soon (hopefully next weekend...although I hope I will have my new books by then, so I cannot make any promises).
Take care all of you out there!
Nat
I am just starting my next reading binge I think, have just finished re-reading "Necropolis - London And Its Dead" and I am currently re-reading "The Victorian Celebration Of Death"...I don't think I have ever read the same book(s) twice in just 3 months.
Tonight I will order some books from Amazon, all about London and/or death - it just keeps fascinating me. There are about 20 books on my Amazon wishlist but I have already narrowed it down to 6 - unfortunately they don't come for free.
So, I will try to do a proper update soon (hopefully next weekend...although I hope I will have my new books by then, so I cannot make any promises).
Take care all of you out there!
Nat
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Some photos to accompany the post below...
Eurovision Song Contest Party - us girls having a glass of bubbly
Resting with a full belly
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm, yummy!
What ya lookin at?
Reading, Writing, Summertime
It's the June Bank Holiday Weekend - amazing and scary how time flies! For me June has always been the beginning of summer, lasting until the end of August - although by the time August is here I'll be looking forward to the slightly more autumnal September, which along with May is my favourite month of the year, not only because for he past 7(?) years it's the month we have been going away on holidays. We are counting the weeks, less than 13 now until we'll be in Mallorca, and the good thing is that there is the whole summer inbetween.
There's always a lot going on in Galway in June and July, at the moment we have a powerboat race festival with food and crafts stalls, concerts etc., some Latin American festival, than there is the Film Fleadh and the Galway Arts Festival in July. This year one of the many bands playing is The Human League (together with Heaven 17) and although I am hardly a fan I think it's an opportunity not to be missed - and so I am hoping that Phil and the girls will be a positive surprise when they play on July 24th. Even more exciting than a (once) popular band coming to Galway is that Daniela (yes, the one who abandoned me in October last year to move back to Hamburg - as you might have noticed I am terribly resentful!) is coming and we are going to see them together! I guess she might only be here for one day, but we will surely make the most of it!
The past few weekends we have been quite busy partying, eating and drinking with friends and that is nice for a change. We tend to be more of the couch potato variety, especially in winter, but the change in the weather and the long hours of daylight make a huge difference. We had barbecues twice at our friends' place, last week had a little "Eurovision Song Contest" Party at home (well done Lena! I don't think your song was that great but you sure deserved to win!) with food from 7 of the participating countries (German, Turkish, Greek, French, Cypriot, Serbian and Spanish) and yesterday went out for dinner with friends - which ended with the staff asking us if we could leave because they wanted to go home. Normally I would have been very upset about this, but in this case it was okay as the place had been quiet all evening and we had been there for 4 hours, had finished all our food and most of the drinks.
I am still reading quite a lot at the moment (still re-reading Stephen King novels, I have to get new ones soon, also I think he has a new one out and tomorrow I'll check if it's available here). Also I have started writing a bit which at the moment is giving me a lot of pleasure. I guess it's a bit of a writing exercise as I don't really have a plot (yet) and mainly write about my characters' past and current situation, but I will hopefully come up with something - we will see and I'l keep you updated on this!
Oh, I have to mention one last thing: Last month The Cure's Disintegration was released as a Deluxe Edition and although I have known the album since 1989, when it was originally released and it has always been ONE of my favourite ones, I can now solemnly declare that IT'S THE BEST ALBUM EVER! Kyle (the little Southpark guy, for those of you who have not seen the episode with Mecha-Streisand) got this absolutely right! I mainly listen to the live versions on the Entreat Plus part of the set and there is nothing better music-wise in the whole wide world! Even the universe, I am sure of that! And it reminds me of such great concerts I saw, mainly the one at the Bizzarre Festival at the Loreley in May 1989 and the one in Barcelona on June 21st 1989 - a date and event I will never forget! No band ever will mean more to me than those guys. NEVER!
So I guess that's it for today. I will go and prepare dinner now and then go back to writing about my fictional characters for a while - let's see what they are up to.
Have a glorious summer time all of you, whether at home or on holidays, I'll be around again soon!
There's always a lot going on in Galway in June and July, at the moment we have a powerboat race festival with food and crafts stalls, concerts etc., some Latin American festival, than there is the Film Fleadh and the Galway Arts Festival in July. This year one of the many bands playing is The Human League (together with Heaven 17) and although I am hardly a fan I think it's an opportunity not to be missed - and so I am hoping that Phil and the girls will be a positive surprise when they play on July 24th. Even more exciting than a (once) popular band coming to Galway is that Daniela (yes, the one who abandoned me in October last year to move back to Hamburg - as you might have noticed I am terribly resentful!) is coming and we are going to see them together! I guess she might only be here for one day, but we will surely make the most of it!
The past few weekends we have been quite busy partying, eating and drinking with friends and that is nice for a change. We tend to be more of the couch potato variety, especially in winter, but the change in the weather and the long hours of daylight make a huge difference. We had barbecues twice at our friends' place, last week had a little "Eurovision Song Contest" Party at home (well done Lena! I don't think your song was that great but you sure deserved to win!) with food from 7 of the participating countries (German, Turkish, Greek, French, Cypriot, Serbian and Spanish) and yesterday went out for dinner with friends - which ended with the staff asking us if we could leave because they wanted to go home. Normally I would have been very upset about this, but in this case it was okay as the place had been quiet all evening and we had been there for 4 hours, had finished all our food and most of the drinks.
I am still reading quite a lot at the moment (still re-reading Stephen King novels, I have to get new ones soon, also I think he has a new one out and tomorrow I'll check if it's available here). Also I have started writing a bit which at the moment is giving me a lot of pleasure. I guess it's a bit of a writing exercise as I don't really have a plot (yet) and mainly write about my characters' past and current situation, but I will hopefully come up with something - we will see and I'l keep you updated on this!
Oh, I have to mention one last thing: Last month The Cure's Disintegration was released as a Deluxe Edition and although I have known the album since 1989, when it was originally released and it has always been ONE of my favourite ones, I can now solemnly declare that IT'S THE BEST ALBUM EVER! Kyle (the little Southpark guy, for those of you who have not seen the episode with Mecha-Streisand) got this absolutely right! I mainly listen to the live versions on the Entreat Plus part of the set and there is nothing better music-wise in the whole wide world! Even the universe, I am sure of that! And it reminds me of such great concerts I saw, mainly the one at the Bizzarre Festival at the Loreley in May 1989 and the one in Barcelona on June 21st 1989 - a date and event I will never forget! No band ever will mean more to me than those guys. NEVER!
So I guess that's it for today. I will go and prepare dinner now and then go back to writing about my fictional characters for a while - let's see what they are up to.
Have a glorious summer time all of you, whether at home or on holidays, I'll be around again soon!
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Not really a post...
...only a very short message to apologize (again) for not posting in such a long time. I haven't abandoned my blog, just lazy at the moment and on another reading binge. Found a book store 2 weeks back that sells used books and got a few of Stephen King's so I can re-read them in English (which is so much better than reading the translated ones). Also came across an amazing book I had not heard of before, Cutting For Stone by Abraham Verghese - fabulous! If you like John Irving you'll like this one!
So please be patient with me once again, I'll let you know all the news and gossip soon!
Take care,
Nathalie
So please be patient with me once again, I'll let you know all the news and gossip soon!
Take care,
Nathalie
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