A Few More Quotes.

 A bit of philosophy.

" Happiness is a pretty thing to feel, but very dry to talk about. "

Jeremy Bentham

" Honor has not to be won; it must only not be lost. "

Arthur Schoppenhauer

" The way you see people is the way you treat them and the way you treat them is what they become. "

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

" Silence is nice to have if you wanted it, but maddening if you didn't. "

Daniel V Chappell

" Settle, for sure and universally, what conduct will promote the happiness of a rational being. "

Immanuel Kant

" Your educators can only be your liberators. "

Friedrich Nietzsche

" ...the fundamental things in a man are not the things he explains, but rather the things he forgets to explain. "

G.K. Chesterton

" We have now sunk to a depth at which restatement of the obvious is the first duty of intelligent men. "

George Orwell

" Nothing is more visible than things hidden;

Nothing is more manifest than things minute; 

Therefore, the superior man should be aware of his aloneness. "

Confucius 

" Every country has the government it deserves. "

Joseph de Maistre

Biggi

A Bit About Dreams And Dreaming.

 We often forget our dearest and deepest dreams.

 " You have to dream before your dreams can come true. "

A. P. J. Abdul Kalam

" Without leaps of imagination, or dreaming, we loose the excitement of possibilities. Dreaming, after all, is a form of planning. "

Gloria Steinem

" The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams. "

Eleanor Roosevelt

" If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours. "

Henry David Thoreau

" I dream of painting and then I paint my dream. "

Vincent Van Gogh

" Dreams are today's answers to tomorrow's questions. "

Edgar Cayce

" Dreams must be heeded and accepted. For a great many of them come true. "

Paracelsus

" Each man should frame life so that at some future hour fact and his dreaming meet. "

Victor Hugo

" I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past. "

Thomas Jefferson

" Keep true to the dreams of your youth. "

Friedrich Schiller

Biggi

The First Advent Is Here.

A Sunday in November...

A bit strange to have advent this early but then again, the four advents have to fit in before Christmas. The weather is playing along. Yesterday some snow, well actually sleet, and today a cold and rainy day. Stay at home weather, eat everything in the fridge weather and now, first advent weather.

This festive season is turning out to be nothing like people planned. This year at least everyone hoped for an end to the pandemic rules and had made big plans of meeting family, shopping galore and holidaying away. Alas, the best laid plans.

Here in Austria our mood for shopping had already been kept in check with the recent lockdown but now, with the threat of a new viral strain being in the mix, the next few weeks look bleak where Christmas is concerned.

Or do they? Somehow we are learning the hard way that Christmas will still be Christmas even without a mountain of presents and a bus load of people. Slowly but surely a lot of us are beginning to understand the true value of Christmas and it has nothing to do with ticking off the various items on shopping lists.

We are learning to appreciate the luxury of having a home. A family. Work and most importantly health. Spending a lot of time at home alone makes us give credence to a home. It is after all a place where we can relax and let our guard down. A place to recharge and a place to simply be with our loved ones. And happily be there.

In a roundabout way this pandemic is peeling away the layers society has made us adopt and lets us rediscover the amazing beings that we are. At home there is nobody to judge us, well apart from perhaps not making favourite meals! Thank goodness for our homes which let us be us and give us a respite from a stressful life, a life which many might change for the better.

Biggi

...And Now We Are In A Real Pickle!

 Whatever next?

Who would have thought that the original alpha variant was the easy one? Spreadable but not so much. Easy to conter with public health measures, because let's face it, we didn't have a vaccine then and we were all scared and in awe of it. How well behaved we all were during the initial lockdown...the good old days.

Well now we're in the midst of the delta wave surfing right into the clutches of the omicron tidal wave. How on earth did we let it get this far? Well, a summer of ignoring public health measures followed by an autumn mostly along the same lines.

Masks handled as if they were a beanie, scrunched up into our bags or pockets and handled without a care in the world for possible viruses on the outside of it. Admittedly I have two used FFP2 masks in the car, which have been there far too long. Time to get stringent and change them more often.

Yesterday's announcement of the new omicron variant sent a chill down all of our spines especially those expats who were planning to visit family South Africa over the Christmas holidays. Honestly, I am amazed that travel of any sort is still going on. Might this pandemic have been over already if all along air travel had been cancelled? A lot of the experts are saying that it wouldn't make a difference, but really, isn't there a logic in not travelling while a pandemic is on?

Along with the above, all the virologists and medical experts have again reiterated how vital it is to keep to the easy public health measures....wash hands, keep distance and wear a FFP2 mask while indoors...and get vaccinated as soon as you can. Okay, it's time to roll up our sleeves and get this pandemic under control.

Biggi

Amazon Saga, 2.0

 The plot thickens...

We've been searching high and low and this weekend Bob had plans to go through every bag that had landed in the trashcan. A momenteus task and one that I cleverly refrained from agreeing to due to not having had any recollection of being responsible for mislaying this Amazon gift card.

The last few days Bob's first words upon coming home from work were to ask if I had managed to firstly look and then find this card. Clearly the prospect of emptying all the bins was darkening the advent of this upcoming weekend. Who would blame him.

All day long I had looked here, there, in a rubbish bin or two and of course everywhere. Nothing to be found except dust and paraphanalia. Ghastly. Well, so much for treats online. Just as well I suppose...

Last night as I was getting ready to settle in front of the tv ( actually night is an exaggeration as Bob told me this morning that we had gone to bed at 7.30!!!! ) I happened to glance on my night stand. The stand for a number of books I have on the go. Books that I have book marks for. Bending over pages is a no-no for me, that's why I often grab whichever suitable object is at hand, wherever I am...

Oh my, I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the tell tale black colour of a suspiciously important piece of something lying on my night stand. Oh my god. The Amazon gift card. It was me all along! Somehow I must have used it as a bookmark, not thinking about it and then, when I took the book through to read ( often open backed as I fall asleep ) to the lounge I left this bookmark on the stand. Alone and unnoticed. 

I screamed for joy. Joyfulness outweighing the oncoming lecture of ;

       " I knew you had put it somewhere! "

and how right he would be and was. At least both of us laughed in relief, Bob because he hadn't forgotten and me because I had misplaced it for a reason. Subconsciously. Of course I am very well aware that for the foreseeable future I will be the first port of call if anything has been mislaid in our house...quite right too.

Biggi

The Early Morning Shift, An Icy Affair.

 Walkies with a difference.

When the need strikes him, it is best not to hover about. Like a good scout I am ready to go outside the minute he shows me that he is ready. Little Maxi can be snoring ahead like a trooper one minute and the next stumble out of his basket, ready for his potty run. A yawn, a stretch, an important shuffle to Bob's side for the obligatory cuddle and then off to the front door.

Often I am in the kitchen preparing Bob's lunch bag when a shout ensues:

 " Schnell, he's awake and out of the basket! "

Honestly, it could be a well rehearsed skit; I drop everything and hotfoot to the front door to put on my shoes, jacket, gloves and take two of his empty doggy bags. Once he stands before me I give him a quick cuddle ( not pressing anything vital ), put on his red winter coat plus leash and head outside.

My golly gosh has it been cold these last few days. Freezing, bone-chilling, finger numbing. Even though I feel like heading back inside after his ablutions, I can't do it as this constitutes one of the highlights of his day. A walk round the block, sniffing out competition, marking territory and stretching his legs. Too cute the way he has embraced his new neighbourhood.

These last two days we've headed out just after six and surprisingly we weren't alone. The school run is in full force and there are two mothers who drive their kids to the bus stop down the road. Still pitch black and freezing which can't make it too much fun. Never mind the kids ( 10 years old ) who have to sit in the bus for close to an hour to get to their school. Perhaps they can catch some more sleep on the bus.

This morning I noticed a few houses sparkling in their newly clad Christmas decoration. A glitzy affair with Rudolf, reindeer and sleds dangling off walls and roofs. Makes it worth it to head out so early as for some reason these decorations look much better when it is dark.

How both of us will manage the oncoming snowy season is still a bit of a mystery to me. Either Maxi will love the snow or not...plan B might then have to go into affect; carrying him most of the way.

Biggi

Searching For Amazon.

Or a needle in a haystack?

Typical. The first person my husband asked about what happened to it, was me. Husbands do have a way of transferring blame and to be honest, at times they are not so very wrong. This time, surely not?

We do occasionally shop in the portals of shopkeepers' enemy...yes, the mighty Amazon and only because the items we are after aren't available in town. Believe me, I have tried to search for them locally so in a way our conscious is clear. We put as many hurdles and obstacles in the way of purchasing purely to keep ourselves from becoming addicted to the ' see it, now buy it ' culture.

No credit card, only gift vouchers. When we do need to order we get an Amazon gift voucher at the village shop and then use it after finalizing our purchases. The mere fact that orders aren't made by simply pressing a button on the smartphone makes a huge difference. The impulse buys are thus weeded out. Thankfully so as we aren't immune to making them either.

The gift voucher. A credit card size piece of black plastic which has the codes for redemption on them. Normally not to be overlooked but recently, yesterday to be precise, it was nowhere to be found. Bob asked me straightaway if I had thrown it away whilst cleaning, to which I replied:

     " No, I didn't throw it away and in any case, I didn't clean your desk either! "

The search has begun. Bob has been going through bins, moved stuff endlessly around on the desk and even crawled under  it. Nothing. I do recall seeing it on the desk only the other day and am certain that I hadn't moved it or thrown it away...at least, I don't recall doing so.

Unless the cat or dog took it to play with, it can only have been one of us. Both of us are now wondering ( panicking actually ) if perhaps our recent bout of corona has affected our memory. One does hear these lasting covid ailments are doing the rounds. We shall find out tonight after Bob commences another search for this elusive gift voucher....let's hope it turns up soon to put our minds at rest...

Biggi

The Lockdown Ensues.

 Forth time lucky?

After the second one it was promised to us that it would be the last one...famous last words. So, here we are in the midst of the forth lockdown. A final push over the finish line or just a temporary slow down?

Well, since the government announced on Friday that we were to enter into this lockdown and coupled with it the mandatory vaccinations come February next year, the number of  people going to get vaccinated has increased tremendously. Fabulous and perhaps the upcoming mandatory vaccination will become a theoretical deadline. Maybe most of Austria will be vaccinated well before then. Everyone wants to take part in the various Christmas activities and they do require the full vaccination status. Let's hope the government's strategy works out.

The roads are wonderfully devoid of gas guzzlers making the air revert to air again. Well sort of because now that coldness has arrived in full force, the fireplaces are going full throttle causing a hazy smog to hover in the mornings. At least the car exhaust fumes are a bit less at the moment.

Earlier while out on my walk I encountered a nice older lady who was motoring along with her nordic sticks and joy de vivre. She is close to ninety and has had enough bad ailments lately that would make others bedridden. Not her, she makes a concerted effort to exercise as much as she can. Brilliant.

With ample distance between us we had a nice chat. She is of a generation that lived through the war and knows what going without means. Being hungry and not having everything one wants. She can't understand how vaccinations have become such a point of disagreement. If people only knew what real hardship was ( and that it could happen again ) they would treat this pandemic differently and do the right thing to end lockdowns and infections.

She told me of an uncle of hers that worked in the fields right after the war. Times were so tough that at the end of his workday he would go over the harvested fields and shuffle his feet through the dry earth hoping to maybe unearth a forgotten lone potato or two to take home to the family. Being hungry and having to go without changes one's whole approach and appreciation of life and how to approach serious problems such as a corona pandemic..

Biggi

A Quiet Monday.

 Time for some History quotes.

" A custom loathsome to the eye, hateful to the nose, harmful to the brain, dangerous to the lungs, and in the black, stinking fume thereof, nearest resembling the horrible Stygian smoke of the pit that is bottomless. "

1604 Counter blast to Tobacco James I ( James VI of Scotland ) 1566 -1625

" Every man at three years old is half his height. "

Leonardo da Vinci ( 1452-1519 )

" To God I speak Spanish, to women Italian, to men French, and to my horse - German. "

Emperor Charles V ( 1500-1558 )

" I want there to be no peasant in my kingdom so poor that he is unable to have a chicken in his pot every Sunday. "

Henri IV ( 1553-1610 )

" If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants. "

 1676 Sir Isaac Newton ( 1642-1727 ) February 5, 1676

" To every action there is always opposed an equal reaction. "

 Sir Isaac Newton ( 1642-1727 ) 1687 Principia Mathematica

" The absent are always in the wrong. "

Philippe Nericault Destouches ( 1680 - 1754 )

" In all ages of the world, priests have been enemies of liberty. "

David Hume ( 1711-1776 )

" Drive out prejudices through the door, they will return through the door. "

Frederick the Great ( 1712-1786 )

" Happiness is not an ideal of reason but of imagination. "

Immanuel Kant (1724-1804 )

Biggi

The Beauty Of Reflection.

 It has paid off already.

For the last three days I have been stepping about lively with my funky reflective braces. Okay, granted over my thick and bulky winter jacket it does give me a touch of the michelin man, but firstly I am warm as toast, secondly I can be seen at a distance and thirdly, mum told me to!

Winter mornings are notoriously clad in diffuse light. Light that makes it hazardous to walk or even to drive. Seeing and being seen is of the top priority and only now, that I am aware and wearing the necessary gear, do I understand how lucky I have been these last few years. Mornings are often inundated with tired drivers...

The first day I wore the reflectors, I got a fair share of strange looks. Some cars slowed down although I walked on the path next to the road. A runner or two ran past me while matching their greeting with bunched up eyebrows and dare I say a slight smile around the lips. The woman walking her donkey ( now if that isn't an eye brow raiser in itself ) barely managed to hide her surprise and slight derision at seeing me reflect.Fair enough, I am suddenly rather bold and bright.

Fast forward to this morning. A textbook winter morning. Cold, grey and foggy. Real fog that hadn't lifted by the time I got home. Well, was I glad of my reflectors and proud too. I was seen from a distance and more importantly, noticed and not overseen. Most important!

Towards the end of my walk I happened to come across the donkey lady, who suddenly realized how right I was to wear the reflectors. She was clad in dark clothes and she was hard to see in the fog. I think she got the point and I wouldn't be surprised if soon she too would step about in reflectors. Her donkey, not.

Sometimes it isn't easy to go against the norm. Wearing these warning aids doesn't square with being ultra trendy, but as I told myself, at my age comfort and safety take first place and who knows, perhaps I will start a new trend after all...

Biggi

To Palm Oil Or Not To Palm Oil?

 Learning what makes an ecological difference.

A few of the German television channels do put on some wonderful programs. A lot to do with being ecologically conscious and doing little daily things better.

For the last year or so I have tried to avoid palm oil in products. Nobody wants to see the rain forest further eroded and it seemed so simple to just avoid palm oil. Well, today I heard an interesting viewpoint on this.

An alternative to palm oil would be sunflower or rapeseed oil. All good stuff until one realizes that each takes up about three times more area to grow than palm oil does. That could equate to much more of the rain forest being eroded in order to support consumer switching from palm oil. Ghastly. What to do? Well, thankfully the expert gave excellent advice on how to save the rain forest...don't eat processed food if you can help it. Make meals from scratch!

Of course in Germany the major share of imported palm oil is used for bio-diesel. Yes, transport the culprit yet again. Drive less or switch to petrol or e-cars.

Another interesting point made was to do with coffee. Yes, coffee plantations also erode major sections of forests around the world. Again, an assumption that I have made was put aside. Organic coffee, I thought was better for the planet. Less chemical etc. Well, yes, but again, organic coffee plantations only reap about half the yield of normal coffee plantations. So, to satisfy our addiction to coffee of the organic kind they would have to double the space used for plantations, resulting in more forests being eroded. And with so many of us turning to coffee as a status symbol ( need I say more than those silly folks paying over 5 euros for a cup of coffee? ), it might be best to avoid organic.

One thing that the expert mentioned in passing made me jolly glad. She mentioned that animal agriculture is one of the main reasons for forests being eroded around the world. Especially rain forests. 

Navigating the path to greenness is far from easy, but satisfying to tread upon...Oh, and one is never too old to learn something new.

Biggi

The Selective Tastes Of Our House Cat.

 Mausi perfects her fussiness.

There are times when every meal provided gets eaten. Blessed times, marvelous times which sadly don't feature too often.

This last week she has driven me crazy. Each and every can of wet food I have opened for her, she has deigned beneath her. One sniff and that was that. With forethought I have made sure that the dry food she can eat throughout the day is of the highest nutritional quality because that is what is sustaining her at the moment.

Look, she isn't overly thin but I do worry about her. Jealousy must play a part as at the moment Maxi gets a lot of attention. Gosh, he loves his food. Mornings and evenings I have lately had to give away her unwanted vittles to the rascals outside. They of course think that it is Christmas, twice a day all week long and what is more worrying is the fact that one of the outside rascals has started to turn her nose up at dry food. What to do? I can't really throw Mausi's food away because that is wasting and let's be honest, there are starving cats somewhere.

I tell her all the time but it falls on deaf ears. Who doesn't remember being young and having to hear our mothers' telling us about the starving children in Africa who would love to eat spinach, broccoli and liver. Honestly, I can't remember whether mum's trick worked or not...

Lately I have even gone so far as to speculate that perhaps the pet food companies have changed ingredients in their formulations. Could be that nefarious products have been used and let's be honest...none of us would be any wiser because let's face it, cat food isn't something we can judge or like to eat.

Biggi

Excitement In Our Household.

 Gleeful happiness more like...

Yesterday I missed the postman and had to content with one more sleep before getting the parcel. Bob and I had ordered online ( yes, from the titan which we try hard not to do so much ) and realistically only things we can't get offline in town. Believe me, I have tried to find it in Oberwart many a time.

So, just before lunch I sliced open the box, which I had fetched from the local post office affiliate, and was overjoyed with my new goodies. My lot included some spiffy reflective braces which I can use to walk with. My new second-hand winter jacket which has really become my pride and joy, is not equipped with any brightness ( could have been a hunter's jacket as it is a nice shade of brown ) and thus the job of keeping me safe during my early morning winter walks has been delegated to these reflectors.

They look like suspenders/ braces and I think they are fabulous. Of course Bob thinks they are a bit embarrassing but eh, men and their fashion sense! Tomorrow will be their maiden walk and I hope the weather plays along.

Another item I ordered is one of these wash-balls. Washing without washing powder, ecological and cheap. Let's see if it cleans the clothes but if one doesn't try one won't find out.

Bob's lot included two big tubs of Marmite. His absolute favourite and as it is a British invention, it isn't available in Austria. Thus he had to order it online. Well, these two tubs are enough for two years...or in Bob's case two months. He tends to be a bit overly liberal with spreading it on his toast but, if he likes it why not. I might help him out by sampling it occasionally myself but then only when he isn't looking. Gosh, that Marmite is his pride and joy.

As you guessed, the usual suspects of entertainment were included in this order. A handful of books to tide us over the upcoming festive season and from what it looks like, a hard lock-down too. 

Biggi

Changing Packaging.

 A plastic circle?

Lidl is going great guns to embrace the new future of helping the planet one purchase at a time. As you know, they have upped their selection of plant-based food ( vegan ) although for some reason they have also priced it very high. Obviously the old fashioned vegan choices cost much less and the same as before we went vegan;

                   Broccoli, onions, rice, potatoes, oats, bananas, walnuts, peanuts,lettuce....

So this morning while at the Guessing branch of Lidl, I noticed a previously plastic packed bag of dry cat food now being offered in an attractive cardboard box. Nice, but is it?

Most of the programs on recycling are stressing one focal point. The more colourful a packaging, the less they can recycle it. Plastic containers should ideally be clear with minimal labeling. But we all know how competitive the big companies are and to be truthful, it is our own fault as we all like to shop for the most artistically branded product.

What I would like to know is whether buying products packaged in cardboard is more environmentally helpful or not? Remember, cardboard does stem from trees and all this packaging has to be grown in a forest somewhere. Or not?

If only we could be certain that there is only a finite amount of plastic ( for packaging ) in circulation and that it is constantly recycled to be reused for packaging, then shopping would be that much easier. Environmentally aware shopping.

Ideally we should buy goods without packaging or take our own containers along, but so far that sounds like utopia for most of the world. Perhaps in a decade or so most big supermarkets will have a section that is purely packaging free/ refill, but until then I will have to contend with my inner compass about whether I should buy a product packaged in plastic or cardboard....

P/S: Same with buying electric cars....is it better to drive our existing chariots until they fall to pieces before taxing the earth with more heavy metal extractions? Just a thought...

Biggi

The Numbers Are Climbing.

The relativity of numbers.

If there were an unfortunate and awful bus crash, one that would have killed sixty or more people, we would all be in tears and some form of national acknowledgement or mourning would be called.

Today the new corona numbers were published. New cases and death over the last 24 hours and they were a  shocker. In the last twenty four hours 65 people died of or with covid. How terrible and how sad. Each one of those had family and friends and more importantly, a life to live. That is what corona does.

We have gotten so used to seeing that infamous ticker tape spewing out various numbers that we forget to equate them to reality, to real people. Even worse, when the death number follows the newly infected corona cases, those which are at the moment over ten thousand, which makes the death numbers seem small in comparison. Not nice being conditioned like this.

Today I heard the Minister of Burgenland comment on a corona situation that seems to have gotten out of hand. No other way to put it. Politicians at the highest level seem to be fighting among themselves at the cost of the nation and he called them out on it, telling them to stop infighting and start behaving like the leaders they were elected to be. 

What impressed me the most is that he repeatedly made the point that all of us need to do the right thing, even if it isn't mandated by law. 

               " What's more important, going to a Christmas party

                   or doing the right thing to get that virus under control? " 

Brilliant. Nailed it. Let's hope that people will listen and stay at home.

Biggi

Another Winter Of Discontent.

 Yet another lockdown.

So far it is only those that haven't been vaccinated, but because the number of infections are so very high, it has been speculated that a lockdown for all is on the cards.

Firstly, there are lockdowns and lockdowns. In China for instance, they do a lockdown and it means that one is inside one's abode for 24 hours a day. We all saw those images of Wuhan where folks were going crazy in their apartments. Well, our lockdown is rather mild in comparison. 

It is still allowed to do all the basic necessities to stay alive. Supermarkets, pharmacies, cigarette shops ( I kid you not ), doctors and of course going outside to do sport. Basically, a repeat of student life when money was tight. No cinemas, no clothes shopping and no theater. Could be worse!

The numbers have to come down. People ( vaccinated or not  ) should reduce as many people contacts as possible. No parties, no Matura dances, no Halloween parties and no pubs. Surely we can all sacrifice these few pleasures in order to help the medical situation?

Lest we forget, the whole point of doing all these anti corona measures is so that the hospitals aren't overrun and on the brink of collapsing under the onslaught of corona patients. The majority of corona infections don't need any medical assistance, but unfortunately, the minority might. And that minority in a country of about 8 million citizens adds up to a lot of people. 

It isn't enough for us to do a nightly round of clapping for the hospital staff. We need to change our behaviour so that most of us aren't in need of medical help. Minimizing our contact with others to almost zero and when we do have to be with others, we must keep a distance, wash our hands and wear a FFP2 mask.

I think it is now time for local role models to walk the talk. Mayors should only be seen masked in public, and local newspapers should stop reporting on the various Matura balls that are still taking place in the various communities. That definitely sends a wrong signal to those reading it locked down at home. Our grandparent's generation endured much much worse during the six years of world war two, so we can surely forgo a few parties and such...

Biggi

A Few More Quotes.

 Sunday fodder.

" I'm selfish, impatient and a little insecure. I make mistakes, I am out of control and at times hard to handle. But if you can't handle me at my worst, than you sure as hell don't deserve to handle me at my best. "

Marilyn Monroe

" Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, 

and those who matter don't mind. "

Bernard M. Baruch

" Be the change that you wish to see in the world. "

Mahatma Gandhi

" Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much. "

Oscar Wilde

" A woman is like a tea bag; you never know how strong it is until it's in hot water. "

Eleanor Roosevelt

" Some people never go crazy. What truly horrible lives they must lead. "

Charles Bukowski

" If I had a flower for every time I thought of you...I could walk through my garden forever. "

Alfred Tennyson

" Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom. "

Aristotle

" Those who don't believe in magic will never find it. "

Roald Dahl

Biggi

Old Quotes.

 Always interesting to have an insight into history.

" Judge a man by his questions rather than his answers. "

Voltaire

" Logic is the foundation of the certainty of all the knowledge we acquire. "

Leonard Euler

" No society can surely be flourishing and happy,

 of which the far greater part of the members are poor and miserable. "

Adam Smith

" Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn. "

Benjamin Franklin

" The secret of freedom lies in educating people, 

whereas the secret of tyranny is in keeping them ignorant. "

Maximilien Robespierre

" Charm strikes the sight,  but merit wins the soul. "

Alexander Pope

" It is not enough to have a good mind; the main things is to use it well. "

Rene Descartes 

" Bravery never goes out of fashion. "

William Makepeace Thackeray

" Never lose a chance of saying a kind word. "

William Makepeace Thackeray

Biggi

Coming Home After A Three Hour Stint In Oberwart.

 A welcoming committee of note.

  Just like Bob and I know the sound of my parent's car even with our eyes closed, so too our pet family know the sound of mine. Before I even slowed down to turn up our driveway, the first kitten appeared.

Gosh, he almost jumped with joy and ran ahead of the car while out of the corner of my eye I espied another kitten, well cat actually, sitting atop her feeding place. I swear one of them gave me the hairy eyeball, wanting to know why I took so long. Cheeky lot.

Over the last five months I have started to acquire routines. For Maxi because being almost blind, he needs routine and sameness. So, once I have parked the car and closed the gate I let him out of the house. No leash. He loves it when I get back from anywhere-gets up to greet me ecstatically at the entrance and then goes back to his basket. Too cute and the order of the day is that he can hop outside whilst I bring in the groceries.

Today he took a flying leap over the tomcat hovering at the top stair, trying to smuggle himself inside the house! Unbelievable how youthful Maxi can behave when he wants to. A real sprinter! Anyway, he ran around the garden followed by his adoring fan, the tomcat. Both are the same size and seem well on the way to become besties. 

Mausi is equally happy to have me home and takes turns sniffing out the various produce peeking out of bags and baskets. Nosy little parker likes to inspect everything. She then walks with me to the back bedroom, also known as our larder and fridge abode, and watches me put everything away. As each bag empties she climbs into it, trying to find the perfect hide and seek place! Often she wriggles herself into it so successfully that I don't see her and only when she moves about do I know her whereabouts. 

Granted, I have been a bit naughty by giving them a treat each time I come back from the weekly shop and perhaps it is the lure of the impending treat more so than mummy coming home that makes them hop about with such happy and gleeful abundance.

Biggi

And The Numbers Keep On Climbing.

Chickens coming home to roost?

All summer long and part of autumn most people behaved as if there were no corona about. Fiction to some and gospel to others. In a way we all went eyes open into our current situation. At the end of the day it is up to us as individuals to do the right thing. We all knew and know what we should and should not do in regards to corona.

Well, now the numbers have almost reached twelve thousand daily new cases. Gosh, that is a lot considering that we are a small country. Our village has also been sought out by the virus and rather a lot of folks are quarantined away.

Only yesterday they issued a warning for those that attended either Halloween parties, soccer matches or wine tastings in and about our area, to please be on the look out for possible corona symptoms as there is an outbreak at the moment. 

Our hospitals are getting filled with corona patients, mostly those that are not vaccinated. Already a few hospitals in the worst regions have started to triage. Not enough beds and not enough staff. The medical staff is exhausted and who can blame them. Knowing that a tidal wave of new cases is heading their way regardless of whether everyone gets vaccinated or not, must be demoralizing to say the least. 

I think that a lot of those not wanting to be vaccinated haven't yet grasped the fact that by doing so, the hospitals are filling up and should they have an accident, heart attack, stroke or other serious illness, chances are that there won't be a place for them. Or anyone else ( vaccinated ) for that matter. Only this morning they were discussing the unfairness of cancer operations being delayed because of the stations being quite full with corona patients.

Perhaps all the attention that is being given to the new corona reality will make some people change their mind and get their  first dose of the vaccine. One can only hope that this is as bad as it gets, but somehow I doubt it...

Biggi 

A Bit Of Tree Art.

The cheerfulness of trees, whatever the season.

 Again nature provides a cheerful front. Today, despite it being bitterly cold, was one of those perfect mornings, where nature shone and moods lifted.

The coldness made the colours contrast more it seems. Soon the branches will be bare and the ground covered in a beautiful carpet ranging from yellows via greens to rust hues. Magical.

The faithful birch trees steal the show in every segment of the annual seasons.

' Peek-a-boo, I see you...'

Parting of ways...

A more shady fella still providing an amazing impression.

Biggi

A Little Bit About Reading & Books.

 Never out of fashion.

" Of course anyone who truly loves books buys more of them than he or she can hope to read in one fleeting lifetime. A good book, resting unopened in its slot on the shelf, full of majestic potentiality, is the most comforting sort of intellectual wallpaper. "

David Quammen

" A book is a gift you can open again and again. "

Garrison Keillor

" Books were my pass to personal freedom. I learned to read at age three, and there discovered was a whole world to conquer that went beyond our farm in Mississippi. "

Oprah Winfrey

" Reading gives us someplace to go when we have to stay where we are. "

Mason Cooley

" There is no friend as loyal as a book. "

Ernest Hemingway

" A book is a dream that you hold in your hand. "

Neil Gaiman

" A child who reads will be an adult who thinks. "

Unknown

"  In the case of good books, the point is not how many of them you can get through, but rather how many of them can get through to you. "

Mortimer J. Adler

" Writing is perhaps the greatest of human inventions, binding together citizens of distant epochs. Books break the shackles of time, proof that humans can work magic. "

Carl Sagan

" There are many little ways to enlarge your child's world. Love of books is the best of all. "

Jacqueline Kennedy

Biggi

Monday's Log.

 Another day in my own little paradise.

It's official. The feral cats have turned domestic. All of a sudden a new measure of normality has settled over our household.  Me thinks they have adopted manners and etiquette of domesticated felines. Even though they look through the window and follow Mausi's antics, I don't think they have gleaned manners from her as she is as spoilt as they come!!!

This morning whilst trotting around our garden taking out the plastic rubbish, I couldn't help but notice the thank you gift left by one or perhaps both of them. Luckily I did as it could have turned out dire for me. Yes, what previously I had only gleaned from urban legends has happened to us. A gift of momentous proportions, that is to the feline mind.

Two slightly dishevelled but dead mice where strategically placed mere centimetres from our front door. Not a pretty sight, but how are they to know that such a delicacy could induce the vapours in us silly humans?

Ah, obviously they are appreciative of our daily meals put out for them as mice, previously a hearty meal, have morphed into toys to be gifted. At least they do that. God only knows how many more mice are scurrying about our place. All to do with the farmer tilling his maize field next to us. Where else should this horde of field mice go apart from our place?

The afternoon saw some  threatening clouds hovering and with clever foresight I scooped up the boy and quickly took him outside for our afternoon excursion. He obliged and trotted the whole way nicely next to me and it seemed that the other dog walkers in our village had the same idea. Whereas normally we don't encounter any dogs being walked, this afternoon we encountered three. A proverbial feast for Maxi's voice box!

A normal day, yet more so. To me those little details of domestic bliss with our pets and the short encounters with other villagers are priceless and far above bland and normal.

Biggi

A Few Philosopher's Thoughts.

 Quotes of the past.

" The only fence against the world is a thorough knowledge of it. "

John Locke ( 1632-1704 )

" I have always thought the actions of men the best interpreters of their thoughts. "

John Locke ( 1632-1704 )

" It is no use walking anywhere to preach unless our walking is our preaching. "

Francis of Assisi ( 1182-1226 )

" Where there is charity and wisdom, there is neither fear nor ignorance. "

Francis of Assisi ( 1182-1226 )

" A person isn't who they are during the last conversation you had with them-they're who they've been throughout your whole relationship. "

Rainer Maria Rilke ( 1875-1926 )

" Bachelors have consciences, married men have wives. "

Samuel Johnson ( 1709-1784 )

" The true art of memory is the art of attention. "

Samuel Johnson ( 1709-1784 )

" Language is the dress of thought. "

Samuel Johnson ( 1709-1784 )

" Is there anyone so wise as to learn by the experiences of others? "

Voltaire ( 1694-1778 )

" All the reasonings of men are not worth one sentiment of women. "

Voltaire ( 1694-1778 )

" Ever more people today have the means to live, but no meaning to live for. "

Viktor E. Frankl ( 1905-1997 )

Biggi

A Bit Of Colour On This Cold Saturday.

 The leaves keep obliging...

Behind our house there is another small, very small pond. A secret angler's paradise perhaps, but also a source of visual joy. That day there was hardly an air astir thus the pond's surface wonderfully mirrored the trees around it.

The magic red siren! Such a divine and attractive tree. Even in misty conditions it shines its bright red hue for all who come by it.

Ah, the magic of a Burgenland perfectly blue sky needs no explanation...

A bit more of our local pond. Maxi and I walk past it every afternoon on our pre-snack excursion.

Another dash of colour. Gosh this morning the temperature dropped below freezing. Bitterly cold but strangely stunning.

A pale hue, almost the colour of straw. Perhaps it is the blueness of the sky which tends to make the leaves more attractive and cheerful...

Biggi

A Nice Neighbourhood!

 Bankerl sitzen...

As per usual I took the boy for his afternoon walk around the block. A long block and one that gives us ample opportunity to mingle with the neighbours.

Today I was a bit tardy in getting ready for him, but never mind, he reminded me by walking to the door and back whilst voicing his opinion at my tardiness. Yes, the boy has character.

As we walked out the front gate we encountered the little girl from next door who was walking her granny about. Yes, at the age of two and a bit, we all know who's in charge! Once she espied little Maxi, she had to come over to greet him. Lovely and it gave me a chance to have a chat about this and that with her granny. News exchanged and off we went.

About twenty meters further, the two of us encountered the next villager. Maxi is a real ice-breaker. Everyone wants to talk about and to him. Great stuff and more tidbits gathered. I feel like a gossip squirrel.

At the end bit of our walk we again encountered the little girl but this time her mum was there with her. It is nice to be able to shoot the breeze with those living next door. The four of us stood in the middle of the street ( yes, traffic is nice and gentle here ) and discussed the latest corona news among others. As we were chatting another young mother came to join our little group. Nice to have a feeling of belonging.

They used to call this ' bankerl sitzen ' which translates as bench sitting. In those days before TV's were invented or had, most of the women would meet up after a long day of hard work and sit on those benches placed at the front of houses, close to the road. 

Quite often the older ladies would tell me about the good times that were had sitting and chatting on those benches. ( Remember, those were the times without electric stoves, throwaway nappies or even washing machines. All done by hand. ) Look, we didn't sit on our bench today, but we enjoyed those few minutes of meeting up. Isn't that part of the glue that holds a neighbourhood together?

Biggi

A Lovely Cup Of Hot Chocolate.

 Going back to basics.

Winter has so many facets, nuances and feelings. Feelings of comfort being the top of the list. When it is cold outside the yearning for some comfort and well being takes on bigger proportions.

A sort of time where one searches through the whole kitchen establishment to find the perfect panacea for that yearning. Let's face it, this comfort is most of the time equated to the pleasure of eating or drinking. 

We should all have a place on our shelves where we stash our perfect feel good food. Whatever harks us back to the days of our childhood, when all was well with our world. No cares, just fun. In my case, the comfort food dejour is hot chocolate. If I were honest, it would be a home baked apple cake, but those kind of treats are thin on the ground.

At first I was going to make myself a vanilla pudding but then discovered the bottle of cocoa powder and that clinched the deal. I boiled a cup of plant milk, spooned in a heaped teaspoon of cocoa powder along with sugar and let it come to the boil.

That first sip of a proper cup of hot chocolate is priceless and honestly, took me back to my childhood. Is there anything nicer than sipping a cup of it? The decadence of it brightening any grey winter day. Absolutely divine.

One can't compare ready made hot chocolate to the real deal. Of course my version could also be improved upon. A while ago we went to visit the Zotter chocolate factory ( amazing doesn't describe it! ) and there they sold little sticks of chocolate ( from white to dark or vegan ) which one has to let dissolve in a cup of hot milk in order to get the most amazing hot chocolate. A real touch of luxury which I won't buy because that sort of treat would not last for long in our house...

Biggi

CO2 Calculator.

 Finding out.

For some reason I stumbled upon this co2 calculator. Never knew it existed and actually it was so easy to use. No names given, total privacy.

People are fond of saying that their little bit of effort won't make a difference to this climate crisis. Let the big corporations and governments rather make changes. Aren't they the ones that caused all of this? Well, that is an easy way out, but a dodge nonetheless.

The big companies and governments are often such big polluters because they cater for and to us. Yes, we are the ones fanning the flame. Each and every purchase helps or hinders. The last few days the news organizations have singled out China and Brazil as horrible climate destroyers, but are they really?

Let's look at China. Yes, there is no doubt that they cause huge climate problems but why? Do we ever look at the cheap products we buy and where they were made? China is merely catering for our incessant need to buy bargains of stuff we don't really need. One just needs to take a peak into cupboards and wardrobes and see the useless stuff collect dust and moth! So before we blame China, we need to look at ourselves and our shopping habits.

As for Brazil, they are de-foresting ( destroying ) the rain-forest in order to plant more agricultural crop. Mainly maize and soy. Crops that are used to feed the factory farmed animals across the world. Cheap meats, which we buy on a daily basis. Be it in the form of steak, sausage, salami or ham. If we reduce our addiction to animal products, then as night follows day, less animal feed will have to be planted. So, Brazil is mostly doing horrendous climate crimes because we love to eat meat daily.

There are more ways to do our bit. This co2 calculator does a fabulous job of making one aware where one can save on co2 omissions. Food, travel, household and personal choices combined can make a difference in our individual co2 footprint. Try it and be surprised. Oh, and see your own personal score...

Co2 calculator Austria

Biggi

                     

Our Dog, The Con-Artist!

 Who said that dogs aren't clever?

Oh yes, the weather has changed and the suddenly dreaded rain has appeared. Dreaded only because of our dog and his antics.

How he knew this morning that the rain had arrived, god only knows or perhaps our Mausi subconsciously told him. Fact is that contrary to any other morning, he refused to budge even an inch from his basket. Normally at about half past five in the morning he needs to go outside to relief himself. Without fail, every morning apart from today's.

He clung on to his basket for dear life and more than likely crossed his legs in order to not have to go outside. Eventually, at about half past seven ( two hours overdue no less ) I softly upturned his basket to get him up. Bob was cheering from the sidelines and telling me to watch my fingers, just in case! Well, fingers were safe and dog standing up. Even that didn't do the trick. No, I had to fetch his leash and collar, put it on and then carry him outside!

The rain had thankfully petered out to a few drops now and again but the ground was wet. Very wet, which Maxi realized straightaway. There he was tippi toeing on the wet grass, hardly moving an inch while I had to fight off the amorous attentions of our feral cat, still keeping an eye out for Maxi's ablution positions. After about a minute he did a #1, a long one and wanted to go back inside. 

No, no, he had to do his #2. Can't have him using our lounge! Honestly, I had to literally beg and cajole him in order to get him to walk two meters along. From experience I know that this will do the trick of making him go to the loo. If only you could have seen him. There he was lifting his legs like a well trained ballerina, trying to evade wet grass. Meanwhile our feral is trying to make sense of this while at the same time rubbing against my shins, showing me that he doesn't mind being out in the rain.

After a long five minutes Maxi had done his morning's ablutions and not wanting to pick a fight with him, I let him off the rest of his walk. Slowly, with his head hanging in sadness and despair at having to even be outside, he tootled back into the house. Much pulling and many choice words from my side, but eventually he was in.

Well, within seconds of me taking off his leash, he bucked in glee and ran into the lounge, doing cartwheels in anticipation for the next stage of his day, breakfast. Bob couldn't believe how energetic Maxi suddenly was, literally dancing and hopping about following me to the back room all the while yapping his happiness vocally. What a conman. From pretending to be an old and decrepit dog to suddenly hopping about like the energetic pup he is. All because of a few drops of water...

By the by, as I write this he is busy pretending to be asleep and not in need of the loo. Let's see how long he can hold it in but I suspect that the lure of his afternoon treats ( only after a long vigorous walk ) might change his stance.

Biggi

A Bit Of Literature.

 Quotes of course.

" This above all; To thine own self be true, And it must follow, as the night the day,

 Thou canst not then be false to any man. "

William Shakespeare, Hamlet

" I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship. "

Louisa May Alcott, Little Women

" Isn't it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet? "

L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

" Nowadays people know the price of everything and the value of nothing. "

Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Grey

" I wish, as well as everybody else, to be perfectly happy; but, like everybody else, 

it must be in my own way. "

Jane Austen, Sense and Sensibility 

" Brave doesn't mean you're not scared. It means you go on even though you're scared. "

Angie Thomas, The Hate U Give

" Time moves slowly, but passes quickly. "

Alice Walker, The Color Purple

" All human wisdom is summed up in these two words - ' Wait and Hope ' "

Alexandre Dumas, The Count Of Monte Cristo

" Most men and women will grow up to love their servitude and will never dream of revolution. "

Aldous Huxley, Brave New World Revisited

Biggi