Life, Ordinary Yet Not So.

 A world that is changing in front of our eyes.

There are words and there aren't words for what is happening at the moment. Everyone has felt the change. Everyone has felt the fear. A horrid awareness that life as we knew it isn't here anymore. The line has been crossed and a lot of us have been pulled back down to reality.

We still have it easy. I can't help but feel and think about all those innocent Ukrainians that have had the rug pulled out from under them.  Earlier I took the boy for his walk and it was bitterly cold. An icy wind which went through every bone in my body and it took all my resolve to go the whole round. I still have a warm home at the end of my twenty minutes, something which many thousands of refugees do not. 

The whole world is coming together and as much as Corona has pulled us apart, so this new exponentially worse crisis has moved us closer together again. Talk about a silver lining. Europe is opening up its heart and home and it moves me to tears whenever I see it on tv. People are being Mensches again instead of altruistic beings.

One man has got the world by the throat and good golly gosh, isn't there some real life James Bond out there that can tip the scales back into our favour? At least a whole horde of international hackers have taken up their particular set of arms and I think they will prove to be extremely important in this endeavor. Holding thumbs.

I don't know about you, but I am looking at the world with a different set of eyes, norms and filters. What seemed important last week has paled into nothingness. There is only so much one needs to live and seeing those hundreds of thousand people fleeing with only the clothes on their back and a suitcase at their feet, makes me realize how superficial stuff really is and that it is high times that we stop living our lives along the consumerist lines...

Biggi

A Hope For Peace.

 Again, others have said it best.

" I prefer peace. But if trouble must come,

 let it come in my time, so that my children  can live in peace. "

Thomas Paine

" People sleep peacefully in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready

 to do violence on their behalf. "

George Orwell

" An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind. "

Mahatma Gandhi

" Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding. "

Albert Einstein

" You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist. "

Indira Gandhi

" Mankind must remember that peace is not God's gift to his creatures; 

peace is our gift to each other. "

Elie Wiesel

" Peace demands the most heroic labor and the most difficult sacrifice. It demands greater heroism than war. It demands greater fidelity to the truth and a much more perfect purity of conscience. "

Thomas Merton

" To be prepared for war is one of the most effective means of preserving peace. "

George Washington

" The soldier above all others prays for peace,

 for it is the soldier who must suffer and bear the deepest wounds and scars of war. "

Douglas MacArthur

Biggi

Money, Not All That It's Cracked Up To Be!

 For the love of money?

I can't get those pictures out of my mind. People walking in droves to safety with only a suitcase, backpack or less to their name. Those same people who twenty four hours ago had a home, a life and were living it.

What good does money in the bank do if accounts are frozen or destroyed? What good is having a fat bank balance when you can't draw on it or worse, when no shops are open to spend it in? Ukraine has lifted the curtain on our dream world and shown us what is really important.

Every day I walk past two newly built houses in our street. Houses which have cost a bundle in money and nerves by the look of it. Imagine if the call comes to leave everything behind and only pack that suitcase? Yes, money and stuff isn't all it's cracked up to be.

All of us have watched refugees from the middle east and apart from feeling sorry for them, mainly gone on with our life secure in the obviously somewhat false assumption that it could never happen to us, here in the fortress of safety, Europe.

In less than a week our world view, our life's goals and our grip on reality have changed. Or it should have. Seeing those terrified, exhausted, shell-shocked Ukrainians cross into Poland, Hungary or Romania is a scary reminder that there by the grace of God go we.

The thought of a packed suitcase keeps on lingering in the periphery of my mind. What would I pack? And why was I so stressed out about being a perfect housekeeper when houses can't be kept? No, we need to learn to be thankful and grateful for all that we have or don't have.

What  we are getting are two of those shoulder pouches. How else could we take Mausi with us? Maxi can walk on a leash but only sporadically so that Bob would  have to put him into a pouch. 

My money ( excuse the pun ) is on there being an internal revolution and that this Emperor sans Clothes will be exposed and deposed. As long as not too many lives are lost in his insane attempt at rewriting History. 

Biggi

Those Darn Forgotten Corners!

A tradesman comes to visit.

Those of you who know me, also know that any sight, mention or sniff of a tradesman coming by gets me to turbo clean the house. Well, that is the areas that said tradesman might be busy in.

Unexpectedly the oven had to be seen to and a service man came by this morning. The oven, the lounge, the bathroom and the kitchen got a quick once over and for good measure I had the curtains closed because too much daylight tends to shine a light upon forgotten cleaning projects. Yes, just being honest.

So, a fairly youngish chap came around and to be honest yet again, most people are young to me lately. Sign of the times. But he worked extremely precise and took his time. Good and I was silently congratulation myself on providing a clean home front when towards the end of the oven's service he needed a place to connect a water hose. More water had to be pumped into the oven system and just like that, my clean front crumbled.

First I showed him the kitchen tap but that wouldn't do and he bent down to peruse the piping under the sink. Goodness me whoever thinks of cleaning there! Eh, not me and I did feel the beginning of housewifely shame. But that tap wasn't up to the task either so then I showed him our bathroom sink, a sink I had freshly cleaned. Little did I know that connecting a hose meant dusty corners.

Yes, quick as a flash he honed in onto the tap in the far corner, the one used for the washing machine's water supply. A place I hadn't factored into my cleaning and a place that frankly I tend to overlook on a continuous basis. Clearly and apparently so. Hats off to the young man because he didn't raise an eyebrow and carried on with his task. The moment he headed to the lounge I was crouching behind the washing machine cleaning like mad.

When he finished topping up the water he took the end of the hose from the bathroom side off and laid it onto the shower floor. Wanting to help him, I picked up the hose and let the water drip out. Big mistake as he told me that this had caused all the water to flow out on the other side. Onto the floor. Oh no. What next. Off I dashed with cloth in hand, cringing at the dust balls unearthed by the water. Serves me right.

Well, the only upside to this day was the fact that the oven has had a service and will heat our house for the foreseeable future and that long forgotten corners of our house have gotten a once over....

Biggi

Finding Positivity And Strength.

 Looking for the good in a changed world.

" Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see a shadow. "

Helen Keller

" Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls;

 the most massive characters are seared with scars. "

Khalil Gibran

" You have power over your mind-not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength. "

Marcus Aurelius

" Only the weak are cruel.  Gentleness can only be expected from the strong. "

Leo Buscaglia

" Find a place inside where there is joy, and the joy will burn out the pain. "

Joseph Campbell

" It's a wonderful thing to be optimistic. It keeps you healthy and it keeps you resilient. "

Daniel Kahneman

" Perhaps I am stronger than I think. "

Thomas Merton

" Positive anything is better than negative nothing. "

Elbert Hubbard

" The strength of a nation derives from the integrity of the home. "

Confucius

" A good laugh is sunshine in the house. "

William Makepeace Thackeray

" With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts. "

Eleanor Roosevelt

Biggi

Vegetarian Isn't Vegan.

Eating out...

What does a vegetarian eat? Well, basically it means that everything expect meat is eaten. Often only the red meat, thus vegetarians still eat fish and some even chicken. Yes, not much of a sacrifice especially when one is going out to eat.

Restaurants are adapting at this new dietary status quo yet some are still not aware what it means to be a vegan. A vegan eats nothing made of or from animals. Pure and simple, not so difficult. Eating out for vegans isn't much fun unless the restaurant gets it. By the way, study after study have proved that once a restaurant puts more  vegan dishes on the menu, their business grows, often exponentially. 

Being a vegan is a choice and eating out too. If it means nibbling on bread, potatoes and the proverbial carrot, so be it. It is only one meal after all, but I find it so shortsighted when restaurants only cater for vegetarians. By the by, vegetarians can eat most items on a menu even vegan ones but vegans can't eat vegetarian items.

A moment ago I saw a local restaurant proudly announcing the inclusion of a vegetarian item on their menu and I have to shake my head at this. Firstly, vegan food doesn't spoil as quickly as vegetarian, secondly, vegan food is easier to make and thirdly, a hoard of vegans won't be tempted to go and eat there. Come on, make the effort and cater for those of us who try and save the world, animals and our health. If not for us, do it for your profit.

All moaning aside, I suppose I should be happy to see the word vegetarian even appear on their menu as they are mostly a bastion for meat based dishes of all sorts. Hope springs eternal...

Biggi 

If Only Dogs Could Talk!

 The vagaries of communication.

The other morning Maxi had a slight oopsie. Well, it started very early after I had just woken up. His little footsteps shifted my awareness away from dream world to him. Gosh, I was so thrilled that for once he liked me enough to jump out of his basket and come to greet me. He usually does it for Bob! Yes, a slight bit of jealousy.

So, I did the usual coochy coo and went through to the kitchen to make a pot of coffee. All of a sudden my peripheral took note of a dripping sound. Yikes, quick as a flash I raced through to the lounge and there the poor dear was, weeing on the floor in desperation. Bob was looking on, not quite sure how to handle it apart from telling me the obvious. Men. Anyway, I quickly grabbed some paper towels to sort out the worst while whipping up a confused dog and taking him outside in case more was to follow. And no, I didn't shout at him nor was I cross because after all it was my mistake at not listening to him. There I thought he wanted to have a cuddle when he actually asked to be taken outside!

Since that day I have acquired a habit of jumping up at the mere sound of his footfall. Even if he just wants to get some water. Yikes, I think I have taken him outside more than ever for him to do his stuff.

So this morning he came out of his basket once we were up, and went to Bob for a quick cuddle and then headed through to the entrance hall ( also where we keep his food bowl ) which spurned me on to get my coat and shoes.  I took his leash and harness off the shelve as per usual while telling him that it was time to go and peepee. Well, the minute he heard me lift the harness he turned around and sprinted back to the comforting safety of his basket. In fact, his little back legs almost overtook his front ones in his haste of evading a walk in a very cold pre-dawn.

Too cute and funny for words. He actually lay still as a mouse in his basket until he deemed it necessary for him to be taken outside. All eye contact was avoided, which makes me wonder whether he looks upon me as this mad woman who tends to drag him outside for long walks.... 

Life with pets, never boring, always wonderful and full of fun moments.

Biggi

Bits & Bobs Of Eisenberg.

 A morning walk...

The yellow blossom do cheer up any landscape and this one even more so.

Under the watchful eyes of a couple of feline guards.

There is just something so magical about a morning awakening and lighting up the day ahead.

A smokey scene! Always the church in the middle of life and village. Regal but somewhat comforting in its role as a beacon of continuity.

Towards the end of my walk the morning is in proper swing. The rain clouds did move in slowly yet surely but in the meantime the valley of Eisenberg looks pretty as a picture.

Upper and lower Eisenberg separated by the glorious vineyards which are the quintessence of it...

A fitting curtain call to Eisenberg and a sunny day.

Biggi

Rediscovering The Love Of Jigsaw Puzzling.

 An in the moment activity.

Granted, this jigsaw puzzle is the 2.0 version of an old fashioned table top jigsaw, but who has so much empty space available for weeks on end? Bad enough finding space for odd things like letters, plates and fruit bowl!

Facebook does have its uses and it provides a platform for this jigsaw. It sounds odd to say one plays jigsaw online, but it works out just fine. My computer screen has become the new table top and surprisingly it feels quite comfortable to play jigsaw on it.

I have worked my way up to a thousand pieces and it is fun. Time consuming but fun. Relaxing too and isn't this what it's all about? Lately the news is enough to make one bury one's head in the sand if not in a mount of chocolate, ice cream or chips. Who wants to think of a war on one's doorstep? History sadly does have a history of repeating itself because people don't learn. Let's hope diplomacy wins but in the meantime, it is rather stressful to think of it.

The beauty of this jigsaw is that it tells you how much time you've spent on it. Time spent not thinking of all the ills in the world and time spent relaxing only using logic and thought. Brilliant.

Coupled with my constant crochet project on the go - a blanket yet again - I have a nice way to unwind and clear my head. How long I will continue to use this game I don't know but for the time being it is fun and rather therapeutic.

Biggi

A Bit More Ancient Philosophy & Wisdom.

 Philosophers of yore.

" No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it is not the same river and he is not the same man. "

Heraclitus ( 544 BC-483 BC )

" Most powerful is he who has himself  in his own power. "

Seneca ( ca. 4 BC-65 AD )

" Happiness resides not in possessions, and not in gold, happiness dwells in the soul. "

Democritus ( 460 BC-370 BC ) 

" There is only one way to happiness and that is to cease worrying about things which are beyond the power of our will. "

Epictetus ( 50-138 )

" We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak. "

Epictetus ( 50-138 )

" The cautious seldom err. "

Confucius ( 551 BC-479 BC )

" The empty vessel makes the loudest sound. "

Plato ( 427 BC-347 BC )

" The most important part of education is proper training in the nursery. "

Plato ( 427 BC-347 BC )

" The wrongdoer is more unfortunate than the man wronged. "

Democritus ( 460 BC-370 BC )

" Our envy always lasts longer than the happiness of those we envy. "

Heraclitus ( 544 BC-483 BC )

" An imbalance between rich and poor is the oldest and most fatal ailment of all republics. "

Plutarch ( 46-120 )

" To find fault is easy; to do better may be difficult. "

Plutarch ( 46-120 )

Biggi

A Return To The Age Old Way Of Banking?

 The good old mattress.

Granted, we are a small community but still, the last few decades it has warranted having a branch of a national bank in the village and to this money was brought, deposited, withdrawn or invested. The village made it money, because we all know that banks aren't very charitable. They should be grateful that the state is...remember the financial crisis of 2007!

So, a lot of our villagers ( and surrounding catchment area for this bank ) are older and even old. So be it, but then again these are the customers who throughout their life have used the bank and all its offerings. Loyal customers one might say.

Well, the letter got dropped in the post today telling us that the branch is closing and that the nearest branch from now on is in Eberau, at least 10 km away. City folks might wonder why that should be such a big deal, but bear in mind that 10 km in a rural climes is a huge distance especially when one doesn't have a car or rather, doesn't drive.

Of the top of my head I can think of two widows who haven't got any transport and who now are in a real pickle. And they aren't the only ones. Nice one, dear Bank. Talk about caring for your customers. The argument that most business is now conducted online is a bit mute with the older folks. Smartphones and computers...you might as well ask them to design a space craft. They just can't do it.

Granted, the village is considering putting on some local bank-bus-service or neighbours will help out but on a permanent basis it is difficult.

So, those odd times when they do get a ride to the bank I can imagine that a huge lot of money will be withdrawn. Cash on hand for months at a time. For groceries, for luxuries for little extras. Where to stash this cash but under one's mattress. The age old method of keeping one's money safe. Sleeping on it so that no burglar can get his grubby hands on it.

Profitability is all well and good but how good is it really if it entails hurting those who were there from the beginning...

Biggi

My Feline Bodyguard.

An early morning excursion.

Maxi and I headed out before sunup but thankfully the lingering halo of the full moon cast enough light to walk comfortably down the darkened neighbourhood. Just in case I had a torch with me.

Maxi was doing the usual hovering in the beginning and that is why I heard the soft voiced arrival of Parsley, our domesticated feral lodger. A mix between a meow and a throaty moan. He who is bigger than Maxi and he who has a heart of gold. Enough time for a quick cuddle before Maxi ran along. Normally Parsley accompanies us for a few meters before heading back to our front steps but this morning he toddled along.

Each time Maxi stopped to either lift a leg, stare at the sky or whiff at the calling cards of his rivals, I looked back and there the cat was not far behind. Sort of slinking along until he saw me look back at him. Gosh, then he upped his peculiar meow along a quick sprinted  gallop towards us. Too cute.

Maxi seems to also have gotten used to having a cat along for our walk. At times he stops, turns his head sideways ( the good eye side ) to look for Parsley and once he hops along bumping gently into him, he carries on. Comforted.

Today was the first time this lovely cat followed us almost all the way to the main road. I got worried in case it would get lost or even worse, head into an oncoming car. No, that wouldn't do. Maxi and I changed our route and turned around walking Parsley safely home.

Along the way Maxi suddenly barked madly at a tree and only when I shushed him enough and wanted to carry on the walk did I see another cat hiding under the low hanging branches of a fir tree. All I saw were big eyes and a small white face. Gosh, Maxi despite being half blind has his instincts honed to perfection.

There is something so special being witness to the unfolding character of a pet. To some a cat is a tool to keep the yard rodent free and to others it is an affirmation that all beings have intellect, feelings and a unique personality.  Seeing the various personalities of all of our pets makes me so glad that I don't eat animal products anymore. Just as Parsley, Maus and Maxi are unique, clever, cheeky, loving, funny and adoring, so too are pigs, cows and chickens!

Biggi

The Wonderful Lure Of Pesto.

A Hausfrau's best friend.

Pesto; sounds exotic, sounds Italian and of course evokes images of dining al fresco somewhere in the romantic hinterland of Italy. Stuff of movies really.

Pesto has a fabulous side to it....it doesn't need any elaborate cooking apart from a pot of pasta. How easy to make a supper with it. A twirl of the spoon  and all is done. Easy, especially when the cooking muse is absent. My go to meal on Sundays and thank goodness my beloved likes pesto.

There are those who make their own pesto but alas, I am not one of them. Much easier to purchase a jar at the supermarket and since they have started to stock a vegan version, much easier. They do have a ' red ' pesto which also happens to be vegan, but is not Bob's favourite. I do tend to buy them more as it is a lot cheaper. Dried tomatoes and so forth...

Well, last week while shopping I noticed a basket of marked down items next to the till and a small jar of something exotic caught my eye. Gosh, a pesto at Penny's...what gives and why was it marked down ie. nobody liked it? I had time to look at the label and noticed that it was indeed a vegan type. Not by label but by ingredients. A pesto with Peach, Buckwheat and Ginger! Yes, I needed to try this.

Bob was less enthused when he heard peach and ginger but what could he do! So last night I suggested that I make us this particular pesto and half heartedly he agreed. The other choice would have been a pasta and tofu affair.

We both knew that we'd either love it or hate it...so, it tasted divine and Bob loves it. Wouldn't you know! Now it is his favourite version of pesto even surpassing Barilla's type. Slight problem being that we only have one more jar and seeing that it was marked down at Penny's, I suspect that we are the only ones who like it. They might not re-order more of it. Yikes, I might have to make my own version of it after all. Still, can't beat a pesto!

The two pesto....both nice but at the moment the one on the left is a clear favourite in our house.

Biggi

 

Co-Driver, Moana Lisa Or Just Plain Harpy?

 The joy of spousal driving.

It seems to run in my family and dare I say it, in most families. Driving with one's spouse tends to incorporate aspects of hilarity bordering on insanity.

Who hasn't had a spouse sit next to them whilst driving? Never mind how old we might be, in the eyes of our loved ones we are mere beginners, ink still drying on our licences. Never mind how long we have successfully navigated the roads of life and car without mishap. No, none of that counts. We need to be reminded of what we might not be aware of;

             " You are too close to the side of the road. "

              " The traffic light is going to change. "

               "  You are driving way too fast. "

               " Can you see that car on the horizon? "

Oh the list is endless. The other day I had the opportunity to be taxied about by my parents and couldn't help but overhear similar comments flying from co-driver to driver. Goodness, scales fell from my eyes because I realized that I was exactly the same. Yes, the comments I at times eh, mumble quietly to Bob were almost identical to those I heard while being driven by my folks. Nature or nurture begs the question.

On the other hand, isn't it up to us to make sure no speeding fines are collected? Why would there be a 50 sign or more importantly, why should it be adhered to? I find myself as the needle being stuck on the album of co-drivers;

                 " Slow, slow, can't you see there is the 50 sign? "

Oh yes, I am a harpy of note when it comes to road signs but then again, getting a speeding fine isn't that great either...

Biggi

Can't Forget About Valentines, Can I?

Some more quotes.

" It's not a lack of love, but a lack of friendship that makes unhappy marriages. "

Friedrich Nietzsche

" Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none. "

William Shakespeare

" Being loved deeply by someone gives you strength, 

while loving someone deeply gives you courage. "

Lao Tzu

" Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind,

And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind. "

William Shakespeare

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

Alfred Tennyson

" A lady's imagination is very rapid; it jumps from admiration to love,

 from love to matrimony in a moment. "

Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice

" We love the things we love for what they are. "

Robert Frost

" He's more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same. "

Emily Bronte, Wuthering Heights 

" Where there is love there is life."

Mahatma Gandhi

" Love is a fire. But whether it is going to warm your hearth or burn down your house,

 you can never tell. "

Joan Crawford

" What is hell? I maintain that it is the suffering of being unable to love. "

Fyodor Dostoevsky

Biggi

Two Cats And Some Trees.

 Photogenic indeed!

A cat in the true sense of the word. Regal, aloof and beautiful. This lovely cat resides at a house in the vineyard and clearly is enjoying what life has to offer.

The few leaves holding on for dear life in their former lush surrounds do make a nice splash in the otherwise bare landscape.

Our latest feline edition. She who came to our doorstep skinny and scared seems to have turned the corner....no more skinny and hopefully no more sad.

Reminds me a bit of Garfield!

I actually wanted to take a photo of the budding blossoms but instead got a good view of an airplane heading somewhere, leaving its ugly vapour trail behind to wreck havoc among nature.

A well fed kitty. We needn't worry about feeding it too little...

A big size lump of tree sap looking similar to a lovely bit of amber. Nature, stunning, beautiful and unique.

Biggi

Walking Up And Down The Street.

 The rascal is on a mission.

At half past one he came to look for me. Maxi, that is. When I am at the computer in the kitchen he trots in which is his way of saying that he is ready for his afternoon walk. Far be it from me to deny him and thus yours truly dropped everything in order to obey his command.

So, we walked our usual route followed by Parsley but Maxi wasn't happy and so we turned around and walked it in reverse. Yes, he fell for it but after a long walk, meeting several people, he still hadn't done his business. The main reason for the walk and the only way I can sleep soundly at night knowing that no surprise might be underfoot!

But, Maxi couldn't go and so we went back home. I sat at the kitchen table working on my computer while he ate his treats ( god forbid I don't give him those. Pandemonium would ensue! ) when I noticed him lingering near me. Normally he goes straight to his basket for a snooze but not today.

Again I got up to take him outside for another round. He was more than pleased to be harnessed and even hopped down the steps barking his arrival outside for all and sundry. Parsley came running to join us but after literally walking up and down our street, he still hadn't done his business. Even Parsley thought this was strange and tried to bump him along. Nothing for it but to head back inside.

So, now we have an interesting evening ahead with many perambulations outside. It seems our dog has constipation, poor thing.

Walking up and down ensued in some fun encounters. A mum being dictated to by her toddler. Gosh, as small as they are, toddlers seem to have the upper hand in negotiations pulling their trump card at the drop of a hat...tears and audible crying! Makes my odd negotiations with Maxi seem rather tame in comparison. At least I haven't resorted to tears and crying yet...

Biggi

Some Of Franz Kafka's Quotes.

Timeless?

" Anyone who keeps the ability to see beauty never grows old. "

Franz Kafka ( 1883-1924 )

" God gives the nuts, but he does not crack them. "

Franz Kafka ( 1883-1924 )

" Association with human beings  lures one into self-observation. "

Franz Kafka ( 1883-1924 )

" How pathetically scanty my self-knowledge is compared with, say, my knowledge of my room. There is no such thing as observation of the inner world, as there is of the outer world. "

Franz Kafka ( 1883-1924 )

" A stair not worn hollow by footsteps is, regarded from its own point of view, only a boring something made of wood. "

Franz Kafka ( 1883-1924 )

" You do not need to leave your room. Remain sitting at your table and listen. Do not even listen, simply wait, be quite still and solitary. The world will freely offer itself to you to be unmasked, it has no choice, it will roll in ecstasy at your feet. "

Franz Kafka ( 1883-1924 )

" Start with what is right rather than with what is acceptable. "

Franz Kafka ( 1883-1924 )

" So long as you have food in your mouth, you have solved all questions for the time being. "

Franz Kafka ( 1883-1924 )

Biggi

 

A Thursday, Nice And Ordinary.

 A perfect day needn't be eventful.

So, Bob is still on leave and slowly but surely he is starting to climb the walls although at the same time he is bemoaning the quickness of his disappearing leave. Go figure!

We headed into town this morning, our excursion for the week. A trip out, a long drive and a full fridge. Isn't it funny how our minds work. For us going to town means going into the big city yet, the town in question hasn't more than eight thousand inhabitants. A mere dot on the landscape of Pietermaritzburg, which has closer to 230 000 inhabitants. As big as it is it was deemed to be a small town in comparison to others in South Africa. Yes, the mind is marvelous.

Today again I had to show my vaccination status as I entered one of the shops. Quite strange to be carded like that and even stranger when one considers that from next week most of the corona restrictions will be a thing of the past. 

When we came home our ' kids ' were waiting to greet us. Maxi was besides himself with excitement at having us back, Mausi had stationed herself on the windowsill and gave us a haughty nod while Parsley roused himself from his chosen spot on the lawn. A spot where he can keep an eye on all events that take place in his family.

Whilst we were unloading the car we let Maxi outside in order for him to do his business. The minute he stepped outside, Parsley sprinted down towards him, meowing in his deep mellow tone and gently stopped next to Maxi totally ignoring me. They both sniffed each other hello and it warmed my heart to see Parsley keeping an eye out for Maxi. Somehow he must have realized that he can't see very well and decided to be his outside guardian. Too cute for words.

The weather today was so warm that one couldn't not notice it. Almost all households had washing on the line or on a wash stand outside trying to make the best of this unseasonable warm weather. Ten degrees above normal. Nice for us but not so nice for the budding plant kingdom.

So all in all, a nice Thursday....

Biggi 

A Nice And Sunny Day In February.

 Spring is leaving its calling cards.

The sky was the most divine shade of blue this morning. A welcome change after the recent lot of greyish tinted mornings. The dried wintry weeds are juxtaposed among the new blades of spring.

A garden in the vineyard sprouting a warm shade of yellow. About the only colour shown by any local plants. Can't wait for spring and its plethora of colours.

How graceful weeds are....

A yellow mingling on the rocks. Soon winter will be only be a vague memory for most of us enjoying the sunny climes.

The eagle-eyed guard watching my every move. Cats, aren't they the best...

Biggi

Some German Poets' Words.

Quotes to make one think.

" The only journey is the one within. "

Rainer Maria Rilke ( 1875-1926 )

" A person isn't who they are during the last conversation you had wit them-

they're who they've been throughout your whole relationship. "

Rainer Maria Rilke ( 1875-1926 )

" Let life happen to you. Believe me: life is in the right, always. "

Rainer Maria Rilke ( 1875-1926 )

" Because things are the way they are, things will not stay the way they are. "

Bertholt Brecht ( 1898-1956 )

" Everyone chases happiness, not noticing that happiness is right at their heels. "

Bertholt Brecht ( 1898-1956 )

" Matrimony; the high sea for which no compass has yet been invented. "

Heinrich Heine ( 1797-1856 )

" If the Romans had been obliged to learn Latin, 

they would never have found time to conquer the world. "

Heinrich Heine ( 1797-1856 )

" Ask not what I have, but what I am. "

Heinrich Heine ( 1797-1856 )

" The rose is without an explanation; She blooms, because She blooms. "

Angelus Silesius ( 1624-1677 )

" Only as far as a man is happily married to himself 

is he fit for married life and family life in general. "

 Novalis ( 1772-1801 )

" A hero is one who knows how to hang on one minute longer. "

Novalis ( 1772-1801 )

Biggi

 

Some Charles Dickens Quotes.

 It is his birthday after all.

" A loving heart is the truest wisdom. "

Charles Dickens (  1812-1870 )

" If there were no bad people. there would be no good lawyers. "

Charles Dickens 

" Electric communication will never be a substitute for the face of someone who with their soul encourages another person to be brave and true. "

Charles Dickens

" I have known a vast quantity of nonsense talked about bad men not looking you in the face. Don't trust that conventional idea. Dishonesty will stare honesty out of countenance any day of the week, if there is anything to be got by it. "

Charles Dickens

" Great men are seldom over-scrupulous in the arrangement of their attire. "

Charles Dickens

" Credit is a system whereby a person who can not pay gets another person who can not pay to guarantee that he can pay. "

Charles Dickens

" Regrets are the natural property of grey hairs. "

Charles Dickens

" The civility which money will purchase, is rarely extended to those who have none. "

Charles Dickens

" It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. "

Charles Dickens

Biggi

A Lazy Sunday Afternoon.

Habits of comfort.

Today the wind outside belies this sunny Sunday allure. It is bitterly cold once a blast of wind hits you. Winter weather of course.

Coming back from my afternoon round with the hound, I had this yearning for comfort food. Memories of Sunday afternoons filled with lovely pieces of cake resurfaced. Growing up in Bavaria it was a done thing to have coffee and cake on a Sunday afternoon. If not in a cafe somewhere, then at home with a slice of homemade delight. Oh, what fabulous memories.

So, the yearning for cake made me head to the kitchen. Bananas were about a day away from going over the edge of edibility ( paradoxically that is when they taste the best ), walnuts abundantly in the cupboard after an almost half priced deal at Lidl, and thankfully due to our vegan life no eggs or butter were needed to whip up a Sunday treat.

Banana and walnut muffins sounded like just the thing and after mixing sugar, bananas, flour, flaxseed and a bit of oil a most amazing little muffin ensued. Well a whole batch of them but due to popular demand said batch has shrunk!

These muffins did the trick and filled this Sunday afternoon gap and again made me realize just how easy it is to whip up a batch of batter for a cake. Bob likes the muffins and in his own mind is more than likely transported back to his childhood. A childhood with plenty of homemade cakes, cakes that were so yummy that he often includes the mention of either cakes or biscuits  when telling me stories of his childhood. Baking, a nice way to sooth the soul...

What is left of today's batch of banana & walnut muffins.

Biggi

My Picky Feline Children.

 Such different characters but all alike!

Our feline princess, a.k.a. Miss Mausi, is known to be a fussy eater. Picky to the extreme and responsible for making me dread her dinner and breakfast time. Will she or won't she? Over the years I have learnt that she goes through cycles therefore I can never bulk buy ahead as Murphy's Law she'll dislike a hitherto favourite food.

The duo outside, the grey Madam, Fluffy, and the formerly shapely Parsely are gearing up to follow in Mausi's footsteps. Parsley is still living each day trying to shadow me and in the process has become rather hefty. When he first become tame and friendly he was a solid yet streamlined tomcat, one that was extremely popular among the feline neighbourhood. Well, not so much anymore and I am partly to blame for it. Feeding him too much!

At first the two outside were more than happy and keen on the cheap dry cat food. Ample but obviously not the caviar type. During the last few months so, I have started to give Mausi's uneaten lot to the cats outside and thus I think they have acquired a caviar taste!

The other day they left their portion of dry food awaiting for better vittles. Yikes, once a while ago when I had run out on their food I had to resort doling out Mausi's lot and I suppose that did it. Once one tastes the good life, there is no going back. Even nature's food is left running freely past their noses. Mice are of no interest to them lately. I only have myself  to blame...

I can hear you mumble about being more consequent and leaving uneaten food until eaten, but with cats that is impossible. They will rather starve than eat something they don't care for. It also doesn't help that  they are so darn cute. Every time I step outside the front door or come home through the gate, the two cats outside run up to me, lean into me and look up at me with their cute little faces...

Miss Fluffy, wise beyond words....

Parsley not leaving my side and to think that only last year he was so feral that neither Bob nor I could get within two meters of him!

Biggi

Chickpeas, Fabulous Food.

 Versatile, cheap and yummy.

The other day I got a packet of dried chickpeas from our local Indian grocer. 800 g for 3 euros. When one sees the packet of dried chickpeas, one doesn't realize just how versatile they are.

Usually I cook half a packet. First they have to be soaked overnight and then cooked for about an hour. Afterwards I am always amazed at how big the pot of chickpeas gets. They swell with water and what seems like a small amount when dry, turns into oodles of cooked chickpeas.

That 400 g of dried chickpeas equates to at least four proper meals if not more. Already I have made a small batch of hummus, a big lunchtime salad ( lovely with onions, fresh coriander, garlic and olive oil ) and might make some burger patties out of rest tonight. Friday is after all burger night! The amount of beans left makes enough burger patties for 6 burgers. Two are mostly leftovers for the next day and they taste divine cold with a generous dollop of mayonnaise. 

So, a mere 1,5 euro's worth of chickpeas does provide us with several meals, not to mention a whole lot of protein. Isn't that what everyone wants to know about when confronted with veganism?

A little known fact which is really the most important. Beans ( pulses ) eaten at one meal ensure that at the next meal only half the calories of it are absorbed.( Obviously not a meal made up of ice cream chips & chocolate! ) The rest never have a chance to settle anywhere before they are moved along. Who wouldn't want a meal to only register as half the caloric content?

Another bonus of eating pulses is that they are so cheap. Should times get tough, a few bags of dried beans, a few bags of rice, onions and potatoes can provide ample and nutritious food while saving money.

Biggi

The Demand For Aga-esque Stove Grows.

The times they are a changing.

The energy prices are going up. Yes, everywhere and somewhat to be expected. Factor in the not so distant threat of conflict in the Ukraine, and the writing is on the wall. Everything to do with energy will spiral. That is just the norm with conflicts, and especially one so close.

Last year we were warned to expect some sort of black-out, a week or two long, in Austria. Not maybe but rather when. At the time when it was reported in all the news and magazines, most Austrians smiled wryly and wrote it off as crazy propaganda. Propaganda for supermarkets and the like. Yes, it was recommended that every household buys enough food and necessities to last a possible two week blackout. One does wonder how the government knew about it!

Well, seasoned as we are to blackouts, we did buy some provisions and we are of course blessed with a second wood burning kitchen stove. The Aga. If all else fails and the power is gone, we can still heat part of our house and more importantly cook food. Make coffee and survive!

The only problem with our old Aga ( inherited from the previous owner's mum, yes it is old  as the hills ) is that it has so little room for wood. One needs to reload every twenty minutes and also some of the iron sides are starting to come apart. According to our chimney sweep and a new one needs to be bought soon.

With that in mind we headed into town to have a look around. Gosh, these aga like stoves are suddenly in demand and the delivery time is over a month. Unless one buys the Ferrari of stoves, which could be had straight-a-way after asking for a loan from the bank. Yes, dreadfully dear and not for us. An ordinary plain one will do. So we are on the prowl and I know that the right one will come our way. For the time being we can still make do with our old one.

Biggi

Voices From The Past.

 a few more quotes.

" No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted. "

Aesop ( 620 BC-564 BC )

" It is not only fine feathers that make fine birds. "

Aesop ( 620 BC-564 BC )

" It is in the character of very few men to honor without envy a friend who has prospered. "

Aeschylus ( 525 BC-456 BC )

" Happiness is a choice that requires effort at times. "

Aeschylus ( 525 BC-456 BC )

" There is only one way to happiness and that is to cease worrying about things which are beyond the power of our will. "

Epictetus ( 50-138 )

" If you want to improve, be content to be thought foolish and stupid. "

Epictetus ( 50 -138 )

" Silence is one of the great arts of conversation. "

Marcus Tullius Cicero ( 106 BC-43 BC )

" An unjust peace is better than a just war. "

Marcus Tullius Cicero ( 106 BC-43 BC )

" Opinion is the medium between knowledge and ignorance. "

Plato ( 427 BC-347 BC )

" Good people do not need laws to tell them to act responsibly, 

while bad people will find a way around the laws. "

Plato ( 427 BC-347 BC)

" The wildest colts make the best horses. "

Plato ( 427 BC-347 BC )

Biggi

February, Who'd Have Thought!

 As slow as each day is, the faster the months disappear.

Honestly, it felt like just the other day that it was Christmas. Where have those days gone? Funny really how often the days itself take forever to be done while the months flit by without a care. Of course that makes pay-days appear much faster!

Already the advertising for the next big event in year are appearing. Gosh, Valentines in a mere two weeks time. Everyone will go crazy and overindulge on chocolate, red roses and wine along some hopefully heartfelt platitudes of love. Love is shown in the little daily deeds and not once a year with a card, dinner and gifts.

February is also the last month of indulgence for all those starting Lent. A boisterous end to February which might ( depending on corona ) mean the usual fancy dress parade through our village. Bob loves these dress up affairs and tends to find some way out costume. 

One year, actually the first, he actually dressed up as the grim reaper and proceeded to go from house to house with the fire-brigade in order to collect donations. Not the best choice of costume when so many of the villagers are in the later half of their life trying hard not to meet that particular figure...

The schools will have a weeks holiday during February in order for families to go skiing. This year might be a bit dodge but a week's holiday is nothing to be sneezed at. Always strange for me to contemplate this week of leave as back in South Africa the school year was the other way around. The new school year started in the middle of January so that only around Easter time did we have any sort of time off school. 

February is going to hopefully be the month where the end of Corona is announced and the beginning of a ' back to normal ' life...

Biggi