Shopping with a close encounter

We have a couple of holidays left before Mr.CC goes back to
work on Monday, so today I left my footprints all over
Germany again.

With every visit to the country of SAUERKRAUT UND BRATWURST,
I find myself behaving rather oddly.
My heart starts racing with excitement, and I get carried away like
a high-performance lawn mower outta control.

So much to see, so much to buy, well let,s go easy on the spending,
but it,s nice to know that whenever you need something "IT,S ALL THERE!!!"

Please, don,t read this wrong, I,m not a crazed maniac for shopping (no therapy
treatment needed - yet)
NO NO NO! NOT I. I,M OK -- REALLY!!

The real problem is, I can,t find much of anything in our town - as hard as I try!
I will spend hours of walking and searching for "all sorts," and wrecking my
shoes in the process - all in vain!
So I,m grateful for the opportunity to indulge in borderline shopping.

Something funny yet weird happened today.
Mr. CC suggested taking the trolley, filled with groceries back to the
carpark, and we could meet a little later in a certain department store (Oh no!
I can see you making big eyes now) but I behaved well and did not run riot anywhere!

I needed a cigarette break, so I left the building and headed for the Rhine river
which is only a few steps away from the shopping Mall

I had to cross a small Iron bridge to get to the water's edge, and I remember
seeing a metallic street sign -- PRIVATE NO ENTRY!
When I reached the river, I enjoyed my cigarette and even watched a group of
Swans swimming nearby.

As I walked back over the little bridge ( passing the street sign on my right hand side)
I noticed a bird flying past me (almost too close for comfort) the next moment
I heard a sound VAA DUMP!
I stopped, turned around, only to see this Blackbird sitting on the ground with
an expression of UH! DUH! WHAT HAPPENED!!!

The silly creature took a wrong turn and flew directly into the
PRIVATE NO ENTRY street sign, which left him comatozed for a
few seconds.

I just stared at the bird (in total disbelief)
and I was being OGGLED by Mr. Blackbird, in a most accusing way!!!

What a HEADBANGER!!

Why do we Blog?

Why do we lie awake at night thinking of the next story to tell
on our daily blog?

Why is blogging so addictive? As soon as we wake up, we make a
beeline straight to the computer.

Why don,t we write down thoughts, dreams and ideas in a
diary or journal? (safe under lock and key)

Why do we share our dilemmas, tears, anger and frustration
with the WHOLE WIDE WORLD?

Some people say they find it easy to speak freely with a total
stranger instead of a familiar face such as family or friends.

Some people say blogging is the best therapy (with no cost involved)

Many thousands of bloggers must have their own reason for
doing this "addictive thing."

But for someone like me who is a complete novice at blogging, I
find this a pleasant way to "chat" with people from all corners
of our globe.

But I have been very fortunate to "meet" some of the nicest
folk in Bloggerland.

I should be.......

The shopping mile at home.
Restaurant overlooking
the Rhine river.
With this boat you can
take a trip to Germany
and France.

I should be staying in a Hotel and sleeping in a Parisienne
bed (lovely! someone else will straighten the bedding)

I should be enjoying the French cuisine ( at long last, no pan parade in my kitchen)

I should be going to the Bastilles (no crime involved, strictly visiting)

I should see the painting of the famous Mona Lisa (what,s with that lady?)

I should visit the Moulin Rouges (knees up Mother Brown)

I should go to the Eiffel Tower (pray the lift is working)

I should shop in Champs-Elysees (must arrange an overdraft)

I should be tip-toe-ing over the uneven cobblestones of Paris,

but heaven can wait, and until then, I shall can-can at home!

Just Fred.

This joke comes from Bill in the States -- OK, it,s not typical South African,

but it could,ve been.

A cop stops a car for traveling faster than the posted speed limit.

He asks the man his name.

"Fred" he replies.

"Fred what?" the officer asks.

"Just Fred" the man responds.

The officer is in a good mood and thinks he might just give the fellow

a break and write him out a warning instead of a ticket. The officer then presses

him for the last name.

The man tells him that he used to have a last name but lost it. The officer thinks

that he has a nut case on his hands but plays along with it.

"Tell me Fred, how did you lose your last name?"

The man replies, "it,s a long story, so stay with me"

"I was born Fred Dingaling, I know - a funny last name. The kids used to tease

me all the time.

So I stayed to myself, studied hard, and got good grades.

When I got older I realized that I wanted to be a doctor.

I went through college, medical school, internship, residency, and finally got

my degree, so I was Fred Dingaling, MD.

After a while I got bored being a doctor, so I decided to go back to school.

Dentistry was my dream!

Got all the way through school, got my degree, so then I was

Fred Dingaling, MD, DDS.

"Got bored doing dentistry , so I started fooling around with my assistent

and she gave me VD.

So now I was Fred Dingaling, MD, DDS, with VD.

Well, the ADA found out about the VD, so they took away my DDS. Then

I was Fred Dingaling, MD with VD.

Then the AMA found out about the ADA taking away my DDS because of

the VD, so they took away my MD leaving me as Fred Dingaling with VD.

Then the VD took away my Dingaling, so now I,m just Fred."

The officer walked away in tears, laughing!

Courtesy of GPSA.

Questions

These questions about South Africa were posted on a South African Tourism Website and
were answered by a Website owner.



Q: Will I be able to see elephants in the street? (USA)
A: Depends how much you,ve been drinking.
Q: I want to walk from Durban to Cape Town, can I follow the railroad tracks? (SWEDEN)
A: Sure, it,s only two thousand kilometres - take lots of water.
Q: Is it safe to run around in the bushes in South Africa? (SWEDEN)
A: So it,s true what they say about Swedes.
Q: Are there any ATMs (cash machines) in South Africa? Can you send me a list of
them in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Knysna and Jeffrey`s Bay? (USA)
A: What did your last slave die of?
Q: Can I bring cutlery into South Africa? (UK)
A: Why? Just use your fingers like we do.
Q: Do you have perfume in South Africa? (FRANCE)
A: No, WE don,t stink.
Q: Do you celebrate Christmas in South Africa? (FRANCE)
A: Only at Christmas.
Q: Are there killer bees in South Africa? (GERMANY)
A: No, but for you, we,ll import them.
Q: Are there supermarkets in Cape Town and is milk available all year round? (GERMANY)
A: No, we are a peaceful civilisation of vegan hunter-gatherers. Milk is illegal.
Q: Please send a list of all doctors in South Africa who can dispense rattlesnake serum
(USA)
A: Rattlesnakes live in A-meri-ca, which is where YOU come from. All South African
snakes are perfectly harmless, can be safely handled and make good pets.
Q: Will I be able to speak English most places I go? (USA)
A: Yes, but you,ll have to learn it first.


Courtesy of GPSA - weekly dose of chaos

What is..........

WHAT IS A DOG



Dogs spend all day sprawled on the most comfortable piece of
furniture in the house.

They can hear a package of food opening half a block away, but dont
hear you when you,re in the same room (especially at bath time)

They can look dumb and adorable all at the same time (tell me about it)

They growl when they are not happy (or a cat passing by, hoooo)

When you want to play, they want to play (anytime baby)

When you want to be alone, they want to play (no rest for the wicked)

They leave their toys everywhere (for me to trip and break a leg)

They do disgusting things with their mouth, and then try to give you a kiss (oh please, not
again)

They go right to your crotch as soon as they meet you (do I smell?)

CONCLUSION: They,re tiny men in little fur coats (you gotta love 'em)

I,m Back.

My stay in Zürich lasted a little longer, but Girl-child is doing
just fine!
The poor kid worried and panicked so much, and because her
skin is so fair, she ended up looking ever so pale, with dark rings around
those green "peepers".
She wasn,t going to stay longer in hospital than necessary , and I could
hear the threatening tone of THE GREAT ESCAPE in her voice.
I was not prepared to leave her alone at home, and she wanted me to
stay a little longer, SO I slipped into the role of "little private nurse"
and we enjoyed our time together, I even cooked up a few storms in the
kitchen, and tried my very best to entertain her with loads of laughs (she,s
normally the clown in the family)
The laughing and clowning around bit wasn,t always such a good idea, because
laughing is quite an ordeal when stitches are lurking and could come undone.
Nevertheless, we outsmarted the Doc`s needlework and carried on laughing ------
regardless.
Mr. CC had to be back at work on Thursday, so he took to the road like
a lonesome gypsey.
On Saturday afternoon Pooch and I took the train back home, now let me
tell you, my dog does not appreciate a train ride.
She sits on the floor and shakes like a jelly pudding, she feels fenced in and
can,t slobber saliva over my shoulder or cause chaos on the back seat.
As I got into the train with her, it was gangway to the nearest free seat
available.
I was seated opposite a male passenger who was reading a book and quietly
listening to music ......... all was fine, until I showed up with a dog doing the
SHAKE RATTLE N`ROLL.
I tried to settle her with familiar words of endearment, but it all fell on
deaf ears. The nervous vibrations continued.
Eventually she calmed down, but her fur was touching the feet of our male
passenger (wearing sandals)
The good man wasn,t impressed and I tugged the dog closer to me.
We settled down, ready to enjoy the train ride, when I noticed the look on
my co-passenger's face, his eyes said it all "KEEP THAT FUR BALL AT BAY!!"
Thank goodness our trip together didn,t last very long, because he got off the
train 15minutes later!
Pooch felt much better for having more room to herself, and I was
ever so happy to see the rear end of that person who wasn,t very Canine friendly.

WHY ?

I have posted this entry no less than 3 times, with the free space inbetween picture and writing, something looks missing, but but,s all there. Blogger is playing games with me again, but I must be GONE!!

On The Road Again

After yesterday`s heat, It,s raining softly but steadily, Oh! what a refief. We feel much cooler and Fuzzy Bear will enjoy the drive. "LIKE A BAND OF GYPSIES WE GO DOWN THE HIGHWAY" My Girl-child will be going to hospital, will be released (hopefully) within a couple of days. So, we,re off to ZH to spend some time with her. Time is moving as fast as a flash, andI have a list of things to do. MY BAGS MUST BE PACKED!! I will be taking a short break, but promise to be ON THE BLOG AGAIN as soon as I,m back home. I must fly, but I leave you with this picture, taken from "our" back garden. There,s just no end to the lovely Virginia Creeper Vine.

Close to Home

We moseyed on down to the Annual Suburban street *Festival* With Go Carts for the kids,
Carussel rides, a small New Market, and plenty beer drinking sessions under huge
white tents, including loud music. We didn,t stay very long, as it was extremely
boring and not entertaining at all.
The only amusing sight I saw, was a couple of Swiss men dressed in the Scottish Kilt and
Doc Martins. In fact I took a sly photo of one
Kilt wearing guy, but the pic was not satis-
factory, he was sitting at the Bar, and the
skirt looked more like shorts, and we didn,t
stay long enough to snap another guy sporting his Kilt.
Instead we took a walk down to the Rhine River, there,s always a cool breeze and shady trees to sit under. It was much more fun to watch the Ferry taking people over to the
opposite side.

The sun was beaming down on us, and Fuzzy Pooch was hot and bothered and not willing

to *Star Pose* for me, but I managed to get a pic of her relaxing along the shady leaves

of the Virginia Creeper (see tongue)

It was so hot out there, even the young Crows had their beaks open.

Father`s Day

One night a father overheard his son pray : Dear Lord, make

me the kind of man my Daddy is, later that night, the father

prayed, Dear Lord, make me the kind of man my son wants me to be.

(Unknown)

WISHING ALL DADS A HAPPY FATHER`S DAY!!

The Saga continues.

Good Morning Blogger friends, the time is 12.25 am, yes we,re still

up and about.

We looked forward to a late nite DVD movie --- MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA.

I,m afraid to say, ol`JINX is still on the loose, and decided to pay us a another

visit, he feels very comfy with us, but I,m afraid the little toe rag doesn,t

know when to leave.

Now he,s gone and messed with the DVD recorder, and the tormented little

machine had a sudden death!

The ever so patient Mr.CC was not amused, and for the first time in years

I get to see the good man loose his rag over YET another non-functional

item in our household.

S`pose that,s what you get for hosting a bad visitor.

Smiley Day.

It,s always a treat for me whenever we go to Germany, a proper boost to see so
many smiling faces, nothing,s ever too much to ask.
Due to the poor economy of the country, and millions of unemployed people
one will always see beggers on the street.
A young man huddled in a corner, with only his dog as a constant companion,
and clutching a cardboard in both hands, pleading to the public for help, Oh!
I can,t walk on whenever I see that.
One day I saw a woman sitting outside a Dept. Store, she looked very neglected,
about 100 yrs old and her complexion was a deadly pale.
If I didn,t stop and slip a couple of Euros in her hand, I could not have slept peacefully
that night.

So today, once again we took the trip to germany.
Food Stores galore, and lanes filled with yummy goodies to make everyone
happy.
The sun was extremely hot, and the shops and Malls weren,t overcrowded
at all, just nice to browze and enjoy in a laid back fashion.
The friendliness is almost uncanny.
We parked the car and strolled up the shopping mile, we walked into the first shop,
I chose a few personal items, and a shop assistant came rushing over to help
me, and on our way to pay the goods, she said goodbye and wished us a
nice day ----- all of that in a well spoken English, with a slight German accent.

After that we made our way over to one of the new Malls which opened about
4 weeks ago.
Before entering the Mall, we saw a variety of activities, such as games for the
kids, a Charity Stall, and that,s when I spotted the homemade cakes and tarts
sitting on a long table, looking ever so pretty and inviting.
I stopped, looked and drooled, because at that stage hunger pains were getting
the better of me.
I decided to behave myself and move AWAY, when I caught sight of a woman on the
other side of the cake table, flashing a broad smile my way ---- just for me!
I never realized I could look THAT hungry!?
Those tarts have done the damage by merely LOOKING!
So we strolled into a little cozy Bakery Coffee Bar, for something to eat.
I saw something similar to a Pita bread sandwich, with a yummy filling,
not sure what was inside, I asked, and there again --- very friendly and with a
dazzling smile, I was told it is filled with cooked Turkey, mixed with finely
grated carrot, radish, lettuce and mayonnaise salad, "Ja das ist sehr lekker und gut!"
Good and wholesome!
What more can I say?
We had a Smiley Good Day.

The No-Go Park

This afternoon we ducky marched through our (friendly) neighbourhood, and

on the way I spotted my favorite -- The Virginia Creeper.

Whenever I pass by that lush plant, I get soooo nostalgic. It was growing

all along the driveway at our house in South Africa. When the seasons change,

from Summer to Autumn, the leaves will change from deep green to a bright red.

Well, we broke one of the rules today when we strolled into *the park*.

I was expecting the feel of a calloused hand around my neck and a policeman

thundering away "GET OUT OF THIS PARK" (dogs NOT allowed)

Luckilly, the fair Angels were looking down on us, and sent the Copper

along his way.

So bold as Brass, Pooch maneuvered me towards the foot path into FORBIDDEN

AREA, she spotted the green carpet and thought " Ooooh goody! a roll on the grass is

just what the Vet ordered"

But when she heard the splashing at a nearby water fountain, she stopped, sniffed

the area, and off we went for a "fill up". When she starts drinking, there,s no end to

it.

I believe my dog could be Camel related.

I will worry when I discover mini humps on her back.

Sleepless Nite (Part 1)

I,ve discovered something last night - late-ish!

A handful of my blog entries have VANISHED, up and left, gone!

Now I,m in a flat spin, has someone left jinxie,s cage open?

He,s on the loose, and not welcome here. My blog is only a baby, and

jinx is up to no good.

It,s 1.45am, and I can,t sleep, here an itch there a scratch, the mattress is too

hard, my pillow is pinching my neck, and I get the feeling Mr.CC`s arms are out to do me

a serious damage if I don,t escape - while I can.

I,ve had way too many cigarettes, but what the heck, let me light up another.

I think sharp and type two fingers faster, with the help of my nicotine sparks.

Please, all you kind friends, just pardon the mistakes in the morning.

Tonight the phone rang no less than two times, also late-ish, not a good sign,

no good at all. You see, I have this nose, not a big one, neither long noe sharp,

I was "gifted" to smell an evil breeze a mile away.

Each caller was the bearer of bad news, these people rob me of my beauty

sleep, and I,m gonna pay a fortune for burning the midnite oil, and my apple

cart has toppled over, and I must collect all the little apples!!

In-laws and out-laws!! They,re something like Gastroenteritis, for years you

have no problems, and suddenly, it zapps you.

Amazing how (some) people manage to harbour their petty little grievances,

and unexpectedly, they set the ship to sail.

My bed is (yawn) calling, and I, off to join sleeping beauty, hopefully I won,t

wake up with a green eyeball to match the red one, as Mr. CC is a restless

snoozer tonight.

There will be a Part 2 on this tale (or is it tail?) YAAAAAWN!

It,s 2am, and I,m signing off, why did this take so long to write?

A couple of pit-stops to the kitchen for nourishment inbetween intervals,

was the reason.

I can only hope, after all those munchies, I have not invited the Gastro Invaders.

The bears of Berne

What a Plum I am,
forgot completely to post the pic of the bears, I apologize for the poor
photo, it isn,t easy to photograph a postcard, it leaves a bright shine
on the pic. I still have a lot to learn.

Capital City of Switzerland

The Story of the Bear-Pit in Berne

According to the legend. the Duke Berchtold von Zähringen, founder

of the city of Berne, wanted to name the city after the first animal

he had hunted and killed on the spot where he wished to build the city.

Apparently it was a bear, and thus the city received it,s name.

The first known city seal from the year 1224 already had a bear as it,s emblem,

and the city`s coat of arms and flag have always had a bear climbing up a

golden road with a red background on it. The first sure sign that a bear-pit

existed in Berne has been handed down to us from the year 1441. It was a

notice which was accidentally found in which the city council ordered several

sacks of acorns to feed the bears. From 1513 we have a report from the

Bernese chronicler Valerius Anshelm on how the victorious Bernese

brought home a living bear along with the conquered flags on their

triumphant march home from the battle of Novara.

A shelter was built for the animal on the city moat just in front of the middle

city gate on the square that is still known as Bärenplatz, Bear Square, today.

The old bear-pit was moved several times until its final location next to the

big Nydegg Bridge was found in 1857.

Here 12 or more bears receive loving care in a 12-meter wide and 3.5-meter

deep fortified pit.

The bears`diet is purely vegetarian.

They receive 2 kilos of bread and 2 to 3 kilos of carrots daily on the average.

Occasionally they get milk and fruit.

They love getting biscuits, nuts and carrots that spectators throw down to

them and show their thanks with amusing begging scenes and acrobatic

acts.

The Heat is on!

I,ve just been out on the street with my dog, for her *Morning Glory* jobs.
I heard loud voices and shouting, but paid no attention because our street
is always very noisy.
Suddenly - right behind me, was a man with a very sun-tanned skin and a
short haircut, and he was ranting and raving "You cheap &%*"`# I,ll get you,
I,ve got you taped" and words came tumbling out in a torrent.
All of this was spoken in a very broken Swiss/German concoction, standing not
far away, two fair skinned men - probably the opponents, because they also
shouted abuse.
What the commotion was all about? I did not lurk long enough to find out.
My dog completed her story (thank goodness) and I was all too happy to leave
my footprints.
One thing I don,t understand - people grumble, moan and complain about the
weather, "It,s too cold, we want warmer, we want sunshine, we want we want....."
But as soon as we have warmer weather, sure as *daylite*, they will complain
again "It,s too hot, it,s too stuffy, we can,t breathe etc. etc"
With rising temps, the raging tempers will follow.
People get hot under the collar, and indulge in trivial disagreements.
I remember on pre-Xmas season, the weather was beautiful and ever so mellow -
not your typical cold December weather.
We could walk around dressed in a Jacket - not the usual fur lined coat to keep
severe snowstorms at bay.
Wearing boots was out of the question, because you,d end up flooding your
inner soles, a warm scarf could be suicidal and fingers could be permanently
weld to those leather gloves.
That was a Winter season, and it felt like the beginning of Spring time.
It was also THE topic of the year!
"It,s far too hot, how do we enjoy Xmas with so much heat, *huff and puff*
Xmas celebrations? Mostly spent at home with family! So where was the problem?
For home comfort, we have Central heating, or Cool Air Fans.
I prefer open windows for cool and fresh air (no risk in getting a funny looking
eyeball from that, hehehe!)

When we drove home from our trip to Zürich, I,ve noticed the change in motorists.
Ok! They,re cockey on the road at the best of times, but as soon as the heat
is on ----------- IRRITABILITY RULES!

In a short while, I,ll be on my way to the Hairdresser for that *million dollar* look,
any tips on where to buy that one??
I,m in dire need of a Cut & Blow & Go!!
Not only do I resemble the *Bride of Frankenstein* - - what will I do if he finds me?!!
So, on that hair raising note, I,ll be over and out:

Little garden

On the way back to the car park, I could not resist taking a
picture of this lovely garden.

A Dog`s Day?

It was apleasant day for a trip to Zürich, the sky was blue and the sun
was beaming down on our corner of Europe.

We packed a few cold drinks into the cooler bag, and because my little
dog knew we were up to something she refused breakfast on Sunday
morning, but kept a close watch on our activities with her head turning from
left to right, she looked like she was watching a game of Table tennis.
By the time we reached the front door, her excitement was way out of
control.

We jetted down the highway accompanied by good music to match our mood,
and to enjoy the fresh warm breeze, we traveled with windows wide open.
My dog, the inquisitive little creature, will make sure her head hangs out an
open window when going by car.
With the wind in her face and fur, she looked like one of those "Ma, Ma my
ponytail,s too tight" kids.
During the best part of the trip, she dribbled dog saliva down my shoulder,
and I regret not wearing my raincoat!

The lunch was very good and so was the crowd, and I was ever so relieved
that my "girl child" was at her very best behaviour. As a rule she,s like a
*Jack in the box* full of surprises and always prepared to send everyone
into a fit of uncontrolable laughter.

At 3 oclock that afternoon, I was getting a little worried because my over
excited little monster showing no sign of hunger or the slightest interest
in food.
In the hope, to calm and settle her down a bit, I walked her to the garden
side of the Restaurant, waving her doggy bowl as a sign of *foodies*
I placed a chunky bit of her favorite food into her all familiar food bowl,
and expected a ravishing animal chomping away.
Instead, she surprised me by taking one swift look at the food, glared
back at me, and for a moment I read the message in her eyes "Is this your
idea of a joke? I don,t do lunch on the street!" and I said "How dare you be so cheeky!
you fuzzy mop!"
That,s my dog, a power package with a mind of her own, and always that eyeball
communication!

The only unwanted souvenir I tagged along from our trip is a Scarlet and glazed
eye from traveling with windows wide open.
So if you,re on the street today and you see a bright red traffic light, don,t STOP!
it,s only me!

The Old and the New

On Friday afternoon we wrapped and packed the jinxed little `puter and wheelbarrowed
her back to the Hardware store. a Cool 100 Swiss Franks was the penalty price we paid
for disposing of the original packaging, what a palaver about a carton box!!
I,m starting to doubt the word *NEW* so I,ll avoid it.
This morning Mr.CC. successfully set up the *OTHER* computer, hopefully Blogger
will be so nice and allow us to blog trouble free..
We,ll be celebrating the Birthday of Mr.CC. tomorrow with our *girl child* and friend
in Zürich.

I,m sharing a picture of the bouquet of pretty blooms she sent for her Dad.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"I have not failed, I,ve just found 10.000 ways that won,t work -- Thomas Alva Edison.

Isn,t it Ironic!

When you wait in the Supermarket queue with only two items in your basket,

only to find someone ahead of you with 20items, and his wife sneaks in front of you with her 30items more!

When you need a withdrawal from the Bank Cash Machine, and it shows the sign "OUT OF ORDER"

When you enter the Supermarket and find the store in total chaos, because they,ve decided to renovate!

When you,re in a slight hurry, and most Shoppers have all the time in the world ----- blocking the

narrow lanes with trolleys and social gatherings, and my "Please excuse me," fall on deaf ears!

And isn,t it ironic, when there,s a suicidal traffic jam, and all I want is to cross to the other side!

This has nothing to do with the Song.............. it happened to me this morning ---- cross my heart!

HAVE A GREAT FRIDAY!!

I,m Jinxed?

Ever since I,ve started blogging a week ago, strange things have happened.

About 7weeks ago we invested in a new computer - - The New Easy Web, so new, it,s not even

available in France (I,ve been told)

The Easy Web has a guarantee of not entertaining a virus of any kind.

Strangely enough when we wanted to download a few pics -- the humorous kind, for a good laugh -- we

were told "You run the risk of getting a virus," HUH?!

On numerous occasions my sent mail simply disappeared, which meant I had to check with family and

friends if they,ve received the good mails. The mail found it,s way to the good people, but I have no

feed-back on my side. Untill this day, no-one can explain that mystery.

Then there was more Drama when I decided to blog *Battle of the Blog*.

When I got the "hang" of it, and selfconfidence got the better of me, Blogger.com decided "Enough fun for

her, we,ll create some technical problems."

Here I sat with my hands in my hair, desperate to blog my story, and they,ve got troubles on the horizon.

24Hrs later when all problems was supposed to be "yesterday`s snow (Swiss saying), I couldn,t get

into my comment box.

What about the disappearance of personal pics on my blog?

With the next attempt, 2 out of 3 pics we upload - - mysteriously vanished!

Yesterday I had secret plans up my sleeve how I was going to outsmart this little company of Blogger.com

and Blogging.

But the B. Company had plans of their own.

I developed a Mega Migraine (conspiracy between those two) which chained me to my bed for the

best part of the day, and the Medication I swallowed, dragged me into the Dark Dungeons filled with

Zombies.

At 7pm I was headache free, but the Zombies enjoyed their stay.

Nevertheless, I decided to visit Bloggerland, but the fun was short lived.

I,ve heard people say "Beware when your Monitor goes black," -- there,s trouble ahead!!

But whilst I was busy, the computer screen turned a whiter shade of pale!!!

Until this problem is solved, I,m grateful for my ol`faithful standby computer.

Beware of New Stuff -- I think it could be JINXED!!!!

Sweet Tarts on Strike

When I first came to this country many moons ago, I knew life was going to be

different. Not only will I learn a new language, and experience a Culture Shock

as many thousand others do when moving to a new country. But what never entered

my mind was that I will have problems finding certain food items, which I am accustom-

ed to.

As I,ve always enjoyed baking, and ready to taste and samlpe new recipes, here the

fun was about to start.

As a total Green horn to this new country, I searched (in vain) the grocery stores for

ingredients for my good ol`recipes with the flavour of "the green green grass" of

home.

Freshly baked tea-time scones with jam and whipped cream, not only a favourite in

the UK, but also a great hit in SA. How do I get those beauties to rise 3inches high

with an oven kissed complexion ----------without self-raising flour?

How do I make that "all you can eat" Trifle, the perfect final to a Christmas meal --------

without Custard and Jelly?

And how do I prepare that magical Lemon Meringue Tart, without the help of our old

and trusted buddy ------------thick sweetened Condensed Milk?

Where are the days, shortly before Christmas, when the cake platters were over flowing

with Christmas Mince Pies, spreading that wonderful aroma through every corner

of the house?

The all time favourite Sponge Pudding shows me an aggresive face -------- without

Golden Syrup.!

With all this "sweet talk" my stomach is grumbling and growling. The Curry Masala

on the stove is ready to serve, it,s just another tear jerker for Vindaloo and me -------

without the Mango Chutney.

A Green Day

Yesterday the sky was ever so grey again,

and the day didn,t look promising at all, but

I had no intention of staying home - not for

all the chocolate and cheese in Switzerland.

"Sitting tight" means only one thing, spit

and polish, with broom in hand, and getting

all worked up about a little dust, not today, no way Josè! So it was gangway for us,

and we made a fast gettaway out the front door. We weren,t far from home, when the

grey sky turned blue, and the sun made it,s appearance. From our town we took the

freeway to the French Border and headed for *Huningue*, and payed a visit to the

*Parc des eaux vives*. As my French is a danger to myself and others, I can only say

"let,s call it a Recreation Park". People were enjoying the Canoe and Kayak water sport

activities, great fun to watch , as I,m not that brave at heart, I stayed safely on dry land,

and watched from a distance. Whilst walking through the Park we turned off into an

Avenue which directed us to a place with a lovely name of *Village Neuf*, and true

to it,s name of Nine Villages, stood a group of beautiful small houses close to the

edge of the forest. As a bonus to our visit, I discovered a mother Swan and her

cygnets, to top it all, I almost landed in someones Canoe, in my flight to get to the birds.

Then there was a young climber who was quite willing to give us his Spiderman show,

by crawling up the man-made wall.

A WOMAN`S PRAYER

Now I lay me down to sleep

I pray the Lord my shape to keep

Please no wrinkles, please no bags

And please lift my butt before it sags

Please no age spots, please no gray

And as for my belly, please take it away

Please keep me healthy

Please keep me young

And thank you Dear Lord for all that You,ve done.

Amen.

Courtesy of Jason and Kurt`s Web Pages.

End of Day

We,re heading for home, cause the day is done.

Taking a break

My Big watchdog, taking a short break, after a romp in the tall grass of wild field
flowers.

Bath Time

These little guys couldn,t resist a bath in a puddle made to measure for Sparrows.

Bath Time:

Bring in the Spring Blooms.

We have many flowerfields just outside the suburban areas, rows and rows of summer
flowers available to the public. One can stroll through the endless rows of flowerbeds,
choosing and cutting assorted flowers of your choice, and pay the person at the entrance
by the gate.
It is somewhat cheaper than buying a bunch of blooms at the Supermarker or Flower
shop.
As it is early Spring, and due to the rain, there wasn,t such a spectacular variety today.

A Load of Nothing.

At Peters`s Platz -- Peter`s Place, a Flee Market is held every Saturday, for people
who enjoy browzing and shopping for old and new items, second-hand clothes, and
bric-à-brac. Many stalls are available around one of the many Universities, set in a
lovely green surrounding with huge and old trees, a pleasant way to spend a morning
or an afternoon.
The day was young, the sky was blue and our spirits high! So off we toddled -- only
to be greeted by this!
Due to another Religious holiday on Monday-- the Flee Market did not take place on
that Saturday.

Blue Skies are here again.

I woke up this morning, jumped out of bed, pulled back the curtains, and couldn,t
believe my eyes.
The sky is BLUE, and the rain is GONE!
Mr. CC has gone to work for a couple of hours, not every Saturday, but this one.
It,s such a glorious day, and I have so much catching up to do.
I,ll pour myself another cuppa, and give it some thought.


Cherish all your happy moments,
they make a fine cushion for old age.
Christopher Morley.

Battle of the Blog.

To create a blog, should be as easy as a sneeze, but it wasn,t in my case. The idea
was to carry on as *Dragonfly*. But let me tell you the "How to create a blog"
questionnaire had news for me.

I like many or most of the creatures fluttering in gardens, from the big bright Bumble-
bees to the Stink Bug, also the interesting one who cannot fly - the Great African
Millepede, but I grew up with the African name of Chongololo.
As far back as I remember, the Dragonfly remained my favorite flying insect. Often
enough I have tried to capture it, just for a closer look, but no such luck, the dragonfly
does not allow such games!

Well, it seems like a few bloggers out there in Bloggerland , feel the same as I do
about the little creature.

The battle of it all, nearly drove me to drink, and as we don,t have anything stronger
than wine in the house, I am grateful for being saved from Alcoholism!
The following day I tried again - same rejecting story from questionnaire.
That evening my husband (I,ll call him Mr.CC) sat down in front of the PC and gave it
a try. Now let me tell you Mr.CC has the patience of a Saint. But once again, not
even his Saintly patience could move the icy heart of Mr. Questionnaire!!
At that stage I was off my chair and flat on the floor, doing the Breakdance, stomping
and crying "I just want a blog, please! just a blog!"

After many frustrating days and evenings, with a battered tail (what I got for break-
dancing) and an extreme amount of hair loss, (I could pass as the new Kojak), I de-
cided it was seriously time for Plan B.

As I,ve always been a great admirer of the GINKGO TREE, with it,s fascinating
history, I decided to use the name, only slightly twisted (just incase Mr. Question-
naire had more complaints)

In Shandong, Province of China, there is a Ginkgo tree believed to be 3,000yrs
old , and after my battle with this blog, I don,t feel any younger.

Weather for Ducks !

We,ve had so much rain for the last few
weeks, and when it stops, we think to
ourselves, right, now we can spread our
wings and enjoy some of the goodness
Spring has to offer, we are once again
confronted with a Grey sky and yet more
rainy clouds to chase our good spirits
away.
At the beginning of Springtime, we took to
the road and payed a visit to Rhinefelden,
which is about an hour,s drive from where
we live, near to the German Border.
The Rhineriver was brimfull, and after
the recent rainfall, I am wondering what it
looks like now.

It,s a Non-Smokers world.

Well here I am again with another grumle, this is not how I planned it, but it,s got to be
said.
I am pretty "cheesed off" about the latest craze here in our town.
Most of the Restaurants will be a smoke-free zone. (lucky for some)
I realise not everyone enjoys a cuppa or a meal drenched in a smoke filled room.
But where does that leave us - - the smokers?
Some Restaurants have a TV screen for those who wish to view and enjoy a Soccer
match with mates. How do guys enjoy the game with a glass of Beer only?
How do we enjoy a Cappuccino without a cigarette, on our cigarette break?
On the few rare occasions I travelled by train, I had the "luck" of sitting next to a
teenager who eventually lit a foul smelling joint, which intoxicated me so severely,
I had visions of dogs dressed up as a Samurai, and flying through the air. But that
was the risk I took to sit in the Smokers corner.
But I ask myself why do the non-smokers get first preference and we,re left out in the
cold.
Here are many Restaurants with a Terrace, which is super during warm and good
weather, or we have the side walk Restaurants for those who want to see the action
when it actually happens, and the owners of those Restaurants won,t object to us
smokers merrily puffing away.
During Summer, no problemo!
We will no doubt freeze our fingers off, while drinking a cup of frozen coffee and
try to enjoy a smoke outside in the blistering cold of Winter months.