Not So Merry

So. We went and visited the Christmas Market - when Christmas was over in hopes it´s not full to the brim. And in slight rain, too.

We found nothing, though.
The kale that was great years ago looked watery again, but more expensive etc, etc.
How come so many people still go, I wonder.
Less quality, more expenses... nah.

Same in your place?

Well. I took these two pics, we went home and made dinner by ourselves - OK, Ingo did, as the airfryer... hot?

Lion of the day - our Henry.

Of (Stupid) Fear

Since I was four years old I wanted a cat.
And since Mum hated cats I got a young German shepherd instead.

It... surprise... didn´t work well.
They went to school with her, gave a pinch collar and sent me off. Young kids don´t weigh enough.

The dog was walking with me, not the other way round.
Later she had cancer and got really aggressive from the pain.

When I was delivering ads a dog went after me.
Years later a dog without "owner" came snarling at me and the darn door of the house was closing very slowly.

And yesterday we went by the Oker when a woman with her dog came towards us.
It was a young dog and loved my Gurri aka did not let go of me.
The woman screamed and shouted endlessly at the dog but it didn´t help - even when Ingo told the dog off it came running after me.

I do think that dogs should be allowed to roam free - in dog parks where I would not go.
No leash, no obeying, it was awful - even if it was a young dog.
It was pretty cold, so I wore trousers under my trousers and, my. Panic can make you feel as if it was summer - it was all too hot suddenly.

With that dog it was stupid fear, but I would´ve frozen as well if it´d been a dangerous dog.
And that really frightens me.
What do you do in such a situation?

Can you relate? Not obeying > leash in public places or free in dog park.

(And, yes, I am aware that cats can hurt you, too).

Lion of the day.

I Miss You

You brought me to kindy.
Every working day.
Back then... buckle up? I lost a (baby-) tooth when you had to brake with the red BMW (back then a good car).

These days, as a Brunswick-person I walk these few steps.

Your future.... my future BIL was next door in kindy, he was a hedgerow, who grew bit by bit, and practised at home, as hubby told me. It was a big play.

Only once (I think) you forgot me, and I had to "sleep" in kindy.
Who sleeps at daytime???
With 15+ kids on matresses, too???

You never let it happen again (I do not know the real reason (fit on my side?)).

Ewww... kid´s toilets at kindy > no privacy, and yes! I DO know I have to be thankful for all of this!
But when you have... you also see the down-side.

Too many kids, always.
LOUD.
Hectical.

But that was us.
Kindergarten...
Our family.
And I miss you, Mum.

You´re gone ... 7 years today.
At 01:00 pm Bro called me back then.
Why does it still hurt so much?

MIL took over.
The day we ... you know... she said I have no Mum no more, so she will be there.
We had a rough start, but turned out... she is there (if online, as in Spain now).

Pics... a kindy trying to get customers(?)

Lion of the day.
Don´t we all have a big bag to carry somehow.

Also. I had to inform Uncle P, your youngest Brother. I didn´t know it was his birthday.

Grey, Grey, Tired

That´s how we feel.

Christmas Market? Nahhhh. Anything? Nahhh. It´s grey since... 4 weeks?

My highlight was MIL.
She speaks German and Spanish, but no English, yet she tried and went to help when things went wrong here.

We had a very rough start, she and I, and hence I ... am happy about this.

(All good here)

Lion of the day.
We just watched a docu on science/future.
They explained with American Football :-)
Just to state:
Eintracht Braunschweig - 3. Liga. (soccer)
Braunschweig Lions * - 1. Liga. (American Football)

In the news here... Eintracht.
Big, big PFFFFF.
Aren´t they too tired to do anything, 3. Liga....

Are you, too (if in winter)...

* New Yorker, a loud, stupid store, bought the team. To me they will always be the Braunschweig Lions.

What If...

Well, see title, what if ... you were never born?

Would it make a difference?
In my case I´m not so sure anymore.

Yes.

OH - you do know this movie?

In Germany a classic for Christmas, a must-see in my family (hence I watched by myself).

Well.
I do think I did some good.
I was, as you, I guess, also, there for people who had very bad times.
Seesh. I "worked my ### off" to make time every Thursday to help bro with the house after Mum was gone.
And such.
You know.

The whole day/half a day when... blablabla. T, P, I.... oh guess it´s not the whole alphabet...

Helped Dad and Mum on their last weeks, no matter how far away from my workplace (oh, that hurts to type. YES. I DO know I´m safe here in Germany, but to have lost my job.... hurts for too many reasons).

Hopes??

We did have that a bit.

Well. I am not that beautiful, but this is kinda me, anyways...

I´m a bad person, too.
I forget to buy water for Ingo OR I SCREAM AT HIM - are you an angel, I am not.
And then...

A bell might ring.
I will not get wings (and so far I am even glad for that).

If you were not born... would it make a difference outside blog-world?

As I have met some (ex-)bloggers in real life I have to say: You made a difference to me.
Good ones, too :-)

Some of you travel the world, George Bailey did not - despite it was his biggest dream.
He got kids instead. Oh, and a wife. And he was happy, too.
Was he.

Ingo wanted kids. Badly. We fought so hard about this cause I did not.
The very few times I saw my Nieces... phew. Changing a 2-y-o who is even lying still... I failed (OK, no, but it took awfully long).

No Lion of the day today.

Addendum: Minor accident only and I just put leggins on her (they were teight, though).

One, Two, Three

The guy to the right. The "real" right (since I broke my arm I mess that up, so never trust me - I had to work with the left one too long....).
A pressie from Ingo, the fella to the right. The Lion.

Title:
One: This Lion.
Two: Lack. The red shelf - a pressie from Bro ("Lack", by IKEA).
Three: "Santa".

One, btw! Lion of the day, also!

There are times you have to say good-bye.
2004 (?) P and I went to Maccas to get that donkey.
Why ever around Christmas "he" sings "You are my Sunshine" - maybe even makes sense in Germany.

I tried to be there for P.
(See a pattern?). She... has more than enough other friends, or such, I have no idea.
I let go now.
I´ll keep the donkey.

Yupp, German books :-)

One, Two, Three, a year (SOME) gone bye...

Hope yours was better than mine, but I do give my best.

All Year Round

So, it´s the 25th, Christmas. Again. :-)

The 25th.
My Mum used to make a goose.
SOOooooooooo yum! You have no idea, or you´re very lucky if you have one (idea, or even better, a goose, "Mum-style" :-)....)

Later years it was fondue - did I hate that.
The hot fat right above an open flame. Dad hating to do the job for me (still happy I came along for a visit at all).
At least three mushrooms got lost in the fat, and some meat (did I cry over that! So crunchy and dry if Dad or Bro managed to find it again! YUM!!!).

Shoot. I was looking around the condo for "all-year-Christmas-stuff-living-here" and I found this!
It´s empty!!!! If you have an idea what we can put in there... you´re welcome! No one can knit or such, so... sweets are off, also...

I think Ingo´d kill me on the spot if I turned it on... AGAIN.
(But it´s sooo lovely!)
He maybe just needs a "bedtime story"! ...

See.
Maybe I didn´t like Christmas as a kid - my parents were working full time and the 24th was the most hectical day of the year.
But that I keep all that Christmas-stuff must mean I have at least some fond memories?

If it was as adults, after Dad was gone and Bro and I ... well.
"Took care" of Mum.

Four days later from today... and six years ago she left.

The wolf... pressie from Mum.
Out of the blue.
I think it was autumn.
We make pressies when we seem them, right.

Lion of the day: Let´s have FUN!

We Wish You...

... a Merry Christmas!
Maybe I´m over 40 years late with this, though.
And my "respect".. or rather fear - have you always been "good"???!!! is over, too.

Yet to all families... celebrate the season!

Let us forget about politicians (in Germany only?) who want to delete the word "Weihnacht" etc because of Islam (do I live in a nut house?!!! Do you experience the same? And most Islamic people themselves say "no" to this!)...

Well. Here Santa pays his visit on 24th in the evening.
I do bet my Nieces are afraid already! ;-)

The next two days shops are closed and then... (too) many people try to get different stuff than that what they got from "Santa".
That´s life in most of these modern worlds, is it?
Am I glad we are "pressie-free"! ;-)...

Hope you have a peace- and joyful one.

Lion of the day. Yum-yum-yum :-)
Do you leave cookies and milk for Santa? We never did...

Good Advice (I Guess)

I still have Sodhexo, some € 80 worth.
The company I worked for (and was 16 1/2 years proud of and now don´t even want to link to them, guess...) has no canteen and hence we got these vouches, for me with value till the end of the year.

By.Golly.

Here´s the news: We all gonna starve!!
Not.
Trolley and trolley and trolley full to the brim, everybody hectical.
Public holidays, stores closed (in Germany) ... heeeelp....

I didn´t go into the lille store - what for?
There are no pressies this year.

Ingo and I are spontaneous. You see something the other´d love? SURPRISE, no matter when :-)

Bro is moving soon and hence wants no extra-stuff.
I´m fine with that.

BTW!!!
The cash-out ladies were super nice, despite all those crazy people.

So... relax.
Santa would give you health and happiness as best anyways, I think.

Lion of the day. Can you be more hang-out-stylish?
D'oh - I really should remove the cobweb! But then Ingo states: Spiders > no other ugly critter, guess he´s right.

The Giants Are Here (One)

Not that The Giants would ever come to our home town (the more I am thankful we saw them in beautiful Perth)...

But what do you think who rides a bike like the red one????

Well...

As was the ...

Well, you call them Pigs in a blanket, which makes more sense, too!
But I expected more pig. Or blanket.

Speaking of fake "fakes"...

I only reach out a paw to you today ;-)

Addendum. Giants. I´ll never ever meet my husband´s expectations.

Waaaaait

Oh, well. When a mirror is involved it´s not really a (stupid) selfie, is it?

I wonder... where was Mum? She could... not the point, I guess.

Lion of the day: My childhood-hometown and my now-hometown luckily share the same!
Glasses were a pressie from my Mum (oh, how I miss her).
(Henry the (human the) Lion was quite over the place!)

Also! See what a nice kid I was, waiting till the pic was taken?