Monday, June 30, 2008

Meine Neue Sprachschule

Letzte Woche habe ich eine neue Deutschkurs angefangen. Bis hierher klappt es gut. Die Lehrerin ist toll und erklärt alles sehr schlicht.

Die Leute von meiner Klasse kommen aus viele Länder: Irak, Morokko, Romanien, Polen, Afganistan, Pakistan und Schottland. Ein paar sind ein bisschen lästig, weil sie immer zusammen sprechen sind. Aber, meistens sind freundlich.

What I meant to say....
Last week I started a new German course. So far it is going well. The teacher is great and explains everything very simply.


The people in my class come from many countries: Iraq, Morocco, Romania, Poland, Afganistan, Pakistan and Scotland. A few are a bit annoying because they talk all the time. Most are friendly though.

Corrections gratefully received!

Sprache Woche 2008

All this week for your reading pleasure I will be posting auf Deutsch in honour of Language Week 2008.

Enjoy the ensuing hilarity and poor grammar.

Sunday, June 29, 2008

Sunday ride


View Larger Map

Hills - 2
Getting off bike and pushing it up hill - 0
Mechanical failures - 1
Stops for coffee - 1
People we overtook - 8
Overtaken by others - 25 (they were in full racing strip and participating in a race, so we don't feel too bad)
Time for round trip, including coffee break - 1.5 hrs
Total distance - 20.8km

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

I'm gunna build me an Ark

My word, it is floody today.

I was riding home from language school today and the water was up to my knees, in places. The town's drainage system obviously couldn't cope with the deluge and water was gushing up and out of the manhole covers, and in some cases the water pressure blew the covers off.

I felt a bit sorry for the people whose cars seemed to be filling up with water.

Pardon me while I go and round up some critters.

Sunday, June 15, 2008

The first three days

"So, H, how is that non-smoking thing going for you?" asked jb last week.

"Um, not so good, actually," I muttered shamefacedly.

I thought I was ready - but I may have underestimated the need for some proper planning. It really was a bit rash.

I hadn't even made a list.

No one in my family does anything without first making a list. So really the whole first attempt was mere folly.

With list in hand, and head firmly in the right place, I'd like to reflect on my first 3 days as a non-smoker.
  • Time, it seems, has ceased to progress in the normal fashion. It may, in fact, be moving backward. I'm not sure what the consequence of this turn of events will be for the universe, but on a personal level, it is doing my head in.
  • Wow, my apartment is tidy!
  • In my opinion, it is completely rational to burst into tears at the Supermarket.
  • Did I mention the time dilation thing?
  • Wonder if I am replacing an addiction to nicotine with an addiction to taking deep breaths.
  • Facial ticks are normal, right?
  • I can't seem to get enough of that deep breathing action. It's like I am chain breathing.
  • I seem to be unable to concentrate and I don't really care that I can't.
  • At present I am slightly obsessive about washing dishes.
So, if you see someone with a pronounced facial tick, crying in the Supermarket while buying dish washing liquid and breathing deeply, please don't ask them if they know what time it is. They will likely punch you in the head.

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Fest-o-rama


The season of the Fest is upon us.

Last weekend was the local 'Brezelfest'. After missing out last year due to torrential rain I was determined to experience all that the Fest had to offer.

Up until now I was convinced that the population of Bretzenheim was around 50 - seriously this place is quiet. True to form the Fest brought the Bretzenheimers out of the woodwork and by the time we arrived on Saturday evening the main street was chock-a-block with people enjoying all manner of food, wine, beer and music. They take their Festing very seriously here and the organisers had even managed to slap together a side show alley (of sorts). There was even a lovely bride-to-be and her dearest friends whooping it up in matching t-shirts and red, black and gold lei.

The heart of Bretzenheim was clogged with beer wagons, bratwurst stands, and a host of other stands from local community groups (I'm pretty sure I spotted the German equivalent of the CWA) raising money in the time honoured tradition of selling booze and sausages.

At each end of the street stages were set up and we were able to enjoy the Marching band from Klein-Winternheim at one end and the enthusiastic young boys cranking out hits from the 70s, 80s and 90s at the other.

By the time we left, the locals were dancing in the streets.

Tuesday, June 03, 2008

No more

Today is as good as any, I thought.

One of the things that was stopping me from attempting the first item on my new year's resolution list, was the fact that the thought of it terrified me.

"Too hard, too hard, too hard," followed by "la, la, la, not listening" and perhaps a modicum of gentle rocking back and forth were my very grown up response to the simple fact that deliberately inhaling carcinogenic substances was perhaps not the best thing to do and that perhaps I should stop.

So, here I go.