Skills - We have 'em. Others are just better.

Between now and my last post, not that much has happened. Unless of course you would like me to go into detail about how i did a round of laundry, cooked salmon with cream sauce and made mashed potatoes. Then this morning sorted out breakfast, made the bed but then ended up taking a short nap right back in it.

Oh i know what to add to my excitement yesterday, i contemplated putting off mailing a letter which i already fixed a stamp on but was too lazy to walk to the mailbox which is only a 2 minute walk away. Seriously, it takes me longer to get showered and changed than to walk over the bridge and up the road.

But i did it anyway. My life is fascinating isn't it?

...

Anyway, i came across this video that a friend added on, where else but, facebook. I had no idea what to expect but if you have about 18 minutes to spare and want to be amazed by some mad skills then watch Nathan "Flutebox" Lee and Beardyman...



Seriously, why couldn't i have a talent like that? And even if i tried, i'd probably end up hyperventilating with that much oxygen. Then ungraciously i would pass out covered in my own saliva. Lovely.

P.S I'm guessing blowing on the top of a beer bottle to make a mellow sound doesn't really count as a musical talent. How about blowing spit bubbles? Does that count as a skill?

Probably not, eh.

The Final Inspection.

Yesterday we finally removed the last few items from J's ex's place. The landlady's daughter was keen on moving into the place as soon as possible, so we had to make sure the place was presentable. Eager to just get the whole thing over and done with, we swooped in, swept the dust off the floor and mopped the laminate flooring. And simply threw away whatever crap was lying around.

When everything was done the landlady came up to make one final inspection before we handed over the keys. I guess she needed a witness because she brought along her father. They must have also notified their neighbor, who then invited the neighbor across from the apartment to come in too.

It was like an open house inspection with a bunch of nosy neighbors wanting to get a sneak peak at the place.

I'm not sure why they couldn't just wait till we weren't there to give a Show & Tell but oh well.

But after going through each room and the father deliberately trying to find something wrong with the place, J was able to explain his way out of everything. The landlady eventually signed off the paper that pretty much says we've returned the place in one piece and that yes, we deserve the deposit back.

So now we can finally say good riddance to that chapter of helping tie up one of the ex's loose ends and focus back on building up our relationship and foundation.

Clearing space and "WHATEVA!"

A new week begins, well technically it started yesterday, and it's brought with it the kind of weather that's perfect for staying indoors and lying in bed. It's cold. Wet and moody. So what am i doing now? Sitting up in bed and contemplating whether i should sneak in a nap before i continue with the housework.

My laptop is usually on my desk in the living room but it needs to be attached to a power source since it just "dies" on me within 10 minutes if i decide to unplug it. I think i may have overcharged my battery at one point. But it's all in working order so i can't complain. That said, i backed up my "pictures" folder anyway. I've been meaning to do it for months now in fear that i may one day lose it all. I would seriously cry if those captured moments on digital would be lost for good. Yes, all 13 GB of it.

Unfortunately, my back has been giving me problems again. Nothing that a bunch of Magnesium tablets can't fix, i say. So i'm back to religiously taking them twice daily in hope that my aches and discomforts will vanish.

But in recent months i've noticed that in the morning my fingers hurt. Actually "stiff" is a better word but more specifically a few of the joints feel... strange.


I woke up yesterday and the joints in my thumbs were swollen. You could clearly see the redness and slight bump on the first joint. My hands have always been rather fleshy and having forgotten to moisturize daily has just sped up the signs of aging. Seriously, if it's not my wrist that hurts then it's something else. At first i thought i may have done something to my hands without realising but this has been happening quite a number of times already and it's always on the same joints.

I can't be that unco that i keep hurting myself without realising.

All i have to do is bend my thumb and it voluntarily makes this cracking sound. And the swelling seem to happen simultaneously on both thumbs. It's as if one side of my body is jealous that the other side is getting more attention and so they compete for who hurts more.

And i couldn't help but think i may be developing Rheumatoid Arthritus in my fingers.

I'm only 29 for Christ's sake. My mom has rheumatoid arthritis and she's well marinated into her late 60's. I've been witness to all her moods and pains' she's had to go through and i have to say it wasn't and isn't pretty.

So i'm keeping an eye out on the swelling.

And in the height of my concern yesterday, J tried to comfort me by reassuring me that he still loves me and that he will take care of me. And i couldn't help but think we're both cursed with "older peoples" illnesses. Which then makes me laugh when i think about those girls women young adults females who whine about how cruel Life is with their latest gadgets, skinny fingers, taut skin and childish looks. And how their one wrinkle is their proof that nearly hitting a quarter century old is, like, the worst thing ever.

Pffft... and with that i form a "W" with my 2 index fingers and my potentially Arthritis stricken thumbs and yell, "WHATEVA!"

Time-Out.

All sorts of rubbish and recent catty remarks were filtering through my brain resulting in a restless sleep the night before. I won't get into it too much but let's just say accumulated stress, unspoken frustrations mixed with external irritations made life at home suddenly... stressful.

Slightly desperate for something to calm my nerves, i knew i had a stash of Xanax in my medicine bag. But to my extreme disappointment each strip i found was expired. Damn it. The strips clearly had EXP JUL 2007 stamped on them. A part of me wanted to close one eye and pretend i didn't see it but alas, i thought i better not risk it and took a Stilnox to force me to sleep.

...

I woke up relatively early today. I think it was around 9. And after clearing what little dishes was sitting in the kitchen, i knew sitting in the living room waiting for J to wake up could be anywhere between a few hours to a whole day. So i scribbled a note to say i was taking the garbage out and that i was going for a walk. And if he wanted he could call me.


After dropping off the rubbish, i decided not to circle the block as i had earlier planned. Walking down the same trail i already know seemed pointless since it would lead me right back to our block within 5 minutes. And that's when i made the choice to venture outside my comfort zone.

I knew there was a green covered pathway somewhere off the main road and so i tried my luck. I found it but it didn't look at all different from the little river near our place. But i didn't want to turn back, so i just kept walking. I followed the river even though i was still unsure where i was going. The path eventually lead to a park populated mostly by young parents with strollers and toddlers.

I caught up with the river and hidden behind overgrown plants a swan was gracefully skimming the surface of the water. And like a tourist seeing something for the first time, i was eager to take a closer look and looked for a bridge to cross over.

I found one up ahead and he/she didn't seem at all too bothered with my presence.

I turned around and found myself directly in front of this huge lake. Unaware that it even existed i was taken aback by its size.

I lay on the grass with my book for about an hour and a half and breathed in the beauty.

I couldn't help watch this little girl throw pieces of bread at the swans, geese and ducks. At one point she stood there having a conversation with them as if they understood. And i think in her head she thought they did. I'm guessing the birds are used to humans feeding them because they came in from all directions hungry for a feed. And if it weren't for the little girls' mother shooing them away, i'm sure they would have dared to peck the pieces right out of her little hand.

My little wander through the park finally came to an end when my bladder rudely interrupted and started calling out for attention. There were no public restrooms nearby and i wasn't too keen on finding a bush either. I got a bit lost at one point on my way back but i tried not to panic. I just looked out for landmarks peeking over the apartments and hoped my memory served me right. I knew the names of the main roads so worst comes to worse i could always practice my German by asking some friendly looking citizen for directions.

But i guess my sense of direction isn't so bad after all because i found my way home.

J was finally awake and dressed. And as random as my urge to go for a walk on my own, he said he wanted to play basketball. I asked where he was going and he said he didn't know of any place. I remembered the park that i had just come back from had a cage with hoops in it and so i shared with him my recent find.

...


And it wasn't long after until i found myself right back in the park reading my book lying on a blanket but on a different patch of grass soaking in more of the sun whilst J shot a few hoops.

Deutsch and an Overpriced Pee.

I needed to go to the main post office today to send off a document to my client. Which could only mean one thing; i had to try and speak German. I could already feel my stomach churning with anxiety. But i say "try" because i am nowhere near confident or have enough vocabulary to string enough sentences together to have an impromptu conversation.

After many years of playing The Mute; the girl who doesn't speak so-and-so dialect or language, i am still able to tune out almost like a pro no matter which country i land on. It's frustrating because i don't understand... yet. And alienating because well, it sucks being the only one not laughing when everyone is rolling on the floor after someone tells a story. And i'm standing there like a dumb arse wishing i had on a pair of red ruby shoes to click my heels out of there.

But today i made every effort to try and speak a language that is not my mother tongue and i can only hope i used grammatically correct sentences.

Like a school girl preparing for a test, i scribbled down my questions in German in case i got temporary amnesia when i got to the counter and rehearsed them over and over. Questions such as, Can i have this letter registered please? How long will it take? How much does it cost by DHL? And stating that i needed the letter to arrive before the end of next week and whether that was possible.

And with the help of an online dictionary to confirm the words, i was semi-confident that my sentences were grammatically correct. I then folded the square piece of paper and off i went to the tram stop.

My worry was that Anxiety would get the better of me and instead of asking what i wanted to ask, i would chicken out and simply shove the slightly larger than A4 brown envelope through the gap in the window and leave without finding out the information that i came to ask.

I tried to memorize the sentences so i wouldn't look like too much of an arse reading off a piece of paper. I was expecting her to look at me confused after i tried my best to pronounce the words with accuracy but i was pleasantly surprised when she answered my questions and we both understood one another. She was unable to answer my DHL question though, so she suggested that i go to the Packages Area.

After following her directions, i guess i was so overjoyed that she actually understood me, that when i got to the Packages Area i forgot to ask the man behind the counter how much it would cost by DHL and ended up just sending it by registered mail. Here's hoping that it arrives in the 6 days that they had estimated.

But at least i did it... never mind the one or two stutters in between. *Pats her own back*


I knew the public library is really near the main post office and just outside was a square where people can sit. I knew the afternoon sun would be there and so i made my way there after. I had brought along my book and found a vacant spot by the moldy coloured green fountain water.


J offered to pick me up after his work so i spent 2 hours under the cloudless sky with the sun shining down. There i sat alternating between people watching, reading page after page of my book and avoiding being caught in the fast overtaking shadow.


By the time J arrived i was busting to go to the loo. I wasn't going to risk waiting till we got home in fear that any slight bump in the road could result in me peeing on myself and in J's car. And as much as i tried to hold it, i just couldn't. J reassured me the toilets were extremely clean, as i'm quite skeptic over the cleanliness of public restrooms especially at the train station.

But if ya gotta go, ya just gotta go!

And after much relief i have to add that was probably the most expensive pee i've ever had to make; 80 cents [RM3.80] and i didn't even stay that long!


On our way out of the carpark we noticed quite a number of taxi's outside waiting for passengers. Not only do Duesseldorf taxi drivers cruise around in a Mercedez-Benz but some even advertise for a 24 hour club that promises table top dancing AND more.

Then i was thinking, what a great place to advertise! My guess is the club owners give taxi drivers an extra big Christmas stocking at the end of the year for bringing in customers.

WooOooh.

... and i did it all by myself!

That is the view i have when looking up.

Yesterday i was on mission to put the day bed together. My timing was perfect because the afternoon sun was beating down hard, i figured i would 'kill 2 birds with 1 stone' and get a tan. I had to take mini water breaks in between because at one point i could feel my flesh on my back starting to burn. I swear i felt a sunstroke coming on. I didn't have any instructions on how to put the bed together and i wasn't really paying attention when J was taking it apart, so it took me twice as long and just as much noise.

I would show you the rest of the balcony but the plants are severely dehydrated. Plus the hausmeister needs to scrub down and repaint the walls to remove this dodgy looking stain that the previous tenant "claims" was there before she moved in. My guess it's either a Coke explosion or someone threw eggs at the wall.

Why? I have no idea.


But you've caught me in the middle of my GET OFF YOUR ARSE CHRISSIE AND BE PRODUCTIVE streak. No that picture is not the best representation of what i now call "work". It's to show that the bed is STILL standing and i was fully capable of putting a bed together minus the instructions because i am special in that way.

I am so S-M-R-T.

No seriously, my client has come back and i've been busy all morning and afternoon trying to tie up loose ends. Just making sure everything is in black & white - you know how clients can be. So if any time down the track something happens *knocks on wood* i have these A4 printed sheets to cover my arse.

Plus i can finally get paid! WoooOooohooo happy days!

Material things and all things nice.

Well his ex left in hurry and we have until the end of the month to fill up the gaping holes left by screws and slap on a fresh layer of white paint on the walls. But J knows somebody who knows somebody who can do the job for a relatively cheap price. The policy here is when you rent a place and say, stay X amount of time in a place, it is part of the contract that when you vacate the premises you must return it in a good condition and only then will you get the deposit back.

We could just leave the holes and faded walls for the next tenant but since J's name is in the contract [back when they were together and he had vouched for her] he is liable for any damages or fuck-ups. And anyway if i'm not mistaken, he did pay for the deposit.


A lot of the money that he has invested and used to buy things are either lying in the trash, given away or has found a new home in our place. This includes the 3-piece Norwegian handmade wooden cabinets that costs about 1,000 Euros which i'm sure she would have simply thrown out had J not said he wanted his cabinets back.

So anyway, J borrowed a van from work yesterday. We spent some time moving whatever items that was meant to be kept and just chucked the mattresses, bed linen and covers out onto the heap of trash. I had no intention of keeping her bed linen - i think that would just cross the Ex and Current Girlfriend line. No amount of scorching, boiling hot water could remove the very essence that those sheets were in fact J's ex.

Moving on...

It was past midnight by the time we were done transporting the things into our cellar and up to our apartment on the second floor. And i can't begin by telling you how relieved we'll be when this is all over and when we can hand over the keys to the landlady. Soon we can just live our lives and be able to try and move on.


I woke up this morning feeling rested. It's amazing what a blue sky and some sunshine can do to ones' mental health.


Spring has definitely sprung. Our view from our living room window has dramatically changed in just the last month. The trees are just about dressed and we can just about see the little river with the new ducklings. And only through the gaps between the growing leaves can we see the back road.


But look what i saw just now down on the lawn that separates our block from the path - our neighborhood ducks taking a midday snooze. They roam freely amongst the dozens of other bird species in the area.


Little L's IKEA bed has the ability to reduce and lengthen in length, so J had this SMRT idea that we could place it out on our balcony and make it into a day bed. We'll just throw on some over-sized pillows and ta-dahhh... perfect for an afternoon nap and a spot to read our books. We even inherited a BBQ grill, so we can bust out the cocktail shaker and we're all set to go.

But as you can see at the moment it's not looking too fabulous. No worries, after a scrub down, new plants and some order, i reckon "our" balcony is going to be the envy of the block.

Starfux, Burnt rubber and a dash of Curry.

Ever since the sun decided to make an appearance last week and the rain came to wash part of the pollen away, the one-way street that we live on has transformed itself.


The street is lined with various coloured flower petals. And when the wind blows it's like Spring is basically celebrating its presence by sprinkling her very own soft confetti for everyone to tread on. It's rather pretty with the blue back ground and the crispy greenery sprouting in every nook and cranny.


But J and i decided to be a little more productive this weekend. It's so much easier to be lazy during Winter and blame the shitty weather for keeping you indoors. And although Saturday wasn't exactly warm, we did get off our lazy arses and took advantage of those free Starbucks vouchers that the very kind lady gave to us when J helped jump start her car [here].


So J googled the nearest Starbucks, took along our books and were very pleased with ourselves that we actually followed through with our plan instead of turning back and tucking ourselves back into bed. My first Starbucks coffee in Germany. I can't tell whether it's the water here or i've been simply deprived of decent ground coffee but it tasted damn good.

The rest of the afternoon was spent at J's ex's place clearing away some boxes, rubbish and going through a few bags with items that were still in decent condition but were too good to throw away. It felt a bit strange going through his ex's things but then again, she did leave them behind AND we are being nice by helping store some of her stuff.

We even came across some old photos of J and her from back when they were a couple, as well as some shots of her ex before him. Mind you, they were all ripped up in half. The whole experience in itself was strange. I'm not sure what i was feeling at the time. I'm guessing since she ran off to Ireland to start her Life again, what better way to try and cut yourself from ones' Past by trying to remove evidence of it. But we all know the Past can't really ever be erased.

I looked at a few photos of them together but showed no emotion. After all, it was at the start of their relationship and it had nothing to do with me [now]. So i just continued going through another bag.

But for a second there, i felt like one of those scavengers. A bag lady. Like a crow or vulture swooping in and picking at leftovers - of a carcass. It was like a yard sale but not. Then i thought, Hell, if it saves me from buying it, why not?

It was a case of "One Mans Trash is Anothers' Treasure".


Then to add to our adventure-filled weekend, we went to the Kö on Sunday. Apparently that area is one of the most expensive shopping districts in the world. There you'll find brand names lining the walkway and the high and mighty mingle over overpriced food and drinks. But we weren't there to shop, after all it was Sunday and Germany tends to cease operation on that day. Sunday is usually their rest day.


We were there to check out DTM. A chance for race car drivers, motorists, enthusiasts and the curious to check out fancy, fast cars. A chance to smell burnt rubber and possibly do some damage to your ear drum. Last year, they had about 200,000 people flocking to the area. But "a record crowd of 210,000 at Düsseldorf’s shopping street Königsallee attended the DTM’s start for the 2009 season. The DTM presentation four weeks prior to the season opener in Hockenheim was the fourth one in a row in Düsseldorf. For the first time in 2009, all eight Mercedes-Benz DTM drivers together introduced themselves to the public" [stolen from here].


They had big screens plotted in various locations for the benefit of short people or those stuck at the back. Some even went into great lengths to climb the buildings to get a better view.


I took a number of photos of the cars racing past but as you would guess by the time i clicked the button the car had already passed and was no where to be seen. But i did manage to capture one.


I took a few videos too. You could hear the roar of the engines just as they change gears and speed off. But the position that i was standing, all you could really see was the crowd on the opposite side trying their best to get a shot and heads whipping itself from left to right each time a car sped past.

But i can say i was there! J and i were part of the record breaking 210,000 people.

And that's not all, they also had guys and girls handing out FREE Haribo gummy bears...


Well they weren't actually "bears" but more like gummy "DTMs". Fancy pants! I haven't eaten so many gummy bears in one sitting/standing i almost felt sick aftwards. So once the cars did their rounds and we bought an expensive 3 Euro slice of pizza, we decided to drop by Starbucks... again.


Starbucks was open. Very smart move since what a perfect way to make extra money but open their doors when 210,000 flock the area. And since we had one more Starbucks voucher left, we ordered 2 coffees and threw a chocolate chip cookie in the mix too.


On the way back to the car we had to pass through the city park. The little river that ran through it had mini bridges so that the ducks could get out of the water and into the next stream. How considerate... and cute.


The sun was still shining bright and people were sprawled across the lawn. So we decided to join them, took our blankets from the car and found a vacant patch. After an hour or so lying in the sun we headed home.

The day before we went to the Asian shop to buy various ingredients and attempted to make our very first curry. J prepared and made his chicken curry and i did my own preparations for the vegetable curry. This is what J put in his plus a few random flavors he added later...


And then this is what i put in mine... minus the fried tofu in the white bowl since i cut them up too small and worried they'd just melt in the sauce. So instead i used the tofu as a side dish and it tasted just as good.


We let it sit in the pot to soak up the flavors and after an hour it was time to eat.


And my gawd, i was SO full after. The whole hallway in our apartment smelt of curry, thank gawd i closed our bedroom doors. But i wonder if our elderly neighbors could smell it too? They must have been curious to find a strange and very foreign stench in the stairwell.

Oh well, it's their loss. But i have to admit, the curries tasted damn good! I still don't eat meat but basing it on the sauce, J's curry was really good too. We're buying naan bread tonight so we can soak up the sauce... and add more fat to our bodies.