Seeing Is Believing.

500ml Relentless Energy drink with self-closing tab = YUM

An hour before we left on Friday, the landlady had uploaded two photos of the apartment onto the website. We were already interested in the description and its' location, so seeing the photos got me more excited.


After checking the traffic situation online we left our place shortly after 3 PM. We then heard on the radio there was a big accident. So using J's trusty navi we drove inland which ended up taking longer but at least we weren't one of the cars stuck in a 15 km bumper-to-bumper traffic jam.

We were tired and anxious to see what we thought could be our new potential home.

Finally after 3 hours and driving throw a mini snow storm we arrived. An hour and a half longer than expected but only half an hour late to our appointment. The landlady was very nice though and told us a shortcut we could take.

A relatively spacious 77 square metre apartment with a very small loggia [which is basically a balcony that is covered] and that was still being renovated. Proposed finished date : 18 December 2010.

The following photos are the before and after shots of the kitchen. 'Before' meaning six years ago and prior to when the previous tenants had moved in and destroyed the place. And 'after' being what we saw on Friday.

Kitchen

I have to admit, it was a bit of shock to see the place in the condition it was. The walls were stripped bare and with mold still yet to be chemically removed, the place had that funky smell.

Trying to visualize a place at its glory was harder than i thought.

Here was the before and after shot of the living room. The walls and window frames were also being treated for mold. And with the ground covered to protect the flooring, we weren't too sure of its conditions either.

Living Room

She then went on to explain that the heaters were electric and were cost effective. But after doing some research when we got home, we found out they can run up the electricity bill very high and are not environmentally very good.

Bathroom + Toilet

The bathroom was the length of the bathtub and the toilet was separated. And even though J and i aren't exactly the tallest or biggest people in the world, i found the bathroom to be quite small. And should there be an added kitty litter box, we felt the bathroom would be quite cramped.

The toilet was also quite small and had no sink. Not exactly for the very tall, wide or anyone who suffers from Claustrophobia. The window was where the loggia was which meant in the dead of winter you'd get the freezing air pounding against the wall. And with no heater in there we'd most likely have a frozen butt by the time we were done.

But not everything was negative.

The bedroom was huge, the neighbors were friendly, train station was a 3-minute walk away and the place was within 10 minutes walking distance to various supermarkets and shops.

However, it took us 48 hours to write down the pros and cons of the place. But it came down to deciding whether it was worth the risk of having the mold returning and actually having it triggering J's asthma.

And so we decided it wasn't worth it and thought it was best to keep looking.

Our second appointment was at 7 PM and we were already running late. But what was actually uploaded online wasn't exactly what we ended up seeing.

In fact, i think it was a completely different apartment.

Not only was the flooring a completely different colour and material but the description didn't match up to what was inside. And after walking up three flights of stairs and up a narrow staircase, we got to the dimly lit floor. The place itself,was spacious and well lit but it smelt of food because the neighbor below was cooking and the window was open.

It didn't take much for J and i to realise that this place wasn't it either. After all, first impressions do last. And so we said our good-byes and headed into the city to have dinner.


But before dinner we found ourselves at a bar/cafe called, Bauturm where the menu was layed out in a 20-plus page book. I ordered a Maisel's Kristallweizen [brewed in Bayern] which ended up being so much yummier than what i would usually drink, a Franziskaner weissbier [brewed in Munich].

So if you get a hold of a Maisel's Kristallweizen, try it! It's much smoother and a lot more tastier.


J was starting to get in a bad mood because his eye was swelling up. He was concerned that he was having an allergic reaction to the mold in the first apartment. Which of course made the rest of the night extremely uncomfortable and quiet. So we drank our drinks fast and headed to the vegetarian restaurant down the road.

Prior to leaving our place in the afternoon, i had googled for vegetarian or vegan restaurants and found an Asian restaurant called, Well Being. The reviews that i had read sounded positive and i was craving for some fake meat anyway.


And this is what we ate: oversize spring rolls, vegetarian sushi which was a bit on the dry side, veggie Gong Bao with fake chicken that actually tasted like duck. And to drink, refreshing lime and orange juices with soda water + ginger.

Overall, i'd say it was OK.

Although i wouldn't recommend the sushi. Perhaps i'm just used to eating salmon and tuna with my sushi and it was definitely missing the Japanese mayo. But i will definitely return to try out the curry and the other dishes.

One of the owners came up to us later speaking German with a very thick Vietnamese accent and asked if we were new there since he had never seen us in the restaurant before. And after chatting for a few minutes and saying that we were looking for an apartment, he disappeared momentarily only to return with a hand-written ad that a regular customer had given him for a 2-room apartment.

But even though we are looking for a 3-room apartment, i thought the gesture was quite nice. We're in a big city and a complete stranger was willing to help out another fellow stranger.


After a nap in the car, we drove home later in -4˚Celsius temperatures. Reason being is that i had forgotten my credit card and after being told by J that all hotels require a credit card as a security, we figured we weren't going to find a place to sleep for the night.

The next day we found twelve more potential apartments online.

One of which sounds too good to be true and J fears it could be a scam and the guy could be out to take our money. But the location is perfect and it comes with a full kitchen. But if that doesn't work out, we do have a confirmed appointment to view another place this Saturday and another one next Tuesday.

And so our hunt for a new home continues...

Happy birthday Luna and Yoshi!

Yesterday was Luna and Yoshi's 1st birthday. Converted into human years that would mean they are about 15 or 16. I can't actually be sure if the 28th of November was their day but i remember their foster parents saying when we first met them they were about 9 weeks, so i basically counted back and chose yesterday.

A visit to Fressnapf on Saturday to stock up on their food, treats and kitty litter. As well as to look for presents for them.


And a second transport carrier box since the wicker basket we originally bought for them can easily house Yoshi but with Luna there, it can be a bit of a tight squeeze.

But i think we may have underestimated Luna's size. Although she fits in the carrier, she can't really properly stand without stooping her head slightly down. We may need to go back and exchange it for a bigger one.


Anyway presents wise, we ended up buying a Shakin' Billy worm and a KONG Wubba for cats.

If you pull on the tail end of the furry worm it's supposed to wiggle. But in reality, it sort of just vibrates for about 3 seconds. I don't think they were as impressed as we were. Oh well.

But what was a real surprise was seeing them go crazy over the KONG Wubba. The nylon-polyster extra-long crinkle tails and rattle are said to encourage active play and the added catnip is to lure them in.

Previously, i've bought them other catnip scented toys and both of them tended to ignore them. I guess it's the combination of the material and the smell they like.

*shrugs*


They are typical teenagers with mood swings and the ability to tune out when they're being told repeatedly not to do something. However, there are times that Luna can be such a little lady and Yoshi such a gentleman.

Days leading to their day, i realised how much their characters have developed over the last few months. And whilst observing them eat, Luna tends to eat first and then leaves about half of what was in the wet food bowl so Yoshi can have his share of dinner. And whilst Luna eats quietly, Yoshi tends to take the contents of the food bowl out and leaving a complete mess beside it.

Character wise they're totally different, as all siblings often are.

Luna is the more active one although far more introvert. Over the months she has become slightly more calmer, meaning she won't try and scratch you if you try and carry her. But she does scare VERY easily. If you don't warn her that you're going to pet her, she'll make a yelp/squeek the second that you do. Just as humans would if you tried to sneak up on them and scare them.

And no toilet visit is complete without Luna wanting to jump on your lap for a rub down. Even if she's fast a sleep and i don't hear from her all day, the second she hears me walk towards the bathroom, she's immediately awake and comes running.

"Mister Yoshi", as i like to call him, is definitely more chilled out and a complete Mama's Boy. He has a tendency to follow me around the apartment and likes to play fetch with the rolled up plastic bag. He also insists that he lies in the gap between the keyboard and myself when i'm doing work. His coat has become rather thick, making him soft as a teddy. It's no wonder J calls me "cat woman" because i'm forever covered with his hair.


I'm happy they get along and i can't imagine having one without the other. Their characters are somewhat opposite but what one lacks, the other one has. Simply put, they complement one another very nicely.

I love both of my fur babies very much. And yes, J too!

Wiedenbrück Christmas Market 2010

We ended up driving 20 minutes to the neighbouring town called Wiedenbrück [sounds like Vee-den-brook]. J was told the Christmas market there is heaps better than in the town we live in. Said to have more market stalls and surrounded by buildings dating back to the 1400s, it really does make you feel like you've walked back in time.


But as we were driving towards the town we realised there was so much snow everywhere. Everything was pretty much covered. Where we live the snow pretty much melted on impact except for in the afternoon where it stayed put for all of an hour before it all melted.


So anyway, there we are.

And there's our little boot shaped mugs filled with glühwein with an extra shot of Amaretto in one and Cointreau in the other. Together it cost 10 Euros. I have to say, it was probably one of the better ones i've tasted. It wasn't too strong and it didn't taste like it was prepackaged. And had we returned the mugs we would have gotten 5 Euros back. But being the souvenir keeper, we thought they would be a nice memory of this years' Christmas - even though we're still in November.


We had kept one of the mugs from last years Christmas market in Frankfurt. It has no really purpose except to sit quietly in our glass cabinet amongst our other "collectibles".


We arrived around 6 PM and not so many people were there. Some were huddled around the glühwein and eggnog huts cradling their hot drinks and others were checking out the stalls.


It was a much smaller scaled version of previous markets i've been to. I guess one can't compare it to those in a bigger city. But for what it was, it was nice and the variety was there.

One stall only sold wooden spoons of all shapes and sizes.

Then there was one stall that sold handcrafted wooden children's toys. Which is where J and i bought presents for Baby A, Little L and Mimi. I can't tell you what i bought for my niece in case my sister ends up reading this.

And then there was a stall that had huge wheels of cheese and the woman lured us in with samples. Can't say no to free stuff! So she explained that the milk came from the cows in Bayern. Apparently, these cows roamed the mountains and therefore, the cheese had a more distinct taste, as opposed to those kept on farms. I had to agree, the taste was much stronger but not the stinky kind.

So when we asked how much, as we only wanted a little bit, she said 1 kg cost 24.90 €.

She refused to sell us 100 grams and so we thanked her and walked away.


So after roaming around and J got slightly tipsy on eggnog, we walked into the nearby pizza parlour. There i had a yummy mushroom, paprika, artichoke pizza. Although i wished they had used fresh mushrooms instead of the canned variety. And washed it down with a Hohenfelder Pilsener beer that claimed to be produced with 50% orange juice. And to kill time, on the back of my napkin i could learn Italian phrases.

It wasn't even 9 PM and we were already getting tired and so that pretty much concluded our night out at Wiedenbrück's Christmas market.

***

J's getting off from work early today and we're driving to Cologne to see two apartments. I'm really hoping one of them will be ours. The truth is the anxiety of not having/finding a place is killing me. I know we'll eventually find one but without a single box packed and with a few deadlines looming, i'm starting to get nervous.

They say there will be more snow later hence the reason why we're leaving earlier. They've sent out warnings to those vehicles on the road to be careful as it's very icy.


It's 8:30 AM and it's -2˚Celsius. Looking out the window everything seems to be still covered in a fine dusting of frost.

Hope you have a great weekend and keep your fingers crossed that we find a new home.

Fallen Snowflakes.

I'm not sure what it is that makes me so happy when i see snow. Catching myself being mesmerized by the falling snowflakes could be one and second, it sort of covers all the dirty stuff making the area look pure and pristine. OK, not so much pristine but seeing fresh, untouched snow puts me in a slightly better mood.

And ever since my weatherman widget informed me of a light snow fall this week, i've been waiting patiently and making sure to be close to a window.

But finally yesterday it snowed!

It was the first time that Luna and Yoshi had properly seen snow, so i let them out on the balcony so they could have a closer look. Last Christmas they were too young to appreciate it. Plus Luna was too weak to even get off the sofa on her own, let alone venture out onto the balcony. She was very little and extremely shy, although i'm not sure what happened to the shy part, she seems to like ganging up on Yoshi.

I think she may have developed some kind of 'Little Man' Syndrome.


But here she is playing and trying to pounce on the melting fallen snowflakes. Unaware that she was being covered in snow.


She eventually figured out she wasn't going to catch any and stood in the doorway whilst i stood there freezing my butt off taking photos of them. And no, it didn't occur to me that i could get my jacket and gloves.


Yoshi wasn't as excited though. In fact, he was more interested in my camera. I think i may have shoved him off my lap as he was taking one of his naps and may have accidently yelled in his ear that it was snowing.

It only lasted for 20 minutes. The snowfall i mean, not the yelling *wink*

Unfortunately, it didn't turn everything white. I guess the ground wasn't cold enough to prevent the snow from melting.


But this is the frosty 5-day forecast. Looks like there's gonna be more snow later. And don't be fooled by those glowing yellow dots also known as the sun. See how it says -5˚C, well that's just the temperature, it hasn't calculated the wind chill factor.

FROZEN NIPPLES, ANYONE?

It's only a week to go till December but technically it's still Autumn.

For me Autumn is about dark grey, wet skies and runny noses. As for Winter it's all about snow, the smell of burnt wood in the air and hot glühwein also known as mulled wine.

Speaking of glüwein, that's what J and i plan on having later on this afternoon with a shot of Amaretto! Yummmm.

The small Christmas market officially opens in the town we live in. And at a high of 2˚ Celsius, there's nothing like a bit of alcohol to warm the tummy. Plus it makes riding on ones' bike a little more challenging exciting especially if it's snowing.

Wheeeee!!!

Potential New Home?

Not long after i published the previous post did J call me from work to tell me that we had an appointment to see an apartment. I had forgotten i had printed out a few apartment listings from another site and gave it to him the night before. It had no pictures, only this description;

"Höhenberg, zirka 80 m², 2. OG, neu renoviert, gehobene Ausstattung,
Loggia, Tageslichtbad, Gäste-WC, Gartenmitbenutzung..."

Translated;

Hoehenberg [which is the name of the suburb and is about 15 minutes to the city centre by public transport], circa 80 m², 2nd floor, newly renovated, quality finishing, loggia, daylight bathroom, guest toilet, use of garden..."

We've avoided apartments online that didn't have at least a few photos of the interior, for the sake of saving us a trip down and being disappointed. But going by the short description, we thought we'd see if it was still available. We were running low on options anyway and with six weeks to go, we want to be sure we have a new home locked down before the year ends.

When asked whether animals were allowed, she said no problem. She has a dog herself, so she understands. She said the balcony is quite small but suggested that if we wanted to take our cats for a walk, we could put them on a leash and walk them around the garden at the back.

Uhhh... we'll see about that.

Excited at the prospect of having a new home, i typed in the address on google map and after being amazed by its' Panorama feature, my first impression of the exterior of the building is it's not the most beautiful. In fact, it's kinda ugly.

I guess, i should have been more specific in my So What Do I Want? list in my previous post.

Never mind.

I'm sending out positive vibes that the fantastically renovated apartment is everything that we had imagined an apartment to look like. The location is a little further out than we had expected but it's on a main road and is walking distance to the supermarket and basic necessities. I've already checked the public transport situation and it'll take me 22 minutes by train to get to my pole dancing class.

However, the place doesn't come with a built-in kitchen unit.

Many apartments in Germany have a one-off real estate agent fee attached to the rent but this apartment doesn't because it's being rented out directly from the landlady. And so we figured we'd use that money to invest in buying a proper kitchen minus the oven since we still have ours from the Duesseldorf apartment.

And seeing how much i actually enjoy cooking/baking, it would be nice to have a really nice kitchen to work in.

I'm thinking a red or a green kitchen with lots of cupboard space. And depending on the size of the kitchen, an island in the middle so i can prepare the meals. I'm always complaining i don't have enough working space. The kitchen island must be big enough so i can tuck some tall chairs/stools on the other side, that way we can have a quick meal there or stand around and drink a glass of wine/beer.

Something like this...

[source]

Or this...

[source]

I know the chances of having such an expensive kitchen is really unrealistic. But i guess there's no harm in planning and wishing, right?

But maybe an interesting yet affordable solution would be, "a center island out of two unpainted dressers screwed together back to back. Its top? A solid core wood door."

[source]

Maybe not so ghetto as that painting of that flower motif but i like the idea.

All in all, i just want to get the move over and done with.

Our plan is to stay for at least a few years. I'm tired of having to settle into a new city every year.

So anyway back to the landlady...

She went on to say the previous tenants weren't very good and ended up not paying their rent so she had to kick them out. They had signed a contract saying that four people had intended on living there but by the end of it, eight people had moved in. They also trashed the place hence the reason why she had to renovate the whole apartment.

But after chatting with J on the phone she was impressed and said that she was looking forward to meeting us. She said she was even going to postpone a viewing she had made with another couple who also wanted to view the apartment.

Yay!

Our appointment is for this Friday at 5:30 PM.

My fingers are crossed that the place is as good as she says it is.

So What Do I Want?

Looking for an apartment is proving to be a pain in my arse... literally. On Saturday we spent a good seven hours clicking and unclicking potential apartments.

Either they were too expensive, too far away, didn't allow pets or there was no window in the bathroom. Over three thousand apartments are for rent - most of them are out of our price range and many are two-room places. And out of forty-one places we bookmarked, only one had a greater potential. After a quick calculation and roughly adding another 100 Euros for the cost for the internet & phone connection and electricity, the apartment would end up being too expensive.

So with six weeks to go until we make the move, we have no new home to move into.

I'm starting to get more anxious as the day progresses.

It's 6:25 AM and i'm already looking at apartments online. I'm hoping that someone was sneaky late last night and put up the perfect apartment for us to rent.

Unlikely but it could happen.

And whether it was a coincidence or just good timing but we watched The Secret over the weekend. A friend had made a copy of it for us but since it was in German, J translated it as we were watching it. I had seen it ages ago but i thought it was nice that J summarized each section, just so i could understand. For that, i am grateful.

If you haven't heard about The Secret, "it's the idea of optimist thinking. It states that everything one wants/needs may be accomplished by wishing it and believing in it. [source]

And each time one uses the words, "don't", "not" or "won't", one immediately puts focus on that you didn't want. And the obedient Law of Attraction doesn't know if you "don't", "not" or "won't" want something. It obediently gives you more of that thing you had said you don't want.

But apparently one can reset this negative vibration by simply changing ones words.

Just by simply resetting my words. Each time i catch myself saying, Don't, Not and No, i should reset my thinking by asking myself, so what do i want? [source]

One example was a conversation i had with J about some bread that i was about to throw away. We weren't sure if it was still good because neither one of us remembered when i had bought it. J said to put it out on the balcony so the birds could eat it. I then continued with, if you put bread out there, i don't want the birds to come and crap everywhere. And what if the bread is bad and the cats eat it, they may get sick.

Funny how something positive could easily be changed into something negative.

By being pessimistic and always thinking the worst, it's no wonder bad things happen. I guess that's one way of protecting oneself, so one does not get disappointed.

And remembering that, thinking positive is one thing but believing it is another.

So instead of me saying, the apartments we looked at were "either too expensive, too far away, didn't allow pets or there was no window in the bathroom." I should have probably said what i do want;

• A three-room apartment
• Maximum 700 Euros - which includes ALL extra costs.
  
• 1st floor
• Elevator option if it's more than two floors
  
• 70-80 square metres
  
• Available for rent from the 1st January 2011
• Newly renovated
• Painted Walls
  
• Wooden flooring
• Allows Pets
• Big windows
• Balcony access through the living room
• View of some greenery
• Work room/Spare room next door to living room
• Mid-20s to mid-40s, friendly, English-speaking neighbours
• A good neighborhood
• Well-lit streets
  
• More than enough parking space
• Walking distance to the tram stop or U-Bahn
• Maximum 10 minutes to the city centre by public transport
• Walking distance to the supermarket/bakery/Sparkasse bank
  
• Bathroom with a window
• A bath with a shower door or curtain railing
• Modern toilet
  
• Big enough bathroom to put a washing machine plus more inside
• Living room big enough to also put J's work table on one side
• Built-in modern kitchen with an exhaust
• Kitchen big enough to put a small dining table inside
  
• Lots of working space in the kitchen
  
• Window in the kitchen
• Built-in cupboards or storage space
• Big cellar that's well-lit and is clean
• Storage space for bicycles
  
• ... my list continues.

***

Still sticking to the positive end of things... Check it out! We may even see the sun this Sunday. Snowman, anyone?

Isn't it still Autumn?

After a quick peek at my Dashboard's Weather Widget, it dawned on me that this weekend could possibly be the last weekend in forever that i'll see the sun. Exaggeration put aside, i live in a country that spends most of the year on the cooler end of the thermometer. And this fact was reinforced when i saw that next Tuesday and Wednesday will bring in snow.

Yup, those itty bitty graphic snowflakes may actually be telling the truth.

I checked another weather website and they even predict the whole of Thursday to be snowing.

Holy bat balls!

It's been really cold the last few days. And there's a freezing draft somewhere in the apartment causing my pinkie finger to lose feeling. Signs of an early winter? Or maybe, just bad circulation.

Perhaps i should consider doing my Christmas shopping online this year.

Does anybody have any sites they would like to recommend?

Last years first snow fall was on December 19th. I remember this because it was my last day of German class before the holidays and it snowed really heavily before i had to catch a train to Mainz. A last minute postponed family reunion meant we couldn't cancel our service apartment in such short notice.

I remember watching numerous cyclists skid across the snow packed grounds. Many lost control because of the slippery grounds. Sudden gusts of wind would throw powder snow in their eyes causing them temporary blindness, not exactly the best situation to be in.

It also was the coldest winter Germany had seen in over thirty years. I'm really hoping this year will be mild.

Have you ever tried walking in a snow storm?

It sucks. The snow stings your eye balls and the icy wind eats away at your skin. I'm not joking.

Back then i didn't ride my bike, the bus was my friend.

This year, i'm not sure how brave i am to ride in the snow. I'm not sure whether i should be excited that it's even threatening to snow this early in the year. All i know is where i'll not be going mid next week and that would be outside!

What perfect weather to organise my papers and sort out what to pack, i say.

Shrinking Cysts + Home Hunting Continues.

I'm slowly getting the hang of cycling in 5˚Celsius temperatures. The extra layers and knitted band that helps keep my ears from falling off really does make a huge difference.

So after getting only slightly lost earlier today, i made it to my gynae's office with a few minutes to spare.

Turns out all's good "down under". The massive cyst on my right ovary that i complained about here has reduced down to 2.6 cm in diameter. And it turns out my left ovary felt left out in the process and has developed a 3 cm cyst.

Great.

She explained to me that women who are prone to cysts are recommended to start birth control pills to reduce cysts - which i so happened to be on for the last three years. She then went on to say, there are some women [me for example] that will continuously have cysts due to genetics even if i take the Pill. It's some kind of hereditary weakness.

Yay. Lucky me!

But she says that i shouldn't worry, as it has no direct effect to my reproductive system should i one day choose to be preggers. However, as a precaution i should get examined every six months or so.

The joys of being a woman.

***

Moving on...

Ya know how we were supposed to drive to Cologne on Saturday to view that awesome apartment that J and i were really interested in?

WELL IT AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN!

The landlord emailed me just now to inform us that our appointment is cancelled because somebody has decided they like the apartment much more than us. In other words, the place is taken.

DAMN IT!

There i was imagining our furniture and rearranging my work room in my head. I was even getting all excited about walking that 10 minutes to my pole dance class.

I can't help but think that some bitch took MY place!

YES, my place.

Trying to find an apartment can be so stressful. It definitely brings out the competitive side out of me. Who would have thought so many people would consider moving at this time of the year. Weeks before Christmas, days before it starts dumping snow.

I guess i have to get over the disappointment quick and just continue the hunt.

And to make myself feel just that little bit better, i'm just going to tell myself, if the place was meant to be, then it would have been ours by now.

Sending out good vibes that i find an affordable and even better replacement. One that is even more centrally located with enough parking and a supermarket down the road would be great too.

Seven more weeks and counting...

***

Have you seen What Happens in Vegas? In Germany, they've changed the title to, Love Vegas.

Huh?

I guess when one translates titles from English to German, it doesn't quite have the same effect.

I know this movie is like so two years ago but i thought i'd mention it since J went out of his way to borrow DVDs yesterday. Plus i actually found this movie really funny.

The other movie he chose was Shutter Island but because he knows i get scared at even the smallest things, he matched it with this Chick flick in attempts to soothe any nightmares.

Awww... there's love.

Because The Stars Says So...

[source]

Sometimes [and when i remember] i'll check my monthly horoscope on Astrology Zone. Ya know, just to see what the stars have in store for me. Well not 'me' per se since it's obvious that there are thousands of Pisceans around the world reading her site.

But just knowing that there might be some relevance to my own life, makes me want to read further.

Believe it or not, months leading up to my ectopic pregnancy in January of this year, she kept mentioning about a pregnancy. Of course, i didn't think much of it because deep down i thought i was immune to such things. Meaning, i never thought i'd ever be expecting.

So when i was sitting awkwardly in the emergency room, i wondered why i didn't act upon my gut feelings way sooner when i thought something was going on inside my body. Feeling nauseated and continuously bleeding should have been a good warning.

Anyway, it was a painful chapter i only hope i'll never experience ever again.

And whether it's a huge coincidence, i dunno, but she's stopped mentioning about pregnancies and has moved on to talking about work lately - which i have to admit, has been going rather well lately. Not forgetting all the traveling i'm supposed to be apparently doing.

I'll stop now because i don't want to jinx it.

So anyway, after skimming through November 2010, i zoned in on the following;

At the time just prior to the full moon, November 21, you may travel a short distance.

Uhhh... we'll be driving to Cologne again this weekend to look at that apartment we like.

Are you attached? You've been through many relationship difficulties since late 2007, but that phase is now over. If you are still together, it seems your relationship is very solid... In all ways, life is about to brighten in a very exciting way. Dear Pisces, this is your time!

WoooOh.

I don't know about you but if that's not accurate, i don't know what is. I thank our long conversation over the weekend. It proved to me that whatever fucked up phase we were in, we were able to recognise it and try and work through it. But what is really nice, is having the reassurance that i won't need to be looking for a one-bedroom apartment next year.

The planets have been in a very disruptive, even angry, mood during most of 2010, especially during the middle months from June through October.

No shit Sherlock! Now i know who to really blame. Stupid planet.

November will finally break that tense pattern, instantly lifting your spirits. Any doubts or fears will be replaced with a feeling of optimism (as remarkable as that may sound) and your positive feelings about the future will grow in months ahead.

Feeling optimistic already, thanks! Hence the reason why i'm not stressing so much that we haven't yet found an apartment. We will find a place to live, it's just a matter of when and where.

[Where i get all this optimism is beyond me, seriously.]

As for my relationship with J, well, it couldn't have gotten worse. Except maybe if we had broken up and i flew back to my parents place which is on the other side of the world.

Honesty, really, is the Best Policy.

Between juggling new projects, an itchy nose and writing out some quotations, i haven't had time to tell you about last weekend.

But let's just say, everything turned out really well.

Him having been gone for 5+ days for work, really did make a difference. We got into a really deep and meaningful conversation when he got back and just being able to speak the truth without worrying that one might offend the other, really did help. As they say, Communication is key to any relationship.

I even got him to take that 5 Love Languages Quiz!

The results were one that i did not expect since i had full suspicions it was something else. I guess i was wrong but i'm really happy i found out. Turned out his Primary Love Language is, Quality Time and second is, Physical Touch. I even ended up reading a few pages of the book to him, whilst we sat in a warm bubble bath surrounded by tea light candles.

Anyway...

Before i get carried away, i MUST go to the pharmacy and get myself a box of Aspirin Complex. I fear a cold or some kind of sickness coming on and with a strict schedule to follow, i can't afford any time to waste.

***

P.S. Before i forget, we drove to Cologne on Sunday to see one of the apartments we bookmarked.

It turned out pretty good. In fact we could see ourselves living in it quite comfortably. Only issue was the bathroom is quite small and without a window, i'm worried with what evil that tends to lie in the kitty litter box daily, it may end up being a huge problem. So we really had to be honest with ourselves and continue on our hunt.

We've already made an appointment to view another apartment this weekend.

I'm really hoping it works out because not only is it much bigger and at the same price but it is nearer to the city centre. And it's only a 10-minute walk to my pole dancing class - which by the way, J is super happy about and can't wait for me to start.

Tired of Blank Walls.

Prior to moving into the place we currently call 'home', we had only seen one other place. It was in our price range and the "balcony with a view" meant looking over a car park and having a direct view into the living room in the next block.

But then fifteen months ago when Js current boss told us that she knew of an apartment that could be for rent, we jumped at the chance to look at it. Turned out our future landlord had already filed his divorce papers and his current tenant who took up most of the top floor was moving out.

Score!

I remember walking into the place and thinking how fancy it looked with granite flooring in the hallway and heated tiles in the bathroom - we were definitely spoilt.

Although i doubt our new place will have heated flooring. One should be so lucky.

And out of all the places we've moved to, we haven't had the need to paint the walls or put up wallpaper. But the previous tenant, for some reason, painted the hallway a dark brown.

Why?

I have no idea. Out of all the colours in the rainbow, he chose a *poo* brown. It definitely has made the place look so much darker and feel so much more narrower. But i remember before we actually signed the contract, we were excited at the prospect of doing a mural, hanging various sized framed photos and even sticking my collection of 1 cent coins up on the wall to create a pattern.


Thirteen months later, the wall looks exactly the same as when we moved in, except for the odd scratches here and there.

The nails the previous tenant knocked in haven't moved hence the reason why the three items on the wall are not centred. The colour in the hallway remains to be that icky brown colour and Miss June 2008 [Max] still fills up that blank space.

Our excuse has been that we never had enough disposable money [and Time] to get around to painting the hallway. Laziness is more like it.

But with Luna frequently jumping up at invisible butterflies on the wall, the last thing we wanted were mini foot prints up and down the hallway.

So as the woman of the household, i have appointed myself in charge of any creative decisions. J will just have to deal with it.

I've already seen a few prints in IKEA that i like but as they are so mass produced, i have decided against it. And the idea of ripping out pages from a magazine and sticking them up with blu-tac seems so 'high school'. Although i have no issues with the walls in my work room having taped up printouts.

They're there to remind me to do work.


And my mood door, which has turned itself into a place to stick pieces i like whether they are purposely designed or just random items that i remind me of my past. It will be one that i will continue once we move into our new place.

Although, i wouldn't mind something like this...

[via smoothdaddyride]

And if money [and availabilty] were no object, i wouldn't say no to any pieces done by Shawn Barber or Audrey Kawasaki either.

For those of you who need inspiration and would like ideas of how to visually spice up your home, check out Bloesem : Let's Get Personal. I'm so jealous. Some people have, like, the coolest place!

So should any of my silent readers like to share some links to where one could purchase some impressive originals that won't cost an arm and a leg or even prints, i would be most appreciative.

They don't even have to look realistic.

I like funny doodles and quick sketches. Photographs are good as well and so are housewarming presents.

*smiles*

Roughly Eight Weeks & Counting...

Today was a rare but super productive day. Not only did i get up early and take my bike out for a spin but i managed to get all my errands done. I even got all my work up to date and e-mailed some design options to my client. I'm so proud of myself!

And after staring at my calendar, i just realised that J and i plan to move in 8 weeks. Christmas being in about six weeks, in case you were wondering.

Yup! Eight.

We're leaving in eight weeks!

And knowing that we haven't found an apartment yet has started to get me all anxious.

I've already bookmarked several potential places online and i even have one in particular that i'm leaning towards. Although i'm still not 100% over-the-moon about it. I base it partially on gut feeling. The minute you walk into an apartment, you can almost sense if the place is right.

Which is why pictures can be so deceiving. I need to see a place with my own two eyes.

And that's another problem when you rent, you can never really be certain how well the previous tenant took care of the place. Pictures can be cropped and lighting can be manipulated.

But we're still waiting for some guy to call J to confirm when we can view another apartment.

So until J comes back from Salzbergen, we won't be able to make any concrete appointments. But i'm hoping we can arrange a few apartment viewings next week.

Do you know what the top five most stressful things in life are? In no particular order;

Work
Debt
Loneliness
Moving House
Relationship Problems
[source]

Well that's comforting. So not only have i moved from one Stress [relationship problems] but i'm now entering a new one [Moving]. Great.

Just giving you a heads up, if by next year i complain of bald patches, you know what/who to blame.

Although i should be grateful that we're only renting and not buying. Buying a house seems like such a huge commitment, one that doesn't seem to fit in my lifestyle. I mean, i can't even stay in one city more than a few years before i have the urge to want to move to a different postal code.

Last year when we moved from Duesseldorf to Guetersloh, we honestly thought we would stay here for at least a few years. We officially moved here in October 2009.

I guess one just has to be open to Change.

Cologne will be my fifth German city i've lived in, all in a short span of three years.

You would think with all the moving that i've done in my whole life, i'd be a little more prepared in the packing department though. I'll tell you now, it never does get any easier. As the years accumulate, so do the belongings. And so i'm referring to a Moving Check list to keep me on track.

The last time we moved, i THOUGHT i had everything sorted and even told J i was nearly done packing. Yea right! Turned out that those little bits and bobs that i left lying around was a lot more than i had imagined. And let's just say J wasn't very impressed with my packing skills. So when it came to the actual moving day, there was still heaps to be done.

Sowwy.

But our plan this time is to hire professional movers.

It's probably gonna cost us a bit but if it saves us just a fraction of the stress and the muscle aches, i'm willing to fork over the money.

We still need to pack the boxes [unfortunately], it's just their job to actually carry them up and down the stairs.

Damn those stairs! Another reason why we're looking for an apartment on the first floor. I mean seriously, if i can't even pack light on an overnight stay, imagine my difficulties trying to eliminate crap from being boxed.

I'm staying optimistic.

And to prevent myself from freaking out and reaching for the panic button, i'm going to start with sorting out this massive pile of papers that have found themselves on my desk.

I mean, really, do i need to keep all those messed up reprints, used up telephone cards and expired notes to myself?

Uh no. Time to chuck 'em away then!

Holding Tight.

As a child i remember not being so fond of the monkey bars. And taking the shortcut via sliding down the metal pole was an absolute no-go. I think my fear was that i'd lose my grip and land face first on the ground. Or worse, end up like that kid who was hanging upside down on the monkey bars and then fell, landing awkwardly on a partially buried brick. This unfortunate accident had caused him to split open the skin around his elbow leaving his arm drowned in blood and his bone exposed.

I, of course, being the champion of being at the wrong place at the right time, witnessed this and was immediately traumatised.

More than two decades later, i still avoid the monkey bars.

But to this day, i'm still fascinated with how people can slide down the metal pole like a fireman without getting burns on their hands. Do they have a special ointment or powder? Or are they really that feather light?

So after sitting in awe watching Karol, Doris and Felix work the poles on YouTube videos, i was convinced that that is a fitness regime that i am willing to strive for. OK, so maybe i will never be or look as good as them, but did you see how amazingly fit they are and how incredibly sensual they look?

It's insane.

Obviously, it takes many months/years of hard training and stretching.

Seriously though, i can't even begin to fathom how anyone could even hang upside down with only a small part of their body twisted around a pole, let alone do the splits side ways whilst holding on.

Pure dedication and absolute craziness right there!

And so in an act of randomness and distraction i found myself yesterday cruising online for Pole Dance/Fitness classes in Cologne. I figured since we're moving to a big city, there's bound to be a class there and true enough, there is.

And i even read on their website the beginners' level doesn't even involve getting ones' feet off the ground - so we'll see how far my fears will take me. They also recommend Arnica, in a form of a pill or cream, as they say it works wonders on bruises.

I'm so on it like white on rice!

I bruise REALLY easily.

But i'm hoping by joining a class, it will not only work on my fitness and inner strength but also my self-confidence.

Or at least to accomplish my personal goal of getting my feet off the ground, even if it's for a few seconds. And maybe, just maybe, even have a decent two-way conversation with someone who isn't covered in fur and walks around with four legs.

My lack of any kind of social life has started to take its' toll on me.

So after telling J of my plans on starting classes in January, he said he couldn't be happier.

Of course, he would say that, which boyfriend wouldn't?

Unless of course J thought Pole Dancing was distasteful, which he doesn't. In fact, he fully encourages me and insists i register, like, NOW.

And although i know it may take me years to even be close to being as slinky as some of the girls out there, for now, i'm motivated to try something new. And be forced to suffer the consequences by means of serious muscles aches and major bruises.

Who knows, if this pole dancing catches on, i may just ask for a X-POLE for Christmas 2011.



Watching her work the pole gives me goosebumps. So beautiful and smooth. I love it!

At 4 mins 30 secs, there's a guy that spins on the pole next to her and proves that just because one is all muscles, doesn't mean one is stronger. Check out how graceful she is.



One day... one day.

Yoshi's Territory + Cable Scarf + Cinnamon Rolls

I've spent the last two nights alone. No, we didn't have another fallout, J's in Salzbergen [near the border of Germany to Holland] until Friday for work. He's staying with his older brother who so happens to work at the place that J's helping out at.

And so i'm at home caring for the kitties and catching up on work.

It's so quiet not having him around. No clicking of that damn mouse. No laughter, nothing. All i can hear in the distance is that beeping sound the garbage truck makes when it reverses.

I miss J already.

And so i've taken on to talking to Yoshi, just so i can get some kind of response.

Speaking of talking to Yoshi. On Friday night when J's younger brother came to stay the night, i think Yoshi was a little upset that he wasn't formerly introduced. Often he'd lay across the table in between the keyboard and myself to rest his head on my arm as i'd type. But i think him seeing somebody else in the chair that i would normally sit in made him very insecure.

And what better way is there to show an intruder who's boss, but to pee on the bed that i had just made for the guest.

Good thing i had a cover over the blanket.

Although he did warn me prior to marking his territory, i gotta give him credit for that. His continuous meowing and me responding with, "Yessss Yoshi" may have given him the wrong idea.

Note to self, when Yoshi meows in a repetitive manner, don't ignore him. He may be telling you something very important.

***

Yesterday it pretty much hovered around 5 degrees Celsius. It was grey and not at all pleasant. And according to the Weatherman it's going to rain for the remaining of the week. I see a slither of hope in the form of a patch of light. Maybe, i'll see the sun today. Through the window from the work room that is.

Well it's not like i really have to go anywhere.

The fridge has been stocked up and i've bought ample food for Luna and Yoshi. Nobody is going to starve in this household that's for sure. Although it's no fun having to cook for one. That said, tonight i'm planning on making Roti Canai. I think i've nearly perfected it and last night even started preparing the dough.

But i've got my projects to work on and possible apartments to bookmark, so really, i've got my week pretty much sorted.

So let's rewind a bit...

Last Saturday, we took J's younger brother for a wardrobe makeover. Not like i'm much of a fashionista, i'm far from it. I just know what i like when i see it. But the younger brother was lacking any direction and needed some guidance, so we were more than happy to assist.

The last time he went clothes shopping was two Christmases ago when he came to visit us when we were still living in Duesseldorf. Back when we had convinced him that there was more to just t-shirts and shorts for day/night time attire and that getting a hair cut was part of growing up.

Two hours and 250 Euros later, he left the store a reasonably happy customer.

So after playing Stylist for the afternoon, i rewarded myself by buying a fancy thick cable scarf from Tom Tailor. It's long enough to wrap around my neck twice. It's not itchy and it's made out of poly acrylic. In real life, the scarf is much lighter in colour than what the model has on.

Oh and i'm totally liking that blue top she's wearing too... damn it. I need some self control. I need to save my pennies for our move.

[source]

I haven't actually been outside yet since i bought it. But i may just purposely walk to the recycling bins or around the block, just so i can wear it.

I know, i'm so sad.

But what i'm really liking is the cable pattern and long tassels.

I should really learn how to knit. I'm sure it would save me so much money if i actually got into it.

The question is, do i really have the patience?

***

But what i do have patience for lately is, baking. Well not the complicated kind, just the straight forward recipes.

And seeing how much i love the taste of cinnamon, i tried out a Cinnamon Rolls recipe by Meg Kat. Generally, i LOVE cinnamon rolls but only if they have no raisins - yuck!

One would have never guessed that they were vegan.

I guess if you're not a soy fan, you could always replace it with milk. But then it would defeat the purpose of it being vegan.

But i have to say, i was surprised how easy they were to make! And even though i didn't use all the flour that the recipe had asked for, i'd say it still turned out quite good.

Maybe i messed up in the measurements somewhere along the way because if i had put all the flour in, the dough would have ended up too crumbly and not fuse together. And instead of sprinkling the cinnamon + margarine onto the flattened dough, i decided to spread it on in an even layer.

It's all good.

USEFUL TIP:
I will share something with you all that i learnt ages ago on a cooking show [that is if you don't know already]. If you plan on cutting a dough log such as the one above, try using dental floss. Wrap it around so the bottom piece crosses over the top and the top piece crosses the bottom. As you pull the ends in opposite directions, it should give you a clean cut.

Et voilà!

No more squished slices made by blunt knives. Cool, huh?

I left it to rest for about an hour and a half as the recipe had said. Be sure to leave enough room around each piece as it tends to get slightly bigger. And remember not to underestimate how big they will expand when they're baking.

I forgot to lay the crushed walnuts before i rolled the dough, so i just sprinkled some on top and they tasted just as good. For the glaze i used a concoction of milk [because J is allergic to soy when it's not properly cooked], powdered sugar and caramel syrup.

Great for a snack and/or paired with a freshly brewed coffee.

Koeln/Köln = Cologne

After falling asleep at home, we eventually arrived at the hotel at 4 AM and managed to squeeze in a 3-hour nap before J had to get up and make it to his job interview at 9 AM. I, on the other hand, spent the morning consoling his younger brother on the phone because his girlfriend of one year had just broken up with him. So by the time i hung up, it was time for me to get changed and pack.

Js younger brother ended up driving the 3 and a half hours to Koeln because he needed some company and ended up following us with his car so he could stay the night at our place.

Anyway back to the hotel...

I had booked a room at the B&B Hotel Köln Porz, thinking that the standard would be the same as in Hamburg.

Boy, was i wrong.


The hotel was directly across a casino and facing a parking lot. The room was the about the width of a double bed and it smelt of old cigarettes. The bathroom sink was covered in cigarette burns and the carpet floor had ash embedded in it from god knows how long ago. I'm not even going to go into detail about the questionable dried up dark splatter i saw on the bathroom wall.

Gross.

I've never felt so happy to check-out of a hotel room. And was eager for Js return, in hopes for some good news.


We thought we'd kill two birds with one stone and go for an apartment viewing. Our appointment was in the evening and so we spent the rest of the afternoon in the city just to buy some time. Turned out the apartment was perfect except for one problem, they didn't allow cats.

Oh well, better luck next time.

Anyway, for those of you who are not familiar with Koeln [also known as Cologne to many English speakers or those living outside Germany]. The city is most famous for their cathedral and Karneval.

REWIND:
About two and half years ago, J and i were living in separate cities but only an hour away from each other by train. We'd reunite every other weekend and often take day trips to neighboring cities.

24.05.2008

On that occasion, we decided to check out the Cologne cathedral. I had a look through my archives and realised i didn't have a blog post about it. I think i was going through a stage where i lost interest in regurgitating my thoughts.

24.05.2008

But lucky for you, i had uploaded a few photos into facebook. The ones above were taken in the bell tower [the halfway mark] and whilst going up the 509 steps to get to the steeple. Back when we were much fitter and didn't carry around our double chins.

FAST FORWARD:
My hair hangs down to my waist and we've both developed a few more lines on our faces. This is us now, looking slightly more bloated seasoned with only 3 hours sleep...

05.11.2010

The Koeln dome which pretty much looked the same since the last time we were there. Only difference was probably one of the steeples' were cleaner and the scaffolding had been moved to the next tower.


Smack bang in the middle of the city, we saw an archaeological site in progress.


And across a parking lot and next to some shops is "one of Cologne's oldest parish churches, it was modified several times during the Middle Ages and newly designed as a hall church between 1668 and 1672; steeple 1494 and facade 1896. The "Mourning Parents" are a replica and the original statues are now on the German war cemetery at Vladslo/Flanders in Belgium."

Those passersby can look through the metal gates to see that the roof is missing.


We also wasted some time looking in an antique shop that sold really expensive wooden furniture and ridiculously large metal animals.

Uh... OK.


At first i thought the price tag said 319 Euros, then figured out it was 39. But still, who would pay 39 Euros for a cracked frame and a dead leaf?


A fancy Koeln drain cover and an archway just above some apartments near the Rhine river.


Then as we were walking through one of the streets, we saw Hard Rock cafe. I was so excited, i insisted we go and have lunch there. It was much smaller than the one i had been to in Kuala Lumpur and helluva lot more expensive. At 10.25 Euros for a plate of cheese nachos, J and i made sure we cleaned the plate dry. But man, was every calorie worth it.

I ordered a veggie patty burger and a "Pickled Tink" which was a mix of Smirnoff Raspberry Vodka, Piña colada mix and fresh strawberries served frozen and garnished with two maraschino cherries.

It gave me a brain freeze but was totally yummy!


We accompanied his younger brother to get a haircut. Since there's nothing like a new hair do to make yourself feel just that little bit better after a break-up.

After waiting impatiently all afternoon, J finally received the phone call. Turned out they offered him a great deal with responsibilities he only dreamed of.

And so J was quick to accept.

So as part of his excitement, J insisted on buying me a pair of wedge boots from Buffalo. Buffalo is a shoe store that sells some really nice heels but are way over my budget. I often would bitch to him that i don't like wearing heels because they're so uncomfortable. So after trying on numerous pairs, J made me try on these and hoped they'd change my mind.

[source]

At first i was skeptical over those buckles. Looking a bit like my feet were parading around in a straight jacket, i was soon convinced they didn't look that bad. In fact, they added some character to the boots. And the dirt-like marks on the wedged part is apparently the new "vintage" look. New things made to look old.

Uh... OK. Whatever you say lady.

And the added insole i got is said to keep my feet warm when the temperature dips down lower.

Half an hour later, we left the store with another pair of shoes to add to my collection. And me being the abiding girlfriend, had successfully fulfilled J's [semi] heel fetish.

***

Oh and in case you didn't catch that...

We're moving to Koeln in January!

That gives us about seven weeks to get packed.

And so i'm sending out my wishes and hoping to find a somewhat centrally located, cat-friendly decent sized/priced 3-room apartment. Preferably, on the first floor with proper flooring. A balcony for the kitties and a built-in kitchen. Not forgetting a modern bathroom plus a bathtub and a toilet that doesn't belong in the 1920s. But more specifically a bathroom that also has a window.

Really, is it that too much to ask for?