Day 141: Not a lot to talk about really, plodding ever onwards.

Day 140: Today I really feel like running down to the beach and jumping into the surf, it would really feel like mythical Australia that I miss, rather than the 98% real life Australia that actually exists . Its strange how when family and friends are in distress I start to feel "home sick", even though rationally there is nothing more or different I could do if I am here or if I was there.

German Humour:
Do you know where Africa is?
Well, my colleague is from Africa and he comes to work by bike every morning, so it can't be too far away.

Day 139: What a piece of work is man, how noble in reason... the beauty of the earth, the paragon of animals.
Yeah right. I've got one word to say to you, peoples. Fudoobaduhs. Yes, I felt them flapping around when I was doing my workout and even more horrifying SAW them while I was painting last night. I would like to imagine its just extremely developed triceps in the relaxed position but I don't think even my powers of denial extend that far.

Day 138: Back in the swing of painting and feeling very positive about this 'verticality' series. If I can keep up with a little painting and a little German work every day throughout the summer I will be very pleased.

Day 137: A little overtired, a little overheated, basically just not in the mood.
Italy kicked the Aussies out of the world cup. Que Sera Sera.... or is that Spanish?

Day 136: No matter how much you love your friends, is there anything nicer than a guest room without guests?

Day 135: Don't be deceived, its not the abdomen of David Beckham, Its ME! Yes, my tribute to the World Cup, or the World (without end) Cup as I'm starting to think of it. Aussie Oi, Aussie Oi.
If you scored a goal and millions of people were staring in wonder at your skill, why would you put your shirt over your face?

Day 134: At the end of the day everything turned out alright on the night!

Day 133: On behalf of the Lollypop Guild, I'd like to welcome you to Munchenland.

Day 132: Started back at the gym so feeling if not self righteous, at least a little less sluggish. Wrote the story of Katie-Lou the Wattle Fairy and did the washing up. Now to my take home German test, which so far is looking for the most part understandable - the questions that is, not the answers!

Day 131: Awake again, but only just.
"Yes, I am high maintenance. But I think you've got to be." (Kath Day-Knight).

Day 130: In hibernation, or in hiding? I wonder if there is a difference?

Day 129: I think Marilyn Monroe was photographed in this pose once, looked different with her.
Just a personal post it note to remind myself that the past week of indulgence and no gym visits has done me no good. Time (again) to get serious about this project if I am to really get healthy.

Day 128: Not precisely on the day, around 2.30am. But if you haven't been to sleep its the same day. Another busy tour of important and beautiful German cultural highlights, or at least football games and souvenir shops. Looking horridly like Madam Mao here, those droplets of Chinese blood certainly have a way of making their presence obvious from time to time.

Day 127: More an emotional portrait than anything useful to the agenda of this project. A day in Frankfurt, full of freakish football fans. I felt like I was being squashed beneath all the energy, although that's not the right word. More like I was swimming underneath a particularly huge wave and temporarily invisible underneath the heaving power of the mass. Not a frightening feeling, just a sense of disharmony with the forces inspiring the tide.

Day 126: Here in the land of heat and football... Actually it's my one true dissatisfaction with Germany, I had assumed that with the cold winters I would be escaping from these terrible extreme summer temperatures that depressed me in Sydney. But no, here we have it all. Thank God for the cellar (Its cooler, I don't drink my problems away.)

Had an email from a very important friend who I lost touch with more than 17 years ago. Its confronting to recognize how much has changed in that time frame, although more for the scope of the changes rather than their direction. Not to worry, I can rest assured that IF I still had the same hair as in that era I'd still look 22 today... to a blind person...in a dark room.

Day 125: A fantastic day with Mr MC of Enmore, now in sunny Germany for the world cup. Nice to have the banter of an old friendship and a history now of several years. So hot though, and summer is just beginning. Almost time to head back to the water somewhere I think although it may be still a bit icy. Here I am with Hugo Asbach, inventor of Asbach brandy in Rudesheim. I wonder what my celebrity plaque will celebrate??

Day 124: In the hot, hazy, summer glare. A final tidy up and then orf to the airport.

Day 123: The non surgical facelift - hang upside down and let gravity do its work. Most effective when NOT looking surprised that one has not fallen over, or that one is in fact falling over.

Day 122: The Father in Law's birthday bash went off with a bang! I really enjoy cooking for a party, its been quite a few years since I've had the resources to do it and catering for this do with someone else paying was really fantastic. While my in laws bridge the language gap with food as a currency of affection, I do realize I do exactly the same thing. Still, everyone had a great time. Being in control of the menu also meant the choices were all very healthy and generally low fat.... well the 2kg of sausages per person was not so healthy, but the chicken breasts were a good option. At least everyone agreed that the large selection of pork steak could go to the freezer to be used next Saturday when we do it all again with friends from Oz and the U.S..

Being probably the most sentimental person alive, it was also a nice trip through past times, using a recipe I had learnt when I did a party for my mother's 60th birthday, using the egg separator that Lizzie threw in my Christmas stocking a couple of years ago, or the plastic container that Kirsten packed home made biscuits in another Christmas. I did bring crazy things like a few plastic boxes with me for this very reason, because on days like these they become some of the most important possessions in the world.

Day 121: Suddenly summer at full force. Looking a right old slapper, excuse me Flapper, with this extravagant kiss curl. Am really at risk of becoming the comb over king but its fun for now.
Caramelized onions are finally ready and now to check the Pav.

Day 120: Safely in the middle... of something.
Meanwhile the dog has just destroyed my new retro lamp, I was just planning how to keep the cord out of his range of interest but a few moments too late. For some reason he found it appealing right from the start. I suppose we will be able to replace the cord eventually, but a shame not to have everything as planned for the "grand tour" by rellos this weekend and the visitors next week. Oh well.

And more joy in German, not only are there 16 versions of "the", I now discover that 15 of them can also mean 'that', as in the washing machine is a device THAT washes clothes. Yay. I had wondered why there sometimes seem to be too many words in a sentence.

But now on with the fun! Today it's the rest of the shopping and baking the birthday Florentines.

Day 119: More of me, are you noticing the theme?
A bright sunny day, would be nice for a picnic or general lounging around. However, Princess Dagmar came for dinner last night so there is much washing up to be done before the first of the big shopping trips for the week of festivities ahead. I have to acknowledge that the organizer instinct and the control freak in me certainly dominate from time to time, certainly more powerful than the wish to sit back and let things happen. Oh well, when I can't have a decent conversation at least cooking for people is a very effective bonding opportunity.

Day 118: Tis me tis me must go, and you must bide.
Actually what is good in German is a word for must in the past tense, ich muste. More elegant than I had had to.

Day 117: Struggled through German class, finished setting up the school exhibition for tomorrow night's opening, didn't get to gym but did get all the window's washed. Received two snail mails from Australia, both of which were real treasures. Gearing up for a fortnight of visitors, tourist trailing, family birthday feasting and general indulgent living!

Day 116: Not a lot to say really. A brief flash of full sun in the afternoon, but rapidly back to grey. The weather, not my mood.

Day 115: Sometimes less is more, there is something nicely emotive about this portrait although I don't think I am in any particularly powerful emotional state today that it accurately reflects. Guess that's why its art!

Pentecost Sunday, so pause for thought, especially as I read about a very disturbing new computer game where the fundamentalist Christians kill all non Christians and non-fundamentalist Christians from the planet to create the kingdom of God on Earth. I am hoping its all some sick joke somewhere along the line but actually feel too squeamish about it to investigate further.

On a happier note, today was the first occasion upon which the puppy lifted his leg to do a wee! Certainly a big milestone in the life of our family. His puppy fluff is slowly turning into the characteristic poodle curls, its starting on his back at the base of the tail and moving slowly over the rest of his body. We took him for a long walk in the park today and saw a restaurant called La Fattoria. Certainly it must mean something very appealing in Italian, but I can't imagine they have a very large English speaking clientele!

Day 114: Well the rooms are finished, but instead of me basking in the sparkling, stylish glory of the guest room (do love alliteration, have you noticed?) today's photo is me being the Uberhausfrau and checking up on the neighbours. Its a professional pass time here and I'm slightly ashamed to admit that I've taken to it like a fish to water! I know more about the people living nearby than I have about any other neighbours in my entire life, including those on the other sides of the paper thin walls in the Harrington Street Hell Hole. The stories I could tell, for example...

Day 113: Today must surely be the last day such a catastrophic mess is present in our house. Any minute now the sofabed will be put together, the new light fittings installed and everything will be in its appointed place!

Strange how words stick in the mind, we discovered a new bakery in the town today, one of the new trends here of 'serve yourself' bakeries. While in Australia there may be a pub on every corner, here there is literally a bakery and another on every street in between. I'm glad this one has come, it has both bagels and raisin bread, which are two things previously unavailable and greatly missed. They also have a do it yourself slicing machine, which we managed to work out without cutting our arms off or breaking (although it does have a very noisy lid if you drop it). So as the bread started to chug through the machine and slice successfully, my thought was "Isn't that snazzy!" Where on earth did that come from? Snazzy is not a word I can remember ever using before, I believe it was something my mother would have said in the '70s! I hate to think what else is lurking away behind the scenes in there, and worse still, waiting to pop out in unexpected moments.

Day 112: Earned some money today, so that felt good. That we went out and spent most of it straight away also felt good actually! Here I am with my 'treat' purchase, a very kitsch lamp made of halogen tubes. I've admired it in a slightly embarrassed way for some time and today it was reduced by 75% so now at last its mine.

Smoking in the workplace, and almost every other place, is still acceptable in Germany so have had a bit of a headache after spending 3 hours in a smoky office this morning. So much for international non smoking day, although to be fair that was yesterday. Maybe they were making up for lost time? Its very strange here, you walk into a shopping centre of the airport and there are non smoking signs all over the place, declarations that it is a smoke free environment, however there are smoking areas every few metres and smokers in and around every bar and cafe. Its something that really detracts from enjoying a meal out, or even a visit to a cafe for a snack, especially when the old guys light up their cigars. You can cough and splutter as dramatically as you want but its not part of the culture to associate this with their smoking. Anyway, the point of that was to explain I have a headache so will get to my emails tomorrow. Of course I realize I could have just gone and written the emails in the same time but... I didn't! Tchuss bis morgan.