The Concert....

The concert last night was loud and crowded... I think I'm getting too old for that stuff!

I experimented around with my camera and got some pretty cool shots of the stage and the surrounding buildings...

Then Regina grabbed the camera and took this shot...

The singer we listened to is a German named Max Mutzke and is very popular. His style is more blues/jazz then pop. I did try to film a short bit of his performance ... I may post it later.

Anyway, it was a nice evening. Today I was lazy once again and tomorrow is a holiday so maybe I can have another lazy day....

Dorrie

The pie... and kids

First of all, I present you with my apple pie. No, it doesn't look as good as a store bought one, but it's the taste that counts, right?

And here are a few pictures of the visit with my family.... first, son, Carsten, and daughter, Regina, with the newest family addition, my son's daughter Priyasha.

And Priyasha with the two grandma's.....

The other kids were running around and playing so much that I didn't catch any nice pictures! LOL

I went on a business trip today, taking advantage of the great weather we're having. Now I'm waiting for Regina to pick me up and together with another friend we're going downtown. Every year there's a 5 stage band concert that goes on for 4 days! All together, about 90 live acts perform! If you click here you can see some pictures from 2006.

Well, I better get ready!

Dorrie

Pictures... because it's been a while..

The apple pie I needed to bake for tomorrow is finished and at least it smells good. I am in NO way an expert cook or baker... and I dislike doing both. But I can do both when necessary.... and not too badly, either.

Since I know you all enjoy seeing pictures instead of long text entries, here are a couple I took in the past days.

First, Shila.... sitting like a queen after running around the apartment like a crazy banshee....

We had some pretty wild weather the past days. On Sunday we had record high temperatures, and very humid, too. Then some hurricane type storms hit with flooding in some parts of Germany, large hail stones, thunder and lighting, and even tornados!! And now? Temps have dropped back down, it's off and on rainy.... just yuck. But the other night I caught this sunset from my balcony and I just had to try and get a picture taken.... and it turned out all right, if I do say so myself....

I mentioned a business trip on Tuesday. While there, I saw something that you don't normally see in Germany, and reminded me of a dear JS'er/blogspoter who hasn't been posting in some time and I'm beginning to get REALLY worried. Many of you will know who I mean....

Well, that's all for now. I'm sure I'll have some fun pictures to share after tomorrow.... I'll once again have all 4 of my little granddaughters around me!

Dorrie

Back to work.....

Things went easier at work then I thought it would after being gone for a week. I was afraid I would have tons of important emails but there were only 25 and none THAT important.

Some of you may have read about my work troubles the past years. There was this jerk at the office that was really giving me a bad time.... call it harassment if you want. He poisoned others against me, too. I was close to a nervous breakdown last summer and part of my recent health problems MAY be caused by all of that. I even considered quitting (now-a-days you don't quit a good paying job with the government with only 5 more years to work, but that's how bad things had gotten).

Well, that guy finally went into retirement, but one of the new guys he trained in is such an arrogant SOB

Anyway, it got pretty much to the point that no matter what I would say, no one would listen. The Jerk, before leaving, even called me incompetent right to my face! Yet he was the prime example of incompetence! I tried to attach his actions to his age (65) and assumed he was just.... stupid,

.....or simply full of shit!

But now... oh wonder! Now the way of doing some things are being changed.... and changed to the way I tried to have them done to begin with! Are they beginning to realise I wasn't so "incompetent" or wrong after all?

I had to laugh when my boss told me today about a change in proceedures that he, along with the arrogant guy (Jerk 2) and the other new guy (who is ok ... so far. He arrived as a replacement for the Jerk so didn't get "poisoned"), talked about last week during my absence. Those are the exact proceedures I have been fighting for the past couple of years!

So that made me feel good..... now I just have to wait and see how things develope over the next weeks.

Otherwise not much new to report. Next weekend is a holiday weekend once again. The Germans celebrate Pentecost Monday as a legal holiday! Next month I have tons of weekend business stuff to do.... air shows to visit that I am NOT particularly looking forward to. I know, for some of you that would be hard to believe. Maybe I'll get some interesting pictures out of it.

So, enough

Dorrie

P.S. I'm beginning to feel more and more at home over at KCL... lots of former JS'ers showing up there.

I have noticed a huge drop in updates among my favs here at blogger... I hope it's only temporary. Even if I spend more time at KCL, I will still check out this place and post occassionaly. I hope my 101 followers will continue to visit me *wink*

My Voice is Back!

Yep, I found it... well, almost. There's still a bit missing so I am still TRYING to keep my mouth shut! That's not easy when the kids call, or stop to visit like my daughter did today.... or yelling at the cat!

But I'm been good... taking my meds, reading, blogging, reading, being lazy as the doctor ordered.

Thank you all for the well wishes!

Today was a holiday... always a bummer when you're sick on a holiday.

Kate asked what books I'm reading. I had started book 1, "Taliesin" of "The Pendragon Cycle" by Stephan Lawhead about 2 weeks ago. All together there are 5 in the serious. I am now half way through book # 3, "Arthur". The only thing that bother's me about the books is they're translated in German and the translator did a poor job I think.... I have found quite a number of grammar errors! Since German is a second language for me, those errors throw me off and make me wonder if they really are errors.

I LOVE historical novels! And I love stories about King Arthur. I saw the movie "Camelot" at least 20 times, in fact it was my very first VHS video I ever owned and of course I now have it on DVD.

Anyway, 3 more days of laziness, then we'll see how much voice is back on Monday. I'll keep y'all informed....

Dorrie

Voice returning.... slowly...

Yes, I've been a good girl! I followed my doctor's orders and did LOTS of resting and hardly any talking. My daughter called once, my son called once, otherwise the only ones I could test my voice on was Wheelie and Shila.

I spent lots of time laying and bed and managed to read 2 books and started a third. I didn't do as much on the computer as I had hoped, and avoided doing any but necessary housework.

My voice is just now coming back. It's still a bit scratchy so I must take care....

The bad part of being signed off sick... tomorrow is a holiday and I can't "enjoy" it. And I had hoped to get some overtime in this weekend. Oh, well..... I'll just continue to be lazy.

Dorrie

Lazy week ahead.. doctor's orders!

My voice is still missing. I've been looking high and low but can't find it!

So, I marched over to the doctor's office this morning (it's walking distance from my apartment) and waited an hour in the waiting room since I didn't have an appointment. As soon as I opened my mouth, trying to talk, he knew why I was there. He checked and decided it was indeed laryngitis. He gave me a prescription for a spray, signed me off work for the rest of the week, and also sent me off to a ear-nose-throat specialist to make sure it wasn't something else. The receptionist called them to get me an appointment (since I couldn't talk). Since the appointment she arranged was an hour later, I hopped in my car, drove downtown, found a parking spot, and walked to the office (same one I had an appointment at last Monday for my ears.... different story), arriving a few minutes early. The specialist came to the same conclusion as my house doctor did. (see, we do NOT wait months to get appointments, as some people claim we do with our insurance system).

So now I am "stuck" home for a whole week! *sigh*

Yes, I will be good... I'll take my spray, I'll avoid doing ANY talking, and read my book

And maybe do some computer stuff

It's very seldom that I get sick. Even my daughter keeps reminding me of that fact. So, I'm just going to try and "enjoy" the quiet and use this time as a chance to be lazy... with a good excuse.

Dorrie

Called in sick... finally ;-)

Well, I finally decided that this cough is getting too much, especially since it's causing me headaches. And after I ended up late yesterday with NO VOICE, and still having no voice today, I reported in sick and left the office early.

I managed to catch my doc before he left for his lunch break (he already had his coat on, but let me in anyway). He prescribed me some drops (which my insurance does NOT cover and signed me off sick through Sunday (yay, no weekend business trips!). If I'm still feeling bad on Monday, he'll extend it.

We do not get "sick days" over here. When you're sick, you can stay home on full pay, as long as a doctor writes a note... a copy going to the office, and one going to the insurance. I keep forgetting how long you can be sick on full pay, or when the insurance kicks in. But you do NOT lose your job for being sick! In fact, your job usually gets held for you until you can return.... your co-workers trying to cover your load. We once had a gal sick for 8 months and the poor guy who shared her job had to do all her stuff as well.... and didn't get a bonus or anything for it. She then returned, but then got transfered to a different department and we got someone new.

Well, now I'm going to fix some soup, then go to bed.

Yes, I'll be checking in on y'all occassionally...

Dorrie

Happy Birthday Simon! and KCL news...

Today is our dear Simon's birthday! Have a happy one, Simon!

Simone is a great writer and a very funny guy. He was one of the first to help me out when I first discovered blogging (thanks to fin) way back in 2003, at our former journalspace. He once wrote a JS Sage, which I still have available on my homepage... unfortunately it never got finished.

And he was one of the main characters in my Legend of the Furies tale.

Some of you know that a new blogging site has been set up called keepconnectedlive, or KCL. The admin is a former JS'er and is doing an awesome job of making it like our old site. Unfortunately he has run into server problems because the site is becoming so popular! He is now transfering all of the site to a new server, but it's going to take a few days. So, if you are trying to open the sie and wondered what happened, now you know. He did send an email notice to as many members as possible, but the one or the other may not have gotten the message.

And of course I have set up a KCL refugee camp at my forum.

And me? Today is Thursday, and as my regular readers would know, it's my LONG work day! Tonight is my last Thursday dance class for this semester, so I will have Thursday evenings free now until September. I'm kind of glad.....

Anyway, off I go to get ready for work.

Dorrie

JS T-Shirt

FINALLY, I managed to get Sunny's JS t-shirt off to the next person, Wizardress. Sorry it took so long... but with all the running around I did the past days, it's a wonder it got sent off at all!

Here's wishing everyone a great week.... AND KEEP BLOGGING!

Dorrie

Mom's day...

Yes, this year the American and the German Mother's Day all on the same day... which has not always been the case.

My mom is far away in San Diego, yet I think of her daily and I want her and my dad to know that.

This is her back in 1950 holding me .....

and already making a coke addict out of me LOL

Over the years she had to take care of my two brothers and me all by herself... our dad was often for months at a time off to sea. I think she did a darn good job of it, too!

I remember her always being there for us. She was always sewing something or baking a cake.

This is a picture I took this past January.

She has started suffering from Alzheimer and it has now gotten so bad, that she is now in a care home.

Mom, I will always remember you as the caring and dedicated mom that you always were for me and my brothers. And also as the loving grandma for my kids. I'm just sad that you have not been able to meet your GREAT-grandkids.

Happy Mother's Day from the family and friends on this side of the big pond...

This was taken at Priyasha's baptism.

Dorrie

Moving.... in many ways

I'm moving, as in still on the go! lol I again helped my daughter, Regina, move into her new apartment. She and the girls will spend the night there for the first time tonight. We a little, eh lots of, help from her friends... and me... she's pretty well finished.

My entries are also moving. Yes, I know it's a bummer to follow links, but I'm trying to do my posts primarily at KCL. You can read my entries under WESTY, what else! The site is being run by a former JS'er and he's doing an awesome job to make it like our former JS once was.

Some of you may remember his wife, the one and only EvilFury!! So come on over and join us!

As mentioned in my last entries, I have been, and still am, busy busy and that's why I can't post in two sites. I'll still be here to read everyone, and also post occassionally.

We are having off and on thunder storms since yesterday. I used to be so afraid of those storms, but not any more.... I now love watching them!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Dorrie

no time.... as usual

No time for a normal post, but I did want to share at least one photo from Sundays baptism.

This is my son, Carsten, and his wife, Karen, both all dressed up in traditional India attire, holding precious Priyasha. My daughter, Regina, and their cousin, Christine, were the two godmothers. Christine is holding a traditional Easter candle which was lit on the flame of the large Easter candle in the church.

Even though Karen and her family are from India, they are Catholics, like us, so it was a Catholic ceremony.

After the mass we went to a reception with lots of cake and Indian food. No, I did NOT bake this cake! lol

It was a fun day for all.

I'm having trouble "winding down" after that long weekend. It seems I've been on the go for the past two weeks... almost non-stop. Even today I drove after work to my daughter's new apartment (long story) to help put furniture together.

It's been raining the past couple of days and temperatures have dropped! It's like April was our summer and now, in May, it's fall already. Weird.....

Dorrie

what a weekend!

First of all, thank you all for the comments in the past entries!

The weekend went well, my MIL is now at her son's home (my ex) instead of staying here another night... not because she didn't want to, but it was more sensible logistically.

So tomorrow I have the day all to myself!

Maybe I'll even find time to upload the pictures I took.... I'll be having tons to share with you all, so beware!

It was mentioned in one of the comments below about how green this country is. Yes, we do have lots of forests and at the moment the flowers and trees are just exploding with color. We had a few thunder storms passing through which provided them lots of much needed water.

I'm extremely sad that a number of friends are discontinuing blogging. I know, I almost did the same, but I guess I'm just too addicted to blogging and all of my readers. Besides, as I've said before, I NEED to keep up with everyone.

I especially miss lowandslow and now our dear Sunny has decided to no longer write. Gosh I'll miss her positive attitude! I understand her reasons... real life DOES at times have priorities, but I'm still sad.

And there are others I miss.... the list is too long to add here. But, I guess that's life....

Well, time for me to disappear to dreamland.... it's been quite an exciting and few days.....

Dorrie

Home again...

Well, the first parts of my "busy, busy" days are over.

I drove to my ex-MIL's yesterday, as planned, after helping my daughter with her apartment. The drive was uneventful since, being a holiday, nearly no trucks were on the Autobahns. We just now got back home. We had a lovely visit and some very good talks about all the goings-on in the family.

She's now reading the newspaper, then we'll drive into town to sightsee and shop, before going out to dinner.

Tomorrow afternoon we join the rest of the family for the baptism.

I'm sure I'll have pictures to share soon.... heck, I already have tons in hiding... so don't worry, as General MacArthur said in the Philippines in WWII...... I SHALL return!

Dorrie

P.S. as a bonus..... here's a picture of the big lake located in the middle of my city called The Woog:

Enjoy the weekend everyone!