So how did we go, you may ask? Did we manage to reap what we sowed following the fails of Green Thumbs Part 1 and the improvements of Part 2… well… in the end the results were mixed.
Author: debbiekaye1980
Hornets – those evil bastards
With the end of summer approaching, we finally got around to ordering flyscreens for the windows in our house. A week or two before they were set to be installed, I was nonchalantly brushing my teeth in the bathroom, windows wide open to let out the shower steam, when I was startled by the sound of an approaching 747…
You guessed right – it wasn’t a 747 like I’d initially thought – no it was something much, much worse.
It was an evil hornet.
Short Trips – the Midlands – Four lane roundabouts and a wedding
Recently we were privileged to be invited to a wedding in the Midlands, England. In my mind this conjures up visions of vast expanses of land and rich estates – a kind of Pride and Prejudice meets Downton Abbey – small towns, cute country lanes, rolling hills, hearty food and wide varieties of dialects. My husband and I opted to add a few days of unplanned driving – the aim was to wander aimlessly, traverse the hills, take in whatever sights we happened across, and eat and drink till we burst. Goal achieved! As I mentioned from my last visit to England, my opinion of the country has changed somewhat from being a boring (normal food, English-speaking) destination, into a familiar one that reminds me nostalgically of home.
Crazy Austrian Slippers? Clogs? Sandals? Indoor Shoes?
Before I came to Austria I had no idea that these were suitable footwear for home, work and play.
But I’m wiser now.
Things I love about this town
There’s so much to love about my town! On my frequent runs/walks, I have gathered a collection of some of my favourite sights. Enjoy!
The ducks
Somehow the ducks here seem to be cuter than in other places. Now, I know that’s not true, because ducks fly and are therefore found everywhere, but our ducks always seem to be happy, playing about in the river, regardless of the weather, and just bringing a smile to people’s lips.
Green Thumbs – Part 2 – The Growing
Heading into the start of summer, low and behold, all (ok, most of) the seeds I’d planted sprouted small green leaves. The radishes were thriving so naturally I planted plenty more – so proud. The fail of part 1 became a distant memory.
5 pumpkins and 4 zucchinis emerged, and while I was fully aware that I’d planted too many, I couldn’t quite bear to pull them out. What if some died later? The better idea, I thought, would be to keep them.
Might rethink that next year. What on earth can we do with 60+ zucchinis?
Farewell Grandma – a collection of memories
A few weeks ago I received the inevitable but upsetting call – my grandma had passed away.
I was home alone on a Friday morning and I had no idea what to do with the news. I cried, I called a friend, I cried some more and then I just felt lost.
Because I couldn’t do anything. I was too far away to help my parents out, provide support or attend the funeral. The last time I saw her was 18 months ago. She was in relatively good spirits until the end, though had definitely been on a bit of a downward spiral in the last months. I felt better knowing that she hadn’t been too uncomfortable, had died peacefully in her sleep, and was probably more than ready to let go.
Green Thumbs – Part 1 – The Fail
This year marked our first summer in the house, and therefore, my first chance to start my own ‘vege patch’.
I was an expert gardener, I proclaimed. My younger days helping my dad in the garden obviously meant I knew everything about growing vegetables.
Getting Old – one day it actually just happens
I have always been told I look young. Ok, it wasn’t so fun getting my ID checked at age 23 but still, I thought to myself, at some point this has to blow the other way. At some point, I’ll be happy that people think I’m younger than I look. And surely, I surmised, the inside matches the out – I eat (relatively) healthy, keep fit and am mentally just your average kind of person – everyone’s got issues, right? So I figured that even though I was heading for my mid-late 30s, everything was going to hold up at least for another little while.
And then things started going downhill. Continue reading
Fudln – Uno with a twist
We’re all familiar with Uno – Uno is a worldwide phenomenon. But when I came to Austria I discovered a new and exciting variation – Fudln.
Ok, let’s be honest, I have a feeling that Fudln is confined to my small Austrian family. And quite possibly there are plenty of other families all over the world that play it and give it a different name. But our name is Fudln , and this is how it goes.
