It will all be ok

I rationally know that but at times, I seem to 'emotionally' forget it...

Gewusst wie

How do I get people to listen to me?
How long until they realize that I am right most of the time? (yes, I wanted to write ALWAYS)
When will people stop wasting my time?

So many questions, and no answers. I shall struggle on.

STOP

I am hereby making a 'no more shopping' pledge. For practical reasons as I don't have any more space and really do not want to buy more furniture. And let's face it: I really have enough of everything!

Excluded from the pledge are fabrics. Having said that, I will try to use up the pile of fabric I still have instead of keep buying new ones. Wish me luck!

Easy-peasy

It's always so easy to give advice when looking in from the outside. But when you are on the inside, it gets trickier. Why is it that our view on our own life is - very often - clouded by all sorts of things?

Mirror, mirror on the wall

 

Another ebay purchase arrived the other day. And it took me forever to put it together. Personally, I think the manual wasn't clear (why have holes where no screws need to go??? That is so misleading!) but I fear that my complete incompetence also played a role. I somehow couldn't get my head round how the door attached to the body for the mirror...

Either way, I did it! And after 7 weeks, I finally have a mirror again. Plus a great and space-saving way to store my jewellery.

Friday night zen

Have you ever heard of Aerial Yoga? I hadn't until earlier this week, when I googled meditation classes and found Yoga Art - a yoga studio in Rosenheim that offers Aerial Yoga classes. Of course I had to try it!

Throughout the day, my motivation was dwindling significantly though.  After another long week, I really just wanted to go home. But I am so glad I went. It was so much fun! And I left feeling super relaxed and calm. Just the right amount of pushing myself into certain stretching moves without being too taxing. Great way to start the weekend.

The influencer

There are four ways to fasten a bra apparently. And the way you do it apparently says something about your personality. Who knew?
(but seriously: who fastens their bra and then puts it on like a top? Please get in touch!)

IKEA Guru

I've been spending the last couple of evenings, building my new IKEA furniture. And I actually enjoyed it. Looking for meaning in my life, I am now considering becoming an IKEA guru. It remains to be seen whether I can make money that way...

No photos for now, as my flat is still a complete mess. And I had to realize that I have too many books and too many DVDs and most definitely too many clothes for the furniture I have at the moment. I will spend the weekend trying to put things in some sort of order and primarily move all the empty boxes to the cellar. And then plan for the next round of furniture...

I'm such a baby

I can be such a baby at times... During my colleague's three weeks' leave, I am covering for one of her bigger projects. The project itself has been relatively quiet but today I had to chair a planning call which included a lot of people.

I am generally happy to lead a call, no matter how many people are involved but a) I hate technology and it involved screen sharing and that sort of stuff (and then I couldn't get the conference phone to work...) and b) I always feel uncomfortable when I am don't know all the details. And of course I didn't know all the details as it's not my event, despite what felt like a million handover meetings. Which also contributed to my angst levels - leading through the call was portrayed as this mammoth task.

Anyhow, as you can gather, I survived and even got a lovely thank you from the client. And now I can breathe again :-)

Know thyself

My recent grumpiness is annoying. The only good thing is that I know it will pass.

Through a group on FB for English speakers, I met P. We've been chatting since I moved here and had arranged several meetings. Which always got cancelled. We scheduled to meet for coffee today. 20 minutes before we were meant to meet, I got a message and immediately thought P was cancelling. But instead she just told me that she was on her way. Not that I had any better - or really ANY - plans for the afternoon - or really day and night - but I was feeling very anti-social. Nevertheless, I told myself, that this meeting might never happen if I cancelled today.

So, I went. And I am very glad I did. P was lovely and very open and strangely reminded me of my successor in my last job... We had a nice chat and it would be nice to meet again. Now that I have a car, I can also join the regular meet up in the little village she lives in. Always looking to meet new people! :-)

And a blurry ice chocolate

Grown up

I picked up my car tonight! Somehow this feels like the most grown up thing I've done so far. Buying a car. And I am terrified to drive it. I am seriously considering taking a couple of driving lessons to feel more confident behind the wheel...

First thing I had to do is fill it with petrol. Now, the petrol station closest to my flat only sells Diesel, supreme Diesel (or something along those lines) and Super. I actually asked the attendant what to get as the car says unleaded petrol. What the hell is that these days???

Another interesting moment: when I registered my car, she asked for my bank details. Which will be passed on so they can get the car tax from me. I hadn't even thought about that. Plus my insurance costs me nearly half what the car cost me... But at least, I will be able to finally buy some lamps and bins and other essentials for my flat that I am not able to transport on my bike. How wonderful!

Another Time Out list

20 things Londoners say vs what they really mean

There he goes...

My future husband

The Gaufest was happening while A was here for the weekend. I didn't quite share her enthusiasm for German Blasmusik, men in Lederhosen and women in Dirndl...
The Herbstfest - Rosenheim's Oktoberfest - will start at the end of August and my company has a couple of tables reserved. Funnily enough, I am not planning on spending more than 100€ on a dirndl. In fact I am not planning on spending a single cent on a dirndl. One of my colleagues has a Lederhosen though which I am quite intrigued by. I wonder whether that is a good look on me. Probably not...

goodbye

The other day, I came across the box with the farewell presents from my colleagues. I am assuming R picked most if not all of them and she knows me well:

Isn't that a super sweet collection?

My last day in the office felt less emotional than anticipated. J seemed semi-set on making me cry and I even gave a mini speech during the farewell lunch. We usually go for drinks, but as I (rightly) assumed that some people would not have time to go out after work, I had asked for a lunch. Which was really nice and I had fish and chips on the Narrow Boat - a lovely Pub on the canal in Islington (and yes, it featured on Time Out before - as the loyal readers of the blog will surely remember ;-)). 

After work, S - my new assistant - organized drinks at the Bavarian Bierkeller. I wonder whether my boss was the only one who thought that was a great idea. Quite frankly - and having been to the place before - it's certainly not what I would have picked. Especially as I was about to move to the REAL Bavaria.... Anyhow, just a further indication that S and I were not really on the same wavelength (may I add that she's German, too).

Anyhow, only a small group of people went and it was nice. But again not emotional, most likely as I wasn't close to any of the people who came along (except for J).

Weird to think that this all happened less than two months ago. Which already feels like an eternity. And I think back with wistfulness...

PS: Totally forgot to include a pic of the necklace, I also got:

Boy, drive darling

bad timing

Tomorrow is a bank holiday here. Not everywhere in Germany but here in Bavaria. As the 15th is a Saturday this year, this means that we 'lose' a free day this year. It also means that all shops will be closed tomorrow.

Oh, how I miss London...

exposure

One of the (many...) things I really cannot stand, is when people think I am stupid. Please, do not pretend something is all for MY benefit and to MY advantage, when it serves nothing but your purpose. Quite frankly, the decision is not even strategically a good one.

Let's see how I feel about it all in a few months time. At the end of the day, I don't owe anyone anything. And I am making my viewpoint very clear. If you choose to ignore it - suit yourself.

On the upside: my plan to work my 40 hours worked surprisingly well this week. Long may it continue.

I should get a cycling helmet

I - again - nearly got knocked over today by a very, very stupid woman who only looked right. When I came from (her) left, and it was my right of way. When approaching, I wondered whether she'd turn to look my way before driving... next time, I might consider stopping, just in case! Luckily she didn't drive fast and I could swerve just enough not to get run over.
That f*cking b*tch... And I worried about cycling in London...

Bring on the weekend

I am wallowing in self-pity. I feel I am allowed to, once in a while. Not sure what exactly it is, but I feel like swearing and screaming most day. Nevertheless, I have clearly honed my coping mechanisms and the self-pity and frustration is still balanced by every day loveliness that comes my way.  

I came home today to numerous deliveries: 

• my nightstand arrived and was waiting for me outside my door. Shipped in one piece, I didn't even have to build it.
• the London skyline window sticker I ordered on ebay (and which might well just make me more homesick...)
• the window foil thingy that will mean people can't look into my flat through the balcony doors anymore
• a surprise parcel from my sis
• and my desk

As instructed, the delivery man left the two parcels in my cellar. Unfortunately, they were so heavy, I couldn't carry them up the short flight of stairs to my flat. My helpful neighbours were out and I was impatient. So, I ended up carrying it piece by piece upstairs. The bloody instruction says you need 2 people to build it. We shall see about that...

And to round up the day, I bought my first car. As you do.

Daredevil

Got home and unfortunately my neighbour either wasn't there or the parcel delivery man didn't check. They will be back to delivery my desk (aka sewing table) tomorrow. One of my options would have been to get it delivered next Wednesday, when I will work from home anyway to receive my IKEA delivery. But I of course would like my desk sooner rather than later.

One of the options is to ask the delivery man to leave the parcel somewhere. So, I've gone for this option. Surely, it's all safe here, right?

The main issue was to find tape to tape the parcel notification card to my letter box and another note to my cellar compartment. I KNOW that I have tape somewhere. In one of my boxes presumably. But for the life of me I cannot find it. So, I recycled some of the tapes from my moving boxes. Fingers crossed it will stick until tomorrow for the delivery driver to see the notes.

What can possibly go wrong?

Double pay

July was a good month for my bank account. As if to make up for the transition to this new phase in my life, I more or less got two salaries. As I hadn't able to take my remaining holidays in my old job due to circumstances, I got them paid out. And my new employer transferred the costs for my move (which I had of course paid, so it was a reimbursement only) together with my July salary. Well, what better place to spend some money than in London?!

The plan had only been to accompany my friend who was looking for a present for her boyfriend. And I have to admit that I don't/didn't usually shop in Selfridges. As it turned out, for good reasons...

First I spotted an amazing Alexander McQueen coat. With an amazing price tag, too. Fortunately, it really didn't suit me... But then we came past this gorgeous Vivienne Westwood coat. Not that I needed another black winter coat (having just bought another one last year). I tried it on and fell in love. Still convincing myself that I would walk away anyway. I argued that I didn't want to carry the bag around with me at dinner and then the cabaret but I considered coming back on Monday (it was Saturday).

As you will have guessed by now. I bought it. There and then with a little encouragement from G (no worries, I take full responsibility for my actions!!). The coat is way too lovely to be worn just to work. If that isn't extra motivation to go out... then what is??!

I am also rather pleased cause what could be a better buy in London than something of quirky Ms Westwood!

PS: Photo to follow once I have a full length mirror

Lilly, the office dog

It actually is a crime that I waited more than a month to introduce you to Lilly, our office dog. As criminal as the fact that I have hardly seen her since I started, despite continuously promising myself to make time for daily dog cuddles.

Better late than never:

Isn't she adorable? It's ok that she's my favourite colleague, right?

Home coming

After just a month I had the opportunity to spend the weekend in London. My brother messaged me saying he was curious to hear what it would be like, now that I don't live there anymore.

And to be honest: it didn't feel as if I didn't live there anymore. London still feels like home. Which is not really that surprising, given that I haven't been away for very long. As is often the case (with me), I felt more homesick when I was there, than when I am here. While a few of my friends were unfortunately on holiday. I managed to catch up with others and I had such a lovely time. Doing all the things I used to do, which also painfully reminded me how different things are at the moment. But also and more importantly it reminded me that it is entirely up to me to create the life I want here in Rosenheim. I just need a little more patience. Friendships don't happen over night.

I know this sounds really cheesy, but I just felt so much love when I was there and I guess that's what I miss the most: people who know me and (still ;-)) like me. But it also made me grateful for having met all these people, if I don't live as close as I would like to anymore.

One of the surprises of the weekend, was my former landlord spontaneously picking me up at the airport. He has a very nice Porsche. Just the right car of course to park outside the chippy for a late night fish 'n chips dinner. I couldn't have wished for a better start to the weekend :-)

Sunday morning

I literally spent the last three hours looking at furniture and stuff for my flat. And this is not the first time. And I keep looking at the same stuff over and over again. Finally though, I actually placed an order!!! Several orders actually.

So the week after next, I should get a chest of drawers for my bedroom, a (book) shelf for either the living room or my sewing room, a sofa table, another mini shelf, a TB bench, a lamp for my night stand and a little table for the corridor. And hopefully next week, I'll get my night stand as well as stuff to stick on my windows to make them not see-through. This includes the skyline of London, for either my sewing room or kitchen window. I also saw this super cute window stuff of either a princess or a sleeping fox. Yes, it's for kids but it's so cute! :-)

Tomorrow, I'll order a desk for my sewing room. I temporarily considered getting a sewing table but then decided not to spend that kind of money right now. I'm still very much a sewing beginner, and my mini table in London worked fine. So I opted for a desk with storage facilities instead. Only reason I am holding off ordering it is that I will be in Switzerland on Tuesday and I don't want it to get delivered when I'm away.

Fingers crossed that in a couple of weeks, I'll be able to post nicer photos of my new home than these:

The shame...

For the first time since I started this blog, I have been seriously neglecting it. And not for lack of content! I am determined to get on back on track though not least as my internet connection got sorted yesterday. So no more excuses!

In other news, my wardrobe is due to be delivered on Monday - 2 weeks earlier than expected which is fabulous news to me. As most of my boxes are full of clothes. This should seriously help with the current mess in my place.