I needn't have worried

I was having my first coaching session today. And I'll be honest, when trying to prepare for it, I was a bit at a loss where to start. And then I ran out of time.

So, my way out was to suggest shortening the session to half an hour (due to both our workloads). 75 minutes later, we finished the session.

Just last Sunday, I had asked a friend whether she ever gets to a point in a coaching session where she doesn't know what to say. Well, I think it's probably unlikely that I will run out of things to say... Not sure whether I'd be saying the 'right' things, but I do generally always have something to say. Note to self though: ensure the coachee does most of the talking!

Oh, it hurts!

I went hiking on Sunday.
Yes, I am surprised myself - what is Bavaria doing to me?!?!

My new hiking boots are great and I didn't get a single blister. But what a steep hike it was. And that is declared to be an easy one! I shall never attempt a difficult hike, that's for sure. The muscle pain is even worse now, on day 2. Good excuse not to go to the gym, of course...

The view from the top was amazing though. Much more beautiful than the photos for sure.

Who cares about a friendly?!

Especially when England beats Germany (for a change...)!
;-)

Happy Easter!

swinging

After a long break, I finally managed to attend another Aerial Yoga class at Yoga-Art tonight. The perfect mix of stretching with minimal (bearable) pain and a lot of swinging and relaxation.
Lovely.
And to top it off: just one day until the long weekend.
Four day weeks are awesome!

Pool party

Steam room, outdoor pool with view of the mountains, whirlpool and a fit guy for company. Perfect Sunday afternoon, right? :-)

near Bad Reichenhall

I'm unfit...

Well, this of course does not come as a surprise to me. I managed to drag myself to the gym for the third time in about eight weeks on Friday. And went cycling along the Inn on Saturday. I think that was too much for my very untrained body... Despite cycling at snail speed. Also turns out that my saddle is not very bum-friendly. On the other hand, it's a good sign that only my bum was hurting the following day but not my legs.

beauty all around

Friends are the family we choose for ourselves

A bit cheesy, but so true. Last week, I ran into my neighbour and was chatting to him about C. He was so pleased and happy for me and of course wants to meet him - it really touched me. And I was thinking that this is the kind of relationship I would have wanted with my parents. And while it makes me sad, that things are the way they are, it also makes me very happy to have wonderful people in my life who care. I've said this many times, but I am just so grateful. And happy that I let these people into my life and that I learned to be less judgmental and more open which has let so much love into my life.

Let the sunshine...

The weather has been a little crazy this week: on Tuesday, it snowed for hours! By Wednesday, it had fortunately all melted away already and since Thursday, the sun has been shining gloriously. So much so, that I had lunch outside today, without a coat. I feel, I got a bit of a tan, too! ;-)

Weather forecast for the weekend is also nice and while temperatures are supposedly going to drop again, but the sun is meant to keep shining. Fingers crossed for a sunny long Easter weekend!

it's all about me

I have to admit that other people's failures/mistakes/flaws tend to make me see my own abilities in a better life. Not without guilt as this seems to go hand in hand with good old German Schadenfreude... Not pretty.

Besides, I generally measure my successes with my internal compass. And still, these external factors have an impact, too. I appreciate that it is human to compare myself. I also appreciate that less comparing and focusing on myself would do me good.

second and third

Kampenwand

'hiking' up the Tregler Alm

Chiemsee and sunset at Tegernsee

quick, quick

I have no patience. When it comes to sewing this can be a bit problematic. After I was having trouble with the gathering of this simple dress, I figured that second time round, it'd be a piece of cake. Of course, I was wrong.

It started by me confusing the dial for the stitch length with the dial for the stitch tension... It took me a while to work this out. And yes, I AM embarrassed how little I know my machine.
Having sorted this issue, I then still had trouble with the sewing which resulted in having to unpick the side seam. Unpicking is such a pain!!!

I somehow did finish this dress but quite frankly, I am not particularly pleased with the result. I really need to start to work more accurately. Rather than trying to get things done quickly.

I think the fabric was too thin to make this work well, too.
Let's also ignore my shortcut-neck-non-facing....

postcard-pretty

Chiemsee

Wendelstein

the diet starts tomorrow

Three days leave and I feel like I've been eating non-stop... Definitely part of any good holiday in my book but I do feel that I overdid it a little.
But it was all yummy!

Giant Schnitzel; Cheesy Spaetzle; Apricot pancake
peasoup with wurstel; two kinds of dumplings; Greek meat platter
lasagne; one of the best Kaiserschmarrn I've had so far; Mozart sundae

match made in heaven

J adores her own two cats (lovingly called Crappy Cat and Fatboy by P) and the downside to her travelling is probably the fact that she is separated from them. So, I figured it would nice for her to meet my neighbours cats - and what can I say? They hit it off :-)

Monday morning

Awkward meeting out of the way. 

Nearly the weekend, right?

On the upside: I went for dinner with a colleague and I love the fact that I am able to plan these things at short notice by having an ever growing circle of acquaintances/friends.

again

Certain mental traps I seem to fall into again and again.
Last week started with a bit of an issue (reminder to self: nothing good comes from checking your work emails on a Sunday night...). Coming into work, I was already feeling stressed about this but also immediately went on to try to resolve the problem. In addition to feeling stressed, I also felt hard done by and - once again - feeling that I was sorting problems that really were a) caused by others and b) would have been for others to sort.

Anyhow, by lunch time, it was all dealt with.
But instead of feeling pleased or proud or relieved, I felt that somehow I hadn't really done anything impressive to find the solution. My belief that only things that are hard work are worth anything is clearly deep seated.

I am aware that I am making my life more complicated than necessary. And I am positive that awareness as usual is at least the first step to change.

WEEKEND again

Another weekend after a fabulous week! Three days leave don't sound like much but it's been lovely to see P and J - in Germany all the way from Melbourne.

And more than once did I think to myself: I picked a beautiful spot! Rosenheim also might not sound like much but there is so much beauty around. In so many ways.

I'm a lucky girl indeed.

sweet like chocolate

I don't want to jinx anything.
Just this much:
who would have thought that a first date that I nearly cancelled would turn out to be so lovely?

WEEKEND

Leaving the office at 17:00 (mainly unheard of during the last 8 months...), and starting the weekend with this wonderful piece of cake.
Happy times!

RIP

my auntie J passed away.
she had been fighting bowel cancer for a couple of years or so.

I also saw a clip on TV about Joey Feek, an American country singer, who is dying of cancer. her husband is writing a blog and I just read the latest entry - so beautiful.
it made me cry and feel so ashamed of all my anger of the last week or so. this stupid nonsense I still get so upset about, wasting my time and energy and sending out so much negativity. when life is not about these trivial matters.

and the good kind

... of dinner: yummy food, great company.
My neighbours are lovely :-)

the most disappointing dinner

I LOVE eating out. But tonight was probably the most disappointing dinner ever:
what was meant to be a business dinner was clearly perceived as a social gathering by the central person. Which meant that there really was no need for me to be there. And I hate boring company. And last but not least, my pasta tasted shit.
Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
Also didn't help that the whole day was annoying. And for some unknown reason, I keep thinking it's Wednesday when it is only Tuesday.