Archive for September, 2010

A Simple Sunday

Monday, September 27th, 2010

It was a rainy/overcast day on Sunday, and we seemed to just meld into the mood and had a very laid-back time. (This was probably a good thing, as two days later I was still recovering from my night out dancing, where I arrived home at 4:30. In the morning. I haven’t seen that side of 4:30 in, hmmmm, decades?)

We all cleaned and tided up the house and then Annie watched some TV while Markus and I tapped away on our computers and napped. Someone recommended a fun website to learn letters, so Annie and I spent some time with that as well.

In the afternoon the rain stopped so we hopped in the car and drove to Hall. Hall is a little town about 15 minutes away from where we live. It has a lovely old city center, which has been building up since the 1300’s. We walked around a bit until Annie pulled us emphatically to one of our favourite pizza places, Geisterberg. It is a really charming restaurant with thick walls and beamed ceiling. One of the things I love about this part of the world is that there are several “family friendly” restaurant that don’t sacrifice atmosphere to the children. Annie gets her own menu with a Memory game, which we play for a few rounds, and then she can go to the second floor where there is a small but well-equipped play room. Markus and I sit at the front of the restaurant to see if she comes down the stairs, but otherwise can enjoy at least half an hour of uninterrupted adult time. Plus the pizza is super.

We drove around a bit on the way home and then the evening was more of the same. I’m so glad that Markus has decided to keep the cafe closed on Sundays. Whether we have grand plans or a quiet day, it is so wonderful to know that we have this time together each week as a family.

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The Feel of Fall

Saturday, September 18th, 2010

After a very wet summer, fall has come early. There have already been several mornings with snow dusting the mountain tops. Beautiful…but wow! Hard to believe it is already here.

Overall, however, I’m glad for the change in seasons. This summer has been hard. I’ve been ridiculously low for the past several months. Like as in looooooooooooooooooooooooowwwwwwwwwwwwwwww. I’m sure it was a combination of things that gave me the blues, (the financial instability of starting a new business, not having enough to occupy my brain, a very sore back so no exercise, etc., etc.) but underneath it all I’d have to say my being down stemmed from homesickness.

But the last week I seem to have got my mojo back. I’m organizing the apartment, doing some contract work for good friend Lesli in Vancouver, and even started flossing! (I’m one of those lifelong non-flossers, so this is huge.)

I recently read a blog post (can’t find it at the moment to link to…oh well) suggesting that it doesn’t matter where you live. You can carve a happy life anywhere you are and moving won’t necessarily solve your problems.

As someone who has often left a place or situation when things get rough, (my pattern is  to either run fast or stay waaaaaaay too long) that column really got me thinking the last few days. What can I do to make Innsbruck feel like home? What would I gain if I moved back home to Canada? What would I lose?

All questions I can’t answer right now. But as the autumn progresses, I’m going to try to unravel some of these threads. Or tie them up, as the case may be.

And I sure have a lot to look forward to here, which is also helping to lift my spirits. Mom is coming for a visit at the end of the month and her and I are planning on going to Venice for a short trip. I haven’t been yet even though it is only a 5-hour train ride from Innsbruck. Then ski season starts, which I’m completely looking forward to. I think a few hours a week in the cold, fresh air swooshing down the ancient Alps is going to be a perfect antidote to any left-over blues.

And writing also helps me with my perspective on life, so I’m going to try to do more of that. A favourite blogger uses the Anais Nin quote on her header: “We write to taste life twice, once in the moment and in retrospection.” Although I often find that true, I also find writing allows me not just to relive the same moments, but to reframe them from a different perspective. To see events as part of a larger whole, a longer path. In that process I am able to sort through some of the things that are muddled up in my brain.

So no promises, but I will try to post more often…and to keep flossing.

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Sprachfehler

Sunday, September 5th, 2010

I just got back from lunch with the family, as we were celebrating Suzi’s birthday (Markus’ sister.) Someone reminded me of my two funniest language mistakes that I have made while speaking German…so far. (There are lots to choose from, but these are certainly the best/worst.)

My first was when I wanted to say that, for guests, we have two mattresses in Annie’s room. Instead I said, “Wir haben zwei Matrosen in Annies Schlafzimmer.” This translates to: “We have two sailors in Annie’s bedroom.” My single sister-in-law was kind of hoping this was true.

The second one was during a discussion about diet and food. I was trying to say that I think, most of all, that processed foods with preservatives and chemicals are what make people unhealthy and fat. I said “Die Lebensmittle mit Präservativ sind ungesund.” That means, “Food with condoms is unhealthy.” I would say so!!

At least we all got a good laugh.

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