The best laid plans...

My Mum and cousin Janice (cousin Valdon's mother) arrived last week - on the second day my Mum fell in our garden and broke her hip. So after two ambulance rides and an operation she has been in hospital in Achim for the last week. She is doing OK and gaining German vocabulary and, more importantly, cultural competences daily.
So I am preparing lessons for you all on how to call an ambulance in English, how to describe where it hurts etc. Whilst searching for exciting activities connected with accidents, I found this site which also has very imteresting stuff about the Gulf oil spill:
www.michellehenry.fr/cata.htm#oilGM

And here is a 'before' photo, of a very happy afternoon...

Tuesday in Borneo

Well! Just got back from a most exciting time.
We hired a bus and transported all the children from Riko's village plus sundry adults to the Aquarium. Here is a small group we managed to get to stand still long enough to snap. Many of these children have never been to Kota Kinabalu before, let alone an aquarium and science discovery centre!
They loved it. Wish Jörg Pilawa could have been there...

A week to remember

I am just beginning to get my feet back on the ground after an amazing week. Seeing ourselves on TV and actually being allowed to talk about our wonderful win has made it all seem more real than ever. And skyping with Laura (and Anya and Johann) and hearing about the visitors to Aquatica - GC and the first steps they are all taking is simply a joy.

This week too saw all the VHS students in Morsum, trying Borneo soup and salad and a Jamie Oliver recipe dessert. I had asked for donations for the work of Dr Catherine Hamlin, obstetrician, who works with women in Ethiopia.

Please take a moment to watch

www.yaninamanolova.com/fistula/index.html

and you'll understand why this is a cause close to my heart, as Mom and Omi. I am so glad to tell you that we have collected over 600 euros.

You know what, my Dad would have said at this point "Halleluja", so I know you'll understand if I say it too. Quietly.

Looking eastwards

Following our flower exercise recently on a Polish site, here are some nice pages from a Czech ditto.

You'll excuse me if I return to the TV screen...

http://www.speakspeak.com/

Asparagus etc

Just spent an hour peeling asparagus. This is already a giant leap for mankind, or at least for me, as the very first time I served asparagus here in Germany it was not a success. This vegetable is popular in the UK too, but in its green variety - which needs no peeling. So my first venture, happily unpeeled, was woody and tough to say the least. Didn't touch it again for at least 20 years.

Now I've got the hang of it and living in the middle of Spargelland as we do, it seemed like a good idea yesterday to buy tons of the stuff. Take a look at these pages on 'German food', it's really interesting and if you pursue the asparagus pages you'll find definitions of 'Handelsklasse I/II/II' etc.

Fascinating:)

http://www.germanfood.about.com/

Spring has sprung

The garden is so beautiful I have to tear myself away to come indoors. And when I go back outside again, I find plants which I swear weren't there 10 minutes ago. Old friends which I'd forgotten - wood anemones, trusty old daffodils, mingle with showy new parrot tulips.
Gorgeous.
Try this sparky quiz to test your spring flower vocabulary:
http://www.anglomaniacy.pl

You'll find all sorts of fun things there...

And, by the way: Aquatica - The Green Connection - has opened in Kota Kinabalu and the visitors (including Anya) love it:)

Joy.

Back again

Well, that look longer than expected, simply because being an Omi obviously addles the brain. As you all know, Baby Johann arrived safely, everyone is fine, Horst celebrated his birthday on the same day, is also fine, and Omi forgot to update The Penguinet.

I'm sorry!

There's no excuse today though: things are hotting up in the UK election campaign and I know you will all want up to date info. So try

http://news.uk.msn.com/

and click your way through to fascinating opinion poll results and much more.

And now you'll have to excuse me while I go back to be 100% Omi again:)