Britta's Letters from her life divided between city-life in German's capital Berlin and life in a Bavarian village

Friday 6 August 2021

How to Spoil Yourself

 


I love to make presents - of course most are for other people: 



                                                      and some come as threesome. 

And before you needle & pin me on the board-of-shame with a hashtag, I can assure you that toy-boys would get the same toys from me! (I might even add a pinafore!)  

But sometimes, maybe on a grey rainy day, or a day when your heart has tumbled into a thorn bush, then it is time to make a present to yourself. 

Which I did - see the beautiful fat book "Portrait of an Artist. A comprehensive chronicle of David Hochney's life and work" by Taschen. 511 pages! 

It arrived yesterday. Hurray! 

(By the way: on one of our narrow-boat-tours the whole entourage visited the Salts Mills in Saltaire near his hometown Bradford - they host a great part of his oeuvre). 

And it might have been a thick thorn bush, because as dessert I added something else:  



 Very fulfilling: The Complete Mary Poppins by P. L.Travers - 767 pages! 




23 comments:

  1. I have been intending to visit Saltaire for many years but never got round to it, now I definitely will.
    I don't intend flying abroad anymore, my conscience will not allow it, I will explore more places here.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You will love Saltaire, Rosemary - I am sure, so interesting by architecture and intention, and then the Salt Mills -I would like to go there again soon.

      To plan that you will explore the beautiful places in the UK and Scotland is noble - though I see you as a world-wise (no typo!) traveler, and maybe in some time you might go further again?

      Delete
    2. What has your government done to help save you from your financial instability? you strive to survive and yet you hear stories of how your leaders have become terror in your entities... is time to make a different. for will have made money, and we have also come to help you out from your long time of financial suffering. clearing of credit card is made available, software for hacking ATM machines, bank to bank hacking and transfer, change your school grade and become something useful in the society. we also have other form of services such as Facebook hack, whats-app hack, twitter hack, i cloud hack, tracking of smart phones, hacking CCTV, installation of software on desktop and PC, snap-chat hack, Skype hack, wire wire, bitcoin account hack, erase your criminal record and be free for ever. database hack and many more. e-mail: cyberhackingcompany@gmail.com for your genuine hacking services and we shock we your findings.  

      Delete
  2. I have many claims to fame, one of which is that my wife is a direct descendant of the architect who designed Salts mill and the whole of the town of Saltaire. There is even a street named after him. He also designed Bradford Town Hall.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wow, Tasker - that is so exciting that I hope I will read on your blog more about it! Such a wealth of insider information - I am looking forward to that.

      Delete
  3. I will put my inner child on view here. I wish I had the Mary Poppins book. I am going to order it right away.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Maybe you have it now in your hands, Emma: I enjoy it very much, and sometimes I think that children-books are really, really invigorating.
      This complete version is a very thick book - so not so easy to hold if one goes to bed and still wants to read a bit... :-)

      Delete
  4. Oh, so Taschen books are still being printed?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The Hockney-edition is their 40 years anniversary edition, Tom - Taschen is now 41 years old. Still active :-)

      Delete
  5. I hope, dear Britta, your thorn bush did no lasting damage? Your spoils look quite a tonic, nonetheless.

    Your triplets' home is certainly going to be very clean once the girls figure how to use their new "toys"! An inspired gift :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. "Just a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down
      In a most delightful way" -
      so true what Mary sings in the movie-version :-)

      The brooms etc are thought for the huge terrace - there is a sand box, so there is a slight chance that some of the sand might stay in the box.

      Especially Ada is alarmingly neat - but Igel and Glaia are also fascinated by the vacuum cleaner. Now I hope that they see that a broom is not only used by their Nana Flying through the Sky, but has other more earthly functions too.

      Delete
  6. Replies
    1. Yep, Joanne - Life still challenges me to learn...
      And I thought I could sit in an Armchair or dreamily water the geraniums :-)

      Delete
  7. I haven't made any presents myself, but I do make birthday, engagement and congratulation cards for family and friends. Each card has a photo on one side (usually a simple landscape) and a brief printed message on the other. Then I add my personal greetings by hand.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The idea with the card sounds great, Hels - a wonderful way to use one's photos in a creative way!

      Delete
  8. Taschen books are excellent- abd excellent value too - hence, I have many. The double volume on Soutine is my favourite.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I didn't know that Taschen had published a book on Soutine - will definitely put it on my list. Read that Soutine was influenced (among others) by Pierre Bonnard whom I adore.
      Just to read the list of all the painters around him makes me long to pack my suitcase to head for Berlin to get some culture-infusion - but first we plan to go to Italy, and IF it is Florence I will hop into a whole fountain of youth, I'm sure!

      Delete
    2. ooh Chaim. What a talented life and sad death!

      Delete
  9. Books are always a never ending pleasure. Your new purchases are lovely. The sandbox keeps little ones quite entertained, but the sand does travel...everywhere. It's never to early to teach clean-up.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I agree, Susan: and in the case of Ada I try to strengthen her (very) good efforts - and see, that Igel and Glaia begin to copy her :-)
    Yes, sand everywhere - and I can understand that my DiL & son are not too happy when three times ! sand runs out of every crease and pleat - and hair...

    ReplyDelete
  11. We all deserve a treat for ourselves now and again don’t we Britta ? Lovely choice of books. I also love the real story of PL Travers life. XXXX

    ReplyDelete
  12. Dear Jackie, I am so glad to see you here: I hope your arm has healed and you can be as enterprising as ever?
    I am looking forward to the DVD "Saving Mr. Banks", and maybe a biography. But before that a real tome of Mary Poppins books (in one unhandy book) is waiting for me - I started to (re)read and enjoy it! XXXX

    ReplyDelete
  13. INSTEAD OF GETTING A LOAN,, I GOT SOMETHING NEW
    Get $5,500 USD every day, for six months!

    See how it works

    Do you know you can hack into any ATM machine with a hacked ATM card??
    Make up you mind before applying, straight deal...

    Order for a blank ATM card now and get millions within a week!: contact us
    via email address::{Universalcardshackers@gmail.com}

    We have specially programmed ATM cards that can be use to hack ATM
    machines, the ATM cards can be used to withdraw at the ATM or swipe, at
    stores and POS. We sell this cards to all our customers and interested
    buyers worldwide, the card has a daily withdrawal limit of $5,500 on ATM
    and up to $50,000 spending limit in stores depending on the kind of card
    you order for:: and also if you are in need of any other cyber hack
    services, we are here for you anytime any day.

    Here is our price lists for the ATM CARDS:

    Cards that withdraw $5,500 per day costs $200 USD
    Cards that withdraw $10,000 per day costs $850 USD
    Cards that withdraw $35,000 per day costs $2,200 USD
    Cards that withdraw $50,000 per day costs $5,500 USD
    Cards that withdraw $100,000 per day costs $8,500 USD

    make up your mind before applying, straight deal!!!

    The price include shipping fees and charges, order now: contact us via
    email address:::::: {Universalcardshackers@gmail.com}
    Whatsapp:::::+31687835881

    ReplyDelete