My teeny weeny little new coffee machine

 

Dear You,

if I were free to show you photos of the triplets when they  opened their presents on St.Nick's Day - having polished all their shoes so well that Shunmyo Masuno, the Zen Priest would be convinced of their "radiant hearts through cleaning", I would be happy - but of course I do understand the wish for privacy. 

So I show you another cute thing instead: the Melitta "Aromaboy". 

Because I drink only one cup of coffee in the morning, I bought the tiniest coffee maker of Germany: you can only prepare two normal cups with it. 

Wonderful! Quick! Delicious! And: no waste.

But a lot of fun, if you take this teeny weeny little coffee pot into your hands! 

PS: Today I came back from a trip Munich, thus I am a bit tired. I promise something "substantial" for tomorrow.   

Matt Haig: The Midnight Library

 

Dear You, 

this is what I read at the moment. 

I love Matt Haig's fascinating idea: to be able to test different lives that would have been the result of not choosing the one option you actually took. 

Consequences of choices that one made - or didn't take. 

Makes me think a lot ... what would have been if... 

On the other hand - to stay content and sane - my motto is: 

"Yesterday is over and the door to tomorrow is still closed. Today is all you (really) have."

That was a close shave!

 

Dear You, 

saved by the bell!  

To become a little bit more "green",  one thing I decided was to bid adieu to my Nespresso capsules (aluminium) and use an old fashion manual Italian coffee pot instead. 

From Berlin I took one with me. It had an added electric plate beneath, no need to use the stove. It worked fine. 

In Bavaria I thought: might be quicker without that plate, put on the stove. 

It wasn't. Instead lots of fume in my kitchen!  Big clouds of grey fume! and a fire!  

I hadn't seen that underneath this special espresso cooker was a rubber plate. Well: rubber on a hot stove = fume. 

The flames were a hand's breadth high - and a hand's breadth wide. I thought: this might be the first time that I have to use my little fire extinguisher, Uii, uiii, uii. 

But luckily I could extinguish it without that.  I've been very, very lucky. 

And then I was very, very busy - to clean all those stinking sticky particles from the stove. 

Voyage Cancelled

 

Dear You, 

Here in Bavaria we have many many storks. 

They go south in late autumn, and return in spring to their old stork's nests. 

So yesterday I was surprised to hear very loud clatter (if that word is right): 

one pair of storks has decided to remain here, sent back their tickets for a ride to Africa and thus thankfully reduced their carbon footprint. 

Though, sitting on the best place of town - the church tower - maybe they only were afraid that if they leave others would squatter their nest? 

 

FELDENKRAIS - I favour it!

 

Dear You, 

it might not be the best idea to start writing a post every day at a time when we prepare for the Christmas festivities...

 

Above you see something I do very diligently: 

almost every day I do my Feldenkrais exercises. I have 4 CDs, (back, legs and feet, neck and face, posture) and each one I choose takes roughly about 1 hour.

I do that because since a year (or more) some little pains nag in my back, or my knee, or my neck. 

And Feldenkrais really, really helps! 

As I don't have much free time at the moment, I gave up the 30 minutes of meditation, because, as I do that at midday on my bed meditation often turned into a "power"nap :-) - and though I set the alarm on my cellphone, I often came back to this world feeling a bit grumpy. 

So I substituted it (at the moment) by the Feldenkrais exercises - and feel fit and glow with satisfaction. 

And my body and soul are happy.  

ORGANIZING (Martha Stewart) and SERENITY (Zen Magic, Shunmyo Masuno)

 

A big title for this little post.
Always dashing between two antipodes - that's me.
I admire Martha Stewart, and at the same time she unnerves me, as perfection often does.
The Zen-Priest Shunmyo Masuno spreads calm and serenity - though when I imagine how the Zen-monks really live, I shudder.

(I cannot find the English version of his book: I translate the German subtitle to: "How to tidy up and gain a pure heart through/by it"  Tasker: Please help me: through or by?). 

So: I'm muddling through, not by, and pick those pearls of wisdom that appeal to me. Sometimes I will quote a few. 

I have a new plan: 

As an eager diary-writer (hand-written diaries) I will try here to write a different version online. Daily finger exercises. 

If my name were Martha, I would promise: Every day. 

If I were Shunmyo, I would say: Wu Wei. 

Being Britta, I say: I try to give my best. 

First Sunday in Advent...

 

... and a present from Google! 

I can post photos! Hurrah! 

Seems that somewhere I has refused too let Google read all my mails, snoop in all my photos and send me billions of advertisements... How could I?!? 

Now I throw caution to the wind and just write, well knowing what I do. 

It is rule no. 17:

"Flip the Freebie...and Look for the Hidden Price Tag" 

from a wise little book that I will quote when I found author and correct title. I love it! 

You see: my Advent wreath is sophisticated Scandinavian design. 

The twigs I found on a street of the Bavarian wood, and - if you still have very good eyesight - you see 3 little fir cones in the middle of the wreath. 

I wish you a beautiful Sunday!