Too heavy to bear

When we moved into our house almost 20 years ago, we had a huge pear-tree beside it. It was higher than our house and the only pears that grew whereat the very top. After the first harvest my father in law helped to cut it down bit by bit.

During the next spring we planted a new pear tree with my favorite pears "Conference". During the first few years we only had 2 or 3 hand fulls of fruit, but then we had more and more. Two years ago they finally were too many to eat, so I started to make jam before they got bad - and that it just delicious.

This year there were more pears than ever before and for one of the branches it was too much to carry, although we had tried to hold it up with a pole. Last week the wind was already like the first auntumn storms - and it broke the branch off. So sad, but the pears are already tasty - as the wasps prove by eating them at the tree. Last year we had to pick them to save them from the insects.....we might have to do it again this year, although they keep longer on the tree, usually.

Wedding anniversay

Today I'm too busy to blog - it's our 20th wedding anniversary and after work we'll go out for dinner - so I better hurry with my chores now!

At the same time it's our 19th wedding anniversary, as we only went to the registry office first and had the Church wedding a year later - on the same date.

Since it's on the number plate of our car, my husband hasn't forgotten the date once!

Back again

A few weeks ago our PC decided that it needed a break - without a warning it stopped working. I was shocked and needed a few days until I could decide, what to do. There's some sensitive data I don't like to show strangers - although I wasn't sure the data was still there.

In the mean time we used our very old XP computer. I'm full of gratitude that it helped me in those weeks, but it also showed me why I had bought another one. The XP is very slow and it needed plenty of updates first, as it hadn't been connected to the internet for 2,5 years. It was ok for basics, but no fun to blog, as I had no photos to use.

Finally a good friend offered help and together we managed to find out that the grafic card wasn't working properly. The storage disc needed a format C - but it's not as bad as it sounds, as I had all my data secured on an extra storage disc. This doesn't include the programms which I'm now installing back the way I need them. It's amazing how many programms we need for ordinary tasks at the computer.

Now things are almost back to normal and I can sleep peacefully again.

When did you do your last back-up? I do it every week, so I'm lucky now. :)

Mind you - windows had a hard job last night, doing all the "lost" updates again.

First day - for the last time

Although in Bavaria the school holidays didn't start until last week - the pupils in our county are back at school today. For our youngest daughter it's the first day after summer hols for the last time. Just one more year and we're finished with school forever! At least until our grandchildren will go there. ;-)

It seems like only yesterday we had the very first days at school with our daughters. Most teachers did a very good job, some should have chosen a different profession. As I'm not allowed to post family photos without permission, I let my memories go back to my own first day at school. My parents were on holiday and my grandma took me to school. There was a church service first - I guess. I remember very clearly that I couldn't wait to open the cornet, every child in Germany gets to sweeten the start into the first serious part of life. Berfore I was allowed to open it, my aunty had to take this photo of me - and she was sooo busy that I had to wait for ages. Then I opened it on the table in my grandma's living room with my just as curious cousin beside me.

Happy Birthday, dear Mum!

75 years ago my Mum was born near Koenigsberg, a German town far in the east that now is a part of Russia. Unfortunately her Dad never returned from the war and my grandma fled with her to the west. Life during and after the war was definately hard - to live, one had to be strong.

My Mum hid her strength usually well, forgetting it sometimes when nobody cared for her. Looking back it's easy to see and to understand. During the last years of her life, when she knew she had cancer, she finally started to do things for herself. To make sure, nobody would give her unwanted advice, she never let us know, how far her illness had grown. She never complained but let us happily live our lives - until the last weeks. 

Even during her last days in the hospice she made us laugh and sent everyone visiting her home with a smile. I'm proud of my Mum and hope, her soul is happy now - whereever it may be. 

My Mum loved her computer and the internet.

Accidents happen

Last night I took our daughter to a friend who lives in a near by village. Just about 10 km/ 6 miles. It was already past 9 pm - a peaceful warm summer night. We never think about going on such drives, we always expect difficulties on long journeys.

On my way home, the intersection to our village was blocked. Many blue lights of police and ambulance were dancing in the night. There was a long row of cars waiting to get out of the village, passing by the accident. I turned around and made a little detour to use another intersection, feeling full of gratitude of being safe and full of sympathy for those injured in the accident. It must have happened shortly after we had passed that spot.

It shows us to live every day as if it was our last one - and always to say a loving goodbye to our loved ones. Accidents happen - usually just when you don't expect them.

Don't forget to be grateful for every day we are allowed to live!

First anniversary

On the 3rd of August 2012 I found my harp and took it home. My husband didn't believe his eyes and wondered about my sanity. That day our daughter and some of her friends occupied our living room, so the harp and I had our first sounds together outside on our terrace while the sun was setting. There and then my husband started to understand why I had bought a harp.

The terrace became our favorite place to play and there I learned my first melodies - to our new neighbour's delight. 

As it was perfect out-of-doors weather yesterday, the terrace would have been the right place to celebrate the first anniversay of my harp. But just like last year, our daughter had her friends visiting - this time for a barbeque - on the terrace. And no - they didn't want harp music during their meal.

So we decorated the corner in front of our front door, moved some chairs and celebrated there when the sun had already set. Our neighbour saw the candles and came over and as it was such a wonderful and balmy night, we sat there until the early hours of today. Now I hope for many anniversaries to come to celebrate my wonderful harp.

Mimi obviously loves the harp and her sound.