I was put in charge of making deviled eggs for Maria's birthday party last night. Upon tasting the 'deviled' part of the recipe, I was requested to add more salt...upon which I added a bit TOO MUCH.
And so, as the saying in Germany goes, "Too much added salt means the cook is in love"...so, its official, and everyone at the party can attest to the fact, that, Siobhan is in love. :)
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Adventures in Aldi.
Georg and I are going on ski holidays for a week in the New Year. In the Austrian Alps. (!) In a rented ski chalet. (!!) With 7 other people. (!!!) I'm actually really looking forward to this opportunity, despite the fact that I've only ever skied downhill twice in my life, and that at La Riviere, which is the former bank of Lake Agassi that covered Manitoba a long time ago (which doesn't exactly count as downhill, in my opinion).
Okay, so going on this ski holiday means that I need winter clothing and skiing accessories... both of which I have none. A local store, Aldi, which is comparable to an extremely small Superstore, has weekly specials on housewares, clothing, pet supplies, you-name-it, and is an inexpensive grocery store as well. The weekly specials are advertised in the daily paper and a flier is sent out at least a week prior...
A couple weeks ago, Maria and I went to Aldi to get some fall jackets for the family. We got there at 7:45am, the store opened at 8. By opening, there were about 30-40 women outside the front entrance...and once the doors opened...there was a mad rush with the shopping carts and squishing and some slight shoving...and running down the aisles to the 'weekly specials' bins... a mad-house in my opinion. But fun. I did manage to get a water-proof, wind-resistant jacket for 30 euros...which is a super awesome deal.
So, to come back to our ski trip...this week, the specials are focused on skiing...and so there were jackets, ski pants, thin fleece pullovers (to catch sweat under your jacket), long underwear, gloves, ski masks, helmets, etc... Well, Georg wanted to come with me to get some supplies, because he has never gone for the 'specials rush' and I think that he ended up being overwhelmed and shocked at the happenings. He was slightly speechless on the ride home... We did manage to snag over 200 Euros in merchandise for the Maas family's skiing needs though, so we did pretty good. :)
Although 'Adventures in Aldi' is pretty entertaining and a rush, it also shows me the 'animal instincts' in people. Everyone is very rude and selfish in the rush to get the right coat, in the right size, in the right colour... An older woman, yesterday, was pushed around and blocked from getting in, because people knew she wouldn't move very fast...something that would happen anywhere, in any country. It really bugged me and reinforced the fact for me, that I need to be considerate of those around me, even if I feel like it may not be the thing that I want to do. There, a lesson of the day: Be respectful of others. Slow down in everyday life. Enjoy the scenery.
Okay, so going on this ski holiday means that I need winter clothing and skiing accessories... both of which I have none. A local store, Aldi, which is comparable to an extremely small Superstore, has weekly specials on housewares, clothing, pet supplies, you-name-it, and is an inexpensive grocery store as well. The weekly specials are advertised in the daily paper and a flier is sent out at least a week prior...
A couple weeks ago, Maria and I went to Aldi to get some fall jackets for the family. We got there at 7:45am, the store opened at 8. By opening, there were about 30-40 women outside the front entrance...and once the doors opened...there was a mad rush with the shopping carts and squishing and some slight shoving...and running down the aisles to the 'weekly specials' bins... a mad-house in my opinion. But fun. I did manage to get a water-proof, wind-resistant jacket for 30 euros...which is a super awesome deal.
So, to come back to our ski trip...this week, the specials are focused on skiing...and so there were jackets, ski pants, thin fleece pullovers (to catch sweat under your jacket), long underwear, gloves, ski masks, helmets, etc... Well, Georg wanted to come with me to get some supplies, because he has never gone for the 'specials rush' and I think that he ended up being overwhelmed and shocked at the happenings. He was slightly speechless on the ride home... We did manage to snag over 200 Euros in merchandise for the Maas family's skiing needs though, so we did pretty good. :)
Although 'Adventures in Aldi' is pretty entertaining and a rush, it also shows me the 'animal instincts' in people. Everyone is very rude and selfish in the rush to get the right coat, in the right size, in the right colour... An older woman, yesterday, was pushed around and blocked from getting in, because people knew she wouldn't move very fast...something that would happen anywhere, in any country. It really bugged me and reinforced the fact for me, that I need to be considerate of those around me, even if I feel like it may not be the thing that I want to do. There, a lesson of the day: Be respectful of others. Slow down in everyday life. Enjoy the scenery.
Settling In...
Well, I've settled in nicely over the last month (Yikes! A month already!!), which includes catching 2 colds in the last 2 weeks and a lingering chest cough. There is a running joke between Georg and I, that I was on a Grandma's breakfast - at one point I was taking 6 pills!! That is one thing that I have noticed...there is medication for everything! Sinus relief pills, cough suppressants, nasal sprays, throat mucus dislodging pills...whatever happened to the good old boiling water and salt in a bowl with a towel over your head??
Although I have yet to find friends over here, I am quite a busy body when I want to be. I have joined the choir (over 30 people, they sound amazing!), am helping out with the local Scouts group once in awhile (similar to Scouts in N Am, but more focused on group interaction than skill learning), have a weekly Deutsch class at the local Volkshochschule (school for the public, teaches numerous languages and many levels, among other things), and have started playing squash! Georg, a friend, and his sister and her boyfriend play squash, so I was invited out last week to try it. Pretty fun game, but very fast. I have a lot to learn! Also, I hear that there is a rink in town, so I might try out skating for the first time this season later this week. :) Oh, and I have taken up knitting (Grandma, you will be proud!).
Despite all these things that I am involved with, I have found a good routine. I get up at 6:30 every morning, bike to the farm (5 km) or drive over with Georg, have breakfast with the Maas family, help Maria (Georg's Mom) around the house or with her business until lunch, have lunch with the family and then bike home (to our apartment). I have a nap, job hunt on the internet (I'm searching for a better-paying, more hours position, but am having little luck), and then either work on my thesis corrections (although I'm pretty good at procrasinating) or walk around Geldern. Georg is home at 7:30 for supper and then we do our activities or spend time together. It is seeding time right now (they plant a lot of winter crops) and that, along with the fact that Willi (Georg's Dad) broke his foot, I am not actually seeing Georg very much...which is lonely...but I am doing okay.
Will try to post some pics on here. I really haven't been taking too many pictures, just because everything is the 'every day' for me, and I keep forgetting to take pictures!
Although I have yet to find friends over here, I am quite a busy body when I want to be. I have joined the choir (over 30 people, they sound amazing!), am helping out with the local Scouts group once in awhile (similar to Scouts in N Am, but more focused on group interaction than skill learning), have a weekly Deutsch class at the local Volkshochschule (school for the public, teaches numerous languages and many levels, among other things), and have started playing squash! Georg, a friend, and his sister and her boyfriend play squash, so I was invited out last week to try it. Pretty fun game, but very fast. I have a lot to learn! Also, I hear that there is a rink in town, so I might try out skating for the first time this season later this week. :) Oh, and I have taken up knitting (Grandma, you will be proud!).
Despite all these things that I am involved with, I have found a good routine. I get up at 6:30 every morning, bike to the farm (5 km) or drive over with Georg, have breakfast with the Maas family, help Maria (Georg's Mom) around the house or with her business until lunch, have lunch with the family and then bike home (to our apartment). I have a nap, job hunt on the internet (I'm searching for a better-paying, more hours position, but am having little luck), and then either work on my thesis corrections (although I'm pretty good at procrasinating) or walk around Geldern. Georg is home at 7:30 for supper and then we do our activities or spend time together. It is seeding time right now (they plant a lot of winter crops) and that, along with the fact that Willi (Georg's Dad) broke his foot, I am not actually seeing Georg very much...which is lonely...but I am doing okay.
Will try to post some pics on here. I really haven't been taking too many pictures, just because everything is the 'every day' for me, and I keep forgetting to take pictures!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)