Better times to come

During the past three weeks I stayed in bed with a huge bronchitis, sinusitis and so on. I overslept whole days. But finally I'm feeling a little better. Things will get better now.


Unfortunately I had to go to the vet with Lina yesterday morning because I discovered two more tumours and he had to put her to sleep. I was so sad, I kneed in front of the table where she lied and cried. After that I went to a park, searched for the nicest spot there on a hill and made a funeral for her.
It is so crazy how I adored this little little pet after only two years. She will always be in my heart.

xoxo

Mel

So sad

At the moment, nothing is going well. I'm really sick and unhappy in fact of many reasons.

The biggest reason is: yesterday I discovered two big tumours on Linas chest. You know, Lina is my Dsungarian Hamster and I love her to the moon.


She is the loveliest pet I've ever had and the vet told me, he can't do anything for her.
I feel so helpless and sad. I try to give my best to give her as many good days as possible. But inside of me I'm crying my heart out.

xoxo

Mel

Little critters

Hej everybody,

the last few months have been very busy for me. I passed my final exams and I’m finished with the whole subject for now. I still don’t have concrete future plans, but at the moment I’m working at a nice company to finish a second apprenticeship I started in March. This will due till February and after that I will decide, what to do and where to work next.
But I’m really happy with the new situation. No more 14-hour-days alone at the library. So I’m done with the past and excited when I look ahead. And during the past days, I noticed that I’m getting more calm and serene with every new day and I love it.

Since 8 weeks I habe three new critters, I want to show you :)
You may ask how I got such spezial critters like Achat snails.

This is Amanda:

Some years ago in January a very little snail sat in the salad I bought at the grocery. I called the snail Rainer and he lived till August in a big glass in my flat. Then I brought him to the wood and abandoned him.

Years later I visited a zoo with my ex-boyfriend. They had a section with reptiles and insects. And in one big terrarium, I saw the biggest snail shells I’ve ever seen in my life. Achat snails from Africa. I was so fascinated and didn’t believe my eyes. And I said "When I’m grown up, I really want to have some Achat snails as pets at home.“

8 weeks ago I was grown up ;) One of my best friends gets to know someone who studies biology at university. And they are currently discussing Achat snails. So we asked him, if we can get some of them and after 2 weeks, me and my friend got three mini Achat snails each.

As you can see, within 8 weeks, they are not mini anymore ;) And they will grow and grow rapidly.

I will show you some new pics in a few weeks, you will be surprised, I think.

Hope you are all well. Have a nice and sunny weekend.

xo, Mel

Dani had the great idea to make summer goals. I haven't done this ever before, but I love the idea and I love making plans and lists anyway.

So here's my list for summer 2011:

1. Get in a relaxed mood and stay in it, come what may.

2. Taking much more photos than I did during the past years.

Between 2004 and 2007, my sister and me took our camera everywhere with us and took so many great pictures. Since then, we got slacked off and took the camera only with us once in a while. I promise that will change now and this summer we will take tons of great pictures.

3. Visit (open air) concerts constantly this summer. The last concert I’ve been to, took place more than one year ago. It was a concert by Devendra Banhart in Amsterdam. But I really can’t believe this happened so long ago.

4. Reading while lying on my balcony. Perfect to relax.

5. Having picnics once a week. I love preparing food and everything for picnicking. I will come up with lots of new and nice places for picnic and I’m really excited by now.

6. Meeting friends I haven’t seen for a long time due to my exams.

7. Cooking with fresh vegetables and eating lots of summer fruits like strawberries etc.

8. Go horse-riding ;) Last summer, I took riding lessons. My teacher was 70 years old and - I swear - he was much more fit and athletic than me. It was a lot fun, but in the end I had to start working for the tests and had to end it. But I will start again.

9. Getting new decorations for my flat and the balcony. Trying some DIYs, but first of all making a great spring-cleaning.

10. Trying new things I’ve never done before. For example, I always wanted to try wakeboarding. This summer will definitely be the time for this.

After doing this list, I'm much more excited ;)

Back and alive

I'm so very sorry for my long absence on the blog. I'm the worst blogger ever, I know...
As some of you know, the last few weeks have been very busy for me. I'm now finished with the written part of my exams. In three months I'll get the results. So now I'm totally excited and ready for a new start. I try to minimum write two posts a week from now on.
Some weeks go, I also started a Tumblr. Here's the adress, if you are interested:
http://webofsound.tumblr.com/
I have so many plans and such a long list for upcoming things I want to do. I hope I can realize as much of my plans as possible. This year there will be lots of changes in my life. First of all my exams, but there are nevertheless so many other things. Some of them already started yet.
Although the past time was very stressful, I don't regret it, when I look back now, because I have to realize, that I learned a lot. I learned working by focusing on the point, fight ingthrough difficult tests and exercises and hard times at all without giving up. I know, I have the best family and friends in the whole world on my side. They support me wherever and whenever they can. Now I'm much more optimistic than before and trained in making decisions and defend them.
Last week, I started a whole new "work-thing". Perhaps I will tell you later about it. For now, I just wanted to let you know, I'm back and happy and I've got lots of ideas for blogging.
There are many things to come ;) Hope you're all well!!!

xo, Mel

Stay focused on yourself a while

This is one of my resolutions for 2011. The first one on my list and a really important one, I think. I remind myself of this some times in the past and when I try to realize this rule for me, it varys, how good I make it. “Stay focused” means for me, to do everything you do during the day with your whole heart, trying not to be distracted from someone or something at this point. When I eat, I eat and concentrate on the great food I give to my body. When I read something, I read and try not to think about my shopping list for three hours later. Especially when I learn, I really focus on learning. It’s hard to hold your thoughts together and not to zone out. But I know I can do it. And if I do so, I recognize that everything feels more intense. Often, people don’t realize, that there are racing thoughts in their heads while they were doing normal things like listening to music, walking, reading or cooking. If you stay focused on what you are doing right now, you do not allow yourself to think about small or big problems the whole time. Mostly permanent thinking about problems won’t help you, but makes you feel nervous. Staying focused should not mean that you should ignore other people or important things that happen. It simply means not to let your mind wander but to bundle your thoughts and energy to do, what you have or want to do in this moment. If you try this, let me know, how it works. xo, Mel.

In the snow globe

Snow snow snow. This year, Germany is so snowed in. 30cm only last night....and there has been a ton of snow already. I can't remember when we had so much snow at last. I am not able to use my car. And I don't know, how to reach my Moms home for christmas eve today. She lives in our neighbour-city, 40 km away. I hope we'll get there by train...if there's still a train.

We have a huuuuge christmas tree in our city, that consists of 1.700 Norway spruces. Although it looks really I great, I find it sad to cut down so many trees only for the 4 or 5 weeks, the christmas tree is standing in our downtown.

A few days ago, my sister and I baked some scones. We would so much like to go to Britain again. Can't wait to be there...hopefully next year. We ate the scones with cherry-jam and self-made clotted cream and drank some black tea with milk. Felt very british ;)
During a trip to Cologne two weeks ago, I bought some chai latte at the English Store there.

Now I will pack my bags and try to catch a train to my Mom for christmas eve. Hope you will all have some relaxed christmas days with your family and friends.

xo, Mel