New Toy

Not so sad is what I'll be replacing her with..... A Vespa oh yes finally the dream comes true, I on a scooter!!!!! Can't wait. Doing my CBT next week. BRING IT ON. Anyone is welcome to ask the Big Dad for Baby Blue, LX 125 4T preferably under 5 years old.

Sale of a reliable friend

Well it's the end of yet another era. Granted this car has only been with me for 1 year but due to financial changes and changes in commuting style it has to go. So here is a photo to remind myself of my lovely BABY BLUE Fiat Punto.
She will be missed. She is now in Auto Trader on the web and magazine. So anyone out there looking to buy a little run around let me know. She has low mileage and I'll even get her valletted!

A couple more....

and then there is English Bay in Vancouver and my Dad's birthday cake.

Canada

At last I have had time to download my photos not that there are many. I think I am the laziest photographer ever. Must take the camera with me more often. Well here are a couple of ones. Of my dad and the tractor blowing snow, my dog Toby and my sister and Chicco on my Dad's birthday ride out.

Weekend

My first two store closes went well. Nothing set on fire and the tills weren't to out. Praise the Lord. All rather nerve racking but a growing experience me thinks. A bit shattered it's amazing how tired you can just get from responsibility and new challenges.
Went to the horse for the first time since coming back and typically after a lovely, dry and warm day the moment I arrive at the stables it's pouring down. Ah well we need the rain.

Fear

Sacrificed the putting on of photos for a bit of a lie in. Not completely over my jet lag so feeling rather tired. I'm running my own close down shift of the store this afternoon. Very very scared it's put complete fear in me. Asking myself the question of why I just can't see my full potential but everyone else seems to be able to trust my abilities. This feeling of self-worthlessness sucks and I want rid of it. So you christian mates of mine please pray for God to help me beat this horrible feeling and realise my full potential and my capabilities. I need his strength today masses. Thanks.
Will update on here how it went.
Worst nightmares are Fire, the coffee machine breaking down and me being in there until about 9pm tonight counting money........

Home coming

I'm home. After a rather long journey back I am now back in my own living room suffering from jet lag and complete fatigue. Did go to my bed for a couple of hours but decided it may be best to try and stay awake till later to get back into English time rythmn.
Overall it has been a lovely week, especially catching up with my sister and listening to her many stories about jet another job hunt. At least she may end up closer to England so that's great news.
I will endevour to put some photos on here of my holiday but it may take some days for them to appear.

I'm Italian

Wooooo I always knew there was a reason for my fascination with all things Italian, apparently we have Italian ancestory---ok ok so that doesn't make me Italian, but one can always dream. Found this little gem out from my Dad on his birthday. Apparently some Italian Great Great Great Grandfather had an argument with the Italian Royalty and was chucked out so fled to Portugal- and from there went to Brazil. No wonder we all like travelling so much.
Yet another suprise for my Dad was staged yesterday, we went to the local pub called the Iron Horse and my Mum had invited a few of his friends along as well, which he didn't know about. So all in all I think he had a great Birthday.
I don't think I have ever eaten as much in one day as I did yesterday. All things wonderful, egg, sausages, salmon, herring, Steak Tartar, bread, Nutella, steak, shrimps etc etc. I even baked the birthday cake and it didn't turn out to be a disaster.
It's still freezing here and there is still snow- in fact it is snowing once again as I speak. Not much else to report. I just can't believe it's Thursday already.

Learn from little children

Wanted to record the following conversation; The scene has the following characters: 1 young girl about 10 and two air hostesses: Place- on board the KLM flight during the Duty Free rounds:
Girl: "I want a diamond ring"
Air hostess: "Do you have the money"
Girl: " No, but I'll just go and asked my Dad"
The faith, the question brilliant. She didn't get a diamond ring but I just loved the way she had the guts to just go and ask. You never know..................unless you ask.

I love Broadband

Ok so I wrote this really long entry to update the last few days- lots has happened- but because my parents don't have Broadband it didn't publish. Frustrating, frustrating, frustrating. So have to put this in brief. Left early morning on Sunday morning and arrived without problems, apart from the fact that I managed to read my book from beginning to end. It was reserved for the whole week.Suprised my Dad no end- there were tears. He thought I was a guest called Ernst he had been emailing. (obviously a set up email account)Spent the evening with Oria, the next day with my parents and then picked up my sister and Anna Watson who were on the same flight from London without me knowing or them knowing......Good car journey up to the ranch with moonlit mountains capped in snow.Snow here is in parts up to my hips.Already rode this morning, played with the dogs, watched a DVD and ate doughnuts. A true holiday.

My name is Ernst

It's Tuesday out here and after two days I am now back home on the Ranch. Suprising Dad at the airport was brilliant fun. Oria was there to meet me to. Mum and the helpers had created an imaginary guest, including email correspondence, called Ernst. Unfortunately because Immigration seem to have a problem with me it took two hours for me to actually get outside the Baggage area, after landing. Therefore Mum had to go and tell my Dad that 'Ernst' was really me and that I was a bit delayed and they hoped that I had actually got on the plane! He was all confused and yes there were tears in his eyes when he saw me. Great fun and very, very special.
Then Oria, parents and I went to Granville Island ate ice cream had a late lunch. I stayed at Oria's for the night. We went for a drink in the pub near her appartment and had lovely cheesecake. I managed to stay awake until 8.30pm but then sleep overtook me. Monday all four of us had breakfast together and then my parents and I went to Stanley Park for a little walk and drive. I love Manchester but have decided that it really needs an equivalent to Stanley Park. I wonder if one could build something like it?!
Then went to Staples and had lunch.( Not in Staples obviously) As Oria was picking up Anna Watson from the airport we picked her up after work and we all went to Ikea on the way to the airport. Yes Anna and I completely didn't register that she was also coming to Vancouver a day after I arrived. Strange........:o)
We picked up my sister without a hitch and then it was a straight run home. I managed to sleep a bit in the car and therefore missed most of the journey. But I'm glad I was awake for the mountains. It was full moon so the sky was lit up and you could see the snow on the mountains on the Highway. Completely beautiful.
I was the one to open the gate to the ranch and as I got out realised that there was a snow mountain up to my hips next to me. I'm glad to say that not everywhere on the ranch the snow is that high but pretty much on the fields it is at least a few inches above my knees. Crazy. It's snowing again now. (only a little bit mind but enough)
Today was just a lazy day with a quick ride and then helping unload the 26 pillows and duvets we bought at IKEA. Yes we did look a bit crazy with three trolley loads full of them.
Now I'm a bit lost as to what to do. Really we should bake Dad's birthday cake but the last time I baked here it was a bit of a disaster, so not wanting to repeat that one. Instead I have hidden away at the computer. Also I managed to read the book I had taken for the week on the plane. And yes I hadn't started it yet. They weren't showing a great movie so I managed to avoid getting bored and very frustrated by getting stuck into the book.

Thoughts

Here are some of the things that made my mind boggle today:
1. Why are shared ownership schemes so expensive are there any first time buyers out there that can actually afford them? I mean they are the people they are meant to help.
2. Why do some men not adhere to the rule that a man should never tell a girl what to eat or discuss her eating habits and tell her that she maybe in danger of getting to fat (yes Portugese man actually did that to me...)
3. Why would I want foundation that makes me look younger? I already look like I'm about 18 when in fact I'm 27. - Lady in Body Shop tried to sell me that kind of foundation......:o)
4. Who lives happily on Caffe Nero salaries and doesn't get themselves into debt fast?
5. Why are rents almost as expensive as mortgages but you don't have to go to a bank to have it approved?

These are all merely rhetorically questions floating about in my head as I ponder life and some of the rather scary decisions facing me at the moment. Not problems as such just life's little questions I can never seem to answer.

Some of the things I have avoided doing today:
1. Packing for Canada.
2. Sorting out my paperwork so I can claim working tax credit.
3. Phoning the owner of Loyds cafe to find out whether he still wants to sell.

Instead I have had a makeover at the Body Shop, fell in love with a Bag in a new cool 50's kitsch shop, gone food shopping and had a home made Macciato.

I think the spoiling myself rotten and doing important things balance has gone a bit out.

Racism

So this guy today did my head in. I have two days training at Caffe Nero; one thing I love about Caffe Nero is that it employes lots of different nationalities, so my training possee are made up of 2 Brits (4 if you include the trainer and me), 1 Czech girl, 1 Polish, 1 Italian and 1 Portugese guy. As people know I love different cultures and countries and I love being German/British. I love both the country of my birth and the country of my passport. And I don't get offended easily when people make fun of the Brits or the Germans but today I really had my patience tested. I call it educated, undercover racism. You know not the kind where people just blatantly say they hate a country/a person of a country but a subtle criticism of a country and it's people tarnishing every single person of said country with one brush. So according to the Portugese guy all Brits are thick, the British education system is rubbish, the Portugese and German systems superior and no Brit knows anything about any other country in the world. Oh he made me mad. I mean why move to a country when you don't like the weather, the people, the education system, the economy- well pretty much everything about !? I said as much to him, rather articulately setting him straight that those kind of statements are rather stupid. I don't think I have ever been that offended before. I mean yeah I have met people who have made fun of both my cultures and complained about the British weather or made comparisons between the two education systems, but something in the way he said all the things set me off in a rage inside. I think it showed and I don't think I was the only person who felt it. All got rather deep and tense. The thing is I have another training day with this guy tomorrow and I'm not sure whether I can be as articulate tomorrow as I was today.
Made me think of what racism is though. I always thought of it as only when people outrightly slag off a country or it is just against blacks, asians- in other words minority groups. But I'm beginning to think about the fact that it can be so much more subtle and be between all groups that we see as different to us. I know that there are things that I prefer about Germany but it works vice versa. Also made me realise how easily I can make sweeping statements about a country and how wrong that is. No one German/Brit/Italian is the same as another. There are so many regional variances in every country I have ever visited and as for education systems...... No two people's experience is the same. I know Germans who couldn't care less about learning foreign languages or ever visiting another country as in the same way I know Brits who speak 2-3 languages and love to travel.
In conclusion I hate racism in all it's forms and general sweeping comments. They are just so wrong and arrogant. It's a note to self to try and avoid making those statements as I know I am guilty of doing myself.

Time Flies

Once again I am starting my blog by realising that it has been over three days since the last update. I have now changed stores to what is known as Deansgate 2. After two shifts I'm beginning to think that I really like it a lot better. Apart from the slight hitch that my shift leader with the keys was 20 minutes late this morning. People you should try it- stand outside a Caffe Nero at 6.30am in the rain- the looks you get are hilarious. I'm sure everyone was thinking: "now that girl is a true coffee addict" Mind no-one came to enlighten me of the fact that it doesn't open until 7am! By the time I got the buddy keys from another store and a float and the alarm code (not that I would have known where the alarm is!) Joe had arrived. A rather stressful start to the day, but in some ways really good fun.
We get lots of business men in the store which is quite hilarious. The thought crossed my mind tonight that I am probably one of the highest educated Baristas around. I bet some of them think of us as 'just coffee shop employees'. I don't mind at all, it's kind a fun, almost like having a secret identity, any moment now I can reveal that I have a University Degree and I'm doing this job because I love serving coffee, and the feeling of constantly finishing tasks. It's brilliant. No ongoing projects, just open the store, serve people, close store. So me, it's great.

Ok that was a bit of a brain splurge not really an update of what I have been up to. Saturday I went to the stables before my shift and then Sally D and I went for a drink afterwards in Chorlton. And then went home and chatted, laughed and drunk some wine. I did an open shift on Sunday. Sunday afternoon was spent pretending that it was summer (the sun was out!!!) and a lovely lunch with Craig. And then back to his for a DVD. Crash- only got to watch halve of it because of a scratched DVD. So no-one tell me the ending or the middle!!!
Monday morning was really good fun. Blue came to the stables with me in his new Dryazabone wax jacket. Dead cute. And even cuter was him trying to catch Snowflakes as they were falling. Kate wasn't so keen on him but he is getting rather intrigued by her.
Last night didn't do much apart from go to bed early. Another open for me tomorrow. The fun the fun. Off to Canada on the weekend, trez exciting.

Beer & Spontaneity

There is something very satisfying when you crave something and that craving is fulfilled. At the end of a rather quiet shift at Caffe Nero I really wanted to go to the pub for a beer. I can only actually manage 1/2 pint. Not because I get tipsy after it but I feel sick after to much beer ( I am a self professed lightweight, but in this instance that is not the reason). But 1/2 pint in an evening is just the right amount. I had a major dilemma though, Craig had said that he is going out with the lads; unable to get hold of Sally D because of a lack of phone ( and no-one was at my house to pick up the landline) and everyone else I know is married, so difficult to get them to be spontaneous for rather cute reasons called babies, or people tend to be so busy that spontaneity is difficult. However much to my suprise Mr Sherratt came to pick me up after work because it was cold and then it turned out that he wasn't going out with the lads, so when I mentioned the above desire he was well up for a quiet, quick drink before bedtime. Perfect. ( Now please no-one think that I in anyway I mind Craig going out for a drink with the lads on the contrary I think it is good, but just on this one occassion it made my night that he was free and ever the spontaneous partner in crime). A lovely time was had chatting over Erdinger Weissbier in The Bar in Chorlton, not quite by the real fire but close enough.
We had our first joint wedding invitation from the lovely Claire B and Anthony. Very exciting. Life is ever so good at the moment. Evenings like last night, days like today when all the roomies are at home and I can just drive to Chorlton and do a few chores in the sun. This is what life is all about. :o)

Changes

A few rather good things have happened in the last 24 hours. Firstly I went to Macclessfield to have tea with the wonderful Lorna and Richard Riley in their rather large new house. They can't really claim to live in Macclesfield it's in the flipping country side, it has a field next to it!!! Beautiful family home. Did make me wonder exactly how many children they are planning to have?! It was rather fun though seeing them and catching up. Many more trips planned down that way.
Then today I did an early shift and it was fairly quiet. But I'm now starting at the second Deansgate store. Gavin the manager has been really keen to transfer me over there and get me trained up better. Wasn't getting the training really and it was getting to the point where I was about to say something and then this opportunity has arisen. The other great thing about it is that this store finishes earlier as well so you are out by 7.30pm when you do a close. Much, much better. Still not much further with my own store plans, but getting there. I also don't feel as tired today as I usually do after a shift. so praise the Lord all round.
Craig spontaneously came to pick me up, after they asked everyone to stay an hour longer after their shifts. He is going into hospital overnight- nothing serious- so it was lovely to see him albeit briefly. Is that what love is about?- totally taking in every minute you are with them, and just wanting to be with them every minute? Never thought that I would be quite that loved up. So all in all a brilliant 24 hours so far.
I'm going to go and have a bit of a nap now before the housemates return. They have both been away for a bit so it will be nice to catch up properly.