- nice hotel, check
- beautiful weather – check
- lovely food – check
- good wine – check
- waking up with no hangover – priceless…

Back in Sydney now…

All booked, all sorted – here I come! In the hope of good weather, in August this year… So I would say: it’s time to line up for cafe, dinner, BBQ and breakfast dates It’s going to be the usual “working-stress-holiday” but nevertheless I’m looking very much forward to it and to see my family and friends…

Ich komme nach Hause! Und da ich die letzen Jahre so ein Pech mit dem Wetter im July hatte dachte ich mir, dass meinen Arbeitsurlaub dieses Jahr auf August lege… Nun ja – immerhin habe ich damit meinen Freunden in der Heimat tolles Worldcup Wetter verschafft. Bis August wird es sicher wieder abkühlen – PAH!!!! Oh und die Nic hat, fingers crossed, hoffentlich tolles wedding Wetter!!!!!! Also wer das Maudchen sehen will muss bescheid sagen – ich bin offen für Frühstücks, Lattes, Wein, grillen, Essen, Spaziergänge etc. …

FREU MCIH SCHON AUF ALLE!!!!!

Alles schön grün!

I admit I have taken the piss about UGG boots ever since I came to Australia and I still think they are UGG-ly but after 5 years I have given in – I just bought a pair. Not necessarily as fashion statement or because I suddenly think they look really good but to keep my feet warm while sitting at my Mac the whole day in a house without central heating. Again – only people that have lived it can will understand the magnitude of the problem. 15 degrees is just not cold. Right, I agree but if it is 15 degrees in your study or living room even my tough German friends would consider it cold… Missy Cola explained it quite well on her blog by saying that she opens the windows during the day to get some WARM air in!!!!

So here we go: my new foot-warmers

I tracked them down in the city and found them later online 100 bucks cheaper I guess I'm still in the sale mood

It's not just me - even the beast doesn't want to get up at the moment ...

Big yawn...

What do you mean - walkies?! I'm not getting out there!!!

I also think the UGG boots are the worst worn with a short skirt or at 25 degrees… And while I asked Mr. Google to find me a picture like that I came across this article… Very funny!

Several illnesses were reported across the U.S. this month including the Ugg Boots Virus (UBV), Chihuahua Owner Disease (COD), and Oversized Sunglesses Syndrome (OSS). Though many of them are well-known issues that began early in the decade and have begun to trail off, the Ugg Boots Virus continues to reign terror on the nation and is approaching alarming levels. Experts are now urging friends and families to do everything they can to prevent the virus from further outbreaks.
Last year, 6,527,220 new Ugg Boots Virus cases were reported. Many of these cases involved repeat victims who were unable to change their stale fashions in time to prevent contracting the virus again. Even more alarming is that many of the new cases reported contain a transformed version of the virus that has helped speed the spread the virus. This new string has been linked back to Wal-Mart, Kohl’s, and Target which has allowed new classes of Americans to contract the virus — not just trophy wives at upscale shops.

I think I might have caught the OSS ages ago but luckily never had the COD!

Now, that is a very rare sight! It is colder in Sydney than in Dresden… Despite the fact that we have winter and it is summer back home Sydney is usually not that much colder. This morning it was -1 and apparently there was ice on the windscreens yesterday. I missed out on that one because I left the house at 9AM when the temperature was already up to 11 degrees again. Lucky me!  Now you might think there is no real reason to complain as it won’t last for more than a week but, my German friends especially, imagine one week at -1 to 13 degrees with no central heating!!!!! FREEZING!!!!!!!!

It looks as if the summer finally arrived in Germany!

While it is seriously f**king cold in Sydney.

And hubby gets washed away in Indonesia!

My best friend braved the sales last week and handed her credit card over to me afterwards. Today I think we should have done a swap. How come that we always fall for the sale signs? Only to feel either horribly guilty afterwards or unbelievably proud! Something like: “Look what I hunted down today! It would have been 1200 bucks but I got it for 400!!!” Well done little Jedi but do you need any of it? Well, hummmmm… I really needed a pair of black pants. So lets see… Nope, no black pants.

Let the hunt begin!

Big bag...

No black pants.

Guilty as charged.

Anyway a good days shopping can’t be done without a even better lunch! God I love having lunch on my own… Gives you the time to eavesdrop. Uncool banker to the left trying to impress his 20 something old girlfriend. Easily done. She smiles all the time. 2, let’s call then “Chanel-chicks” to the right with LOTS OF PROBLEMS which they had to discuss loudly. Lot’s of business people all around me, drinking very good vino at 1PM on a Friday. Impressive!

Whereabouts? BAMBINI TRUST CAFE AND RESTAURANT. It is, inner-city expensive but I had the urge to go back there only to have the pumpkin ravioli with ricotta and toasted sage again!

BLISS!

Wine heaven!

I’m over 30, I’m happily married and I have a new wallpaper for my iPhone. I didn’t find it myself or anything I got it from Carina in a “get well soon” message. Damn, it helped… My flu is almost gone!

May I introduce you to Eric, Vampire, 1000 something years old and kinda still hot… Ok, seriously – I love the HBO series “True Blood”. So does my hubby and most of the people I managed to convince to watch the first episode. It has a little bit of everything and is so beautifully politically incorrect… Sex, drugs and Rock’n'Roll in prudish, religious Louisiana mixed with vampires, shape-shifters and demons. What more can you ask for? Just watch it if you haven’t yet.

Oh – and they say god hates fangs! I think he secretly goes to Fangtasia for a, well, drink every now and again…

PS: Sookie Stackhouse (the main character) aka Anna Paquin is highly annoying but I didn’t like her in X Man either. So no surprise there and I don’t watch it because of her anyway. Somehow I might have mentioned that before…

Got that in an e-mail so I can’t link to where originally came from but it made my day!!!!

Last month a world-wide survey was conducted by the UN. The question asked was:

The survey was a massive failure because of the following:
1. In Eastern Europe they didn’t know what “honest” meant.
2. In Western Europe they didn’t know what “shortage” meant.
3. In Africa they didn’t know what “food” meant.
4. In China they didn’t know what “opinion” meant.
5. In the Middle East they didn’t know what “solution” meant.
6. In South America they didn’t know what “please” meant.
7. In the USA they didn’t know what “the rest of the world” meant.
8. In Australia they hung up as soon as they heard the Indian accent.

Especially point 8! That is just so true…

Now for some of you that might look insane but I can only say that I enjoy it! It is even lacking the whole “oh shit it Wednesday I have to go to training” issue. It’s more like “Yeah! It Wednesday (or Monday or Friday or Saturday for that matter) I can train today… Matt convinced me and Guy to join his Saturday dragging and flipping tires session a while ago and except from the pain the day after it felt awesome. Today I had a 2 hour early morning session with Winnie in Sydney Park and it just is a great way to start the day. I’m pretty sure Teal’c thinks the same about a 2h walk in the park. That was what we did. A 2 hour stroll with, well, weights…

MY LEGS ARE KILLING ME.
PEACE. OUT. MAU

And what happens when a 4WD backs into a tiny Mitsubishi that is innocently parked in it’s favourite spot right in front of our house? The 4WD wins I’m glad that the culprit left a message and I was relieved when I read that he didn’t see little Rudi (my cars name)…
I dare say it would have been much worse if he would have done it on purpose.

There is also Carina's effort to make me feel better! Nothing a piece of chocolate mud cake can't fix... Thanks xxx

Despite the fact that I’m waiting for my permanent residency visa and I do love living in a sunburnt country, please guys – give me some credit here! I have come far! I wear flip flops in winter, I get pissed on Australia day, I have a BBQ at least 3 times a week in summer, I just ordered UGG boots, I wear a beanie at 18 degrees because I think it is cold, I drive on the left side, I say noooise instead of nice and howrya instead of how are you and I don’t leave the house without sunscreen BUT I don’t support the Socceroos. Leave me a bit of national pride – will you? Besides, why supporting a losing team?!

So that should solve the mystery for all my concerned German friend that emailed, skyped and facebooked me overnight:

[14/06/10 4:51:40 AM] Frau Kürsch:
he
wir packen grad die aussis eeeein
für den Rüüückflug!!!!!!!

Vorsicht vor Podolski!!!
[14/06/10 4:56:32 AM] Frau Kürsch
2:0!!!!!!!AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Kloooooooooooose
(dance) (rofl) (party) (party) (party)

[14/06/10 5:53:53 AM] Frau Kürsch: 3:0!!!!!!!
tschühüsss
4: 0
Cacau
[14/06/10 6:22:48 AM] Frau Kürsch: tu nur, als würdest du das alles nicht mitbekommen

[14/06/10 4:53:21 AM] Nelly:
wohoo, it’s getting exciting!!!
[14/06/10 6:22:51 AM] Nelly: tjaaaaaa, they only do know how to surf….

[14/06/10 5:23:37 AM] Dan:
für wen drückst du denn grad die daumen?

Wim 14 June at 04:07
Hi Mau,

Was ist bei euch los?
Schaust du?
Grüße,
Wim

And to answer that question too: nope! I fell asleep too early and got up too late…
Then I made 2 mistakes: I checked facebook
Katinka: We screwed that up. Sad but true.
Jefton: Let’s hope we don’t see pim verbeek coaching socceroos again in 4 years
Nigel: Stop press… Entire austrailian team out for supper with the England goalkeeper……

Luckily no one mentioned the score that early in the morning but mistake no 2 was to take the dog for a walk…
“Are you proud now?”
Me: “Yes, I guess so…”
4:0 unbelievable!!!
Me: Thanks – now I don’t have to watch it anymore…