November 8, 2017

the fall up date

the year in it's last third, the past three months have just been rushing by. lot's has happened and i enjoy my teaching job, is exciting and i love the kids as well as the subject. it does take a lot of my time, to get the lessons ready as i have to "präp" from scratch...
the running is still a wonderful time on most days. it does take me a little kick in the butt to get out of the door, but as soon as i'm out, i love it and it gives me the needed energy for the day. often it's a good time to reflect on harder issues and keeps me actively thinking and not seldom i find new and creative ways of looking at a subjects or relationships. it is a good tool to keep focused on the to me important issues. running has definitely become a means to know how i'm doing all over. and so is cooking too. if i'm up to cooking and baking i'm doing well, i not just feel inspired but i also am able to take the time to act on it. those two things have been cut short the past 6 months, and i'm just now getting back into a rhythm which suits me well.

and here is the list for now::

1. finish A's quilt as well as the other one, both are sandwiched, it should be a matter of a few weeks...
- A's target quilt is all done and in use every night since early july

2. hand in the papers a couple weeks after finishing the course.
- so far so good, both papers due so far have been handed in early and the one for early july is at a friends for proof reading was handed in on time. the grades the earlier ones are back and i'm happy about the results so far.

3. practice the ukulele twice a week
nowhere there, but playing a bit more regular as i do acompany the singing in my religion class on wednesday afternoons

4. sewing the linen pants i have in mind

5. buy a beeswax-wrap and figure out how to do it my self...
- it just so happened, that a friend of mine was in munich and was able to stop by this store, he got me a set of wraps and i use them and am very happy. and even better, you can get them now in switzerland at change maker, as well as bare ware, for a reasonable prize!

6. visit the gewerbemuseum in the city, to see this and the münzkabinett for this
i have been at the "bike-city-design" exhibit with an old friend of mine, he was in town for a few days. we had a wonderful time and it was inspiring.

7. go on a two day get away with naomi

8. knit, crochet or sew at least one project a month
- the hat for myself
- thea's dress
- naomi's skirt
- finished up an old project, the potholde
- finished the target quilt
- knitt two fairy dust cardigans

9. stop by this store in zurich

10. rent a snow board for a few days in february, when we are in adelboden
- i did rent a snow board for 5 days and i was super happy and everything hurt, but i learned a new skill and i will improve on it next year.

11. say not quickly no to the kids, but pause and then respond
this one is a real challenge, but just yesterday i was really doing well, not letting my own ego and my short tempered nature get it's way. it takes me a deep breath and an second deep breath, maybe even a third one. but i'm practicing and see it as a little success, if i'm able to not say no, right away.

12. read good books
- die Attentäterin, Yasmina Khadra
- the Freedom of Self Forgetfulness, Timothy Keller
- hör nicht auf zu singen, Rebecca Giselbrecht, Sabine Scheuter
- Lilac Girls, by Marhta Hall Kelly
- the last Song, by Nicholas Sparks
- zwei bemerkenswerte Frauen, by Tracy Chevalier
- the Chameleon's Shadow, by Milette Walters
- Verspottet, geachtet, geliebt - die Frauen der Reformatoren, by Ursula Koch
- Ulrich Zwingli: Prophet, Ketzer, Pionier des Protestantismus, by Peter Opitz
- Zankapfel Bibel, by Ulrich Lutz
- A good American, by Alex George
- "Solange wir leben, müssen wir uns entscheiden", Jehuda Bacon/Manfred Lütz
- The Audacity of hope, Barack Obama
- Kochen im Hause Luther, Thomas Correll
- Gestillt Nachtgespräche mit David, Daniel Zindel
- Simple Matters, Erine Boyle

13. have dinner out, with friends or just joel, for a change....
- at the beginning of july, we went with our friends to rhodos, a wonderful greek place in the city

14. don't buy any plastic bottles (water, tea, etc.)
- so far so good, though i caught myself already a handful of times wanting to get a drink and then realizing, that i don't have my travel mug along. so i abstained.... maybe some good thing too
- ups, we had to buy water up at the SAC hut, as there is no potable water available... seems hard to believe but that's what it is

15. carry the bamboo mug i own in my hand bag, to use at any given time for take away beverages
- yes i do well with this one

16. organize a little house concert for our friends and neighbors

17. go on a two or three day hike with joel, a week in the dolomites is in the planning for july
- we didn't make it out of country.... but chose to go on a four day hike, staying in three different sac huts, it was fantastic, look here

18. run 25-30km a week and participate in a race
- i ran the 10k at the winterthur marathon event... and it looks bright with the 25km a week, though not much more, and definitely not 30km. i had to start with hip strengthening exercises as i noticed that the hip is my week point as soon as i run 25km plus, a week. so there we go, getting to know my own body a bit better once more.

19. be especially patient and supportive with Thea practicing the cello
- this is coming along and now knowing that she does need a special portion of patience. it helps in taking that extra effort. she is doing well and it really is her instrument. i do better with the patience and have come up with creative ideas and ways to practice music.

20. watch a good movie in the theater, with a friend

21. write snail mail birthday cards, no emails, no sms, no what's up, neither count blog comments...
- this is coming along well, though i'm skipping some not very close friends, but decided that this is fine with me, just sending out a letter with a little present and i do smile while putting this in the mail. uups, there were a few friends getting their well wishes via email.... sorry, but live has been a bit hectic lately...

22. enjoy the garden with our chickens and try getting some veggies of the ground
- the chickens are fun and laid a lot this spring and with the veggies, i got three little wooden crates going with a pumpkin plant and cucumbers and some butterfly plants (fenchelkraut)
i do enjoy the garden, harvested two cucumbers, no pumpkin and istead of the fennel greens, there are stinging nettle.... which, i have to say, the little flowering parts are very rich in iron and i eat them directly from the plant, thank you mother nature.

23. try new recipes, chines noodles and things, more fermented vegetables and carrots and lebanese spices. maybe borek and other kinds of food from the balkans.
- a yummy noodle salad with cashews and tofu has become the girls favorit this summer
- just today a marbled banana-chocolate cake has been made. i know this is in now way fermented or filled with vegetables, though still new and special to me.
- today i made tahini/carrot muffins with coconut oil and they tasted yummy a good and healthy breakfast type of food (not dessert, as it is not rich or sweet :)

24. finish the quilt granny squar quilt from four summers ago....

25. participate with a decorated window on the 8th of december for the neighborhood advents-calendar.

26. be still and pray when every thing is getting stressed out and hectic around me

27. buy a small boom box to carry along to class
- did it, elias helped me to figure out which one i should choose. and i'm happy with the ue roll-2 it will be put to good use tomorrow for some harp music, as we get to know david the boy sheppherd and king. I learned to pair my fairphone to the ue roll-2 and feel like it's easy to do.... :)

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