Ameise1 (Barbara)'s first try (Part 8)

Welcome to my 8th thread.

Did you know that the cradle of Dadaism was in Zürich? The Birthday of it was on the 5th of February 1916. Hugo Ball and Emmy Hennings inaugurated the legendary Cabaret Voltaire. A lot of famous persons were regular visitors to this Cabaret as Hans Arp, Tristan Tzara, Marcel Janco, Sophie Taeuber Arp, Wassily Kandinsky, Paul Klee, Giorgio de Chirico, . . .
The Cabaret Voltaire still exists. It's a wonderful place with extraordinary events.

Some impressions of Caberet Voltaire:

January

# 1 Die Feuer von Murano by Giuseppe Furno ROOT - 2014 Read Our Own Tomes Group (4 stars)
# 2 The Case Of The Missing Servant by Tarquin Hall (4 stars)
# 3 Necessary as Blood by Deborah Crombie (4 1/2 stars)
# 4 The Paris Vendetta by Steve Berry (3 stars)
# 5 Nelson Mandela by Biography Series Member Giveaway (4 stars)
# 6 Beneath The Bleeding by Val McDermid ROOT - 2014 Read Our Own Tomes Group (4 1/2 stars)

February

# 7 Even Money by Dick Francis (4 stars)
# 8 The Spy Game by Georgina Harding (4 1/2 stars)
# 9 Dark Vineyard by Martin Walker (4 stars)
#10 L.A. Confidential by James Ellroy ROOT - 2014 Read Our Own Tomes Group (4 1/2 stars)
#11 Table For One byDaniel Kelley Member Giveaway (4 1/2 stars)
#12 The Private Patient by PD James ROOT - 2014 Read Our Own Tomes Group (4 stars)

March

#13 Continuance by Marta Tandori Member Giveaway (3 stars)
#14 The Lost Diaries Of Adrian Mole, 1999 2001 by Sue Townsend (3 1/2 stars)
#15 Among the Mad by Jacqueline Winspear (4 stars)
#16 Digital Fortress by Dan Brown ROOT - 2014 Read Our Own Tomes Group (3 1/2 stars)
#17 Blindman's Bluff by Faye Kellerman (4 1/2 stars)
#18 The Infinities by John Banville (4 stars)
#19 Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris (4 stars)

April

#20 Pitch Black by Alex Gray ROOT - 2014 Read Our Own Tomes Group (4 1/2 stars)
#21 In The Kitchen by Monica Ali (2 1/2 stars)
#22 First Family by David Baldacci (4 stars)
#23 No Lovelier Death (DI Joe Faraday) by Graham Hurley ROOT - 2014 Read Our Own Tomes Group (4 stars)
#24 The Associate by John Grisham (3 1/2 stars)
#25 Fear The Worst by Linwood Barclay (4 1/2)
#26 The Ritual by Darren Kirby Member Giveaway (2 stars)
#27 False Impression by Jeffrey Archer Audiobook (4 stars)
#28 NO HARD FEELINGS (A Kate Stanton Mystery) by Marta Tandori Member Giveaway (4 stars)

May

#29 White Jazz by James Ellroy ROOT - 2014 Read Our Own Tomes Group (4 stars)
#30 Brooklyn by Colm Toibin (4 stars)
#31 Family Album by Penelope Lively (4 stars)
#32 Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane (4 stars)
#33 The Poison Pen by Marjorie Owen Early Review (4 stars)
#34 Diver Down (Mercy Watts Mysteries) by A.W. Hartoin Member Giveaway (4 1/2 stars)
#35 The Templar's Quest by C.M. Palov ROOT - 2014 Read Our Own Tomes Group (4 stars)

June

#36 One morning like a bird by Andrew Miller (5 stars)
#37 The Aunt Paradox by Chris Dolley Early Review (3 1/2 stars)
#38 The Fire by Katherine Neville (5 stars)
#39 The Silent Girl by Tess Gerritsen ROOT - 2014 Read Our Own Tomes Group (4 stars)
#40 The Veteran by Frederick Forsyth ROOT - 2014 Read Our Own Tomes Group (4 1/2 stars)

July

#41 Deception Point by Dan Brown ROOT - 2014 Read Our Own Tomes Group (3 stars)
#42 Library of the Dead by Glenn Cooper ROOT - 2014 Read Our Own Tomes Group (4 stars)

Take It or Leave It Challenge

challenges

January

7.: Read a book you received as a present (in-laws/Christmas 2013)
Die Feuer von Murano (2014-01-04)
8.: Read a book that has a glossary
The Case Of The Missing Servant by Tarquin Hall (2014-01-07)
11.: Read a book that has two of something in the title
Necessary as Blood by Deborah Crombie (2014-01-14)

February

3.: Read a book of short stories
Table For One by Daniel Kelley (2014-02-24)
5.: Read a book that is part of a series
L.A. Confidential by James Ellroy (2014-02-23)
9.: Read a book with a polar vortex related word in Chapter
The Spy Game by Georgina Harding
20.: Read a book with an object on the cover that starts with a letter in rolling alphabetical order (note)
Even Money by Dick Francis (2014-02-02)

March

1.: Read a book with a red-lettered title
The Lost Diaries Of Adrian Mole, 1999 2001 by Sue Townsend (2014-03-03)
3.:Read a book with a word in the title that starts with a vowel
Among the Mad by Jacqueline Winspear (2014-03-07)
9.: Read a book whose title's initial letter spells out DAYLIGHT, on a rolling basis
Digital Fortress by Dan Brown (2014-03-09)

May

1. Read a book which mentions a tree on any page with double numbers
White Jazz by James Ellroy (2014-05-06)
2./2.: Read a book with at least two words in the title containing an embedded word of at least three letters
Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane (2014-05-18)
The Templar's Quest by C.M. Palov (2014-05-30)
6./6.: Read a book with a title that looks like it has been designed in some kind of handwriting
The Poison Pen by Marjorie Owen (2014-05-24)
Diver Down (Mercy Watts Mysteries) by A.W. Hartoin (2014-05-25)
9. Read a book that is trade paperback-sized
Brooklyn by Colm Toibin (2014-05-09)
10.: Read a book that is divided into chapters, with each chapter having it's own name
Family Album by Penelope Lively (2014-05-13)

June

1.: Read a book whose author’s first and last name end in the same letter
The Fire by Katherine Neville (2014-06-20)
9.: Read a book that doesn't have a person on the cover
The Veteran by Frederick Forsyth (2014-06-29)
12.: Read a book with a body part on the cover
The Silent Girl by Tess Gerritsen (2014-06-22)
17.: Read a book which has a "don" word on any page with the number 57
One morning like a bird by Andrew Miller (2014-06-07)
18.: Read a book that you can only read/find online or in E-book form
The Aunt Paradox by Chris Dolley (2014-06-09)

July
19./19.: Read a book whose author is from a country that competed in the 2014 World Cup
Deception Point by Dan Brown (2014-07-06)
Library of the Dead by Glenn Cooper (2014-07-14)

currently reading



currently listening

Happy New Thread, Barbara! I love the photos up top - very cool and interesting!

Thanks Amber, it is a wonderful place. I love it. Being first, something sweet and special from one of Zürich's bakeries.

Happy New Thread, Barbara! That Emmy Hennings was a real beauty, wasn't she?
Now I'm off to see whether Amber will share one of those gorgeous pastries with your visitor #2......

Hi Peggy, thanks for your lovely words and welcome to my new thread. Indeed, Emmy Hennings was a beauty.

Happy Saturday, Barbara! I enjoyed the photos and description of the Cabaret Voltaire at the beginning of your thread. If it's okay with you I'll help myself to one of those lovely desserts in message #6.

Darryl, welcome on my new thread. Of cause, please help yourself with those pastries. Indeed, Cabaret Voltaire has a long history. Wladimir Iljitsch Lenin was living next door and he visited the Cabaret as well.

Hi Barb, followed you to your New Thread, Number 8. And I love the photo's in the top post. I'm learning more things every day!

Happy Sunday!!


More Images @ MyNiceProfile.com

>11 connie53: Oh Connie, thanks a lot for this wonderful rose. Indeed, Zürich has a lot to report, so I'll find in every new thread something.
Happy Sunday to you too.

We soon are leaving for the Rolling Stones concert which takes place here in Zürich, tonight. :-D

Happy weekend, Barbara.

Those pastries are just so pretty and delicious looking. I would feel bad about taking that first bite. What are they?

>14 cameling: Hi Caro, they are made with lemon and orange. I hope you have a lovely weekend too.

Happy times with the Rolling Stones, Barb!

The concert was gorgeous, Connie. I'll post some pics later. BTW on FB there are some photos.

Happpy New Thread! I'm glad to hear you enjoyed the concert.

>18 cbl_tn: Carrie, it wasn't my first Stones concert but I'm not sure if it was the last one. The elderly gentlemen won't go on tour so often anymore.

Happy Monday and a good new week ahead, Barbara!

>20 richardderus: Thanks a lot, Rdear. Wishing you the same. I'm on the way to work. *smooches*

So, some impressions from the Stones concert last night. I love the music and the show of those guys and I didn't get disappointed last night. It was as strong as always. That they are 'old' I could only see on the shoes. Isn't it funny looking what kind of shoes they are wearing? Instead of those crazy shoes they were wearing years ago, mostly looking very uncomfortable, they wear now very comfortable sneakers. I'm glad Charlie is able to sit behind his drums because his walking looks poorly. Keith and Ron are still dressed like birds of paradise but not anymore jumping around like earlier. Nevertheless all three are still playing gorgeous. The exception is Mick, wow, what fabulous show has he performed last night. He is still full of energy, it's really unbelievable.

Here some photos from yesterday evening. Sorry for the poorly quality but I'm not used rocking and taking photos at the same time ;-)

Happy new thread Barbara! Your pictures of the concert are super cool. I've never been to an outdoor concert before. Maybe something to add to the bucket list. :)

Congrats on the new thread, Barbara. Cafe Voltaire sure looks intriguing - I knew nothing about it before. And fun pics of the Rolling Stones concert. Sounds like you had a blast.

>23 jolerie: Valerie, thanks a lot. The concert was absolutely fantastic. I love open air concerts. First you can sit in the sun and enjoy the atmosphere and than when it's getting dark you have fabulous sound under starry sky.

>24 jnwelch: Joe, it was sooooo amazing and the atmosphere was fantastic. I'm glad that I can surprise you with a little trouvaille from my hometown. I love this Café/Cabaret Voltaire very much. By the way it's next door to the Café Schober which I introduced in an earlier thread.

Hi Barbara, the photo's from the Stones concert look great, glad you really enjoyed it. Hope you have had a good day, Karen's eye is getting better.

>27 johnsimpson: Thanks, John, it was gorgeous. I'm glad Karen's eye is much better. Unfortunately, I can't say it for my eye. I went this afternoon for another emergency appointment to my doctor, because the antibiotic drops which I got last Wednesday didn't work so good. They stopped the sanies but I had the feeling it's much more worse. Now, I got the same drops as in March. It's a combination from antibiotic and cortisone.

>28 Ameise1:, Hope the new drops work my dear.

>29 johnsimpson: me too, John. I keep my fingers crossed.

Hi Barbara! I thought I would return your usual favor of leaving lovely and enchanting images on my thread. This is Mt. Rainier, located just southeast of Seattle:

Hullo Barbara. Great pictures of Cabaret Voltaire and the Stones. Glad you had a good time. :-)

Wow, it looks like you had a wonderful time at the concert! I sort of attended a Stones concert once, by proxy, if you will, when I was in college: the football stadium was just half a block down the street from my dorm, so I just opened the window and could listen to the whole thing!

>32 AuntieClio: Hi Stephanie, welcome to my thread and thanks a lot for the compliment. It was a fantastic show, I love those guys, their music and their performance.

>33 scaifea: Amber, it was indeed GORGEOUS. Around the Letzigrund where the concert took place there are many houses. A lot of people joined the concert there or in the streets around the stadium. After the concert if you didn't know where to go best to the railway station it took people a long time to go there. Thomas and me were back home very quickly (insider knowledge - Ha). We walked first the smaller streets and then caught a bus which took us straight home.

Hi Barb, Here I am. I had to search for your thread. I would like to give some threads a second star, just to find them more easily.

Ohh, I reallu like those pictures of the Stones! My daughter and her friends are going to see them at Pinkpop. A festival nearby that starts on Saturday and ends on Monday. It's Pentacost / Pinksteren next weekend. That's why it's called Pink - Pop. And The Stones will be playing there too. Among others. There are lots of bands performing, national ones and international ones too.

Connie, I'm sure they will like it. I love all those festivals. I guess, I'm still going when I'm very old ;-D.

This week we have a special project at our school. We have several buildings. The one I have my class room is 50 years old and another is 99 years old. So we are celebrating '50 and not quite 100'. The pupils could chose different courses during this week. We teachers are offering different subjects. My topic is: story books. I have a lot of very old picture books (60 years and older). I tell them the stories and we are painting and performing. On Thursday evening we have a big celebration party for everybody.

Wow, that's a nice thing to do with your pupils, Barb. i hope you get lots of them joining your 'class'. I love talking books with the students at our school. My 'boss', Maarten, had a project going with some children. He has been able to get some books that a participating for a book prize. And they come to his room to get them and return them. When he is not around I help the students if I can.

What fun! A Stones concert. I loved Keith Richards' bio which I listened to a couple of years ago. What a life!

Great topper too with the Dada photos!

>39 sibylline: Hi Lucy, all members have a very interesting bio and there have been concerts in earlier times when we had the tickets but haven't been sure if it took place due to Keith's behaviour.

Hi Barbara, hope you have had a good day my dear.

Hi Barb, How did the party go? I think you are still partying right now! Have a lovely time.

John, we have a special week at school (see >37 Ameise1:). We have been very busy but it was fantastic. Tomorrow will have a very special morning with the pupils to celebrate the end of this week.

>42 connie53: Connie, I just came home from our celebration party. It was a huge success. There were more than 1,000 visitors. The pupils have performed gorgeous shows. The different food catering went perfect and the weather was marvellous. Now, I'm tired but happy.

That sounds really lovely, Barb. Have a good night's sleep, you will need it!
1.000 visitors is a lot!

Your school project sounds lovely and fun!

>45 connie53: Thanks Connie, I feel much better today and now there is a long weekend ahead with temperatures aroun 33C.

>46 scaifea: Amber, it was fantastic. Today I had my own pupils. First each one was drawing a postcard which was fixed at a balloon. Then all pupuls met on the school yard where our headmaster had a speech, than some photos were taken and we sang our school song. At a very specific time (we are next to Switzerland's main airport) all balloons went up in the sky. With the deep blue sky and the colourful balloons it looked gorgeous, especially when the starting planes flew under the balloons.

>48 Ameise1: Barb, that sounds fantastic! Do you have pictures of the balloons to share?

>49 AuntieClio: Stephanie, because I had to keep the pupils under surveillance I wasn't able to take photos by myself, but a colleague took some. As soon as I have them I'll post them.

Ahh, that sounds like a fairytale picture, Barb.

Hi Barbara, I hope you have a lovely weekend my dear, we have got Hannah for her first sleepover tonight and as I type she is tucked up in bed after having a lovely evening playing and having tea. Karen took her for a bath and play and then I read her a Postman Pat story then Karen had to read her a story while she had a biscuit and some milk. Just wonder what time she will get us up in the morning.

I second the request for photos of the balloons, if available.

>51 connie53: >53 thornton37814: Connie and Lori, I hope too that one of my colleagues were able to took some photos when the balloons were up in the sky.

>52 johnsimpson: Oh John, that's so fantastic that you could have Hannah for a sleepover. I hope she slept longer than 6am. I was story telling the whole week. It was my topic at the special week at our school.

>48 Ameise1: Oh, what a wonderful idea! I think I'd love being a pupil at your school!

>56 scaifea: Welcome Amber, we start on Tuesday. That would be funny to have you here. BTW next to my class room is a kindergarten. Charlie would feel very comfy there.

Happy Weekend, Barbara! I hope you get plenty of R & R in!

>58 msf59: Thanks a lot Mark, I will definitely do so. :-)

book 36



What a wonderful reading! The story takes place in Tokyo from the Eve of 1944 until March 1945. The main character is stumbling between different worlds. First, his Japanese world full of traditions but in the middle of two wars and secondly the love to a half French woman with her ancestor's heritage of European lifestyle and literature. He is writing poems and stories about authors. It's difficult for him to find work, so that he would be able to support his family. His father is fallen in disgrace and therefore unable to earn money. His mother is very ill. His friends are turning away from him. He is lucky that he could escape from the military service due to his illness. He derives comfort from the daughter of a French man. They fall in love, get separated, find each other again only to lose each other due to the war.
It's brilliantly written with a lot of love for the characters and all the details.

Love reading about your classroom and al fresco teachings Barbara. To have someone so clearly enamoured of her calling is great to see.

You remain ahead of a pretty interesting 4 way "fight" in the most posts on rookie threads this year:

Barbara 1590
Marianne 1293
Connie 1216
Abby 1089

To have four newcomers all already safely over 1000 posts is a great indication that the group is still a healthy and nurturing place to be. You ladies and all the other newcomers (there are a further six above 100 posts) have really added to the flavour this year.

Have a lovely Sunday.

>61 PaulCranswick: Paul, you make me . Thanks a lot for your compliments.

Wow Barb. You are Rookie number 1. Congratulations



Happy Weekend, girlfriend!

Thanks Connie, I can't believe it myself. hugs xx

This morning we were In the Zürich Zoo because it's the new elephant complex's openening. Elephants are my favourite animal. We go regulary to the Zoo. The new complex is 11,000 sqm large. It's like a paradise and they have several kinds of water pools as well.

Here some pics from the new complex:

Some more photos of today's Zoo visit

# 37



It was a fast-paced reading. I like the idea with the time travel machine. Unfortunately, I have the feeling there is a major interruption between the part where they solve the problem with the multiple Aunt Paradox and the second part where Reeves and Worcester's life is involved. I have to admit that this disruption isn't taken to a great length and soon everything makes sense again but nevertheless I'm bothered with it.

Hi Barbara, the zoo photo's are great and you had a nice day by the looks of it, hope you have a steady week at work my dear.

Hi John, we have Whit Monday and so there is no work today. I'm back for work, tomorrow. Indeed, it was a pleasure at the Zoo, only it was too hot (33C) even though we went early in the morning and were back at 2pm, I felt worn out.

Hi Barbara, it's nice for you having a day off, hope it nice with you but not too hot. Are you relaxing or are you going off somewhere?

John, it's over 30C now and it will be rising up during the next three hours. I guess the peak for today will be around 35C. It's definitely too hot for me. I'm reading inside the house and the earliest time I will go into the garden will be around 8pm. Then we'll have dinner in the garden, still with very warm temperatures but we'll able to breathe.

>71 Ameise1:, that sounds lovely Barbara, just wish we had the same weather sadly.

John, if I could I would send you a big wave of it over at your place :-D

Great photos of the zoo, Barbara! Thanks for sharing! I, of course, managed not to take any pictures of the animals when we went last week, unless you count the two little monkeys I had trailing after me... :)

>74 scaifea: Amber, when our kids were young and we went to the zoo there were mostly no animals on the photos, too. :-D

Looks like a great day at the zoo, Barbara - nice photos. The colors in that one with the lizard are really vivid, aren't they?

>76 jnwelch: Joe, that one I took in the Masoala hall. It's a living tropical jungle like in Madagascar. Zürich Zoo has a joint venture with this country. You can stay for a long time at the same place in this hall and you are able to see and meet a lot of diffetent animals.

Wonderful zoo photos! Have a wonderful week, dear Barbara.

>78 richardderus: Morning, Rdear. Thanks a lot, I love the zoo and I have very often the camera taken with me. I hope you have a wonderful week, too.

I love your pics of the zoo, Barb. The elephant building looks really good!

The weather over here has cooled down a little (lots of thunderstorms and the broken nights that go with that weather. I can't sleep when thunder and lightning are around.) Monday was the worst day. My kids went to a three-day festival (Pinkpop, with the Rolling Stones and Metallica among others) and there was lots to do about the safety of the 70.000 visitors. My kids were wise enough to go home before the storms reached the south of Limburg and were home safe, but it was really scary when it finally hit our town. So now the temps are more bearable, 24C or so.

>80 connie53: Connie, the temperatures here are still around 30C and no rain or thunder in sight.

I'm glad to hear that your kids made it home safely. It's always terrible being outdoor and not to be able to return home in time.

I'm going to the hairdresser. Next to school (lot of parent meetings) our focus is laod on Marina's celebration next Sunday.

Happy Mid-Week, Barb! Hope it is going well. Love the zoo pics.

>82 msf59: Thanks Mark, I'm busy and it's still hot here. Wishing you a lovely week, too.

Hi Barbara, hope your appointment at the hairdresser's went well and that the parent meetings go ok. We have a mobile hairdresser who comes and it doesn't take her long to sort me out sadly. Have a good day my dear.

Fabulous photos, Barbara!

Hi Barbara, thanks for always sharing those wonderful Zürich pics. Can't believe I've never been there so far. One of my friends here in Merano is from Zürich, she's married to an Italian, but travels home to her family about once a month. Must ask her if she takes me on one of her trips later this year. And then I'll try one of those Guggelhöpfli and maybe see the elephants.

And congrats on the Rookie#1! :-)

>84 johnsimpson: John, my hairdresser is only 5 minutes away and with my short hair and no colour it doesn't take long. Nevertheless, it's always a good time I can spend there.

Still no rain in sight. It will be another tropical night.

>85 kidzdoc: Darryl, thanks a lot. I love taking photos and my camera is mostly with me.

>86 Deern: Nathalie, that would be fantastic when I could meet you one day here in Zürich. It's a visit worth.

Barbara, love your zoo photos. There's nothing I enjoy more than a day out at the zoo and that looks a particularly nice one.

>90 SandDune: Rhian, thanks a lot. I'm a regular visitor of the zoo. Since more than 20 years we have a family season ticket and can go to the zoo when ever we like.

Hi Barb. I hope you are enjoying the beautiful weather as well as I am.

>92 connie53: Connie, it's gorgeous. Only the nights are still tropical and I've some difficulty to sleep. I'm pretty worn out when I come home from school due to the less sleep.

It cools down here at night to some 15 degrees, windows wide open and just a duvet cover. I can't sleep right with nothing covering me. I hope you get some sleep in the weekend.

>94 connie53: We just got a thunderstorm. I hope it'll help to cool down a bit.

yikes, thunderstorms are no fun at all.

Connie, the best thing of this thunderstorm is, that we've got 'normal' temperatures and I was able to sleep. :-D

Happy Weekend, Barb! Hope you get plenty of reading time in. Smiles...

Mark, thanks a lot. Reading time will be only today because tomorrow we'll have Marina's big celebration.

Have a lovely weekend, Barbara, with a beautiful celebration tomorrow. xx

>101 Ameise1: Thanks a lot Diana. I'm looking forward to it. xx

Hi Barbara, hope you have had a good day today and have a lovely Sunday.

John, thanks a lot. I was on the market, baked a cake and I'm reading and watching football at the same time.

Tomorrow we have Marina's confirmation celebration with the whole family and her godparents. First we'll be at the church service and afterwards we are going to our favourite Chinese restaurant.

I'm so sorry that Karen has got this fall. I hope it isn't too bad. hugs xx

Today, we had a wonderful day. First we've been at the church for Marina's confirmation service. At the beginning she played an oboe concert together with the organist. After the service we had a fantastic lunch at our favourite Chinese restaurant wiht all our guests: godparents, grandparents, uncles and aunts, cousins and siblings.




(me, our VIP, my hubster, my elder daughter and her boyfriend)

Switzerland-Ecuador: 2:1

Hi Barbara, great photo's of Marina's confirmation and a lovely photo of the family, you had a good day and good weather my dear. And then to top all that off, the Swiss team got off to a good start in the World Cup unlike England.

Karen's bruises are coming out nicely now, a wide range of colours bless her, we have just had Robert and the tribe over for tea, Hannah has had us all laughing at her antics. Hope you have a good week my dear and I will calling in here.

>106 johnsimpson: Thanks a lot, John. Yes, we had a gorgeous day and during the game we were on edge. Luckily, in the very last second we were released.

What a lovely pictures of this special day for Marina and the family. Congratulations to you all.

And Swiss won it's soccer game! Yeah for you!!

>108 connie53: Thanks a lot, Connie. It was indeed a wonderful day and we had a lot of fun.

Thank you for sharing the confirmation pictures! Was it a Protestant Konfirmation or a Catholic Firmung? I am asking because we were forced to wear joyless black suits or dresses for Konfirmation and I sure would much have preferred such a pretty white summer dress. But times change and conventions vary...

Yay for the soccer match! I only saw the 2:1 goal in the ... what was it 92nd or 93rd Minute?! The emotions!

Today I fear Germany will not have such a great start into the world Cup.

Just checking in! Thanks for all the lovely photos you post on my thread, you find wonderful images.

Congratulations on Marina's confirmation, Barbara. Sounds, and looks, like a wonderful day. Thanks for the photo-posting.

>110 Deern: Nathalie, it was a Protestant Konfirmation. Below, as you can see, they are aloud to wear any colour. It just should look solemnly but it's never a problem because this is the occasion the teenies like to wear those clothes.



For the soccer: The Germans are playing gorgeous at the moment and the Portuguese are looking pretty bad.

>111 sibylline: Lucy, you're welcom. I love to send everybody a weekend greeting with a photo. The subject is mostly something I see before I start posting. We have a pretty 'wild' garden with a pond. Our garden is made for all the wild animals (birds, insects, amphibians, but also foxes, hedgehogs, etc.). At the moment we have a lot of dragonflies and because all windows are open they come into the house, too. So just before I started to post, a dragonfly was sitting next to my computer.

>112 jnwelch: Joe, it was a fabulous day with the extended family and friends. The meal was gorgeous. The owner from this Chinese restaurant is from Shanghai and they brought during three hours always new dishes. We couldn't resist and around 4.30pm it was like rolling us out of the restaurant. Ha!

Love the confirmation photos, Barb! Congrats to Marina. I hope your week goes well.

>116 msf59: Oh, thanks a lot Mark. So far so good. Tomorrow, I'll have a lot of meetings but in the evening I go out with some friends for dinner. I'm looking forward to it.

Just cam back from my dermatologist. I have an unfriendly part on the hand we are treating now since three months. Now, she is sending me to the University Hospital Zürich for an aiming biopsy and treatments. We'll see if it needs also an op.

Yikes, Barb. I hope it turns out well for you!

Me too. I wish you a lovely day.

Adding my positive thoughts for finding the right treatment for the unfriendly hand part, Barbara. I have to see the dermatologist on a regular basis because I'm so fair-skinned, and I was out in the sun a lot as a kid.

>120 jnwelch: Thanks a lot, Joe. I hope I'll get soon an appointment, so I can do my plans for the upcoming time. We are leaving on the 21st of July for England and I can't go with an open wound or in the middle of some special treatment.

book 38



What a fantastic story. It was gripping from the first until the very last page. The centre is a very ancient chess which was created in the 13th century with a major secret enwrought in the chess board. Since then different people were trying to decrypt the message but it looks like nobody was able to do so. All people which were involved in those Games have taken a part of a chessman. The Games could be fatal and power was very important. The story is switching between nowadays and earlier times and that made the reading very enthralling.
A young woman from the present had to solve the puzzle. Unfortunately, she never knew whom she could trust and that made the task very complicated for her. By and by other players showed up and suddenly old enemies were turning into reliable accomplices whereas friends showed their true faces and had to be shunned.

I have to read that one, Barb. It's somewhere in my bookcases. I think I will move it up my TBR!

Connie, I can strongly recommend it.

Oy, I just added a lot of books to my wishlist from the bibliography of my latest book. Now I'm thinking I might want to add >122 Ameise1:.

Hi Stephanie, this one was very gripping and just the genre I like. I can definitely recommened it.

Happy weekend, Barb! I hope you have plenty of R & R scheduled.

>127 msf59: Thanks a lot Mark, the same to you too. I have plenty of books snd will do definitely a lot of R&R.

Hi Barb, have a lovely sunday! I think the weather is getting better. Today was just fine here in the Netherlands. We could have dinner outside and I did some reading.

>129 connie53: Connie, we had dinner outside too. The whole week was lovely. This morning I was on the market and when I cane home I made morello cherry-apricot jam. This afternoon my in-laws came for coffee and cake.

A happy Sunday for you and yours, Barbara xx

Hi Barbara! I'm behind on threads so I'm just now seeing the confirmation pictures. It looks like it was a lovely day for your family.

>131 wilkiec: Thanks a lot, Diana. xx

>132 cbl_tn: Carrie, we had a wonderful day. I can't believe that it's already a week ago. Time is passing so quickly.

>122 Ameise1: Oh, wow, that sounds great! Adding it right to the wishlist - thanks for the great review!

>134 scaifea: Amber, you're welcome. I hope you'll like it as much as I did.

I am a bit behind here. Love the pictures of your daughter's confirmation. It looks like it was a beautiful day for it, too.

>122 Ameise1: - That sounds like a wonderful book! Adding the Neville story to my future reading list.

I hope you have had a wonderful weekend, Barbara!

Happy week ahead! Carry this image with you during stressful moments.

>136 lkernagh: Lori, thanks a lot. It was indeed a fabulous day and we enjoyed it very much together with the extended family.

Oh, the Neville book I can strongly recommend.

I had a gorgeous weekend. We fixed everything for our summer holiday in England and I got a lot of reading time.

>137 richardderus: Wow, Rdear, what a wonderful place. Thanks a lot. Be sure I will be thinking of this place a lot during the upcoming week. It looks like it will be a very busy one. *smooches*

book 39



This was a fast-paced reading. In the beginning I was just collecting loose ends as Jane Rizzoli was doing so. By and by I was able to put the pieces together. Nevertheless it was very enthralling.
The story is positioned in Boston's Chinatown even though the evil ones aren't Chinese. From the very beginning all characters are in position and therefore it makes the guessing so interesting. The main question is who has abducted all the young girls many years ago and why? There is old Chinese mythology involved as well as western crime.

Hi Barbara, glad you liked the Tess Gerritsen, I have this one on my TBR pile. Hope you have had a nice weekend my dear.

>141 johnsimpson: Hi John, it was indeed a fantastic reading. I had a lovely weekend. I wish you a wonderful week ahead.

Hi Barbara! I hope you are doing well. I love the photos in >104 Ameise1:.

Thanks a lot, Ellen.

Yay for the Swiss team!! The match against Argentina is one I'll certainly watch.

Congratulations on Marina's confirmation - lovely photos!

Popping in to say hello Barbara.

Hi Barbara, last night's game was a good one and now you have Argentina in the next round. Hope you are well my dear, Karen sends her love.

>145 Deern: Nathalie, next Tuesday at 6pm is booked. I will definitely watch the game. I hope our guys will get a chance. :-D

>148 johnsimpson: John, I keep my fingers crossed that our guys won't have it too hard against Argentina. Who knows? hugs for both of you. xx

>146 sibylline: Lucy, thanks a lot. We had a wonderful day and enjoyed it very much.

>147 luvamystery65: Hi Roberta, I hope you have a wonderful time. I just came back home after a terrible long day with teaching and a lot of meetings. Today it's my hubster's birthday but after this long day (it's 22.20pm here) we will celebrate tomorrow.

Barbara - I am making a feeble attempt to catch up this weekend and am starting with your always up beat thread. The Swiss justified their somewhat fortunate world cup seeding with a great display yesterday and will wish them all the best in the last 16.

Have a great weekend.

>151 PaulCranswick: Paul, thanks a lot for taking some time to drop in. Indeed, the Swiss guys played a strong game but will it be enough for Argentina? I do have some doubts. Nevertheless, I keep my fingers crossed and will watch the game Tuesday evening.

I hope you are recovering and everything is turning to the bright side of life. hugs xx

Todays task in the 'forest school': The pupils got 40 minutes time to built a hut with materials they could find in the wood. Afterwards they played and the girls, practical as they are, were looking for some food. Ha!

Hi Barb, sorry for neglecting you and others. Wishing you a very happy weekend!

Connie, no problems, after your surgery you will have a lot of time visiting all threads and do a lot of reading.

I hope so!

Oh, I love hearing about the forest school outings! Thanks for sharing!

Building the huts sounds great fun! That's something my son always loved to do when he was younger

I found you! Starred. I loved scrolling through your thread and seeing so many pictures of your life. Happy Weekend!

>156 connie53: Connie, don't worry, I'm sure you'll get plenty of time to drop into our threads. I'm looking forward to it. And for the reading front you'll reach your ROOT target very easily because you'll have a lot of reading time ahead.

>157 scaifea:, >158 SandDune: Amber & Rhian, the kids have such a lot of fantasy and they don't need special tools or advices to construct something. Every time I'm so astonished what they are doing.

>159 Berly: Welcome Kim, it's fantastic to have you here.

Hi Barbara! I enjoy looking at the forest outing photos more than I would enjoy the outing, I think. I'm not an outdoors girl. I guess that's a good thing since I'm allergic to so much of the outdoors!

>163 cbl_tn: Oh Carrie, I'm sorry to hear that you're allergic to so much. I was with the scouts and I love being outdoors. With one of my grandfathers I spent a lot of time in the woods and he taught me so much. I'm glad you like the photos.

You have a very busy thread, Barb! Have a good Sunday!

What a great summer you're having already! The Stones! A confirmation! Good books! (Not necessarily in order of importance.)
Here's a nice pine tree for you to sit under this hot weekend....

>165 connie53: Connie, I will have it. Isa is at a big openair festival since Thursday. She'll coming home tomorrow night. Marina is staying with her classmates. She should be home within the next half an hour.
There are another two weeks of work until summer holiday.

>166 LizzieD: Oh Peggy, thanks a lot for this wonderful pine tree. I love sitting under a tree and read a book. Yes, so far I had a good start into summer and there are more events ahead which I'm looking forward to.

Hi Barbara! We haven't met yet, because I've been hibernating. But it's nice to meet rookie #1.

Hi Rachel, thanks for stopping by. I hope you're not like a fat dormouse which is sleeping more than half of a year :-D

Ummmm more ike a black bear in Minnesota. So, yeah, pretty much half of every year. ;)

Ha! A strong animal!

Hi Barbara. The photo of the kids building their shelter in the forest is very cute.

Hi Ellen, isn't it. They could do it the whole day.

Just waving Hi from a wet part of the Netherlands.

Connie, since last night it's raining non stop here. For the garden it's magnificent. Isabelle wrote this morning that they had a wet night in the tent. Ha!
hugs xx

^Hope you found some time for this, over the weekend, Barb, although it sounds like it might have been to wet.

book 40



This was a completely other Forsyth than I've read before. It contains five stories which have one in common: justice for the little man. In the first story The Veteran the police is searching for the identity of a victim and to put the responsible persons behind the bars. Unfortunately, a famous lawyer is freeing the two evil ones, but the end serves justice. The Art of the Manner shows how simple people came to their money. Important art dealers are beaten at their own game. It's a very amusing story. The Miracle is a story with a religious touch. A miracle which took place 1944 in Siena and nobody is able to explain how this events could have taken place The Citizen shows that the best planning for a crime always has a hole. It took me until the very last page to find out the puzzle - very well written. Last but not least Whispering Wind which is starting 1876 and is leading the main character into 1977. Ben Craig is a scout who serves under General Custer at the Little Bighorn (06-25-1876) where he helps a young Cheyenne girl flee from the soldiers and where he finds her soul again 100 years later. It's a wonderful story.

Happy Weekend, Barbara!

Thanks a lot Amber, same to you, too. waves

>153 Ameise1: Nice photos and description of the "forest school", Barbara! Actually I think the boys were the more sensible ones; they knew that the girls would hunt for food, so they chose to play and let the females do the hard work. ;^)

Thanks for your comments on my Facebook photos during my holiday! I felt as if you were practically there beside me. :^)

Darryl, thanks a lot, it was indeed like travelling alongside. I enjoyed it very much.
There are only six girls in my class but they are definitely more the practical ones and they stand their part against the boys. ;-D

Hi Barbara; dropping by to wish you a wonderful Sunday (what's left of it) and thank you for your lovely graphics on my thread.

Hope you're having a great weekend, Barbara.

>183 humouress: Nina, you're welcome. It was raining the most part of the day, so I was able to read a lot. :-D

>184 jnwelch: Joe, I could relax and reading a lot. Now it's world cup time and in three hours Isabelle should be back home from one of the important openair festival. I guess she is first looking forward to a hot bath after a wet night in the tent. ;-D

After raining the whole day which ended in a heavy thunderstorm we were rewarded with a gorgeous rainbow. The photo is taken from our door.

Aah! Nothing like a great rainbow after a storm to bring on a smile!

>187 michigantrumpet: Thanks, Marianne. I love a dark sky with a rainbow. Now, we are back to the rain. Usually we have one pond in our garden but at the moment it looks like we've got some more. This will please all our amphibians. :-D

Beautiful rainbow!

Thanks, Jim. I love rainbows.

Hi Barbara, hope you have had a good weekend my dear.

John, it was full of reading. Isa came home soaked but happy. It was raining such a lot the last 24 hours that nothing could keep her dry. She took a bath and went sleeping early.

Barbara, I have a lot of sympathy for Isabelle, she did the right thing in having a bath and going to bed early. I see you have reached 40 books for the year, so you are well on track to reach 75 my dear.

>186 Ameise1: Nice; looks like a double rainbow.

>192 Ameise1: John, I had to read a lot now because during our holiday in UK I probably won't get much reading time. I really hope to meet you and Karen there. hugs xx

>194 humouress: Nina, from that corner where I took the photo I couldn't see the second one.

Hello Barbara :-)

Oh, you've such a much better rainbow photo than mine was! Love it - gorgeous!!

That's a really nice rainbow picture. I had a huge rainbow the other day, but didn't have a camera. It was during the sunset, so the clouds in the background were all deep reds and pinks, and then there was a really bright rainbow on top of all this.

>197 AuntieClio: waves, Stephanie

>198 scaifea: Amber, I liked your photo very much.

>199 The_Hibernator: Rachel, it must have been a gorgeous view. Keep it in your memories.

The first pupils have finished their Pop Art Landscape.

>201 Ameise1: Oh, wow - those are amazing! I love the bright colors.

>202 scaifea: Me too, Amber. I use very often bright colours when they are young (7 to 8 years old) afterwards we change a little.

Hi Barbara, just love the kids pop art landscapes, the colours are so vibrant.

Thanks John, I love them too. I'm very proud of my pupils.

I love the photos of your students - in the woods and their artwork. At my daughter's first school (through age 13) spring and fall the kids spent one day a week in the woods at a preserve outside the city of Philadelphia (where we lived almost year round for about 14 years). The girls always did make these beautiful arrangements of food and the boys ran about in little packs during free times. Then at age 12 the teachers had to suddenly make sure no boy-girl pairs were disappearing! I'm astonished, often, by the fact my daughter can casually identify trees by bark, leaves, form, seeds....

The pop art display is like a beautiful quilt!

Hi Barb! Hope you have a good week and thanks again for the baby warbler.

>201 Ameise1: Wow, those really look great, Barbara. Kudos to the conductor of the visual orchestra.

Hope it's a great week for you.

>206 sibylline: Hi Lucy, thanks for sharing your daughter's 'forest school'. Indeed, the kids are learning such a lot of things when they are regulary outside and they can keep all those things in their mind. When I meet students from earlier years they still know things what they have learned years ago.

Yes, those drawings would give a wonderful quilt, wouldn't they?

>207 msf59: Mark, you're welcome. This little warble looks like Albert Einstein, isn't it? I hope you have a gorgeous week ahead, too.

>208 jnwelch: Joe, thanks a lot. I like it too. Wishing you a fantastic week too.

>199 The_Hibernator: Sounds gorgeous. Somehow, we never get rainbows in Singapore (in almost 16 years, I've only seen one and a half) though you'd think we've got the perfect weather for it (rain and sunshine mixed, every day). Maybe too many high-rise buildings to catch sight of them.

>201 Ameise1: Reminiscent of my kids' classrooms :0)

>206 sibylline: I'm astonished, often, by the fact my daughter can casually identify trees by bark, leaves, form, seeds.... You remind me of a story my uncle told me, of when he casually misidentified a flower in the back garden, and was corrected by his very young grand daughter. Not surprising, as my aunt is an ex-Montessori teacher, who even puts together educational games on the spur of the moment for my kids when we visit her.

Hi Nina, I hope you had a good start into the new week.

Happy Monday. I love the artwork. : )

Thanks, Kim and happy Tuesday.

>201 Ameise1: How wonderful. How old are your pupils?

Great colors.

Marianne, they are 7 years old and are at school since one year. They start year 2 after the summer holiday.

Thanks, I love bright colours.

Wow! very impressive for a group of 7 year olds!

Thanks, Marianne. I love teaching art. They learn many techniques during the three years I'm teaching them. With the last class we made pictures like the great impressionists. The kids could choose photos from very famous pictures and than they painted them very big. We had a vernissage and the parents and visitors were very impressed what those students (9 years old) had painted. Unfortunately, I didn't take any photos so I can't show it. But I will do better and take more photos of this class.

I'm always impressed with art teachers and the wonderful things that they help kids to do. GOOD for you! And GOOD for your students!

Thanks a lot, Peggy. Here in Switzerland we teachers are teaching all subjects at primary school. Therefore we are so called decathletes.

oh no! :((
so close..... but a great team!

Thanks Nathalie, it was one of the top games and the dramatic was palpable. I'm very proud of our boys.

They held Argentina into extra time and had a couple of unlucky misses; good going. Our commentator seemed to think they were trying for the penalty shoot-out; I'm not sure I could survive another one of them, after the Brazil game. The Group of 16 teams seem well matched (so far).

Nina, it was like a Hitchcock movie. I was on the edge during the game. They played very good.

Happy Hump Day, Barb! Hope the week is zipping right along.

>224 Ameise1: Ever since the 'hand of God' incident which knocked England out of that world cup, I've been biased agains Argentina, I'm afraid. But my son likes Mesi, so our house was a bit divided.

Of course, it must have been a lot more tense for you.

>225 msf59: Mark, it's pouring the whole day. It's good for the garden. We had a very dry June. I hope you have a good week too.

>226 humouress: Nina, never mind, most people like Messi but he isn't actually playing so fantastic at the moment.

I am so bummed. The US is out. : ( I was waiting for my cute hubbie to pick me up after my PT appointment, but he got delayed by a work emergency so I had to sit outside at the Timber's soccer field. They had the game up on the big outdoor screen so I watched all but 15 min of the game. They lost and I got a wicked sunburn!

Oh Kim, I sorry that your guys lost too after fighting very hard. And a sunburn isn't funny. :( I hope you feel much better today.

>228 Berly: Was it the last 15 minutes you missed? It was absolutely edge-of-the-seat stuff. Worth going back and watching.

>229 Ameise1: Thanks. I am putting aloe on the sunburn. And it is only on the foot part that was sticking out beneath my brace. Maybe that leg was hotter and sweaty? Who knows. But it is a very bad tan line! LOL

>230 humouress: Yes, I missed the last 15 minutes, where all the action took place, and then when I got home it hadn't recorded. Grrrrr!

>231 Berly: LOL, I go with the noble paleness and therefore a sunburn would be a worst case. :-D Without joking, I'm rather pale because I'll try to keep my skin out of the sun. I've skin cancer and therefore must be more careful.

Hi Barbara, whilst typing this I am watching the Grand Depart team ceremony from the Leeds arena, looking forward to the first two stages from God's own County, the atmosphere here in Yorkshire is electric and the whole county has embraced this great sporting event. Fabian Cancellara is looking forward to the cobbles in Haworth he said and then stage five over the cobbles in Northern France.

I burn quickly so I use the highest block sunscreen that I can. I also try to avoid being out in the sun for long too.

Chiming in as another very pale, burns-easily lady. I, too, buy the highest SPF I can find and apply it liberally, although whenever possible I prefer to protect against the sun by staying inside my air-conditioned house and reading...

>233 johnsimpson: John, I'm very happy that you're able to join the TdF start so close from home. I wish you a fabulous time. Indeed, I hope that Cancellara will be successful at the cobbles part.

>234 thornton37814: Oh Lori, the highest block sunscreen you can find also in our houshold. Neither I'm a member of the sunbath cult.

>235 scaifea: Amber, I stay as often as possible in the shadow. We don't have air-conditioned houses here due to the protocol with the aim to protect the climate and the 2000 watt population.

Yesterday evening, Marina's youth band invited for a summer serenade. We had a fantastic BBQ and some gorgeous concerts from all formations, especially the Big Band playing old Jazz and Swing was magnificent.

This photo shows Marina's formation.

No air-conditioning, eh? That's one of the areas in which I have trouble, as far as doing my part of help the environment. I've been working at changing our lifestyle, bit by bit, to make our 'footprint' as small as possible, but it would be *very* difficult for me to give up my air-conditioned home. *sigh*

Lovely photos - Big Band and Swing are favorites for me.

>239 scaifea: Amber, if you don't know air-conditioned rooms, you are used that it can be a bit more than warm in summer ;-D

It was a perfect night and the Big Band played heavenly.

>240 Ameise1: Barbara: You're right about that, I bet. It certainly would be difficult for me to adjust, I think, to life without it now. Nothing bothers me quite so much as the heat, I'm afraid. I wilt like the fragile flower that I am. Ha!

Happy Friday, Barb! I hope you have an R & R weekend planned.

Hi Barb, the concert of Marina's band sounds like fun.

I hope you have a relaxing weekend.

>241 scaifea: Amber, I don't like heat neither. Luckely our houses here are built with stone and bricks and that keeps the heat outside for very long when you follow some rules: 1. During the day all windows are closed. 2. The blinds are shuttered. We open the blinds and windows only in the night or after 9pm when it's getting a bit cooler.

>242 msf59: Waves, Mark, I try to do some reading, it depends on what plans the rest of the family has. :-D

>243 connie53: Thanks, Connie, it was indeed fabulous.

>240 Ameise1: In Singapore, it's the humidity as much as the heat that gets us. I have to confess that we sleep with the air-conditioning on. But I've gradually sneaked the temperature up a few degrees to 25ºC. Shh - don't remind my husband ;0)

>245 humouress: LOL, I won't tell it, because I would know my hubsters answer to this. In winter I love it warm and cosy at home and he is always telling me, that it's incredible how much he has to heat just for me.

The most important thing at todays 'forest school' was to find all the grass frogs. There were quite a few and the pupils had to watch out, that they didn't step on one. Furthermore they spotted very nice cobwebs and built a new shelter.

__

>153 Ameise1: and >247 Ameise1: - I want to go to 'forest school' now after seeing those wonderful pics!

>238 Ameise1: - Looks like a wonderful evening!

I hope you have a wonderful weekend, Barbara!

Thanks a lot, Lori. It's raining and soon I'm going to market for the weekend shopping.

Looks like you had a good BBQ on the 4th. :) Happy weekend!

Thanks Rachel, we had indeed a fabulous summer night party.

book 41



It was an easy-going reading, Unfortunately, it was not so gripping. There were parts which were drawn to length and also the plot wasn't too enthralling. A so called meteoric stone should save the poll for the acting president but everything is faked and good scientists had to die and it took a long time until the evil ones got their pain. A lot of action were too obvious and therefore took the story's suspense.

>247 Ameise1: And now I'm searching the pictures for something froggy.

Loving the photos from the concert. These community bands are such a treasure. How Fun!

Okay...how do you do the really cool stars at the end of our book reviews? I want some! : )

>253 connie53: Connie, It's in the first photo right in the centre, you shouldn't miss it.

>254 michigantrumpet: Marianne, the youth band where Marina is playing the oboe, is one of the best in Switzerland. Also the Big Band formation is gathering prizes all over. They are leaving next Saturday for a concert tour. first they play in Erfurt (Ger) than Prague (Cze) and in Salzburg (Aut). They are on the way for one week. Marina is already squirrellly and can't wait until Saturday.

>255 Berly: Kim see below

coloured stars:
- Click with the right mouse button on the stars and then chose graphic/image information or take the links below:
- http://www.deffler.com/lt/stars_four.gif = 4 stars
- http://www.deffler.com/lt/stars_four_half.gif = 4 1/2 stars
- the same you can do for any number _one_ or _one_half and so on
- then you put this link into COPIED URL (click on this link) and you'll get your coloured stars

I hope those instructions may help you

Grass frogs? Ugh! I detest frogs and toads .. but I was very happy to see the picture of the pretty cobweb and shelter.



Hope you're having a lovely weekend.

>257 Ameise1: Thanks! I tested it on one of my old reviews and it worked!! You are my hero.

>258 cameling: Caro, thanks a lot for this lovely butterfly. I'm so sorry that you can't like my little grass frog.

>259 Berly: Kim, I'm glad that I could be a kind of help.

Popping in to say Hi!

Happy Thursday Barbara

Wandering in to leave a hug or two.

>261 Berly: Kim, great to see you. I hope you have a lovely day.

>262 luvamystery65: Roberta, thanks. I hope you have a wonderful Thursday too. Mine is almost over.

>263 richardderus: Rdear, I take two. Thanks a lot and smooches right back over the pond.

Tomorrow, it's the last working day before the beginning of our five weeks summer holiday. I'm really looking forward. I'm so tired.

>265 Ameise1: Hurrah for long summer vacations!

>266 kidzdoc: Darryl, I'm really looking forward to it. Ha, and we'll be three weeks in UK. Isn't that gorgeous?

>267 Ameise1: Fabulous! I look forward to hearing about your travels, and hopefully seeing photos as well.

>268 kidzdoc: I hope to start a new thread over the weekend and will post a map where and when we will be. Sure I post photos.

>269 Ameise1: Great! I look forward to "traveling" with you, in the way that you "traveled" with me last month. :^)

>270 kidzdoc: Great, I'll try to post here on LT as well on FB.

Stopping in - admiring the new structure the kids built!

>272 sibylline: thanks Lucy. Today it's the last school day before the summer break. The weather isn't gorgeous and it's cold.

>273 Ameise1: Hah! Today is my eldest's last day of holidays before going back for term 3. The weather, as usual, is humid and hot; don't know if that's your idea of gorgeous.

>275 Ameise1: Nina, I don't like humidity and heat, therefore I never travel to tropical places because I would need holiday from the holiday :-D. I was 33 years ago in Australia for three months and I loved the travelling around very much even though it was a very hot summer.

Yay for summer break!!!

>276 SuziQoregon: Thanks a lot, Juli. I had to get up much earlier than when I'm working because Marina left for her concert tour. Now I will have first a cappuccino.

Hi Barbara! I'm able to type a little again, and I want to wish you a lovely weekend and a marvelous holiday!

Hi Barbara, happy weekend!

I have a nest outside my study window, built by a pair of these guys. I'm trying not to pay it too much attention, despite my curiosity, in case I scare them away before the eggs hatch (though I think they have hatched) or the babies can look after themselves.

>278 wilkiec: Hello Diana, thanks a lot for stopping by and the lovely wishes. I hope that I can sleep in tomorrow. Today it was definitely too early.

>279 humouress: Oh Nina, it is so beautiful. What's the name of this bird? Oh, I would be very curious, too and would keep an eye on it every now and than.

Hello there Barbara! I'm following you around the threads today it looks like.

Wishing you a wonderful weekend. So looking forward to 'virtually' joining you on your UK trip.

>281 michigantrumpet: Hello Marianne, thanks a lot. I hope I'll be able to post enough photos from our UK tour.

>280 Ameise1: That's an olive-backed sunbird (male). They apparently like living near people.

There's a superstition here that if a bird builds its nest near your house and has babies, there'll be a baby in your house soon. I don't know how true that is (it might have been created so people didn't destroy nests) ... but it did happen both times before my two pregnancies. Hmm ....

LOL, here in Switzerland we say the same with the stork. Once we lived next to a church where storks had their nest, but I didn't get pregnant.

Waves to Barb! May your weekend be filled with plenty of R & R!

Mark, thanks a lot for this wonderful rose. xx

I had lost your thread, but now I have found you again! And I have caught up with all your wonderful photos and reviews. I added The Fire to my WL - sounds interesting! Hoping that your weekend is full of happiness. To get you started, I have dropped off this little bluebird - they always make me smile, and I get to see them a lot because they seem to love the pecan trees that we have in our yard. Happy Saturday, dear!

Mamie, thanks a lot for stopping by. This little bird is indeed a beauty, thanks so much for leaving ot here.

3 weeks in the UK!!!!
I can't wait to follow you!
(I would love to love your grass frog, but I can't see it.)

ETA: NOW I see him! We're looking at his back!!!

>289 LizzieD: Peggy, we are leaving on Monday 21st of July. I'm really looking forward to it.

I couldn't take a good photo of the grass frog's front part, so yes, it's its back ;-)

Oh, yay for your upcoming trip! I'm excited for you.

Happy weekend! Thanks for brightening mine. : )

>291 scaifea: Thanks Amber, and there will be a chance to meet John and Karen. Yeh.

>292 Berly: Thank Kim and you're welcome.

Hi Barbara, I see you have sorted things out with Karen about trying to meet up in Bournemouth, I do hope this comes to fruition as it would be lovely to see you and Thomas. Hope you have had a lovely day my dear and hope you have a great Sunday.

John, it was a long day. I got up at 5am because Marina left for her concert tour. They are at Nürnberg now and had a concert at Erfurt tonight. Later they will be in Prague and Salzburg. Isabelle dropped in on the way to the airport. She went to Ireland for the next 11 days.

Yes, I'm happy that I could change phone numbers etc. with Karen. We are really looking forward to meet you. hugs xx

Well, it looks like "happy summer vacation" greetings are in order! Have a wonderful time in the UK!

>296 lkernagh: Thanks a lot Lori. We will have a gorgeous time.

Tomorrow, it's our 25th anniversary. We'll celebrate it on Tuesday when we go to an openair theartre at a castle. First we'll have dinner than theatre and we won't have to drive home because we are able to sleep close to the castle.

Good morning Barbara, hope you have a lovely day today and both Karen and I wish you both lots of love and hugs for your 25th anniversary. The way you are going to celebrate it sounds wonderful.

Thanks a lot, John. We are looking forward to it. The forecast looks wonderful for Tuesday night. hugs for both of you xx

Oh, Happy 25th, Barbara!! That's wonderful!

Happy 25th, Barb! We just had ours in May. It's a nice milestone.

>300 scaifea: >301 msf59: Thanks a lot Amber and Mark. I have the feeling it must have been yesterday also we had our ups and downs, I would do the same step again.

Congratulations on your upcoming silver anniversary!

I am one year behind you--congratulations on your 25th!! It is an accomplishment to be sure. : )

Happy anniversary, Barbara!

Nina, Kim, Lori, thanks a lot for your lovely wishes.

Happy upcoming 25th Anniversary, Barbara!

Thanks a lot Darryl.

Oh a castle for your anniversary! What a nice way to celebrate.

Isn't it, Stephanie? Thanks a lot.

book 42



I read the sequel earlier and because I liked it very much I bought this one. I'm glad that I did so many things are much more clear now. It was a very fast-paced reading. The secrets are located in the past (1350 years ago) on the Isle of Wight. There was born a boy who couldn't speak but was addicted to write down names and dates of birth and death. After WWII this hidden library was found but the English government asked the US government to take this library over. Therefore the Areal 51 in the desert of Nevada was built. Unfortunately, there was a leak and 9 people died in New York. Nobody was able to find out the relationship between these cases of death. Will Paper and his partner Nancy Lipinski tried to solve the puzzle.

Hi, Barbara! I'm enjoying all the bird photos. We saw some beautiful cardinals in Michigan.

>312 jnwelch: Hi Joe, thanks a lot for this cute little bird. I love its colour. I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed your trip and saw so beautiful things.

Happy Anniversary, Barbara! xx

Thanks a lot, Diana. hugs xx

Happy anniversary my dear.

Thanks a lot, John.

Your welcome my dear, onward to the next 25 years.

Yep, :-D

Good morning Barbara, glad you had a lovely evening to celebrate your wedding anniversary my dear, I hope you have a really good day today.

Thanks John, it was a fabulous evening.

Please, join me on my new thead.