Cioppino

It's been a long time.

I have been composing a post in my head the last few weeks. I thought I could finally write it this weekend but still don't know how to say what I want, I guess because I still don't know what I want to say.

It is about a love story that began in Chicago, traveled to Mexico, Prague, and Frankfurt, moved me to Germany and Switzerland and finally ended a year ago today in Manila. A big love, a big loss. Our lives have moved on but it still makes me sad. I wish I could at least see why it turned out the way it did or say I learned something from the experience. There is nothing more to add; I suppose I should stop rehashing it. The heart is the last to accept it.

So what about cioppino? We will get there. It started out as a car wreck of a weekend.

I was in quite a rush on Thursday night. For once we landed on time in Munich and I got my rental car. I wanted to join a friend's farewell party as quickly as possible. I was already a couple hours late with the travel. A friend who I met through my Sunday cycling tours is now returning to the US for good. It's a good thing for him to get back home to his family but we will miss him.

Anyhow, I got the rental car and started down the highway. Got about 20 km from the airport when a warning light came on saying something about my tire in German. Soon enough I felt the telltale thump-thump-thump of a flat tire and pulled into a gas station. After calling the rental car company, waiting for 45 minutes for a return call and being told is would be another 1-2 hours until they could come get me, I decided to abandon the car and deal with it the next day.

After all that, I made it for the last hour or two of the farewell party then headed for home. The next day, I called the rental car company again and they somehow had it in their records that the car was already fixed. After establishing again that it was in need of repair, we started several hours of phone calls with various agents telling me any combination of Mercedes has to come get the car, we can come get the car and bring you a new one, you have to pay, you have to rent a second car, you have to pay for the tire as it's not covered by insurance, you shouldn't have to pay since the incident happened just after leaving the airport and on and on.

In between the small army of agents sending conflicting information and yet initiating very little action, the police called. Apparently I had parked the car on top of refill point and a gas tanker had arrived to service the station. Big commotion at the gas station. So could I please come get my car now?

By then, the rental car company finally managed to establish that they had a branch less than 400 m from where my car had been sitting and I could bring it there. But first I had to change the tire. Umm. No clue how to change tire.

So I decided to roll it over to the car rental agency and let someone there figure it out. Bad idea. They still insisted that I change the tire. Finally some taxi drivers who were watching the stupid girl try to figure out the tire jack took pity on me and came over to help. One asked me where was my friend (as in boyfriend) and just as I was about to swat him, I realized he was from the taxi service that M. and I used to use sometimes to go to the airport when we were living together. The second time in a week that has happened (previously with the guy who we used to buy our wine from).

Finally, all squared away and I headed for home but I decided there and then I wanted a low key weekend to just relax, reflect and recharge. I canceled all social plans, stocked up on some gorgeous food from my favorite butchers, markets and stores. I joined a dvd rental store and took out a couple of movies. Then I holed up in my apartment for Friday and Saturday. The weather cooperated with a cold rainy spell. I slept, edited photos, read a book, listened to music, and tidied up the house.

The weather improved today and was warm, sunny and blustery. I rode down to the Isar and catnapped in the sun by the river. Then tonight I made cioppino. Delicious!

In the end I didn't come to any earth shattering conclusions about anything but the company and the food were good. Now back to Geneva tomorrow as we enter into the final stretch.

Posted from Munich

Epilogue: The Juicer

For those curious how it all turned out...

The Juicer

It arrives

8 months after the purchase of the Life Altering Juicer (and 7 months after its last use), it was sold to L. & B. last night. We got a fresh glass this morning from them. No fear though...

M. has already ordered the citrus squeezer because this time, it will be different.

Posted from Munich

He's Home

M. finally made it back from the States after nearly three weeks. He came bearing gifts - 3 new Yankee candles (Buttercream, Sage and Citrus, and Clean Cotton) - the big jars too. I also got the top five favorite Clinique lipstick colors. Unfortunately, despite my warnings not to buy any more American toiletries, he came back with a big stash. We also now have the latest in food storage containers - screw top disposable/reusable canisters.

This is what we had before M. came home - that is at least a 2 year supply! I am proud of that deodorant stash - maybe I'll start handing them out on the tram in Basel.



I went to the market and got nice salmon and fresh salad ingredients as the dinner I made last weekend was so good but what did he want for his first dinner back? My homemade pasta sauce - penne arrabiata style. I made some homemade focaccia too - recipe courtesy of Allrecipes - delicious!

What I was planning on making (last week's version):


After all that, spooning on the couch and a Weeds marathon care of Amazon.de. Laying my head on a clean white t-shirt with a warm M. inside and listening to his heart beat. Sweetness.

Posted from Munich

A few stolen moments
From a desk in New Jersey
Across the Atlantic
Straight to her heart
She loves him too

Posted from Basel

Chocolate

The sweet smell of chocolate permeated the room. Outside it was a crystal clear, frosty day, and although we were awakening in Italy it felt more like the Austrian Alps, close neighbors across the border. The view out the window could make a mountain girl out of a beach girl.

Groggy from the night before, the wedding of two friends celebrated well into the night in the kitschy hotel, I rolled over and wondered where the delicious scent of chocolate was coming from.

M. stirred and rolled towards me, I opened my eyes and let out a shriek of laughter. M. had fallen asleep in his chocolate bar left on the pillow. And it had melted everywhere, including on his forehead and in a big pool of chocolate blood on the sheets.

Posted from Delaware

Long Weekend

A four day weekend is a big treat and for once both M. and I could take the full time off together, relax in Munich and enjoy 5 nights in a row in our apartment. We hadn't made any special plans but that was exactly the plan. Thursday was rainy and cool so I took full advantage and completely dismantled the kitchen. Everything was washed and scrubbed, the floor was polished and the cobwebs removed. All out of date foods were sent packing. For several glorious hours our kitchen sparkled and gleamed. Then we got back to the business of living in it.

Friday I made a long overdue shopping trip - for me! I revitalized my wardrobe including accessories. I finally got a new handbag, bought a couple of must haves from the MAC counter, found two new pairs of jeans and some summer shirts and shorts. The only thing I struck out on was shoes.

Friday night was date night. oooOOOOOoooooh (think cheesy 80s sitcom laugh track)! We had a gift certificate to a lovely Thai restaurant called Yum. The food was outstanding and the company wasn't bad either. I even got all decked out. We need to do this more often. Unfortunately after a couple of Mai Tais and a generally care free mood, we were greatly annoying our neighbors as I tried to teach M. how to say 'walrus'. We decided that lately we look like walruses and M. was pointing out that we shouldn't eat so much. If you have your very own German, ask him to try to pronounce that word. Go on. Comes out something like Vale-rooz. After repeated attempts to show him the right way to say it, he had pretty much nailed it, but the face contortion he had to make to say it the right way was hysterical. At least we thought so. WAL-RUSS!! Our neighbors took the opportunity to slide over a table.

Saturday we made our weekly trip to Seebauer and Toom to deposit our paychecks and cram a few more things into the garden. M. left for a bike ride and I stayed behind to plant my poisonous shade garden. We have a shady or partly shady yard for the most part. The plants that like shade are mostly all deadly but quite pretty. The thing I like about the shade is that it makes the garden remind me of the woodsy Connecticut area where I grew up. Dappled sunlight is pretty and I like the smell of the forest. We have this in miniature in our backyard. I'm not so sure about the plants though. They all look so fragile.



Saturday night was pig out BBQ night. Wallll Russss! I can't figure out if BBQ is so special in Germany that you have to OD everytime you do it or what but when you have a BBQ and invite two other couples over the one thing you can be sure of is that between everyone you will BBQ some of everything anyone can think of. Cheeseburgers, sausages, chicken, schweinenacke, lamb, turkey, speck, etc. Yes, all on one night, all on one grill. Oh, and there are sides as well. Mayonnaise seems to end up on everything too for some reason, closely followed by ketchup and senf. Wal-russ!

Sunday was kind of lazy. I finished a few more hours of garden work. I tried some lavender in the sunniest patch of the garden. It is one of my favorites so I hope they make it. All in all the yard looks great. We have some pests that have invaded - we've been slimed!! My poor dill plant was completely chewed up. Others have bites here and there missing. Gross!


This was a little dill plant a week ago.

Sunday night we made our first trip to the beer garden. We double dated and it was the perfect night for it. We were by the Isar sitting under huge chestnut trees. Some beer, some brez'n and a few good laughs was the perfect way to end the weekend.


Posted from Basel

Expat or Gardener?

This blog used to be about being an expat. More often now it seems to be about my (our) garden. This weekend, it is about both.

I wonder sometimes how fast I would high tail it out of here if something were to happen to me and M. Would I board the next plane, stay until the end of my work assignment, consider staying longer? After over a year here, I feel sad to think about leaving my life here. Whenever I have a weekend to myself, I take have the opportunity to check my independence and comfort level with my life here since it's important even if I am in a relationship.

I arrived last night at the airport in Munich and rode the bus in with a colleague from work. We chatted away until I got to customs, then I switched to German with the border patrol. No issues. I went to the rental car stand and picked up my car, a BMW 1 series, which I fondly or mockingly call "The Sneaker". As it turns out, it's a fun little car to drive.

I took it for a test drive and reach about 160 km/hr (100 mph) but people were still flying by making me look like I was standing still. But this car has good pep! 6 speed manual and a nice sun roof - perfect for this weekend.

This morning when I got up, I decided to head out and do all our normal Saturday morning errands. First stop, the metzgerei. Gruss Gott! The friendly butcher welcomed me in and his colleage helped me with my order. I ordered all in German (shyly) and (amazingly) got everything I wanted. Hackfleisch, schweinfilet, schinken (100g) and allgau bergkase. The women sent me on my way with a smile and a wink.

Next I went to the veggie guy and got some fresh white asparagus and a few other veggies for some pasta sauce. A short stop and Tengelman and the grocery shopping was done for the weekend. I made a pit stop at home for some blueberry pancakes and then headed out for round two. The garden shop and the hardware store.

After a few hours, I stocked up for the garden work and made my way to the wine guy. As soon as I walked in he said, You're the American! This is probably my favorite shop in Munich- fair prices for great wine and no matter how long it's been, the owner always remembers me and sends me on my way with some extra goodies from Italy.

I headed home and the only incident was in the garden shop Parkhaus. Not sure what I did but a woman was yelling at me. Seemed that I may have been causing a traffic jam while waiting for a spot to open up.

I spent the afternoon in the garden working away (pictures for M. below) and just as I was finishing up, L. and B. rang the bell and invited my up for a BBQ. They live on the top floor of our building so we sat out on their porch, ate too much and had some beers.

A report came in from M. He managed to finally eat at the Weber grill restaurant (the best porterhouse he ever had) and will soon be getting us the beer can chicken gadget I suspect as his friend ordered the beer can chicken and it was supposedly amazing. I'm not quite sure the details but somehow he managed to get the waiter's Weber grill waitstaff shirt because he kept saying how much he loved it. I can only imagine the scene. Silly foreigners.

Tomorrow it is more gardening and another neighbor invited me to a BBQ. I didn't even need to do all this shopping today! Now it is time for bed. I wish the weekends weren't so short.

For M:

First, watch out for all that fatty American food!

Second, don't forget the Shake and Bake (sounds like I am contradicting #1).

Third, here is the garden after today:

Bamboo Week 1 & Bamboo Week 2.











I'd say he filled out quite a bit already.

Here is the herb garden. The plants were very stressed when I transplanted them. I gave them a good watering and we will see how they feel tomorrow. There are some seeds planted for the trellises in the background.


And here's the yard with the new lights. They aren't too bright but I think make a nice border. We may want to buy a second package.



More pictures after tomorrow!

Posted from Munich

A Few More Minutes...

In a few more minutes, M. will be here!!

He will walk through the door, scold me for not having it locked (you know, with all the rapists and murderers in Switzerland) then give me a big hug. I love that I still get butterflies before I see him on the weekend.

The week has been long and intense, but still good, and I'm ready to ease through Friday into a no-travel weekend.

Posted from Basel