Wednesday 18 May 2011
Stalled
Turns out, my friend Markus, who I thought was in Canada, lives in Cologne at the moment! He studies film and he's brilliant at it. Was very happy to see him so unexpectedly and watch his newest creation "Stalled", which was also ace. Other news: lost at pool, ate amazing burger, watched lots of films. Dad 3 loads of laundry. (My grandmother forced lots of Camembert on me, so I took it to Cologne. When I unpacked my backpack the whole thing stank like hell. So did my clothes.)
Tuesday 17 May 2011
Dirt Crowds Noise
THE FAMILY
Cologne!
Is where I am.
I am using my current homelessness and unemployment for a tour through the home country. It started on Friday at the edge of the black forest, where I met my dad, who took me to a wine tasting in a pretty little town close to the French border. The place made me sick, that's how pretty it was. And so quiet that it made me nervous. It's weird. Countryside is stunning, people come from all over the world to see it, the wines are excellent, the food is the kind I grew up with and the people are supposed to be... well... my people. And they were lovely and welcoming and gave me a VIP ticket which let me eat and drink for free all day. But walking around the vineyards, sucking at my bottle of white wine I just realised how wrong I feel there at the moment. It's where I grew up, where all my best childhood memories are, where I am supposed to feel at home, but I just don't. 2 days and I miss London like mad. Dirt and crowds and noise, how are you over there?
It was a good trip in some ways, tho. I had a proper 1 on 1 catch up with my dad, which is something that never happens. And it felt good to realise how much I actually miss my folks. Cause it's the good kind of missing. The kind where you just know that they are there somewhere and will be when you need them.
Plus my dad is one of the funniest people I know and he knows how to make me laugh when I am all melancholy from too much white wine and too much nature.
Then we travelled on to my grandmother. There was no time for lonely walks then. They all hadn't seen me in 2 years and were all over me. My granny's sister put lots of expensive jewelery all over my wrists and fingers while my grandmother was already busy mending the holes in my jeans and shoving lots of food into my mouth at the same time.
They say I am too thin, not dressed properly, my hair looks like a boy's and scruffy on top of that, I should wear more pearls, but be careful not to lose them, cause they were very expensive and maybe it's best to wait until they have died and I stop behaving like a teenager, plus they won't let me take them to England anyway, cause they'll get stolen there and they'll give them to my dad to look after them for me until I am a proper lady.
My favourite thing was when my grandmother suggested for me to move back in with my parents cause then I wouldn't have to pay rent and I'd surely find a cleaning job in Konstanz, too. Danke, Oma!
She also gave me a necklace she got given for her 90th birthday 6 weeks ago. I think she is convinced she won't see me ever again anyway, but if you ask me she'll live to be 100, at least. She's as fit as a fiddle.
Well, and now I am in Cologne. Hurray! They have dirt and crowds and noise here!
I am sleeping on my friend Julie's sofa and I can't wait to meet her later, when she's finished work. She's a lovely squeaky always there if you need her gives good advise kind of friend who lived with me in Ireland and always made me lovely smoothies and I miss her lots!
Then in a couple of days I will travel on to Bochum to meet more amazing people, play some pool with my friend Mel, hang out with Gabby (for the first time in Germany!!) and restock my currywurst sauce supplies.
And then my cousin's wedding, which I am looking forward to very much. I love weddings now. I LOVE WEDDINGS.
The First Wedding
That was the royal wedding, as you know. I watched it (well at least the service and the kiss) with Loreena MacKennit on her living room sofa. In the middle of it all I had to cook a soup, so I missed lots, but nevermind.
I thought the dress was pretty and some of the hats ridiculous. I thought the tree's in the church instead of flowers were a lovely idea. That was mainly my thoughts. And then I finished work and went to an amazing street party in Hackney. Ros and our friend Aidan welcomed me by throwing me into the air and bringing me other surprises and then I drank lots of cider and peed against a house wall. A girl I didn't know held a scarf in front of me. There were people in wedding dresses and Sam waved a little flag. That is all I remember of it.
I was mostly celebrating The End of Shad. For me. It was the end for me, not for Shad, obviously. Bye bye, thanks for my 60 quid!
Oh and bye bye Tooting! I'll come visit, promise, one day...
The Second Wedding
The second wedding was that of P and T, friends of Ros', who I had met at various occasions. The two of them are in an amazing band together, Royal Treatment Plant, who y'all should totally check out and like a lot.
And theirs was the first proper wedding I've been to since I was 6. The ceremony took place in the Royal Festival Hall, which is a great venue for that sort of thing. With a view over London and all.
The reception then took place in West London, so we all got put on two old routemasters and carried through London, being given our own little sightseeing tour.
Now I don't have any weddings to compare this one to, but I thought it was an excellent party. Great food (paella!), great music (whicdh I told the DJane over and over...) and a free bar all night!
The speeches weren't boring and also Ros crashed into a table, which is always fun.*
Unfortunately that perfect evening ended a bit annoying at 5am somewhere in Essex, cause Ros and I both fell asleep on the night bus. Ah well...
So yes, I am totally in the mood for love and trumpets and soppy stories and more wedding cake. 4 days till wedding No 3! Can't wait! Nervous, yet, Ju?
* Her version of the story goes that she was just about to lean on the table when it collapsed spontaneously a second before she even touched it. Also possible, of course.
Cologne!
Is where I am.
I am using my current homelessness and unemployment for a tour through the home country. It started on Friday at the edge of the black forest, where I met my dad, who took me to a wine tasting in a pretty little town close to the French border. The place made me sick, that's how pretty it was. And so quiet that it made me nervous. It's weird. Countryside is stunning, people come from all over the world to see it, the wines are excellent, the food is the kind I grew up with and the people are supposed to be... well... my people. And they were lovely and welcoming and gave me a VIP ticket which let me eat and drink for free all day. But walking around the vineyards, sucking at my bottle of white wine I just realised how wrong I feel there at the moment. It's where I grew up, where all my best childhood memories are, where I am supposed to feel at home, but I just don't. 2 days and I miss London like mad. Dirt and crowds and noise, how are you over there?
It was a good trip in some ways, tho. I had a proper 1 on 1 catch up with my dad, which is something that never happens. And it felt good to realise how much I actually miss my folks. Cause it's the good kind of missing. The kind where you just know that they are there somewhere and will be when you need them.
Plus my dad is one of the funniest people I know and he knows how to make me laugh when I am all melancholy from too much white wine and too much nature.
Then we travelled on to my grandmother. There was no time for lonely walks then. They all hadn't seen me in 2 years and were all over me. My granny's sister put lots of expensive jewelery all over my wrists and fingers while my grandmother was already busy mending the holes in my jeans and shoving lots of food into my mouth at the same time.
They say I am too thin, not dressed properly, my hair looks like a boy's and scruffy on top of that, I should wear more pearls, but be careful not to lose them, cause they were very expensive and maybe it's best to wait until they have died and I stop behaving like a teenager, plus they won't let me take them to England anyway, cause they'll get stolen there and they'll give them to my dad to look after them for me until I am a proper lady.
My favourite thing was when my grandmother suggested for me to move back in with my parents cause then I wouldn't have to pay rent and I'd surely find a cleaning job in Konstanz, too. Danke, Oma!
She also gave me a necklace she got given for her 90th birthday 6 weeks ago. I think she is convinced she won't see me ever again anyway, but if you ask me she'll live to be 100, at least. She's as fit as a fiddle.
Well, and now I am in Cologne. Hurray! They have dirt and crowds and noise here!
I am sleeping on my friend Julie's sofa and I can't wait to meet her later, when she's finished work. She's a lovely squeaky always there if you need her gives good advise kind of friend who lived with me in Ireland and always made me lovely smoothies and I miss her lots!
Then in a couple of days I will travel on to Bochum to meet more amazing people, play some pool with my friend Mel, hang out with Gabby (for the first time in Germany!!) and restock my currywurst sauce supplies.
And then my cousin's wedding, which I am looking forward to very much. I love weddings now. I LOVE WEDDINGS.
The First Wedding
That was the royal wedding, as you know. I watched it (well at least the service and the kiss) with Loreena MacKennit on her living room sofa. In the middle of it all I had to cook a soup, so I missed lots, but nevermind.
I thought the dress was pretty and some of the hats ridiculous. I thought the tree's in the church instead of flowers were a lovely idea. That was mainly my thoughts. And then I finished work and went to an amazing street party in Hackney. Ros and our friend Aidan welcomed me by throwing me into the air and bringing me other surprises and then I drank lots of cider and peed against a house wall. A girl I didn't know held a scarf in front of me. There were people in wedding dresses and Sam waved a little flag. That is all I remember of it.
I was mostly celebrating The End of Shad. For me. It was the end for me, not for Shad, obviously. Bye bye, thanks for my 60 quid!
Oh and bye bye Tooting! I'll come visit, promise, one day...
The Second Wedding
The second wedding was that of P and T, friends of Ros', who I had met at various occasions. The two of them are in an amazing band together, Royal Treatment Plant, who y'all should totally check out and like a lot.
And theirs was the first proper wedding I've been to since I was 6. The ceremony took place in the Royal Festival Hall, which is a great venue for that sort of thing. With a view over London and all.
The reception then took place in West London, so we all got put on two old routemasters and carried through London, being given our own little sightseeing tour.
Now I don't have any weddings to compare this one to, but I thought it was an excellent party. Great food (paella!), great music (whicdh I told the DJane over and over...) and a free bar all night!
The speeches weren't boring and also Ros crashed into a table, which is always fun.*
Unfortunately that perfect evening ended a bit annoying at 5am somewhere in Essex, cause Ros and I both fell asleep on the night bus. Ah well...
So yes, I am totally in the mood for love and trumpets and soppy stories and more wedding cake. 4 days till wedding No 3! Can't wait! Nervous, yet, Ju?
* Her version of the story goes that she was just about to lean on the table when it collapsed spontaneously a second before she even touched it. Also possible, of course.
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