My birthday

Yesterday was my birthday. I'll still share more of our German Christmas later but thought I'd first share about my birthday since my family might be wondering what we did.

We arrived home from Germany just before 12 midnight on Wednesday the 28th. We decided to treat ourselves with massages for my birthday the next day. Firstly we hardly ever plan anything in advance and we might have at least booked a few days in advance but arriving home so late we didn't have anything booked. So yesterday morning first thing we phone around to try and get an appointment. We phoned so many places and all were either fully booked or just not answering and not getting back to us after leaving messages and sending emails.

We decided to abandon that idea and I went and searched online for a pretty little village not too far from us to go for a drive and walk around. I found Bray-On-Thames, only about 30min from us where there is this pretty looking hotel on a little island. You can only get there by boat or by walking over the narrow bridge. And their website advertised afternoon tea from 2.30pm onwards. 

Bridge to Monkey Island, Bray

We had no food in the house so wanted to go for the full tea with sandwiches pastries and scones. We arrived a bit early so walked around the village first. Then went to the hotel where there wasn't much going on. We were pretty hungry by this stage so didn't care if we were going to be the only table! BUT then we were told that the afternoon tea is only served from January onwards! No idea why, probably because they're so quiet for some reason.

Doesn't matter we decide, as we saw a nice pub actually belonging to chef Heston Blumenthal who also has the Michelin starred Fat Duck restaurant in this same village. I wasn't initially in the mood for pub food on my birthday but at least this should be a more special kind of pub with really good food. We walked in only to be told that the kitchen has just closed!! No! I was so annoyed! 

Hind's Head, Bray

Andre had a Guiness and I had a hot chocolate which was served with some fudge on the side too which at least made me feel slightly better. I was ready to cry as my birthday wasn't turning out so good. But right then my sister surprised me with a phone call to wish me happy birthday so that made me feel much better! Thanks Simone! xx

We were meeting friends at a hotel near Heathrow for a fairwell dinner in the evening and considered just driving there early in the hope of getting something to eat at the hotel bar. It being the type of hotel you stay at just to be near the airport we were afraid they might not have too much to offer so drove to nearby Windsor instead. 

More thinking about my sister as it was a year ago that she was here with us in the UK. We spent a day in Windsor, the day before my birthday last year actually. We spent my birthday last year in London.

Windsor 28 Dec 2010 with Simone

Last year's birthday in London

Finally we found food in Windsor at 4pm and I decided to have a cocktail too to help improve this day!

With our tummy's finally filled and feeling much better we headed to the hotel to meet our friends. We thought we might just stay over at the hotel since we haven't spent much on my birthday and might as well both enjoy the evening with a few drinks. Quick stop at a pharmacy for eye make-up remover and moisturiser as I can't go to bed without removing my make-up!

(Can't believe I forgot to take a photo of the hotel since I've done so well documenting my birthday throughout the day until here!)

We ended up not staying over though. Had a good, but light dinner after having such a late lunch. And then sadly had to say good bye to our friends who left for Australia this morning. We'll miss them lots, but look forward to seeing them again sometime for a sunny diving holiday and hearing about their new adventures 'down under'.

photo instead of said friends having dinner at our house
earlier this month

Munich Christmas Market

Waiting for the train.

Andre and I have been in to Munich twice now and I'll be going in for a quick trip again today with my mom. I've had some successful shopping there! For some reason I just love shopping for clothes in Munich. I hardly ever buy clothes in the UK and so do about twice yearly clothes shopping in Munich instead! I guess everything just looks different and nicer in a different country to what you're used to. Andre really needed to do some clothes shopping too but he was in no mood to try on anything so his we'll have to do back home! I also chose my Christmas present from him. :-)

We had a quick walk around the Christmas market while in Munich too. The city hall and that very very tall Christmas tree with it's lights always makes a lovely picture.

Andre in the office

We went to visit mom in the office yesterday and Andre wanted to know why they still have typewriters. - To save paper and time as you can type a reply onto a fax straight away and send it back. We then had another conversation as to why people still use faxes!

Andre tried out the typewriter and typed me a letter.

As a child I remember playing with my mom's typewriter she had at home.

Christmas tree decorated

Following on yesterday's post about choosing a Christmas tree, I wasn't able to show you our completed tree then. Here it is now, I took a picture last night. It's got green and plum coloured baubles and the lights are plain yellow/ white. They appear pink in the picture for some reason..

Nürnberg Christmas Market

On Sunday afternoon we drove about an hour north to Nürnberg where there is a big Christmas Market. Bigger than in Munich. It was rather cold and we were well frozen after two hours outside, but it was great fun. We tried almost everything from the Bratwurst (sausage rolls) and Glühwein to crepes with cherries and nutella. Lots and lots and LOTS of people!

Santa and his Rudolph singing some Christmas Carols.
The little dog's name really was Rudolph!

The market stalls seen from above 

Glühwein!

Shopping for Lebkuchen and macaroons

Mom's new hat which she bought at the market

Snowing at the Christmas market - a real Christmas feeling!

Waiting for our crepes

*Remember you can click on the first photo and then scroll through them all bigger to see them better!

Christmas time in Germany

We arrived in Munich late on Friday night after a little bit of a delay. Saturday morning we relaxed at home and went to choose a Christmas tree. Mom and I decorated it. I'll still have to take a picture of it as I just realised I haven't got a picture of the tree all decorated.

Searching for the right one.

Wrapping it up

and taking her home!

It's been snowing lightly every day over the weekend but never enough to last.

This is what I woke up to this morning. Even with the sun out it looks like it's going to stay white for a while today.

Onion Goggles

My sister gave me these a few months ago. They're brilliant! At first I thought they just make me look silly, but they WORK! They have a spongy liner between the goggles and your skin so no onion eye stinging fumes can reach your eyes. I use them every time I need to slice onions now!

Christmas crafts

The kiddies in my craft classes have been making the most beautiful Christmas crafts. Take a look at what we've made so far.

Lots of glitter everywhere!!

We've also made handprint cards and footprint wrapping paper and reindeers and this week we're making stars to hang on the tree.

Wondering when my voice might return...

I started getting a bit of a sore throat last weekend. My colds always start with a sore throat so I know to then load up on the anti-flu meds and that usually prevents it from getting any worse. Well this time it's dragging on a bit longer than usual. My throat is still sore and I don't think it has ever been as sore as it's been this week. It's been really really painful. And to top it all I've had just about no voice all week!

I think the bit of a cold combined with my job which now requires me to be talking for most of 8 hours every day all of a sudden gave my vocal chords a bit of a shock! Compared to being at home on my own for most of the time this past year meaning very little talking at all.

It's just never taken this long to get my voice back again and now I'm getting a bit worried that it still won't be better by Monday... I've been trying to be really quiet today and not to talk at all unnecessarily. 

Let's hope I can keep up the silence the rest of the weekend!

Note to Family reading my blog

You can now scroll through the photos on my blog, seeing them larger, without leaving this page. Simply click on the first photo. The photo will open larger with a black background. Don't worry, you can easily get back to where you were on the blog!

Click on the picture. This will take you to the next picture. Continue clicking to scroll through and view all the pictures you'd like to see. When you want to go back to reading the blog post simply click on the black background anywhere outside the picture. This will close the picture and take you back to the page you were at.

See it as placing a photo album on top of the book you're reading and then just lifting the album off and your book is still there open at the same place you left it.

Hope this explanation helps! :-) Most of the photos on here were taken by Andre and are worth seeing larger than it is displayed in the blog post. Try it out on the previous post about the Bike Show.

- Anneliese xx

NEC Bike Show 2011

A year ago we went to the NEC (National Exhibition Centre) Bike Show, my first time then, and there was snow along the road as we drove the 2 hours north to Birmingham. This year the weather has been so much milder. Mild in summer and mild in winter (so far) which means all I've had to change in my wardrobe was my light summer jacket for my down winter jacket! Anyway, no snow yet this time during the bike show.

We thought it was bigger and even better than last year. I particularly loved the part where we went to see the freestyle motocross show inside the centre. Those guys were really good on their motorbikes, flying through the air and doing tricks. I could have watched the show again, it was showing three times during the day, but after almost 5 hours at the NEC we were rather tired and ready to head home.

Here are a few pictures of the guys on the bicycles but there were motorbikes too (which were more exciting). Unfortunately we couldn't get good pictures of them. Above you can see their bikes parked.

No shopping this year. Last year we got a new helmet and winter gloves for me. But it was great fun looking at all the different bikes. Of course there were also lots of girls promoting stuff in tight fitting outfits in case the guys got tired of looking at bikes!

Here's a few more of Andre's pictures.

Click on this picture to enlarge.
The guy is wearing a beanie. That's not his
hair. Just looked funny with the stomach too!

The same type of bike used in one of the Harry Potter films.

Pink girlie bikes. See the eyes on the helmet!

Andre enjoyed sitting on the BMW's

Mom & Jürgen will understand why this one made us smile :)

Guys talking bike talk

"I'm sexy and I know it."

PS the Movember mustache is no more. Phew!