EXPATS AGAIN

EXPATS AGAIN! Experiencing other cultures while enriching our global view.

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Munich, Germany
I am married to the love of my life and am finally able to shower him with all of the attention he deserves. I am now retired and living the life here in Europe. I am an American, he is an Australian, and this is our second overseas address. The first was Shanghai, China and now Munich, Germany. Come along and live the life with us as we continue our adventure of discovering all Europe has to offer.

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Wednesday, April 20, 2011

WEDNESDAY HODGEPODGE






Happy Easter everyone!  Joyce sure had Easter on her mind when she thought about which questions to include in today's "Hodgepodge."  I will get right to it, but click on her badge above if you would like to be a part of the "Wednesday Hodgepodge.' It is always surprising and meeting people from all over the world is one of the great benefits.  


1. What are your plans for Easter Day/weekend?


We are going to spend the four day weekend outside. Germans get Friday and Monday off, yippie!  Since we move the following week, we plan to lay low and enjoy the gorgeous weather with friends.  A picnic by the Isar River, a bike ride around a lake, have friends over for a cookout, and take long walks in the forest. Most importantly, we will celebrate the risen Lord.

2. Besides Jesus, what one person from The Bible would you most like to meet and why?


Mary.  I know it sounds incredulous, but can you imagine parenting Jesus?  I would love to just listen to her tales of motherhood and hearing about our savior as a child. Yep, Mary would be my choice.


3. What is one modern day convenience you didn't have as a child that was easy to live without?


Of course a cell phone, ipod, ipad, and all of those other technological devices that are supposed to make our lives easier were not around when I was a child and it was inconvenient to wait until you were at a phone to make a call. I would not want to go back to those days.  But I think the one thing I couldn't go without would be a computer and a printer.  Typing on carbon paper and erasing with a rubber circle with a brush on the end of it was Draconian and those days, thank you Steve Jobs and Bill Gates, are gone forever.

4. Are you more right brained or left brained? If you don't know what that means there is an interesting little quiz here.


Without a doubt, right-brained.  (Literature and Art teacher?  Can't get much more right-brained than that.)  But I married a scientist/chemist/engineer who is 99.9% left-brained and I love him to death!

5. What is something you intended to do today but didn't? Why?


Very good question, Joyce, because I always have things left over from my "To Do List."  I want to make a Traditional English Trifle and a Rhubarb Crumble for my mahjong group that will be here tomorrow.  But the real reason for making them is that I have to take a dish to "The Royal Wedding Party" next week and since I have never made either before I thought I would practice with them.  (Hope they don't mind). 


 I also have to find/make a proper hat fitting for the Queen. This is a task I just keep putting off each day.   Any ideas?

6. Cadbury Creme Eggs or Reeses peanut butter?


Although both are nice, I would choose neither. Since Europe has the most amazing chocolate, I would opt for one of them instead, sorry.  If you're going to have the extra calories, you might as well do it right! (My favorite, Neuhaus milk chocolate from Belgium.)

7. Who was your favorite cartoon character when you were a child?


This is a real stumper.  Hummm...I guess I would have to go with Mr. Magoo. If you, like me, are old enough to remember him, you have my blessings.

8. Insert your own random thought here.


I just read in the German "Local" that a 50 year old woman has been arrested burglarizing a home while the family was at the cemetery burying a loved one.  They caught her after many other burglaries when they put two and two together and realized she was reading the obituaries in the paper and then targeting the grieving family.  Can you believe this?

20 comments:

Courtney said...

you don't have to be 'older' to love Mr. Magoo :) because I loved him too growing up :) I loved watching him with my dad - he's pretty timeless, no?

Happy Easter!

Joyce said...

Belgian chocolate-yum!
English trifle and rhubarb crumble-yum!

I remember Mr. McGoo : )
Enjoy your weekend!

Kathy ... aka Nana said...

Those poor families ... burying their loved ones and then coming home to their houses burglarized. So sad.

And yes, I remember Mr. Magoo! ;-)

How lucky to have a 4-day weekend coming up ... enjoy it!

Susan said...

Oh, the old typewriter days. I, too, am glad they are gone forever!

April said...

Cadbury Creme Eggs are one of my favorite Easter treats! Of course, I've heard that Belgium chocolate is TO DIE FOR! You can't go wrong with any kind of chocolate, in my book! I loved Mr. Magoo as a kid!

Bobbi said...

Sounds like a nice lady...sheesh! Oooo...can you share your rhubarb crumble recipe...I love rhubarb!!

Tammy Enjoy Life said...

I can't believe people nowadays--house being burglarized while burying their loved ones.
I can't wait to see pics of the Royal Wedding and the hat you choose. Please post. Have a good week.

Maribeth said...

Actually, about the thief, yes. In our little village on Cape Cod, we always had a friend stay at the house during a family funeral to guard the house! Sad, but true.

Anonymous said...

Your Easter weekend sounds divine!! I also have to agree that computers and printers have made our lives so much more efficient. I learned how to type on a manual typewriter. I remember the agony of trying to type footnotes...all of the measuring. Oy!

Donna @ The House on the Corner said...

I chose Mary too - for the same reasons!

I've heard of thieves doing the same thing here - reading the obituaries and then burglarizing the houses. They used to put address in the obit (i.e. Jane Doe of 1234 Smith Street...) but had to stop so folks wouldn't rob them while they were gone. Of course,if you live in a small town - everyone knows where you live already.....

LynnMarie said...

I so love your long weekend! It sounds like a great time and then the move!!! You will be busy! Enjoy your Easter!

Sheena said...

#8 - Seriously? What is the punishment for burglary in Germany? I think they should come up with some sort of special punishment for this one! WOW!

Kathy said...

I started to put Mary as my biblical character,too.

I agree, I'm glad the days of typewriters are gone forever!

Thieves robbing the bereaved while at the cemetary?...that's just so WRONG.

Have a Happy Easter :)

Cathy said...

I said Mary too. I can't wait to meet her and hear her stories about Jesus. I loved Mr. Magoo, especially him as Scrooge.

Your #8 makes me so sad that someone would do that. I've heard of people doing that before though. I can't even imagine.

Theresa said...

I am a right brained teacher married to a left brained engineer/scientist too. Sure is fun! I love Belgium chocolate :)

Unknown said...

Oh, I'm so with you on thanking God that we no longer have to type on typewriters! Whenever I get frustrated with Word, I stop and say, you know, I COULD be typing on carbon paper and using white-out... puts it all in perspective! And I agree, Mary would be a fascinating individual - seriously, did Jesus ever roll his eyes in the back of his head as a teenager? His poor siblings - "We can't all have GOD has our father! Give us a break!" :-)

Thanks for your sweet comment on my post - the housecleaners were AMAZING - actually were standing on the countertops, dusting the tops of my kitchen shelves and all of the knick knacks up there! Just what my heart and soul needed after what has been a difficult month!

have a blessed Easter!

Nel said...

Enjoyed your answers! That does not surprise me about the lady, where I lived for years they quit putting who was admitted to the hospital because of the same reason. Crazy people!
And I too remember Mr. Magoo!
until next time... nel

Proverbs 31 Wannabe said...

Carbon paper...oh yes! I remember it well. I loved Mr. Magoo too...I'm sure the ones I saw were reruns, but I still loved it.
Have a blessed Easter!

Anonymous said...

I also chose Mary for question #2!

Your Easter plans sound very nice =)

Expats Again said...

James Martin’s classic rhubarb crumble recipe, below, is what I used for yesterday's mahjong club. It was wonderful served warm with real whipped cream. I was happy to find the recipe on BBC recipe page. It was so easy and a good reason to use the fresh rhubarb in the stores now. Enjoy!

Ingredients
10 sticks of rhubarb
4 tbsp water
8 tbsp caster sugar
1 tsp powdered ginger
110g/4oz butter, softened
110g/4oz demerara sugar
180-200g/6-7oz flour

To serve
double cream

Preparation method
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
Cut the rhubarb into 7½cm/3in long sticks and place on an oven tray, sprinkle with the water and caster sugar and roast in the oven for 10 minutes.
Once cooked, remove from the oven, sprinkle over the ginger and mix well.
Fill an ovenproof dish about 4cm/1½in deep with the rhubarb.
Rub the butter into the flour and sugar to make the crumble topping. Sprinkle over the rhubarb and bake in the oven for 35-45 minutes, or until the crumble topping is crisp and golden-brown and the rhubarb filling has softened and is bubbling.
Remove and allow to cool slightly before serving with double cream.