One Hundred Days.

Since my husband left our home - and me - in the beginning of May, to temporary serve another country for four months, I have carried out a small, yet vital ritual every evening.
Just before I turn in for the night - I cross off each passing day in our calender and say a little prayer for his safety.
It has been an incredibly rewarding process, watching each week pass and the blank page of each month becoming saturated by red marks - signifying my personal countdown.
Thus this Thursday marked the hundred day since we parted.

One hundred days alone, one hundred days without his kisses, his touch and his presence, one hundred days of readjustment, longing and worries. Yet hundred days full of personal growth and new learning experiences, making me realize over and over again how much I cherish my life and its versatility and simultaneously making me so aware of the precious, deep, passionate and foremost pure love that we share between us.

One hundred.
A number that can feel infinitely large and yet infinitely small. One hundred seconds are barely two minutes of our lives - nothing but a fleeting instant and we can grasp and comprehend it. One hundred years can define our own life time - if we are lucky - and we can still understand this duration. Yet take one hundred decades, which comprise a millennium, a time span infinitely more difficult for us to imagine and which can see entire civilizations come and go.

Thus, to celebrate my one hundred milestone, here are some random fun and interesting facts about this symbolic number.

· In Latin, 100 is centum and the Roman numeral for this number is C.
· 100 is the basis of percentages (per cent meaning "per hundred" in Latin), with 100% being a full amount.
· 100 is the sum of the first nine prime numbers, as well as the sum of four pairs of prime numbers (47 + 53, 17 + 83, 3 + 97, 41 + 59).
· On the Celsius scale, 100 degrees is the boiling temperature of pure water at sea level.
· The United States Senate has 100 Senators.
· "The First Hundred Days" is an arbitrary benchmark of a President of the United States' performance at the beginning of his or her term.
· Most of the world's currencies are divided into 100 subunits; for example, one euro is one hundred cents and one pound sterling is one hundred pence.
· The number of years in a century is 100.
· The Hundred Years' War (1337-1453) between France and England lasted 116 years.
· The largest bank note in England is the one hundred million pound note, nicknamed Titan.
· A centurion was an officer in the army of ancient Rome, commanding 100 men (centuria = 100 in Latin), although in reality he only commanded 60-80 men.
· In the Christian literature, the number 100 appears as symbol of the celestial beatitude.
· The second reigns of Napoleon lasted 100 days, from March 20 to June 22, 1815. It ended by the defeat of Waterloo.
· In the year 100, the wheelbarrow makes its first appearance in China and bricks become the primary building material in the Roman Empire.
· 100km is the altitude at which the FAI defines that spaceflight begins.
· Yesterday it was 100 days since I last kissed my husband.♥♥♥

The Icelandic Stallion.

When I was a young girl, riding was my passion. I can not really adequately describe the sensation, but I was the happiest when I was on a horseback.
This was however a life time ago and the last time I sat on a horse was almost twenty years back, riding towards the sunset on a secluded beach in Puerto Rico.

In life though, we never know who meet and what those encounters can lead to and as luck have it, one of my husbands acquaintances, a jovial and kind woman, has a passion for horses. And thus once again, with her help and guidance, my own passion for riding has been rekindled.

Sitting on horseback recently for the first time after a couple of decades, I relived the happiness I once felt as a young girl. The sensation and "know-how" returned to me easily and the encounter left me wanting more. In difference from my past experiences, when I rode large stallions, this time I rode an Icelandic horse. Pony like in size, however not a pony, these horses are  known for having additional gaits, among others a very distinguished riding stride called tölt, which is a mix between a walk and a trot. They are small, yet strong and resilient, with a placid temper.

Riding through a beautiful natural scenery, in great company, my world was once again set momentarily right, as yet another set of unforgettable moments were added to my recollection.

Sammy In Spring.

The vernal prelude has temporarily been interrupted and once again cold air - the icy breath of the Winter Lady - has swept through the country, reminding us that she is still in reign.
Nevertheless, I have thoroughly enjoyed a few days out in the warm sunshine. And may I say, I was not the only one, as seen on the clip below.

Dedicated to all Sammy (aka Batcat) fans.
Enjoy.

"By Any Other Name..."

"... would smell as sweet".
This Shakespearean quote seems somehow so very appropriate to initiate this post with. And as you read along further, it will become soon clear why.

It has been a while ago since Batcat was featured in my writing. And many of you, curiously enough, have recently inquired about his well being.
Thus I decided to dedicate yet another post to my faithful traveler through life and my partner in crime, my furry friend - having been my devoted companion for the last eight years.

In that time span, he has been called many names and each name made him into a certain personality, yet in my eyes he has always been the same jovial feline, brightening my days and making me smile.

Batcats real name is actually Samson.
I named him that way when I collected him as a tiny, six weeks old kitten from a farm, some hundred miles north of where I lived. He screamed his lungs out the whole drive back home (and still detests being in a car). I contemplated many different names, wanting to keep the letter S, as apparently cats names should be starting with one. I have no idea where I have heard that or if it is even true. Still, when the name Samson entered my mind, I knew right away that it was the one, thus it was chosen - but come to think of it - never used.

My first serious boyfriend, with whom I acquired the cat named him Daloon. As in Da - Loon. Or The Loon. Perhaps because his eyes as a kitten were at all times huge like saucers and he was always looking for trouble, defying anything that came in his way. Never giving up or giving in, already as a kitten proving he was a REAL cat. A fighter.
He refused to be confided in a cardboard box and already as a tiny little thing was roaming our apartment. When we tried to prevent him from entering an open staircase by blocking it with cardboard as well - afraid he might fall through the stairs and be injured - he found a way of climbing the narrow space between the stairs and the wall by pushing himself upwards on his little paws - an incredible accomplishment and sign of resilience and determination.

When the Irishman came into my life, he very quickly established that Daloon was no Loon, but a Superhero. To him he looked like a feline Batman and thus he named him Batcat. This was when I started my blog and thus to everyone here my cat was known by this name.

The name Batact has however been abandoned for quiet a while now and another name has gained hold. My new family call him today Sammy, a name instigated by the man I love and inspired by the original name; Samson.

Well, no matter the name, my devoted cat is my everything.
My baby and the one living, comforting soul that has been waiting for me in the dark house when I returned from work for all those years living on my own. The one who made my old house feel alive, when it was so quiet, deserted and still. That one living being that always stuck by my side when everyone else left me. The one into whose fur I cried bitter tears when I was feeling the loneliest I have have ever been...
And the one who I hugged when I was the happiest I have ever been as well.

These days, I am not the only one whose life has changed dramatically. Even Sammy has undergone changes of major proportions.
He has been uprooted, relocated and furthermore been introduced to the outside.
Being an inside cat his whole life, the outside to him is as overwhelming as it would be for the common man to fly into space.

Today Sammy is however a content cat. Just like me, being almost middle aged, he is starting all over again. And just like me, he has finally come home - and in his case in more than just the abstract sense - I recently realized he was born on a farm only a stone throw away from where we live today.
How funny is that.

(All images in this post are of Sammy exploring and enjoying the surroundings of his new home, summer 2011) 

May I Ask...

...what is inside your bathroom cabinets?
Some of you might remember my post where I inquired about your refrigerator. This time it is your bathroom I am curious about.

Well, let me tell you right from the start that even though my refrigerator seemed empty, my bathroom cabinets sure are not. They are well stocked. You name it, I have it.
Facial creams and lotions, body lotions - at least 5 different kinds, make-up (TONS and tons of it), nail polish, deodorants, perfumes, liquid soaps, shampoos, conditioners and several baskets and glass containers filled with many more objects within the area of personal hygiene, beauty and grooming.

The cabinets definitely house hundreds of items, which I seem to simply not be able to live without.  I am a collector and high maintenance and that is a lethal combination when it comes to the content of my bathroom.

I have heard, that everyone who visits someone and at one point excuse themselves to use the restroom, will peek into their host's bathroom cabinets. I have no idea if that is true, as I have actually never done it myself. Still this is an opportunity for me to find out what you are hiding.
If you are willing to disclose this to me, that is.

Monday On A Saturday.

Today I am at work. That is an odd feeling indeed, as I never work Saturdays. No, Saturdays are spend tending to my house and patios, sharing lovely pictures of my garden with you. But not this Saturday. My scheduled weekend has become very unscheduled, but it is all my own doing.

You see, I have a plan. A cunning one, may I add. Today it is raining cats and dogs (what a weird expression that is indeed) and as the weather forecasts predict sunny skies on Monday, I have switched my days around. Thus I will take Monday off.

It is quiet here, no one around. There is a certain tranquility that has settled over an otherwise busy lab. I actually enjoy being here.

Well, I would have actually a lovely day was it not for one thing; the fact that my lab computer had a melt down. It is a mac and even though I am a devoted Apple fan, I have to say this out loud: I HATE that computer. It keeps giving me a blue screen and has overall been very unstable. Thus I am writing this post on a PC. And that is not going all too well, I am afraid, as the computer feels very alien to me indeed.
Therefore while I wait for my electrophoresis to finish, I have decided to post answers to questions that were given to me by the lovely Mel at MELROXX in a recent tag. I have to say she impressed me with the quality of her inquiries, presented by such a young mind.

Thus dear Mel and everyone else interested, here are my answers:

1) What is your philosophy?
My philosophy. I guess that would mean by which wisdom do I live. That has changed a great deal over the years. But one has resonated with me more than any other. Although I find it very hard to follow, the following Serenity Prayer to me eloquently defines the art of living a fulfilled life:

"God, grant me the serenity
To accept the things I cannot change;
Courage to change the things I can;
And wisdom to know the difference."

2) If you could be any age again for one week, what age would you be?
This was such a great question, as I realized I am unable to answer it. Initially, I thought immediately; I would love to be twenty again! But after further contemplation I came to the conclusion that my life at twenty was quiet a struggle in every way, not to mention I felt lost and uncomfortable, trying to figure out who I was. Neither would I like to be back in my thirties, as that decade was preoccupied with painful realization of becoming older and stuck in a life I did not enjoy. I guess bringing back time only works if one has regrets. I have none.

3) Who is your fashion icon?
Women that dare to be themselves, through out their life.

4) What was the best moment of your life?
There are so many unforgettable moments as I call them. To single out just one can not be done. I love to revisit them in my mind, as I have one for every year at least.

5) Do you enjoy spending hours shopping or do you try to get over with it as fast as possible?
I used to enjoy going on shopping sprees as a young adult. Those could last for hours, I literally shopped till I dropped. These days I shop online, and although I do enjoy browsing the sites, I will get it done quiet fast.

6) Something you can't get to throw out of your wardrobe is ...
I can never throw anything out, thus I have my basement filled with boxes of old clothes.

7) What is your least favourite household chore?
Vacuum cleaning. I detest that, I dislike everything about it, least of all the smell.

8) A movie that you could never forget.
A few comes to mind, but having to chose just one, it has to be Only You with Marisa Tomei and Robert Downey Jr. Even though my favorite movie of all times is Franco Zeffirelli's Romeo and Juliet.

9) What is your favorite part of a day?
The dawn, even though I very rarely get to experience it. Although I love watching sunsets, sunrises have a very positive feel about them. They signify new beginnings. On the few occasions that I have been up at the crack of dawn, I relished in the stillness of the world, and in the idea of having the whole day new and pristine waiting to be seized. I simply love the notion that anything can yet happen, as the magic of the new day awaits.

-Optional- Which cartoon character do you resemble?
I have been asked this question before and I will answer as I have previously; none.

Anyone who loves these questions and would love to have a go at them, please be my guest. I am sure Mel would not mind.
Now I am going back to my experiments; I trust you are all having a lovely Saturday.

Batcat And The Pea.

It has been a while since I dedicated a post to Batcat, the King of my white house. For those of you who are not yet acquainted with my sophisticated roommate, always dressed in an evening suit, I can easily summarize what he is all about in one sentence, as the Irishman did once; Batcat adds ambiance to my home.

Yes indeed, like a proper cat, he relaxes all day long, sleeping the hours away. Except for the occasional awakening to have a snack or two combined with tranquil contemplations, most likely pondering important issues that I would not understand, while gazing out of the windows. Watching birds and potential intruders and ultimately being the overall master of his domain.
The expression on his face at all times makes me aware of the fact that he is indeed so very superior to me in every way.

The only time I can make him move, while watching the black slits in his green eye expand to the size of round saucers even in pure daylight, is in the mornings, when I throw frozen peas on the floor. Yes you heard (read) right. Batcat locates his hunting instinct each morning as I prepare my lunch, which consist of frozen peas. Usually, I throw a few of them on the floor, upon which Batcat takes off like loon hunting the rolling green beads all over the house, as they spread in all the directions, confusing him greatly. He is hilarious to watch and I tried to capture the spectacle on film, but it is not that easy to throw peas and operate a camera at the same time.
Needles to say, as you can all imagine, the floor of my house comes weekend is full of dried peas.

I managed to take one good picture of a very satisfied cat guarding a pea after hunting it down successfully. Now I wonder if this love for peas makes him of a royal descend. Maybe I will try to put one under his blanket in the evening and see if he complains the next day over an aching back.

My "Second" Eyes.

When I was fourteen, I started to squint when watching television. The Swedes subtitle all the foreign films and I found it difficult to read the small text below each scene.
Very shortly after that I got my first eyeglasses.

Although I did not directly hated those things, I still wore them only when absolutely necessary, such as during classes in school and at home. Thus I spend my teenage years in a constant state of squinting and quiet oblivious to my surroundings. I appeared most likely rude in my interactions with people, as I simply did not see anyone until they were in my very proximity. In a certain way I got used to be living in a world of my own, where I felt almost invisible; I could not see, thus I felt unseen too.

When I was twenty, I got contact lenses and have been wearing those ever since. Even today, I only wear glasses in the evenings and on weekends. I still have all my old frames stowed away in a drawer. When I took the pictures below I was laughing when seeing my very first ones; they look so large and almost ancient. As the years passed, the frames got smaller. Luckily, the prescription never changed.

All eyeglasses I ever owned have survived all my moves and relocations. In contrast to all my other possessions, I always knew where they could be found, no matter where I lived.
My second eyes. I guess I must care for them more than I think.

The Colourful Wanderers.

Do you remember visiting a circus show as a child? The season of the circus has started in Denmark. In my town, from now on, a large green area just next to the sea shore will for months to come house colourful tents, exotic and less exotic animals, acrobats, beautiful women and clowns. Different companies will establish here their temporary homes for a few weeks, bringing entertainment and excitement.

I pass this spot every day on my drive to work and just this week, circus ARENA has parked all its red and yellow wagons in a semi circle, surrounding the large plastic construction, draped over poles, decorated with shiny neon lights.

It is the same every spring. The circus appears out of nowhere; one day the spot is pristine clean, the next day, as if it grew out of the ground over night, there it stands, a fairground in all its magnificent glory. The circus always arrives in the stillness of the night and the tent is erected during the quiet hours of the dawn. It takes skill and incredible sense of order to get everything ready in a timely, organized fashion.

The history of the term circus stretches back to Ancient Rome. Influenced by the Greeks, it was a building for the exhibition of horse and chariot races, equestrian shows, staged battles, displays featuring trained animals, jugglers and acrobats.
I have often wondered how it feels to be working in this traveling show. Being confined to a small caravan for months at a time, finding oneself in a different location every few weeks. Having to work hard, often in a foreign country, for most likely not a very large pay. Living a nomads life, trying to raise children in an environment that is always changing, offering very little solitude or security.

But then again, it is a life filled with the promise of adventures ahead at all times. With no boring routine to spoil ones days, when anything is possible. A certain sense of freedom, where possessions are scarce and company always cheerful. When family is extended and where sad seclusion is removed. Friends are never far away and laughter always present. When hard work is rewarded by the exciting faces of children, who watch ones every move with astonishment and awe.
Maybe it is a life one can truly envy.

The Easter Bunny Explained.

Most of us are well familiar with the tradition of the Easter Bunny, but perhaps a few are aware of the origins to this lovely spring customs.

Commonly, the cute furry creature, that is sometimes depicted wearing cute clothes, brings baskets filled with colored eggs, candy and sometimes also toys to the homes of children on the night before Easter. The Easter Bunny will either put the baskets in a designated place or hide them somewhere in the house or garden for the children to find when they wake up in the morning.

Some claim that the the Easter Bunny, just like the tradition of the Christmas Tree originated in southwestern Germany, then part of the Holy Roman Empire, where it was first recorded in a German publication in the early 1600s. A century later, the tradition was introduced to America by the German settlers who arrived in the Pennsylvania Dutch country during the 1700s. The first edible Easter Bunnies likewise originated in Germany during the early 1800s and were made of pastry and sugar.

Other legends suggest that the Easter Bunny has roots in the pre-Christian, Anglo-Saxon history. The holiday was originally a pagan celebration that worshipped the goddess Eastre. She was the goddess of fertility and springtime and her earthly symbol was the rabbit. Thus the pre-Christian Anglo-Saxons worshipped the rabbit believing it to be Eastre's earthly incarnation.

When the Anglo-Saxons were converted to Christianity, the pagan holiday, which occurred around the same time as the Christian memorial of Jesus' resurrection from the dead, was combined with the Christian celebration and given the name Easter.

In any case, a bunny at Easter - whether a chocolate one or as a decorations - together with colourful eggs is as essential as the Tree is at Christmas.

And the one below must be the cutest one I have ever seen.

May I Ask...

...what is in your refrigerator?

Inside that wonderful little (or big) appliance, that we can not imagine our lives without today? It has been around since the 1920 - starting in a much simpler form - and before the invention of the refrigerator, icehouses were used to provide cool storage for most of the year. Placed near freshwater lakes or packed with snow and ice during the winter, they were once very common.

The first known artificial refrigeration was demonstrated by William Cullen at the University of Glasgow in 1748. The first refrigerator to see widespread use was the General Electric "Monitor-Top" refrigerator introduced in 1927. The science behind how a refrigerator works is explained in detail here, but in short, it operates on a principle of a coolant turning from liquid into a gas.

I have a small refrigerator; half fridge (top) and half freezer (bottom). It looks a bit old fashioned, even though it is not old. Yet, it fits very well in my rustic kitchen, which is furnished with wooden tabletops and wooden cabinets. The door of the fridge is cluttered with objects of affection, such as pictures of my family, postcards, magnets from my trips and a calender.

So, what is is inside it you might ask? Usually not much, as I am a lousy cook, but here is a list of things you can always find in my refrigerator:

A Bottle of Champagne (or sparkling wine)
I am always ready for a celebration.

Lemon Juice
I add it to my drinking water and use it as a substitute for fresh lemons, in case I do not have those at home.

Cheese
I love cheese and can not imagine not having at least one cheese sandwich a day.

Eggs
I am crazy about eggs, I could literally live on them. In fact, I almost do. Despite the fact that they are considered to be high in fat and cholesterol content, eggs are very rich in many minerals and vitamins. Particularly vitamin D, which we up here living in the North get way too little off in the winter. I love eggs in any way, even raw. My favorite is raw egg yolk on a freshly cooked pasta. Mmmmm...

Skim Milk
For breakfast and for cooking. The little cooking that I actually do, such as making an omelet.

Sandwich Bread
I eat a lot of bread. My favorite are bread roles and I indeed keep always a bag of frozen ones in my freezer. I also always have a bag of bread to toast in my fridge as well.

Thus, may I ask, what can always be found in your refrigerator?

Theme Thursday: "Sign".

Or "Lost In Translation".

I decided to participate in Theme Thursdays this week as I just could not miss the opportunity to share a fun story about a sign.

Posted in an article on the BBC news site, it tells an amusing incident with a road sign that was standing near a supermarket in Swansea, printed in both English and Welsh.

The sign was comissioned by the Swansea Council, that sent an email to its in-house translations service to have this road sign translated into Welsh:

"No entry for heavy goods vehicles. Residential site only."

However, the Welsh translator wasn't in his office at the time, thus an automated "out of office" mail response was sent back to council officials. They were under the impression though that what they recieved was indeed the needed translation, when in fact it stated:

"I am not in the office at the moment. Send any work to be translated."

Unaware of the real meaning of the message, authorities had it printed on the road sign under the English text. The sign was removed as soon as the official became aware of the mistake; however not before a few pictures were taken and news stories were written.

(For more sign translation blunders, please see this article.)

Intermission.

I am taking a short break from writing, but will return soon. Have a wonderful week everyone.
Xoxo
Zuzana

75 Millions And A Tag.

75 million Danish Kroner. That is about 13 million dollars. And some change.
That is how big the jackpot was in yesterday's national Danish lottery draw, the biggest ever apparently.

It got me thinking about money. I have never won any money and most likely never will. I never buy lottery tickets as I will not win and so there is no need to waste some perfectly good money on a loosing ticket. Money is a funny subject and everyone has an opinion.
To me it means two things: freedom and trouble.

Money is of course a necessity. I will not deny that I would happily accept one million Danish Kroner, just to pay off my mortgage. But I am not really interested in the rest. Such large sum would only keep me awake late at night, worrying about how to invest it and who to trust.

No, my dreams and source of happiness have never been tied to money. That is why I will most likely never have enough of it.

On another note, I have also been tagged (ages ago) by the lovely Tina over at Gal Friday by so called "Twos Meme". Basically, it means answering one question by listing two objects (subjects) in the answers. Anyone up for taking on this challenge is welcomed to it.

Two names you go by:
1. Zuzana.
2. Lilly.

Two things you are wearing right now:
1. Large earrings.
2. Makeup.

Two things you did last night:
1. Talked to the handsome Man from Ireland.
2. Slept.

Two Pets that you have or have had:
1. Gypsi (a cat).
2. Batcat (a cat).

Two of your favorite things to do:
1. Absolutely nothing (while relaxing and daydreaming).
2. Gardening.

Two things you want very badly at the moment:
1. To see my Irishman.
2. To have a long vacation at home.

Last Two things you ate:
1. Boring lunch consisting of steamed vegetables.
2. A piece of Moser Roth chocolate.

Two people you last talked to:
1. A student in the lab.
2. The departmental janitor.

Two things you’re doing tomorrow:
1. Trying to get more firewood.
2. Working.

Two of the longest trips taken:
1. Drove across the US (east to west and back).
2. Flew from Europe to Brazil. I am never doing that again.

Two favorite beverages:
1. A Vodka Martini; shaken, not stirred. One olive.
2. A well poured Guinness.

Random Thoughts.

Apparently I have been missed. Someone noticed (and reminded me) that I neglected to write a post yesterday (thank you F!) Well, it is nice to know that I have not managed to bore - at least not some of you - to death just yet, with my very educational posts and my crazy ramblings.

The lack of posting on my part has been due to many things, but the main one being overwhelmed at work and trying to pay attention to my professional life a bit more than I have been lately. Furthermore, I seem to be lacking inspiration. I usually pre-schedule all my posts and even though I have plenty of posts written, they seem all to feel not right. A similar sensation, which at least women will recognize, to the feel of ones favorite clothes, which seems to fit perfectly one day, only to feel completely off the next.

Anyway, therefore I decided to try to do that which many bloggers do so eloquently. Present to you some random thoughts I have been having lately.

I have been thinking about my childhood. Particularly about those small achievements or milestones that it always seemed to be filled with. Such as loosing the first milk tooth, learning how to read and write, how to swim, how to bicycle. It is not very often in our adulthood that so much knowledge is acquired in such a short time. I also recall with a smile how I used to grow out of my clothes. Today it seems almost surreal. Do you remember not being able to fit your shirts and sweaters and trousers from one year to another? These days I can wear everything I wore a decade ago, with exception of some garments that will not fit around the waist and thighs, to my dismay.

I have also been thinking about my sister, who I miss dearly, as she lives with her family thousands of miles south of me. I can not remember the time when she was born, as I was barely 3 years old. But I have many fond memories from the time just few months later after her arrival. I recall with amusement lying in my crib, just behind hers, pulling at her jump suit leg and making her laugh, over and over. She was no more than six months old. I also remember how I wished for her to finally speak! I used to ask my mother constantly, inquiring when she will start talking back to me. I guess, already bossy at that time, I needed to communicate my orders to her and experienced great aggravation in not being able to do so. I also taught her the almost first word. It was a word naming an animal. A small, cute, wild animal. Other children will usually learn to say cat or dog initially. But not my sister. We had a book with different animal pictures in it and amusingly, the first name she learned and repeated proudly was Weasel. And believe me, it is even more difficult to pronounce in Slovak.

"Well Travelled".

Railway Cottage is the appealing name of a wonderful blog, written by Kath. I love her endearing style as she describes her creative life in a wonderful cottage with her family and her pets.

A few weeks ago, Kath hosted a give away. A give away with a riddle. She posted a series of pictures of one of her cats and asked us to guess what the initials; D.P, that made up the cats name, stood for. On the pictures, one could see a very cute, white cat with irregular black spots. The winner would receive a lovely tea towel with images of different cat breeds.

I am always ready for a challenge and even though I rarely (never) win, I thought I would give this a try. Very quickly I did realize though that this challenge was harder than I thought and going in the same directions as many others, guessing anything from dots, dotty to dark patch, I decided to get help from the most clever man I know.
My Irishman.

As I introduced him to Kath's page, he took one look at the site and within seconds proclaimed "Disruptive Pattern. As in camouflage." Yes indeed, I knew in an instant this was correct and immediately posted my winning answer in the comment section on Kath's post. I think she enjoyed the way the guessing came about as much as me, and she also later explained why the cats name was D.P.

But, this story is not over yet. Kath posted the parcel containing my prize on the 12th of last month. She only lives about 1000 km west of me and the normal delivery time should be about three days. Five days at the most. When two weeks passed and the parcel still did not arrive, we were both getting slightly worried.
As the third week was reaching its end, I considered the possibility that I misspelled my address or that the package simply got lost. How unfortunate, but these things do happen.

My hope was slowly fading, but then last Friday the package was waiting in the mailbox for me as I got home from work. As I looked upon the stamps next to the address label, it became very quickly obvious to me why the delivery extended to almost twenty days.
Next to a perfectly clear, readable and very correct address, a big postal stamp all across the label stated:

Missent To Vancouver, B.C. CANADA
Envoyee Par Erreur A Vancouver, B.C. CANADA

I was laughing out loud reading this. The parcel surely traveled half way around the world to get here. Instead of 1000 km, it traveled almost 17 000 km. "Well Travelled" as Kath put it in her mail. And ain't that the truth.

Seven Wisdoms.

I would very much like to acknowledge a few awards I have received recently (and less recently). I am so flattered that you keep passing these onto me, even though I have stopped passing them on myself. I simply refuse to choose who gets one and who gets left out.

The first one was given to me by Queenmothermamaw and is called "Sisters In faith Award". It is given to the bloggers that have touched ones life and to a new acquaintance as well, which turned out to be me. Thank you so much, I am very honoured to have been chosen for this beautiful sentiment.

The second came from the lovely sprinkles and is entitled "Best Blog Comments Award". Honestly, it should be given back to her with the same token as it was given to me, considering she is one of my most dedicated and valued reader, stopping by every single day, commenting every single post I have ever written. Even the really bad ones. Thank you my dear friend, this means a lot to me.

The last one came from the beautiful Kat and is entitled "Kreativ Blogger Award". The spelling appears not English and I wonder so where it actually originated. Thank you so much dearest Kat and sorry it took me a while to acknowledge this.

This award came with a tag as well, to list seven things that people might not know about me. I have been listing similar tags so many times now, that there is nothing left of any interest to anyone anymore to reveal about me. Therefore I have decided to alter this tag slightly.
I am going to list seven most important things I have learned in life or wisdom that I found to be true:

1) You are capable of achieving more than you think; If you can dream it, you can do it.
2) You will always regret that which you did not do, not that which you did.
3) Happiness is a state of mind.
4) Seize the day. Always and every one.
5) Be curious.
6) Keep your feat warm, your stomach half full and your head cold.
7) The best is ALWAYS yet to come.

Flashback Friday: "Relight My Fire".

I was a bit too young to fully enjoy the hits of the 70's disco era, but I nevertheless remember them all. My parents, whose love for music I inherited, also loved to dance. Although they remember fondly and appreciate greatly the charm of a "live" orchestra from the 60's, they did swing on the dance floor in the decade that followed to all the undying disco dance melodies.

I recall Dan Hartman's hits mainly from the later part of the 80's, such as "I can Dream About You", still the below is one of my absolutely favorite dance compilations. "Relight My Fire" was released in 1979 and topped the U.S. dance-music charts for six weeks. Loleatta Holloway is one of the featured vocalists on the record. It was also a major hit almost 15 years later when covered by the British boy-band "Take That", featuring Lulu in 1993.

Considering the solemn pieces I have been sharing in the last few weeks, I think it is time for something upbeat and refreshing. I think it is time to hit the dance floor! Happy weekend everyone.
And don't forget to dance.

My Red Toolbox.

Recently my very talented blog friend Betsy wrote a fun post about the necessity for us girls to own - and be able to use - at least a few tools. Those that enable us to fix things on our own, when our men are not around.

When I lived in North Carolina, I realized at one point that I had to buy at least one set of the most common and important tools. I recall it as if it was yesterday. It was a warm day in July, one of those typical hot and humid afternoons in the southeast, when I decided to drive to Sears in one of the local malls. I was in my late twenties, very tanned, with long blond hair, wearing a short summer dress. When I entered the tool section in the store I could see the question marks written all over the sales personal faces (all men). I half expected them to tell me that fashion and cosmetics stores are in the other end of the mall. However, the men soon found it slightly intriguing when I politely explained that I was looking into buying my very own (first) tool box and some tools. And they were all very helpful, even though that slightly confused and amused look never left their facial expression.
Within twenty minutes I walked away with a small red box filled with a hammer, a set of screwdrivers and even some nails and wrenches.

I use all of these to this day. To be honest, I am not big on DIY, but I have put up pictures on the walls, fixed loose bolts and even assembled furniture. Even though most of the heavy duties I save for my handy Irishman, who helps me with much of that during his stays here.
Despite the fact that today I own many tools, which I have collected over the years, of better quality, I still use - and love - all those that I bought in Sears those many years ago; such as those displayed below, including that cute little hammer. And I still keep all my tools in that red toolbox of mine.

Mirage In The Evening Sky.

The sun is moving visibly higher in the sky. The difference is barely palpable, nevertheless, the quality of the light is slowly changing and the sunsets lasts longer.

Last weekend I took pictures of a beautiful evening sky, just after the sunset. When I looked at them later on my computer, I spotted an intriguing image in the sky. The clouds were forming a circular shape, creating a seal or a water stamp in the sky. It resembles somewhat the shape of a sun, but as they say, it is all in the eye of the beholder.

What do you see?