Dear Ambellina, the Prise wishes you to watch over me.

So, the weekly update. I should be doing my German homework or writing for my next seminar presentation on Wednesday, but honestly, I'm worn out. I've been cooking up a storm for the past few hours, trying to get lots of photos and get ahead for the next week of Vegan Mofo (Vegan Month of Food)... my plans have been foiled because Blogger backdates entries to when they were started, as opposed to dating them to when they were published. It's something of a pain in the ass. The idea of posting every day is also pretty difficult, but I love the idea and I've been having so much fun reading everyone else's entries. Plus I've been getting heaps of blog traffic and even some nice comments, so it's goodwill all 'round, really.

So, the last week. Well, last Sunday I went up to Muenster and saw the open Atelier exhibition with Tash, plus her (Australian) friends Felicity and Mark. They were both really nice, and while the exhibition was pretty hit-or-miss, I really enjoyed it. The buildings that housed all the artists' studios were really cool too, and if I had any sort of true artistic talent, I'd definitely be edging my way into a place like that. The need for talent didn't stop some of the artists (I know, I'm a bitch) but it was still fun. And there was an interactive exhibit where we got to model things from plasticine. My green creature was mostly a rabbit, but looked a little cat-like too. I think it was pretty good for a first attempt! Tash invited me back for dinner (probably not a wise move on her part; I was staaaarving, having not eaten lunch) and I ate my way through all of their snacks and then most of the risotto. It's not my fault that I got offered delicious food! ;)

Anyway I had to head back to the train station to return my rented bicycle and catch the train home, and my timing was so perfect that the train left about a minute after I got on board. I slept like a coma that night. Monday was a public holiday so I spent my time preparing for the week's seminar. I collected some more awesome pictures this time and had the luxury of not feeling quite so rushed. I'd still love to be a few weeks ahead, but that's really not working out at this point in time. (Still working on the one for this week, will have to finish it tomorrow night). I also prepped a bunch of posts for the other blog. Today I've just made a few different dishes and refrigerated them for later eating, which is pretty convenient. Plus I had the oven on so the kitchen is cosy. I always do that!

So, tuesday was just the German class, and that evening I finished writing the next day's presentation. Wednesday was German, then I ate with Katja in the Mensa, which was nice. She goes to Prague soon, so it was good to see her before she leaves. That afternoon was the seminar, which was absolutely fantastic. I got a lot of laughs, people seemed interested, and I even got a few responses when I asked questions. I was pretty thrilled afterwards, and Manfred complimented me, which is definitely high praise in my book. Plus, most importantly, I really enjoyed myself while I was in the class. Talking in front of people doesn't usually phase me too much, but being able to joke around and enjoy the response is definitely on another level. I'm definitely never going to be cut out to be a teacher, but I don't mind being a talker. :)

So, Thursday was the German course. I ate in the Mensa (I only ever get food from the salad bar - most of the time I grab a bread roll and make a sandwich, how uncouth!) and did some reading/research in the office for a while. Oh, yeah, I have access to an office in the uni, courtesy of two lovely ladies in the Linguistics department. I should have a key sometime this week, which is great because it means I've got a quiet space to actually get some work done, and no distractions. Plus Christine was in there when I went in, and she gave me a couple of mochi that her husband had brought back from Japan. Mochi are deliiiiicious.

Friday was German course, and I was glad when it was over. The new grammar doesn't really interest me and I got told to learn my stammformen (verb forms in past tense), but the real problem is that I don't know most of the verbs. If I've never heard something before, and have no idea what it means, then fucked if I know how to conjugate it. Sigh. I'd like to remind Frau Bartsch that my entire understanding of the language is context-based, but really I should just study more, in that non-existent spare time of mine. Somewhere in all of that I also went to the supermarket a couple of times, too. On Friday evening I had to go twice, because I forgot to buy icing sugar for my vanilla slice. I made brownies, too, but the recipe wasn't fantastic - too cakey and not fudgey enough. That didn't stop me from eating all the broken bits, though!

So, on Saturday morning I got up early and went to the markets. Bought my week's fruit and veg, and indulged in another 20-pack of those small oranges. They have seeds, but they're really juicy. Yum. I packed up the vanilla slice (incredibly carefully, because I had to make it in Lukas' beloved baking dish) and some brownies, and caught the train to Muenster. I managed to talk to Mum briefly on Skype before that, and had to jog most of the way to the station as a consequence. I didn't miss the train, thankfully, but then the train ran late anyway. Sigh. I managed to get a bus as soon as I got to Muenster, though, which was a relief, so I wasn't too late for lunch. Matt and Tash had invited me over (well, I'd already invited myself over for that night, but they extended the invite to lunch) because they had Manfred and Helena over for lunch. I finally know I can use the "du" form with them! (For all the readers who don't speak a language with formal and informal terms of address, then just know that this is a big deal.)

Anyway, lunch was really lovely (Tash cooked all on her own, because Matt was a little "under the weather") and the company was fantastic. We spoke German for half of it - I tend to be a little quiet when that happens, partly because I enjoy listening, but also because I'm scared to entirely screw up my grammar infront of a former teacher! Haha. Helena has planted the idea in my mind to go to the art gallery and market in Entschede, so that'll be a plan for another weekend. (Hey Tash, want to come with?) I'll also point out that Helena and Manfred brought along a bottle of South Australian wine which was so fantastic that I completely forgot that I'm not usually that into Shiraz. I miss the ready access to Australian wine!

After Manfred and Helena left, I helped out with the dishes and spent some quality time lazing about. (Getting out of Paderborn on weekends, and just being able to forget about everything and properly relax, is definitely what has kept me sane these past few weeks.) After such a generous lunch, no one could much be bothered with dinner, and toast was the order of the day. I felt like eating something virtuous and had some fruit, which was delicious. I always forget how much I adore tinned peaches! I don't buy them much while fresh fruit is available but I think I'll get into them a lot this coming winter. Dessert was red wine and vanilla slice, which went down an absolute treat. I actually put away a lot of red wine over the course of the day! Come evening and I was planning to see Minus the Bear, until I discovered that it was pissing down with rain. I decided to save my twenty euros and my fragile health (finally kicking that goddamn cough) in favour of lounging around with more red wine. Matt and Tash are always great company, so I think I had a much better evening than if I'd been cold and soaked at the show. I slept like a coma, and was pretty reluctant to get up in the morning, but was content to lie on my mattress and watch cartoons with the kids.

I also ate the world's biggest breakfast, which I think was because I'd eaten such a light (read: mostly liquid) dinner. I haven't been hungry all day, though, so it was clearly enough for me. That hasn't stopped me from eating, though! Tash gave me some lemon cupcakes to take home (you can see that I'm spoiled!) and I took some vanilla slice, too. Lukas' dish made it home intact, and I didn't fall asleep on the train or miss my station, so that's definitely good. I've been cooking all afternoon, partly for Vegan Mofo and partly so that I've got easy meals to grab during the week. I had some leftover couscous for dinner and now I'm going to make myself a cup of tea and try to do my German homework before I fall asleep.