ashdown forest llama park

as promised a few words on the ashdown llama park in kent which was new to us and quite a discovery as i didn't even know that llamas (and alpacas) live quite happily side by side in this country. and why not - they are well kept with great views of the surrounding country side, make funny little noises when they see a visitor and thank god didn't spit at all. extra treat was that the day before fluffy baby 'sky' was born (above), happily hopping around and with an enormous energy already. just cute...

lambeth palace garden party

for the second year in a row I was able to sneak in with the musicians into this most beautiful city garden that lies behind the old lambeth palace and, once in, test-eat as much cakes and cookies as i felt like while my dearest two were playing in the band and therefore couldn't pester me.


rike though got somewhat suspicious as i saw her waving at me with this "get me one, too" look on her face but maybe not so i ignored it. the weather was not quite as splendid as last year, but the gardens were even wilder due to the hot spring.

southwark concert band delighted as always, starting with my favourite "slavic farewell", and i hope that the funny noises that occasionally came from the sax were only heard by me. in the break then i got a chance to capture the formidable scb conductor, bob bridges, who gracefully not only put up with deac and rike, but now with me as well coming after a photo. oh dear.

happiness is a new car...

i'm trying to figure out now how long exactly it took between the old car was stolen and the arrival and registration of the new boy and from the top of my head i'd say a solid 2 1/2 months. 10 weeks at the mercy of london's irate public transport which kind of works ok if you go into town but is utterly miserable if you try to go across the boroughs.

here a few examples: brockley to clapham £26 by cab, or 3 buses or into town and out again. at night. or: brockley to grove park. 2 buses and therefore only £4.40 and only one hour twenty minutes for what is essentially less than 5 miles. but if one of the two buses you need steadily refuses to show up you might as well walk, which would have been faster in the first place. or: two heavy instruments from brockley to brixton and back at night. with a child. and, and, and.

yes, it's true: you can live without a car in london. and, no, i do not like it. it's messy, expensive, takes for ever and all the time you wreck your back with all the stuff you need. my husband probably disagrees. but, wait: wasn't he the one who took the car to the corner shop this morning to get his newspaper??

so the new arrival has made his maiden journey over (under?) the dover strait swiftly by eurotunnel only to be parked at the next bm-dealer until the great and good people at the dvla finally gave him the thumbs up. if you happen to need to know anything about exporting a car from germany into gb just ask me - there cannot possibly be a paper or form that i don't know about. plus opening times of all relevant authorities, including holidays. trust me!

BUT: it's here, it's taxed and already on the congestion charge register. so more to come about our trips soon, starting with kent and the llama farm yesterday.

centre for young musicians

congratulations to our darling daughter (NOT pictured) that she auditioned for and got a place at the centre for young musicians where from september onwards her lovely instrument will add to the noise, we hope. well done!!!

50 is the new forties

it is of course the year of the fifties, i.e. when all good vintage 61 boyz and gals hit their half time and therefore some rather splendid parties have taken place already, some with some without me. the one and only not to miss was of course pam's birthday grandezza in the fantastically well suited kunstbar in cologne, right under the cathedral, where a cool crowd danced into the wee hours. pamela herself looked like the young jackie o and hardly ever left the dance floor. the hannover gang was well represented and mostly together, and the ex-pats had found their way back too. one moment with andy, conny, captain sensible and pam all dancing their hearts out it felt like the old days, and also: that we would all still be there in another fifty years. I drink to that! waiter, one lemonade, please, the one with the large cork...

(check the picasa link top right for some pics)

look what's missing

 

hard to believe but some dummy stole the car and all of rike's orchester music for the entire band that was in it as well. no longer a beauty but still so reliable and just a neat runner with over 200000 km our good old 5er has been hijacked to god knows what place and duties but even though we don't drive nearly as much any longer as we used to the household is still not equipped to do all our errands on the bike. trying not to be too sentimental but that car was a great match - sad to see him go...

life's faster than a blog

difficult to do anything on the blog when all other parts of your life tilt towards the messier side of things but as peaceful and as relaxed as we are here in the garden with andreas (claudia taking the pic) it wasn't meant to last. just about the time our lovely friends left all hell broke lose with first the car stolen and a few days later the computer thoroughly crashed it somewhat felt we were caught between a rock and a hard place... little did we know that afternoon of the fuzz awaiting us...

(check out more of claudia and andreas' adventures on the picasa to the right)