As much as I appreciate these presents, it became time for me to start rearranging a few things around our home. While reorganizing my collectibles, I found this Yosegi-zaiku parquetry box. I would have just moved it aside, if I had not read an article about this special skill just a few days before.

Parquetry box from Japan

Yosegi-zaiku parquetry is a craft combining colors and grains of wood to create mosaics.

The different types of wood used are macropoda holly, zelkova, lacquer tree, or camphor tree.

The very first yosegi-zaiku is said to have been made by the artist Ishikawa Nihei of the Hakone region in Kanagawa Prefecture in the later part of the Edo period.

This traditional craft is done by Japanese with a deep understanding of the nature of wood.

This has been a holiday since 1936, although it was not celebrated in the GDR between 1967 and 1989.

The same day is also known as Vatertag (Father’s Day) and many clubs and organizations hold their annual parties, mostly for drinking. This is a day when some fathers, do not spend any time with their families, but with other men (drinking buddies) instead.

We went to the Schützenhof again as we do every year. The fest itself seems to get smaller and so does the menu selection – they only had steaks and Bratwurst available, but it was good as always.

Bollerwagen on Father's Day in Germany

This year, we only saw guys with a Bollerwagen, a hand-drawn cart for drinking supplies. Wonder what happened to the guys coming up on tractors and wagons on Father’s Day, such as in previous years.

Austerity measures?

One is the Internationaler Verein Windrose (a non-profit organization), with their clubhouse serving excellent Portuguese food in Oberursel, specializing in beef and seafood dishes.

We had ordered the beef steak skewer, one with scampi and one without. Our guest looked surprised – I believe I had the same look on my face when I had been served the dish for the first time.

Beef dishes at a Portuguese Restaurant, Oberursel

The tram lines 11 and 12 will not run past the Hbf and bus 64 will have its route curtailed.
More info here:

http://www.rmv.de/de/Verschiedenes/Informationen_zum_RMV/Der_RMV/RMV_aktuell/61048/Frankfurt_Grossdemonstration.html

Updated: 16 May

More information in English on: AllThingsGerman

Yesterday, Korean Air stated that passengers could book tickets now through its Facebook fan page. In addition, starting May 31, the airline counts baggage by piece, instead of by weight, which would allow for more weight in most cases.

I flew Korean Air on my last trip to Asia four weeks ago. I had the best customer service experience with the airline – both on ground and board.

Visit Korean Air on Facebook for more information.

- African proverb -

Kalahari Desert

Photo published with friendly permission by Thomas Shipley.

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In my case,  we have too much stuff accumulated around our home and half of it was given to us to sort through (deceased family members’ earthly possessions and a shoppaholic sister’s stuff and…. )

The sorting through mainly requires physical work such as dropping it off at charity organizations, donating it to flea markets, giving it away for free, etc. Yes, it is a bit of a headache, too.

But sentimental items take longer to let go. Today I finally took charge and called on an ad in the local paper. The guy buys furs, traditional German outfits, and jewelry. He is going to come by in a couple of days and I am prepared to let him take it at any price. I’d assume he does not read my blog either.

Long gone are the years where I used to go to flea markets myself looking for household goods or certain collectibles. Since then, over the years I have donated a lot to charity or even occasionally did a flea market in front of the super market with the kids during the summer. On a couple of occasions, I was questioned by some Germans whether this was allowed.  In many Germans, there is a little policeman. Both times, I informed the interrogator that no permit was necessary as long as only kids’ stuff was sold by kids. Too bad that my kids were inside the store each time, spending the money they had just made on a sale.

Anyway, the most difficult things are the ones with a sentimental value or tiny valuables.  The former are my mother’s mink jacket (my parents had to work very hard to be able to buy this in the 70s) and my tailor-made Dirndl. Of course, I don’t fit into it anymore and it is just taking up space. I had it made in 1980 and used it quite a few times to represent Germany while living in foreign countries.

It proved to be a lucrative accessory while e.g. selling German goods in Kitakyushu, Japan. The photo shows me with my then-employer on the right.

The latter is my old jewelry. Small in size, but full of memories. I offered it to my daughter, she was aghast I had kept a few of my former boyfriends’ jewelry for so long. Well, it was all the way in the back and… there is no other excuse.

I don’t care how much money I get. I am just glad I have gotten to the point of letting sentimental things go.

And if I ever have to move house (in our case, apartment), and I need to get rid of big household items, I would call Freecycle. Thanks to Noordinaryhomestead for her enlightening post on Why I love Freecycling.

Her post prompted this and deserves some of the credit why I can let go. I had read her post on 8 May and called today – within 48 hours.

Just for fun – I expect 20 euro for the fur jacket (my mom paid 2000 DM for it back then, about 2000 euro in purchasing power) and maybe 10 euro for the Dirndl.

The silver jewelry – five rings, two pendants, a pair of earrings, a necklace with pendant -  we will see.

I just hope he takes everything.

Meeting place: In front of the EDEKA supermarket on Hohemarkstrasse (you can take the U3 and get off at the station Kupferhammerweg)

Tour fee: € 3

Mr. Kopp is an infinite source of information and this tour is very recommendable.

For more information in German, visit CampKingOberursel.

Camp King Mountain Lodge

For more information about Camp King in English, visit my other website Pension Sprachschule.

There were at least a dozen e-mails as I had hoped to have Winnie shipped to my friends’ address in Japan, but time was not on our side. Then we had to resettle the destination (Germany), kind of transport (small parcel by ship), and method of reimbursement (PayPal).

Winnie started his return journey from Seoul on 12 April.

During all these times of communicating, I forgot to mention to ask Ms. Lee to write “used product” on the customs declaration form. So two days ago, a big envelope containing three papers, arrived in the mail. The German customs office here in Oberursel asked me to come in and declare my parcel as it contained no bill, wasn’t marked as a gift, etc.

The customs officer asked me what I expected to get and I told her my little story. Then I was given a parcel knife to open it in front of her. After recognizing that this was indeed a very used plush animal, I was sent on my way, with Winnie in my arms.

Winnie the Pooh, the traveller

Doesn’t Winnie look tired? I thought overseas flights are long enough for us, but he really looks ragged out from this long ocean transfer and truck ride. On top of that, our daughter will employ him as a head rest again tonight.