Templehof . A Very Special Airport.

Templehof Airport is wonderful ,both architecturally and historically. Sadly it is to be closed . [A rather well manipulated vote settled that last month .]

Built for the 1936 Olympic Games it went on to play an active part in saving West Berlin from the DDR during the very nasty Berlin Blockade.

On Friday I flew to Brussels from Templehof . Here are a few pictures of what for me and so many more, is place worth keeping . It's user friendly and a joy to be in . On arrival in Brussels I had a walk which proved utterly exhausting ...along , up , down then even further . Don't get me wrong ,Brussels Airport is excellent but you do need to have your walking shoes on !

It's worthy of note that Tegel Airport is also due for closure . Built in a few weeks , during the blockade to supplement Templehof air traffic, it is also a real gem . . Hmmm what will remain ? Schönefeld .. Way out in the former DDR and still far from presentable . Airport politics can be awful for the users .

By 'Blogger' They've Done It !

They've done it ! Test card gone , videos back . Whether or not these function or not who knows and, guess who doesn't care ? My filming may not be the greatest but it sure beats white squares . Well done to the Blogger team who resolved this massive problem.

Normal Service Will Be Resumed ASAP

Seems that everybody on blogger is experiencing this problem ie) blank white squares where their videos should be . Not good, but better when you know it's not just yourself . Plus it's been beneficial for yours truly in as much as I didn't panic !

Almost a first for this trainee geekette. So here's hoping the team who are responsible soon sort things and enable us to get back to normal .[whatever that may be ]

The Sound Of Music .

After the delights of the Salle Pleyel on Thursday night [do visit their site at] http://www.sallepleyel.fr/ I decided that more music was a' must do' . So Friday I visited Cité de la musique . This is an enormous complex offering much in the way of music and theatre . After wandering around admiring what can best be described as sophisticated space age architecture I was just ready to leave when I met this young man .He was happy to play for me and was all for this video and it being shown on here. You can find out more about him at, www.myspace.com/pedrokouyate He has a terrific personality . There is one sad note . A group of schoolchildren were in the building and on hearing the music they came to join in . Within seconds a ring of singing swaying very happy individuals surrounded this charismatic guy . So why sad ? I clicked the wrong button and lost the shot. We still had this however .France really has been alive with the sounds of music this weekend . There was Nielsen, Sibelius and Bartok then this superb African rhythm. Just a few highlights of a great weekend !

A Bird's Eye View.

These little videos were made over the weekend . The commentary is rather weird due to use of English + German and a lot of very breathless excitement . Strange the effect heights can have !

A Funny Thing Happened On the Way To --

It's not been my week with the SBahn . After what could best be described as a close encounter of a weird kind I thought all was fine but tonight was to prove me wrong !

That which we dread most, happened . I and three others were trapped in a lift .. and not just any lift. This was a plate glass affair situated where the sun blazed in from all sides creating an oven effect. Pressing the emergency button we asked for help and never has 30 minutes seemed so long .None of my usual geek chic, I sat on the floor . On being released from this 'hell' we were encouraged to go to hospital for a check up .All declined.There was ,after all ,the theatre.Exchanging a glass lift which was more like a chamber it was full speed ahead for the English Theatre and a work entitled The Harvest Chamber .

More on that tomorrow plus some good clips ( I hope )

A Way With Words.....

The world is mud-luscious and puddle- wonderful
e.e.cummings

In poetry and quotations this writer had a way with words !
He 'painted' ideas in a literary format.

News Update

Greetings from Berlin . I'm all set to catch a train bound for France but have to take time to enclose the following from The Orange Campaign.. Expelled from Hong Kong ! Hmmm so it seems that 'bully boys' in China are trying to control colour .

Here is the latest from The Orange Team.Do check out the link

'We have been in Hong Kong but were expelled and are now back in Denmark, see the press release below.*Apparently China is trying to stop the divulgation of TheColorOrange idea, but so far it is not very successful as the expulsion from Hong Kong has only given the orange idea even more publicity and attention by the media.*The Chinese Democracy Movement in Hong Kong is taking over the project of painting the 8 meter tall “Pillar of Shame”-sculpture orange on 30th April.*We encourage you to support the project by tearing up orange pieces of cloth and tie them to sculptures in the city where you live, and in that way manifest the use of Orange and give moral support to the endeavour of the Chinese Democracy Movement.*If the orange cloth stays tied to the sculptures until the Olympic Games, it will be a good visual reminder of the Human Rights issue in China.'

None of this is violent . What a pity the same cannot be same for those who abuse human rights . Two more points .

1) a friend and I have noted so much more orange is being worn and sported . Great !

2) here's a quotation ideal for governments who seek to take from others and distort freedom.

'The earth is the mother of all people , and all people should have equal rights upon it.'

Chief Joseph .

I O C Pathetic Statement For This Week .

You have to hand it to the I O C for pathetic comments . Having made the biggest error in a long time they expect the public to go along with it .

The latest lamentation is that they are saddened that the torch relay has 'not had the peaceful passage it deserves '

Note,there is no I O C concern over Chinese displays of Nationalistic fervour and threatened boycotts of western goods etc .Clamp downs on visitors visas.

Can we get a few things straight here ? This torch is but an inanimate object .Minus feelings. It has been entrusted to the biggest group of bullies going and quite a lot of reasonable people are opposed to this as they set more store on human life and rights .

As for the Chinese Communist Government , it's worth pointing out that the difference between communism and fascism is but a razors edge !

Now excuse me ,I need strong coffee . Just thinking of unchecked,Chinese flagrant abuse of rights makes me feel vile...Arms shipped by China to Zimbabwe . Involvement in Sudan . Tibet .Next scene Taiwan .Oh how peace loving can a nation be ?

Berlin's Very Vile Foxy Lady

showing today :-Savigny Platz Berlin

Nearly called this post 'keep death off the road ' Indeed somebody I know has suggested I refrain from risking my life doing such , or at least wear a helmet with a camera fixed on... Quite a good idea .. Any geeks out there who can design such for me ? Must be sportlich elegant ! [Geekette Productions GMBH]

A Mini Bike Tour Of Olympia Stadium

Today has been lovely weather . So much so I took off for the Tiergarten with my little notebook and worked there .I came home via Olympia Stadium and made a tiny film using my mobile phone whilst holding onto the bike with one hand ! This is for all and especially for a friend who has a 'thing ' for Corbusier architecture .Mind you I have to admit that though this Berlin apartment block is not a favourite of mine , his other works are pretty spectacular . Especially in India .Hope you all enjoy . The sound quality is a little off as no matter what ,there's always a breeze around the stadium .

Great Minds !

Today I received this from a reader. Seems graffiti is catching on. Great stuff. Any more examples ? Meanwhile ,thank you to this fellow supporter .

Miss Very Vile Vixen

Blue Skies Shining On Me ...........

Today we had 'real' sun , ie ) one actually felt the warmth . For too many weeks it's been grey skies and lots of rain. Hence I really enjoyed being out on my bike minus a coat or jacket ! Tonight as the sun was setting the balcony was an ideal place to be . Laptop, glass of Belgian beer with a light meal and somehow it didn't matter that this weekend I'd had no lottery win. Next week the open air swimming season begins . Guess who's already feeling like a foxy mermaid ? [vile of course ]

Football Crazy, Football Mad .

Wow ,German football supporters are tops at making noise .This little video was made today on the SBahn. These Dortmund fans , though not exactly tuneful ,were probably heard back home by those unable to attend . I have to say ,that for all the bellowing there's no fighting . Later on in Ka De We [the Harrods of Berlin ] I saw even more of these football crazed individuals . Was there trouble ? No . Just enjoyment , especially in the food hall ?

Wen will 'Wong' be Right

Why a green and orange posting ? To support the Green party. Especially John Gormley who had the courage to speak on human rights with particular emphasis on Chinese, exploitation and suppression in Tibet .
This resulted in the Chinese Ambassador walking out .Amid veiled threats re future economic relations this individual went on to say :- [ all in orange here ]
After the usual rhetoric of how much the Chinese love only peace Mr Liu stated that Mr Gormley's understanding of Tibet as a country is 'totally wrong' , He then added that now around 200 countries in the world recognise that Tibet is an integral part of Chinese Territory . Also, that Mr Gormley had made accusations 'without knowing what is truly happening there '.
Piffle Mr Liu ! This vile vixen has done her homework .The UN recognises 192. So who are these 200 China loving cheerleaders?
Mr Liu maybe , just maybe , you should let free press visit .Let's see 'real truth'
Ah , Chinese freedom ...like Chinese numbers ...
All 'wong '.

A Lotto Fun

Sorry couldn't resist that heading . Today I was in Ka De We and discovered that I'd won a very small prize on the German lotto . €2-50. This had me over the moon . Then on my way out of the store I saw that flowers were being sold for just 13cents each . Twenty five orange and yellow blooms later I decided to have a go at winning this mini . All that had to be done was to complete a card with name etc and pop inside the car -You never know - Watch this space.

The smallest things make life such fun and fill each day with joy .

Lottery , Graffiti, Champion.

Back once more from France where ,---- I won the euro lottery ! OK only €9, 10 but it's a start and had me excited . Then a remarkable individual actually gave me the chance to become an interior graffiti writer . How many would say, "sure you can write all you like on my walls ." I was taken to the local Champion supermarket where suitable orange colour pens were selected . The picture is at the checkout . [My laughter due to the pens having fallen all over as the cashier tried to scan them]

Today I received the latest news from Jens Galschiot .Read for yourself on Orange Campaign . He reminds all of us that, "The pen is mightier than the sword. " Even if you don't have a website , blog or column .you can still contribute by writing a letter re the abuse of human rights in China to a local paper , MP etc ,etc . Help make a difference and together who knows we may just win the biggest prize -- justice and freedom .

Tip ) if you are unable to use the walls of your room then buy some post its . When you feel the urge , write the thought ,in orange on one . Then , either use blue tack , or a notice board to collect and display your beliefs . Please .photograph and send to the campaign . We'd love to share..

For Junk, Read Jowell

When Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell said Britain was celebrating the Olympics, not China's human rights record she had to be joking ! It ranks as the silliest statement ever ..ie) junk .
She went on to inform the BBC that :-
"The welcome of the Olympic torch to London is not the same as condoning the human rights regime in China or condoning the treatment of Tibet,"
Really Mrs Jowell , so can I and others take it you would lend support to the games being held in , North Korea, Iran , or Afghanistan to name but three ? Or is it as usual Mrs J , a question of money helping ministers turn a blind eye ? Do such if your conscience allows but for heavens sake spare us such piffle .

From, Berlin's Vile Foxy lady

Live / Vile / Evil

Thanks oh Bully Boys of China you've just made my day !

I love Wh question words .

So the London protests in support of Tibet are vile eh ? Oh really , says Who ? Says Wen no doubt ,or is that When as in When will you get out of Tibet ? Tragic that where you live , all freedom of thought , speech and action is mission impossible isn't it ? . What's the latest Beijing spin ? That the global stage show you are trying to manage is a way of encouraging people ,"to together build, a more harmonious , better tomorrow "(I quote`Xinhua') Note ,controlled media .

Why the need for such ? Total control is all one finds in China where a party who rules via fear and brutality dare not allow other opinions to be seen or heard . Ignorance and suppression are the parties gifts to their masses. Like all cowardly bullies you seek to buy favour. With some feeble politicians anxious for their economy this works , with the public it doesn't.

Well my message to Wen is , we LIVE and in so doing seek truth . This you find VILE .

Odd that I for one , find your dictates EVIL ..

Amazing what one can do with four letters ...

From Berlin's 'Vile' Foxy Lady

ps ) If we are so vile why not let your people see ? Why the blacking out of any free media coverage ?

The Woolgatherer

No, this is not about a shepherd or sheep shearer . Rather , a dramatic comedy and a pretty remarkable one too. Written by William Mastrosimone it centres around two people . Rose and Cliff. On Saturday it was produced at the English Theatre Berlin. Absolutely brilliant , humorous and very human ,these actors drew you in .They were well cast and the minimal props added to the atmosphere.

Hope you like the pictures . In the interval 'Rose' remains on stage and prepares for bed. The lights are dimmed. Guess who made her camera function as a video ? Not my best work but the background music is good . Should you ever get a chance to see this work , do try. It's being repeated here in May and yes , I'll be there ?

Blair, Bush and Bertie .

The UK saw the back of Blair but not before he did a fare well tour of the world ! Why ? Now we see Bush doing like wise . Why ?Question ) do these ego maniacs pay green taxes on very long and even more unnecessary flights ?

Today we have Bertie Ahern resigning . Roll on May 6th .Question) Is 'Mr Shamrock' planning a trip ?

For the life of me I fail to see why these very unpopular specimens think they need to bid farewell. Most of us think " good riddance " and note how each day our air smells a little sweeter .

Mr Brown take note :-

Either change your ways and bring honour back to the letter B ,or resign now .

"I like it "

Painting is silent poetry and poetry is painting that speaks .

Plutarch .

Every Day A Birthday .

Another truth from that amazing leader , the Dalai Lama :-

"Smile at others and keep the world smiling. "

Some weeks ago I met a person in my favourite shop 'Mode und Sparen '. After coffee, and chat, email addresses were exchanged , they went off to Madrid , I to Belgian , via France . Back in Berlin we met for lunch and imagine my surprise on receiving a bag of goodies more in keeping with a birthday ! Edible , drinkable, wearable and, shakeable for amongst them was ..... a snow dome . Oh how my collection is growing . All are lovely but the most wonderful of all is a gift and from the Alsace. region. [ see post for March 22nd ]

The Orange Campaign is taking a strange and almost magical turn . Yesterday I was given two lovely gifts in this colour .Small , bright and practical . Then today as I rode along on my bicycle two balloons tied together , drifted from the sunny skies right in front of me . One was yellow the other , yes , orange .I tied them to the basket and later gave to a small child . This afternoon there was a demonstration at the Chinese Embassy . Well attended , it was peaceful .The good news is leaders of four countries have said no to the opening ceremony .

Germany , Estonia , Poland and Czech Republic. Well done I say . At least a handful aren't afraid of bully boy China . What a pity Britain lacks backbone . Mr Brown you are becoming a Tony clone ... careful ........All the armbands are distributed but my Tibetan contact in exile is sending more .Hope you find the video interesting . Made using my mobile phone .

It's A Lovely Day Today .

Enjoying every little thing ensures the above is true . My day began with the news that a friend had won the lottery . Ok €8,10 but hey , a win . Then off to sport with another friend . I have to admit a) the breakfast part was the best ,followed by b) the mixed facilities with typical German nudity being the 'amusement '. On then to Ka De We and a purchase of my favourite tipple . Some new ones to try . Namely 'Satan' and 'Judas' . Anything goes here so I was at liberty to arrange the bottles on a table at the Le Notre food hall and photograph . This led to my meeting a wonderful Swedish family . Guess what they wanted after our discussion ? .. orange armbands, to show their feelings re China and it's abuse of human rights .

If You Dont Believe Me Check Out Google.

I'm getting rather tired of hearing cowardly, money minded politicians stating how ineffectual a boycott of the Olympics in China would be. We can learn from history so I ask you :-
Please go to Google search and type in the words :-
South African apartheid sport .
There you'll see numerous entries which illustrate how long a sports boycott [including zero Olympic participation] was enforced . Plus praise for the contribution this made in ending a diabolical situation .
So why the double standards now ? Greed , fear , big business ,to name but three. Note, Gordon Brown recently launched a project to increase trade and investment with China . No wonder he's now nervous about meeting the Dalai Lama in May . Then we have foreign secretary Miliband. Britain's man of understatement .His feeble contribution being :-
"I don't believe a boycott of the Olympics is the right thing to do ... A wrecked Olympics is actually not going to do anything for human rights in China."
Err and what about Tibet Mr Miliband ?
Finally the Foreign Office tops it all by informing us that the situation re human rights in China remains ' poor.' Clearly they had the same English teacher as Understatement Miliband.
How many will have the courage to at least boycott the opening ceremony remains to be seen. Few I imagine .
Here are the dates for the torch ... If you are near to any ,you can show your contempt . Take pictures too .Send to Contact@TheColorOrange.net
This is history in the making . Are you active or apathetic ?
The Olympic torch is going to a lot of places around the world: Almaty April 2., Istanbul April 3., St. Petersburg April 5., London April 6., Paris april 7., San Francisco April 9., Buenos Aires April 11., Dar es Salaam April 13., Muscat April 14., Islamabad April 16., and New Delhi April 17.
Let's end with more words from HH the Dalai Lama,
"Each individual has the ability to make a difference "

Happy Easter

It's a true Easter Sunday and the sun is shining . Where ever you are let's hope you're enjoying it. This little Miss Vixen nearly didn't make it .
Yesterday was marvellous ,but oh, was there snow .[hence the wellies] A visit to the Fantome Brewery proved amazing . This beer is unique . Here you see the man who started it . To this day he's a one man show and I do recommend a visit . At the risk of upsetting any Irish ..... Fantome beats Guinness. Look up http://www.fantome.be/
Lot's more was seen and savoured ,including a Trappist Monestery. a meal of Belgium chips plus other goodies .Nobody does them better. Then at 8pm an Easter service with fire , a baptism and yes ,good feelings . Off back to Achouffe but a wrong turning resulted in the car getting stuck in very deep snow . A nightmare,it needed a team effort of driving , pushing , digging for what seemed an age ! Success though, so off to celebrate at a place where the beer was Belgian , the music live and yes I danced the night away wearing what else but sexy wellies !

Is it Easter or Christmas.

I'm in Belgium and yesterday experienced five sorts of weather . However the winner was -----
Yes snow , snow and more snow . Driving was a no no .So it was on foot to the fabulous eatery attached to and even more superb brewery . More of the same today ..So bottoms , up , forget the eggs and a Very Happy Easter to all ....

And look what I got as a present ! THE most beautiful snowstorm in the world . Apt therefore that I ended up in one.

Where Were You ?

Where were you this date five years ago ? Well I for one was in bed crying ! Why ?
March 20th , my late father's birthday had been chosen as Day X ... the day to invade Iraq..
On trumped up 'evidence' the US and UK went in to kill. With three thousand bombs per night [only an imbecile could believe they were to hit Saddam Hussein ].
Thousands have died ..Mayhem ,instability and misery on a grand scale , are the norm, yet still George W Bush plus his henchman Cheyney claim success.!
For them the spoils of 'war' being increased oil prices and profits ! As even louder they sing :-
Long Live Haliburton.

Words From The Dalai Lama.

"Genuine peace between nations will come from mutual respect ,not from weapons or force ."

Muck, Brass, Chinese Olympics .

This weekend the International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge had the following to say when asked about a possible boycott of the Chinese based Olympics :-
"We believe that the boycott doesn't solve anything. On the contrary. It is penalizing innocent athletes and it is stopping the organization from something that definitely is worthwhile organizing."

Excuse me whilst I laugh , cry or choke . What I wonder does Mr Rogge have to say about innocent Tibetans , displaced , abused and rendered stateless. Are they not penalized ?
But we aren't talking morality here are we Mr Rogge ? With the Olympics we are talking mega money ( referred to in the north of England as brass ) These northern parts are renowned for being direct . Indeed they say, " Where there's muck there's brass ".
muck is dirt , corruption etc . Oh yes Mr Rogge the Olympics has a lot of this doesn't it ? ..
Doping ,doping , the same each time . Why ?...so these innocent athletes can win contracts worth a fortune and big business gets to produce even more expensive sports gear made in slave labour sweat shops .. Guess where ... why China ...
With so much money up for grabs small wonder Mr Rogge believes that it is definitely worth organizing .

From Now Until Whenever ..Truths

The news from Tibet is not good . Suffering is being heaped upon suffering with even more suppression and abuse of human rights . This in 2008 !
I read the following in the press .."Having some problems crop up is nothing to make a big deal out of. We just need to deal with them in an appropriate manner," said senior army General Zhang Wentai. "It won't affect the Olympics, or the country's overall security."
Hmm with Tiananmen Square as an example ,'appropriate manner' can be understood .
From now until the end of the Olympic Games in China , I plan to post words from the Dalai Lama . There is so much truth in them along with compassion and peace. So here goes for today ......

"The very purpose of our lives is happiness and joyfulness. That is very clear "

Ps) Try his official website . http://www.dalailama.com/
It's like sunshine and fresh air breaking through into an all too often sad world.

Orange, Orange,Who Wants An Orange ?

Last summer I was upset when I lost my little Tibetan armband which meant a lot to me . However, if you read this blog you'll know that a replacement was sent as a gift from Norbulingka Institute. The sender and I have kept contact . Now fast forward to this year and Orange Campaign, also [ link, Art in defence of humanism ] .I had the idea of little armbands in orange . On writing to my 'Tibetan sister' she thought so too and made me a hundred as gift . In today's post arrived a lovely little cloth bag . Like a pillow ,carefully sewn , and secured with sealing wax ,it was almost too wonderful to open .Here you see them on a swatch . I also received an email from her with this information :-

'The Freedom Bracelet was first made by Tibetan political prisoners near Lhasa to symbolise freedom. These bracelets were originally woven from whatever bits of thread available in the prisons. These bracelets are worn in solidarity as an expression of endurance and defiance against the Communist Chinese oppression.'

If you are interested in having one to show your support , contact me here.

A Cock Eyed Optimist

The BVG strike goes on . With little progress being made regarding a settlement , but what's noticeable is how well the public are adapting . More bicycles are in evidence which, in conjunction with the S Bahn make long journeys possible [ an ideal combi in poor weather]. Car and taxi usage has increased with people sharing costs.
I read that a group of BVG workers are keen to get back working. The union spokes person however is having no such talk. Also he is pushing to extend throughout Easter .To read his rhetoric is deja vu . Dare I say it 'transports' me to Britain , years ago. Let's hope the outcome here is somewhat better !
Today, with winds of up to 24 km/h it had to be SBahn plus bike . Using an iPod kept my ears warm and, riding down the Kudamm singing 'Cock Eyed Optimist' seemed most appropriate.

Two New Items In Leather.

This little green, leather jacket was bought in France . Quilted on the inside , its warm as well. With a price tag of just 30 euro who could say no ?

My belt [yet another passion ] may not be every ones taste but I love it .The staff at Mode und Sparen know me so well and had put this aside just in case . It was way too long but experts at Schuh Konzept soon fixed that for me and, at no cost !

*By the way my ipod dilemma was sorted by ' ratcatcher '. As spot on as with the tip on Belgian Beer. Many thanks and guess who began her Sunday with Dju Dju Belgian Beer on her cornflakes ? Ratcatcher you sure know your stuff !

Pride Comes Before A Fall-

Ok I didn't fall ,as the bed was there , and better laughter than tears . [no point in messing the mascara] But wow, did I feel as if my head would fall off ! Reason ?

As an iPod greenhorn I really believed I'd cracked it . Having cancelled a jaunt to Leipzig I decided to rip lots of new Cd's . Only to discover right at the end that somehow ,the entire contents of my iTunes library has reversed itself . By this I mean that track one of any CD is now played last . Get the horror picture ? How this has happened I simply don't know .What to do next ------ wait for someone who really knows how to untangle my techno string .[ mind you having said that I do have a nasty feeling this is something to do with an hour + of Apple support ]

Still, mess or not ,it was fun surrounded by 2 laptops , 2 phones , 2 cameras , external drives , Cd's and when not talking on air ,listening to the rte lyric fm concert . Hmm maybe they have an ipod download .... On second thoughts NO .

No Master's degree for this geekette . Merely ,Miss Vixen's in chaos.

Negatives and Positives .

Whilst in France ,my laptop had problems with wlan. Back in Berlin most was sorted, but, still left hot spot functionality to test . Hence today's visit to Helva Cafe Bar . Savigny Platz 589, Berlin. http://www.helva-bar.de/ This place is brilliant . Built under the bridge and rail arches the decor is beautiful. Comfort and service are keywords. Plus free wifi connection with sockets for your adaptors, so no fears of battery capacity failing . The menu is small yet excellent. My laptop 'negative' had resulted in my finding this place .. A positive .

Some may say , careful ,you'll get chubby frequenting such places . No worries . The BVG strike [ another negative] continues . Cycling is the solution , so let them strike . It's turning into one heck of a work out .Another postive .

By the way this is a sort of trinity hot spot .Helva Cafe ,Civan hairdresser ,and Amorph Fashion Store are linked, due to the use of the inherited bridge architecture . Thus one can shop, go for a hair cut and finally have a meal and drink. All with one walk through . Unlike a ghastly shopping mall , here there is day light at all times .

If you are Berlin based and unaware of Helva .. try it . Should you be planning a trip to Berlin make Savigny Platz a must do .All the eateries around here are fabulous and Helva a real must do.

* Helva is upholding the no smoking rule. Yet another star rating .

I Don't Believe It !

No this is not a take on that TV character Victor Meldrew.
After a weekend of very high winds and pelting rain, only yesterday gave some respite ,today has capped it all. It began with a bitterly cold whirlwind and then came snow flakes in all directions. Within two minutes of the first flakes, the above picture was taken from my bedroom window .So once again , no bicycle, out with the fur coat and yes the boots . [My big regret is leaving a fabulous pair of riding boot wellies back in France.] Imagine therefore my joy when out came the sun , and the pavements were partially cleared . Off to the bus stop , side roads not being a very safe option for the bike. Then after 20 minutes an extremely cold Miss V realized something was amiss .. BVG STRIKE . Set to last until March 14 this will mean very few buses and no UBahns . Sitting was the only way I could begin to defrost my feet. Then home for a coffee and total defrost.After which ,it's out with the bicycle come what may .

Hmmmm to those who love wind , snow and rain I say enjoy . Cold is no problem . There are after all , so many interesting ways of keeping warm .

Footwear For A Pixie Geekette.

Those who know me , be it in person or via this blog will know my passion for boots and shoes. The former in particular . Indeed it's difficult ,off the top of my head, to say just how many pairs I own .

One reason boots are a favourite is because of my feet. Extremely slender and quite small this results in nightmare difficulties when buying shoes . Leather must be very soft . Length is fine but the width of 85% of all shoes on my pixie tootsies is such that footwear simply slips off when I walk . One reason why boots are ideal, as they stay put around one's leg and sometimes knee ! However there are times one needs a simple and practical shoe. Thus it was with delight I found this pair of truly geekettish yet pixie shoes . Sensually soft, they stay put , fulfill a criteria, yet still flatter the foot.

It's actually quite nice being a pixie Vixen. As they say,' small is beautiful '.

Collectables .

I'd planned to make a video but decided against . So here's a little picture of a very happy yours truly with the latest additions to my snowstorm collection.

From left to right we have :-

Two French doves . Bought in Mont Lucon .Then Luxembourg , this was a gift .

You then see a Paris snow storm. Finally a very unusual one found in Claremont Ferrand . Home of Michelin . It contains the Michelin man. All set upon what else, but a tyre . Now you may wonder what is the silver ,circular item I'm pointing at .

Not a snow storm and sure as heck no space ship . Any ideas ?