Women's Stuff

After yesterdays organic purchase got home and for some reason I still can't explain, I had the urge to drink a tablespoon of pure apple vinegar. Tasted better things but it satisfied the weird urge.

Well that just about ended my day. Hour for hour felt worse and was on the verge of collapsing when Angie came home and finished off the last chores as I collapsed on the sofa with a hot water bottle, despite the incredibly warm outdoor temperature.

Today felt a bit better but not enough to do much outside especially when the drizzle from Washington DCs recent snow storm eventually got here, seriously weakened by the British and French - thanks guys.

I am SURE my state of health had nothing whatsoever to do with the vinegar and have continued sipping some diluted most of the day and now feel fit again.

Managed to only do a minimum of helping Angie's women's duties around the house. At very long last did get around to cancelling my sub to Germanys equivalent of Which? magazine. Can only be done by telephone and I was expecting a grilling and power sell conversation when the young guy on the phone said "may I ask why?" ... but in fact he didn't try anything and seemed to empathise with my thoughts. Finally he thanked me for being such a loyal subscriber  over the last 16 years! Couldn't believe it myself. I used to be a Which? subscriber in the late 70s/80s - I think it was probably in the package that made up marriage, children and Volvo estate. Back then you could buy a Hoover vacuum cleaner by checking up on the Which report published two years previously. Today the report you get in the latest issue is at least two models out of date by the time you get in the car and head of to your local Argos or Currys.

The latest edition of the magazine, in the background of the Blip, had a report on camera objectives and how easy it was to get good photos with a good objective. Blurred fore/background and really sharp subjects. What arrived in the email post today - week 3 of the Photography course, now moving on to "S for Shutter" and going on about blurs again.
 I thought we had dealt with that in "A for Aperture". I haven't but the course leaders address in my Spam Blocker but maybe quarantine may be an option.
Tell me why 99% of the course students seem to be women who clearly understand what is required and then weekly hundreds of them post examples which blow my woolly socks off. I thought technical matters was Macho business. Bit like horse riding I guess: 99% of all horses are ridden by women and 105% of all horses are tended, nurtured and cared for by women but who do you see prancing about at Horse of the Year Show in Earls Court throwing the odd "V" sign, Harvey, David, Michael, Hans, Ludger, Alwin, Paul, Paddy, Eddie .......?

Shame really as one ought to support such organisations which although government "encouraged" have to the best of my knowledge not been accused of corruption and have certainly made a large contribution to improving safety, quality and health issues. Sometimes their reports may be accused of having a slant but that's always easy to say if the verdict isn't to your liking.

Germany is far more humorous than one might believe but it is generally a different humour. Much of it slapstick stuff as is prevalent right now as we head for the climax of the carnival season. There are some talented exceptions, one being a Bavarian guy called Christoph Suess, who has a 45 min. weekly satirical review on Bavarian TV. He tends to be rather left of centre and is very socially engaged but his reports on the local stupid goings on are very fair.

Of course the media has only one theme at the moment and it's pointless giving up any views. The situation is so grave that one has to grasp at any bit of humour - in his show last week he suggested after a bit on the reaction to the sexual attacks in Cologne at New Year that the government should distribute that weeks special offers pamphlet from Aldi which amongst others was featuring knitting wool and needles: the page was titled "Not just Womens Stuff" (Womens Stuff, my a***) and showed the bearded gentlemen in the Blip. Suess suggested the photo may make many macho immigrants voluntarily pack their bags and flee Germany!

There were a couple of items this week of political stupidity and also one from a few weeks ago on Ottobeuren which I missed but saw on MrsB's Facebook - I will bring them to you when I find the appropriate Blip Foto to go along with them.