Wandering scaffolding and latex sausages.

Mad hectic couple of weeks has begun a full-to-bursting November schedule. What with Munich last weekend, being out on two school nights this week and a trip to Southampton yesterday. Eeee, I'm knackered. The Grandma in me is ready for a rest. Ha ha.

And November has finally brought some chilly Autumn weather. I think I may be one of the only people in the world that actually enjoys the colder weather. I just love being wrapped up warm with a hat, a scarf and gloves. I would rather be cold and have layers to wrap up in, than be too hot in my own skin. I hate that about summer. 'Cause let's face it, I can't walk around London naked and I can't actually peel off layers of my skin. At least now I know I can wear a jumper and a coat and all my warm accessories and I might just have to take a couple of them off on the tube, but that's fine as it's always at least 10 degrees warmer on the tube.

Speaking of Autumn. Munich was incredible. The colours were mesmerising. So yellow and red; so vivid. And we were lucky it had been such a mild start to the Autumn as most of the leaves were still on the trees. Our walk around the Schloss Nymphenburg was phenomenal. We must have taken about 100 pictures of trees that day and leaves and branches and just general Autumn wonderment. Amazing! We also tried some arty shots, through the branches and messing around with manual settings, but let's face it, I'm more of a point, press and hope girl, especially as Leonard has such an amazing intelligent auto function. Ha ha. And yes, Leonard is the name of my camera. I do like to name my technology. It makes it slightly less scary and more Helen friendly, if it has a name. That way I can talk to it and feel slightly less insane. Ha ha. Yes, I talk to my technology. Anyhoo.........

Beer and sausages! Hmmmmm. We liked Munich! Although the weird white sausages that looked the consistency of latex gloves, (coincidentally, that I use to wipe children's bottoms when I change their nappies) I left those to A to sample. Eek. I did not like the look of those. And if you think normal sausages look like willies, then these really really did. Urgh! He he. A'll try anything though, especially if it's a regions delicacy.

Now, I may have mentioned before about how scaffolding follows me around the world, to various countries and famous landmarks. And Munich was no different. Around Marienplatz two churches were in scaffolding, one completely covered and the other just one tower covered. Now that I could just about cope with as the Rathaus and other exciting buildings were fine. But when we hired a car on the second day and drove to Neuschwanstein and Hohanschwangau castles, I was slightly peed off to see the fairy tale, beauty and the beast castle, half covered in scaffolding. I'm not kidding. The scaffolding follows me around the world. To Athens, to Milan, Madrid, Japan, everywhere!!!!!!!! It's the curse of the scaffolding and for some reason it's attached to me.  Ah well. At least I have pictures in the guide book and postcards to see what stuff should actually look like.

Am currently watching Richard Attenborough's Frozen Planet, whilst writing this. Oh my God. It's amazing!!!! What the hell were those unicorns of the North things? Those Narwals. It sounds like something from Lord of the Rings. Beware of the Narwals. I literally couldn't believe my eyes. And the caterpillar that lives for 14 years but freezes to death every autumn and then becomes an ugly moth for like a day.....Incredible. It just doesn't seem real.

Had a lovely day yesterday in a misty Southampton. Though luckily the mist lifted once we arrived at the Zoo with Ali and L. It was cool to go to the zoo with a little person, to see the excitement through their eyes.

ARGH! I don't want the Orca whales to eat any of the penguins! NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sorry, I was panicking. (Back to David Attenborough)  I love penguins.

What was I saying????? Ah yes. At the zoo yesterday it was fantastic. L became a penguin whisperer. She had a leaf and the penguins were following it around the tank through the window. She kept saying, "Look penguins. Look at my leaf." He he.

Looking forward to a nice meal at C's today for her birthday. Should be fun. Also looking forward to completion of my early Christmas present, 'A Discovery of Witches' by Deborah Harkness. Check it out!

Well, I'll scadoodle now, and hope for more things to rant about this week.
Happy Sunday.
Helen.