Week #2!

My second week at school was really nice too. I also feel a little bit more at home at my apartment. It's still not absolutely finished but it's getting there.I have so many plans for things I'd like to sew but I'm not sure yet when I'll find the time for it. The weekends at home are way too short and it looks like it will get a lot busier during the week as well now that the seminars have started and all the instructors have told us what they expect from us.

On Wednesday all the new trainee teachers went on a little trip through the county. We were so lucky with the weather and I enjoyed some of the places we visited immensely. Like for example an old mill that is turned into some kind of a museum and that is still functioning. I'll most definitely visit it again!Since I live in a water mill now too I felt directly addressed by the good luck sign for millers:In the evening we drove to the moor land where about fifty thousand cranes are taking a rest on their way to Soutern Europe. I so wished we could have spend more time there. It really is an amazing view to see them all come in from the fields. Of course I didn't think of taking my big lense and could only take crappy pictures. I guess I need to go there again too.All in all I really had a good week but I was still a little down. I still don't have a phone or internet access and I do feel quite lonely there once school is out, even though everybody in my little town is super nice. I was hoping to find some other trainee teachers that live close by but I had no luck at all! I'm actually starting to think about joining some sort of club or group. Even Tupperware parties become a lot more appealing to me than I ever expected...

Secret Pal 13!

About a year ago I promised C. I'd do just one more swap. Oh well, that didn't work out at all. I don't even want to count the ones I joined since then.
And when I saw that I could finally sign up for a Secret Pal swap (which I always thought were just super special) I had to do it. Just one more swap, right?!

Here's the questionnaire for the SP13:

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
I really like bamboo, cotton, linen, corn and soy yarn as well as any non-animal/vegan fiber (let it be natural or synthetic!). Everything that comes from an animal is not for me!

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?
My dpn's are stored away nicely in the case I made for them while all the circular ones are in a simple plastic bag.

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?
I learned how to knit from my great grandmother when I was in elementary school and have since been more or less into it. Fall and winter are usually my only knitting seasons though and I think I'd consider myself still just an advanced beginner.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
Nope, I don't. ETA: I totally forgot that I do of course have my list of Etsy favorites!

5. What's your favorite scent?
I like fresh scents just as much as sweet ones like caramel or vanilla. I'm not too fond of heavy flowery ones.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?
Yes, unfortunately I love ANY kind of vegan candy!

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?
No spinning but lots of sewing, some counted cross stitch, a little crocheting and a big interest in any new craft I find out about!

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s?
Rock, pop and alternative are probably the ones I like best but I'd love to listen to my pal's favorite music... whatever it is!

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand?
I think I like almost every color except for dark blue and neon colors.
Sometime when I look at my blog or my fabric stash I can't help noticing that pink seems to be overly popular around here.10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?
I'm married (haha, still think that's funny!) and we are owned by two cats.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?
Yes to scarves, hats and mittens and no to ponchos.

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
All of the above or any other small project!

13. What are you knitting right now?
Fingerless gloves.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?
Of course! Who doesn't?!

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
I like circular needles much better than straight ones (except for dpn's of course).
I own a lot of aluminium needles but think I prefer bamboo or rose wood.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?
No, I don't.

17. How old is your oldest UFO?
I don't have any. Anything that doesn't get finished in an acceptable amount of time will get tossed or ripped. Sometimes it just has to be that way.

18. What is your favorite holiday? What winter holiday do you observe?
We don't really have that many holidays here in Germany that we'll celebrate (or did I forget some?!). No big Thanksgiving or Halloween parties here and of course no 4th of July either. I guess I really like the two we do celebrate: Easter and X-Mas.

19. Is there anything that you collect?
Nothing worth mentioning here.

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have? 21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?
I'm sure there are tons of things out there which I absolutely NEED but right now I can't think of anything. I just really love to try new yarns and books are always super appreciated!

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?
Yes... sort of but I'm so darn slow! 5 1/2

23. When is your birthday?
November 19th

24. Are you on Ravelry? If so, what's your ID?
Yes, I'm and I'm suessstoff there as well.

Yay!

It's a big fat YAY! My first week at school was really really great. The kids are just awesome and all of the other teachers were really sweet and helpful. A very good start I'd say. I'm looking forward to the next weeks and the start of the seminar so I can meet all my fellow trainee teachers again and find out who's living close by.
That is the only thing I'm not so happy about right now. I feel pretty lonely after school! I miss the cats, C., my friends and parents a lot! Hopefully it won't be so bad anymore once I have my phone and internet access. Possibly Monday it will all be fixed.My little appartment starts to look really nice now. My parents came over for a quick visit and my dad installed all the lamps. A few more pictures on the wall and a few more accessories from home and I'll be all done. I'll show you then! For now I'll show you the view from my bathroom window:Aren't the geese the cutest?! There are also a couple of ducks and I love their cackling and quacking especially when they wake up.I can't wait for spring. The first of the two buildings is the registry office and I think I'll be able to watch some beautiful weddings... from my balcony which offers an even better view to the little pond.

(The cupcakes are Banana Split Cupcakes from VCTOTW. Yum! I made three different kinds in total figuring it couldn't hurt to take them to school for my new colleagues.)