Hanging out at home with Toddler today as her cough has come back and I think it is better that she stays home. It’s getting down to minus ten during the day time and I want to avoid any big illness.
Toddler has favourite objects that she gets quite possessive over, I thought I’d share a few.
I am sitting here with a wheat bag on my womb in pain. I’m also sleep deprived as Anja had a restless night. I’m drawing this smiling lady on the packet of pads and thinking that she is an awful misrepresentation of a menstruating woman.
The pram in Pompeii, Italy.
Naples is a strange and crazy city, it is one of the oldest inhabited cities beginning in 9BC.
I did this sketch last night while Hubby and I sat together on our red couch.
The Oberbaumbrüecke is the bride that joins Friedrichshain and Kreuzberg over the River Spree . You can find the more facts about the history and construction of the bridge here:
http://www.berlin.de/orte/sehenswuerdigkeiten/oberbaumbruecke/
Hubby and I came across this bridge by mistake in early 2009 and because we were self conscious of our lack of German, it became known to us as the “fancy bridge”. We used it as a landmark to help us with our navigation around the city.
One time in May 2011, I went to have lunch with Hubby as we had a babysitter at this time. But the tram terminated early and the other passengers and I got out to see what was happening, we found that the bridge had been blocked off; they had found an undetonated bomb from WW2. I walked to the other bridge to get to Hubby, which was pretty far away but I was determined to see him. Partly because I’m stubborn, partly because I was a little bit frightened. He didn’t seem concerned even though the Polizei had evacuated everyone from all the buildings right up to his. As we went out to get our lunch the Polizei were not letting anyone come back into the area. So I knew that once I left I wouldn’t be able to get back in. We casually ate lunch together as more announcements were made that we couldn’t understand. It was surreal sitting in the tourist area with barely anyone about on a sunny lunch time day. Part of me marvelled at my calmness eating while there was a bomb so close by. I don’t think I would have been like this a few years ago, before I had left to live overseas.
I found out later that the bomb was 250kg. That could have done some serious damage, the Allies had been aiming for the Oberbaumbruecke and had missed. Gene came home on time that evening and everything continued as usual the next day.
This is from a picture I took on my iphone in November- I didn’t draw this one from life as it is winter and my hands freeze outdoors.
I can’t draw in gloves even though I have tried.
This bunker is quite close to where we now live. When you have a child you become well acquainted with the landscape around you – by the hours and hours you spend walking the baby in the pram to sleep.
This city’s landscape was shaped by WW2, so I cant help but think of the war.
This bunker was built in 1884 and was originally a gasometer- one of four in Berlin- it supplied gas to the street lamps. Then in the early 1940′s it became a bunker, saving 6500 mothers and their children. So a lot of my time walking the streets while Toddler sleeps, I think of these women and then the trummerfrauen ( rubble woman ), who rebuilt Germany. I think of them going through pregnancy, Motherhood, war, rebuilding a society.
I think of their strength.
I also collect photos from the Flohmarkts in and around Berlin, I thought I’d share a few here. Most of the following pictures are dated from 1943:
This is the view from our large lounge/ dining room window. When we first inspected this apartment the tree was boasting thick, dark green leaves.
The window in the top left is where we see another family sitting and having their meal times. The father often stands at the window with their small child and Toddler and I wave to them.
This is the view of our dining table from the rocking chair with the left overs from breakfast time. Hubby and I have a coffee together in the morning – the first cup of coffee is a moment we try and share together.
There’s a little lamp and origami butterflies on the wall that were a part of the Christmas decorations, there’s also stars and cranes hanging from the roof. I wanted to do something nice for Christmas, as Toddler is beginning to understand that something is going on but I didn’t want Christmas tac. We’ve decided to leave them up because they are so pretty and we enjoy them so much.
Whenever we sit and eat a meal together Toddler points up at them and we blow at them to make them move, which makes her giggle.
Fridays once held expectation for me – the freedom of the coming weekend would fill me with excitement. However now, Friday’s have become the day that I start to struggle through. I’m tired of the weekly routine, I’m tired of coming home and being in this apartment, I’m tired of being cried at, tired of cooking two dinners, tired of not having anyone to talk to.
It’s difficult because I get so caught up on all the domestics, I loose joy.
