Last morning in #Colorado ☀️☕️😿
Enjoying a peaceful morning cup of coffee with my friend‘s soft cuddly cat.

Am sad & a little nervous, flying home later today after almost four weeks of travel in Canada & the US. With abundant magical memories & impressions to relive whenever it pleases me 😊

Just finished reading this fun, quirky novel by Rainbow Rowell and am now agonizing over which book to read during my flight 😬😇🙃

Litten in Vancouver, trying to re-adjust to the big city vibes after two weeks in the more remote natural and peaceful environment of the Sunshine Coast 🏞

Still lovin‘ our vacation in #Canada so much!!!

Litten on vacation on the beautiful Sunshine Coast ☀️ in 🇨🇦

We have our own private patio as part of our studio apartment 💓

My new happy place 🌸🌸🌸

#canada

Finally made it to #Canada 🇨🇦 🇨🇦 🇨🇦 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻

Let the Sunshine Coast adventure begin 🌊🏞🐬

First thing we came across right around the corner from our cute little guesthouse in Vancouver was this delightful Little Free Library 👏🏼 And along the way we found several more. So I already feel at home - this is obviously a Litten-kinda-place 😊

#littlefreelibrary

New Starbucks opened in Cologne?

There are just way too many great little Cafés in town so I don‘t frequent Starbucks on a regular basis but wanted to give this one a whirl before the comfy chairs get all gross ??

So after a long busy week & a particularly taxing meeting with an old friend I‘m treating myself to a grande Latte ?☕️ and at least a half hour with a book ??

⚡️Littens ⚡️
I‘ve taken the leap 🤸🏼‍♀️🤸🏼‍♀️🤸🏼‍♀️
After months of masterful procrastination I‘ve FINALLY gotten my legal stuff together & dug *WAY* deep for courage & calm & taken on my first patient as a psychotherapist this week.
It‘s still within the sheer endless training to get my license and there‘s strict supervision - but nevertheless!
I‘m so proud! I‘m so relieved! I‘m excited to see where this takes me & us & want more!
🎉 🎉 🎉

This is my first morning after a four-day visit of my lovely American family here in Cologne.
I‘m heartbroken & totally relieved at the same time. I am not good with house guests. It all went really well but I get so stressed!!! No alone time 😩 I wasn‘t able to sleep most nights!
And yet already miss them like crazy 🤷🏼‍♀️
Am now enjoying my first peaceful morning cup of coffee ☕️ with a book & soft music 🎶

#gratitude21

🤒 that my fever of two days broke today

🤣 a book to keep me company during my fever that made me laugh

🐝 watching the wild bees that have made a home in our tiny back yard

#gratitude21

🍪 My 94 year old friend Hannelies who‘s the toughest cookie and a big joy in my life

🍝 My husband‘s home-made pesto

📖 A laugh out loud book by Kinsella just when I needed it

#gratitude21

These past few days have been SO frustrating. Several important things are simply not moving along & totally out of my hands & I feel helpless & angry.
So I‘m really in need of refocusing on the things that are great in my life and in the world around me ?

1️⃣ @Eggs for inspiring this sense of gratitude ??

2️⃣ a small ray of sunshine that graced my table in the café

3️⃣ the spark of humor that suddenly lit up a dark moment

#wondrouswednesday

1️⃣ Aw man, that was 1992! Probably the best year in my personal history of music! The 80s were finally over 😅
Under the Bridge and every single track from Blood Sugar Sex Magic 👊🏼 But also Nevermind, Achtung Baby and Use your Illusion I&II had just been released and were still not fully digested. Friday I‘m in Love * Tears in Heaven * Jump around!

2️⃣ Libra

3️⃣ C. S. Lewis & Irvin Yalom

4️⃣ @raelaschoenherr @Cinfhen

#gratitude21 #litsywalkers

🌸 when the forecast predicts a rainy gray weather and instead it turns out to be a lovely sunny & mild spring day

🎧 audiowalking on that spring day

🐌 feeling light as a feather after getting a phone call over with that I‘ve been procrastinating forever

#gratitude21

🚂 reading on a train in a quiet compartment with other readers nearby

📽 old childhood slides

🎶 hearing a song for the first time that you instantly know will be an all-time favorite

#gratitude21

🎶 the magnificent song of the blackbird at dawn and at dusk

👭 Having a sister. She‘s so much younger than me and so troubled right now, it breaks my heart. But I‘m so grateful for having her in my life and her trusting me.

☕️ coffee in the crisp spring afternoon sunshine ☀️

#gratitude21 🌸☀️⚡️ I‘m joining 🙌🏻

🌄 a new morning & new beginning every day

🎸 a husband who whooped & cheered at my guitar recital last night despite... reality.

🎶 portable music 🎧 being able to listen to my favorite tunes on a train

Am about to go to my own little guitar recital 😬
I‘ve started learning classical guitar in January and my school is hosting a spring recital where the newbies will perform Love Me Tender 😂🎸
We‘re a group of five but I‘m still a bit nervous.

Chilling at a coffee shop to gather strength & courage 💪🏼

Whoa what a riveting book!!
I picked it up at a used bookstore a few days ago & have hardly come up for air! Have been reading any chance I got.

It‘s very hard to read in parts but the storyline and moral dilemma that‘s presented are so compelling.
And I love the quirky side character Mary, the ex-nun with the Harley 👩🏻‍🎤

People watching & relishing this hilarious & warm read on a grey afternoon in a pretty crowded Café in the city ?☕️?

Ahhhh.... exhale 🌬
Afternoon coffee break ☕️🧡☕️
🎶 listening to Adele 🎈

Hope your day / day‘s beginning is not rushed & your coffee is just as celestial 🌅

Thank you so much @Cinfhen for this lovely fun #bookmail which our neighbor held for us over the weekend as we were away. Hurrah 😁 ☀️🌸

Oooh unpacking it was such a joy, I loved everything in it - the super interesting book but also lovely goodies such as a cool bookmark, chocolate & green tea in delicious flavors (how did you know I make myself drink green tea every day & am super grateful for variety?) - it really made my day!!
☺️😘👐🏼

Lazy rainy Sunday afternoon.... 😊😊😊

#hp #harrypotter

What a beautiful icy morning for an early rise to *almost* make it out by sunrise. Seeing the sun was about to show up I jumped out of bed, got dressed, made coffee to go and rushed out to greet him.
It‘s been grey and dark for ever so this has been an uplifting experience 😎☀️
Now back inside and snuggling up with a book and another coffee ☕️☺️

To all those snowed in today- hang in there! The sun and warm will return 👊🏼

#LitsyWalkers @kaye

We had fun & gracious visitors for a few days and as much as I enjoyed it.... 😅
I‘m positively glowing from how much I‘m enjoying this breakfast alone right now.
Me, my book, coffee and listening to the concert for flute and harp by Mozart 🎼 ☕️🌸☀️

Have a great weekend y‘all!!!

A small Lunch for One at my favorite Sushi place before doing some tiresome grocery shopping on this gloomy day.

Am enjoying this peaceful yummy, healthy (I hope 😬) meal and very intrigued by this honest insightful book. 🍣🥢🍵📖

Have a good restful last weekend of the year Littens!!

Cozy Sunday morning with a dusting of snow on the ground and a sweet christmassy read ❄️🔥☕️

Happy third Advent 🕯🕯🕯 dear Littens 🌟

On the couch with a bad cold today! 🤒 I was running a fever for a few days & watched Sitcoms mostly but finally feel strong enough to read again.
I chose this light but entrancing story full of mysteries, plot twists & some romance, set on the isolated Scottish Island of Islay. There‘s a lot to learn about Whiskey production as well. 🥃 I‘m liking it!

Made it safely to Germany from the US & still struggling with jetlag... 🙄
After all that ☀️ I‘m now completely in the winter zone & all those christmassy things are coming out, the candles, cozy blankets, Santa Baby, our fireplace, mulled wine at the Christmas market...

Today I surprised myself by buying this book at the used bookstore (it‘s so *not* christmassy!) & am already deeply immersed 110 pages in. Can‘t stop! What a storyteller, wow!!

Airport reading ☕️🛫☀️

I‘m sad to leave the US (and just days before Thanksgiving!!) but looking forward to hours of uninterrupted reading time aboard that humongous Lufthansa bird 📖🍸

Starting this new book on a beautiful sunny Colorado morning ☀️at my friend‘s house while listening to my favorite reading music 🎶

Am excited to finally read this but am also afraid I‘ve built it up too much in my expectations after all those rave reviews. Only one way to find out 😉

Holiday reading ☀️🌵🌸

Finally made it to the US & am enjoying the balmy weather in Tucson, Arizona. It‘s delightful here & my aunt and uncle have the most gorgeous backyard.
Also on the plus side, we made a pact not to discuss politics & I can‘t say how much I appreciate that.
The book I‘m reading is a light sweet read, perfect for the long trip & my jet lagged brain. Also it‘s whetting my appetite for my next destination, beautiful Colorado💓

#FallReading 🍁 so beautiful 🧡

Just finished this gem of a book. Important & not always easy to read, such great writing, very insightful, provocative, surprising.
About halfway through I needed a break and a week later returned to it hungrily, read through the second half almost in one sitting.
Highly recommended 💎

Beach Café reading in #Crete!!! It‘s basically paradise!!! Long late breakfasts with lots of reading time at this lovley little place that offers the greatest food and smiles followed by more reading under a tree by the water... some swimming and snorkeling and then... a yummy dinner ??? and repeat!!!
It‘s so cozy that I started yearning for a more substantial read than the beach lit I had brought along and so far I‘m fascinated by this book!

#vacationtime #beachreading #paradise #coffeandabookinthesand #nuffsaid

Much love from Crete 🐬🏖⛵️🇬🇷🍹

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Whoa!! What a book! I‘m just... wow. I‘m blown away by this one. Loved it, but more than that - I really felt it deep inside me. Am grateful for the insight & wisdom it provided, had my heart broken a little - but mostly uplifted and inspired. I laughed out loud & chuckled often, Cheryl‘s humor was unexpected & just great. I wish I could meet her, I think I‘d like her 🤩
I‘m so grateful I got to read this!! It‘ll stay with me 💓

New book!! 📚

Left my old job at a psychiatric clinic yesterday - without having my next job securely lined up, at least not for another couple of months. It‘s SO scary but probably the right move 😬🤞🏻
So I‘m in desperate need of some light fun escape & seeing as I‘ve always been dreaming of living in Brooklyn this sounds perfect. Cozy & funny 🔥☕️

I also plan on reading Cheryl Strayed‘s WILD for some wisdom 😇

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Just finished this fantastic book, I‘m just as hooked and in love with it all as I‘d expected. For some reason I started straight out with the movies back then and am now slowly savoring the books, one by one 💎
This one is my favorite so far❣️❣️❣️

🏰🦉🥢👓🦌

Have a great Sunday y‘all!!! ☀️

#hp #harrypotter

Starting a new fun summer read & eating an avocado cheese enchilada at the one and only really good Mexican place I know of in Cologne 😋😋😋

Plus drinking an ice cold non-alcoholic Pilsner 🍺 my absolute favorite drink this endless epically hot German summer 💦🌞🎋

Later on I‘m meeting an old old friend/almost brother/handsome-as-hell first love and his brand new baby daughter 💓

Life is good today ☺️

#summerreading

Gorgeous #summerreading ☀️

Finally the temperatures have dropped back to endurable & pleasant & I‘m having my coffee outside with my #newBook 😎📚☕️

#naturreading #booksandnature

Whoop 🎉
Splurged & got a new (used) Kindle Oasis, the older version. Am loving it so far, my old Kindle Paperwhite has somehow morphed into being my husband‘s Kindle full-time. I love how that can just happen 😂
As good a reason as any to treat myself to a newer version after 5 yrs with the old one👌🏻
I bought CIRCE as the first book to go on this Kindle - I wanted it to be a beauty 💎
This way I can also (belatedly) join the #LitsyBuddyRead 🤩

What can I say? This is me in 1977, preparing to become the *perfect* Stepford Wife for my next #stepfordsummerparty with my best 70s tea set in all it‘s glory, complete with silver tray and trumpet 🎺 😂😂😂
You‘re all welcome to come over for a cup of fine imaginary tea ☕️ 👗👛👠🍸

I found this 1978 “Happy Hour Barguide” in a huge scrapbook type recipe book I inherited from my beloved American Grandma. She certainly knew to serve a killer cocktail at any occasion! 🍸🍸🍸

It‘s such a joy to share a cool lunch time cocktail with all you Littens for our #stepfordsummerparty
🍹☀️🌷👗👠👛

Totally not book-related but soooo excited 😜

Soccerparty ⚽️🏃🏼‍♂️🏆 🎉

Germany - Mexico @ #WorldCup #Soccer #wm

This is one of my absolute favorite people in the entire universe, she‘s been my sweet friend & soul sister from when I was six and she five.

This is from a glorious trip to San Fran 2 yrs ago.
We both love reading & found the greatest spots throughout the city & it‘s parks to rest & read.
We also both lugged around a huge book haul from a great 2nd hand book store for the entire day - true #bookishfriends 💓
#readingresolutions #bookandnature

Starting this book today!!! I‘m excited 🤓🤩☺️
(Not doing The Corrections!!)

This morning it‘s mildly sunny & I‘m blissfully drinking it all in - the pleasure of cracking a new book, the first cup of coffee on a new day, our tiny but peaceful backyard in June 🌸🌻☀️🦋🐛

And.... #bookandflowers was yesterday‘s prompt for #readingresolutions 👌🏼

To read or not to read - I‘m entirely undecided!! 🤷🏼‍♀️
The reviews are so mixed!! I‘m in the mood for a literary read after some rather lighthearted books & this has been sitting here forever. But not in the mood for a downer, exactly!! Have bailed on too many books lately!!
Ugh, sometimes picking a new book isn‘t fun!! 😑

#bookishproblem #booknerdneurosis #itwillbeokintheend

⚡️These are some of my favorite covers ⚡️

#readingresolutions #coverlove

Haven‘t been to the beach recently but am planning another holiday in Crete in September!
This is on our favorite beach there, one of my happiest places on earth, a true blessing, we go as often as we can manage.
I‘ve spent so many blissful bookish hours there 😌
🍹📚🎋🌊🐬🏖

#readingresolutions #bookandbeachtowel #booksinnature #booksandnature

Hiking & reading intermittently - I‘m so grateful that my husband gets me... ☺️ We found a beautiful spot to read, rest, enjoy the view 🌿⛅️ it always looked like it would start pouring any minute but it never did 🙌

Nope, not for me!!! I SERIOUSLY wanted to like this book but, alas, DNF!!! Very frustrating!!

I just didn‘t care to spend more time with it, with the pretentious characters & well, honestly, the somewhat pretentious writing.
I did find an online plot summary though, to find out where the story goes.
I can see how this is a matter of taste, it wouldn‘t hurt to give it a chance, the story is quite intriguing & the overall style very original!!

Splendid 👏🏻 *German Littens * One of our big bookstore chains is offering a special discount for English books to honor the Big Fat British Wedding 🎩 👰 🇬🇧

Anybody doing anything special on Saturday?

I accepted an invitation to view the entire ceremony with a group of gals - hats / fascinators mandatory!! 👒
I‘m hoping for lots of G&T and British themed yummies!! 🥂 Ha! And not to forget tea ☕️

#royalwedding #Iknowitssillybutshouldbefun