Rugby shirts, the fall/winter version of the polo shirt, will never go out of style. They somehow manage to be rugged, classic and elegant all at the same time. There are many brands that make excellent examples, most notably Canterbury of New Zealand (who make rugby shirts for the professionals as well) and our old friend Ralph Lauren. However, a man named Michael Bastian has raised the bar (and the price tag – you’ll note that the term “lust” is in the title of this post) for the rugby shirt as we know it. Bastian, the former director of menswear at Barney’s (a very high-end department store, for those that might not be aware), decided to design and manufacture menswear for one very simple reason: he couldn’t find classic, americana clothing that met his expectations. Michael Bastian now makes clothing staples, including khaki pants, casual blazers, sweaters, casual shirts and, of course, rugby shirts. Cut in a modern way, while still remaining absolutely classic, Bastian’s clothes are generally manufactured in Italy by Brunello Cuccinelli, the king of Italian casual clothing. The fabrics and fit and finish associated with Cuccinelli items are amongst the best in the world and this is immediately evidenced when one takes even a cursory glance at a Bastian rugby shirt.

Expensive? Of course. But you shouldn’t only wear your best at the office – wouldn’t your Saturday morning coffee run be improved by a perfectly made, classically elegant rugby shirt? I know mine would…

Michael Bastian clothing is available at stores including Barney’s, Saks and Niemen Marcus and occasionally on Ebay.

So the whole house has been passing around and alternating between a fairly low-key cold and a terrible respiratory infection or flu. Charlie went to the doctor yesterday and has a minor ear infection. He’s now on amoxicillan, which is a relief to me since he’s got the youngest and most vulnerable immune system. Bastian’s coughing was pretty bad when he woke up and I had all but decided he was staying home… until he had some breakfast and some juice and the cough subsided quite a bit. He was chasing Charlie around the living room laughing when we decided at the last minute that he could ride to school with his dad. He wasn’t very happy about that, of course, but he’s already missed a couple of days this month due to coughing or low-grade fevers and I’m tired of being the paranoid mom. He also told me yesterday that he “forgot” to bring home his report card two days in a row.

Now he is my son, so it’s possible that he’s just forgetting. It’s also possible that he’s afraid of what it will say. All of his academic career, however, Sebastian has made above average grades. I’m not really concerned about the grading so much as the teacher’s comments which usually say something like “pay more attention in class” or “follow instructions and work on organization skills”. The thing that amuses me about these comments is that they are almost identical to the ones I recieved as a kid alongside my above average grades. He’s still ahead of his class in reading comprehension by a significant margin, and gets excellent grades on all his math and science homework.

I feel so much better than I have the last four days, but because I’ve hardly eaten in the time I’ve been sick I feel extremely disoriented. I missed dinner last night, and I don’t recall eating lunch either. I’m pretty sure I had a bowl of shredded wheat for breakfast yesterday. This morning I woke up at 1:30 when Mike came to bed, and then again at 2:45, 3:30, 5:25, and finally gave up on pretending to be unconscious at about 6:15. Having awoken without the respiratory issues or coughing from the day before I decided to cook breakfast for the family, but six scrambled eggs and the last of our bacon later there wasn’t enough for everyone… so I really need some lunch. I feel as if I’m Robitrippin’ right now, but I haven’t even taken the Mucinex we have in the linen closet.

Maybe I should get some food and write later… this should be fun to read when I’m in my right mind.

Hier endlich mal ein neuer Eintrag, der schon ein wenig ueberfaellig ist, aber aus Mangel an Internet etwas warten musste:

Am Freitag, den 23. habe ich mich entschlossen meinen ersten Track zu absolvieren. Um nicht gleich zu uebertreiben hatte ich mich fuer den Nydia-Track entschieden, der relativ einfach zu bewaeltigen sein sollte.

Also packte ich meine Sachen, liess mich am suedlichen Ende des Tracks absetzen und ging los.

Mein Weg fuehrte mich durch Dschungel, vorbei an Fluessen und Wasserfaellen.

Nach etwa zwei Stunden erreichte ich den ersten Gipfel von dem aus ich eine angenehme Aussicht auf die Nydia Bay hatte.

Nach zwei Stunden Marsch und einigen durchquerten Baechen erreichte ich die Bay und nach weiteren anderthalb Stunden den Campingplatz.

Nach einer Pause und ein wenig Essen packte mich der Ehrgeiz und ich beschloss den Rest der Strecke noch am geichen Tag zu bewaeltigen. Also erreichte ich nach einiger Zeit den Aufstiegs den zweiten Gipfel mit Ausblick.

Nach einigen Hindernissen auf dem Weg

und dem langsam aufkommenden Gefuehl es nicht mehr vor Einbruch der Dunkelheit zu schaffen, erreichte ich die rettende Duncan Bay doch noch.

Nach 27 km und etwa 11 Stunden Gewaltmarsch war das das froehlichste Gesicht das ich machen konnte:

Nach einer mehr oder weniger angenehmen Nacht auf der Picnicwiese wurde ich am naechsten Tag mit einer wirklich schoenen Aussicht und Sonne belohnt.

Insgesamt ein sehr anstrengendes aber schoenes Erlebnis. Das naechste Ziel:

Der Abel Tasman Track.

[Bastian singur]

Bastian: Ţi s-a cam făcut părul măciucă, este? Toate cărţuliile astea scorţoase din care ies personaje hidoase! Şi cum să vă spun.. că eu… EU trebuie să-i înregistrez pe toţi! Ce s-ar face lumea fără mine? Ah, dar unde rămăsesem? Da, la minunata literă O. Ia să vedem registrul cu numărul 3. O. Otilia. Otello. Ovidiu. Odette. Omletă. Omlette du fromage. Omuşor. Organigramă. O bucată de pâine. [ scoţând din registru o bucată de pâine, Bastian o ridică şi se uită mirat la ea.] O bucată de pâine! Exact ce ziceam mai devreme, ţi se face părul măciucă.

[ Câinele Riki intră în scenă lătrând]

Bastian: Marş, Nitzic! Marş! Sunt ocupat. Începe cu O. O-cu-pat. Înţelegi? Nu înţelegi omeneşte? Ah, doar eşti câine. Câine! [Riki se opreşte din lătrat, se ascunde într-un colţ. Bastian se concentrează căutând prin cărţi, timp în care, în scenă apar, la braţ, Tim Burton şi Johnny Depp.]

Johnny D: Iarna este un anotimp. Unul din cele patru, şi anume al patrulea, cum am învăţat în cartea de citire. Asta era pe vremuri. Acum, vremea s-a schimbat.

Tim B: Nina Cassian. Jocuri de vacanţă, versuri şi proză. Cartea Românească. Lei 9,25.

Johnny D: Bravos!

Tim B: Mai eşti tânăr, piciule. Noi suntem bătrâni. Dacă ai fi bătrân ca noi, ai şti că nu există nimic altceva decât întristarea. Uite ce e.

Johnny D: Michael Ende. Povestea fără sfârşit. Lector Ondine Cristiana Dăscăliţa. Tehnoredactor Victor Maşek. Bun de tipar 24.02.1987. Coli tipar 26,5. [ În acest moment, Bastian se sperie, lasă cărţile, fuge înspre cele două personaje. Cei 2 nu îl văd.]

Bastian: Adică de-aici vin eu! De-aici! Asta e casa mea! O doamne!

Tim B: Bravo, bătrâne. Nu mă aşteptam la una ca asta.

Bastian: Da, nici eu! Doamne, o doamne! Cine sunteţi?

Johnny D: Faci mişto?

Tim B: Pardon?

Johnny D: Ziceam: “Faci mişto?” O ştii pe aia cu “Ţăranii şedeau moromeţian pe marginea şanţului şi tăceau despre una şi alta”?

Bastian: ăăă, ştiţi, eu sunt din…

Tim B: N-o ştiu. De unde-i?

Johnny D: Nu pot să zic.

Bastian: O doamne!

Tim B: Eşti prost sau faci pe prostul?

Johnny D: Am impresia că mai e cineva aici. Ce s-a întâmplat cu ceştile mele?

Bastian: O doamne, da, eu sunt!

Tim B: Ce ceşti? Ceşti? Eşti senil, zău… O doamne!

Johnny D: O doamne!

Bastian: O doamne!

[ ies din scenă unul după altul, disperaţi ]

[ Aceleaşi ceşti de cafea în scenă; în loc de fotolii, două scaune mici, Moliere şi Caragiale cocoţaţi pe ele, suflând balonaşe de săpun ]

Caragiale: În sănătatea coanei Joiţichii! Că e [ sughite ] damă bună!

Moliere: În sănătatea  domnului Agamiţă Dandanache, că e alesul nostru!

Caragiale: Nivelul de realitate fictivă al comediei lui Caragiale reprezintă cel mai eficient…

Moliere: Poftim?

Caragiale: …element de siguranţă pentru nivelul realităţii reale, pe care-l…

Moliere: Poftim?

Caragiale: … conţine şi adăposteşte, precum coaja oului…

Moliere: Gălbenuşul!

Caragiale: Fraţilor! Ne ies cerculeţele pe ochi, pe nas, pe gură, pe sex, pe gură, pe sex, pe gu…

Moliere: Fraţilor! Iată visul nostru realizat! Corneille nu mai există, Racine nu mai există..

Caragiale: Pe gură! Pădurea lui Anubis s-a transformat într-o ceaşcă uriaşă de cafea. Ba în mai multe cărări, mai multe ceşti, după cum vedeţi. Şi cum vă spuneam…

Moliere: Şi cum vă spuneam, când m-am trezit nu mai dormeam!

Caragiale: Ei, aveţi puţintică răbdare. Nu cunosc perfect eu. Eu n-am perfect. În sănătatea lui Fănică!

Moliere: Prin dosul primăriei, pe maidan…

Caragiale: Cine a fost aici înaintea noastră?

Moliere: Noi!

Caragiale: Cum adică noi?

Moliere: [ coboară de pe scăunel, se aşează în fund ] Bastian! Povestea asta nu se mai termină odată? Adu aici o cafea! Sau mai bine două! Trei!

Caragiale: Bastian!

[ Apare Bastian cu un morman de cărţi în braţe, gâfâind, transpirat, cu hainele ude ]

Moliere: Da, Bastian! Unde eşti?

Caragiale: Nu cumva e a altui scriitor?

Moliere: Absolut! Dar asta nu are nici o importanţă. [ Bastian caută un loc să-şi pună cărţile; începe să strângă din ceşti şi să le ducă în culise, pâna nu mai rămâne niciuna.]

Moliere: Bastian!

Caragiale: Îl mai aşteptăm un minut.

Choose Me!

Maybe it’s not such a waste. I’ve been looking around for ways to diversify my online presence, and finally I’ve discovered a justification for spending all morning on the computer tweaking my FB and this site instead of doing dishes or cleaning! My savior, a website called SocialVibe, takes advantage of our browsing these social networking sites and blogs and turns it into charitable donations by utilizing sponsors such as CoffeeMate who donate to the charity I’ve chosen when readers click my posting and contribute a comment or donation to the cause. It’s free (just by entering a note or adding a comment on the site you’re donating -like an adsense kind of thing) and allows you to make a difference in the lives of school kids.  Click the picture on the right (my son, who attends 2nd grade in Illinois) to contribute.

During the month of October there’s a contest called the Social Media Challenge -to see which blogs can contribute the most to help low-income classrooms. I want to WIN, and it’s not just because I have a 2nd grader and a two year old who will also eventually be attending a school in Illinois (where I’ve specified my donations should be sent). If you click the picture of Bastian, any donations or participation grants me points toward the contest.  Did you know the average school teacher spends $500-$700 a year out of pocket and still our kids go without a lot of the tools they could put to good use? Teachers can go to this site, post requests for anything from a small collection of books for a library classroom to a field trip or equipment. Considering the daily advances in technology in this day and age, and the ease with which most grade-school aged kids pick up on all of it -they need our help providing it! Check out this video shown at a convention to encourage schoolteachers to utilize technology, and school districts to provide it.

The links in this post lead to the sponsor (CoffeeMate) who will donate money to DonorsChoose whenever you enter a cup of confidence for Dress for Success. Yesterday I tried out my links, and it’s actually the least time-consuming thing I’ve ever attempted as far as generating revenue online for a cause. When you go to the SocialVibe, your “cup of confidendce” (fewer characters than a Twitter posting, even) is added to their flash ad for the charity. This program helps disadvantaged women get into the workforce with confidence and appropriate business attire. People may think of clothing as being relatively trivial when it comes to holding down a decent job, but these are probably people who’ve never had to go months at a time unable to buy new clothes.  It is pretty difficult to perform well on the job when you’re self-conscious about your appearance. You can’t get a job in a corporate environment on a fast food income, and you certainly can’t wear the same clothes! Trust me, what you wear makes a big difference in the workplace and in how your superiors view you… unless you’re a blogger. But that’s why I’m posting about this! Please help me to Make Every Cup Count.

Now don’t get me wrong… yesterday I did manage to keep up with dishes, get the lightbulb in the fridge to start working after being without it for amost two years, AND I got the stove cleaned out… here are my before and after pics. I didn’t contribute ALL my time yesterday to the computer… but today I’m still here, trying to get back on the domestic track.

So, anyway, check out the button on the right if you have ten or twenty seconds to spare. Just click it and it’ll ask you for a comment or message of about one sentence. Just that little contribution can make a big difference to this charity -because you’re looking at that sponsor’s program while you do it… Ultimately, I’ve chosen to support DonorsChoose.org through this SocialVibe button. Everytime you contribute to the sponsor charity (CoffeeMate’s Dress For Success) they will donate money to Illinois School Kids through DonorsChoose. So EVERYBODY wins -and that makes surfing the web and abandoning my IRL responsibilities worthwhile. Now I just hope my husband doesn’t read this. *wink*

Illustration by Manos Symeonakis

“I want to talk about the future…you were the future, once,” the leader of Britain’s Conservative Party David Cameron told then Prime Minister Tony Blair in their first parliamentary clash four years ago.

The same could have been said of Alexis Tsipras, the leader of Synaspismos, the largest party in the Coalition of the Radical Left (SYRIZA) ahead of Monday’s televised election debate.

When he was elected in February 2008 at the unusually young age of 33 (the average age of the other four main party leaders was 57), Tsipras represented the future and a break with a past that required politicians’ hairlines to recede before their careers could advance.

He also instilled hope that a dynamic third party could emerge to break the New Democracy-PASOK stronghold and put different issues, or at least alternative takes on existing topics, on the agenda.

The wind of optimism that swept across the barren plains of the Greek political landscape was evident in the opinion polls that followed. A month after Tsipras was voted in, support for SYRIZA had soared from around 5 percent in the September 2007 general election to 17 percent, mostly at the expense of an anemic PASOK.

However, Tsipras and his party handled their newfound popularity with immaturity and support for the leftists now stands at 4 percent – just above the threshold for entering Parliament.

The most obvious reason for the party’s demise is its equivocal stance on last December’s riots. Tsipras failed to draw a distinction between what was legitimate protest and downright thuggery. His attempt to refocus attention on Greece’s disaffected youth and the crumbling education system while Athens was burning exposed his lack of experience. His insistence on, in his own words, “taking the struggle to the schools” betrayed his naivety and irresponsibility.

Since then, his leadership has been beset by difficulties, not least a dramatic falling out with Alekos Alavanos, his predecessor. The pair have drifted apart on their vision for the party, whose poor showing in the June European elections led to a very public row between the two. Voters will never trust a party when the people running it don’t trust each other.

As a result, a coalition that seemed to have found its niche as the voice of conscience on social and economic issues has been replaced by a faction that flits about without any real purpose or clarity.

Instead of competing with ND and PASOK or even the Communist Party (KKE) on a national level, Tsipras and SYRIZA chose to focus on issues of narrow interest, such as the vehement opposition to the construction of a shopping mall in Votanikos. SYRIZA’s campaign brought plenty of headlines but it effectively turned a national party into nothing more than a residents’ association.

Yet, even at the tail end of this campaign, Tsipras seems to be rediscovering his momentum and may rescue his leadership. With Alavanos deciding to step aside completely, the party now has the chance to settle on the direction it wants to take. Tsipras certainly appeared unburdened in the leaders’ debate on Monday. He gave a relaxed and assured performance that had many commentators declaring him the winner.

The challenge Tsipras must meet now is to clearly position his party on the political landscape. If he needs any encouragement, he should look to the success of Die Linke, the anti-capitalist, pro-social justice party that is set to make a major impact on next week’s general election in Germany. Die Linke has been polling at about 14 percent and its radical approach has given voters a real alternative to the center-left Social Democrats (SPD), a junior partner in the “grand coalition” government.

“The success of Die Linke is a reflection of the programmatic and personnel weakness of the SPD,” Jens Bastian a senior research fellow at the Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP) told Athens Plus. “The Social Democrats are too closely associated with the grand coalition of Chancellor Merkel. They have not succeeded in providing an independent, left-of-center profile for a social democratic alternative.

“Instead, many voters who would be inclined to vote for SPD, now say that they rather prefer the original, rank-and-file social democratic perspective. SYRIZA can and should position itself as the programmatic alternative to PASOK.”

Apart from being a vessel for disgruntled PASOK supporters, SYRIZA has to also position itself in relation to KKE as well. One of Die Linke’s successes has been attracting ex-communists from eastern Germany. With KKE likely to poll around 8 percent in Greece, SYRIZA should be looking to draw support from the communists.

SYRIZA also has to find an issue on which it will hold a much stronger position than the other parties. Die Linke, for instance, is the only German party strongly opposing the country’s presence in Afghanistan.

However, opposing things cannot be the only thing that defines SYRIZA. It also needs to open up to the possibility of cooperating with PASOK. Tsipras can no longer play the role of the insolent teenager who says “no” to everything.

“Die Linke has strategically placed the SPD in a bind because it is offering collaboration if the mathematics allow for it and the policies provide it,” says Bastian. “So far, it is the SPD that is refusing.

“In Greece, SYRIZA rather gives me the impression that cooperation with PASOK in parliament is out of the question. Why limit your options? Challenge your competitor.”

First though, Tsipras has to challenge himself. The election result on October 4 is likely to be a blow to him and SYRIZA but his appearance in Monday’s debate and its knock-on effect gives cause for the leftists to look forward, not back. It’s now up to Tsipras whether he lurks in the shadows of the past or strides into the future.

This commentary was written by Nick Malkoutzis and first appeared in Athens Plus on September 25, 2009

Jasmine, Athena & Shane.

Connor, Riley & Daniel.

Joseph, Daniel & Stanley.

Abigail & Jackson

Evangeline & Cana.

Katie & Mary.

Talulla, Aila, Devanie & Kate

Tommy & Emma

Piper & Phoebe

Holden, Gabriel & Imogen

Vincent & Micah

Grace, Gavin & Finnegan.

Luke & Jacinda

Alaina & Alex

Maddison & Camryn (twins)

Jordan, Jax & Kelli

Regan & Tamsyn

Kaylee & Tyler

Frances & Sailor

Rosalie & Penelope

Arion & Sofia

William & Violet

Breanna & Madelyn

Dominic, Xander & Felix

Layla, Paisley (g) & Thatcher

Harriet, Henri & Hazel

Kaelin, Karlee, Kevin & Kaleb

Bastian, Malakai, Magus & Jace

Jack, Megan & Kevin

Genevieve, Brooklyn & Callia

Boston & Ashton

Jordynnn, Preston, Kyson & Gavin.

Noella & Ezra

Jack & Silas

Gage, Escher & Bella

Jaden, Mara & Fenn

Canyon, Rory & Arden

Hayden & Wilder (g)

Veda,girl, girl, boy, Thea.

Levi, Reuben & Silas

Faelynn & Evan

Lili & Camiana

Scarlette & Ruby

Kitiara & Aerith

Audric & Nouvelle

Talan & Taryn

Grace, Lauren & Stella

Sarala & Kaelyn

Aldria & James

Isabella, Declan & Henry.

Delaney, Camden & Paxton

Keira & Piper

Skyler, Airyanna & Oceana

Aurora, Oliver,Simon, Savannah, Harrison, Genevieve & Sebastian

Jordan, Elizabeth &  Savanna

Makaley, Arden,  Anniston, Taegan, Balen, Kellen, Ellery, Innish & Finnian

Brooke & Bree

Boston, Harlem & Memphis

Kevin,Kennyth & Sofiya

Grace, Kate & Claire.

Anthony, Ephram & Avalea

Fallon & Piper

Alyssa, Lauren,Lily & Luke

Samuel& Ian

Faithlynn & Mairyn

Jacob & Paige

Blake & Marina

Ivy & Kael

TRACKLIST:

01. Dependenti
02. Vino (album version) (cu Bastian)
03. Acasa
04. Filosofia bordurii (cu Don’ Tony)
05. Daca
06. La lumina stalpului
07. Bun
08. Gata
09. 9 (cu Alexandra Craescu)
10. Printre cadavre VII
11. Inca poti
12. Zi-mi ca nu te-ai gandit macar odata la asta
13. Ultimele 5 minute

http://www.amfm.ro/

The Neverending Story by Michael Ende

Well, I just finished reading “The Neverending Story” and I have to say that I simply loved it.  If you’ve seen the first movie, and have the regrets of seeing the second movie, then you have a pretty good idea of the plot (I won’t even talk about the fact that they made a third movie, except to mention that apparently Jack Black was in it.  Weird).

The first movie only takes up the first third of the book:  Bastian walks into a book store and walks out with a book titled “The Neverending Story”.  Sneaking into the school attic to read it, Bastian soon discovers that the book is far more than it seems.

“The Neverending Story” took a different approach to the “story within a story” theme than I’d seen before.  The whole book is printed in two different colors of ink: purple and green.  Anything that takes place in the real world (Bastian’s world) is printed in purple.  Anything that takes place in the world of the book (Atreyu’s world) is printed in green.  The effect is startling.  When you reach the green sections, your eyes quickly adjust.  But then, suddenly, it switches back to purple, to the real world.  The purple text is so much darker than the green that it surprises you and really gives you the feeling of “Holy cow, I’m back in the real world!”  Truly a master stroke.

I loved reading the first third of the story, (admittedly, it was the part I was most familiar with).  After that, everything changes.  I don’t want to give away too much but, suffice it to say, the second movie did take a bunch of elements from the later parts of the book.  There was a great deal more to it and, truthfully, I didn’t like it quite as much as the rest.  This portion of the book was more remniscent of “The Wizard of Oz” (the book) or ancient Mythology.  Rather than continuing the long narrative as strongly as it had been, it’s more like a series of adventures that happen to encorporate the same character.  Our hero travels to a city, meets people with a problem, hero solves things, and moves on.  Repeat.

It seems as if this would get tiresome after a while (and, truthfully, it does a bit) but you reach the end and you feel as if it was all worth it.  All those little side trips were actually worth your time and truly did evolve things.

All in all, I would certainly recommend this book (if, for no other reason than, you want to know what name Bastian gives to the Child-Like Empress).  It’s a sweet story, but more complex and adult than it would initially seem.  I teared up more than once (though no more than twice) and I feel that if you’re a fan of more classic fantasy stories, or a fan of the movies, then you’re certain to love this one.

And now, your Link ala Mode:  “If you ask me, his alignment’s closer to Lawful Stupid.”

And, just because I like it, the following.  To the winch, wench!

With double-breasteds so trendy, and with Bastian just dominating the scene, it only makes sense to put this blazer on the list. And it’s coming out this Fall. Again, Bastian does an incredible job making preppy country club clothing totally street legal. Elbow patches keep things fresh and different, and a gorgeous lining coupled with a super sleek fit make this less smug than a typical yacht-ready blazer with gold buttons might typically be. At $2200, it’ll cost you, but Bastian’s stuff almost always does. Be on the look out for it hitting Bergdorf in the near future.

Unser Gastautor und Hobby-Sensationsreporter Monti Ballboa skizziert ein Horrorszenario, mit dem Michael Bay problemlos die tropischen Kinosääle füllen würde.

Die Schweinegrippe ist längst zum Sommerlochevent #1 motiert. Täglich stampft der Axel-Springer Verlag neue Schlagzeilen wie “Seuchenalarm auf Malle-Wir saufen trotzdem weiter!” aus dem Boden und auch das neue ZDF-Studio veranschaulicht mithilfe von millionenschweren GEZ-Animationen die Gefahr der Epedemie. Noch kann Claus Kleber das Volk beruhigen, doch was passiert wenn unser TV-Liebling in einem russichen Raketen-Silo vergessen wird?

Fakt ist nämlich, dass mit Micah Richards von Manchester City bereits der erste Profi mit dem A/H1N1-Virus infiziert wurde. Nun stelle man sich vor, es entstände eine physische Diskussion um das Genital des City-Neueinkauf Adebayor,die in einem Gruppenringen auf dem Duschboden der Luxuskabine gipfelt. Der komplette Milliarden-Kader würde ausfallen und der Scheich würde in sein goldenes Taschentuch schniefen um anschließend Milan aufzukaufen.

Diese Geschichte könnte man endlos weiterstricken. Der internationale Fussball würde durcheinadner gewirbelt werden und Köln zum Meister gekrönt werden. Sie feiern die Viren einfach weg.

Auch die virtuelle Fussballwelt droht sich zu verändern. Sollte das Gesundheitsministerium tatsächlich die Schulferien bis zur Massenimpfung im Oktober verlängern, so droht die Vorherrschaft der roten Gesellschaft im Onlinmodus zu fallen, falls untalentierte Ranzenträger ihr fehlendes Spielgefühl durch überdurschnittliche Erfahrung ausgleichen.

Es bleibt abzuwarten ob die Bild das Thema ruhen lässt wenn die Bundesliga endlich losgeht,  ob wir demnächst auf Ferkelkämpfe wetten müssen und ob im Notfall freie Plätze für die Arche des ManCity-Besitzers verlost werden.

Nesten tre uker på sørlandet er over. Tre uker med mye mer regn enn sol, mange timer i sofaen med mitt uendelig store evighetsbroderi, noen få timer på solsenga i hagen med en god bok, mange turer i grått og noe vått vær og endel timer surfende på et tregt mobilt nett. Det har også blitt tid til en hoteltur til Stavanger for mamma og meg, og en tur til Kristiansand der jeg traff Renate og besøkte Hanna Grethe og Marius. Det har vært mange gode, deilige dager – på tross av stadig nye nedbørsrekorder.

Huset vårt på Lene

... skal en gang bli en spisebordduk

Bihusveggen

Den grønne Lenefjorden

Rotur

Mamma på Sjokoladepiken i Stavanger

Likevel vil sommerens sørlandsferie først og fremst være forbundet med noe veldig trist. Sist fredag måtte vi ta den fryktelig vonde avgjørelsen om å tilkalle dyrlegen og si hade til vår elskede, kjære, skjønneste Bastian. Det gjør vondt i hjertet og tomheten og savnet etter vårt firbente familiemedlem er enorm. Trøsten er at han ikke har det vondt lenger. Men hvem skal slikke mine tårer nå?

Jeg syns stadig jeg hører Bastian komme tuslende og den velkjente snorkelyden fra under sofaen. Jeg må minne meg selv om at jeg ikke vil bli møtt av bjeffing og logring når jeg kommer inn døra. Jeg lukker fremdeles automatisk ytterdøra ekstra godt, så ikke Bastian skal klare å komme ut, og de første dagene måtte jeg stoppe meg selv fra å smøre en ekstra leverposteiskive til frokost. Det er rart, det er tomt, det er trist og det er vondt. Men vi snakker om han og smiler.

Da jeg logga meg på Facebook sist fredag ettermiddag, hadde skjønne Pernillevennen lagt ut et notat dedikert til Bastian. Tusen takk, kjære deg.

Regnbruebroen – til Bastian

Et sted finnes det en bro mellom himmelen og jorden…

På denne siden av himmelen finnes det et helt spesielt sted: Regnbuebroen.

Når et dyr som har stått en av oss spesielt nær til slutt dør, begynner det sin vandring til Regnbuebroen. Der finnes det bølgende enger og åser hvor våre elskede venner kan løpe og leke sammen. Det er nok av mat, vann og solskinn der som sørger for at våre venner er varme og fornøyde.

Alle dyr som har vært syke og gamle får tilbake helse og styrke, de som har vært skadet eller lemlestede blir gjort hele og sterke igjen, akkurat slik vi minnes dem i våre drømmer om en forgangen tid.

Dyrene våre er lykkelige og tilfredse, bortsett fra en liten ting: Hver og en av dem savner noen som var svært spesiell for dem, noen de måtte forlate. Alle løper omkring og leker til den dagen kommer da en av dem plutselig stopper og ser mot horisonten… Blikket er klart og oppmerksomt, den ivrige kroppen begynner å skjelve. Plutselig løper han bort fra de andre, flyr over det grønne gresset så fort bena kan bære ham, fortere og fortere…

Han har fått øye på deg, og når du og din spesielle venn møtes klynger dere dere til hverandre i usigelig lykke, for aldri mer å skilles. Overlykkelig slikker han deg over hele ansiktet, hånden din kjærtegner igjen det elskede hodet, og ennå en gang ser du inn i disse trofaste øynene til denne vennen som så lenge har vært borte fra livet ditt, men som aldri forsvant fra hjertet ditt.

Så vandrer du og din spesielle venn sammen over Regnbuebroen…

Beste Bastian - jeg savner deg