Today I had a very large to-do list to get through which included the very challenging activity of clothes shopping.  I hate clothes shopping with the passion of a thousand burning suns.  Clothes shopping for me usually ends with me not being able to find anything I like and/or going home in a fit of depressive rage. However, today not only was I able to find what I wanted, I also didn’t get depressed about the number on the label (go some minor sense of self-acceptance).  Plus I was only told twice that what I was going to try on was actually for men.  Yes, when you are a woman who shops for herself in the men’s department, people assume that you got lost on the way to the women’s section and didn’t happen to notice the rather masculine clothing you were attempting to try on. They also seem quite shocked when you tell them that you are well aware you are trying on men’s clothing.

Not only did I find some clothing, but also some boots for winter as well. This was not quite as great an accomplishment as I just went and brought the same winter boots I have been wearing the last 2 winters which alas, now have a massive hole in the sole.  I was also told that what I was buying was men’s shoes, but the lady then recognised my 9 3/4 shirt and we had a great chat about Harry Potter (in German!), so I forgave her. Still, to find that they are still making one of the most comfortable boots ever made was a great relief and my feet will now be toasty warm and most importantly dry all through winter.

Then as I was wandering around the city ticking stuff off my to-do list,  I came across a spontaneous market as you do quite frequently in Germany, which had a gorgeous seasonal centrepiece.

I just love living in the Northern Hemisphere where not only do you have four distinct seasons, but they are celebrated with such gorgeous and sometimes unusual decorations.

At the market I found some Dufthölzer (scented wooden balls) which were only 7 for €10 and so naturally I brought 7.  Now my drawers smell like lavender (including some cedar to keep away the moths), my bathroom smells like wild cherry and because I love lavender so much, my living room also smells of lavender (minus the cedar).

Then I got to head back home and enjoy the weirdly warm (21C!!) temperatures we are having whilst watching the leaves fall from the trees.  There is something not right about walking around in a t-shirt in the middle of October.  Still I can’t complain when the view from my balcony looks like this and I can sit outside and enjoy it.