Frankendecken Journal thread

I had hoped to check mail and do some lists during lunch on Wednesday, but because the wireless internet didn't work at the café, I spent some time sorting through the Frankendeck instead and putting all the cards in order again. It was actually very nice to sit down and take it easy for a little while.

I really like looking through the cards and strangely enough, the fact that they are all different has a very soothing and calming effect on me. You'd think it would be distracting and chaotic – some who have seen the Frankendeck have reacted like that, with complete confusion "what IS this thing and WHAT on EARTH are you supposed to do with it?" – but I just think it's lovely that no two cards are alike, and have no problem at all with that.

Instead, I find it oddly calming and I get a very comfortable feeling from it. The feeling I get is like "everything is okay, everything is good". Maybe it's because so many have been contributing to this deck and it in itself is proof that people can come together and make something beautiful and meaningful out of little pieces that would lack meaning and use on their own.

Friday morning it's time to send the Frankendeck on to the next host on the list...

...I will really miss the little monster.

Day 7: Thursday

Today the Frankendeck spent a quiet day with me, while I spent the day working, catching up on some reading and doing paperwork.
It's been many times today when I needed a little break, and wanted to take out the cards and just play with them a bit.
I've spread them out on the carpet and sorted them different ways just for fun: according to picture themes, colour schemes, size, back pattern and so on. Fun and relaxing. Just playing around.

The last evening with the lovely nutty Frankendeck. It feels sad, but on the other hand, I'm happy that a lot of other fabulous people all over the world will be playing with this fun deck, enjoying it, and then telling all their different stories from different faraway places in this thread...

I'll put the deck in the mail tomorrow, and maybe get a few last photos on the way to the post office...

Bonus photos

Here are some extra bonus photos from the Frankendeck's visit to Stockholm, that I forgot to post before. Enjoy!

It is a sunny summer day in a quiet backstreet in Gamla Stan.

And a local runestone, since we didn't get to go to old Uppsala.
It is a memorial stone dating from about 1100 that reads: "Torsten and Frögunn they [part of the text is lost, but probably was: "let put up the"] stone after [part of the stone is broken here, and the name is lost], their son". The house is from the 1600's, but the cellars are from medieval times so it's possible the stone was put in the wall then. But nobody really knows for sure.
The black thing on the side there is an old cannon, that's been put there to protect the house corner and the runestone from carts bumping into it and doing damage. Not that there are many carts rolling on the streets these days, now it's mostly protecting it from being bumped into by tourists.

And this will be the last post from the Frankendeck trip to Stockholm. Next stop: Germany!

Happy travels, Frankie – and be good!

On a grey and rainy day, Frankendecken arrived in Nuremberg, Germany!

He is in perfect condition, safely wrapped by oddity, and the patchwork bag is soooo cool.

I was running late, so he had to come to the office with me, where he now sits beside the computer, collecting remarks from my colleagues.
We have a very busy work day, but I had to promise to bring him back again tomorrow and do a few readings.

Hopefully, the weather will improve so we can do some sightseeing together!

ETA: Weather had cleared up a bit during the day, so here is Frankie in front of my house.

Frankie playing...

Yesterday after work, I took Frankie into the Old Town for some sightseeing.

We visited the old market square, where the famous Christkindlesmarkt (traditional Christmas market) is held in December.

Here is a pic of Frankie from a similar perspective. And one in the street that eventually leads up to the castle.

The golden Gothic looking structure on the square is called Schöner Brunnen (beautiful well) and was originally built in 1370, but has been changed and restored many times over the centuries. It is adorned with 40 statues depicting allegorical figures, evangelists, and worldly and clerical rulers.

A seemless, rotating ring is inserted in the ironwork which is said to fulfill wishes when you turn it. Most tourists overlook the simple iron ring and turn an elaborate golden one ... which was added in 1902 and according to the Nuremberg people has no powers!!

Frankie and I did not want to take any risks and turned both.

Look closely to find Frankie in the 1st picture ... this structure is 19m high! The plate in the 2nd pic is the description of the well. And then, the two rings!

Next, we picked out the postcard which will be sent as part of the Frankendecken project. I had a hard time deciding, so I chose 4 different postcards and then pulled a card from the deck. It was my own contribution, from the Comparative Tarot, so I bought the card with multiple images.

To top things off, I sampled some of the famous gingerbread (Lebkuchen).

Today is not a good day...

We had to go to a friend's funeral. His death was very sudden and unexpected, a heart attack. His wife of 38 years was so devatated it broke my heart

So, not much fun things to do for Frankie. We are in Munich, where our main home is.
We did walk to the club premises of my favourite soccer club, FC Bayern, which happens to be right in our street

I asked Frankie about the next season, and he wisely showed my the Wheel of Fortune, from the Feng shui Tarot. Yes, soccer is all about that!

We are watching the Eurovision Song Contest with friends.

I asked Frankie:

- Who will win?
The World - who is wearing a short blue dress, just like the singer from Azerbaijan, who was also one of the favourites prior to the contest, so this would be my bet.

- How will Germany's contestant Lena do?
8 of Wands - going up rapidly, finishing 8th?