December 2015 Things

Waiting for Jan to arrive. Later I am teaching my Monday Oldies. They are so called to differentiate them from my Tuesday Oldies! After that I am going to a(n) SPD conference. Members will form 6 groups to discuss policies for the district to be pursued over the next ten years.

December has the usual meetings and activities, but so far with five parties planned! Next Sunday I'm going to the local protestant church with Johanna and Gang to enjoy a performance of Bach's Weihnachts(Christmas)oratorium.

I recently got an e-mail from Holger. He was sorting through some papers and found a couple of photos. He sent copies to me. What a surprise! They were taken in 1987 when he, Gabi, Rolf and a couple of friends did a UK tour taking in Brighton, which is where I met them. Rolf is in the photo and I think he is smoking a cigarette - as usual!



The photos were taken outside my flat. Vernon Terrace if you can remember. My flat was on the second floor and behind the three bowed windows was the living room.

It was here that I finished my academic writing, fell in love with Anne, went with her to classical music classes, had to stay in hospital with first suspected heart attack, and planned my escape from the UK. Very mixed memories. Thanks for the photos Holger!

Who has a birthday in December? Michael N. starts the month with his 51st on the 5th, Stefan of Photoshop fame will be 55 on the 7th, 'Bruv-in-Law' Geoff will celebrate his birthday in Silsden with sister Fran on the 13th. My great niece Evie will be all of 8 years old on the 18th. Julie B. will be 41 on the 20th which she shares with Thomas here in Berlin who will be 55 on that day. Neil D. will be 69 on the 28th. On that day Stefan Sch. will be 32. As usual, Ian in Australia ends the birthday list with his 56th on the 30th. A day he will no doubt celebrate with Birgit.

Happy Birthday to each and all and have a wonderful day with family and friends! 

Tablet grandson

My iMac got a grandson yesterday. Yes, strange but true. Just look at the photo and you can see the baby happily sleeping against Grandpa - Ach wie schön! The background to this story is not so nice. Get a glass of whiskey and settle down to get annoyed!

The story begins last mid-July. An elderly gentleman called 'Oldie H' had a mental breakdown. I have mentioned him a few times on this blog so regular readers will know about him. He had earlier suffered heart problems and had a number of operations.. This time he said his neighbours were all Nazis and wanted to kill him to get his flat.

Before this revelation, he went into a branch of a large chain of electrical stores near his then home. For some unknown reason he bought this Samsung tablet and a large modern 'smart phone' including contract to use the things online.

He has a laptop and apart from writing a few e-mails doesn't know how to use it. He also has a WLAN router but even after two installations from 'specialists' it doesn't work. He has more than one mobile phone but only uses them to call people. In short, he has no idea how to use his new Samsung tablet or his large new smart phone and he does not have the system at home to support them.

I recently visited him in his new flat and discovered this story. My first reaction was to take both pieces of equipment back to the store, find the salesman and then stuff both down his throat. The Samsung first and then the smart phone as dessert!!! He asked me to take the Samsung home and get it working. I  did this as you can see.

The Samsung also has a chip so it can be used as a phone. He bought this later and installed it but never used it. When I tried to activate it the thing asked me for a PUK. I talked to Oldie H this morning and brought him up-to-date. I told him he had to find the PUK and get his WLAN working. Let's see what happens.

Meanwhile, I wonder what someone would do with this salesman in a Tarrentino film. I think it would be worse than forcing both down his throat!! What do you think?

Potsdamer Platz

It snowed a lot earlier. I ventured out to buy food and things for the weekend from my local supermarker, then retreated to the warmth of my palace! Jan and Arancha are in town. They have a busy schedule and I shall probably see them on Monday before they depart.

Looking forward to that and catching up on news. Meanwhile, I recently opened a magazine and read a report about Potsdamer Platz. I then realised I had never posted information about it on my blog. It is now a major tourist attraction and a place I enjoy visiting.

As you probably know, it houses three cinema complexes with a total of 30 screens in and around the Sony Centre. One only shows films in the original language so that is where I go to watch films such as the latest James Bond film called Spectre. I found a brief history of the area. Here it is:----

Potsdamer Platz  is an important public square and traffic intersection in the centre of Berlin, Germany, lying about 1 km (1,100 yd) south of the Brandenburg Gate and the Reichstag (German Parliament Building), and close to the southeast corner of the Tiergarten park. It is named after the city of Potsdam, some 25 km (16 mi) to the south west, and marks the point where the old road from Potsdam passed through the city wall of Berlin at the Potsdam Gate. 

After developing within the space of little over a century from an intersection of rural thoroughfares into the most bustling traffic intersection in Europe,  it was totally laid waste during World War II and then left desolate during the Cold War era when the Berlin Wall bisected its former location. Since German reunification, Potsdamer Platz has been the site of major redevelopment projects.

It really is worth taking time to explore the area when you are next in Berlin. Near to my favourite cinema complex is the Philharmonie Centre where you can hear the world famous orchestra in its local hall famous for its clarity of sound.  Treat yourself to a concert, and there are lots of restaurants and bars to relax in before or after your concert --- or film! 

Snowing

Yes, it is snowing and the temperature on my balcony is 6°C. It is the first snow of the season. Perhaps the heavens decided to open to welcome the new 'Genosse-Vertreter Johannes' :-))

I woke early and found my head full of ideas to write a pamphlet to the EVM-Genossin I now represent. I decided to take this week to do it and then have it checked by Marita. When printed out I shall deliver it to each member's post box. That way they shall quickly get to know Vertreter Johannes!

I started the day with a strange urge to clean my fridge-freezer. I discovered a lot of fish in the freezer. They all went into three different cooking pots as I continued to clean the fridge. My flat stank of cooked fish as I pushed on with the cleaning.

I now have a very clean fridge-freezer and lots of fish to put on the menu this week. I wonder what to cook with the fish to make it/them interesting and edible?

Next week looks very much like last week for appointments. The big test will be on Friday. Let's see if Daniel is able to sort his diary out and get to my place at 5.00 pm, as agreed last Friday.  Daniel .... note that it is pm = evening, and not am = morning!!!

Genosse-Vertreter Johannes

Yesterday afternoon I was voted as a Vertreter (Representative) for people living in my area of the housing association of which we are members. I can hold office for 5 years. Since I moved to this part of Berlin and joined the housing association (EVM) I have complained at the lack of representation.

I always wondered why my fellow German association members voted in the elections but none of them stepped forward to represent their interests. I talked about this to a number of members and friends. They had no idea why the Lichtenberg/Karlshorst members were so passive.

In a recent discussion, one of them said I should stand for office and both shame the other mainly younger members and also start to activate them. In short: Shut up or put up! I decided to stand for office. I was partly motivated by the new construction opposite my flat and knowledge that about 300 new members would be moving in from next April.

From that number I am sure I shall find some activists who I can work with, and who can take over my office, for I am only going to stand for one term. I prepared a speech and Marita checked it for grammar. I practiced it with her a few times.

Yesterday was election day in the Town Hall of an area called Neue Kolln which is next to the district where I live. Two buses were hired to take members from my area to  and from the meeting. We arrived okay and I took my seat. I was the 6th speaker of the 31 candidates to be elected to the 13 seats.

I did not feel nervous as I walked to the front and faced the microphones. It was not very different from meeting a new English class!! I delivered my speech slowly and with emphasis as I had practiced. I noted I had the attention of all just after I started and they even laughed at my joke as I ended my speech. I got a very good round of applause as I returned to my seat.

Three other speakers referred to my contribution and said they agreed with my points. Others said it was the best speech of the meeting. After lunch we got the result of the vote. I came in at No:8 and so was elected to represent my area.  I can now call myself SPD-Genosse and EVM-Genosse-Vertreter Johannes :-)))

McDan

There was an appointment with Daniel in my diary at 4.00 pm today. In German this is 16.00 Uhr but we always agree to write out our appointments in English. I waited, and waited, and waited. He only has a 'smart phone' which I called five times between 4 and 5.00 pm. No answer.

I wanted to ask the standard question, 'Where are you', but couldn't. I couldn't understand why he didn't have his phone on and/or with an answer phone service. I even have all these services on my 'non-smart phones'!

At 5.00 pm he rang my doorbell. I asked him about his phone and he said it was at home! Do you buy a smart phone to leave it at home? I told him he was late and so there would be no lesson today. He wasn't happy about that. I asked him where the note was on which I had written the appointment for today. The answer was, 'I don't know!'

Being a nice person  :-)) I offered him some tea and McVitie Digestives. We started with the originals and then I offered him a biscuit with milk chocolate. He liked the chocolate digestive better so I gave him the rest of the packet to take home.

He then asked me why I had not up-dated my blog for a week. My answer was, ' I had nothing of interest or important to say'. He just stared at me in surprise.

We then agreed to meet next week and I wrote the appointment in my diary. He wrote it on a piece of paper and then he left. As I closed the door I looked at my diary. Guess what?  His note was still on my diary.

He had forgotten to pick it up. Here it is. I wonder if it has anything to do with being nineteen or even twenty for Marcel has a gold medal for being the worst time organiser in Berlin! Marcel - be careful for you have a new competitor for your title!

Spectre

I saw the new James Bond film called Spectre yesterday. I met Marcel and Kyrill outside the Sony Centre Kino where they only show films in the original language. Both wanted to see it in English, which is a compliment to their language skills.

I was surprised at how good the film was and that it developed themes/plots seen in the last Bond film. It starts with Bond being nice to a lady :-) before he goes off to kill some 'baddies', in the course of which things get explosive! I can really recommend that you find a cinema showing this film, settle into your seat, and just enjoy the fantasy world of Mr Bond.

I have no appointments today - hurrah! I slept a little later before starting the day by reading a few chapters  in my German book and noting new words, which were in a kind of Platt-Deutsch/Low-German spoken earlier in East Prussia. Then a bit of tidying up and checking e-mails.

I got some nice images from Ian and Birgit in Sydney. Here they are. You can see that Spring is 'Sprungening' in and around Sydney. They recently moved to a new house a long stones throw from their old one.

One photo is of the flowers in front of a neighbour's house and the other is of the entrance to The Barracks. I spent a few hours there on a conducted tour when I was in Sydney earlier this year. It was late summer then so not as colourful as now. Happy memories!

Now to wash-up and see what is for lunch apart from dry bread.

Busy Boy

I've been a busy boy today. It started with talking to Ian in Australia. Later I went for a walk and took some more photos of the building opposite my flat. The weather was surprisingly good with a blue sky and sun. It even reached 20°C on my balcony!

On my return I did the lesson plans for my Oldie courses tomorrow and Tuesday. I have never been able to enter a classroom without some kind of lesson plan, no matter how short. Interesting co-incidence that the guest in Private Passions on Radio 3 was an academic originally from north India. I listened as I wrote.

He has developed a theory about how children learn. He says they don't need a teacher or classroom. They only need each other, a task and someone like a grandmother to support them. A very interesting argument, but I am taking my lesson plan tomorrow. All of my Oldies grew up in a standard education system so have preconditioned expectations!

Later I did the ironing then started on the main task. Yes, I cooked. It was an all veggie event based on seasonal root vegetables. Included were two beetroot so I ended up cooking them separately. The rest was cooked in two pans.

One started with garlic and onions fried in olive oil. I then added aubergines and a green root veg. The others were cooked in water separately before adding to the other cooked veg and beetroots. Very tasty and I have enough left for two meals.  I even managed an afternoon snooze after the veggie lunch. How was your Sunday?

Rent a Pad

I have just talked to Ian in Sydney via Skype and so had the chance to get more information about the place he rented in summer. A few of my German readers asked for details. Perhaps they want to 'rent-a-pad' for next summer!

The building is called Auchinleck House near the town of Auchinleck, in the east of Ayrshire, in the south of Scotland. It is on the site of the older Auchinleck Castle, which was the seat of a family called Auchinleck, who also had a baron title and was first recorded in 1241.

Both remained in the family until 1504 when the only surviving daughter marred a gent called Thomas Boswell. He got the property and became the Laird of Auchinleck. This family is famous for a friendship with Dr. Johnson, as you surely know. The house you can see here was built in 1760, probably from the stones of the old castle.

Many such families had problems to maintain such properties and this was the case with the Boswell family. In 1986 the property was taken over by the Scottish Historic Buildings Trust and in 1999 it was bought by The Landmark Trust. You can find a lot of information about this Trust on their website. The function of the Trust is to preserve old buildings and let them for holidays.

Nice idea and long may they do it. Ian and Birgit found the house on the Trust's website and rented it for 10 days last summer. They invited friends with their children and enjoyed time together. You can rent this too. It sleeps 13 people, has a large kitchen and dining room for communal eating and is cheaper per day than a hotel.

Here is a photo of the hosts at the entrance to the mansion. I plan to visit England next summer so now I am thinking about having a large family gathering in such a place. Must look on the Trust website to find a suitable 'rent-a-pad' not too far away from a plentiful supply of Fish 'n Chips and Pork Pies :-))

Writing Talent

I recently posted about sister Frances' sketching/painting talent and sister Pauline's poem writing talent. Nice to report another one. It is about Holger in Bremen. He recently visited Berlin in the company of his better half, the wonderful Gabi. I posted a story and photos about their visit.

He gave me a book as a present and to mark our first meeting in many years. I recently finished reading the giant book about 'The German Genius' and so only recently opened his present. It is a book of 22 short stories by the same number of writers. They are illustrated crime stories about art. This is the common link.

The book is in German and composed of stories by local 'hobby' writers. Like Holger, they all have full time jobs and write as a hobby. They are also members of a Bremen based writers group who meet up and plan writing tasks. I can recommend the book to all my German readers. The ISBN is 978 - 3 - 95494 - 048 - 6.

Holger's story is at the end of the book on page 164. His story is called 'Der Kunstliebhaber' which I translate as 'The art lover'. It begins with a man sitting at home who will shortly die. He is surrounded by lots of valuable paintings, but they mean nothing to that which he saw years ago, could never forget and saw again only that day. The story then moves to Guernica in Spain in the spring of 1937 and unfolds.

Very nice story Holger and I hope millions of Germans buy the collective book and you all write another one. Now to read the stories of others in your writers collective. Happy reading!

Before and After

I couldn't wait to try the McVitie biscuits, so as I munched the first one I thought I should do something else in addition to chew. Yesterday I sorted out three bags of paperwork and threw most into the re-cycling bin. With no more paper to occupy my time. I looked for something else to do.

I decided to polish the silver again. Some time ago I found these pieces in the cellar and returned them to my living room. I was rather surprised at how dark they had become during their long sleep in the cellar. Stefan: Now tell me they were not sleeping!

I enjoyed seeing them return to bright shiny life as I munched the McVities with coffee. I thought about the other silver, bronze, copper objects in the cellar which I brought back from India many years ago. I need another room for these, and my paintings from India.

They don't fit into my current room designs. I need a larger place with an India Room. That is a good idea -- and now it is time for another McVitie!

McVitssssss

Unbelievable but I found some. What? McVitie's Digestive biscuits, of course! The first time ever in Berlin. The story began earlier today. I galloped to my local bus stop for the 09:38 towards Lichtenburg S-Bahn/U-Bahn/Regional station.

I wanted to go to the AWO building where we Oldie SPD members meet for our Thursday breakfast. I got there at 10.00 am, which is when the chewing and slurping normally begins. But not today. Some idiots got into the empty flat about the AWO rooms and opened all the taps. Breakfast was literally 'washed out'! I believe the police are investigating.

Denied of my Oldie Breakfast, I walked to the station and decided to look around the recently opened EDEKA supermarket there. It is a large chain in Germany and boasts a wide range of goods. I browsed the aisles and then my eyes came out like 'organ stops!!'

I stared at a range of McVitie biscuits. They stared at me and we both blinked!  The classic digestive and one with chocolate. They whispered, "Buy Me". So I did, and more than one packet.  I am going to munch them later with coffee. Now how can I get a store to sell Pork Pies from Skipton?

November 2014 Things

October was a month of mixed things. Some old and some new. It was dominated by a return to regular  teaching which ended yesterday, and helping two groups of mainly senior women to improve their English. They need it for travel/tourism next Spring and Summer.

They are great fun to be with for they have life experience on which to base communication. They seem to like it for the keep asking if friends can join. We now have two groups and they do all the homework and enjoy talking. Hope they keep talking during November :-))

I'm looking forward to getting back into my weekly routine, particularly to training and meeting Kerstin's Oldie Keep Fit Gang on a Friday morning. In addition I have my PhotoClub, on Wednesday afternoon, the SPD Senior Breakfast Gang each Thursday morning, Photoshop Gang each Friday afternoon and my Spanish Gang on Tuesday afternoon.

I've also been invited to a number of SPD meetings including a regional conference on the 10th November, and a conference about the future programme of the SPD at the end of the month. Should be interesting and that I can in some small way influence policy which has an impact on the lives of many Berliners.

Who has a birthday in November? Daniel hits all of 19 tomorrow, Jeff/Robb/Annie all celebrate their 60th birthday on the 19th November in/around Amersfoort in the Netherlands, Sarah follows on 22nd November with her 55th in London, Stephen S. hits 58 on the 28th in Berlin and ends our birthday list. Happy Birthday to each and all and have a great day with family and friends!

Sleeping Breakfast

I got an interesting E-mail from Stefan yesterday. It was about my recent blog post with photo and text about the leaves dropping from the trees in my garden. He was not too happy about me using the word 'sleeping'.

This is what he said: " Btw. the leaves are not "sleeping", as you stated euphemistically, they are actually dying and rotting (being digested by microbes), but that's the circle of life (giving back their nutrients to the environment).

In Göttingen I worked beside other things on aging of leaves. The beautiful bright Indian Spring colours derive from carotinoids and xantophylles the plant produces to protect itself from drought or other abiotic stress. I now do the same with algae: I reduce their nitrogen source and turn up light exposure in order to make them produce lipids (fat=biofuel) and they turn from spring-bright green to autumn shades of olive & sad yellow."

Now we know!  He is a highly qualified biologist/botanist/ and knows his stuff, so my leaves are not sleeping....they are moving into a natural 'not-alive' stage! 

He recently moved to a new town, flat, job and laboratory. Here is a photo of him at work and his breakfast. He calls it his 'Traditional English Breakfast'. In the canteen he gets strange looks from vegetarian colleagues. 

He also commented on my pork pie post. He included a list of other dishes he likes based on meat and pastry. Here it is:  pelmeni, tortellini, ravioli, piroshki, pirukad (estonian!), empanadas, kudu, oystrich, Maultaschen, dumplings, wan tan, spring rolls, pot stickers. 

He is a much travelled man and enjoys discovering new foods and tastes. Stefan, on behalf of my readers I would like to thank you very much for your contribution.