My Christmas Day

I had a very pleasant Christmas Day

I was rather surprised at my day after a splendid evening with Marga. I got up late and got slowly into the day starting with only coffee for breakfast. I cleaned the flat and did a few things then prepared the food for the evening meal. As I was about to shower, Micha rang the bell. I set him up with coffee then showered and put on relaxing lazy day clothes = rather old and baggy!

We chatted and I showed him other things about the internet, for as you should know by now he is starting an Internet Course for Seniors in just over a week. He decided not to set up an e-mail account but wait to do this in the course.

I started to cook and then Hermann arrived on time from his job at the Bauhaus Museum. He told us that there were a lot of visitors today including many from England - which I found rather surprising. They ate my food with relish and gusto which pleased me then we relaxed in the living room over coffee and/or wine and opened the presents.

I took a photo of the nice presents I got - nice to see the Spanish influence and the book about Boston from Jan as a preparation for my visit in early summer. I also want to have a good look at New York but this is for another report next year. I also took a pic of some of the many cards I received which still surprise some German friends for sending cards is not as common as in the UK.

Dennis called me over skype to my mobile phone which was a surprise to me for I didn't know you could do that. We agreed to talk over skype tomorrow when I have more time and no guests. He is staying with his family in Wisconsin having traveled from his house in California and having a break from work and preparing for the arrival of his wife and the boys in a few weeks.

I also got calls from Bea and Lars and some nice e-mails. Very nice and relaxed day with lots of jokes, smiles, my cooking and a few glasses. Better than I thought it would be.

My Christmas Eve

I spent Christmas Eve with Marga
I hope you had a happy evening for I did. I went to Marga's for a very pleasant evening. We celebrated our 'Ignore Christmas Bla Bla' day with excellent food. Marga lived in the 'Far East' for many years and loves to cook dishes she picked up from various countries.

We started with a glass of Cave, yes, from Spain! Cool and dry ... just the right appetiser. We followed with shrimps cooked in a spicey and crisp potato layer. Again with a light fresh white wine as the perfect partner to this dish.

The main course was a dish composed of chicken breasts cooked in a spicy sauce with chillies to which was added fresh cut herbs and prepared vegetables, served with rice cooked with roast almonds and with an extra bowl of fresh coriander. Mmmm ... my mouth waters at the thought of the tastes.

A light fruit dessert finished the meal and we sipped a glass of Cotes du Ventoux wine which won the Medaille D'Or at Paris in 2008. Very tasty indeed Here you can see a few photos of the delicious food and my 'Hostess with the Mostest'.

At the moment I'm cooking something more traditional as I wait for Micha and Hermann to arrive for Christmas Day - in my kitchen!

Jan's Christmas visit

Jan came to see me yesterday

It was his Christmas visit, which means he will be spending the next couple of days with his ma and sister, plus Daniel, before he flies to Spain to spend a week with Arancha. He will return to Berlin for two days and I hope to see him before he flies back to the USA.

It was really nice to see him in person, but he looked really tired. I think we can see it in some of the photos. He had been to a few late night events and so lacked sleep. I hope he was able to catch up last night for we didn't make it a late session.

I got a nice surprise when Peter von Longlegs arrived followed by Christian (Itzak). Steffan called to say he couldn't make it for he was going to see the new James Bond film with his ladyfriend - Melanie. I liked it, as you know, but Jan did not! Pity he could not be there but we understood his position and I hope he enjoyed the film :-)

We needed Christian for I had asked Jan and then Peter to help me change the operating system in my laptop. I had loaned this to Daniel but he had bought a new one so I got it back last Thursday and decided to instal my old copy of XP. We had a problem to get it onto my WLAN and so Christian helped us just in time. He is an expert in such things - as well as understanding Einstein's maths and physics!!

I took a shot of Jan looking into the laptop which he found next to my bed, then with Pete and finally with Christian - he is the one with the long hair. Jan decided to watch an old James Bond on TV while checking some thing on my desktop = typical Jan, doing at least two things together. We then had supper and watched the end of the film. Later, they left and Peter made sure that Jan got home and had a relatively early night.

It was a very special evening and I marvelled at how these young men had developed and were able to do so many academic things as well as their range of language skills. It was the first time in nearly three years since they were together at my place. I look forward to the next visit and hope Stefan will be there then.

Last Anstalt Visit

Yesterday I went to the 'Anstalt' for the last time

I was invited to a large 'German Breakfast' starting at 10.30 which runs until lunch time:-) A nice tradition. The reason was the end of the 'over 58 project' at the social bookshop where I worked for a short time by helping with their English language section - and Jutta's decision to go into early retirement.

Jutta is The Boss and she is a truly wonderful women. We got on immediately and I sometimes talk to her husband, Gerald in English for he likes to practice his language skills. He has a health problem and now has to move about in a wheelchair. Jutta is taking early retirement mainly to look after him and we have agreed to meet up for breakfast in my garden in early summer.

Here are a few pics of Jutta with her 'gang' most of whom I know, and half of which will be unemployed from tomorrow when the project for the elderly closes- pity! I have nice memories of working with them. I look forward to seeing her and Gerald in the New Year. In case you wonder which one is Jutta - she has short gray hair, wears glasses and is in all the photos - except one.

Jan is in Berlin

Jan called me this evening. He is back in Berlin.
Surprise as I settled down to decide what I should add to this blog. The phone rang which is not a surprise, but the voice at the end of the line was. It was lieber Jan calling from Mutti's in Berlin.

He flew over on Tuesday landing Wednesday and having slept most of today = Thursday and having a good Berlin beer :-) he gave me a buzz. He asked if he could come round next Monday. Of course I said - Yes!

I must get a few beers in for he really hates USA beer and has almost stopped drinking it. He says it is full of chemicals and after drinking it he has stomach pains. I didn't like American beer much when I was there some years ago so I know what he means.

He is flying to Spain on the 27th to spend some time with Arancha and then he flies back to the USA to finish his degree. At least I have an hour or two in his busy schedule and am looking forward to seeing him.

The internet and its communicative programmes can help to bridge the gap and we talk over skype and use webcams so that helps to reduce the distance - and it helps him when we use this to check and correct his essays!

Photos of Hermann

Something strange happened: Herman allowed us to take a photo of him!

Just found this photo so I return to the topic of the walk which started the month. At the end of the walk around the lake, we all relaxed at the village fair-market and to the surprise of all who know him, Hermann announced we may take a photo of him.

Shock all round for normally if you even so much as try to take a pic of Herr H. you are threatened with a thrashing! Quick gallop to find cameras before he changed his mind and so I took a couple of snaps.

I think he was being unusually generous because he was 'tired and emotional' (This was a phrase used by Private Eye to say someone was drunk!) having consumed considerable quantities of the hot spicy 'Glühwein' ( in English this is called mulled wine and drunk almost only at Christmas) at the lakeside stop before we got to the market-fair.

He came round yesterday after working at the museum and joined Micha in learning something about computers and the internet on one of my machines, mainly about the security programmes we all unfortunately need these days. The first time I went on the internet there were no virus dangers or spying programmes. How things have changed.

They are coming round on the 25th December in the afternoon for a bite and a chat. Hermann has to work on that day so will probably enjoy relaxing here. I may even cook but have no idea what at the moment.

Werner's visit

Werner came at the start of December

I met him again at the Happy Gang meeting at the end of November and he agreed to come over and give me some tips about Adobe Photoshop. He is an expert and likes working on photos with this programme.

He brought me a series of photos taken of him and his wife on their summer holiday in the north of Italy. Superb shots and with interesting additions by Werner to make them shine even more.

We had a busy afternoon in the course of which I took some photos. He had never worked on an iMac before, nor with Photoshop in English, but it didn't take him long to adjust and then take me on a tour of the programme.

We agreed to meet again in the New Year and for him to teach me more about Photoshop. My course ended today for the holiday, but will start again on Friday 6 January at 2.00pm. You know where I shall be at that time!

Andrea's Winter Berlin

Andrea took some interesting photos of Berlin

Liebe Andrea posted these interesting images of Berlin showing our city with a dark cold winters face - but with wonderful colours and shades. Nice Andrea, I didn't know you were such a 'Kunstlerin'!

Do you recognise any of the views from your visit(s) to Berlin or from magazines or films if you have not been to the city?

I like the one of the TV tower at Alexander Platz growing out of her head.

Walk around Blankensee

I walked around Blankensee

The month started with standing in for ill teachers, and new 1:1 teaching at the Ku-damn Institute in addition to my other things and the weather got colder. I decided to go on a walking tour around Blankensee, which is a lake south of Berlin and now famous as a nature reserve for migrating swans and geese.

I called Oldie Hermann and he decided to come along. We met at the still new looking main railway station in Berlin and there met others, mainly Oldies, for a day of movement. We piled into the train and 45 minutes later arrived at our destination to be met by our host dressed as Santa Claus! Nice start to the day.

Cars ferried us to the village and the famous winter market which was only open that weekend. We started at a steady pace led by Santa Claus and headed south. You are not allowed near the side of the lake because of it being a nature reserve but the countryside around was nice so we didn't mind too much.

After walking for what seemed like ages, we arrived at a village where we had lunch. You can see a photo of the restaurant with someone sitting outside. It served delicious food and much cheaper than in Berlin. Fortunately I had two pairs of socks on and my thick winter boots so I had no problem with walking and through woods and fields - Hermann was not so well prepared and ended up with blisters!

We stopped near the village in the early dark of the evening at the only part of the lake accessible to walkers and there we had hot spicy wine and meat balls as we watched flocks of birds returning to the water. A memorable break from walking. We then went to the village and had a nice hour at the Christmas Fair seeing all the stalls, eating more tasty snacks, more drinks and listening to the village brass band playing seasonal tunes.

I have very happy memories of this day and discovered this group goes there each year. I plan to join in again in 2009.