December 2011

It's that time again = my monthly report. When you see my friend the monkey, you know it is that time of the month :-) As I began to write, my radio station started to play Beethoven's String Quartet in A Minor, Opus 132. If I could only take one piece of music with me to a desert island it would be this composition. For me it contains all of life's experiences

It is in five parts. Each is a gem - but just listen to the third. It is the slow movement called Molto Adagio. On your copy, you may have the German subtext he wrote "Heiliger Dankgesang eines Genesenen an die Gottheit, in der Lydischen Tonart".  It makes my toes, fingers and other parts of my body curl up on hearing it, and I have to stop whatever I am doing to listen.

He wrote it at the end of his life, just after he had recovered from a serious illness. It was his thank-you to God that he had recovered, and that is the main point in the German text above. Sadly he died shortly after. Some music historians think he knew he was about to die, others say this is rubbish. It does not matter what they say, the music speaks for itself. He was also deaf when he wrote it. Not a bad achievement!

I digress from my monthly report. I've had an interesting month - as you may note from my reports. December is filling out with appointments. My usual activities are in my diaries plus Christmas meetings and parties. As you know I am not religious, far from it, but I go along with joining others as they celebrate things important to them.  We can all enjoy a happy time with family and friends without being religious.  Have a great time!

Now who has a birthday in December? Michael Nixdorf hits 48 on the 5th December, Stefan the Boss of my Photoshop Gang will celebrate his 51st birthday on the 7th ( we shall celebrate with him on the 9th :-)) My Fav-Bro-in-Law Geoff has his big day on the 13th December. His granddaughter  Evie will be 5 years old on the 18th, Jördis will be 32 on the 19th, Julie Bolton hits 37 on the 20th and Neil Dickinson will enter the official retirement club on the 28th December (Nice one Neil!) and Ian ends the month with his 52nd birthday on the 30th December and will celebrate it with Birgit in Sydney, Australia. A big cheers and best wishes to each and all!