Werneuchen Kunst

It was freezing at Werneuchen. Temperature of  -8°C, but with blue sky and bright sun. I only took my leather gloves. I forgot to take my warm skiing gloves. A BIG mistake!

We got to the family property with a bungalow for Silke's parents, one caravan for her brother, and another caravan for Silke. Nice - and all set in a garden. There were also lots of bicycles. After getting the gas heating in the caravan to work, we had some welcome hot tea before mounting the bicycles and heading for the airport, with cameras in our rucksacks - of course!

Silke showed me this huge lens she had recently bought and only used a few times. She wanted to practice with it and compare to the other (two !) lenses she has :-)  I just looked and listened with opening mouth! As we cycled to the airport I noticed that I was losing feeling in my fingers. My toes were also numb, but I didn't need them to operate my camera!

Silka had warm skiing gloves so was relatively okay. When we got to our goal, I could not feel anything in my fingers and operate my camera. I gave it to Silka and asked her to take photos while I learned by watching what she did for each shot. It worked and I learned more, but it would have been better if I had not got frozen fingers and been able to do it myself!

Here are some of the photos she took. I have not cut, or played around with them in any way. I have only reduced them so the servers for my blog could handle the size and upload them. I think the quality of the image speaks for itself. She is able to see the finished product before she presses the button.

As you can see others have been to the deserted hangers and other buildings, including sprayers. Some of their work I found good, interesting and even humerous. I usually find most images to be infantile or plain rubbish.  I particularly like the shot of me leaning on the chairs. Look at the shadows and lines in relation to me and the chairs. Nice work, Silka!

Werneuchen

I went to Werneuchen with Silke today. I really enjoyed it. I haven't been there for years and so it was good to sit in her car and see old sights and new constructions.

Where is Werneuchen I think I can hear your ask? It is part of the district of Barnim which in turn is part of Land Brandenburg. It is a town of 8,000 inhabitants to the north-east of Berlin.

It first appears in written records in 1247, and people lived from agriculture/farming. A railway line reached it in 1878 and so linked it closer to Berlin and towns further east towards the (now) Polish border.

In 1937, an airport/Flughafen was built and the military arrived. Two large hangers were built, which you can see in my photos, in addition to other buildings to keep an airport functioning. It was used to train fighter pilots and to service their aircraft.

In 1945, it was taken over by the Soviet Military. They subsequently expanded it for use by bomber aircraft. And so it functioned until the Soviet forces left in 1993. It fell into disuse and decay except for one part which is still used for sport/hobby planes/pilots.

Silke and her family own a piece of land near to this airport and she wanted to show it to me. We also wanted to use it to take photos. So here are some photos for this first part of my adventures in Werneuchen today.

Moon and Dwarves

I've had a strange week. It included getting a demand for two years membership payment from my ex-fitness centre. The matter is now on the desk of my new lawyer. Let's see what she makes of it!

It also included a call from an Ehrenamt (Volunteer) Office in Marzahn. This is a district on the north  east of Berlin. It was where I lived when I first arrived in Berlin, where  I met Jan and Andrea and where I worked for many years at an adult education centre. They had got my name from one of my ex-students, and asked me if I would teach two lessons a week at a Home for Seniors in the south of the district. I went to their office to see who and what they were and decided to take on the project.

I also started to help a Russian engineer with pronunciation problems. This is not new for me and I rather like the work. This engineer is very hard working and it was interesting to see how much progress he had made in one week.

I went to my Oldie-Keep-Fit Gang this morning. We learnt/learned some new exercises to do with balance. It took me some time to get the hang of it, but trainer Kerstin quickly came over to help me.
I then went to my Photoshop Gang. Not sure how long this will continue because of 'savings'! Yes, we always save at the wrong of the social structure - don't we?


There, I decided to visit Rome with garden gnomes Fred and Bill. They quickly attracted the attention of some butterflies - as you can see here. I then went on a quick trip to the sahara desert to see the moon. I planted some flowers in the sand and watched some more butterflies flying behind the moon. A very interesting excusion! Creative aren't I?

Books

I bought a new book today. It is called, 'Rocky Passages: Surviving 40 years of life with music' It was written by Neil Deane. I have known him for years. First time was just after I co-founded eltabb and he joined. Later he helped me to get a flat where he and other Cornelson workers lived. Happy times!

He worked for Cornelsen Verlag then. He now lectures at the University of Duisburg-Essen. Lives with a very nice lady who gave me a job teaching at a Hochschule many years ago. The travelling was too long so I reluctantly gave it up. Happy memories!

Now he has produced a book about his passion. Yes, music from the 1970's and the Beatles. He comes from Liverpool and the book is about the last 40 years of his life through his musical tastes. Mozart and Beethoven are not in the book:-)


Earlier I bought another book. By Christopher Hitchens and called 'Hitch-22: A memoir'. He died recently and although some years older than Neil, he covers much the same period. A delight to read in terms of content and style. He plays with the English language like an angler catching and landing a trout. Superb!

Rational and liberal thinkers will miss his voice in this loud world of religious ignorance and killing. Step forward the next Christopher Hitchens - and quickly!

Butterfly

Today I went to my Photoshop Gang led by Stefen. It was very nice to see all again and looking so well! Stefan quickly told me what I had missed last week - due to having flu if you remember.

They worked on cutting out a butterfly and adding it to a background of the famous Charles Bridge in Prague. The centre of this city is very attractive. If you have not been there, then add it to your list of places to visit.

Latest Update: 9 February 2012. I talked to a number of readers of this blog about the problem of seeing the butterfly actually fly. If you remember, I had removed it because of reports from the blog server that it was not working and needed a new add-on. So now I have uploaded the original 'work of art' and shall leave it here. Perhaps the problem has something to do with my computers and their programmes. Why did I have the problem and not other readers of my blog?

New Toy

I have a new toy. It is a piece of equipment to measure blood pressure. I bought it this evening after coming home from my meeting with Silke.

This morning I went to my Dr's,  as arranged. The place was full. Mainly ill 'Oldies'! I had an appointment, but even so I had to wait 20 minutes before I got to the Doc. He checked my equipment to measure blood pressure and my records, then checked on his equipment and said something was not right. He watched me measure my blood pressure and noted that my equipment was not accurately recording the higher level. He recommended that I bought another one. Cost = €58.58. I grimmaced!

I later went to my local chemists. They said they could order it and I should come back later in the afternoon. I did - after my meeting with Silke. And so I became the proud owner of this machine after handing over the correct amount of 'Dosh'. I have to see the Doc in two weeks so I have that time to play around with it and learn how to use it. Just like a new toy:-)

Silke Baby Asus

Silke fell in love with my 'Baby Asus' this afternoon! Both of us have had 'die Grippe' and as we began to feel better, agreed to meet up for another camera session.

We met at a local Citizen's Centre. We met there before Christmas and I posted details on my blog. We started with lunch. Very nice 'deftiges Essen' which means substantial food which puts something on your ribs! All our co-eaters were my age or more:-)

Silke and I then went to a meeting room to talk about and experiment with cameras/computer photo programmes. I had also brought my 'Baby Asus' (Silke's request) and my Arcor Laptop in addition to two cameras. A very interesting session and we went onto the internet via an open WLAN from a nearby neighbour. Thanks, unknown neighbour!

At the end I took a few photos of Silke, one of which I really like. It shows her in a very human pose with the machine - almost as if it were human. It is my favourite of the ones I took and Silke gave her permission to share with you. Thanks Silke. 

More Me

I missed my Photoshop course last Friday. If you remember I am under Dr's orders at the moment. It was strange not to be there. I called Stefan and he said they were going to repeat things we had done the week before. Okay, nothing new but I would still have liked to be there.

I can't present any new image(s), so here are a couple from my Christmas 'eating and drinking' round. I played around with light and lots of other things. You should also play with your photo-programmes and see what you can do with the original image. I enjoyed it and shall play around again.

Last Friday evening, I went to meet some of my very nice Oldies. Johanna was the host and there I met Werner who I hadn't seen for some time. Werner is very active in all kinds of things. I first met him years ago when he joined my Wednesday 'Happy Gang', which he now leads. It was great to catch up with each others news.

Yesterday evening when I got home, I found a message from Jan on my AB = answering machine. He called to tell me he had to leave next day to help in a construction project outside Europe. I didn't  call back for I thought it more important that he and his lovely A had some privacy.

I decided to send him an e-mai today, then suddenly at lunchtime the phone rang. It was him. He was about to board the plane and wanted to contact me again. This time with success. I was so pleased to hear his voice, and to think that he would make a final effort to talk to me before boarding the plane. Have a safe flight and take care of yourself, Jan.

Just after I put the phone down, it rang again. It was Ian and Birgit from Australia. They had read on my blog that I was ill and wanted to hear how I was now. It was great to hear from them and chat over their Skype phone. What a nice day I have had!



Tomorrow I plan to return to normal life although I have a check-up with my doctor on Wednesday morning. It is about my high blood pressure. Next day I have an appointment with my Allergie doctor. Yes, it is that time of year again. Stand by for a runny nose, red and burning eyes and wearing sunglasses when there is no sun :-(            Have a positive week all!

Escape

I feel like I'm in a prison. Can't do my usual things, or go out, because of the flu and very high blood pressure. I have to "stay at home and relax".  Thanks for your comment Silke :-)

I'm doing more German homework, finished reading one book and just started a biography of Clement Attlee written by Kenneth Harris. A pleasure to read his style of writing and use of English.  They don't/can't write like that anymore! I started in the middle of the book on the chapters about independence for Burma, India and Palestine. Great, given my early background!

I have also looked at DVDs I'd forgotten I had. I can't remember seeing some of them before! And, looking at photos of my wonderful time last September in Beijing. I never tire of seeing them again. Ian recently sent some he had taken. Here are a few to share with you.



The first is me photographing Silke. We had just arrived on top of The Great Wall of China, after being taken up in a ski lift imported from Austria . I like the instructions in the bottom left of the photo. It says, " No Climb-Over". Happy to report that, 'I No Climbed-Over'.

Ian took one of me reaching the top of a very steep climb. Well done John! Another is a panorama of the wall and hills, and there is one of me looking rather reflective. Nice memories.  Now back to a book and my medicine!

die Grippe

Yes, I've now got it. It means the flu in English :-((  

I suspected I was starting with it on Sunday, so I returned early from the 'Oldie Wander' session I mentioned in an earlier blog. Yesterday evening I also cancelled a meeting with my German teacher at a poetry session she attends at the beginning of each month.


Update: Just got back from the Docs with new tablets. Three a day of one sort to attack the flu and one each morning of the other. This one is to bring down my blood pressure.

It is very high and I have had strange 'murmers' in my chest since Monday. The Doc said he was more worried about this and wants to see me next Wednesday for further checks.

He also said I had to cancel all appointments for the rest of this week, stay at home and relax. Hope the rest of your week is better than mine!

Welcome

Welcome to Peter, Rebecca and Jake!  Many thanks for your recent addition to the Comment section of a blog. Happy to add you to the small, but slowly growing gang, of Letter-from-Berlin-blog readers.

Peter and family live in Melbourne, which I am sure you know is in the south of Australia. Bigger brother Daniel lives up the coast in Sydney and little brother Paul lives a bit further away in New Zealand. Many of you (my readers) will know them, or know about them. They are the 'wandering bit' of Alan and Lynne's family.


Alan and Lynne visited them all at the end of last year. There was an exchange of e-mails and photographs leading to Peter adding a Comment. I then contacted them and asked permission to post a couple of photos.   Must always ask, particularly if there is a child in the photo. Peter replied giving their permission.

In the first photo you can see Peter between his parents. The second one shows wife Rebecca and son Jake. Please feel free to send me more photos of you all enjoying the summer as we struggle through winter here!

Found it

I found the missing work from my Photoshop Gang session. I just transferred the original to my iMac and it opened. Guess why?......... That's enough time to think...........only the iMac has Photoshop installed.

 I tried to open it in my laptop with Windows 7, and another photo programme, and as we know it said, "NO".  Then I decided to post the image from Stefan.

And now, here it is. We learnt about placing images behind and in front of objects. I also added a bubble with words coming from my mouth. The translation would be something like, 'Don't talk rubbish/nonsense to him."

The poor victim in the middle of two of me is, Herr Schröder who is also in the Photoshop Gang, as is his wife. I posted about them last summer when we had a nice Grill Party at their garden house.

First week

The first week of January is almost over. Very nice with all the routines which will run to the end of the month. Weather warm although stormy which means my allergies will be starting soon. Must make an appointment with my allergy doctor next week

Did some interesting work with the Photoshop Gang this afternoon, and nice to see them all looking so well,  but I can't open the image I created! I get an error report 545 or some such number. No idea what it means so I have deleted it.  Instead you can see an image created by Stefan. He put me into a group of 'young people/scruffs' somewhere in Cornwall. Thanks Stefan!

Off on an 'Oldie Walk' on Sunday. Somewhere around Potsdam. Looking  forward to seeing more of the area and getting some fresh air. Have a nice weekend.

First Concert

Yesterday evening I went to my first concert of 2012. It was a new concert experience for me.

 The background is that I helped Ulli and Petra with some paperwork in English. It was for their daughter to get a scholarship to study in the USA for a year. As a thank you they gave me a ticket to join their family in the concert yesterday. Their daughter also plays in the orchestra. Ahaaa...now we have the connection!

It was given by the Junge Philharmonie Brandenburg within which there is a smaller group of young musicians called the Landesjugendjazzorchester Brandenburg. They gave a New Year concert called 'Swing, Klassik, Swing'.

In the first half the full orchestra took us through some of the 'Big Band Classics' from Bernstein and Gershwin. The second half opened with the jazz band in a selection which showed off the talents of key players. That really opened my ears. I was amazed at the energy and abilities of players still in their teens. Later they merged into the full orchestra and a singer took us through more big band classics. An excellent evening.

More please. Their next concert in Berlin is on the 17th October. I shall be there for the programme includes Mahler's 4th Symphony.

January things

I decided to change my 'monthly review' image. Guess who ?

Now is the first day of a new year. I think most of us in Europe are taking it easy after celebrating last night. I am!  I had a very pleasant Christmas and New Year period. More than I expected. I think this must be down to the generous hosts and their hospitality. Jutta said something nice when I went to her Christmas Breakfast. She said, "We have everything we need to eat and drink. Just bring yourself, that is the most important thing." Thanks Jutta!

Tomorrow I return to teaching at the Institute which runs to the end of the month and an examination. The students are very nice and I always enjoy meeting them. I have some other plans about teaching in the area in which I live, but let's see how they work out this year.


The first part of the year will be spent in my usual routine in Berlin. In May I plan to fly to Florida and finally enjoy the area with Shirley and family. Late June will find me in England to see family and friends. I would like to travel to Ireland to see the family lands and ruined castles. Perhaps I shall manage it late summer. I hope so.

Seeing Hannelore and Peter in the south of France is also on my agenda but I don't know when. I need to talk to them and organise a visit. Also on the cards is a visit to the Netherlands in early Spring to see Jan and Arancha plus Jeff-Marjana and family. Not seen them for ages = time to share a few beers and news in Amersfoort. I have lots of plans and want to travel to see wonderful people, so lets see what 2012 brings.

Who has a birthday in January? Peter in Canterbury celebrates his 53rd on the 5th, Hannelore will celebrate her 69th with Peter on the 12th in France, Harald will celebrate his 48th on the 21st in Berlin, Peter von Long-Legs hits 28 on the 24th followed by Paul in New Zealand who will be 27 on the 27th - nice combination of dates! And that is it for January 2012. Have a wonderful day each and all!

Happy New Year

Happy New Year to all my readers. I wish you health, happiness and success in the new year. You may note that I put health as the most important. It is true that the older you get you notice health becomes the most important thing.

I went to an 'oldie' gathering of people who are my age and most of whom live alone. They are widows or widowers, but our hosts were a married couple. Many thanks to H and M for sharing your home. Splendid meal. wine and conversation. You can see this from the photographs.

I got home about 1:00 am with fireworks exploding as I travelled home on the tram and walked to my flat. Nice to see and hear the pleasure of people setting off their fireworks, and sharing with people like me who don't buy them:-)


I have just received photos from I & B which they took during my visit to Beijing in September. I had never seen them before. It brought back a warn and happy feeling about my time there.

The highpoint of 2011 was my adventures in Beijing and area. I would love to see more of China in 2012. Maybe - let's see what happens. What was the highpoint of your year?