How to comment

Following my last blog post, here is information about how to leave a comment about each blog post. Please note that in my blog heading, where you can see my bed at Villa Bateson, there is a message saying who/what/this blog is for, and you can read an invitation to leave any comment you wish.

Just do this: At the bottom of each post you can read information about time etc of writing the post. 1) Next to it you can read 'Post a Comment'. Click on this.

2)  A small box/window will open. Write your comment in the box.

3) Type one or two words provided to prove you are not a robot.

4) Choose an identity. Mark the circle 'Anonymous' You do NOT have to give any information about who you are.

5 Hit the 'Publish your Comment' button and that is it!  Then go and have a cup of tea, glass of vodka if you are Ivan or part of his gang, or a smooth red wine if  you are in the south of France. Got  the idea?

HERE IS A TEST FOR YOU

You will find a photo of me here. Please feel free to add any comment you wish. I hope to read many to make me laugh. For example: I could comment, ' No, you depp, not there'  or  ' Try a bit lower'. Got the idea? Now over to you. Think of a caption/comment and post it.

Statistics

I was thinking about what to put in my monthly newsletter/report when I decided to check the statistics about who was looking. I got a surprise. I think I shall change the language of my blog to either German or Russian! Views from 3 English speaking countries were less than from Germany and only 2 more than from Russia. Thanks Ivan and friends:-)

Last month I had 863 page views. Last week I had 168. Of last week's figures, 54 came from Germany, 43 from Russia, 22 from Australia (Thanks Bateson lads!),  USA (Hi Shirley) was 21 followed by Sweden with 12. Then came France with 5 ('allo Piere!), Hungary with 4 = Hi Marcel :-), Netherlands 3 = Guten Tag Herr Jan! and then sharing 2 views with Poland came .............. wait for it.....................yes, the UK!!!!!  And I write it for the UK people!

I then looked at more statistics. 56% use Firefox Browser (Good!), 17 use Internet Explorer and 15% use Google's Chrome browser. Pageviews by operating system were, Windows at 60%, Linux at 29% (this pleasantly surprised me) and Android came in third at 6% reflecting the number of viewers reading my blog 'on the move' over internet connected mobile phones.

I am really surprised by these statistics. When I write my blog stories I have in view Frances and Barbara in north England and Shirley in Florida plus friends in Washington State, and Jan in the Netherlands. Thats it. I wonder who the other readers are and why they read my blog plus in a language which is not their first language.

 Please share your information with me/us. You can do this in my comment section. I shall write a  special post to tell you how to do it. It is simple. Read my next post - and here are some flowers for you all:-)

Birgits Day

Birgit would have been 60 today. She died unexpectedly on 27 August 2004. Although she never met him, she shared something with my father. Her birthday is on the day he died, and in 2004. Life is full of strange coincidences.

I met her sister Heike at midday. She had travelled from Staat Brandenburg. We bought flowers and walked to the grave. Heike looked sad and even tired. No surprise! We put flowers on the grave including some for their father who would have recently celebrated his birthday.

Heike had remembered to buy two small bottles of sekt. Perfect, for Birgit always enjoyed good food, wine and company. We toasted her 60th Birthday as Heike shared a drop with her, as you can see in the photo. We said our goodbyes and left for Heike's favourite restaurant in the area where I live.

Some of you may know it and have eaten there. Yes, the Bömische Garten at the end of my road. We enjoyed traditional Slovack food and talked about Birgit, her family, friends who no longer join us in celebrating her life - and many other things. See the photo. A day for reflection but with happiness to have known such a wonderful women.

Waiting

I'm waiting to get changed then go to the city centre to Das Konzerhaus. An evening of  Benda, Mozart, Boccherini and Haydn. Yes, an evening of 'easy listening' to Baroque and Classical Music.

I'm meeting Petra, Ulrich and Thomas there. They called me yesterday to ask if I was interested to go with them. I think you already know the answer to that question :-) Going to concerts and the opera for me means it is not summer, and so now in Berlin we are entering autumn and getting ready for winter. See photo taken yesterday of my 'back garden'.

I had a nice easy day today. Slept late after waking early, but tea in bed with a book soon put me back to sleep. Did household chores plus changing summer to autumn curtain, window cleaning, washing and sorting out more summer things to go to the cellar until next April.

I also found out what is inside a USB-2 stick.Very interesting to note that a small circuit board is hidden behind the plastic cover, and that the system is attached to the cover with a blob of glue! Who would have believed that? New technology meets the 19th century! Have a nice evening.

Still Celebrating

As you can see from the photographs, I and others are still celebrating my new citizenship. Last Sunday I was invited for lunch by one of my ex-'Wednesday Oldie Computer Gang'. We had 'False-Rabbit' :-) which was very tasty.

I also got a new 'Urkunde' from this friend saying he certified that I would be a very good member of the German nation. He wished me all success in taking this step and added that I would seek to do this with all my strength. The translation from German to English was done by ... Me!

A very nice surprise indeed. I also got a tasty bottle of red wine to sip with my 'False Rabbit'! Mmmh---lecker! This is just one example of the positive responses I have received to news of my new citizenship.

In my earler reports on my Big-Day, I told you that I was interviewed by a journalist when I was in the Town Hall for the ceremony. Her story appeared in the local paper on Wednesday. Here you can see a photo of her report. The photo is of the first 'new' German. I was the second to the rostrum, but, half of the text is about me :-)

Yesterday, when I was talking to another teacher outside a chemist's, a young woman I know came by on her bicycle to congratulate me on my new citizenship. She said she had read about it in the newspaper. She was not the only one!

Balloons

 I was invited to join two 'Oldies' visiting Tempelhof Airport this morning. I packed my bag and camera and off I went. All depends on the weather now it is autumn, so you have to make quick decisions. One of the Oldies sometimes comes to my Friday-Kerstin group.

We finally got to the airport and then looked for a way in. It was closed a couple of years ago as Berlin moved from three to one airport. At the moment we have two because of some building/finance scandal at the new one. The police are investigating. Say no more!

We couldn't find a way in but some nice locals said we had to walk along the perimeter until we found an entrance. We did just that but it almost 'did in' the Oldies. One walks with a stick and is waiting for a knee operation, and the other had just had a serious fall and damaged a leg requiring medical care. Not in the best condition for a long walk!

We finally found the entrance and the Oldies decided to settle on a seat in an "Urban Garden" that was being developed out of part of the old airport area. I went on my own to the centre of activity. It was a 'Balloon-Festival' being held for the first time. Certainly enough space for it.

At the centre of activities were lots of mobile shops/restaurants offering a range of wares and all in the name of making a 'quick buck' while they had customers. My dear Germans like to eat and drink at any event/occasion and this was not exception. A large choice of eating and drinking - in fact you could spend the whole day there and not see a balloon :-)

I noted it all and moved to the central area where professionals were guiding large balloons through the air. There were lots of kids who were clearly enjoying it. By chance I met Falk and Elvira from my old Muggelsee Gang. We met exactly a week before and there is a report about that on this blog. It was nice to see them again and we had a good chat.

I took some more photos of the event and slowly returned to the Urban Garden to pick up the injured and tired Oldies. That done, we took a bus to a Markthalle in Kreuzberg, where we found a wide range of meals offered for a very reasonable sum. It is a low income eaters paradise and I didn't know it existed. I still have to discover many other bits of Berlin.

An easy bus journey took us through the area and back to our part of Berlin. A very interesting and enjoyable day in a part of Berlin I wouldn't have thought of exploring on my own.

Big Day - 2

I was the second 'new' German to be called to the front to shake hands with the Mayor, pose for the camera and get my certificate and books.

The Major was very friendly and easy to talk to. Silke took these shots of those moments.

The first is of me reaching out to shake his hand, the next is of him giving me the documents, the third is of us smiling for the camera.


Lots of big smiles back from others and nice clapping of approval! It was a wonderful feeling and moment.

Then the others followed. It was nice to see such happy faces and pleasure at the event. The Mayor was also happy to pose for shots with extended families and babies! Then it was all over and we were invited to refreshments at the back of the hall.

Sylke brought me a glass of sekt for I had been approached by a journalist for an interview. She asked the usual questions starting with why I wanted to have German citizenship. The report will be in the local weekly newspaper next Wednesday.

Finally I mingled with the others and even had another glass of sekt. I chatted to the Mayor again and there is one shot here. He gave me his card and told me to contact him for any information about joining his party. I smiled and took the card!

Big Day - 1

On Monday 17 September 2012, I read an E-mail from Sylke. She asked me if I was going to an event next day. She quoted a newspaper report that on Tuesday 18 September at 5.00 pm, Andreas Geisel, who is the Mayor of Lichtenberg, would be hosting a ceremony for 'new' Germans in the borough - like me!

I had heard nothing, so I called the Town Hall. I was connected to his personal assistant. He apologised and as we talked it became clear that my surname had been written incorrectly, hence the mix-up. He told me to come to the event and to bring my certificate.

I did just that! I put on appropriate clothes and set off for the Town Hall. I was pleased to see Sylke waiting for me. She took the first photos of me at the entrance, in fact she took all the photos I am posting about the event.

I climbed the stairs to the 'Ratssaal' to be met by two nice ladies. They welcomed me and yes - my name was on the list! I found a seat near the front and looked around. Lots of happy 'new' German faces, some with children, others with families to share the big day.

The Mayor, and other political leaders entered, so the ceremony started when a pianist played classical music. Ideal for me! The Mayor then gave a very friendly speech welcoming us as new citizens of the German Republic. We all beamed.

The first person was asked to step forward, shake hands with the Mayor, pose for a photograph, received their certificate of citizenship, a copy of the German Constitution and a book about Lichtenberg.  There were also little Berlin Bears for the tiny ones present!

The first person also read out the 'Bekenntnis' for all of us. It is a declaration that, 'I freely declare that I will respect the Constitution of the German Federal Republic, and will do nothing that could damage it.'


I was the second person called to the front, but more of that in Big Day 2.

Maud

This afternoon started with watching Montiverdi's opera Orpheus. It was broadcast live from the Komische Oper via the tv channel 3sat. Then I jumped on my bike and set off for Maud's exhibition. The weather was warm and sunny with blue sky - perfect for a ride.

I arrived at Maud's studio to find her busy talking to a visitor. Later we looked at all her pictures and talked about them. Who is Maud? She is part of Gerald and Jutta's family and is a professional artist. I also help her once a month to improve her good English:-)

I was very pleased that Jutta and a friend arrived shortly after my arrival. Always nice to see them. Maud then allowed me to take a photo of her with one of her pictures behind her head. We all know about copyright, and she still holds this, but allowed me to take a shot. Thanks!

I also took a shot of her brochure about the exhibition. You can get more information from her web page at world wide web maud-tutsche.de. You can see more of her work and even buy a picture.

Thanks for a pleasant afernoon Maud, and for the apple cake which I enjoyed with coffee on my return. See you Tuesday evening:-)

Grillen

The high point yesterday was meeting my old 'Muggelsee Gang' for a late summer party. Ulrich and Petra were our generous hosts as they opened the doors of their weekend/garden house in the south-east of Berlin.

They last met on 1 May for a bicycle tour. Unfortunately I could not join in for I flew to Florida early next day. Some of us met in April and I posted a story to this blog. As soon as I arrived I was greeted with cheers and a glass of sekt to celebrate my new nationality.

We started with coffee and cakes, then another glass of sekt and more chatting. This continued late into the evening with changes of food on the table! As dusk came the grill was started and delicious 'wurst', chicken pieces and steaks arrived on the plates. To these were added different salads/sauces and potatoes.

Later we sat around a fire, and even sang folk songs.  A great day. We agreed to meet again in the first week of January. Looking forward to that!

Britzer Garten

Yesterday I met my 'Photoshop Oldie Gang' and ended up at Britzer Garten. I have been there before and posted stories and photos to this blog. It was my first visit with these 'Oldies'. We hadn't seen each other since June so it was good to meet, and exchange stories about what we had done during summer.

 It was Stefan's idea to meet up, take new photos for the next classes and then have a picnic. I really enjoyed it. I took some shots of the garden and flower displays plus close-ups of flowers. I like to send them as E-mail attachents to make the recipient smile:-)

After getting our garden/flower shots, we found a picnic table with benches. My task was to bring cakes. We feasted on Stefan's 'Berliner Bouletten/Bulleten' with mustard, potato salad with sliced cucumber and onion, rolls, apple puree with custard, my cakes, different chocolates and Rotkappchen Sekt. Delicious! This is where we did most of the catching up with each others news about summer, family, and health - of course!

I couldn't help setting up a photo of 'The Three Wise Monkeys' to match that I took of Marcel etc during summer, and which I posted to this blog. What do you think of our version?  I am the 'see no evil monkey'. Next to me is charming Helga, and next to her is Stefan, the group leader.


Another photo is of us enjoying the picnic. I am holding up a 'Boulette' in case my readers in the UK don't know what it/they look like. In UK English it is a meatball, but the Berlin version tastes much better:-) On the other hand, there is no German equivalent to a 'Made in Skipton Pork Pie'. Mmmmh..tasty!


I arrived home just in time to turn on my computer and talk to Marcel over skype. We caught up on news and all in English. We decided to meet again next Thursday, and use one of two programmes for writing/sharing/correcting English texts I want him to write. I then had a long talk to his parents. A very happy end to a special day.

Musing

Over a cup of breakfast tea, I found myself musing over last week. My last blog report was about a visit to Jüterbog. The day after I went to a workshop giving tips about how to use Powerpoint more effectively in teaching. Very interesting. I learnt a lot about embedding material, which I have never done before.

Sunday was a lazy day of wandering around bits of Muggelsee, eating a traditional lunch and enjoying bursts of autumn sun. Monday was hot and sunny. After teaching I went to an 'Approved Apple' retailer to discuss problems with my iMac.

I can't get it to recognise and open card-readers. I was told to buy one with a power cable. I also learnt why I can't update my operating system. My iMac is too old! It was built in mid-2006 and updates to the new system are only for machines built a year later.

I bought the self-powered card reader and rushed home to try it. No luck! As you can see from the photo, lots of cables and readers, but my iMac refused to recognise anything. I took the 'wunder' card-reader back to the shop and got my money back :-)

I cleared out lots of papers, books and assorted junk on Tuesday. I felt much better after placing all into the recycling bins. I also watched the German national football team struggle to beat Austria in the evening. Next day was full of teaching. The day after I met Angelika. She had got free tickets for us to watch the dress rehearsal of Monteverdi's opera 'Poppea' at the Komische Oper.

It runs for 3 hours and 40 minutes plus a break, so it was a long four hours! I also found it rather tedious. It is a baroque piece from about 1640 and tries to tell an interesting story. This version needed a bit of 'pep' and I wondered why we had to see so much nudity on stage. I felt I had gone back to the daring days of the late 1960s! Even so I plan to see their productions of Orpheus and Odysseus over the next few weeks.

Yesterday morning I enjoyed some stretching exercises with Kerstin and the 'Keep-Fit Oldies'. I then met my 'Photoshop Oldies', and talked to  Marcel. More about that in my next post.

Jüterbog 2012

Yesterday I went to Jüterbog. Frances and Barbara - I hope you are not asking where this is! I go there once/twice a year and have reported my visits many times on this blog. It is a nice country town to the south of Berlin and within one hours train journey.

I went with an 'oldie' to meet more 'oldies' just for the simple reason of meeting again, talking about holidays, health, food, shopping, grand-children, and all the usual things the over 65's talk about! I really enjoyed the day and catching up on all the news. There is a slower and relaxed feel about being in the town compared to Berlin with its city hectic and speed.

Another reason was to enjoy the food served by my hosts. They are 'hobby gardeners' and everything we ate came out of their garden - except the meat! See the photos.  I think I can hear Andrea saying again that most of my blog is about eating and drinking :-)  You are right liebe Andrea!


We started with homemade mushroom soup, then a plate of delicious food with a glass of red wine. This was followed by fruit from the garden with cream. I was full and could't eat that so there is no photo! I then showed them photos of my summer in Florida, England and later in Berlin with Marcel.

They found it all very interesting and needed a pause for coffee and cake to take it all in. I declined their splendid offer. I can't eat so much in such a relatively short time! We resumed with a glass of sekt while looking at our host's photos of a summer holiday in the south of Germany. Actually, it was at the place where Jan and I learnt to ski - all of 19 years ago!

The session ended with more sekt to celebrate my new citizenship. They were very pleased that I had become a German citizen. A very pleasant and relaxing day. Here are a few photos of the day. One is of some Middle-Age person on the corner of the town hall. For obvious reasons it always attracts photographs - and comments!

Stefan S.

Stefan S. arrived exactly at 10.00 am, as arranged. As he came into my flat I remarked that he was more punctual than the proverbial Preußen! He just smiled!


Stefan is part of Jan's school 'gang' = they all met at primary school. They grew up together and left Grammar School/Gymnasium many years later. They all went on to study at different universities in different subjects. Two are still there writing doctorates.

Stefan started then decided it was not for him. He left and is about to start a training programme to prepare him for the job market. Meanwhile, he met this lovely lady and she left to study for her doctorate in Maine in the US of A. He is flying there on Thursday to join her and enjoy a few weeks well deserved holiday.


Before leaving he decided to visit his family in Berlin. He then called me to ask if I was interested in a bicycle tour. I said, 'Of course!', and so he rang the bell at 10.00 this morning. Stefan now only speaks English with me and I am really surprised at how his English has improved - almost to native speaker level!

We started with coffee and apple cake (see photo) then discussed where to go. We decided on the south east of Berlin. Off we pedalled to S-B Schöneweide (Nice Meadow) to catch an S-Bahn south. We got out at S-B Grünau and hit the pedals again. The weather played along with our day out. No rain, blue sky and clouds alternating with sunshine.

We finally landed in a small town called Schmöckwitz, situated between Zeuthener See, Langer See and Seddinsee (Marcel: we must go there the next time you are in Berlin and the sun shines!) Jan and the 'Gang' went around this area last May in kayacks! I was floating around Florida at the time :-)

By then, we were feeling a litte hungry. I asked a couple of locals for a German restuarant to be told that there wasn't one! Only Italian, Greek or Chinese - unbelievable! We settled for a local Italian and filled up on calories. A nice photo of Stefan 'peppering' his pizza! I ate pasta.

Lots of conversation over the food and catching up on more news before we started the slow, easy cycle tour back to an S-Bahn and then to Berlin. On the way I took a photo of Stefan's bicycle. A collectors piece! It is a 'Mifa' from a factory in the DDR. I had one many years ago.

I was very interested in the braking system of the bike. Stefan explained how it worked and said that this system was called 'der Kackeschieber'. I smiled and understood why:-)  Back in Karlshorst we parted company as he continued north to join his family, and later drive them to an appointment with friends.

I returned home to reflect on the day. Many thanks Stefen and have a wonderful time with Melanie!

Muggelsee Re-visited

I went to Muggelsee yesterday. I had earlier arranged to meet some 'Oldies' at a restaurant on the south of the lake. I was there with Marcel at the end of a bicycle tour which started in Erkner. Do you remember - it was on this blog a few weeks ago?

The 'Oldies' came by S-Bahn and bus to the restaurant. I came by bicycle. I am now the only one in this group who can still cycle. I can't imagine not being able to do so. I think I have inherited it from my father who was a 'fanatic' cyclist and motor bike rider until his 80's! I have a few years more to go :-)

It was nice to see them again. We exchanged stories about summer holidays, where and when and who with etc. It was a pleasant and relaxing time listening to their stories, and looking onto the lake and seeing boats appear and slowly disappear. Believe it or not, but I ate fish and drank a cold glass of dry white wine!

After, we all walked along the south side of the lake and I took some photos. I had earlier asked an 'Oldie' to take photos of me at the same places I had taken photos of Marcel on his last tour in Berlin. Nice memories and I posed as he had done :-)

I noticed that summer was giving way to autumn. When you are in the sun it is only warm, but in the shadow you notice the cool air. On the other hand, Ian-Birgit and my Bateson lads are looking forward to spring and summer in Australia/New Zealand. Now to find my autumn/winter clothes!

Ballet surprise

I am happy to go to a classical music concert or opera. I have rarely been to a ballet, or even a musical. Just not my taste but I had a very unusual experience last Saturday evening when I returned from Karow.

I felt like relaxing so zipped through the channels on my TV. The usual Saturday evening rubbish of American films being shown for the 400th time, American crime series, or home made German crime series, or 'Heimat' films were on offer. Yuk, I never watch this stuff.

I thought about finding a DVD as I zapped further. I then hit Sat 3. This is a TV station offering 'alternative' programmes. It is aimed at people with an attention span of over 10 seconds, who can write more than their name, and even read more than one page in a book or newspaper. We are in a minority!

A ballet programme had just started. It was amazing! The choreographer was called Alonzo King, the ballet was Dust and Light. The 'contemporary' dance company was called 'Lines Ballet' and had 11 dancers. The programme was about 35 minutes long and had been recorded in their home town of San Francisco in 2011.

They danced to Baroque music by Corelli, Handel and Bach. There were trio/quartet/quintet pieces and Alonzo King had somehow worked out how to show each dancer representing one of the instruments. It really was an eye-opener! I had never seen anything like it before.

When the programme ended, I turned off my TV and put on a computer to look on the Sat 3 web site to learn more. I also wanted to see if there was a button to click to see it again. Unfortunately not, but I did find these two photos of the choreographer and a couple of dancers.


If you ever get the chance to see it, cancel all your appointments and turn on your TV!