October 2018 Things

The last day of September. It has been a good month for me and I have enjoyed the last week too. Today I put flowers on Birgit's grave and sang 'Happy Birthday To You'. It would have been her 66th birthday. I was with her son and small granddaughter. Nice to have shared the event with them. It was also the anniversary of my father's death. They share the same day but for different reasons.

Now looking through my diary to see what is waiting for me in October. The weather forecast is for the arrival of autumn from tomorrow. Must find warm pullovers and jackets. On the 3rd of October we shall enjoy a national holiday to celebrate German Unification. On Saturday I am meeting my Kowalke Gang to catch up on news over a long late breakfast!

I start my Photoshop course with Stefan on Friday 12th and a day later I shall be in a full day SPD conference in a town east of Berlin called Erkner. One of the SPD Oldies died recently. His wife asked me to prepare a photo to show at his funeral on the 18th. I have done this and just need to print it out. Apart from these things, October is full of the usual monthly meetings with different people and organisations to enjoy as we settle into autumn.

Who has a birthday in October?  My nephew Andrew will be 41 on the 5th and celebrate with his family in Addingham - it's not far from Silsden.  Nephew Warren will be 42 on the 12th and celebrate with family and friends in Silsden.  Bro2 will be all of 16 on the 13th and celebrate in Berlin. On the 14th my dear sister Frances will be 72 - and again the celebration will be in Silsden.  Falk from my Muggelsee Gang has a birthday on the 15th. My old friend Marita, who now lives opposite my place, will be 68 on the 21st. Sure to be a nice party with a few glasses of sekt! Dianne B. in Keighley will be 72 on the 27th and 'Family Sister' will celebrate her 10th birthday in Berlin on the 28th. Tanya B. in London ends the month with her 54th on the 31st October.

Other dates: 11th October marks my father's funeral, the birthday of Tessa who sadly took her own life, and is the same day when my good friend Hermann died just one year ago. The 29th marks the death of my mother in 1967. She was only 49. I often wonder how my life would have been different had she been there to advice, comment and share as I got older. Perhaps I would have made less mistakes and gone off in other directions. Who knows? I have always missed her. I was too young to lose her.