THE END

This is the end of my posts to this page. 

I have moved the blog to another provider. Please go to:-

www.letterfromberlin.de                        

 See you there!

Change

 A computer expert (yes, Thorsten my computer teacher! ) checked my blog this morning and the changes made by Blogspot which is part of Google. He said I could not go back to the old format and I could not integrate text with photos in the new format.

I decided to find a new provider. We will be working on transferring all my material to the new blog. It will take between 1 and 2 weeks. When all is ready I will give you the link here. Meanwhile, we are having really nice weather at the moment. Look at the photo - taken an hour ago. 

Books

Blogspot has changed the way I can write a post. Sure to make mistakes but here goes! Due to coronavirus I am spending more time at home and reading more. I've just started the books you can see here. The one by Axel Hacke I got from Holger, who is a member of a writing club near to Bremen, where he lives. Hacke wrote short stories about his daily life for a newspaper and this is a collection of his stories. He includes jokes and comments on the things that happen each day. The bookk contains 40 of his stories. The book is called 'The best out of my life: My daily life as a man'.

I don't know where I got the other book from but it is very interesting. It is called' Discover and Understand - 2 - History book for high school students in Lower Saxony. I like how history is presented then the students are asked questions to check comprehension. It also has lots of coloured pictures. It begins with the King of Britain and Parliament in 1600 and ends with European imperialism leading to the First World War. Certainly a big choice of things to read as I hide from a virus. Stay healthy! 

Warm

It's warm here. I think we are having the last of summer but the forecast id for it to end from Thursday. When you go out you see people wearing summer clothes again and looking very happy to do so.

I went to the open air concert with my Kowalke Gang on Sunday. A Beethoven programme and very well played. Sitting in the sun also helped to make it special. I've got some visitors later in the week so I am looking forward to seeing them. I have finished reading the book about The East India Company. The things I learnt! Stay healthy.

Garden

Another week with the usual events. Nothing special to report. What Trump and Johnson have been doing during the week you can pick up on your local TV news, you don't need me to tell you. The German government has decided to take some of the orphaned children off a Greek island and provide them with a home in Germany. Some on the right are angry about this, but I have a problem to understand them. We are talking about children - that's all!

The big event of the week was yesterday afternoon in my garden. Three of my Kowalke Gang arrived with cakes, coffee and a bottle of sekt. Really nice to see them relaxing in the garden again. We are having good weather at the moment, for example: it was 24°C when they arrived. Nice and warm. Here is another photo of them enjoying the garden. I hope we can repeat it before the snow and ice arrive! We are meeting tomorrow for an open-air concert of Beethoven's music. Looking forward to that. The number of people allowed into the arena has been reduced, but no surprise about that.

Another

Another week has gone by and I have nothing new to report. The same meetings and activities as before. The main event was a telephone call from Bro2. He wanted to know how I was and about my health, and he did all this in English. Making progress! The weather is changing into autumn and its getting cooler. It is the opposite in Australia where the sun is starting to shine. Have a good week.

September 2020 Things

Looking at my diary for September I see all the regular things BUT I note some concerts. We are slowly getting back into normal life and events but I shall still have to wear a mask.

Perhaps you saw in your local TV that there was a big demonstration in Berlin against having to wear a face covering. I heard that 30,000 people protested on the streets in the centre. I am really surprised at the numbers of people protesting. Now to next month.

Who has a birthday in September?
Lynne B. over in Castleford will celebrate her 73rd with Alan on the 1st of September. I wish I could be there. On the 6th we find three nice ladies sharing the day - Charlotte will be 29, Nevand will be 16 and Arancha will celebrate her 36th with Jan and daughters over in Den Haag. Back in Berlin, Andrea will be 35 on the 8th, Gabi over in Bremen will be 54 on the 11th. David Klawohn of the SPD Jusos will be 20 on the 12th. I sometime help him with English. Over in Cambridge, nephew Stephan will be 50 on the 22nd, back in Berlin Robert Gast will be 42 on the 23rd, Sylvana will be 60 and back to Cambridge again we find Lew G. will celebrate his birthday with my sister on the 27th. Back in Berlin we note that Sylke will be 49 on the 29th. The month ends with the birthday of my nephew Jefferson who will be 47 on the 29th.
Happy Birthday to each and all no matter where you are!

Other Memories
Birgit's funeral took place on the 15th September 2004. Is it really 16 years ago? My wonderful cousin Jean died on the 16th. Moving to the 30th, we find that Birgit would be 68. My father died on that day in 2004  aged 94.

Two

I've had a 'normal' week of nothing unusual. My spare time I spend on the balcony reading the book about the East India Company. It really is a true work of academic research and writing. For example: I am in the 1700s and reading about the continual wars between different Mughal, Marathi, Afghani kings and rulers etc. I did not know there was such continual wars and bloodshed.

My week had two special events. The first was on Tuesday when I went to Rahnsdorf to join in the celebrations for Angelika's birthday. I have talked about her before so she is no stranger. She is now retired. She was a viola player in an orchestra in Berlin for many years. Most of her guests were musicians who I had met before. I really like the family house - it also has a swimming bath in the garden. See the photo. It is near to Muggelsee  in the east of Berlin and one of my favourite areas.

The second special event was a visit from Dr. Peter on Friday afternoon. He is a lecturer in economics at Potsdam university. He is also part of Jan's old school gang which I am happy to say still meets each year. Peter was visiting his mother here in Berlin and helping her with all the paperwork following the death of his father. It was great to relax with him and hear all his news. He only speaks English with me, but that is not a problem for he studied at a university in  the USA some years ago. He looks very fit for he told me he goes to the gym regularly for training. Keep it up Peter!

Lappy

You may remember that some months ago I asked readers to let me know if they had an old laptop in the cellar they had forgotten about. I got a quick response from Thorsten who works for our housing association. He is also a computer teacher, choir leader and organist. Makes you wonder what multi-talent means!

He prepared one given by an association member and this was given to Bro1. I posted photos of him holding out his hands and then opening his eyes to find a laptop in his hands, Nice photos and a very useful present for he now uses it each day in his studies at college. Interesting that a lot of information and homework is now posted on-line.

Yesterday it was time for Bro2 to give a big smile. They arrived as planned to do homework. Bro2 has realised he needs to improve his English and not only grammar. They don't speak in his English classes so he now wants to do that with me. After they had settled in, I told Bro2 to go onto the balcony and close his eyes while holding out his hands.

Bro1 smiled for he knew what was about to happen. Bro2 went onto the balcony and held out his hands. I dropped a laptop into them. He opened his eyes then gave a large smile. I told him it was for him. He smiled again. He then come over and gave me a big hug as he said thank you. Thanks also go to Thorsten for he found this one in a cellar as well.

Nice Surprise

I got a nice surprise yesterday. I was about to jump under the shower when the doorbell rang. I pressed my speaker button and asked who it was. The answer was from a delivery man. He said, "A packet for you." I pressed the button to allow access to the building and he gave me a packet and was gone in less than two minutes.

I stared at the packet and saw my name and address but no information about who had sent it. I opened it and saw a book, but still no information about the sender. It is a history of the East India Company in India. Then something in my brain went 'bong' and I realised it was from Ian who at the moment is living in Sydney.

How did I know it was him? Because we have links to India going back many years and it is the kind of topic he would find interesting and want to share with others. The author is a well known writer about Indian history.  He starts with details of the main players and I noted they were all men! He then gives a detailed introduction listing what the book is about - and what it is not about.

I noted that he was very critical of the EIC  and how it was able to take over a country with then over 200 million people. He is also critical about some of the main players such a Robert Clive, and he lists those who looted India and sent treasures to their houses in England. They are now museums and the public can see what they took out of India. Can't wait to settle down for a longer read. Many thanks to you Ian.

Slowly

The wound in my right leg is slowly getting better. The key word here is 'slowly'. The wound has dry skin hanging over it and if I move the skin it starts bleeding again. I've decided to just put new bandages on
each morning and leave it to nature and time for the wound to heal.

We've had mixed weather this week, mainly hot and humid. Even so, most people on public transport wear a mask and observe distance rules. I've been hearing of changes in coronavirus cases in many countries and changes in travel rules. I can't imagine being 2 weeks in quarantine. No thanks! I still don't know when I may be able to fly to the UK to see family and friends. Perhaps in winter.

I welcomed the Kowalke Gang to my garden yesterday evening. They brought the food and drinks and I provided the seats and table. Not a bad deal! Lots of talking as supper was consumed and the evening cooled. We started with a glass of Sekt, as you can see in this photo. We toasted Colin. He is Johanna's cousin and had to stay in Sydney in Australia due to coronavirus rules. At least he kept busy renovating his house. See you next summer Colin. Prost!

Tagaus

I had a nice day out on Thursday. Johanna and Putte came to my place for a cuppa coffee before we left for the local S-Bahn. We all wore face masks which is now a requirement in public transport here. It is the same in shops. Most people just accept that and wear a mask with no discussion.

We headed to the east of Berlin and got out at Rahnsdorf. A short walk to the Tram station and waited a few minutes for a tram that is old. No idea exactly how old but I guess from the 1920s. Here you can see a photo of me standing next to the tram. A really relaxing ride through woods and green fields until we reached the last station at Waltersdorf. There are two lakes and  lots of woods and a popular restaurant there. 

We got there just after it opened and noted it quickly filled with people over 65! They clearly had the same idea as we did. No surprise that I selected fish for lunch and it was really nice to enjoy it with a sunny view over one of the lakes. From there we set off on a walk to take away the calories. We walked down the side of the second lake with little breaks to enjoy the view. We ended our walk at Erkner where I have been many times. We had a coffee break before taking the S-Bahn back to Berlin.

Of course I did not know I was going to have an accident with my right leg next day. I told you about that in my last post. The wound is slowly healing with the help of cream and bandages. It is just a matter of time before I am galloping around on both legs!

Another

I had another accident this morning. I set off for ' Kerstin's Keep Fit Class for Seniors' as usual on a Friday morning. I had to go on a bus for the tram is suspended until the end of the year due to road works. As I approached the bus it started to leave, then it stopped so I ran to get on it. The doors opened and I stepped in. Ouchhhhh.....I hit my right leg on the metal bottom  of the entrance.

I could feel the pain but found a seat and then looked at my leg. Blood was pouring into my sock. A women said she would take me to a local chemist's for treatment. She did just that and there an assistant cleaned the wound and put a bandage on it. I was told to go home and put my leg up and relax for the rest of the day. The people were very nice.

I set off for home then decided to have a haircut. There is a new(ish) salon near my S-Bahn so I went in. Only had to wait a few minutes and then a young man got into action on my head. I told him I wanted a 'summer short cut'. He nodded, smiled and got to work with his shears. He did a good job and I left feeling better with what could be called a 'crew cut'.

I got home and relaxed on my balcony by reading a book. I felt very sleepy and have done for the rest of the day. I think it must be a reaction to the accident. The wound is near to where I had my bicycle accident wound. Why do I have such accidents ?

August 2020 Things

From a hot, sunny Saturday we moved into cooler days. This morning there is a grey sky, no sun and only 17°C on my balcony.It rained yesterday and I expect more later in the day. Looking at my diary for August I can see nothing special. I wanted to be in the UK to visit family and friends but the flight was cancelled. Now there are more coronavirus outbreaks in England so I don't know when it will be safe to travel. The big event this week is my visit to a local hospital on Wednesday at noon. Nothing special, just a check on my skin problems. There are Zoom meetings during the month, so I am getting used to using that platform.

Who has a birthday in August? Shirley over in Florida starts us off with her 81st on the 1st August! Back in Berlin, Christian Dix was 26 on that day and his brother Jerome will be 25 on the 8th. Near to Berlin, Beatrix Dames will celebrate her 46th on the 6th August. Martina from my Kowalke Gang will be 72 on the 19th. Nicole will be 75 on the 21st and musician Angelika will be 68 on the 25th. On the 26th my sister Pauline will celebrate her 76th with family in Cambridge. Over in Jüterbog, Dieter will have a party for his 76th birthday on the 27th. My wonderful Jan will be 37 on the 28th. Sure to be a special day in Den Haag with two beautiful daughters to share the day with as well as his charming wife. Happy Birthday no matter where you are :-)

Other Things in August. On the 9th Peter and Andre will celebrate their 12th wedding anniversary in Altlandsberg. I hope to be there as I was when they married. On the 23rd, Andrea and Marco will celebrate 5 years of marriage. On the 27th I shall be placing flowers on a grave to mark 16 years since the untimely death of Birgit. On the 29th, I shall be in touch with a family in Brighton to remember Glen who took his life one year ago.

Oranienburg

I went to Oranienburg with Imre yesterday. Where is it? Get your map out.Put your finger on the centre of Berlin and move it slowly to the north then to the west and you will find it. Imre said he had been there before in the GDR with his family, but I could not remember ever visiting the town. A very nice area in the State of Brandenburg.

The big attraction now is Schloss Oranienburg. It is also known for the museum which shows pictures of the Royal Family over generations, and the paintings and textile wall coverings. It is the oldest baroque palace complex in Brandenburg. It was built from 1651 for Electress Louise Henriette of Orange-Nassau, the first wife of the ‘Great Elector’ Frederick William. She came from The Netherlands from an area called Oranien and so brought the connection to Netherlands to the Schloss and name of the town.

We went there on the S-Bahn which provides a regular service. We then walked towards the Schloss. We found a Greek restaurant so Imre decided it was time for lunch and I had to go to the toilet! He ordered a large fresh salad and fruit juice. Here you can see a photo of him enjoying lunch. We then resumed our walk and arrived at the Schloss.

We got tickets to see the museum section. Very interesting, and worth a visit. We then went to the Schloss Restaurant. I was hungry so I ordered a fish dish for lunch. Imre stared at it and I wondered if he would attack it with his fork. He didn’t because I gave him the salad and he munched on that as I finished lunch.  Some lazy local walks, then back to the station and the journey back to Berlin. A really nice day and I would like to go there again to see more of the town and learn about its history.  

Hottest

Today is said to be the hottest day of the year so far. I have also heard that Brexitland is enjoying the same. I settled into the sun on my balcony this morning and continued to read my book. Yesterday I went to Aldi and bought 3 Learn German books.

They are written for children at 4th, 5th and 6th level. Ideal for me to go back to school, at home, and learn more about the language. The problem is learning alone. You need to be with other people to learn a language and that is not easy given the coronavirus limitations on contact.

I also got 2 English books at level 5. These are for some German people I know who want to improve their English for travel and holiday. Again, no plans at the moment because of coronavirus but they decided to improve their English for the future when they can travel. Now that is what I call positive thinking.

I'm waiting for a telephone call from Imre. He called me on Wednesday for a chat and then said he wanted to go to a town north of Berlin on Saturday. He said he would call with details of train times. So far, nothing. I wonder what kind of restaurant we shall have lunch in, and if I shall have to defend my plate from his fork. Watch this space for details :-)

Another Day Out

I had another nice day out yesterday. I met Johanna and Martina at a local U-Bahn station at 9.30 and that was the start of the day out. The route and destination was in a book about walks around Berlin which Martina has. We got seats in a regional train at Alexander Platz. It was full of families and lots of people with bicycles. We got to Potsdam at 10.38 and managed to get into another regional train heading south.

We got out at Caputh. This is a really nice small town and Albert Einstein used to live there. His house is now a museum and well worth a visit. We started our walk from there along one side of a lake called Schwielowsee. The track was well marked and there were seats so you could relax and look at the views across the lake. We walked on and finally arrived at a town called Ferch which marks the southern tip of the lake. This was our destination.

We were hungry and it was lunchtime so we went to the Strandhotel restaurant. Here is a photo of the hotel. There were lots of tables and seats on the harbour side so we settled down to enjoy the view and a meal. Martina and I ordered the same dish. Yes, a fish dish and very tasty. Here you can see the view from our table with dark clouds gathering. It rained a little then the sun shone again. By then it was time to return so we got a bus to Potsdam.

From there we took another regional train back to Alexander Platz and the U-Bahn home. We all agreed it had been a very interesting excursion and we should do another one in a week or two. A very good idea especially with fish for lunch!

Busy Day

I had a very busy but nice day yesterday. It started with taking public transport to a garden house in Mahlsdorf. This is in the east of the city in a district called Köpenik. I missed the local train by 1 minute so had to wait 20 minutes for the next one. Then I discovered there was repair work on the tram tracks. I had to take a bus. The clock ticked away and I could hear local people complaining about the bad service. Finally the bus came, but it only went one stop. We all had to get out and wait for a replacement tram. More complaining!

The tram came and I got out at the 5th stop. The house is on the corner so I could hear members of Kerstin's Keep Fit for Seniors Gang as I approached the garden. I was the last to arrive and just in time to see the food grilled and placed on the table. The Gang tucked in and enjoyed the different dishes. I kept being told to eat more but I said I could not for I had to return home because I was expecting guests from England. A quick thanks to all and then I set off on the way home.

 I got home in time to set the table in the garden and welcome Johanna who brought some cakes. Yes, it was time for Kaffee und Kuchen but who were the guests from England? As planned, Adrian and Tanya walked into the garden and we settled down for a nice couple of hours for they had an appointment later. Adrian and I met in 1978 when we went to the University of Sussex and we have kept contact ever since.

 Lots of catching up on news as we sipped a cool glass of Sekt to welcome them. Coffee was enjoyed with strawberry cake and lemon cake. Mmmmh...tasty. I was surprised that they didn't look any older. The last time I saw them was a couple of years ago when I stayed at their place in London. And so it came time for them to leave. It was agreed that I stay with them again when I next visit London. Always nice to spend time with them. What an interesting mix of meetings.

Visitors

I had two nice visitors yesterday afternoon. Yes, it was 'The Bros'. They called earlier to see if I would be at home and if they could visit. I said yes to both questions. I told them to bring large bags to carry clothes for their sister. I got a large package from Holger and Gabi near Bremen with clothes for her. This was the second package, so many thanks to both for their generosity.

The Bros asked if they could work in the garden. I readily agreed and off we went. Bro1 wanted to use my wlan connection. I gave him the information and he got onto the internet. He had a project to work on in the internet about preparing for college after the holidays are over. He also enjoyed just relaxing in the garden as he worked.

I worked with Bro2 who wanted to learn more English. He had brought his books and papers and showed me what he had done since out last meeting. I was impressed at his progress. He now really needs to speak and listen to English and not just do exercises in his book. There is little chance of that for he and his family cannot leave Berlin-Brandenburg without special permission. Meanwhile, he will just have to push ahead with exercises in his English books.

And then I heard the magic words, "Opa, ich habe Hunger!" We moved into the kitchen and prepared different pizzas followed by a fresh fruit salad I had made. Lots of lip smacking as the plates emptied. After that it was TV and dozing on the sofa. It is clear that The Bros are making progress in many areas related to study and future training. A nice visit from a talented couple of brothers.

To Schloss F

I went to Bad Freienwalde with Johanna on Saturday. She got an invitation to attend a book reading at Schloss Freienwalde and asked me to go with her. It only took a second to agree! I can hear you asking where it is. Take out your map and put your finger on the centre of Berlin. Now move it north and then to the east in the direction of the Polish border. There you have found Bad Freienwalde.

I can remember driving through it many times and many years ago as I set off for a holiday in Poland. This time we travelled there by local train and bus. Very relaxing as we went through  green fields and woods. We finally found the Schloss and entered for the reading. It was built in 1798 for the widow of Friedrich Wilhelm II and she spent summers there.

The reading was by Leonhard Horowski and from his new book, which he was there to promote. He spoke very quickly, which was a good test for me to try and follow his presentation. Here you can see the invitation and details of the event. He talked about The Europe of the Kings during the 17th and 18th centuries. After that, we found a very nice cafe on the way to the bus station. Then back to Berlin. We decided to repeat the visit for the Schloss has a permanent presentation of the life of Walther Rathenau. More of that later.

Cake

Imre came to visit last Saturday.As usual, he had his i-pad so was able to go online. He explained how to use Skype and then we did a test run from his pad to my laptop. It worked. We were able to communicate via Skype even though he was sitting next to me!

We then left for a restaurant for lunch. Imre was hungry. We ended up at my local Italian restaurant sitting outside. Yes, it was warm enough - a bit like today. I ordered a pasta dish with salmon and vegetables. Imre also ordered a pasta dish but based on spaghetti. As usual, he scanned my plate and said it looked good. He ended up eating half of my dish - no surprise there! He talked throughout the meal and then back at my place.

We settled onto the balcony and he told me more about future plans with his lady. He then talked about learning English at the British Council School here in Berlin. That is where we met. He talked and I listened as he recounted his learning adventures including some visits to the UK to language schools. It was then time to enjoy coffee and cake. I had bought some raspberry cake with cream so Imre tucked into a slice while recounting more learning adventures. A very pleasant day - with or without cake!

Muggy

We are having muggy weather at the moment. Yesterday, it rained most of the time. Nothing big to report since my last post. I've spent most of the time on the balcony sleeping or reading a book. My nephew, Andrew, recently contacted me about meeting him on Skype. I have not used it for years. For the last two evenings I have opened Skype on my laptop but with no contact success . What am I doing wrong?

Day Out

I had a really nice day out yesterday with two charming ladies. We met at Ostkreuz Bahnhof at 9.30 and took the train to Kostrzyn on the Polish border to the east of Berlin. The train was full and most people wore face masks. There were lots of people with bicycles for there are lots of popular bicycle routes  there. We got out at Müncheberg to take a bus north. The bus didn't come so we called a taxi service and after one hour waiting we set off.

We got out at Kunersdorf. I had never been in these villages before. They are all part of the history of the area and what became Prussia - Preußen and are also important in the history of Poland.  In the village we found the Chamisso Museum. There you can see details of important writers, artists who lived and worked in the village. Next to the museum is a church. That was part of a major construction project which included a large 'Schloss'. That was destroyed in 1945 but the museum, church and gardens are worth a visit. I wonder why I didn't do that before!

We took the taxi again to the north until we reached Bad Freienwalde. There we waited for a local bus and took time to sip a nice drop of Chardenay. We got out at Strausburg Nord and took the S-Bahn back to Berlin. A really nice day and we decided to have another one like it soon.

Beards

Two beards came to visit me a few days ago. Yes, it was 'The Boyz'. School holidays had started so they had the time and just wanted to visit their Opa :-) From the photo you can see they now have beards although of different shapes and sizes. Bro1 has the more conventional full face beard. Bro2 has it in sections. There is his sideboard section and his chin beard and his thick mustache, but he is now the tallest in the family - and still growing! I suggested I remove my chin beard but they insisted it had to stay. They asked how I could possibly be their Opa without a beard. I gave in and kept it.

Bro1 wanted to use my computer and printer. I agreed and he found the pages he needed to apply for a grant to continue to study from next September. He then printed out all 8 pages and went to sleep on the sofa. Bro2 was in another room working on his school English and a book I had given him. It soon became clear that he did not understand the basic tense system and that the teacher in the school didn't teach that. After a snack, Bro1 went back to sleep and Bro2 tried to understand Present Progressive Tense. It was not easy for him - but then it is not easy for Germans for Progressive Tenses do not exist in German. It was nice to spend time with them and try to help. I wonder if they will notice that I have removed my beard when they next visit?

July 2020 Things

I've just noticed that I forgot to post June 2020 Things. Oooops! Life here has not changed a lot in the last few weeks. It is too dry. It rains then stops as the sun takes over. I'm now having weekly physio-training on my back. It helps and the docs are very good. My next therapy is on Thursday at 6.00 pm.

As usual, many hours a day are spent alone, reading or dozing. I wish I could just get on a plane and leave it at Leeds airport. Cousin Barbara would be waiting for me and I could settle into life at her house. It's very nice. I could also see Fran and Warren before they leave for the south. Not to forget spending time in Casland with Alan and Lynne. I miss not being with them. I need a holiday!

Who has a Birthday in July? Laura B. starts the month with her 22nd in West Yorkshire. Back to Berlin for on the 2nd Jutta from my Kowalke Gang will celebrate her 72 nd. We are meeting at her place for a nice lazy traditional breakfast. Back to West Yorkshire for Krystle will celebrate her 35th on the 8th. Jutta's husband is Gerald and he will be 79 on the 17th - it is also their wedding anniversary. Another reason to celebrate. And so ends the birthdays in July. Have a great day no matter where you are!

Other Things: The 3rd July is Jan and Arancha's 5th wedding anniversary. What a day that was. Never to be forgotten!! On the 6th July my Acer Laptop will be 9 years old. It now runs on Window's 10 with no problem. On the 24th I shall raise a glass of sekt to toast myself. Something happened on that day 8 years ago. Guess what :-))

More Twaddle

I'm having a lazy day. The sun is shining and I have spent some time on the balcony with my book. I've also listened to BBC Radio 4 news and other programmes from which I have recorded More Twaddle.  Here it is to make you smile - and wonder where the speakers are taking the language.

Something to tilt for / I hear the picture you are painting / I made that moment happen / to litigate an issue / to bubble with someone / to form a social bubble / the lossing of a friend / I weept (said by a US Academic Prof.)  / many governments are frozen in their headlights / many of these musics / it matters massively / he was a scrapbooker / a window of time / there has been an uptick / to listen back / it’s a good busy / to hold  the governments feet to the fire  (I didn't know a government had feet!!!/ lockstep / things getting to the back up and running (The last two were said by a BBC Reporter in a recent news broadcast.

AWO Afternoon

I've had a really nice afternoon. As you know I am a member of the Arbeiterwohlfahrt (AWO). This is a social organisation with branches all over Germany. It was set up in 1919 by a women who was also active in the SPD. She created it to help women and children whose husband/father had been killed in WW1 or were in prisons. It organised food for them and a range of social support.

I was invited to my local AWO to read a chapter from a book called 'Good Night, Marie'. The book is a collection of stories for children and was published to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the AWO. My chapter of 3 pages was about Marie and how she got to know her neighbour, an elderly man with  a sailors cap and pipe.

Families were invited including young children. I was the last to read a chapter and so I changed my presentation to include questions directed at the children so they could shout out answers as I read out the text. At the end I got a good round of applause and thanks from parents for involving their children in the reading. I really enjoyed it as I am sure you would have!

Not Forgotten

I was recently thumbing through my diary and then noticed a list of people who sadly died. You know I write a monthly list of people with birthdays. Now is my Not Forgotten List.
My brother-in-law Geoff died at 3.00 pm on the 31st May two years ago. Peter Hartstein was in my Mugglesee Gang and died on the 5th June 2014. I visited him in hospital in Berlin a few days before.  Jürgen died on the 11th June in 2017. He was a larger than life character which is what you need if you are to be a well known actor. My father Patrick and mother Joyce shared the same birthday. On the 19th June my father would have been 108 and my mother 102. Back to Berlin and Herman would have been 83 on the 25th June. They are not forgotten. 

Storm

Yesterday there was a storm that lasted into the night. It came with thunder and lots of lightening. I read later that over 700 lightening flashes came in the first two hours. Just before the storm arrived I had set off for a walk to get a bit of exercise. I didn't have an umbrella. I heard the distant rumble of thunder moving in from the east and thought it would make a noise and move on.

A mistake! I continued on my walk and the rumbles got louder - but no rain. I continued to walk. Then the rain came. Slowly at first then more, so I turned back. I arrived home dripping from the rain so it was clothes into the washing machine as I ran through the shower and put on new clothes.

That was very different from Friday evening and sitting in the garden. Some of my Ko Gang wanted to enjoy supper there. They brought the food and I washed the seats and table and provided a bottle of my favourite Spanish sekt. We started our evening with this. The weather was warm  with blue skies. Perfect weather for supper in the garden. Thank goodness we did it then and not one day later. 

G-Day

Saturday is a special day and new to me. It is 'World Gin Day'. I didn't know there was one. Here are a range of gins on offer but my favourite is still Gordon's Dry Gin with Schweppes Tonic Water. Of course you have to make it the traditional way.

A large glass into which you put 3/4 ice cubes with at least two slices of lemon. Pour in the gin followed by Tonic Water. The amount of each is variable and depends on the weather and time of day. On a hot day you would add more Tonic Water to thin the gin. To relax in the evening you reduce the Tonic and increase the gin a little. It is best to experiment.

The advert here offers some interesting gins. One is called WAGON 22: Transsiberian Thorn Gin. That sounds really interesting! Another is Granit: Bavarian Bio-Gin. There is even one from Spain called GIN MARE: Premium-Gin. There is also THE BOTANIST: Islay Dry Gin - which you know comes from an island off the Scottish coast. London Dry Gins on offer are Elephant Gin, Beefeater 24, Bulldog and Gordon's. A good range to choose from.

You know I sometimes report on the use of English by native speakers. Here is an example. A recent BBC Radio 4 programme called Any Questions had the following panel members. The President of the National Farmers Union, a Labour MP, the Chair of the BMA and the 'Care' Minister. They all answered questions and in the 45 minutes of the programme used the word 'Absolutely' every 2.5 minutes. It's absolutely true, I'm absolutely not lying, I'm absolutely, absolutely....That's absolutely enough!

More

More eating - but his time it was 'Kaffee und Kuchen' yesterday afternoon. I met my Kowalke Gang and we took the S-Bahn to Mahlsdorf in the east of the city. It is a nice suburb with lots of family houses and greenery. We walked for nearly 10 minutes then came to our destination. A flat which is the home of another of the Ko Gang. She has a talent for gardening and a really nice garden with a large range of flowers.

We exchanged greetings for it was her 80th birthday, but she looks much younger. We then sipped a relaxing glass of cool sekt to wish her lots of good health. Over cakes and coffee there was lots of talk, particularly about events in the past. No surprise about that. We moved into the garden and sat under a large umbrella. We were lucky to be celebrating on a warm sunny day.

Family members arrived later and so started a second round of eating and drinking. At that point I left the celebrations and returned home feeling very happy for being able to share such a special afternoon.

Eating

Eating can by nice or not - depending on what is on the plate! I met my Muggelsee Gang last Saturday near Bernau. They had done a 36 kilometre bicycle ride. I hadn't due to leg problems and healing after my bicycle accident. Instead, I took the local train and then I was picked up at the station.

Lots of catching up on news as the grill cooked a number of things. Mainly sausages and steaks. I enjoyed a delicious potato salad. Here you can see most of the Mug Gang tucking in to a well deserved late lunch after their cycling tour.

Last Monday was a public holiday with nice weather. I met my Kowalke Gang for a long and tasty lunch. I had fish with Spargel, as you can see from the photo. We started with a fine bottle of sekt from Hungary and then settled into white or red wine depending on the food. Very tasty and we enjoyed sipping more wine as we relaxed post food and talked about anything and everything.

In a short time I shall take an S-Bahn to a suburb east of Berlin and there I shall join my Ko Gang again. This time to celebrate a special birthday. One of the Gang is 80 today but she looks and acts much younger. On the plate there will be a range of cakes with tea or coffee. Looking forward to more eating. Keep chewing!

Walking

I went on a walk a few days ago with Johanna. She wanted to visit Kreuzberg, which is an inner district of Berlin. As Berlin expanded in the late 1800s, a canal and small lake was constructed which ended in Kreuzberg. The canal was destroyed by bombing in WW2 and the small lake was later linked to underground water and the area became a popular one for walks ending at the lake. A bar - restaurant was also built. Perfect for the end of a walk!

You can see the lake here and a shot of me enjoying a light lunch at the restaurant. A very nice excursion. I'm meeting Johanna again on Thursday to enjoy another walk but this time in our area.

This morning I had an appointment in a department of a local hospital. I now have all the X-Rays taken of my back and pelvis. The Doc. took me through all the images and explained what they meant.

The 3rd,4th,5th discs in my lower spine have collapsed into each other and my spine is no longer straight where it should be. This is causing pressure on the left of my pelvic bone. That is why I am having problems to walk as quickly as I did and to cycle as I did. I asked him why and he said there is no clear answer and that it had little to do with my age. The reshaping of these bones causes pain in the lower left part of my back and left leg. I have to go for treatment during the next 6 weeks. The Doc also said I had to do more walking.

One result is that I can't join my Muggelsee Gang for our summer bicycle tour on Saturday. Instead, I shall take the train to Bernau and meet another member  who will take me to the family house and garden where I shall meet the gang at the end of their tour. Then we shall have a traditional 'wurst' and beer evening with some singing. Looking forward to that and to doing more walking with Johanna. I also hope to get back into cycling for I have always enjoyed that. I'll get there step be step!

Okay 2

I'm happy to report that I am still okay. The wound on my right leg is healing and I no longer need medicine or bandages. My allergies are now reducing although they should have gone by the end of April. I wear a mask and rubber gloves when I go shopping or travel on public transport. Like most people, I am getting used to wearing these things. I told you my flight to the UK in July was cancelled. Now the UK Government has announced that all people flying there from 1 June will have to spend two weeks in quarantine! Looks like I shall not be flying there this year.

I am now reading a book about Karlshorst. This is the district where I live. It is in the south-east of the city and has a large horse racing track. It was officially created on 25 May 1895. There were plans to have celebrations last week, but these were cancelled for reasons I am sure you can guess. The book has lots of drawings and old black and white photos. It is famous for the building in which the documents were signed ending WW II in Europe. It was an Officers Club but is now a museum. Put it on your list of places to visit the next time you come to Berlin.

As you can see in the other photo, one bottle is ready to replace another. The new one if called Kvint: Divin Aged 10 years. It comes from Moldova and was a present from Daniel. I think it is an equivalent to whisk(e)y. I'll know better next Monday evening when I have visitors and we shall taste it. Back to reading - have a look on the internet about the history of Moldova. Very interesting - and it has the largest underground wine cellar in the world. Amazing!

Happy

Bro1 is very happy. He visited me last Saturday - as arranged. I asked him if he needed to use my laptop to do any college work. He said 'No'. He just wanted to 'chillen' and watch a DVD. As a first step he went to the local store to buy some food. On his return I told him to go onto the balcony and close his eyes. He did just that and here is the result.

You can see by the big smile that he was more than happy. Some posts ago I said The Boyz needed a laptop to go online and pick up study material sent by their respective schools/colleges. Thorsten responded by saying he knew of someone with a laptop in the cellar. He rescued it, added different progammes and arrived at my place with it last Friday.  Good timing!

Bro1 quickly started to explore his new laptop. It did not take long for him to work through the programmes and see how they worked. After that, he started to cook and just before the food was ready, Bro2 rang the bell. He was also very happy with the laptop and asked if he could have one. I told him to be patient. I  think Thorsten has found another one but it will be a surprise for Bro2.

After eating they went to watch a DVD. They like one with lots of action. I opened the door later to find the DVD still playing but both of them asleep on the sofa. At least they were smiling! Big thanks to Thorsten for making Bro1 so happy.

Mixed Week

I've had a mixed week including three hospital visits. It started on Monday with a visit from Birgit F. who I hadn't seen for too long. She looked great as we sipped a cool G&T and caught up on news. We decided to meet more often and not only just to enjoy a G&T. On Tuesday I went to an institute at my local hospital. I had to show a Dr. the X-Rays I had got the week before from a specialist Radiologie centre. He decided I had to come to the hospital again on Thursday for treatment.

Before then, I met Marita on Wednesday. I hadn't seen her since Christmas even though she lives opposite to my place. She is very busy at the moment with her mother who is aged and ill. Marita decided to cook a traditional meal of Asparagus, which is called der Spargel in German. It was delicious as you can see from the photo. She prepared it with strawberries and black pepper. She said that was also traditional. It was very tasty. We decided to meet more often and even in my garden when the sun shone.

On Thursday I was back at the hospital and had to remove my lower clothes except for my underpants. I had to lie flat and the Dr gave me two injections just above my left bottom cheek. I believe they were stronger than the ones I had earlier got. On Friday - this morning - I had to go back so the nurse could check on the wound and if it was okay. It was and I got new bandages and was told I could remove them tomorrow. I got home in time to relax and have breakfast before Johanna arrived. She read all my medical reports and explained some points to me. It is easy for her because she used to be a nurse and she can translate medical German into normal German! We then went for a relaxing walk in a local park area.

Talking of park and green areas, I told you in an earlier post that I walk in the big garden at the back of the flats where I live. I am fortunate to be able to do that compared to millions of people who live in small rooms with no access to greenery. Here is a photo of the front of the flats. You can see that we have a small one-way road in front. The other photo is of the garden at the back of the flats. It also has play areas for children and seats/tables for picnics and grill evenings. I just walk in it! 

Talent

Most people have a talent or skill. They may not know it. Jutta is in my Kowalke Gang and has a talent for creating things from images in her computer. She is also very skilled in the use of a laptop and smartphone. She is able to do this even though she has a hearing aid and sight problems. She needs to read everything with the help of her magnifying glass. Her husband is Gerald and he has a talent with words. He writes texts and poetry even though he has to live in a home.

I met most of my Kowalke Gang last Friday for a long lazy breakfast at Johanna's. There, Jutta gave me this document you can see on the left plus one from Gerald who had written a poem about me. We sat and talked for a few hours. I slowly returned home and shortly after my doorbell rang. It was Daniel. We had arranged to meet.

It was nice to see him and after washing his hands he settled down to enjoy a pot of tea. As he drank we caught up on news and how he is dealing with university study during the virus close down. He asked me if I needed help in my flat or if I needed him to go shopping for food. I thanked him for his  offer and said I could manage okay at the moment. Then he started to not only wash up the cups but the teapot and sink!  We agreed to meet again and he insisted I call him if I needed any help.

I settled into the evening with a glass of sekt and looked at my cards. I got 13 cards and 9 telephone calls wishing me all the best. Very nice and thanks to all who sent their best wishes. As you perhaps know, that day was a special one. It was the 75th anniversary of the end of WW II. It was a public holiday in Berlin but many events were cancelled due to the virus threat. It was a day I shall always remember. 

Twaddle

I'm okay and spending most of my days at home. I read a lot and fortunately I have a garden so can walk around it without being a risk to anyone. I've had some nice telephone calls from friends and so we keep up-to-date with events and how we are. Friday is a public holiday in Berlin. It is to mark the 75th anniversary of the end of WW 2. The document was signed in what is now a museum in the area where I live. Many commemorative events have been cancelled or reduced because of the threat from coronavirus.

Being at home means I can watch TV more  (which I don't) and listen to the radio via my WLAN radio. I still listen to Radio 4 news from which I collect modern 'Blah-blah' or 'Twaddle' spoken by politicians and anyone else interviewed who cannot speak English properly and/or don't know what they really want to say. Here is my latest collection:

We are massively ramping up.../ (Boris Johnson on BBC Radio 4 news) the crises is really ramping up / to overthink it /  to interface with customers / super spreaders / a guardian angel cover / a joined up approach / a big upswing of growth / to weaponize a virus / to offshore to other countries / a triple bottom line / he had misspoke / to make a big ask of people / to step-down a service / to unlock down / it has been a big ask.
If you are learning English please do not learn such rubbish. Stay happy and healthy everyone!
Update: "PM is talking rubbish - complete word salad".