Headboard

Headboard means," an upright board at the top end of a bed" and is a single countable noun. Screwdriver is also a single countable noun. It is not 2 words. See comment on my last post and the Oxford or Macmillan Dictionary if you wish.

I started with a cold yesterday and it got worse as I crawled into bed last night. I woke three times due to coughing and the need to clear my throat and nose. I finally managed to hit the land of nod and woke at 7.30 as my alarm went off. I got ready and waited for the delivery of the new bed.

At 9.30 the bell rang and a workman began to bring in parts of the single bed. He worked very efficiently and I noted he had clearly done all this before! He then opened the box containing the headboard and said, "Oh, no"! He pulled it out and I could then see it was broken!

He completed building the bed and rang his company. They said they would send a new one in 10 days. I think I can sleep in the bed without its headboard for that time. Sleep well tonight. Now where did I put my tissues and nose spray? Cough, cough!!

Bed Time

I spent most of the morning with a bed = das Bett. The day began with a visit to my dentist's, the local bakery and some shopping. Back home I vacuumed, then put my equipment box into the bedroom. I am taking delivery of a new bed tomorrow morning so had to dismantle the old one.

The old bed is a double and was given to me a few years ago when a friend moved to Prague. I decided I wanted to reduce the dominance of a double bed in my room. The new one is a single. I removed a mattress and a support board to get to the basic structure. To begin with I had to unscrew 8 screws which was not easy. Rusted to the metal. With my big screwdriver and other equipment I finally removed them.

Next was to remove the headboard from the rest of the wooden structure. Not an easy task but with a bit of pushing and muscle I succeeded. Here you can see all parts of the old bed resting on the walls. Next I made up a bed for tonight. It is a wooden support with a mattress on top.  Here you can see where I shall later be resting my head as I enter the land of nod. Sleep well :-))

Visitors

Yesterday was a really special day for me. I told you in my last post that I was expecting visitors. They were Jeff and his wife Ike. I met Jeff many years ago when he registered at Sussex Uni for his doctorate He comes from California, fell in love with a lady from The Netherlands and went to live in Amersfort. He re-married a few years ago and it was my first meeting with Ike. Speaks perfect English in addition to German and Dutch.

They arrived after breakfast and we soon started to catch up on news over coffee, tea and biscuits. They told me they had seen all the standard tourist sites in the centre of the city on Friday so were happy to go to other places. Off we went to the German-Russia Museum. I have posted about this before and regret that not many tourists know about it or visit the building. It was completed in 1937 as an Officers Mess in a complex designed for training officers for the then German military.

The complex was not destroyed by bombing so the Soviet military took it over. On the evening of the 8th May 1945, a number of senior military officers met in the large hall to sign a document for the unconditional surrender of German military forces, and so ended WWII. Jeff and Ike were very impressed with the museum presentation and said they were very glad to have seen it. Here you can see them in the hall where the signing took place.

We had a late lunch with more catching up on news and then to the S-Bahn for the short ride to Friedrichshagen in the east. We walked down Böttcherstrasse, which is full of interesting small shops, and reached Muggelsee, which is the largest lake in Berlin. By then it was dark, but they were happy to have taken the trip there, and said they would like to see it in summer. We then found a place to sip a glass of red wine/beer before taking the return trip.

They are now on the way to Tegel Airport for the flight back to Amsterdam. Looking forward to Spring and showing them more of Berlin. Hope you had a happy day and re now relaxing. 

More Wise Words

This afternoon I saw Stefan and my Photoshop Gang. It was to say goodbye to two members who are are longer able to travel there. One of them can now hardly walk. We had a happy time talking about all the things we had done. The couple promised to visit for special events and exhibitions so we shall see them again even if not regularly.

Jeff and his wife arrived from Amsterdam this afternoon. We shall be spending tomorrow looking at some of the sights Berlin has to offer. They are coming to my place after breakfast and I shall take them to the German-Russian Museum which is only 10 minutes walk away. Then off to other parts of Berlin, including the things all tourists see in the centre of the city.

I got some nice calls about my last post so here are a few more to make you smile and think! Here goes: In just two days, tomorrow will be yesterday / I plan on living forever. So far, so good / A day without sunshine is like night / If marriage were outlawed, only outlaws would have in-laws / It is frustrating when you know all the answers, but nobody bothers to ask you the questions / The real art of conversation is not only to say the right thing at the right time, but also to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment (Now that is a difficult one to think about!) / Age doesn't always bring wisdom. Sometimes age comes alone / Life not only begins at forty, it also begins to show / You don't stop laughing because you grow old, you grow old because you stopped laughing. Have a nice weekend!  

Wise Words

I have just posted the latest spoken rubbish so will now share some Wise Words. They will certainly make you smile. Some more than others. Many are funny because of the word play and change of meaning even with the same word. Now settle down, get something into a glass and smile!

Love is grand; divorce is a hundred grand / Time may be a great healer, but it's a lousy beautician / Remember, amateurs built the Ark. Professionals built the Titanic / Conscience is what hurts when everything else feels so good / Talk is cheap because supply exceeds demand / Even if you are on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there / Politicians and diapers (Windeln) have one thing in common. They should both be changed regularly and for the same reason / An optimist thinks that this is the best possible world. A pessimist fears that this is true. There will always be death and taxes; however, death doesn't get worse every year.

Even more rubbish

All going well so far this week. We are now wearing winter clothes, boots and hats/caps as we adjust to low temperatures after a long summer of high temperatures. I need some new boots but I have enough winter coats and jackets. I'm listening to the news on my radio and it is all about the latest events in Brexit. It dominates the UK news at the moment.

I also recorded more spoken rubbish as I moved into warm clothes. Here are the latest sayings via BBC Radio 4. I am still surprised that a lot of the rubbish is spoken by politicians and business people. Settle down and try to understand what someone was trying to say.

A window of time / a sealed situation / impact on their matrimonial status / even horizon / That is a concerned piece of information to hear / we have rectified the conditions / within the football family / democracy is not fit for purpose / we have outsourced legal thinking / for too long fashion has marked its own homework / we need to heal this country / it might have been he.

That's enough rubbish for the moment. Relax and smile.

Settling In

We are settling into Autumn here in Berlin. See the photo of the big tree in my back garden. Most leaves have fallen and you can see they have covered the picnic place and ground. Still not enough rain but temperatures now just above freezing. Nice to get information from friends in Australia and see photos of them emerging into summer.

Last week was full of the usual plus I went shopping in Alexander Platz with Johanna. Very nice time and I bought a new pair of glasses and a single bed. I have decided to make some changes to my bedroom and create more space. I have to wait for the glasses to be made and for the bed warehouse to organise delivery. I told you in an earlier post that I had an accident and broke the glass in my glasses.

I have been learning about "Saurer Regen". It means acid rain. I can hear you asking, 'Why?' The answer is, 'Bro2'. I got a call asking for help with his chemistry homework. He has another week to complete the task. I cheated by going onto Wikepedia and reading about the subject. Bro2 sat in the kitchen with my laptop and started the task of writing. He has to prepare an essay, do a Mindmap, list the sources and include details of the damage it does to the environment. He plans to return on Thursday after school to complete the task and print it out for the teacher. The things I learn from the Boyz!

Big Bro visited yesterday as well. His parents have bought some weights for the boys to build more muscle and help them with sport. Here is a photo of him pumping up the muscles in his arms and chest. Now to get ready for the rest of the day. Looking forward to meeting an old friend and his wife next weekend. More about that later.

UPDATE: Don't forget to watch football on TV this evening. The German team is playing against The Netherlands. Poor Jan won't know which one to cheer for :-))

Remember

Last week was a good one with all the usual routines and surprisingly good weather for the time of year. Hope you had a good week. This weekend is dominated by a number of words such as remember, remembrance day, memory, memories, remembering. It is interesting that so many historical things happened in early November.

Normally I do not post about national or international events for you get these on your local TV or radio stations, depending on where you live. I make an exception now. Three things happened that changed the world in the last hundred years and many people are now actively remembering them in different countries and continents. An estimated 18 million people died in that war including 700,000 British soldiers.

Let's begin with today the 11th November. On that day in 1918 - exactly one hundred years ago - an Armistice was signed in the north of France that ended WW-1. I am sure you have seen reports in your local media. German TV and radio are full of reports both historical and actual. For example: lots of shots of the German Prime Minister with the French President at the Armistice site and then later with many EU-World leaders.

As I write they are attending a commemoration ceremony at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. This morning at 11.00 am, there was the usual ceremony in London with guests including the German President. In the evening of the 9th - 19th November 1938 was the 'Kristallnacht' when 1,500 Synagogues and religious building were set on fire by the Nazi Government. 30,000 Jews were rounded up and sent to concentration camps and so was the start of the mass murder of Jews in Europe. I have been to Auschwitz and shall never forget that visit. I go cold just thinking about it!

Moving to 9th November 1989, we remember the opening of the Berlin Wall. This led to German Reunification which formally took place on 3rd October 1990. This is now a national holiday. Three historical important things that happened between the 9th and 11th of November. What a weekend!

I wondered how to add photos to this post and decided to return to local images. The scaffolding was finally removed last Friday and so I bought some plants to put onto my balcony and make the view from my kitchen window nicer. I have prepared everything for next week so I can now relax with my book and doze off on the sofa. Enjoy the rest of your Sunday.

UPDATE: Today is also the Centenary of Polish National Independence Day. BBC Radio 3 dedicated the programme 'Through the Night' to Polish composers and music. Very nice. I have always enjoyed my visits/tours/holidays in Poland. I am happy to say that I am a fan of Poland and its people!

More Rubbish

I'm not sleeping very well at the moment. I wonder if it has anything to do with the change to winter time and if anyone else has the same problem. Moving to something nicer, how about this. I saw it in a newspaper as a poster on a wall. "A smile is the prettiest thing you can wear". It made me smile when I read it. I'm not sure if the following will make you smile!

Here is some more spoken rubbish and collected from  BBC Radio 4 news interviews. I think I should title this: 'How NOT to learn/speak English!'  / the square is not a circle / I want to inquire of you / we have leverage to press ahead / people who is /you can't actualise your values / he is duke-ing it out / I'm completely, absolutely on board / to set a spending envelope / they fly to Africa to overwinter / the removal of agency / a huge big bucket of people / that these terrible things are not happening on our watches / positive and negative benefits for the organisation / it is less good / they have no-one to unpick their issues with. 

I think that's enough for today. Now read them again and note why I call it spoken rubbish. I'm off for lunch now, then a doze and get my papers in order for next week!

November 2018 Things

November started here with some sunshine, blue sky with clouds and 14°C. Not a bad start but I notice people have switched into Autumn or Winter clothes. I wore a scarf last week for the first time since last Winter.

I had a good October some of which I shared with you via posts on this blog. A few things worried me and that was mainly to do with bad weather. For example: Worrying about Shirley and family in Florida under threat from Hurricane Michael. Fortunately they are all well and did not suffer the full force of the hurricane.

Looking  at my diary for November I see all the usual weekly appointments and meetings. I have another 2 meetings for treatment to my back/upper spine and a dental check up. My Photoshop meetings start tomorrow after a very long break. I wonder how much I have forgotten? Analogue connections for radio/TV will end in a couple of weeks. I am going to a meeting this evening to learn more about it, although I have a digital connection.

Who has a birthday in November? Daniel starts the month with his 22nd tomorrow. He is busy with university registration and funding at the moment but I am sure he will find time to celebrate. Jeff in Amsterdam will be 63 on the 19th. We met many years ago at uni. Sarah in London will be 58 on the 22nd. My old flatmate Stephen S. will be all of 61 on the 29th. I'm sure he'll call me the next time he is in Berlin so we can meet and enjoy a glass or two! Have a great day no matter where you are :-))

There are a few more things of note this month. On Saturday 3rd it will be the first anniversary of Hermann's funeral. I still miss not going to his place each Sunday for lunch and a slow walk. On the 9th, Alan and Lynne will take a plane to return to the UK after seeing family in NZ and Ozland. Have a safe journey. On Saturday 24th I'm meeting Jeff and his wife to show them a few local sights and enjoy lunch together. Looking forward to that! 

A Book

I bought a book today, after my movement and stretching course led by Kerstin. Last Wednesday afternoon I attended a meeting of the local museum support group. An ex-mayor was also present and recommended we all read a new book about the history of Karlshorst. He was a history teacher and has written a book about the SPD in Karlshorst. I decided to follow his advice.

Here you can see the title page. I would translate the words as, 'Noble Suburb and Site of History'. In the top right you can see the entrance to a large building. This was to host a very important event and one which put Karlshorst into world history.

Karlshorst translates as 'Karl's Nest' and is in the south of the borough of Lichtenberg in the east of Berlin. It was founded in 1895 as 'Carlshorst'. It was planned to be the garden town of Lichtenberg for only 500 families. It now has a population of 22 thousand! In 1901, a station was completed for the S-Bahn and trains from Berlin to Breslau (now Wroclaw in the west of Poland). It then developed as an affluent residential area.

In the mid-1930s, a large complex was built to train officers for the Wehrmacht. In the south of the complex an Officer's Mess was built with sleeping and dining facilities. Marshal Georgy Zhukov established his HQ there in April 1945. In the evening of 8th May 1945, senior military officers from different countries met there, including three representing the German military. They signed a document containing the unconditional surrender of German forces, which officially ended WWII in Europe. Here you can see the hall where the signing took place.

From 1945 to 1949, the buildings served as the HQ of the Soviet Military Administration in Germany. Russian soldiers left Karlshorst in 1994. It is now the home of the German-Russian Museum. Entrance is free! Pay a visit the next time you are in Berlin. It is worth it.

Birthday Boy

So, who had a birthday nearly two weeks ago? Okay, I'll make it easier for you. It was a 'he' and he was all of 16 on that day. I think some of you have got it right. It was Bro2 from my Family. He called earlier and wanted to visit just after his birthday. We agreed a day/time then he had something at school so we agreed another day and time - and then another one!

We finally met two days ago. He arrived with Bro1. Really nice to see them again after nearly 4 weeks. After our greetings, I gave Birthday Boy a card with a present inside. He was both surprised and very happy. I think you can see this in the photo. You may also notice that his moustache is clear to see.

Bro1 now has a full beard. Very nice and it suits him. Bro2 complained that he couldn't grow a beard but proudly showed me 4 hairs growing under his lower lip. I  told him to leave them alone and be patient. The beard just needs a bit more time. He smiled at hearing the words he wanted to hear :-)

I put food onto the table in front of the TV and they settled down to an evening of eating and watching a James Bond film on DVD. I noticed they chewed more and harder in the chase and fighting scenes! And so the evening went by and it was time for them to leave. A really pleasant time with lots of smiles, laughs and jokes. Looking forward to their next visit. I wonder what Bro2 will buy with the present I gave him?

Grillen

I live opposite a new(ish) block of flats also owned by the housing association. There is a section designed for meetings, discussions and parties. Here is a view from the back of the meeting room into the back of the new complex. I went there last Friday to enjoy 'grillen' at a Grill Party.

Grillen is as much a part of German culture as beer and  'die Bratwurst' = grilled sausage. This is traditionally eaten with a bread roll and mustard = Senf. I like my Bratwurst well grilled. Here you can see our Hausmeister = caretaker, getting the Wurst nice and brown.

I met a number of neighbours and chatted with them as I chewed away on my Wurst. There was a range of soft drinks available but most people drank hot 'Glühwein' = mulled wine. This is also a traditional  drink, particularly over the Christmas period. If you get the chance, try it!

Beerdigung

Die Beerdigung means a funeral in English. I went to one this morning. It was for Andreas who died nearly a month ago. He was only 50 and died peacefully in his sleep. I was told his heart just stopped. Still a shock for someone so relatively young.

I got to know him via the local SPD. He joined when he was 18 and had clear opinions, even when other members were not too happy with his views! He was very much his own person. He also owned a local bar-restaurant for many years. He recently sold it and moved into a nice large flat with his wife.

I think I told you that I met her recently and produced a photo of Andreas in a frame. This was on show this morning at his funeral service. I had to smile as I saw many people take photos of it surrounded by flowers. The chapel was full and the speech about his life was interesting. There was not a religious service for he was an atheist.

We shall miss you Andreas at future meetings and waiting to hear your views. It was a pleasure to know you and talk to you.

Spoken Rubbish

Time to cringe again. Here are a few examples taken from BBC Radio 4 news reports. Relax, sip something nice as you read the rubbish and maybe it will make you smile :-)

People can’t cook food for their table/ a number of hugely positive things/  we need a something in place/ to grow an economy/ to grow a brand/

 a backstory/ a net positive for people/ people can be disappeared/ since I done it/ when you originated this plan/ 

we are enforcing against that/ there is properly public interest/ joined up government thinking/ he is never actually engaging on this issue/ the rocket suffered an issue with a booster/

 a daily drift feed/ his injuries were un-survivable/ you’ve got to grow the pie first/ I think we’ll know an answer/ I’m not gonna blame fault/ it’s a deeply important step.

Good News

I have some good news. Shirley and family in Florida are okay and safe. Both Jan and I had contacted her for we were worried about the arrival of  hurricane 'Michael'. She was able to e-mail that they had survived the worst, but there was a lot of damage in the areas hit be the storm. Phew! - what a relief to read her words. For us the most important thing was that they were all safe. Take care of yourself Shirley and family and thanks for the quick and informative reply.

After my usual two appointments at the AWO yesterday morning I met my SPD Oldies. We then went to the Catholic High School in the district where I live. It was for an organised tour of the building. It is a listed building due to its architecture. I found it very interesting to listen to the concepts about building styles in the 1920s expressed in its architecture.

It started life as a hospital surrounded by trees and parkland. It continued as a hospital over the years until 1991 when it became a High School. It is mainly financed by the Berlin government and is one of three specialist educational centres. It specialises in training young people to work in all branches of health care. Good work and long may it continue.

That evening I relaxed in front of my TV to watch Germany play France at football. We (that means most of Germany) were hoping for a better show than the recent defeat against The Netherlands. We were disappointed. Germany lost 2:1. Percy was watching the game with me through his big glasses. When the final goal was scored he fainted with shock and he fell onto his glasses as you can see in the photo. Poor Percy - but at least his glasses are not broken, which is good news :-))

Happy Family

Monday was a bonus day for me. I had to rush to Alexander Platz for an appointment in the morning, then the S-Bahn to Savignyplatz, which is in the centre-west of the city. I arrived on time to see someone pushing a pram towards me. It was Jan with Emma!!

He had called the day before to say the family were in Berlin and could we meet on Monday. I said, "Yes" immediately. As they came closer I noticed a beautiful little girl with wavy blonde hair sitting in the pram and smiling at me. I just `melted`. Emma is growing up quickly but I did not try to pick her up then. We had to get to know each other again so I made funny faces and made her smile. Then all was okay.

I was allowed to push the pram around the area until we found a restaurant with seats outside. I noticed people looking at me, then at the baby, and I was sure I could see them thinking,`Is he really the father?`I just smiled and kept pushing the pram. A really proud `Opa`. We had lunch and played with Emma and her doll named after her. See the photo.

Here is a photo of the proud parents. What a great couple they are. We had time to chat before
I had to head for another S-Bahn and my regular appointment on a Monday afternoon. I had a wonderful feeling as I said goodbye to all and particularly to my beautiful little Emma!

Erkner again

I've had a very interesting and enjoyable day with Imre and our bicycles. I arrived at S-Bahn Schönewiede as planned. Imre was waiting for me. We bought tickets for the bikes and jumped into an S-Bahn heading south. Then we heard an announcement that due to repair work there would be no service after 2.00 pm. Imre swore as I looked at him and told him to get out.

We did just that and returned to where we had started. I then said I had a plan and took over the journey. We cycle to Wühleheide Park which is not too far from where I live. We ended up near the children's play area. It was full of young families and great to see so many happy faces. We decided to join the kids in a queue for chips with ketchup. Very tasty.

We then picked up the S-Bahn to Erkner. As you know, it is one of my favourite areas east of Berlin and I spent the day there yesterday - see last post. I remembered cycling through the town to a river system leading to a lake, but that was many years ago. Even so, as I cycled and followed my instinct it was clear I was in the right direction. Lots of cycling through woods turning golden brown until we reached our destination.

We arrived at a village called Woltersdorf and stopped at the lakeside. There were many people there enjoying the sunny warm weather. Again lots of young families and children in queues for ice cream! I went to a restaurant overlooking the lake where I had been to before. I enjoyed a plate of local fish washed down with a cool German dry white wine. Delicious!

It was then time to return. We took another route back to Erkner then the S-Bahn back to my station. Farewell to Imre, cycled home and looked at the photos I had taken today. Here are some of Lord Imre and his big smile :-))

Quick Update

It's been a busy week. One surprise was yesterday. I watched the German football team play The Netherlands with increasing disbelief as the German team slid to a 3:0 defeat. It was like watching them play badly in the recent World Cup games. Time for new, younger players, particularly in defence.

I spent all day yesterday at a conference-workshop in a hotel in Erkner. This is a very nice town to the east of Berlin and one of my favourites to visit. It was organised by the district SPD and the topic was The Future of the EU. One of the main speakers was our local MEP who spoke very clearly about plus and minus aspects.  I learnt a lot and it was nice to spend time with interesting fellow members.

After the conference, some of them went to the centre of the city to support a demonstration. Was that a surprise in numbers. On Friday we heard reports that up to 40,000 would attend. Yesterday reports said nearly 250,000 people marched through the centre of the city to protest against the rise of right-wing populist politics and parties both within Germany and in the EU.

I think the fine sunny weather must have played a role in bringing so many people onto the street. It is forecast to continue into the new week. The sun is forcing its rays into my place as I type these words. I shall now get ready, pump up the tyres of my bicycle and later join Imre for a day out. We are heading for an area to the south of Berlin. I'm looking forward to a day of movement following a day of sitting yesterday! Have a nice Sunday no matter where you are.

A Cherub

Do you know what this word means in English? Yes, so what is it in German? Ahhhhh...ahhhh. It means die Putte. I met my Kowalke Gang yesterday to have a long lazy breakfast at Putte's new flat. Some posts ago I told you about having such a meal at her house in Mahlsdorf in the east of Berlin.

She sold it and moved into a new flat also in Mahlsdorf. I like it and would be very happy to live there. When we arrived she was dozing in the sun in the front garden. The table was full of delicious things to eat and so we caught up on news as we enjoyed the meal. Putte is on  the right of the photo.

I was told that her mother gave her the nickname 'Putte' when she was a very small girl. Family and friends have used it ever since. At the end of the meal we raised a glass to toast Colin and Gerald, who for different reasons could not be with us. Pity for they would have enjoyed the food and atmosphere.

The main events in Germany took place last Wednesday. It was a public holiday to celebrate German (re-)Unification. I think every village, town and city was full of people celebrating in different ways. There were a lot in Berlin including a range of sporting events. I had a lazy day with a bicycle trip through my local park and watching kids/families enjoying the day. I also went to all my usual meetings plus a few more.

This month our block of flats will get a new coat of paint. The workmen have already covered the front with scaffolding and will complete the rest tomorrow. I/we have cleared my/our balcony/ies so they can be painted. The work should be completed by the end of this month.

Here you can see what the front looks like. My place is on the second floor to the left of the photo. Slightly right of that you can see a small window. That is my bathroom. Half of the flats were painted last month so now it is our turn.

Next week I have my usual meetings plus the first of 6 physio sessions. I had them before. A specialist suggested I had more. The problem is my spine and collapse of some discs. When I ask why the docs tell me it is because I am no longer 21. They always smile when they say that!

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.

Cycle South

Yesterday I met Imre for a bicycle tour. Earlier I had an appointment with a doctor specializing in spine and collar bone problems. It was my second appointment. I arrived at 10.00 am and waited, and waited! The place was full of 'Oldies' many of whom were bent over and/or could hardly walk. At 11.10 am I decided to forget it and put my coat on.

I had agreed to meet Imre at 11.30 am at a local station to take the S-Bahn south to our destination. As I walked to the door the doctor's assistant called my name. My meeting with the Doc took about 5 minutes. She looked at my X-Rays and explained what the pictures meant. I got a prescription to have 6 meetings with another practice for stretching and bending sessions.

I left for home to pick up my bicycle. I called Imre and explained what had happened. He said he would wait. One hour later than agreed, I arrived at the station and we got into an S-Bahn. I took this photo of Imre with bicycle number 3. He said he had not brought any of his 3 cameras. He seems to have 3 of many things! I told him I had my camera and that was enough.

We headed south to a town called Zeuthen. A very nice area of rivers, lakes, woods and a mixture of houses and villas on the waterfront. As I looked at the large private villas with gardens and berths for boats, I wondered what one would cost and who actually lived in the properties. I think we are talking at least a few million for such a property.

The weather was pleasant with late summer sun so Imre decided we should start the tour with a stop at a local bakery where we ate fruit cake and sipped coffee. We then started a tour of the area with lots of stops to enjoy the scenes. At one stop we got into an interesting conversation with a lady who told us what it was like to live in that area in the period of the DDR. I wondered if she lived in one of the villas but did not ask her!

On and on we cycled until we came to our return S-Bahn station. Opposite was a bar with a large garden so we relaxed there and I enjoyed a very cool local beer. Imre does not drink alcohol so he always enjoys fruit drinks. A nice way to end the cycle tour and slowly head home.

Papa and Son

I had the pleasure of welcoming Father and Son(2) to my place this week. I got a call from Papa and we agreed to meet on Monday morning. He wanted new photographs to send to family and friends. Why? Look closely and you can see that he is now sporting a moustache and 'chin' beard.

He said that both sons had told him to grow a beard and he finally gave in but not a full face beard. I told him the boys had also said their 'Opa' should also grow a beard but I told them I only had grey/white hair now and looked like Santa Claus' grandfather! No way.

It was nice to sip a cup of tea with Papa and catch up on news. I took a range of photos with and without a tie and jacket. Difficult to choose which one to share but I think this one may be the best.

Two days later Son(2) rang the bell and came for a visit. He needed help. He had a document from his school about a 'Praktikum'. This is period when students get work experience to help them choose a job when they leave school.

As I have told you before, the family does not have internet or TV where they live and so Son(2) came to me to use my system. He went onto the internet and we quickly found a number of companies offering the kind of training he was interested in. Then we had to contact each company via e-mail. That was when the problems started.

He uses Gmail but in Persian. He had lots of problems to reformat so he could write his applications. I printed out his work and we noticed it was a mix of the two languages and layouts. We still sent them out and hope he will be successful in finding a suitable Praktikum place. Nice to see him again and note how easily he used the computer :-)

Mr. Curtains

As mentioned in my last post, Daniel arrived yesterday afternoon. He immediately placed a drill  onto the table. I opened my toolbox for the screwdrivers and other things he needed. 'Mr. Curtains' then dismantled my damaged curtain rod and started work.

He measured the old and new rods and decided to put the new one into the old drill holes. But, he had to drill them deeper and wider for the new screws were larger. Lots of work with different screwdrivers and finally we were able to put the curtains onto the new rod and then place it above the doors leading to the balcony. Well done Mr Curtains and thanks!

It was then time for a cup of tea and to relax. Later I went through some of his English homework and noted that he had almost all exercises correct. I think he could do the FCE exam now, but he wants to settle into life at university, which starts next week, and do the exam early next year.

I had a 'normal' week and enjoyed the late summer. This came to an end yesterday evening with high winds, dark clouds and gusts of wind. The forecast for tomorrow is cool and rain and for the rest of the week. At least the trees, plants and flowers will be happy about that.

 I had planned to go on a bicycle tour tomorrow to the south of Berlin with Imre. We have just spoken to each other and cancelled. We shall meet next Wednesday for lunch in Alexandra Platz. Hope the sun will have returned by then.