Berlin, 20.10.2019 Welcome home

Suddenly, the long holidays were over and we were sad and happy at the same time to come home. We brought a lot of stuff, especially food, with us to remind us of our second home away from home. But most important, we went and picked up Takeshi, our kitten.

Berlin, 10.11.2019 Autumn time

Berlin, 04.12.2019 Christmas time

Berlin, 11.12.2019 A visit to the zoo

On a cold grey day in december, Fridolin and I visited the Berlin zoo because we hoped to get a glimpse on the new born pandas. We only saw the babies on video tape, but we still had a splendid day because we were basically the only visitors. We were quite lucky to watch the beavers being fed - I have never seen any beaver so close. I am very much looking forward to our next trip!

Berlin, 27.12.2019 Christmas DIY

I did not even know this word in German before Tobi bought the machine: a lamella moulding cutter. His Christmas project was to replicate a ladder rack we saw in a tiny shop in UK last summer. I think he managed quite well!

Berlin, 02.01.2020 Weird!

I have just got used to writing a "1" as a decade in the year, and suddenly, I have to get used to writing a "2", even though the image that pops up in my mind ('the golden 20ies') is the one of a quite different era. Time flies!

Berlin, 02.01.2020 Reflections

Rolf has been collecting different pictures of reflections and I am happy to add this one. The two of us inside the Christmas tree balls.

Berlin, 01.02.2020 Happy 44

Bremen, 15.02.2020 Magical party

For years, my schoolmate Katha has been celebrating her birthday with a big theme party. We both spent our youth in Aachen and actually enjoyed dressing up for Karneval. We both moved to cities where most of the people are not used to that tradition. (That is a very friendly expression for a lot of Berlin people actually detesting Karneval.) But in contrast to me, Katha has her birthday in February, so just in time for a motto party and she made a tradition out of it herself. For years, I was jealous of it and wanted to be invited. So I asked for it and got invited! And so I celebrated her dressed up as Vignette Stonemoss (I still love those ears!) and spent a funny evening with her friends, neighbours and family.

Berlin, 22.02.2020 Friends for dinner, and for birthdays

Berlin, 03.03.2020 Mabel

Mias friend Carla actually had a jeans tailored, just for the occasion. Her mum is a genius not only in terms of making the most delicious Christmas cookies, but obviously in tailoring, too. The concert tickets were a gift from Mias godmother, and we both got a +one. So Mia took Carla and I took Henrike with me and we had a splendid night out. We did not know yet it would the last time in long weeks (or even months?) to come.

Berlin, 14.03.2020 Staying at home

Not much to write that has not been written. SARS hit China before we moved there, and it did not really hit the rest of the world that hard. So to me, Corona feels like a new 9-11. In our memory, there will be a world before Corona, and a world after Corona, and nothing much can be taken for granted anymore. It feels weird not to be going anywhere far. It is unusual not to be able to visit our parents. But as long as our beloved ones stay healthy, we don`t have much to complain about. We know how to cook (that helps a lot!), we have a beautiful garden (that is a godsend), and our cat is the happiest cat on earth because there is always someone willing to wallow him in dirt. Or brush his fur.

Berlin, 14.04.2020 TV Asahi Sakura Alley

Japan was so happy on the reunification of Germany, that one of the major Japanese television stations collected donations from its viewers for a plantation of cherry trees along the former border strip. In total, more than one million euros were raised in donations from Japanese to finance the project. The cherry trees were planted between 1990-2010. In the Teltow area alone, more than 1000 cherry trees were planted and we had a look at them this spring.

Berlin, 15.04.2020 Sweet little 16