Berlin, 09.02.2016 Costumes

Mia considered dressing up as a Ghanaian lady with the beautiful cloth I brought. The only thing to be solved was the question on how to tan the skin dark. Of my personal experience, I knew that black shoe polish works very well, but is rather difficult to remove. A day before school carneval, Mia luckily changed her mind - she had thought about her grandparents and decided to dress up as grandma. Very fancy grandma!

Berlin, 10.02.2016 Monkey

Happy new year of the monkey! To celebrate, my friend Hungchi and I prepared Hotpot - it was a great experience how the flavour increased over time. (The soup was just started with water and a couple of shrimp heads we boiled in it) To us, the new year has a really symbolic meaning, because it was the year of the monkey we married, we had our first child, and we moved to China. For the next six years, Shanghai was our home, and it`s been almost six years since we came back already! How time flies.

Berlin, 10.03.2016 Ursel turning 65

For one afternoon, we exceptionally met back in kindergarden to celebrate teacher Ursels birthday.

Mia, Carla, Ronit, Jolande, Ursel mit aktuellem Kind, Jonah, Felix, Joona, Rafael

Berlin, 12.03.2016 Reichstag

Our friends Jens and Vesna came visiting with their great kids Jelena and Daria. We did not take many pictures, but we made it to the cupola of the Reichstag.

Berlin, 17.03.2016 Emil und die Detektive

Mias class created a dance choreography about the famous Erich Kaestner story.

Berlin, 27.03.2016 Easter

It`s rather difficult to write on uncertainties and bad things happening. But as life doesn`t consist of delicious meals, well-behaved kids and fulfilling jobs only, shit is supposed to happen now and then. I was prognosed with a bladder infection, went home, drank a lot and took antibiotics. Unfortunately, it was no bladder infection, so I was prognosed with kidney stones. Since those did not appear on my birthday CT, I was prognosed with kidney stones that my kidney had gotten rid of by itself. Unfortunately, I still got renal colics and had to be hospitalised Good Friday. So all our Easter plans fell through. To keep me in good humor, Tobi send pictures of what is going on at home, and I am happy to have the opportunity to share them with you.

Berlin, 15.04.2016 Big 12

Together with Moritz friends Luise, Yanes and Hans, we enjoyed the Potsdam Biosphaere and the first asparagus of the year.

Kassel, 17.04.2016 Exhibition

Rolf has been a painter for decades, and finally invited us for an exhibition in Uschis office "growing older".

Berlin, 19.04.2016 Belated birthday present

Berlin, 25.04.2016 Exhibition No 2 - Harriet

Hamburg, 29.04.2016 Wedding and reunion

On my parents 26th wedding anniversary, my friend Katinka and her husband Stefan got married in Hamburg, and even though still tattered by the kidney stent, I was happy we made it there and spent auspicious hours with the whole family. We also took the chance to reunite with my greataunt Moyce.

Aachen, 05.05.2016 Fathers and mothers day...

It´s been a rare occasion: Mother's and Father's day occuring in the same week, and me having the opportunity to spend it with both of my parents. My good friend Hungchi accompanied Moritz, Mia and me to take a look at my hometown and region, while I prepared lunch to treat my kidney with care.

Apeldoorn, 06.05.2016 Class reunion

We started with that tradition in 2012 in Duesseldorf, followed in 2014 in Berlin, 2015 in Aachen/Duesseldorf and finished the first round in Apeldoorn in the Netherlands to take a look at Mascha's brand new place. Thanks, Mascha (and Dirk), to host us only two weeks after you moved in, it was great to be there and share one hundred herring!