Last Times Week

Last week saw several things that happened for the last time this year - a week of "Last Times", at least for a while:

I went to work at the office for the last time, had lunch with my colleagues at the canteen for the last time, visited the Christmas market for the last time, took part in a video call for work for the last time, saw one of my old school friends for the last time and had an appointment with my eye doctor for the last time this year.

All of this (and more) will be picked up again in 2025, of course.

On Monday (16 December), we had a mix of sun and clouds at a high of 9C/48F - very mild for December, but not unheard of. I managed to work around a gap of two hours early afternoon, which I used for a walk that was very welcome. In the evening, I met a retired colleague and his wife for food, drinks and catching up at the Christmas market.

These pictures were taken on my way home, when a dramatic moon lit up the nightly sky and made for a rather "Gothic" look:

The view from my kitchen window that evening.

I was up early on Tuesday (17 December) in order to catch a train into Stuttgart in time for my 8:15 appointment to have my eyes checked, something I need to do four times a year. All went well, and on the way back to the train station, I briefly stopped at St. Fidelis, a church I have blogged about before; click here for more pictures from this unusual and beautiful place.

The rest of the day was spent working at the office, and the evening saw me back at the Christmas market, this time to meet an old school friend.

Wednesday (18 December) was my usual day at the office. We had our weekly meeting with the department, but turned it into a bit of a Christmas celebration, with cookies on the table and our boss giving each of us a bag of gifts:

The morning had been chilly, but during the day, the temperature rose to a spring-like 13C/55F. 

My most intense working day of the week was Thursday (19 December); so many things had to be finished or at least prepared in a way that they will be easily completed in January. No walk, no Christmas market, just working from home all day. But I managed to do all I had lined up for that day.

Another day working from home on Friday (20 December), with my last visit to the Christmas market for my lunch break, meeting up with my Mum and my sister. After the mild first half of the week, it was quite cold at a max of 3C/37F, with a nasty wind making it even colder.

Back at my flat, I worked until late afternoon and had time only for a quick superficial cleaning before I had to pack my little red suitcase and head to the train station for the trip to Offenburg.

No sleeping in for us on Saturday (21 December) - it was the day of the village band's annual concert. 

This year's motto was Ireland, and although many pieces sounded somewhat similar (based on traditional Irish folk music), there was enough variety to keep the audience interested. That particular event means a lot of work for musicians and associates (such as me) alike.

We started Saturday morning at 9:00 by setting up the stage, chairs and decorations in the village hall. At 6:00 pm, we were back at the hall; the band had one last play through, while I sat and listened and made some last-minute decisions about what to say about each piece (I was the MC).
At 7:00 pm, the hall doors opened, and people started to flock in. This year, so many came that we had to quickly set up two additional rows of chairs.

The band getting ready

My "work place" for the evening, next to the Christmas trees.

At 8:00 pm, the lights were dimmed and the band took their places on stage.
I switched my microphone on and welcomed everybody before I announced the first piece. It is a task I enjoy, from preparing to actually speaking on stage.

I spent several hours researching all the pieces and their composers, so that I was able to give the audience a bit of context. 

There is of course a fine line between saying too much (and bore the audience to tears) or not enough (and give the band no time to breathe and sort out their sheet music between one piece and the next).

Everything went swimmingly, and afterwards, we stayed on at the hall, having snacks and drinks (I won't mention the whiskey bar that we had set up just for that evening at the back of the hall; it's up to your imagination) until it was time to go home at about 1:30 am.

A few hours later on Sunday (22 December) morning we were back at the hall to tidy up and clean everything. O.K. and I then had a couple of hours of rest before getting things ready for a visit from his family.

We spent a lovely cosy afternoon and evening together, with delicious food and drink, and as usual, we cover a large variety of subjects, laughing a lot but also having serious things to talk about.

The 4th Advent Sunday was over - only two more sleeps until Christmas Eve!

I probably won't blog again until after Christmas. Therefore, here is my Christmas Wish to all of you who have been reading my posts, with our without commenting:

May your Christmas be all you wish for, filling your rooms with love, your hearts with joy and your souls with peace. 

It won't be everybody's favourite day, or easy for those of you (like O.K. and his family) who will be sorely missing a beloved family member or friend - I still find it hard to believe that it's already the 2nd Christmas without my Dad, so I know what that's like. And yet, it's Christmas...

Read in 2024 - 31: Christmas At Thorncliff Manor

Christmas at Thorncliff Manor

Sophie Barnes

I have mentioned before that I enjoy seasonal reading, mostly (but not only) at Christmas. This free ebook was my second such read this season, and made for cosy escapism during many a train ride or wait at train stations.

It is actually the 4th book in a series called "Secrets at Thorncliff Manor", set in England in the Regency era. I don't think I have ever read any other book from the series, or by this author, but if you are looking for light, romantic entertainment set in a place and age that allows you to take a break from reality, this one is a good choice (and you do not need to know the first three books in the series).

A house party for Christmas at the large and luxurious country estate of an elderly duchess  consists of a family with four as yet unmarried daughters, and a matching number of eligible gentlemen. The idea is of course that matches are made, and the hostess has a clear idea of who matches best - but will the young people connect in the way she expects them to?

On top of all that prospective romance, some of the guests know of a legendary treasure hidden somewhere within the walls of the manor, and are determined to find it. Are they going to be successful?

These are of course rhetorical questions with no need for me to answer them for you ;-)

The writing style is good, and I found so few editing errors they are hardly worth mentioning. When the young men and women start to get closer to each other, a few scenes are a bit over the top; nothing too steamy, and not even remotely vulgar, just a bit too... unrealistic, maybe. But I wasn't looking for realism when I downloaded this book, and in terms of seasonal reading, it was nice, although nowhere near as touching as my previous read, "A Christmas Journey".

The author's website is here. Nearly all of the book covers shown there make me cringe, but this Christmas-themed story was alright and unlike what I imagine all these other books to be like.

Three Years, Three Months and Three Days

Three years, three months and three days - that is the exact period of time until my 60th birthday!

I have never had a problem with getting older, or "revealing" my age to people. When I was little, there was a family in our neighbourhood where not even the children knew how old their mother actually was. This changed in later years, and my Mum especially has been to many of this lady's birthdays over the decades. But I remember how silly I found this, since my parents never made such a fuss about their age.

Turning 30 was interesting - it made me feel really good, and I couldn't help but shake my head at how all of a sudden, cosmetics companies sent me adverts for anti-age creams and wrinkles concealers, and my health insurance started sending me a different customer magazine than the one I had received until then.

At 40, I thought I had the coming years neatly mapped out in front of me, and again I had no trouble with that number. Little did I know that 1 1/2 years later, I was going to be widowed, with my life changed forever.

For my 50th birthday, I was happy to be able to rent "my" entire Irish Pub and fill it with my family, friends and neighbours. Shortly afterwards, I had to undergo major eye surgery - partly related to my age.

What am I going to do when I turn 60? What will my life look like then?

Where will I be, job-wise, living-wise, relationship-wise? Actually, I do not expect either my job nor my living arrangements to change, and especially not my relationship - as far as depends on me, O.K. is my "forever" man.

Of course nobody really knows what the future will bring. 

Much like the rest of the world, Germany is undergoing rapid and radical changes that impact our daily lives. The company I work for could cease to exist or need to lay me off before I reach retirement age (currently 67 for me). My health could suffer, making me unable to keep a full time job or go for my beloved walks and hikes. O.K. could decide he's had enough of me. Political unrest and economy crisis could lead to dangerous circumstances beyond my control. Climate conditions could create  problems in the area where I live.

The list is long and scary, but although I am realistic enough to know that all of this is possible, my general outlook is optimistic and hopeful where my personal future is concerned.

I'll stick to doing what is good for me for as long as I can. This sounds egoistical, but it makes sense - I can't be of any use to anyone, be it in my family, circle of friends or at work, when I'm not well and my life is off balanced.

Therefore, here's to turning 60 in three years, three months and three days!

A Grey Week

Last week was almost entirely grey - the sky, that is. Life itself was as colourful as always, but a solid grey lid above our heads would not budge except for a couple of hours on Saturday and Sunday (and is firmly in place again as I am typing this).

The only substantial walk I managed was on Monday (9 December) mid-afternoon to Benningen, under grey skies and with relatively strong winds blowing across the fields. Still, the walk did me good, and I was able to work productively before and after. 

During my lunch break, I went to post the bulk of my Christmas cards for a sum of close to 17 euros in postage. But maintaining friendships across the miles is worth every cent, I believe.

Tuesday (10 December) saw me working from home and only leaving the house for a quick shop at the nearby Aldi, which amounted to a 5-minute walk there and back.

Unlike usual working weeks, I did not go to the office on Wednesday (11 December) but worked from home. Afterwards, my Mum, my sister and I met to visit the Christmas market together. We enjoyed our traditional food and drinks, and a look around. Also, I bought two packs of Christmas cards for next year, having used up almost all my stock for this year.

A day at the office in Weilimdorf followed on Thursday (12 December). And just like on Thursday the week before, once again the power went off early afternoon! This time, there was no fire alarm, but the majority of us still decided to leave and either take the rest of the afternoon off or continue work from home, since we simply can not do anything without electricity.

At least one person got stuck in the lift when the outtage happened - I am glad it wasn't me! I hardly ever use the lift in our building, unless I have to carry something heavy or awkward, which happens very rarely.

We learned the next day that the previous week's repair had been done only provisionally, not meant to last for more than about two weeks, when a proper, more thorough repair was scheduled. Well, the makeshift repair lasted exactly one week... the proper repair was rescheduled, and I hope that when I return to the office tomorrow, we'll be able to put in a full day's worth of work with no unforeseen interruption!

Friday (13 December) was busy without being stressful. I worked, got a hair cut, went to Aldi for some groceries for the weekend, did my weekly cleaning and ran an errand in town.

For the 2nd weekend in a row, I was home on my own, due to O.K.'s Christmas do from work on Friday evening and me and my Mum attending a concert on Sunday afternoon.

It made things more relaxed that way, and of course O.K. and I spoke on the phone every day.

On Saturday (14 December), for the first time that week the sun put in an appearance! It lit the paper stars in my bedroom window up nicely, and lasted all of two hours... Still, better than nothing :-)

Around lunch time, my sister and I met up at the Christmas market with our volunteer group. We had a good chinwag and of course something to eat and drink. One couple came with their two children. Their daughter is 4, and their son was born this autumn. It was a joy to watch little Frida on the old-fashioned roundabout!

Back home, I spent part of the afternoon putting up my battered old Christmas tree, something I really enjoyed.

The sun was back for another 1 1/2 hours or so on Sunday (15 December), enticing me for a walk of just about an hour; I wanted to be back in time for the young lady who cleans our staircase and around the house once a week. We had a nice chat before she set to work; it is always good to talk to her.

I met this cat who was VERY into being cuddled and played with!

I left the house again just after 3:00 pm and walked to the bus stop opposite the palace grounds, waiting for my Mum. 

Like we've done over the past few years, we were going to the Christmas/Advent Sing-Along concert, something we really love.

It was a beautiful concert, uplifting and touching, with six choirs and a full orchestra on stage. The choirs take turns in performing, and for every other song, the audience are encouraged to join in.

It is quite an experience when around 350 people on stage plus the entire audience of well over 1,000 join their voices and musical instruments to sing Christmas songs! (I don't know how many were there exactly, but the tickets had been sold out 3 weeks before the event.)

The stage with the 6 choirs and orchestra, as seen from our seats.

We went back to my Mum's afterwards for a drink and to review the beautiful evening we'd had together.

Once I was home, I lit the three candles on my Advent wreath and sat down with a book in front of my Christmas tree.

Read in 2024 - 30: A Christmas Journey

A Christmas Journey

Anne Perry

Do you love seasonal reading? I do! It is so nice to read a novel set in summer, when I can enjoy sunny days and cold drinks just like the protagonists in the book, or when their Christmas traditions are described while I am involved in similar activities.

This year, Anne Perry's Christmas Journey signalled the start of my seasonal reading for Christmas.

I have posted several reviews on my blog of her series about Thomas and Charlotte Pitt, set in Victorian London. One recurring and probably much loved character by all readers of the series is Charlotte's elderly great-aunt Vespasia. She often helps with the enquiries, and there is mutual fondness and respect between her and the much younger Pitts.

In this book, we meet Vespasia as a young woman of about 30. She is part of a weekend party at a country house in early December. Among the guests are two young widows, both eager to remarry, and two eligible daughters of a wealthy couple. Their host has invited an equal number of bachelors and widowers, and everybody expects at least one or two announcements of engagement before the weekend is over and they all part ways.

However, things do not go as planned. Although romantic interests soon become obvious, a tragic death occurs, with one of the young widows accused of being responsible for having triggered the suicide.

The consequences are drastic, but the gracious and wise host of the party suggests a way for the accused woman to redeem herself: A journey of expiation.

Vespasia offers to accompany her friend, and the two ladies set out on what proves to become a journey that is as difficult as it is finally rewarding.

I enjoyed this book very much, and it is entirely fitting for Christmas - not in a kitschy way with glittering baubles and surprise visits from Santa, but in that it touches the timeless topics of guilt and forgiveness, love and friendship.

One does not need to know the Pitts series to enjoy the story, but it adds valuable background to those stories.

Read in 2024 - 29: Fuchs 8

Fuchs 8

George Saunders

When I returned from our September Hiking Holiday with a bad cough and wasn't really up to much, my Mum and my sister came visiting one lunch time. My Mum brought home-cooked vegetable soup, and as a get-well-soon gift for me, this beautiful little book in its German version (original title: Fox 8).

I put it on the chest of drawers in my tiny hallway, where it complements the fox-themed bits of decoration I have already in place, among others Neil's painting of Fred Fox, a once regular visitor to his garden until one day he stopped appearing.

Foxes are my favourite animals, and around my home, you'll find them in many places, shapes and sizes.

Fox 8 is part of a group of foxes who live in the woods, happily going about their business. He is curious and likes to observe humans, often sitting underneath their windows so he can hear them talk. That way, he manages to learn their language.

A large shopping mall is planned outside the town, endangering the woods where the foxes live. Fox 8 thinks it should be possible to reason with the humans he feels he has gotten to know quite well, even though he has never had any direct contact with them.

When one day he and his best friend approach the humans working on the construction site for the mall, things take a dramatic turn.

This short book, published in 2018, lives of its peculiar language (Fox 8 may have mastered the human language as such, but he admits to not being a master in spelling and grammar) and of course the wonderful illustrations by Chelsea Cardinal.

It is a work of art, and one that touches the mind and heart as much as the eye. It certainly had that effect on me!

I'd never come across George Saunders before, but if you are interested, his website is here. 

An Advent Week

Last week was busy both at work and afterwards. I had occasion to do many pre-Christmassy things, and enjoyed the seasonal spirit and activities in spite of the busy-ness.

My train trip back home on Monday (2nd December) morning was about to turn into another adventure when all of a sudden the train slowed down and came to halt out in the fields between Karlsruhe and Bruchsal. A slightly panicky female voice came through the loudspeaker, calling for a train attendant with an "F-device" to report immediately in Coach 23.

My coach was 21, and of course we all understood that "F-device" was their code for fire extinguisher. The railway company's policy is probably not to use the word "fire" in an announcement unless absolutely necessary; many passengers would most likely only hear that one word, and start to panic.

Anyway, after a few minutes, the same voice came back, sounding much calmer, and explained that a passenger had been freshening up in the toilet and used a lot of deodorant spray - so much so that the smoke detector went off and triggered the alert.

I still made it home on time, the 10 minute delay not encrocahing too much on my connection in Stuttgart.

The rest of the day I worked from home as usual, and the evening was spent with my volunteer group - the first time we'd met since May, and probably the last time, as we are dissolving this particular gremium for lack of support.

As I had not been home on the 1st Advent Sunday, I lit the 1st candle on the wreath on Monday evening.

I also made sure to switch on the small yellow star my sister gave me some years ago.

Tuesday (3rd December) saw my friend and me go for our customary Tuesday morning walk between work appointments. The morning was sunny, and the weather kept mostly dry except for some rain in the afternoon. 

By 7:00 pm when I was to meet with some of my Pub Quiz team mates at the Christmas Market, the rain had ceased again, and we enjoyed our stroll across the market as well as the food, drink and conversation.

I was back at the Christmas Market on Wednesday (4th December), this time coming directly from the office in Weilimdorf and meeting my sister and a mutual friend. Once again, food, drink and conversation were a delight.

Thursday (5th December) was my second day at the office that week. And like the previous Thursday, once again we had a power outtage, only this time there was no fire alarm. There is no way we can do our work without electricity, and so I, like almost everybody else, headed home. 

Various problems with our local trains meant that it took me a full hour (instead of the 17 minutes according to timetables) to get there.

View from the high platform at Zuffenhausen train station that morning. I change trains there on my way to work.

The morning had been frosty at -3C/26F, but the day was sunny and beautiful until strong winds brought rain in the evening.

I was not having to get ready to take the usual trains to Offenburg on Friday (6th December): O.K. had band practice all weekend, from Friday evening to Sunday lunch time, in preparation for the band's annual concert, and so there was no point of me joining him that weekend.

Also, it was the evening of the "Secret Rubbish Santa" with my girl friends, an annual tradition that has been going on in this particular group of friends for at least 16 years. I love to host that occasion, and it is an evening filled with much laughter, but also room for serious topics to talk about with my friends.

The table is ready for the arrival of the "girls" - and the Toast Hawaii I traditionally serve on this occasion :-)

 

Yours truly with "Ali Baba", part of the rubbish gift I ended up with.

The hand-crocheted coasters were also part of my gift, but the other things you see in the picture weren't. The Matrioshka doll looks very similar to one my sister and I had when we were little, brought home as a souvenir from a trip to the USSR our grandparents undertook in the 1970s.

On Saturday (7th December), I spent the morning writing a stack of Christmas cards and the afternoon baking Christmas cookies with my sister at her place. 

We had a lot of fun, listening to 80s music at full blast, singing along and dancing around the kitchen while at the same time trying to produce decent cookies.

It was a rainy, stormy day and so this was a very good way to spend it.

My sister and I met again on Sunday (8th December), this time at our Mum's for coffee and Christmas cookies, staying on until evening, when we had a meal of spaghetti with a delicious tomato sauce and home-made pesto.

Before that, I went for the only really substantial walk I had managed all week: Two hours on the fields, which are rather bleak this time of year. 

But there is a different kind of beauty in bleakness, I find, and I enjoyed that walk very much, spotting several birds (kestrels, buzzards and herons.

On the way to my Mum's, I briefly  stopped at the cemetery.

There, a woman was also visiting the grave of a beloved person, and she was sobbing, at first unaware of my presence. 

I felt deep sympathy for her, being of course no stranger to grief myself, and for a moment wondered whether I should simply walk up to her and put an arm around her shaking shoulders, not necessarily saying anything. But then I felt it might be too intrusive, and left her alone in her sadness. 

I am still torn between thinking I should have gone to her, and being convinced I did the right thing in not approaching another fellow human being in distress.

Sunset as seen from my Mum's balcony.

My Mum takes seasonal decor to a high level - she even has plates etc. just for this time of year!

The afternoon and evening spent at my Mum's was good, and shortly before 8:00 pm, I was home.

For the rest of the evening, I lit the two candles on my wreath while watching "The Christmas Chronicles Part II" (starring Kurt Russel and Goldie Hawn).

It had been a good 2nd Advent Sunday, the end of a good week.