You Might Have Noticed...

... Dear You,

that I have turned my yesterday's post about Venice back to draft-modus.
I just didn't like it - had that nagging feeling when I went to bed that there was just too much "room for a pony", if you know what I mean - Hyacinth Bucket for sure would have been baffled by those morbid feelings.
I mean: the hotel was wonderful - but then: who cares? (Beside me, when I want to sleep there).
I always have the difficulty after a journey that I do not want to write the 3.000.567th travel-guide about Venice (though my 720 photos would come in handy for that).
So many people have been there, at all times.
Only a few years ago, I have been there. In the foreground my little sister, 3 years younger than I:

If you own a magnifying glass, you might even detect me - as always modest in the background (haha), and as always in action. You see an arm, and you see my mother trying to protect me with her bare hands against all the Paparazzi... 

And that is all I can give you tonight - I am tired and will go to sleep soon -- soon more from the Venice I saw again. 

I'm Back from Venice!

Hi . I'm back! Tomorrow more about a marvelous stay in Venice.

Nature's Solo

Dear You, 

this morning - it was still pitch-dark - I opened the door to my balcony - or so I THOUGHT - must have erred -- it was the door of my FRIDGE, wasn't it?
Cold - colder - coldest! WAHHH!
Shivering I did what I do every morning: took my mug with tea, entered the balcony-fridge, greeted Berlin (this time in a slightly hurried and muffled way) - and retreated instantly.
Recovered around noon, and went courageously into the Charlottenberger Schlosspark (only a few hardliners out there).
Free seats everywhere...

And from a very special balustrade ... 

... a very special ballet ... 

A Fresh Start in 2017

Dear You, 

I hope it's still time to send you my best wishes for

                                            A HAPPY NEW YEAR to you all! 

It was almost a déjà vu: me dashing to Bavaria into the lovely Allgäu again!
This time by train (which takes from Berlin, all included, about 8 hours) - but the telephone call from son&DiL came only a few days before New Year's Eve, and then the tickets for a flight were really expensive.
The call was a surprise: they had just decided to give a little party and asked if I would like to join them.
I did! (Thus fulfilling one of my New Year's resolutions: "If something interesting turns up - take it! Don't tell yourself you are too tired - just leave your comfort zone, keeping in mind that soon you will be able to rest for a very long time." Hahaha.
So: Yes, here I am, New Year! Full of energy! 
And thus I celebrated from the early evening and the first minutes of the newborne year and then till two o'clock in the morning among young people (they vigorously danced till 6 o'clock in the morning) -
wonderful! 

And when I went back, I could enjoy something that one cannot see from an aeroplane: having draped myself on the comfortable seat in the train I watched full of admiration and gratefulness the beautiful landscape of Bavaria, covered in hoarfrost. The Great Painter had been very diligent and meticulous: every pine needle and every humble little blade of grass was covered in white. Noone left out, noone overlooked.
As it should be, and as we all wish for.

Merry Christmas!

I WISH YOU ALL A MERRY CHRISTMAS, 

DEAR BLOGGER-FRIENDS!  

(Soon I will write more...) 

BRITTA 

Terror at our Doorstep

You will have heard the news.
Terror, horror, complete bewilderment, compassion, grief.
The city is very silent this early morning.
I live seven minutes away from the Berliner Gedächtniskirche and the Breitscheidplatz, where the attack happened. Yesterday evening walking the nearby Fasanenstraße, I wondered why so much police was around.
I woke up at night - still not knowing what had happened - when the SMS and WhatsApp and Email questions started to drop in, asking if I was safe.

I am - but I am deeply, deeply grieving for all those who have lost their life or their health, and those who have lost their loved ones.

Thank you, Geo. and Tom!

All of a sudden my blogs are there again - I don't know what happened - those quaint signs from Google were not helpful at all - and to think of the time and energy we put into it... good grief...
"With a little help from my friends" - "We can work it out!"
Thank you so much!
(And my old translation was better than the one I started desperately this morning - that will teach me to make copies...)