Translation Problems???

Today I was in the Altstadt (spelled it right this time, Skip) and stopped in at Starbucks for a holiday peppermint soy mocha. By the way, the sizes here in Germany make much more sense--short, tall and grande, rather than tall (for the smallest), grande and venti. What the heck is a venti?

Anyway, most of the employees there speak at least some English and after I ordered my coffee the guy behind the counter asked, "Would you like to eat everything?" I almost answered, "How could you tell?" when I realized he was really asking if I wanted anything to eat. At least, I'm hoping that was the case.

I think my debate over whether or not we should get a second car here in Germany is over. Tonight Skip is in Amersterdam with the car. Our small Christmas tree (Maddie could just reach the top to put the star on) is leaning a bit in its pot. When I reached underneath to straighten it, my arm had some sort of allergic reaction to the pine needle pricks and my whole arm swelled up in hives. We have no stash of Benedryl or cortisone cream and it was 6:15 and the only apotheke open would be over at Wal-Mart which is not accessible by train. My friend Joy (who has four kids to feed and get to bed) drove over a tube of cortisone cream. Ahhhhh. I have never been so happy to see a tube of cream.

I think Skip may have a point about possibly needing a second car. It wouldn't get used a ton as many of the places I go it's easier to take the train or walk, but you can't get to the gym by train or to the good grocery stores. And when the weather is particularly icky, it's nice to be able to pick Maddie up in the car. Most of all, my minor allergic reaction made me realize that to be without immediate transportation in a foreign country when your husband is in yet another foreign country is probably not the best idea.

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

Enjoying the Christmas markets here. Maddie had a big weekend. A sleepover at Paige and Zoe's house AND her first time on ice skates. Skip's back is still recovering.

Engaged!

Just got the news that my dear, dear friend Susie Kirkwold is engaged. Great news to make a great holiday even better. Justin is one lucky guy!

A German Thanksgiving

My friend Melanie and I had a really good time going to Leyden for the Thanksgiving Service. It too, however, was a learning experience. Leyden is so far away that basically we had time to get there, attend the service, turn around the come back. Next year, we think we'll leave after school on Wednesday and take the kids out of school on Thursday. The town on Leyden (or Leiden, depending on who is spelling it) is really beautiful. There's a Pilgrim's Museum and also a Rembrandt museum with quite an extensive collection. There are canals that run through the town. Lots of people on bikes.

It was really neat to be in a foreign country and gather together with 500 other Americans to worship on Thanksgiving. It was especially moving to be in a church that operated on a "everyone is welcome" basis 500 years ago. That's kind of novel even for today.

We had a traditional Thanksgiving dinner at the home of Melanie, Brad, Zoe and Paige Roberts. Friends Susan and Michael Poszar and their kids Zach and Nicolas were also there. Turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, cranberries, pumpkin pie, pumpkin cake, apple pie and even Paula Deen's gooey butter cake were all on the menu.

We felt very blessed, even as strangers in a strange land, to be able to gather around such an abundant table with good friends.

More Lessons to Learn

Apparently, vinegar in Germany comes in a more concentrated form than in the States. So Skip had to carry my first attempt at sweet/sour green beans for Thanksgiving dinner out to the trash, and I had to run to the store to get more ingredients for a second try with diluted vinegar.

Since the kids will be in school, the Thanksgiving meal will be at night, but here is a link to information about Leiden, Netherlands, which is where I am headed for a noon church service on Thanksgiving.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Getting ready for Thanksgiving

No, it's not a German holiday, but there are enough Americans around here to put together an acceceptably festive celebration. Got Mom to send cornbread mix along with Skip when he was back stateside, I e-mailed my mother-in-law to find out how chicken broth is found here (it's in buillion cubes or powder), paid the equivalent of $10 for six sweet potatoes and got some brown sugar (doesn't exist in Germany) at the last international market. So I'm set to make cornbread dressing and sweet potato casserole. Mom also sent some pecans as they are not common here--hazelnuts are another story. Am also going to put together Sara Jane Douglass's green bean recipe. All those ingredients were readily available.

My friend Melanie is going to cook the turkey. She had to put a special order in for it at a local market. Had a fleeting fear that it might come with the feathers still on it, but was relieved to find that it looked like the one she always buys, except that it still seems to have its neck.

We had several hours of sun today in Duesseldorf. It was great!

Stuff

Maddie scored today with some hand-me-downs from friends Zoe and Paige. She LOVES that she's gotten clothes from her friends who are 8. She feels very cool.

This weekend we had Skip's cousin Torstein and his wife Alke over for coffee and cake. For those of you who don't know, coffee and cake is the German version of tea. Families tend to do this on the weekends, but you see the bakeries full of retired folks between 3 and 4 p.m. every weekday.

The weather here is really dreary--it's rainy and windy and cold. And that is apparently the forcast until March. But you just have to get out and about in it because if you waited for the weather to clear up, you'd become a hermit. Skip is not a big gym person, but I think he may have to break down and join. Yesterday he was determined to go for a run and he came back soaked!

I have been going to the gym and using the cardio and weight equipment, but the coolest thing is the "figur studio". They've got this room with the old vibrating belts and a couple of these chairs hooked up to rollers that are supposed to help break up cellulite and give a boost to your exercise program. I don't know how much good it will do, but it shakes out any knots or tension, plus it reminds me of an "I Love Lucy" episode.


We're getting ready to hit some of the many Weihnachtmarkts or Christmas Markets around Germany. Here are some of the ones we plan to attend:

Advent Market at Christ's Church

The 2006 advent market will be held on November 25th,From 13:00-17:00. We will be hosting a number of stalls such as;

• English Books
• British Foods
• Arts & Crafts
• Toys
• And much more

The British Woman's Club will also be having their 'guess the weight of the cake stall'

Aachen Christmas Market
Aachen's brightly lit Christmas market is set around the cathedral and the town hall. This lovingly decorated "Christmas village" on the market square has everything your heart could desire. One local speciality you really must try is Aachen Printe, a kind of gingerbread. Don't miss the music groups at the weekends and the varied Christmas programme.


Duesseldorf Christmas Market
Every year Düsseldorf's Christmas market opens its "gingerbread houses" not far from Königsallee. Until 5 January Corneliusplatz has a huge outdoor ice rink offering fun for all the family - ice skating is free and there are instructors and childcare facilities. A great way to work off that excess "Christmas energy".






Dortmund Christmas Market
Dortmund's Christmas market, one of the biggest in Germany, has over 300 stalls. Its hallmark is a gigantic Christmas tree which consists of 1,700 individual fir trees, stands 45 metres tall and is adorned with 13,000 lights – the biggest in the world. This enormous tree bathes the Christmas proceedings in a seasonal glow.


Luebeck Christmas Market
The annual Christmas markets of Hanseatic Lübeck take place in the old quarter around the historical town hall and Koberg, with fairy lights and Christmas trees adorning the streets. There is an enchanting Christmas fairytale forest outside St. Mary's Church with more than 20 lovingly handmade stalls which tell the stories of the Brothers Grimm. In addition there is also an excellent craft market in the vaults of the old Holy Spirit Hospital plus don't miss the Iceworld snow and ice sculpture festival in the heart of the town centre.


Oberhausen Christmas Markets
In Oberhausen there are two Christmas Markets one in the old town market square and the other at CentrO, europe's biggest shopping and leisure mall. During the festive season the mall shines in 3000,000 lights; 65,000 new Christmas decorations and more than 4,000 crystals all sparkling fabulously. Highlights of the Christmas Market are:
- About 135 huts with international goods
- Glasblower- factory
- CentrO-Winterworld with toboggan-run and jetski-run
- One of the biggest pyramid from the "Erzgebirge"
- Chairolplane
- Nostalgic Ferris
- From 06.12.: daily distribution of presents by the Coca-Cola Santa Claus
- Christmas stage with varying programs from Wednesday to Sunday
- Woodcarving from South-Tyrol
- 20-metres high Christmas Tree with more than 50,000 lights


How will we have time to do all this? As much as I miss being a pastor, I have to say, it's amazing how much time you have when you don't have to prepare a sermon every Sunday.

It's a Small World After All

Yes, here we are in Duesseldorf, Germany with one of my favorite singers, David Lamotte. David has friends here and has been coming to Germany regularly for several years now. His German is better than mine, and his music translates easily.

It was a real treat to get to see him.

Maddie had a great time with her new babysitter, Jade--who knows more languages than I can keep count of.

Milestone Reached

Maddie is out of school yesterday and today (of course next Thursday for Thanksgiving, she'll be in school all day!). Anyway, we went to the Duisburg Zoo and to IKEA and didn't get lost once! This is a first for us. It was nice.

A note on IKEA: it is a great place if you don't need anyone's help. There are a number of things you can just pick up and buy at checkout. If that's all you need, IKEA is the place. They even have a great cafeteria about half-way through the store. But if you need a service person to help you order something, that's when things get hairy. Our good news is that the couch we ordered from them is arriving on Thursday. We'll have somewhere to sit! But the chair we ordered has been discontinued. Fortunately for us, December will see the exodus of a number of ex-pats heading back to the States or Canada or other points, and we may be able to pick up something they are leaving behind.

My weird song on the radio today (there seems to be one every day) was a cover of Mark Cohn's Walking in Memphis by Cher.

Tonight Skip and I are leaving Maddie with a babysitter who lives down the street. She is fourteen and speaks German, English, Dutch and is learning Spanish. Skip and I are going to see David Lamotte, one of my favorite singers, who is on tour here in Germany. He's playing the Duesseldorf YMCA, which is actually a hotel, hostel and conference center. Looking forward to it.

Lovely Weather We're Having

Here's the five-day forcast for Duesseldorf. You can began to see why there are so many tanning salons here . It's not about vanity--but sanity!

5 DAY FORECAST

	Monday 58°F (14°C) | 49°F (9°C)
	Tuesday 59°F (15°C) | 48°F (9°C)
	Wednesday 61°F (16°C) | 50°F (10°C)
	Thursday 59°F (15°C) | 48°F (9°C)
	Friday 59°F (15°C) | 50°F (10°C)

Movies et al

We went to see Open Season this afternoon, which is called Jagdfieber or "Hunter Fever" here in Germany. It was in German, so I didn't understand most of it, but language was not a barrier when the animals went after the hunters. Cartoons so often don't even need dialogue.

The movie theater we went to is part of a big complex up in Oberhausen--about 30 minutes away from here. What used to be an empty armory is now a big mall (American style), movie theater, hockey rink, live theater and a boardwalk full of restaurants. So after the movie, we headed down the boardwalk (or promenade) to find something to eat and had an odd experience. Our typical experience in Germany has been that the food is great, but the service is so-so. Wait staff here don't really work for tips, so they're just not as solicitous as their American counterparts who depend on them. We went to a Spanish restaurant and the staff was the best we've had, but the food was probably the worst.

Coming home we were listening to CD of music that Maddie's Sunday School class will be singing for a Christmas program at the Anglican church we've been going to. It's a nice mix of classic carols and some new music as well. When the CD was playing What Child is This?, Maddie said (completely straight), "You know what, Mama? It sounds like they're singing 'when shepherds fart' but they're really singing 'whom shepherds guard.'" I couldn't help it. I laughed until I cried, and then finally told Maddie that it was really good that she knew the right words before she had to sing them in church.

Our sad news for the weeked is that another member of Grace church died. Susie Groff was very special to me, and she and Maddie shared a passionate love for Gummi Bears. It's hard not to be there, but I am so happy that Grace has called a new interim minister. Gail Perkins is a wonderful pastor who I'm sure will help Grace continue to grow in Christ.

I will listen more carefully to Maddie's singing of Christmas Carols to make sure that she is getting all the right words, and I guess we'll head back to the restaurants where the wait staff ignores us.

Sounds of Home

Usually Maddie and I go to school on the train, but today I decided to drive. The train is always easier because it's impossible to find a place to park, but we were running late this morning, and it was easier to hustle Maddie into the car than to hurry her along all the way to the train stop.

Realized in the hustling that we forgot her backpack. I say she forgot it. She claims I forgot it. Anyway, I had to get her into class and then turn around for the backpack and deliver it. I tried not to stress over the fact that this would make me late for an appointment with my vacuum cleaner.

Throughout the driving I was listening to the British Armed Forces Radio Station. I came in on the tail end of a competition the morning personalities Mark and Lynne were having. Apparently each had brought in a song from home--one of their all-time favorites. I didn't hear what the songs were, just the updates on how the votes were going. As I was pulling into the Maddie's school with her backpack, the results were in and the song was played. None other than Glenn Campbell singing Rhinestone Cowboy. I still know all the lyrics.

Am finally in at my workout club. My friend Melanie caught a cold and we switched appointments, so I got in earlier. The big plus of this gym (to balance out the smoking and beer drinking) is that the tvs get CNN. You can plug your headphones into the treadmills, stairclimbers or bikes and get all the news in English. This is where my friend Joy and I learend of Ed Bradley's death. Kind of sucked all the endorphins right out of us.

As you might guess from my excitement over English radio and television, my German has not improved much. I was waiting until we got our house settled to embark on German lessons, but since that still hasn't happened, I need to get going on that. But what I have learned is that learning German in Germany is really expensive. Many of the companies who have American and English workers pay for employees and their spouses to learn German and many of the schools and private tutors have rates that reflect that. Am looking into a few other options. Even though you can get by in this part of Germany without learning the language, it just seems rude not to at least try.

St. Martin's Day

Last night we participated in Kaiserswerth's celebration of St. Martin's Day. This day is commemorated in several countries in Europe, though the Brits in town were as new to it as we Americans. I don't quite get it, but it was interesting to partcipate.

St. Martin was a nobleman who was riding along on his horse one day and saw a poor man without a cloak, so Martin tore his cloak in half and gave it to the man. Later he has a vision of Jesus and Jesus tells him that he was the man in the cloak (all very Matthew 25:40) and St. Martin dedciates the rest of his life to service in the church.

So on St. Martin's Day, kids and their parents gather for a parade. All the kids carry these paper laterns on lighted sticks (someone's making a fortune on these sticks) and walk through town following St. Martin on his horse. It was quite the experience for Maddie to carry her lantern (which she made in school) throughout the streets of Kaiserswerth with a whole mix of German, English and American kids and their parents. It was a long walk for anyone and a REALLY long walk for a five year-old. Naturally, when walking behind a horse, someone (Skip) is bound to step in some manure.

Then after winding through the streets of Old Town Kaiserswerth, you end up with this huge crowd (at least 1000, if not more) of people at a re-enactment of St. Martin giving his cloak to the poor man. Then a narrator on a microphone tells everyone how important it is to share what you have with others.

Now this would have been a great time for everyone to leave some food or clothing or something that could be shared with the poor (it would have to be exported because there aren't poor people in Kaiserswerth), but instead everyone rushes for this building where you can exchange the ticket you bought last week for 2.50E for a bag of goodies. Then you can go around to the various merchants in town who will also give you treats. Like Christmas in the US, there seems to be a disconnect between the message and the celebration.

Maddie hasn't even finished her Halloween candy and now there's a whole new bag of goodies--although I was pleased to see that for St. Martin's Day, apples and oranges are standard as well. And in Germany, nobody thinks twice about eating an apple that someone has handed them--even if you don't know them personally.

An Exercise in Patience

Once again, nothing happens quickly in Germany--unless you're behind the wheel of a car.

I finally decided to join the local "health club" even though people are drinking beer and smoking cigarettes on the first floor while you're working out on the second. So Skip went with me because some of the folks there speak really good English and others only speak a little. Germans who only speak a little English are reluctant to use it because they can't do it perfectly. You'd think once they hear my attempt at German, they'd be put at ease!

Anyway, the deal is that you can't join until you have a fitness assessment with one of the trainers and the first available appointment is in a week-and-a-half. So I can't go ahead and pay my money and start working out. I have to wait. These people are lousy capitalists.

Then from there I went into the town center. Headed into the little "convenience store" where I buy my phone card, train pass, etc and had to walk right back out again before even getting what I went in for because the smoke was so thick I could taste it. Ugggg.

So I get on the train to go get Maddie at school and one of the folks who checks tickets comes through. When you have a monthly pass, you get a plastic card that lasts for a year and each month you place a new stamp-size ticket in a little slot. My pass has already been checked twice this month, but this lady holds me up because the pass number on the plastic card has not been written on the little monthly part. She is telling me that this could cost me forty euros because my pass is not valid. While this is going on, I miss the stop for Maddie's school and have to turn around at the next stop. I end up getting off with a "warning" after she simply copies the number into the right place.

And of course this would be the day that everyone got this month's issue of the Radschlager, the magazine of the American Women's Club of Duesseldorf. And everyone keeps telling me how much they appreciated my little article on Thanksgiving on a day that I'm feeling anything but gracious and thankful. Careful what you put in writing. That must be why I usually didn't write down my sermons!

Random Scenes from Germany

We had a very German weekend.

Friday, I took a field trip to the Polish Pottery wholesaler in, of course, the Netherlands. Everyone knows to get a great deal on Polish Pottery, you have to go to Holland. ???

When you think of German cuisine, you may think of bratwurst, schnitzel, sour kraut and beer. What you may not think of is frozen pizza, but the Germans have great frozen pizza. We have some at least once a week. Friday night's pizza of choice was of the Turkish variety--featuring spiced beef, yellow, red and green peppers, onions and a few dollops of sour cream.

Saturday, we hit the Real (pronounced Ree-Al) which is the closest thing you can get in Germany to a Target, and Skip finally broke down and bought a third pair of shoes. Because our shipment still isn't here, he's been wearing either his running shoes or his one pair of dress shoes. Now he and Maddie both have some boots for the cold weather. I got my boots several weeks ago because I only had one pair of shoes here that didn't have open toes!

Saturday afternoon, Maddie's friend Meg came over to play. When her parents came to pick her up, we were very German-like and all sat down to coffee, tea and cake for the rest of the afternoon.

Sunday, we were back as the token Americans at the Anglican church. Still trying to adjust to the big stained window that features a knight on a horse slaying a dragon. Am told by folks in the know that this is an image of St. George. I'm just relieved that it wasn't depicting some Bible story from a book that I had just completely skipped along the way!

Sunday afternoon, Skip and Brad finished putting up the last of our lights. No more wires hanging down from the ceilings and a light in every room and staircase. Then we got to go over to Brad and Melanie's for a fabulous meal and Maddie got to play with their eight-year-old daughters, Paige and Zoe.

Still no word on when our stuff will arrive. But the right people are bugging the right people, so hopefully it will be soon.

We had a really good weekend except for an upsetting e-mail that the church where Maddie was baptized in Boston recieved a threatening letter because they are welcoming of African-Americans, Chinese and homosexuals. Somehow I will feel better if the person who sent it is mentally ill and not just plain hateful. Please keep Fourth Presbyterian Church in South Boston in your prayers.

Random Updates

Skip has installed two more lights...all on his own!

I have invested in non-slip socks to wear in the house since I slipped on the stairs this morning and have a big bruise on my posterior and a pulled something or other in my left hand.

Maddie and her friend Leoni will be carrying a Latana or latern in the school assembly for their class tomorrow. It is in anticipation of St. Martin's Day which is coming up next week. It's a big deal here in Germany and all the kids make paper laterns and then stores sell these battery-powered light sticks to hang them on.

You can tell we are non-Germans by the front of our house. Nothing adorns the door, no flowers in the window and we've just about let the potted plant on the front stoop die. To remedy this, we have ordered a wreath from my sister-in-law. Check out her site at New England Barn Wreaths

Lights...Never Take Them for Granted

I may have mentioned before that German homes don't come with lights--just wires hanging down from the ceiling where you can install the lights that you purchase. I might also mention that these lights won't work in the US, so we'll need to sell them before we return.

Today our friend Brad came over to help us install a few more lights. There are 11 wires hanging down in all and after today we have all but four of them up. Each fixture presents its own set of problems:

The ceiling over the dining room table presented a problem because there seems to be a concrete block in our ceiling. So a fairly large light fixture is hanging from only one screw.
Brad and Skip are thinking of investing in titanium drill bits to see if that will get through the concrete.

In the kitchen, the wire had a slit in it and it hit the brace of the light, scorched the metal in the light fixture and blew the fuse. It fused the light switch to a permanent "on" position. Brad and Skip just switched out the stuff from another switch that doesn't seem to do anything. I should mention that Brad builds robots for a living.

They couldn't get to all the fixtures, so Brad left all his tools here for Skip to venture forth on his own. Just something else to add to your prayer list.