Stain-glass Eyes

My travel journal is getting filled with food, people, places, money conversions and German phrases.   I'm up late, writing.  Too stimulated to sleep.   I arrived in Berlin eight days ago.  Oh, the hugs and smiles of my youngest daughter, Heidi. "Willkommen" was in every move she had to make me comfortable.   The German Subway She gave me a quick lesson on how to use the subway, pay for it, use it to get around Berlin, and open and close the doors to exit or enter.  She helped me see the U verses the S travel and how they connect in-between.  Never for a  minute did she doubt I could catch on and use this system, to travel on my own. Heidi and Co-worker Emma (at Oslo Coffee and Cafe in Berlin) Heidi introduced me to many of her friends here.  Ellie, Isaac, Erin, Sophie, Walter, Emma and Kat.  Amazing young people to spend time with.  They received me with open arms, which impressed me.  I'm pretty sure my generation didn't open doors to

Pictures will have to tell of Christmas, here in Berlin.  Yesterday is Too-Close-Magical for me to write about, with any sense. Heidi, Host of Christmas in Berlin Kat, Adopted Daughter for Christmas,  Viewing Love Locks on Bridge (She's from Australia) Elaborate Signs of Love On Berlin, Bridge Fence The U and the S Baun (Dependable.  Full of Christmas Eve Travelers)  Christmas Eve is Celebration Time-Public Places Closed Very Early One of Many Christmas Markets in Berlin Rushing Shoppers, Shoulder to Shoulder  "Halo" Personalized Caption on Any Size Cookie! Wooden Creche, Life-Size German Children Checking on Baby Jesus Lights More Lights Life-Size Christmas Pyramid (Small Cafe on Top Floor) Christmas Lights  Showing Three Empty Glasses of Homemade Concoction of Sweetness Wrapping, Waiting  Santa Incognito at Christmas Market Heidi and Emma Working Chritmas Eve at Oslo Coffee

I've written about the challenges I've gone through to move to Ann Arbor.  Retiring from teaching, selling my home in Gaylord and beginning again.  Answering only to myself.  It's the hardest thing I've ever done.   Far more difficult than moving away from home and going to college.  Then, I had a few wooden crates, two large pieces of barn wood to make shelves across the crates, my guitar, a minimal amount of clothes, some sheets and blankets, a black trunk and an electric popcorn popper.  I got a ride with Kenny Belonga.  We put our stuff in the back of his truck and headed for East Lansing. I didn't have a built-up stash of "things" to go through in deciding what to take.   I took what I had.   You may not know it, but I'm a person who squeezes every bit of toothpaste out of a tube, before throwing it away.  I reuse tissue paper, whether it's wrinkled or not.  I had trouble throwing away a key, yesterday, I didn't need.  T

The Calm...... .....Before the Storm I spent some time in St. Ignace recently.  Snow and ice everywhere!  I could actually see the the fabric-like ice spreading over the green water on Lake Huron, as each day went by.   Ice Forming its Pattern at Marina in St. Ignace Thanksgiving was just me and Mom.  Some things are so obvious to be thankful for, I don't even know how saying it would be beneficial.   I enjoyed watching the "Downton Abby" series with Mom, while I was home.  We had so many laughs. The drama!  The suspense! (Thanks, Karen for sharing the DVDs) Brendan, Ready to Get Things From the Attic to Decorate For Christmas We painted rocks, decorated her place (for Christmas), took naps with the sun streaming through the windows.   I walked down to the lake to look for rocks, practiced music for the annual Musicale held up at the Methodist Church in St. Ignace, read, and enjoyed being with Mom, in my childhood home.  She has