Well, I am Linus and now live with Hannaxel. With my former tin openers the smallest suddenly developed an allergy against me, and as a friend was sought for Smokie, I now moved in here. Hannaxel wanted to take a picture of me at once, but I refused and found a comfortable spot under the baithing tub… One know how to soften the tin openers. And tonight I proved why I am also known as Osama Bin Laden. They though they had a terrorist, now they have two… My new buddy first showed me the trick with the vase… this is well worth for getting on their nerves. I am more of a climbing cat, i.e. I already left my traces where Smokie never went before, for example on the kitchen cupboard. I will explain to him during the next nights. And this morning came Lara, well I will have her in my grasp soon as I was grown up with a Golden Retriever. Otherwise my people have to learn that I love dry food best, what they really do not like. Well, with time I will train them… I will see how long the stay firm. You can see me below already, I have the feeling it will be rather stressfree here. Until soon, fans!!!

Since friday our family has grown with the arrival of Linus, a tom cat of nearly two years (being more or less the same age as Smokie). Unfortunately he could not stay in his old family because of a case of cat allergy.

For the time being he has occupied th bathroom, spent nearly 40 hours under the bathing tub (now his other favourite spot is the space behind the washing machine). Smokie again and again eyed him curiously and tried to get him to play, not at all hostile. Slowly Linus starts to explore the apartment, and it sounded as if both had extensive chases across the flat last night. When Linus has had enough, he returns to his safe spots in the bathroom.

Smokie of course still owns the flat. During the weekend again he had a special experience: it was snowing and Smokie was chasing snowflakes on the terrace trying to catch them on the jump.

I came already today from Hamburg to Berlin as we might have a new family member tomorrow.

Stay tuned!

Listening to ”Porgy & Bess Medley”, by Frank Sinatra (Play Count: 2)

This morning I saw a car having a very readable notice on the dashboard saying: “You may reach me on my mobile under xxxx/xxxxxxx”. It was obvious that this note had been lying there for quite some time. What might be the reason? I only can imagine that he expects to quite often block other cars, entrances or similar. That is, intentionally parking in the wrong place.

This time he did not block anybody, but had his car in a correct space. Without the necessary parking ticket however.

This year two new museums will open in Berlin. An interesting one could become the Museum zur Alltagskultur der DDR (“Museum for everyday life in the GDR”) about to open in the second quarter. It wants to inform objectively about everyday life in the GDR, different from certain nostalgic TV shows in Germany. (Thanks Haupstadtblog).

A bit more crazy, but also appropriate for Berlin will be the Deutsche Currywurst Museum (“German Curry Sausage Museum), which wants to open in autumn 2006 counting on 350.000 visitors a year wanting to know about this peculiar speciality supposedly invented in Berlin. I just ask myself what they want to put into a complete museum to get return on their planned 5.000.000 Euro investment?

Addition: May be the two museums really are related as both are presenting dying models. Nowadays for each Currywurst in Berlin ten Doner Kebaps are consumed.

Sorry: all links in German.

The best is the one when I see Hanna

Yesterday I bought some yellow tulips for our living room, and even if they not that many, they again remind me of Elisabeth’s wonderful birthday party. Though we only knew few of the guests we were integrated as if we were family members and every body knowing Elisabeth can imagine that all relatives and friends are as she is: sense of humour, open, friendly, patient. We all had so much to talk about that dancing only started at midnight, but nobody knew exactly how late it was really. And as Axel has said, there was a lot of singing. „Wien, Wien nur Du allein“…seems to be a favourite song for all faculties. Yes, there are special songbooks for university faculties, which we studied on Sunday during dinner. Here, back in Berlin, it seems as if the party was just a dream, because it was so harmonious that I nearly could not believe it.

Yesterday there was a hint of spring in the air fort he first time and I am glad that terrace work will start soon. And hopefully we will see some of the dear guests from Sweden at our place soon!!!

Around 10 January I made an appointment with a doctor. Long term, I got 16 February. Was there today, but I had noted 10:30. Unfortunately they gave me 9:30. So, new date: 28.3.

S***!

Listening to ”Mama Told Me Not To Come”, by Eric Burdon And The Animals (Play Count: 2)

Today I noticed the strike of public employees for the first time. Somehow it seems to be a forgotten strike, but no wonder, ver.di (Union of public employees) does not have the money to call for an overall strike. There are not any big sympathies for the strike as jobs are much safer in public services as in many other areas. This is a special case in a district as Hamburg-Harburg, which has surely more Hartz IV-recipients (recipients of social security money) than other districts of rich Hamburg.

I noticed one thing as I looked at the participants: there was a noticable accumulation of orange jackets. It is an indication that most of the participants belong to the garbage collection services, probably just a few teachers, hospital workers or others. The union leaflet mostly talks about these groups however. The few policemen probably were there to guard and secure the demonstration than as actual active participants.

Somehow this shows the symptoms as the workers for the garbage collection services, at least in Hamburg and Berlin are in bad situation. Usually you find a lot of foreign workers in unfavoured jobs. But in recent years you hardly find them in the garbet collection services of both cities.

Listening to ”Darts of Pleasure”, by Franz Ferdinand (Play Count: 42)

Yesterday we had the big birthday dinner. Elisabeth had had everything meticulously planned as you may expect from an engineer. Preparations had begun a couple of days before the event, doing a little bit each day, so that yesterday a fully home-made 3-course-menu for 30 guests was ready. In the evening there was help available so that Elisabeth did not need to do anything.

The party was really pleasant, merry and relaxed. Even if I was heavily underdressed, nobody seemed to care. What is quite unusual in Swedish parties is the very frequent common singing, everybody takes part or at least tries to. Mostly drinking songs as far as I can judge with my modest knowledge of the Swedish language.

So it seemed appropriate that Hanna and I presented 5 songs from our program on a borrowed guitar.