The sunlight wonderfully plays with the snow and the colourful wooden houses. Yesterday we had one of these clear and bright winter days which you do not have very often.

Hooray, we have arrived – and it is snowing. No thick, fat, dry snowflakes, but small, wet ones. Tis is also looking grey and dirty in the centre of Stockholm. But already when leaving the main road towards the district where Börje and Elisabeth live, the picture is changing so completely, that my opinion that Stockholm is a mountainous city is confirmed. For in Bromma there is so much snow as in the Dolomites. And it continues to snow. Finde and small, but incessantly. And as this has been going on since Christmas and as snow removal is not as intensive as in Berlin, I am glad not to have (or being able) to drive. Even the automatic system in Elisabeth’s and Börje’s car indicates again and again that we are sliding. It is good to know it, even if you cannot do anything against it.

Upon arriival in the house, Börje showed self-made candle holders made from ice. A wonder of nature and Swedish boy scout technology. Made in a bucket filled with water it is the perfect outside light in winter. They look so beautiful that we thought all evening about how to sell these cheaply-produced lamps during the World Cup in June. We are still working on it.

All the best for your birthday and best wishes for your hopefully rather long future.

We are all excited!!!!!! Elisabeth is celebrating her “zero” birthday and we will be there!! We will fly to Stockholm on Thursday and today we already have phoned twice as it is just our custom. SUPER.

Smokie is a lover of plants as is Hanna.

Today nearly everything is right with the train. The cars are in the wrong order, but that is really a minor problem. Instead now I will be together with Hanna for 10 days. Next we have the Kick-Off-Meeting for the LOCOMOTIVE project in Berlin and on Thursday we fly to Stockholm for Elisabeth’s birthday.

Hostages

This week everybody is talking about 2 hostages in Iraq. Bad as it is, but I do not pity them. Either they knew about the risk. Or they were stupid.

Dog food

As well as it might have been meant, but to offer 42 tons of dog food for starving Africans, that I think is cynical.

Golden Camera 1

Thomas Hermanns, a German comedian was excellent, he not only thanked his husband of 14 years, but he also encouraged all 16-17 years old boys to talk to their parents why they rather watched the show than soccer.

Golden Camera 2

Rudi Carell, a Dutch entertainer in German TV got the camera for his life achievement. Provincial as Germany is, this was ok. He talked about visiting the newspaper magnate Springer in his office tower near the wall. When asked why he bore the view Springer answered he wanted to see the wall fall. Springer was dead and Carell was in the office again, saw a portrait and said: “The wall has fallen, the Chancellor is from East Germany and it is a woman.” And the portrait fell down. I never liked Springer, but this reaction to Merkel was good.

Bush’s Speech about the state of the Union

Just forget it!

Mohammed as caricature

Bad that the Danish newspaper is attacked. Bad that the editor of France Soir is fired. Freedom of the press is very important.

Pension

I will have to work for 2 or 3 months longer. But it is fine. Rather a small pension than none at all. We will see.

Listening to ”Daddy”, by Annett Louisan (Play Count: 3)