Monthly Archives: December 2017
Conundrum
A friend brought me a newspaper from the airport lounge. I don’t get to see many physical English-language papers in the depths of the Black Forest, so I was very grateful. It was the Gulf News, which is published in the United Arab Emirates. It appears aimed at the expatriate population there, especially those from […]
The Nativity Set
Today is the second Sunday of the Advent season, the day we light the second candle on the Advent wreath. I should be able to tell you what that candle signifies, but I can’t off the top of my head. When I was growing up my family didn’t do anything special for Advent. Probably had […]
Christmas Market in Lippstadt II
Just a few photo impressions today. If you need words, try yesterday’s post.
Christmas Market in Lippstadt
I have visited Lippstadt before, but always in the warmer weather. I didn’t know what to expect of their Christmas market. We had already visited the Advent Market held in the little town of Laufen, an event that matched the town for size. It was pouring rain and I didn’t take any pictures. Nor was […]
Cultural Differences VI – The Kitchen
Until this morning, when I walked into my kitchen, all I could see was empty space with a pipe protruding from the wall. The previous tenants took everything, including the kitchen sink. This is a whole new experience for me. In Germany, when you move, you take everything with you. That includes the kitchen sink […]
First Impressions on “Songs of Experience”
I may come back to this one in the New Year, but I wanted to give my first impressions today. After all, a new U2 album is an event. The last one, Songs of Innocence, they gave away free and in the process managed to annoy millions of people who suddenly discovered it on […]
Once There Was A Way
Do you ever wonder “What if?” Bryce Zabel obviously does. Once There Was A Way is the result. As a music fan I lean more towards The Rolling Stones than The Beatles. Admittedly The Stones lost their relevance sometime in the 1970s, but I would till go see them perform if they were in my […]
I Couldn’t Resist
Another weekend, another Advent Market, the fourth one we have attended and the first in what is now really the Advent season. Pictures and commentary coming in a couple of days, but I wanted to show you this right now. I have seen American vendors bragging about “foot-long” hot dogs, though I have never seen […]
Back to Lippstadt
I’m visiting my wife’s ancestral home town, Lippstadt, Germany, this weekend for the first time in three years. Today I might attend a worship service at the church where her grandfather was pastor for (I think) a couple of decades. It seems fitting therefore that I repeat one of my first blog posts, from September […]
Advent 2017
It is that time of year again. Time to put op the tree and decorations in anticipation of Christmas. We won’t have a Christmas tree this year, I don’t think. I am sure i could go into the Black Forest and cut one down (though that is probably illegal), but then I would have to […]
random thoughts from lorne 
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