A Friday in December 2013

This was the last Friday before Christmas where I could play Scrabble with my friends. Early in the morning I had gone for a walk in Lakelands Park. Again I took quite a few pictures. I can’t help myself, when I have the camera with me, I usually start taking some pictures and then it just goes on and on.

We deserve a coffee break. — We had a coffee break.

Today is again the last Friday before Christmas where we can meet to play our games. We actually do not play only Scrabble, we do also play a few games of Rummy.

Next Friday is going to be the 19th of December. On that day we are going to have a Body Corporate meeting in Wollongong. The following day, on the 20th, we are going to have a Christmas Party for the residents and some previous residents. And for Sunday, the 21st, Peter and I are being invited to a Christmas Luncheon in Sydney.

Christmas Eve we are going to have the family at our place as is traditional for us. Early the following morning on Christmas Day Caroline, Matthew, Peter and I are going to travel to Melbourne in a rented car.

Ah, and I forgot, this coming Sunday, which is the third Sunday of Advent, we are also going to be in Sydney to belatedly celebrate Caroline’s birthday. Last Sunday we went to see Monika for her birthday.

UTA’s DIARY, SATURDAY 15th November 2014

It turned out several family members could come to visit us on Saturday. Caroline had baked a cheese-cake after having gone shopping with Matthew for the ingredients. The cake had just come out of the oven when Ryan and Ebony arrived with Lucas and Baby Alexander. A bit later also Monika and Mark came for afternoon coffee.

Caroline and Matthew had come with us to Dapto on Friday night. Saturday night they went back home to their place in Sydney. Caroline’s Graduation Ceremony had been on Thursday. Wednesday afternoon Peter and I had been arriving in Sydney where we went with Caroline and Matthew to a performance at the Griffin Theatre. We saw EMERALD CITY, a play by David Williamson. On Saturday morning Matthew went for some exams at Wollongong University. Matthew is going to keep working at IKU. And he is going to do some more post graduate studies next year, whereas Caroline stopped working at IKU and started now her full time work at the Griffin Theatre.

Peter and I enjoyed spending a few days in Sydney and being guests at Caroline’s graduation ceremony. Later on that Thursday some of Caroline’s and Matthew’s friends came over. We then celebrated with sparkling wine and snacks.

At the University of New South Wales on Thursday, 13th Nov 2014

GRADUATION 2014, UNSW

The graduation ceremony was on Thursday, 13th November. The following day was a pleasantly warm day. We decided it was a good day to go to the beach. While Matthew was at work that day, Caroline drove us to Bronte Beach.

Some more Pictures from Saturday, 25th Oct 2014

A Reminder that Melbourne Cup Day is coming up soon.

We went to the DENDY just for a quick coffee.

Last Day of the Year 2012

I want to publish again what we did on the last day of 2012! Our day started with a trip to Bondi Junction, where we met our daughter. We had a cup of coffee with Caroline. Then Caroline had to go shopping. We strolled back to the station. This time to a different entrance of the station, one that we weren’t familiar with yet. A beautiful large rest asrea opened up in front of us. Lots of different food and drinks were on offer at different outlets. In the middle of the plaza some delicious looking (homemade) ice-cream caught our eye. Peter and I each had a cup full of this very refreshing treat. It wasn’t expensive but tasted wonderful. There were plenty of seats everywhere to have a rest. We took the lift down to the platform. Only a few minutes and our train departed. We got off at Town Hall Station. We had a lovely lunch near Town Hall Station. I had ordered Fish and Chips. The fish was delicious! Peter had ordered something with meat.

Later on we looked at the displays of some cake-shops. We were hoping we would find some Berliners. It is our tradition to eat Berliners on New Year’s Eve. We had no luck. We couldn’t find any. In due time we went to Town Hall Station to catch our train to Dapto. While we were waiting for the train we took some photos. The trip to Dapto took nearly two hours.

This picture was taken on the 31st December 2012 in Sydney near the place where we had lunch.

After lunch we strolled to the Queen Victoria Building.

The huge clock inside of Queen Victoria Building. — This is the huge clock inside of Queen Victoria Building.

We thought this Christmas Tree looked quite impressive. — We thought this Christmas Tree inside of Queen Victoria Building looked quite impressive.

Then a lady had offered to take a picture of the two of us. — A very nice lady had offered then to take a picture of the two of us.

At Townhall Station we caught the Kiama train via Wollongong to Dapto.

Some shops in Dapto Shopping Center were already about to close when we arrived there. We knew we had a bottle of Bubbly at home in the fridge for our end of year celebrations. But we were still without any Berliners. I felt a bit tired and was sitting down for a while. In the meantime Peter rushed into another shop that was still open. Surprise, surprise, he came out with some delicious looking Berliners in the form of stars! He got them at half price for they were the last ones that were left! At home we watched “Dinner for One”, which is a tradition with us to watch on New Year’s Eve. It is a sketch about Miss Sophie’s 90th Birthday. Very, very funny! We’ve seen it so often and every time we laugh our heads off again. Peter tried out to take a few pictures from the TV showing Sydney Harbour. At midnight he took also some pictures of the fireworks. Soon after we went to bed. But of course we did have our Bubbly and did eat the heated up little stars with it. They tasted delicious, just as good as the balls, called Berliners, do taste. Of course we did get messages and phone calls from our children before we went to bed, wishing us a HAPPY NEW YEAR.

If you go to

Last Day of the Year

you can see some more photos from that day.

Sydney 7 – 18 Celsius sunny

Hi, it is Monday, the 4th of August 2014, a bit after 7 am.
I just looked up the temperatures for Sydney. It says it is there 7 C at present but it feels like only 5 C which I believe equals 40 F. Here where I am the temperatures are similar to Sydney. In Canberra, which is more inland, the temperatures during night time did go down to below freezing point for the last few days.

It has not rained much the last few weeks. I looks like our fire season starts early this year. This is what out Rural Fire Service states:

“Across NSW there are more than 700 #NSWRFS firefighters working on 84 bush and grass fires. …”

Apparently it burns only in some northern parts of New South Wales at the moment. (NSW is a huge area, about the size of the whole of Germany!) Still, we have to be prepared with warmer weather coming up and not much rain, there is definitely going to be increased risk of bush fires in the coming months or even weeks.

It feels strange to have to think of bush fires when we have such a tremendous cold spell right now!

Ilse came to visit us in 1999

18th of April 1999 in front of Sydney Opera House. David took this picture.

The 18th of April 1999 was the day when we travelled by Ferry Boat from Parramatta to Sydney (Circular Quay). Peter’s sister Ilse was with us She was still sad, because her husband, Klaus, had died the previous year. However, she liked to stay with us for a while. After a two months visit she went back to Berlin with the promise to visit us again.

The 18th of April 1998 happened to be the birthday of Klaus, his last one before he died. So on the Ferry on that day a year later Ilse could not help but thinking that it was the anniversary of the birthday of Klaus and how he would have loved this Ferry trip too.

Gaby and David were with us on that boat. David went straight away to the front deck after boarding and stayed outside for the whole trip. Ilse and I stayed inside with Gaby who was in her wheelchair, of course. Peter went backwards and forwards all the time taking pictures.

The Opera House is already in sight, so Circular Quay is not far away any more.

In March 1999, soon after Ilse had arrived from Germany, we went with her to visit Gaby at her place in Merrylands West. This is where she met David too for the first time.

This is probably a more recent photo when Gaby was about fifty years old.

Caroline’s Message on Facebook for Peter

For you and Mama. Reminds me of the day we were wandering throughout the botanical gardens with Matthew and decided “to go in search of gelato”

“When someone is seeking it happens quite easily that she only sees the thing that she is seeking; that she is unable to find anything, unable to absorb anything, because she is only thinking of the thing she is seeking, because she has a goal, because she is obsessed with her goal. Seeking means to have a goal; but finding means: to be free, to be receptive, to have no goal.” Siddhartha, Herman Hesse

I, Uta, asked Peter to send me Caroline’s message. I think Caroline chose this passage from Hermann Hesse’s SIDDHARTHA very well. Thank you very much for this, Caroline. I too remember that day when we were wandering throughout the Botanic Gardens in Sydney. I actually enjoyed our walk very much. Finding a place for buying gelato? It was not to be, not in the Botanic Gardens anyway. Then we looked around near the Opera House. However the area was much too crowded for our liking. So we went on. In the end Matthew and Caroline led us to their favourite gelato shop. This made us very happy. I think we did have a great day!

I can see that it would have been very bad to be obsessed with this goal of getting gelato. I admit, I was on the lookout for it. Had we been able to find some in the Botanic Gardens, I am sure we would have enjoyed that too. None the less, I very much loved this walk, I really did. And as it turned out, having to wait for the gelato a bit longer, made it even more special when I finally did get some of this very delicious home made on the premises gelato.

I say, it is always worth waiting for GELATO DE MESSINA, made on the premises in Victoria Street! 🙂

Sydney Royal Botanic Gardens

We had come past these gates when we arrived at the gardens.

Isn't this a remarkable tree? — Isn’t this a remarkable tree?

And who's hiding here? — And who’s hiding here?

Peter took this picture and also the following ones.

All pictures were taken on Saturday, 17tth of May 2014.

Breakfast at the Hilton Hotel, Sydney

http://www.hiltonsydney.com.au/restaurants-bars/glass-breakfast-detail

“With the undeniable charm of Sydney’s breakfast culture, why not begin your day with a sumptuous breakfast at glass brasserie? An exquisite a la carte menu or our bountiful buffet will whet your appetite.”

“. . . indulge in the finest breakfast in the city whilst enjoying a captivating view of the Queen Victoria Building from glass brasserie’s vast floor to ceiling windows. What better way to start your day?”

” . . . breakfast and a glass of sparkling with loved ones . . . ”

This was Saturday, the 17th of May 2014.

This special event is the Sydey Half Marathon.

http://www.smhhalfmarathon.com.au/
Find out about running the Sydney Morning Herald Half Marathon, secure your place using the online entry system and learn how you can run for charity.

The last time Peter did run in the Sydney Morning Herald Half Marathon was in 2005. Anyone who wants to run this distance can enrol for the event. Peter is sorry that he cannot run like this any more.

Peter has always been an avid reader of the Sydney Morning Herald. He has now an online subscription. The SMH sponsored the breakfast at the Hilton for subscribers. We did not regret having made use of the offer for this special breakfast.