Writing, or rather, not writing

Being back in Berlin has rather dampened my inspiration. Not that there isn't interesting fodder for blogging, it is just that I am feeling rather uninspired. I think it is my new job. I now am officially in training as a "Reserve Tutor" for an on-line company that helps college students with their writing. I comment on essays and am now dreaming about HOC before LOC (higher-order concerns before lower-order concerns). My new boss thinks my critiques are "fairly good," but the last one I had to rewrite because, among other things, I didn't model "academic writing." Hmmm . . . it seems I have been out of the loop for so long that when I write conversationally, I write, um, well, conversationally. So instead of saying, "Sorry, but we don't proofread at our company," I have to say, "I am sorry, Susie, but our internet services do not include proofreading." Obviously we don't proofread, since I can't even write a coherent sentence myself. Rather intimidating, when one realizes that one accidentally also gave out this blog URL. Does one write with "one" anymore? It was quite in vogue back in the 70's, right up there with "a good time was had by all."

Anyway, here I sit, having caught up on everyone else's blogs, wondering what on earth would interest my public out there (who are you, anyway? The stage lights are blinding me.), if in fact, after all this time you really are out there. It also seems rather ridiculous to write a blog when Al and Libbie are writing about what it is like to be dying of cancer, and Tony and Dee Dee are catching us up with their Mao Clinic visits. No such serious reasons to visit this blog. The most serious thing that has happened to me this Christmas is tearing a ligament in my ankle. That has meant crutches, doctor visits, a cast, and this weekend a wheelchair. Riding on cobblestone streets in a wheelchair is quite an adventure when David is taking you up and down curbs. I place my life in a 16 year old's hands, who thinks it would be hysterically funny if Mom tipped over . . .

I will say this, however. Do you know how many people in Berlin never look down at the person in the chair? I spent the entire evening wondering if someone would walk right into me. On the way to the movies, Tim talked extra-loudly just so I could get the full effect of what his dad went through in his wheelchair. And it was rather strange sitting at the movies in my wheelchair. We plan to rent one every weekend. We paid 5 Euros for the chair and got into the movie for free. That's a net savings of 2.50 Euros. Not bad!

Looking back there are several highlights. The first was Andy's visit to Berlin in November, where he amused himself seeing how many different types of German beer he could try. He was a model guest, a credit to his family. Here, Andy, is a picture just for you:

Yes, he is as cool as he looks.

Now on to other things . . .

After Andy left, we hosted two young men from Rostock for the Berlin Model United Nations. David represented Chad and got to wear a suit from Wednesday evening through Saturday evening, write resolutions, and learn what it is like to be a delegate to the United Nations. We learned it meant very little sleep. The following weekend was our Thanksgiving Break. For Thanksgiving this year, we took a trip to Holland, where we saw friends and went to the Sinterklaas parade. Sinterklaas is the Dutch version of Santa, only more fun. Black Peter is his helper, and if you aren't good, he'll throw you in the sack, take you back to Spain, and make pepernoten (little cookies) out of you. David was always especially afraid of Black Peter as a kid . . . anyway, this year we saw Sinterklaas arrive on the boat from Spain in Naarden, where our friends Dick and Hanneke live. It was one of the highlights of our time in Holland, along with seeing people we love, of course!

We left Sinterklaas in Holland, taking home our favorite fast food to make on Christmas day--croquettes, a very unhealthy snack of white thick gravy with bits of meat, rolled in bread crumbs and deep fried. It tastes better than it sounds. We also brought back peanut sauce to dip our French fries in, to provide us with a truly authentic cholesteral-laden dinner. Back to Sinterklaas . . .

Sinterklaas actually hangs around Holland for about three weeks, in order to remind you to get your shopping done in time for his birthday on December 6, and to make appearances at many stores, bribing children to be good with little cookies (yes, pepernoten). Sinterklaas' birthday is actually celebrated by putting your shoes out, to be filled with said pepernoten and candy by Black Peter when he makes a surprise visit, but only if your shoes are polished, and you have put them out singing songs about Sinterklaas. We know one, and practiced it so well that Hanneke informed me that it was the only thing I said in Dutch that was absolutely accent-free. I always knew I should be a singer!

The eve of The Sint's birthday, however, he and Black Peter make a personal surprise visit and drop off his birthday gifts for the family before hopping back on the boat. These birthday gifts are often left on the front step in a laundry basket, while he hurries to the next house. Our Sint has made it to our home wherever we have been ever since we lived in Holland. He really gets around on his white horse, although once the horse was so thirsty by the time he got to our house, that he had to drink out of our toilet. Yep, the legends surrounding Sinterklaas and the Newbranders are legion, and the Dutch, including Sinterklaas, of course, never forget one of their own, or at least those who would like to be one of their own in December, anyway. Sinterklaas always brings something for our shoes, a letter to the kids telling about their praiseworthy qualities, his adventures this year in finding us, and sometimes scolding them for forgetting water (see above) or carrots for his horse. He also brings a chocolate letter, nothing to sneeze at when you taste Dutch chocolate.

When Jan Marius and Jeanette join us for Sinterklaas, however, as they did just after the Sint's visit to Holland, he makes an extra-special detour en route home to Spain, and brings presents as well as chocolate letters, etc. Each gift is then accompanied by a rhyme. This year he wrote most of the rhymes in English, but since little Louwrens cannot speak English yet (he's only two, but he'll get there soon if he's like any other Dutch children), the Sint was forced to ask his American helper to write a few awful rhymes in Dutch. The Dutch Sint's rhymemaker's ability in English poetry far exceeds his American helper's rhyming ability in Dutch. Here is Louwrens finding all of our shoes lined up by the door, filled by Black Peter. There was even something for Ginger as well!

Yes, it is fun being a mix of Dutch, German, and American cultures, and just a tad bit of Japanese and Chinese . . .

This December has been rather full of adventures. On 2nd Advent, Mike (who comes to our church plant) was baptized, cheered on by Mandy, who had become our spiritual sister just 3 days previously. That was exciting! After partying to celebrate Mike's baptism, we all got on the tram to go downtown. Would you like to see a picture of Tim singing in the Berlin Cathedral? He joined the parent choir from the kid's school, and got to sing in the German-American service on the 2nd Advent Sunday. We managed to finegal enough tickets to invite 2 rows of fans. Two years ago Timothy sang, and next year Becca will hopefully play her flute. But this year it was Tim's time to shine in the spotlight . . .






By far the most exciting event this month was welcoming our Timothy home from college. We tried to embarrass him at the airport by making huge signs saying "Welcome home, Timothy!" so that he would be sure to laugh when he came out and hide my tears of joy. It's been a wonderful three weeks together, well, almost every minute, anyway!!





The other girl in the picture is Charlotte, a friend of our family's here in Berlin.






Need I comment?




Sniff, sniff!












And finally, Christmas at the Newbranders. A beautiful tree. You can't see me--I'm on the couch with my leg up, putting hangers on ornaments. This is our annual picture anyway--the first ornament!


We celebrated Christmas Eve with new friends. A young family from Bulgaria has joined our tiny church here, and they celebrated Christmas for the very first time--with us. It seemed fitting to celebrate our Savior's birth as Americans in Germany with one older German woman and 3 Bulgarian Gypsies. Later more friends from Germany and our friends from Azerbaijan joined us. So many cultures in one room, all brought together by the One who came to seek and to save all those who are truly homeless, to give them a home with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. It seemed fitting to celebrate the One whose birth cuts across all socio-economic and cultural lines. He who was rich, became poor for our sakes, that we may be truly rich. His love, shared with us and shared with one another whether far away or here in our own living room, is enough for each of us. I guess that's inspiration enough with which to end this blog, or . . .?