Autumn

Autumn has clearly arrived in Germany, although in Berlin we are enjoying sun and blue skies. As the evening arrives you note a drop in temperature. Since my last post I have had a ‘normal’ week. It started with Barbara on Monday morning. She is my German teacher and always starts our meetings with chatting about what she has doing since the last meeting.

This time I had prepared copies of a text with words marked that I did not know. She explained the use of the words and then we started on dictation, which I really like. I had problems with some words and was self critical. She said I should not be and just keep learning.

On Tuesday afternoon I went to the Abacus Hotel opposite Tierpark Zoo. I met the SPD Oldies. We settled into the meeting with coffee and cakes and then the boss of the hotel arrived to tell us all about working there. Very interesting meeting.

On Wednesday I went to the Berlin office of my health insurance company. I went for advice. I got a letter from the Pension and Health Insurance Service in the UK to say that they may stop payments to my German health insurance company from the 1st November. All to do with Brexit. An informative meeting which ended with advice to wait until a got a letter saying payments would stop. I am one of 180,000 UK seniors living in the EU living under such a threat. It is hardly reported.

I went shopping yesterday. I bought a new lamp for my desktop then went to Aldi and bought an ‘Outdoor-Sweatjacke’ with a hood for 17.99 Euro. I have jackets but without a hood so this is a welcome addition to my jackets. Tomorrow I shall be on a tour of properties owned by my housing association which will end with a nice meal in a hotel.

 On Sunday afternoon I am going to the Berlin Philharmonie with some of my Kowalke Gang for an afternoon of Russian classical music. Looking forward to that. Here are some photos of autumn taken from my balcony. The leaves are still dropping.