Thanks

Big thanks to all who sent me birthday cards, e-mails and telephone messages. Here you can see some of the cards. There was a very special present from Andrea and Marco that took me back many years. They sent a CD called Be Thou My Vision containing sacred music by John Rutter with the Cambridge Singers. The words are in English and really opened my eyes.

When I was 9/10 I sang in the local Church of England choir and in my school choir. I am not sure if we sang music by John Rutter but if not then by similar musicians and of course I was a boy soprano. My school music teacher was called Mr Skull and he introduced us to the voice of Kathleen Ferrier who I still adore! He also introduced us to Gustaf Mahler and Wagner. He knew my mother and that she played 2 musical instruments. The were also members of the local Labour Party!

Last week I had the same routine and meetings as the week before except that I went to a ‘Burgeramt’ in Adlershof (part of south east Berlin) with Johanna. I need a new passport and Personelausweis. we did all the paperwork and I have to go there again on the 20th June to pick up the new documents. I’mstill waiting for a response from the London passport office. Now 7 weeks and I have not heard a word from them. I had a couple of quiet days then set off on Sunday for a birthday lunch with Johanna, Jutta and Martina. Very nice but I drank too much. Johanna brought me home later.

I went with Imre to a local restaurant on Monday and yes, he ate half of my food – as usual! Later Thorsten arrived to do some work on my laptop and he and Imre got to know each other. In a short time I shall go across the road to have a glass of sekt with Marita. A late birthday sip!