Lesson after 40 years of marriage: you got what you got. It was good enough back then and it’s better than that now.
We’re watching the Winter Olympics the German way, only watching events that could have some military application. So no figure skating, unless it’s a cover for spies.
I’ve always loved Lindsey Vonn, fellow Minnesotan who speaks German like a native (Austrian). Her thoughts on her catastrophic fall at the Olympics are inspiring. “I tried. I dreamt. I jumped.” www.instagram.com/p/DUjW2r8…
Our restaurants decided to hold separate year-end parties, so we have 4 parties to attend in the next 15 days. The first was tonight. Strategically all are before the start of Ramadan.
As host of the 2028 Olympics the US qualifies for all team sports. USA Team Handball is holding open tryouts for women, no handball experience necessary. www.cnn.com/2026/01/2…
Germany issues travel warning for Minneapolis www.usatoday.com/story/tra…
ICE shot and killed a man at 26th and Nicollet in Minneapolis. Our second apartment in Minneapolis was just a block away. If the next fatal shooting is near Loring Park, it will be a trifecta. www.startribune.com/ice-raids…
Taco Tuesday, but its Wednesday www.nytimes.com/live/2026…
After a walk through the Heide, we were hungry for more than coffee and cake. So we first had soup, then coffee and cake.
I accidentally reduced my wife’s stress level by setting up her new iPhone to send all incoming calls to voicemail. Until she realized she was missing incoming calls.😳
There are times when time stands still, or even runs backwards. For example, when backing up an iPhone.
So if we take an afternoon nap on New Year’s Day, is it because we partied too long last night? Or are we still jet-lagged from our return flight from the US? Or both?
Happy New Year from Frauke and me! May 2026 bring you a lot of “Schwein”, the German symbol of good luck. That pig is very special to us ever since Frauke’s heart valve replacement last year (from a pig, of course). 🐷🍀
On our trip to the US we were able to obtain these historic artifacts: Hardee’s “Rise and Shine” mugs from 1986.
Back home from our spontaneous Christmas trip to Minnesota. Blizzard delayed our arrival, blizzard delayed our departure, but the weather was OK in between.
Scheduled to fly back tomorrow, but blizzard is forecast so we may not make it to the airport. We’d like to postpone until Monday. Currently on hold (both on messenger and on phone) with Delta to change. Estimated wait time: 2 hours 30 minutes.
Fifth Christmas dinner: Goose with dumplings and red cabbage at 6 pm on the 26th. My wife brought our traditional German 2nd Christmas Day dinner to Minnesota. Goose from South Dakota.
Fourth Christmas dinner: Ham and meatballs at my cousin’s at 6 pm on the 25th. Half the guests cancelled so it was just the three of us. There will be leftovers.
