The temperature went down to six degrees overnight under a clear sky, and it was bright and sunny when I woke up, a welcome start to the day, though clouds appeared as the temperature went up later to fifteen degrees. After breakfast, I listened to this week's edition of 'The Reunion' on BBC Radio Four. It was all about the events surrounding the fall of the Berlin wall, and featured interviews with a variety of East and West Berliners, witnesses to a unique moment in European history. I was much moved by this, as I was part of a party of Church visitors to Leipzig from Halesowen Parish was in East Berlin the night Erik Honecker resigned on 18th October 1989, just three weeks before the wall fell.
It was an unforgettable moment in my life, which inspired me to look for a job in the diocese of Europe, landing us in Geneva three years later. I exchanged messages about the programme with my old friend and ex-colleague Geoff Johnston. He followed me into Europe as Chaplain in Nerja when he retired some ten years later. He still has strong links with friends and colleagues in German from those years. He told me he's going there to visit them next month.
Clare went out for a McTimoney treatment, mid-morning, so I started preparing lunch and then went to get a few items I've persistently forgotten lately. I left my Fitbit on charge and was annoyed with myself for being forgetful. I was surprised to find when I returned that my phone kept on recording steps with the Fitbit app detached from it. It's not terribly accurate, as the phone wasn't in my pocket at home, but it gives a fair measure of the distance covered. The devices are about 95% accurate and can give false readings if the built-in pedometer is confused by movements which aren't really steps. I don't believe that I walk 200 steps between falling asleep and getting up, even if I do wake up four times in between.
After lunch we had a message from Kath telling us that she's booked a three night stay for the family in a barn conversion accommodating eight for three days over Christmas, on a hill farm in Monmouthshire near Gilwern. It's a family first for us in a beautiful location. It's AirBn'b self catering, and we'll have to take all we need with us, a real logistical challenge for a family of foodies! I had an email from cousin Dianne about dates of Great Uncle William's spell of military service in the colonial Indian North West Frontier region at the turn of the 20th century, fifteen years before he was killed in the second battle of the Somme. I needed to do some additional fact checking before responding, but couldn't narrow it down beyond 1901-1908. It seems her brother Guy's grandson is taking an interest in William's story.
There was no rain throughout the day. Though it was cold, bright sunshine made for pleasant walking along the river. After supper I watched another episode of 'Lolita Lobosco'. Despite the tragic crime story, it was full of romance and hilarious incidents, portrayals of family life and long standing friendship. Books the series is based on, written by Gabriella Genisi, portray the mainly masculine domain of traditional policing is like under the leadership of a strong assertive woman who demands and deserves respect. As uplifting as they are entertaining.
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