Thoughts and words

Christmas 1944 (in German and English)

Vater unser… Es war Weihnachten 1944. Mein Papa war Soldat und kaempfte irgendwo im Schuetzengraben fuer „Fuehrer, Volk und Vaterland.“ Eines Tages erhielten wir Post, die nicht erkennen liess, woher sie kam. Es gab ja nur eine Feldpostnummer. Mein Papa schrieb: Es besteht die Moeglichkeit, dass ich einige Tage Urlaub... Read more →

Walking and inspiration

I have enjoyed going for walks since I was a child. As an adult writer, I have discovered that the relationship between writing and walking is a close one but, until today, I have never given much thought as to what, exactly, that relationship is. It was, perhaps, no accident... Read more →

My Favourite Books

This is a very simple blog. It is a blog about my favourite books. I read them in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Although I keep copies of these books at home, I will never read them again. So, why, I ask rhetorically, do I give them space on... Read more →

Learning a language in your twilight years

Is it worth attempting to learn a new language in retirement? Of course it is! But I would add that unless you are a sociable person who actively seeks to converse with others, your oral language skills will not develop as fast as you might like. Yes, you will be... Read more →