Paul S in 2020 plus 1

Hope to be part of the 75ers again

I sincerely hope so too, Paul. Welcome back.

Welcome back!

Welcome back, Paul! Happy reading!

Hi, Paul. Happy New Year! Hope to be stopping by your thread from time to time.

Hi Paul, after a 'crazy' year for all of us, I hope that in 2021 I will find more time to visit your thread.

Best wishes for a better 2021!

I wish you a Happy New Year. May it be better than the old one.

Happy reading in 2021, Paul!

And keep up with my friends here, Paul. Have a great 2021.

Happy new year!

Happy New Year, Paul!

A happy new year to you :)

What do you mean "hope"? YOu're here!! Best wishes for a happy, healthy, bookish 2021.

Happy New Year, Happy New Thread and a healthy life with a lot of books!
It's fine that you're back here, Paul

Hi Paul, and Happy New Year to you.

>2 PaulCranswick: >10 PaulCranswick: thanks Paul, I appreciate your keeping up with me very much :)
There are so many friends here on LT - and I should keep up more with your thread (and others) ... it takes time to find back to 'normality'

>3 drneutron: thanks, Jim

>4 thornton37814: well, let's see, Lori, my interest in reading is still diminished

>5 SqueakyChu: hej Madeline, great to see you here, it would be good for me, too, to keep up with your and other threads

>6 Ameise1: >8 Ameise1: hej Barbara, es guets Nöis! 2020 was crazy, maybe 2020+1 get's one tick crazier? I will be retired in June

Just dropping my star here. Happy new year. :)

>17 paulstalder: Lucky boy. I have another 4½ years to go.

Stopping by to wish you a wonderful sunday, Paul!
I hope, all is well with you.

>7 DianaNL: >9 FAMeulstee: >10 PaulCranswick: >11 quondame: >12 harrygbutler: >13 Esquiress: >14 Berly: >15 SirThomas: >16 karenmarie: >18 sirfurboy:
thank you very much. I guess I haven't arrived in this year's LT yet ....

I am
... a Christian
... a widower (since 3 years)
... a librarian
... a father of three
... a grandfather of one
... Swiss
I do
... reading almost everything
... photographing
... hiking
... working in a library (60%)
... working in a Caritas grocery shop for people with low income (35%)
I have
... a beard
... a house
... two water turtles
... a cat
... too many books
... no car
... relatives who did serve in the armies of Switzerland, USA and South Korea
I did
... work (part time) in libraries in Aarau, Zürich, Baden, Basel, Bettingen, Riehen, Nashville TN, Šiauliai Lithuania, Vienna Austria
... hike (more than one day) in Switzerland, Germany, Liechtenstein, Wales, England, Italy, Austria, Israel, South Korea
in 2021 I will
... read
... photograph gravestones for findagrave.com
... go snowshoeing
... wear a mask
... retire in June

Welcome back! Congrats on setting your retirement goal to June.

The Austrian National library is a real gem. I used to always forget to do my work/research because I was too busy looking at the baroque architecture.

Have a great week ahead.

Congratulations on your upcoming retirement. I think you'll like it. i didn't at fiurst because I lost my job. After I got over being depressed about my job loss and started babysitting, I really was enjoying it. Now because of pandemic it's much harder. However, I feel grateful that I do not need to go out to work to earn a living at this difficuolt time. I hope this year brings a resolution to the pandemic (and here in the USA, a return to democracy). I look forward to better times.

All the best for your 2021 plans, Paul!
And best wishes for your retirement - I'm sure you won't be bored.
I still have a good 3 1/2 years until then. There is already a bit of anticipation, although I enjoy my work.

>22 paulstalder: Really enjoyed that, Paul. We share having beards and of course all the books!

Have a lovely weekend.

>25 SirThomas: Thanks, Thomas. There are a lot of things which have to be done before retirement starts - government, taxes, insurances, health insurance, banks: they all want more data from me even when they more than I do ... this is the annoying part of it. But I am looking forward to seeing my grand child whenever they let me, hiking whenever I feel like it, getting up in the morning when I am ready .... that's the part to look forward to

>26 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul. We also share wearing glasses and the Asian origin of our wives :) and don't forget our name (insignificant, I know)! According to LT we share 1150 books and I should read 551 books of yours ... and thanks for sharing your time with me

>23 figsfromthistle: I worked basically in theological institutions. In Vienna I did some work for the Campus Danubia Library (Evangelical Academy Vienna), but I sure visited the Austrian National Library. I had the same experience: I was distracted by the architecture and decorum from the books ...

>24 SqueakyChu: I will miss my jobs, I am sure, Madeline, but you are right, I will enjoy it. Even though I will have less income and will have to reduce certain expenses ... and yes, there is hope that the USA will come back to some kind of normalcy. What I think is a dangerous development is the fact that IT companies can silence a president (whatever the reasons). It's a single person sitting somewhere in an office and pulling the plug on anybody he thinks 'worth' it. It's not a democratic or communal decision. Who is deciding who is worthy of being heard by the internet community and who is not?

1) Geheimnis um einen nächtlichen Brand : 1. Erlebnis der 6 Spürnasen by Enid Blyton. A garden shed burns down, containing some precious manuscripts. It was arson, for sure, but who did such a thing? The kids from the neighborhood start to nose around and find some good clues - the beginning of the 'Five Find-Outers'. A fun read

2) 120, Rue de la Gare : Krimi aus Paris ; Nestor Burma ermittelt by Léo Malet. Nestor Burma is a prisoner of war in Germany when a prisoner with memory loss dies and mentions an address with his last breath: 120, Rue de la Gare. When being released home, Nestor meets a former co-worker of his at the station in Lyon - and at the moment he mentions the same address, his co-worker is shot dead ... this is the first Malet's Paris mystery. A very good read.

3) Nessie needs new glasses by A. K. Paterson. A children's book. Nessie brakes her glasses and she can't see properly anymore. She travels around and thinks that, for example, the oil platform is her 'oily' uncle so-and-so. ... okay, drawings are fine but the story is thin

4) Korea, Korea : ein Fotoprojekt by Dieter Leistner. A photographer went to both Koreas and made somewhat similar pictures in both countries - a fascinating comparison of everydaylife scenes from North and South.


two bus stops - North and South

5) Das Zauberpferd : Roman by Magdalen Nabb. Irina doesn't like Christmas. Her parents never have time to celebrate, they have to work hard on their farm. But one Christmas, Irina discovers a rocking horse in a junk shop and insists very much to get that horse. At home she discovers that this looks like a normal but small horse with real fur. She washes and cleans it, attends to its wounds. One night she hears hoof sounds in the yard and sees a life horse there .... a well told fantasy story

6) Krähensommer : Incis erster Fall by Brigitte Glaser. Inci is a Turkish woman growing up in Germany and now starting her training as a police officer. Her father is vehemently against that joice of career. Then she learns about a severe robbery where a young man is involved who has a tattoo of a crow - the same tattoo as Inci is wearing, and she knows that man, an old friends of hers. She doesn't want to report him so she starts to investigate herself ... a police mystery for young adults, giving some insights into police training and living as a Turk in Germany.

>34 paulstalder: A very interesting book, I pre-ordered it from the public library right away and am looking forward to reading it.
I wish you yet a nice Sunday, Paul

LT seems to have problems, first it doesn't respond, then the post comes twice, sorry.

Happy Sunday, Paul. It looks like you're in a great reading mood.

>27 paulstalder: I love that reply. I'm sure that we share many more things besides.

Happy Thursday!

>32 paulstalder: Looks to be an interesting book!

>35 SirThomas: Let me know how you liked it, Thomas. I ordered the second case of Inci, I should be getting it by Monday.

>37 Ameise1: Thanks Barbara. I am slowly getting forward with reading again.

>38 PaulCranswick: I guess as much, Paul. Thanks for coming by

>39 figsfromthistle: Thanks, it is really a good concept and interesting pictures

7) Basel und die Goldküste, das heutige Ghana by Gustaf Adolf Wanner. The Basler Mission sent missionaries to the Gold Coast (modern Ghana) and started to study the cultures, the languages, and the geography of the aerea. In 1859 there was a company founded which sold (well, more swap/trade) European goods to the people living there and getting goods to Switzerland. There were several Swiss who had some influence in the aerea. Even today there are still strong ties between Switzerland and Ghana.
An interesting short history of the Basler Handelsgesellschaft (Basler trading company) and the relations between Switzerland and Ghana till 1959.



Interesting: a nephew of mine is the Swiss ambassador in Ghana at the moment

8) Im Schwarm : Ansichten des Digitalen by Byung-Chul Han. A well researched treaty about the 'digital world' we live in. We are all fond of the digital world and use it widely but often we are not aware that the digitalization of our private lives lead to self-exploitation and self-control. We share every minute of our life on social media but then protest vehemently when the FBI (or other such institutions) uses this information ... but facebook, amazon and FBI all use the same algorithms and doing basically the same thing: they spy on us in order to get to us. Another problem is seen in the false anonymity of the internet. Everybody is somebody in the internet and their is no strong leader, we life in a swarm and follow not a leader but the majority of the 'Likes'. Since there is no hierarchy, the behavior is often rude, their is no moral barrier when dealing with dissidents as would be when meeting in person.
There are so many quotes of other works that it seems to be kind of a textbook ... but his insights are well worth considering, some of his hypothesis need further confirmation.



He also describes the difference between protests in the street and shit-storms in the internet: protesters want to change something, shit-stormers want to destroy somebody. I think this is visible in our world when dealing with dissidents. It is sad, that when people do not get what they want by somebody else (because the other has different beliefs or cultures) they start a shit-storm in order to destroy that person instead of searching the dialogue.

I am just doing around to see what interesting threads I have missed so far. :) Happy weekend!

>34 paulstalder: This looks to be very good but I don't think there is an English translation. I loved Jakob Arjouni's Kemal Kayankaya series and would love to read more like these.
>32 paulstalder: This book of North/South Korea photographs looks good too.

>22 paulstalder: ...and thank you for your findagrave work. I use this website a lot and have been known to request photos, I also upload some but not a huge number.

>32 paulstalder: >44 avatiakh: I noticed a photo book on North Korea in the Taschen sale that's going on this weekend. I'm debating over the Klimt volume. I couldn't convince my mom that $125 was worth it for a book with lots of gold leaf in the 70s (lets say it's worth a whole lot more now) but this might sooth a 50 year old sore spot. Not sure if Taschen has the best prices though, even on sale.

>43 PersephonesLibrary: Hej Kathy, pleased to see you here

>44 avatiakh: Hej Kerry, no, there is no translation into any language so far. The author has no Turkish background herself, but the references to Turkish behavior sound fine.
findagrave: you're welcome, I was so touched when a New Yorker asked me for a picture of a grave stone on the Israelitic cemetery here in Basel and he thanked then me profoundly referring to his relative who can now 'die in peace' because she knows that her relative whom she knew back in the 1930s in Germany, now has a decent grave. I didn't imagine how important these things can be for other people.

>45 quondame: Hej Susan. I don't know the Taschen book about North Korea but it looks nice on their homepage (but not on sale here in Switzerland). Taschen has some very good books, some I think are just too expensive. They started out with cheap but well made art books, now they are often in the very high prize segment.

9) Der Ringkampf : Roman by Buchi Emecheta. Okei is 16, living in a Nigerian village. He lost his parents during the Biafran War and is now part of a group of youth who want to live differently from their fathers and grandfathers. Then a dispute breaks among two villages and they want to solve it with a wrestling fight and Okei is chosen as their leader ... a novel about coming-of-age in a Nigerian setting. Moving and challenging.

statistics for January

1085 pages, 9 books,

8 books were written in German, 1 in English, and 0 in Swiss German

nationalities: CH 1, D 2, GB 3, F 1, KOR 1, Nigeria 1

dead 5, alive 3
male 4, female 4

oldest 1960, newest 2015 (book, my copy)
oldest 1942, newest 2015 (work, first published)

I added 0 bookmarks and 10 books to my collections

10) Das falsche Urteil by Håkan Nesser. Verhaven spent 24 years in prison and is found dead and mutilated after he was released from prison.Van Veeteren has the notion that he might have been innocent and therefore had to die ...

>47 paulstalder: I will put that one on my wishlist! Always looking for a diverse reading experience!

>48 paulstalder: Great statistics!

>50 PersephonesLibrary: Buchi Emecheta is well worth reading. Her book was laying around since years and thanks to Paul Cranswick's challenge I did read it

11) Schwarzer Tee mit drei Stück Zucker by Renan Demirkan. A woman is in the hospital in order to give birth to her daugthter, but there are problems so she should have a caesarean section. As soon as she is wakened up by the nurse, she recalls her life since her childhood in a small Turkish village, then the move of the family to Germany and her coming-of-age in a strange culture without any help from her parents. She talks to her unborn baby and screams at the nurses ... the book gives the 3 hours before the anesthetist shows up in order to prepare her for the operation. A partly autobiographical book about growing up in a foreign culture and having to find her own way.



The title: Schwarzer Tee mit drei Stück Zucker (Black tea with three pieces of sugar) hints at the way Turks like to drink their tea.

>52 paulstalder: And another one for my list.

>53 PersephonesLibrary: hej Kathy, let me know how you liked it

12) Wo ist Alma? : Incis zweiter Fall by Brigitte Glaser. Inci and her friends moved together to a small village where they have to attend a police training camp. Then Alma, her best friend disappears and everybody is worried where she is: was she kidnapped or does she just need some timeout for herself? Then they were reminded of the still unsolved case of the murder of Alma's best friend some years ago. Did the same thing happen? ... the second case of this Turkish-German young police woman. Good read, good story, but the underlaying notion that men are useless when dealing with emotions and they are only 'gut für das Grobe' (good for the rough things) is a bit too penetrating.

13) Der Oberamtmann und der Amtsrichter by Jeremias Gotthelf. around 1830 in the Bernese country side: the governor (Oberamtmann), a nobleman, visits his 'colleague' the magistrate (Amtsrichter), a rich farmer, on his farm in the countryside. The two families are from different classes but honor each other and work together quite well. But one day the magistrate is organising a hare hunting. His companion chases a hare and shoots it in the private gardens of the castle of the governor. The governor explodes about this effrontery and wants to punish the farmer ('... 500 years ago the people men would have gone to the farm, burn it and hang the villains on a tree ...') ... a good tale about the social class conceit of that time, character studies of the participants, well told story.



Bern was not a democracy at that time, the aristocracy was still behaving lordly and overbearing. But the time was changing and they had to obey the law as all other citizens as well. The novella also tells about the Bauernschläue (farmer's cunning) of the magistrate: He got the order not 'to step off his ground', so should home, arrested on his farm. But he loads his horse waggon full with his soil, steps on it and so travels to Bern, not stepping off his ground ...

Jeremias Gotthelf is a well know writer, pastor and politician.He wrote Die schwarze Spinne and all the stories about Ueli Uli der Pächter, Uli der Knecht. And he was pastor in Lützelflüh BE, my place of origin.

14) Jesus ist Sieger by Georg Tischhauser. An old evangelistic sermon about the gospel of Marc, chapter 5: A demon possessed man lives in the grave caves in the country of the Gerasens/Gadarenes. Jesus tells the demons to leave the man and dislocate into some pigs. The man is healed and praises God for his healing. The local people are so afraid about Jesus' powers that they ask him to leave again. ... an old sermon but still valid for the affirmation of Jesus' power over spirits.

>57 paulstalder: Sounds like this would be quite a short book. Who is/was Georg Tischhauser though? Was he a well known pastor?

>58 sirfurboy: yep, that was a short read :) He was not well know and I couldn't find out much about him. He did publish his sermons/Bible studies in connection with the Basler Mission in the 1930-1940s. He also published wordlists/dictionaries for Mungaka and Bebedjato (both languages in) Cameroon) in the 1950s. That's all I know.

>59 paulstalder: Oh ok, thanks. I was wondering if you chose the sermon because of something he had done. Thanks for the info.

>34 paulstalder: Thanks again for a good reading experience.
The second volume in the series is not available at my public library, so I'll have to wait.
But it's not like it's the only book waiting for me....
Have a wonderful weekend, Paul.

>60 sirfurboy: He was over 35 years in Cameroon, he also provide some artefacts for the the culture museum in Basel, but his linguistic writings were never properly published (I read a letter he wrote to the director of that museum).

>61 SirThomas: you're welcome

15) Madame le Commissaire und der Tod des Polizeichefs : Kriminalroman by Pierre Martin. Isabelle, Madame le Commissaire, is having a small office in the Provence, in Fragolin (a fictive place). The chief of the police of the whole département commits suicide, but high places in Paris and so Isabelle was put on the case. There was not much doubt about the suicide since there was a farewell letter in which he hinted at his cancer. But nobody who knew him, could understand that action. Then Isabelle finds a secret lover of the chief but Lily is murdered before she was able to tell Isabelle what really happened ... fun reading

>63 paulstalder: Not sure if that one is translated into English but it looks pretty good, Paul.

Have a lovely weekend, dear fellow.

>64 PaulCranswick: This is written by a German author under this pseudonym, I doubt that these books will be translated. I will try to get the other titles in the series.
Thanks, my friend.

16) Didl dadl dudl dam dam dim by Peter Zundel. A little tree is disappointed that it is not taken as a Christmas tree. A dwarf comes along and promises a great feast when he comes back from work. But he falls asleep and wakes up in spring again ... a children's book, but a bit of a disappointment for me. The drawings are okay but the story is ....

>65 paulstalder: It's really a shame we can't get more books in English translation. Of course, I'm sure you all wish you could get more English ones in your own languages as well.

>63 paulstalder: I've read the second and the fourth of this series. I liked them.
I hope all is well at your place.

>63 paulstalder: >68 Ameise1: My public library has the series in stock - I pre-ordered the first volume.
Have a wonderful Wednesday!

>69 SirThomas: I'm sure you'll like it.

Heja Paul.

>67 thornton37814: You're right, Lori, would be good to have more translated works. I do not know which criteria the publisher's bookhunters use when looking for new books. I wonder if they even know that numbers of loans of libraries could be a hint about the popularity of a book or author. People who are buying books do not necessarily read them (could be a gift for somebody else), but I guess that people borrowing books from libraries show a higher risk of actually reading them :)

>68 Ameise1: Hej Barbara, well, next week I planned a snow shoe hiking week, but the guest house I wanted to go to (Hemberg SG) is closed (corona). So, I'll visit my mother and sister instead :) The Basler Fasnacht does not take place. The libraries will open again next month, that means evening and saturday work again.

>69 SirThomas: >70 Ameise1: I think the series is well worth reading. I've got vol. 4 already somewhere in my piles. But probably I should try to get the first two parts first.

17) Bittersüsse Schokolade : mexikanischer Roman um Liebe, Kochrezepte und bewährte Hausmittel in monatlichen Fortsetzungen by Laura Esquivel. The story of a Mexican family during the Mexican Revolution. Tita is condemned by her mother to take care of her till she dies. So, when Tita fells in love, her mother marries her boy friend to her older sister. ... a story of her fight for a self-determined life and her relationships with other people. She is a brilliant cook and every chapter starts with a recipe, and the instructions for use are interwoven in the flow of the story. Magical realism

>72 paulstalder: I remember this being mentioned during my literary studies - but I have never read it. Maybe this is a good choice for my "read globally" challenge. Have a lovely weekend, Paul!

>72 paulstalder: I have that one on the stacks to read this month, Paul. Not sure that I'll get to it until next month though now.

>72 paulstalder: And another BB - good literature and good food, what a brilliant combination!
Have a wonderful weekend, Paul!

Hi Paul! I am so far behind on LT this year, but here I am, finally. : ) Glad to see you are getting set up for retirement and I love your self-synopsis up in >22 paulstalder:. Wishing you a happy weekend!

Happy Sunday, Paul.

>73 PersephonesLibrary: well, Kathy, it is a good choice for the global reading, since it definitely tastes Mexican

>74 PaulCranswick: Hej Paul, no hurry there, there are some dough and other food parts which have to 'lay' some time before you can prepare the dish ...

>75 SirThomas: Thomas, there are also some fantastic ingredients showing up like a virgin breastfeeding her sister's baby

>76 Berly: Thanks, Kim, for coming by. I am even far more behind everything here ...

>77 Ameise1: Thanks, Barbara, wish a good start into the new week - Fasnacht doesn't take place in Basel, which is really a big miss here

February was Suki's birthday, so we met an ate Korean food, also celebrating the Chinese New Year, eating the special new year's soup (if you don't eat that soup, you won't grow - Korean children are told)

so here is picture from February 1989, Suki relaxing in bed with the two girls enjoying the time

I did some new grave-stone-fotographing in different cemeteries


Alter Friedhof Reinach BL


Alter jüdischer Friedhof Lörrach D


Hauptfriedhof Lörrach D


Friedhof Münchenstein BL

and a few more

Next year Basler Fasnacht will take place. Fingers crossed. Thanks so much for sharing all the lovely photos.

>72 paulstalder: Thank you for your review and recommendation, Paul.
I love the book
>79 paulstalder: >80 paulstalder: Thank you for sharing theese beautiful photos.
I wish you a wonderful Sunday.

>81 Ameise1: well, Barbara, let's see what's coming ... I did watch the Schnitzelbängg 2021 on telebasel, there were really some good ones among them. Covid being the big subject/object

>82 SirThomas: I am pleased to hear that you liked it, Thomas. I would like to share more fotos here but my work with the gravestones is quite time consuming

18) Die Flüsse von London : Roman by Ben Aaronovitch. Peter Grant, a fresh police constable, is guarding a crime scene in London when he speaks to a witness of the murder which took place earlier in the night.But the witness is a ghost and Peter realises that he has some extraordinary gifts and is therefore transferred into a special unit of the Met ... a fun read, when not reflecting Peter's world view too much, well, it's fantasy

>79 paulstalder: So adorable! We have got pictures like that from my mom and my brothers from the 80s. :)

>84 paulstalder: I liked that first one a lot. I lived in London for three months - and later I read the book where aaaall the places where I was - like Highgate, Russel Square, etc. - play a role.

I hope you had a nice Sunday!

>85 PersephonesLibrary: I like that picture, too, Kathy, so sweet memories

yes, me too, I lived in London, ages ago, our oldest daughter was born there, and I could also remember some of the places mentioned ... actually, refreshing my memory would be a good reason to travel to London once again

When photographing graves I stumbled upon this memorial: Münchenstein, 14. Juni 1891 in Reinach BL (a village next to Münchenstein):


I did some research and found out that this obelisque reminds of the worst railway disaster in Switzerland in 1891: A railway bridge (constructed by Alexandre Gustave Eiffel ) collapsed under a train running from Basel. The two locomotives, a baggage wagon, the mail wagon, and four passenger wagons fell into the Birs, a small river then flooded. 73 people died (of over 500 passengers).

I checked the wikipedia article https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eisenbahnunfall_von_M%C3%BCnchenstein and there the stone memorial was mentioned as being in Münchenstein - but I found it in the neighbouring village of Reinach BL. So I contacted the cemetery administrations of both villages and found out that there are two such obelisques :). So I amended the wikipedia article

Here the memorial in Münchenstein

19) Das Eisenbahnunglück zu Münchenstein, 14. Juni 1891 by Karl Löliger. An account of the catastrophe, with details about the bridge, the train and the consequences for the railway and bridge building in Switzerland. With 73 dead (plus a soldier who later died because of injuries sustained while rescuing the injured), this is the worst railway accident in Swiss history



This report was given to me by the cemetery administration of Münchenstein, it includes the list of all the dead, one female body was never identified.

perchance I discovered the old Jewish cemetery of Lörrach D, but the stones are all defaced, so no inscriptions readable
https://de.findagrave.com/cemetery/2724939/alter-j%25C3%25BCdischer-friedhof-l%2...

I found also a new place for free books ....



two carts full of free books in the entrance to the community house in Gebenstorf AG
https://www.librarything.de/venue/115508

I also found free books where my sister lives ...


a former telefon booth near the city hall in Fislisbach AG
https://www.librarything.de/venue/115509

Yay for free books - the telefon booth is great!
>63 paulstalder: I started with the first volume in the series and enjoyed reading it! thank you for the recommendation, Paul

Cemeteries are highly interesting! Have you visited the Wiener Zentralfriedhof? It's marvellous!

There's a Jewish Cemetery where I live. It has got a particular atmosphere.

Hi Paul!

>22 paulstalder: I love your description of yourself. I’m happy to hear that you’ll be retiring in June. I’ve loved being retired for 5 years now and hope is a very good time for you.

>27 paulstalder: getting up in the morning when I am ready I still rejoice every single day that I don’t have to get up to an alarm.

>79 paulstalder: What a sweet picture. Thanks for sharing.

>84 paulstalder: Already on my wish list, otherwise I’d add it.

>87 paulstalder: What a fascinating story. I’m glad you researched and were able to update Wikipedia.

>89 paulstalder: Isn't it indescribably sad that all the gravestones are defaced?

Have a restful weekend, Paul

>92 SirThomas: Thomas: I live by/of/with free books :)
I've got vol. 4 of Madame le Commissaire waiting to be read...

>93 PersephonesLibrary: Hej Kathy, no I have not visited the Wiener Zentralfriedhof yet. I hope to be able to do that next year, I hope to visit my friends in Wien and surroundings again.
The cemeteries are always interesting places - but the graves in the Jewish cemeteries stay longer, the graves in Swiss and German cemeteries are 're-naturalized' after 20-25 years.

>94 karenmarie: Thanks Karen for coming by. I am looking forward to my retirement. I will probably upload more pictures to wikipedia and google maps

>95 PaulCranswick: Hej Paul. Well, that happened in quite many cemeteries in Germany during Hitler's time. The synagogue in Lörrach was also destroyed then. There were other houses built in that place. A memorial plate was only placed on that spot in 1976 ...

statistics for February

933 pages, 10 books,

10 books were written in German, 0 in English, and 0 in Swiss German

nationalities: CH 3, D 4, GB 1, S 1, Mexico 1

dead 3, alive 7
male 7, female 3

oldest 1935, newest 2016 (book, my copy)
oldest 1853, newest 2016 (work, first published)

I added 0 bookmarks and 15 books to my collections

20) She by H. Rider Haggard. When Vincey is about to die, he visits his colleague Horace Holly, a Cambridge University professor, in order to give his son into his colleague's care, together with a foreign box which should be opened on Leo's 25th birthday. When opening the box years later they discover artefacts from Ancient Egypt and a strange story about a white queen in Africa who has found eternal life. They start an expedition and meet this queen, She-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed*, who is several thousand years old but still the most beautiful woman ever seen ... and they fell in love to this savage sorceress. An adventurous fantasy of the Victorian age. Good read, but at some places with lengthy (pseudo)philosophical passages



* not Paul's wife, but that's where that name comes from, right ?

>99 paulstalder: Hahaha you are indirectly correct, Paul. Actually it was picked up and used by Rumpole of the Bailey in reference to his own "lovely" wife. But, yes, he took it from Haggard and I took it from him!

>100 PaulCranswick: well, Paul, another mystery solved :) thanks. I guess I may have seen the Rumpole series on TV when living in England, we had no TV during our first year. When we shared house with another couple named Suki and Poh (she Korean, he Chinese from Malaysia) we sometimes watched TV in order to improve our English.

Our names sounded so similar (well not in German, Paul in German sounds very different), when people phoned and asked for Po... we answered back with: Which one? Then the answer was: 'Suki's husband', we asked again: Which one? .... we had some laughs like that.

21) Der Gefangene von Magdala : Johann Martin Flad's Leben und Arbeit für Abessinien by Friedrich Flad. Johann Martin was trained on St. Chrischona near Basel as a missionary for Abessinia. The emperor Theodoros II. let them work. They distributed Bibles and other Christian books, founded schools and medical places. Then Theodoros changed his mind and took all Europeans as hostages. J. M. Flad was sent to Queen Victoria as negotiator but Theodoros was not willing to give in and so the British army was sent in order to free the hostages. When the British arrived Flad was able to convince Theodoros to let the hostages go unharmed. Flad and his friends were then expelled from the country and were not allowed to come back. Flad run his work among the Falashas (with the help of the London Society for the Promotion of Christianity) from Korntal Germany and never entered the country again. His son Friedrich was later allowed to visit the old places again. A fascinating biography written in the style of that time.



fun fact: the first printing with movable letters in the Amharic scripts were done here on St. Chrischona

Further reading:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Expedition_to_Abyssinia

22) Stadt Lörrach 1914-1918 : Den gefallenen Mitbürgern gewidmet - This is a memorial book of all the soldiers who died or went missing during World War I. It contains dates and places (born, lived, fought, died) of almost 500 men who went to war from Lörrach (a town just across the border from where I live), with a photograph - if available. Sad, depressing reading. Some biographies were very short, two lines only, others filled several pages where relatives were around to tell stories or quote letters written by the deceased.



Well, I didn't read everything in there. But I entered all the data into findagrave.com because I made pictures of the war memorial in Lörrach, but that had only a list of names on display, so I was able to fill in birth and death dates, and some places.

interesting fact: The word Kriegsdenkmal (war memorial) is a no-go in Germany, they call such memorials Kriegerdenkmal (warrior memorial) or Gefallenendenkmal (killed-in-action-memorial). That's because they started and lost the war and therefore should not celebrate a war by erecting a war memorial

>99 paulstalder: This sounds like a great, adventurous read! And good to know that one can "cross-read" the lengthy philosophical lengthy bits! And Project Gutenberg offers the eBook - yay!

I am currently reading a book which takes place in near Lörrach: Der böse Trieb by Alfred Bodenheimer. Do you know this one by accident?

>104 PersephonesLibrary: Kathy, go for SWMBO and let me know how you liked it

I have heard of Alfred Bodenheimer, he lives in Basel and teaches Jewish history of literature and religion. But I don't know his series about Rabbi Klein. Did you read the whole series? I just ordered volume 1 (Kains Opfer) from the library. See, how it works for me. Thanks for the hint

>91 paulstalder: What a nice free library. I always enjoy finding them and even more so when they are unique like this one.

>106 figsfromthistle: hej Anita, some people take a lot of care when installing these locations

23) Bell canto : ein Graz Krimi by Heinz Auernig. A sandler (a homeless person) is found dead below the Bell Tower in Graz, no name, no papers, only a music cassette with the voice of the best tenor ever - but this singer disappeared mysteriously after his first concert in Graz. The tourist guide Tony starts his detective adventure ... the story is okay but it didn't work for me. There is some local flavour in it, otherwise there will be no big loss for not translating it.

>105 paulstalder: I had to put my Rabbi aside for the moment. It felt a bit dry. But I hope you'll enjoy your Bodenheimer. Maybe I should have started with the first book as well. :)

>109 PersephonesLibrary: thanks for the warning. I got it yesterday but I have to finish two other books before I can read 'my' Bodenheimer

Friedhof Inzlingen (near Lörrach)

a map of Africa on a gravestone, Ghana and Ivory Coast specially marked. But I haven't found the connection so far

Friedhof Inzlingen

Gottesacker Riehen

24) Glück ist Gold by Linda Wolfsgruber. Linda was doing some workshops with children and often asked them 'What is luck/happiness?' She got answers from young children directly and also from other people working with little children. Then she made paintings from these answers. ... a good book as a starter talking with kids - or adults as well

luck is ... Life
i am happy because my mum has a baby in her belly
luck is ... when grandma is telling a story
luck is ... going to school
I am happy when dad comes home on Friday

25) Herrengasse : Kriminalroman by Silvia Götschi. Valérie studied law and then went to the police in Zürich. Now she starts a new job in Schwyz. She has not even started when the prosecutor asks her to take over a delicate case: A well-know gynecologist is found dead in his bed, apparently after some sex games. But then an honoured politician is found dead among the same circumstances .... a strange Swiss mystery about prostitution and revenge. somehow didn't work for me, especially Valérie's man hating attitude takes getting used to. No need for translating that.

26) Küss mich Frosch : eine Geschichte by Linda Wolfsgruber. Bonzo is the most courageous frog in the pond. Then he has a vision that he must search for a wife, and this wife is an enchanted frog transformed into another animal. So he goes out kissing every other animal in order to find his partner ... lovely idea with nice drawings



Küss mich Frosch: can mean: Kiss me, Frog, but here it has more the meaning of 'Kiss me froggy' 'kiss me into a frog' or such

I read it for Linda's challenge for her birthday - the author Linda Wolfsgruber is also born in 1961

>109 PersephonesLibrary: I started with Rabbi Klein. I like it, but you are right it is a bit dry in places. It reminds of Kemelman's Rabbi Small (not just the name). It also has some 'theological' aspects in it, like 'Why does the Torah start with the 2nd and not the first letter of the alphabet? Well, it's the same with coffee: the second cup is always better', or then he quotes a Hebrew commentary on Job ... but I know the places in Zürich and can relate to some of the issues which are related in the story.

cemetery bambis

dripping watertap


back angel

>111 paulstalder: That's very unique! I like it a lot when there is something unique about the person on their graves.

>26 PaulCranswick: This sounds so cute!

>118 paulstalder: Oh, how sweet! This was so special in Vienna - the old part of the Zentralfriedhof is very overgrown and I have met deer and rabbits and other wild animals there.

Have a nice week, Paul!

Thanks for sharing the pictures, Paul.
You are a very good photographer.
Cemeteries are a very good place for nature, we sometimes visit the old cemetery in Freiburg (Breisgau). It is also very beautiful there. I even have two books about it - one from 1948, the other from 1967.

>120 PersephonesLibrary: hej Kathy. There are some very personal gravestones, and I don't mean those graves that were made with huge statues and/or marble and such, I think more of the subtle, personal elements of a grave.
Yes, Paul & Paul share a few things which are unique :)

>121 SirThomas: thanks for the compliment, Thomas. I did read about some of the histories behind the cemeteries I fotografed.

my grandchild - must be quite comfortable to sleep in this position ....

a gravestone in St Margarethen South
Before you die, sit on your grave (i.e. look back on your life), consider your life and then be ready to go through the keyhole to the next world (which begs the question: what is coming? what evidence do we have? who is a reliable informant?)

Hi, Paul!

>123 paulstalder: Oh, just look at that sweet face! Charlie used to fall asleep in that position frequently and I was amazed that it was comfortable for him.

>123 paulstalder: I stopped by your thread just in time to see that adorable picture of your grandson, So cute!

family Fankhauser have there own island ...

>123 paulstalder: What a sweet picture. One wonders what he's been up to to have worn himself out so.

>128 quondame: we travelled by tram, train and bus to my sister's and then went for a walk - he was on his little legs quite often


having a rest thinking of the next move ...

an interesting choice for a gravestone

Happy Friday!

>123 paulstalder: Quite cute.

>132 figsfromthistle: thanks for passing by

27) Schwarzer Mond über Soho : Roman by Ben Aaronovitch. There are some Jazz musicians found dead after they played a gig. Peter Grant starts to investigate into these deaths since it seems that other people are feeding on the live force of these musicians ... some interesting stuff about jazz, less interesting stuff about vaginas biting off penisses

28) Wer ist eigentlich Paul? : Maries Tagebuch by Anette Göttlicher. Marie is writing a diary about her thoughts and feelings about Paul, the sweet guy she wants to date but is often not responding. They have great sex but that's all, now her mind is occupied with sex and Paul ... I thought that my name somehow guarantees some quality, but I was mistaken

29) Kains Opfer : Roman by Alfred Bodenheimer. A Jewish teacher is found dead in his apartment. Rabbi Klein, the Rabbi of a synagogue in Zürich wants to find out the truth. He is not satisfied with the first suspicious subject the police finds ... reminds me of Rabbi Small. There are some theological discussions (first letter of the Torah, the Agunalaws: women who want a divorce, the offering of Cain etc.) which slows the reading a bit, but it also gives some insights into Jewish Zürich.

>135 paulstalder: I also have made that mistake once or twice ;-)

>137 FAMeulstee: well, the author's name (Göttlicher = godlier) and the question (Who is this Paul?) with my name intrigued me ... first impressions are not always right :)

30) Michael Argawi : ein mutiger Bekenner und Zeuge unter den Falascha in Abessinien by Friedrich Flad. Michael's mother died when he was about three years old. His father brought to the mission station of Johann Martin Flad in the Ethiopian highlands near Lake Tana. He grew up there as a servant. Then King Johannes of Abessinia took all the Europeans as hostages, when the British troops freed them, Michael was able to go to Germany and then studied at the Pilgermission St. Chrischona near Basel (1869). He did help to translate the Bible into Amharic and went back as an evangelist among the Falasha where there many converted. But the Abyssinian kings were not good to the new Christian movement and expelled Brother Flad. But Michael Agawi could still work among his people, despite all the persecutions, wars (against Italy and the Mahdists), famines etc. ... an interesting little biography

31) Berühmte Gräber in Wien : von der Kapuzinergruft bis zum Zentralfriedhof by Clemens M. Gruber. A list of grave stones of famous people in Vienna. I used that book for adding some memorials to findagrave.

32) Ein Elefant für Inspector Chopra : Kriminalroman by Vaseem Khan. Its Inspector Chopra's last day as policxe inspector before his retirement. A young man is brought dead to his police station and Chopra finds out, that something is not right about his death. But he has to leave the case to his successor. When coming home is confronted with the presence of a young elephant, a gift from his uncle. He doesn't much like his new life as a retired policeman and the young man from the slums still worries him, so he starts to investigate ... a nice mystery from Mumbai, India

statistics for March

2415 pages, 13 books,

12 books were written in German, 1 in English, and 0 in Swiss German

nationalities: CH 2, D 3, GB 3, A 3,

dead 2, alive 8
male 7, female 3

2x Friedrich Flad
2x Linda Wolfsgruber
several authors/compilers Stadt Lörrach

oldest 1922, newest 2017 (book, my copy)
oldest 1886, newest 2015 (work, first published)

I added 0 bookmarks and 28 books to my collections

Frohe Ostern!

>142 paulstalder: Great stats.

>143 figsfromthistle: thanks Anita

I found a new public book telephone cabin just across the border in Grenzach


https://www.librarything.com/venue/115616/B%C3%BCchertausch-Emilienpark

>136 paulstalder: I've read the first two of this series. Indeed, it reminds me of the Rabbi Small series, too. I like the setting in Zürich knowing all the places.
>141 paulstalder: My library branch hasen't got a copy of it. I have to go to another branch. Is it worth reading?

Happy Easter, Paul. I love all your photos.

... das mit der Ausgangssperre zu Ostern hat noch nie funktioniert!
(a lockdown on Easter never worked ...)

>147 paulstalder: That's wonderful, Paul.
I wish you a wonderful Easter weekend.

>147 paulstalder: 🙈 Perfectly true.

>146 Ameise1: thanks, and I like sharing my pictures :)
Inspector Chopra is worth a try. It's a bit 'seicht', a comfort read

>148 SirThomas: >149 Ameise1: a blessed Easter time

Happy Easter, Paul! I love the flower pictures, especially the grape hyacinth!

Oh, there are many good books with "Pauls" in them! ;-) I should know - my nephew's called Paul, too!


Amazing pictures. Do you take macro pics, too? They are fascinating!

Impressive March statistics!

I hope you are enjoying a nice, calm Easter weekend!

>153 SqueakyChu: so, grape hyacinth they are. Thanks, Madeline for the name. Ididn't know that. It seems that I have the neglected sort (Muscari neglectum), Weinbergs-Traubenhyazinthe (vineyard grape hyacinth), because I found them in a vineyard above the Rhine.

>154 PersephonesLibrary: Hey Kathi, good to know that there are other good Pauline books around ... Paulchen looks cute.
No, these photos are taken with a normal lense. I do have a macro, but that's too big to take along searching for new book cases and grave stones...
I was too late for a seat reservation in church yesterday, so I watched it online. My daugther with grandchild came along and I did some gardening

33) Die Fanfare des Königs by Boris Zatko. Anna's father died when she was twelve, he was a pilot. But he didn't leave any resources so they had to move in with her aunt. Somehow then they got the note that they inherited a house in Taustadt. There was no other way than to go there, the house was run down, the maire was not too pleased about their coming and some strange gypsies were renovating the house. One day Karl appears right in front of Anna out of the earth and she learns that her father is still alive but taken prisoner in a parallel world named Negasem, he was a border guard to the other world ... Anna is totally confused. A nice fantasy adventure for young adults

34) Die kleine Hexe by Otfried Preussler. The Little Witch is, with only 127 years, too young to take part in the Walpurgisnight. She shows up anyway and gets fined: her broom is taken away and she had to walk home (three days by foot), and he should become 'a good witch' till next year, otherwise she will be excluded from the witches. Her crow Abraxas tells her that 'a good witch' is a witch who always does good things ... but is that so? ... a fun read for children

35) Tod im Pub : Kriminalroman by Ngaio Marsh. During a game of tart, Luke Watchman put his hand on the target because Robert Legge was known for his precise arrow throwing. But this time he hit a finger and Watchman dies. The autopsy reveiled death by cyanide - but how did Legge put cyanide on the arrow? or who else did put some cyanide on the arrow or in the drink which was given to the fainting Watchman? ... a good old mystery with a somewhat complicated plot.

36) Dr Uhrimacher : (Herti Chöpf) ; Mundart-Schauspiel in 3 Akten by Otto Wolf. A Swiss German play. Ernst is the son of a rich farmer who falls in love with Reseli, the daughter of the widowed Uhrimacher (watchmaker). Ernst wants to marry that girl but his father throws the watchmaker out of his rented house in order to get rid of the girl. But Reseli becomes a maidservant nearby and still sees Ernst ... a story of the clash of the classes, dated (1948) but well told story.

37) Die Burg der Abenteuer by Enid Blyton. The four kids and their parrot are exploring an old castle during their holidays and surely find themselves in a new adventure, what else? ... a nostalgic reread

>136 paulstalder: Thanks for the recommendation, Paul.
I enjoyed the book very much.
Have a wonderful Sunday.

>161 SirThomas: thanks for letting me know :)

38) Ein Fall für Alfons Maulwurf by Martin Crone. Alfons is a mole and a detective. When preparing for hibernation he is disturbed by the mouse Louisa who is desperate because somebody has stolen all her supplies for the coming winter. Louisa is pushing Alfons to help her and he starts to investigate above the earth because that's where the thief came ... a lovely children's story

39) Nora und die fliegende Tanne : eine Geschichte by Kazuyuki Kitamura. Nora is sad that her village and surrounding landscape is swallowed by the nearby city. She sits under a fir tree and wishes a miracle. The fir offers her that if Nora trust her and comes back with her friends next time ... how does the fir tree save the environment? a fanciful story with a happyend, but a bit wishful thinking, I am afraid.



The author is the Japanese husband of the Swiss author Federica de Cesco.

40) Ice Candy Man : Roman by Bapsi Sidhwa. Lenny, a 4-year-old Parsee girl, living in Lahore, suffers from polio and recounts her child memories. She lives in huge household with all religious orientated people, Moslems, Hindus, Sikhs, Christians, and, as her family, Parsees. They all live together quite well. But on her 8th birthday the country is divided and Lahore becomes part of Pakistan. And her old world totally dissolves into hatred and brutality. Former friends betray and kill each other, some flee, others come as refugees. And Lenny grows up in this divided world and has to come to terms with all the changes around her, some she can't comprehend. ... a sorrowful tale of growing-up in a time of uproar.

Hi Paul! Your photos are always marvelous. I especially like the ones in the cemeteries. And the one with the sewing machine on it - fascinating!

>123 paulstalder: and >129 paulstalder: Your grandson is adorable.

Stopping by to wish you a lovely weekend, Paul.

>166 karenmarie: thanks Karen, it is always interesting to see what people put on the gravestones.

>167 PaulCranswick: thanks, Paul, great to see you here.

41) Der rote Seidenschal by Federica De Cesco. Ann is an orphan living with her aunt who wants to train her as a well behaved lady. On a train trip through Arizona Ann sees that a passenger has forgotten her red silk scharf, Ann picks it up and jumps off the train ... she misses her train and then finds help in the person of Chee, an Apache, who then takes her along to his home tents ... a romantic adventure story for young adults.



Federica de Cesco wrote this story during boring lectures in school, and then read them to the other pupils during breaks. When discovered the teacher reads the story as well and encourages Federica to publish that book, that was 1957, and is still available.

42) Erweckung hinter Gittern : ein argentinisches Hochsicherheitsgefängnis wird auf den Kopf gestellt by Michael Richardson. Juan Zuccarelli had the vision to teach the Christian message of forgiveness and salvation in the prison of Olmos, Buenos Aires (over 3000 priosners). Prisoners became Christians and from 1984 till 1997 over 40% became Christians, they got their own blocks to live in and there the crime rate sank towards zero, and the relapse rate of the newly converted leaving the prison was below 1%. ... fascinating stories of renewal and change. Sadly I can't find a follow-up (I can't read Spanish, so I have to relay on translations).

43) Kühn hat zu tun : Roman by Jan Weiler. A corpse is found across the little path behind Kommissar Kühn's house. The corpse was cut across the chest several times, the last cut opened an arteria. At the same time, a girl in the neighbourhood is missing. Where is the connection? and why is the corpse so close to Kühn's house? ... a somewhat not so easy to follow mystery, with too many sideshows

a modern grave good (for use in the afterlife as 1) coffee mug or 2) moped ... or both? ... maybe one can sit (and sip) in the coffee and drive around like that)

44) Nicht einmal einen Hund besass er : Geschichten by Achim Parterre. Some strange short stories. A farmer wanted to emigrate and so wanted to sell all his belongings, but when somebody showed up on his farm he wanted to receive cash only and because he was laughed at, he threatened them with his gun and therefore emigrated to prison ... a teacher disappears in the mountains and is declared dead after some time, but his time brings him water and bread to the crevice he fell into - she enjoys his sufferings .... a Swiss tourist in Italy tells the deck chair landlord that this is their last day here (L'ultima giornata è venuto!), the Italian runs away shouting 'The Last Day has come!' and the whole village races to the church ...

45) 金剛山 Chin-kang-shan : keum gang san ; die Diamantberge Koreas by Paul Klautke. An old description of the Diamond Mountains in North Korea (1926). The author was there in 1914 and 1924 for a longer period of time, collected plans, travelled around (by foot), made notes about the geology, the fauna and flora, visited temples, learned of some legends. There are no diamonds to find there, the name comes from the glittering of the snow in the higher regions. Each season has its own name for the mountains: diamond mountains in spring, in summer 'mountains of the fairies (full of blossoms and leaves, water running like music, but also dangerous when the heavey rains are coming), maple mountains in the autumn (full of colored leaves), and 'bare bones' in winter (tough winters, and the moutnains look like bare bones). There were many Buddhist temples in the mountains (I am afraid they were mostly destroyed by the Japanese and the by the Communists). One temples was founded by 53 buddhas who came to a little lake and started to ring bells sitting in the mountains. The nine dragons of that lake wanted to drive them away but they lost the battle in the ensuing battle of their spiritual forces. ... very inteersting and treadable account of the authors travels in the mountains, giving some insights into customs and legends of the Koreans, including a map and a list of plants he collected there. But no word about the Japanese occupation and discrimination of the Korean people

Just stopping by to wish you a wonderful weekend, Paul.

>175 SirThomas: thanks Thomas for coming by

statistics for April

2100 pages, 13books,

12 books were written in German, 0 in English, and 1 in Swiss German

nationalities: CH 4, D 4, GB 1, A , NZ 1, J 1, Pakistan 1, USA 1

dead 5, alive 8
male 9, female 4

oldest 1922, newest 2016 (book, my copy)
oldest 1926, newest 2015 (work, first published)

I added 0 bookmarks and 51 books to my collections

46) Der lange Weg zum Wasser : eine wahre Geschichte by Linda Sue Park. Salva and Nya grow up in (what is now) South Sudan, they are from different tribes who often fight with each other. Salva's story begins 1985 when the war for independence reafches his village. He runs away from the school together with all the other boys. If a boy is caught they are forced to fight for the army who found them (Sudanese or rebels). With other refugees he arrives at a refugee camp in Ethiopia after months of wandering thought the desert. After several years in the camp the Ethiopian army forces drove them away into a river, shooted at them, some drowned, some for caught by crocodiles. Again Salva has to walk with other young refugees (he is now 17) to a camp in Kenia (another one-and-a-half-year-journey). After a few years there he was elected to go to Rochester, New York, USA, to find a new home there. There he starts 'https://www.waterforsouthsudan.org/' ... Nya's story begins 2008 and shows her everyday life in small village. Daily she has to fetch water - several hours walk till a little muddy hole of water. But one day some strangers come to the village and tell the people that there is water under the place where they make fires and make celebrations there ... a moving story about life in the Southern Sudan when the North tried to bring the Islamic law to the Southern tribes and the help foreigners can bring by drilling wells

47) Der Tote trägt Hut : ein Thailand-Krimi by Colin Cotterill. Jimm Juree wants to be a good crime journalist. But then her whole family moves to the south of Thailand where nothing ever happens, until somebody finds an old VW buried with two skeletons sitting in the driver's seat. So, Jimm starts to investigate that... lots of more or less funny parts, but the characters somehow didn't get real to me. The writing appears not straight to me, somehow 'loose', put together

48) Wir essen keine Mitschüler by Ryan T. Higgins. Penelope is a young t-rex going to school on her first day. The other kids look so tasty that she eats one, but the teacher makes her spit the kid out. The next days she always manages to swallow a kid but was always told off by the teacher. The other kids got so frightened that they didn't want to play with Penelope not even sit next to her. Only the goldfish is not afraid because he thinks that dinosaurs look tasty ... a funny children's book about self-control and friendship

49) Wie die Israelitische Gemeinde in Basel zu einem eigenen Friedhof gekommen ist : eine Berichterstattung by Salomon Bloch-Roos. The Jews had no cemetery of their own in Basel, they had to bring their dead to Hegenheim in the Alsace (then German). The funeral services were in the hands of the government and the graves were re-used after 20 years. In 1888 the Israelitic Community made the first attempt for a burial place where the graves would not be re-used, which was turned down. Then in 1901 they handed in a second petition with a lengthy explanation of the Jewish funeral laws. The 'dust-to-dust' argument is easy enough. But that a grave should not be re-used is based on the story of Abraham buying the cave of Machpela (Genesis 23) as a burial sight. It was argued that the first thing a Jewish community would do, is looking for a burial ground in the place they live. And the Rabbis then argued in Talmudic writings (Schulchan Aruch) that a once closed grave should never be opened again (not even for putting a second coffin in the same grave - which makes me wonder how other people were buried in the cave of Machpela after Sarah's burial). This time the council of Basel followed the request and granted the Jews there own burial ground on two conditions: they inform the council about the place they buy, which the council will approve then (and if there should be important city developments (roads, railways etc.) they must remove the graves), and that cemetery keeps all the other laws about funerals in Basel (hygiene). So, in August 1903 the new cemetery was opened. ... interesting reading, with judicial and religious elaborations, protocol, reports, assessments, laws; well, a bit dry for sure

50) Briefe aus Atlantis : Fantasy- Roman by Robert Silverberg. Lora and Roy are sent back to Atlantis in the year 18'862 BC, not physically but as electric impulses into the brain of another person. Roy happens to be sent to a prince of Atlantis. He checks all the thoughts of his host, listens in to all his conversations and so learns a lot about Atlantis Roy wants to bring back into his presence in order to enlighten the past of humanity. He is locked in the brain somebody else, Lora is a 'demon' in someone else's brain far away, so he makes the princes write letters in trance ... some good ideas but on the whole it's a bit a colorless fantasy.

51) Gmeinschaftswärk Riehen-Bettingen : Sustainable Innovation Plan by Kerstin Engel and Irene Widmer. The two authors start with a new community project here in Riehen and Bettingen. They want to provide help for those who are endangered to become lonely. Loneliness is an important factor, mentally and economically, and more people are suffering from it. They neglect their social relationships, their own self and body, their house and garden. Medics confirm that they often get 'patients' who basically want to talk, they only need some contact. So the Gmeinschaftswärk wants to provide help before it is too late. First they want to list all the possible offers and institutions there are in town (chess clubs, lunch tables, churches, community work, choirs ....) on a internet platform, then they want to recruit volunteers to propagate these offers and go to the people at risk and, if needed, help them to join a club, a community where these people then find connections. There are also some professional doctors/psychologists who are consulted when there such professional work will be needed.



I was asked by one of the authors to join as a volunteer. They start now with a flyer and recruiting volunteers. They have till the end of this year to show that the concept can work and it will be evaluated at the end of 2021. I think it is a good thing to be able to speak to people who feel lonely and see if there is a club/interest/skill which could help these people to find some kind of community they feel belonging to. (My first job: proof read this pamphlet.)

Good morning Paul,
This is a very important and good project.
Loneliness is a huge problem, especially nowadays.
I wish you and the Gmeinschaftswärk much success.

>184 SirThomas: yes, Thomas, loneliness is a big problem, and we hope to help some people before it gets unbearable for them. We have the advantage that we have the support of the governmental, the medical agents and all the churches

52) Ein Kopf macht noch keine Leiche : ein Thailand-Krimi by Colin Cotterill. Jimm Juree, the 34-year-old woman reporter in the South Thailand, found a bodyless head on the shore behind their huts. The police collected the head bud didn't investigate further because the head was part of a Bamar (Burmese) which were not regarded as human by the Thai. So, she starts to investigate herself - with the help of her dysfunctional family ... some funny turns and humorous language, but I still didn't get warm with the characters.

53) Midnight at the Bright Ideas bookstore by Matthew Sullivan. Joey hangs himself in the bookstore and Lydia finds him - with a birthday picture of her and her friends in his pockets. She knows Joey only from her working in the bookstore. How does that picture of her come into his possession and why does he bequeath all his books (he bought at her shop) and why are such tiny holes, kind of windows cut into his books? ... a thrilling story which started ages ago when Lydia was having a sleepover at her friend's home ... a good read

54) Abraham kann nichts dafür : 66 neue Satiren by Ephraim Kishon. Satirical stories about everyday life in Tel Aviv, the bureaucracy of the state, the immigrants, taking part in a protest because everybody else is doing it, the pressure from society to have the oldest item from Masada-Sodom-Gomorrah-..... some stories are very good.

>187 paulstalder: Ooh, I think you got me with Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore--sounds like a nice read. Thanks for the heads-up!

Karen O.

>189 klobrien2: it is worth reading, some turns of events that may surprise

55) The tale of Benjamin Bunny by Beatrix Potter. Benjamin and his cousin Peter go into the garden of Mister McGregor. When they see the cat they hide under a basket - and the cat sits on that basket for the next five hours ... a lovely story with good illiustrations.

>187 paulstalder: Adding this one to my list - it sounds really good!

>192 scaifea: pleased to read :) I took it home from a public bookshelf and was positively surprised

56) Der Engel und das schwarze Herz by Eveline Hasler. Eleusius is an angel in training and is sent down to earth to help in a monastery (in Switzerland) as a Kustos who is responsible for dressing the black Madonna in the monastery. The former kustos fell off the ladder when undressing the Madonna and is still in hospital. Eleusius meets women who honor Gaia and proclaim that the Madonna is rebirth of Isis, a Moslem woman who made a new blue dress for the Madonna, a monk who'd prefer a white Madonna, and Gypsies who bring an expensive present to the Madonna: a heart shaped piece of (black) lava with real diamonds which was later stolen .... an easy read

statistics for May

1820 pages, 11 books,

9 books were written in German, 2 in English, and 0 in Swiss German

nationalities: CH 3, D , GB 2, A , Israel 1, USA 4

dead 3, alive 7
male 6, female 4

2 books by Colin Cotterill

oldest 1902, newest 2021 (book, my copy)
oldest 1902, newest 2021 (work, first published)

I added 0 bookmarks and 15 books to my collections

57) Der arme Spielmann : Erzählung ; Pest 1848 by Franz Grillparzer. Jakob stems from a rich family but is pretty naïve and too trusting. His father doesn't like his loser son. He hears a neighbour girl sing a song and tries to play it on his violin. Later he loses all his inheritance because of his trusting attitude ... an Austrian tale (Grillparzer didn't want to call it 'novella') of an insecure, trusting man in the city of Vienna, kind of a social study. Worth reading

Guete Morge Paul, alles Guete zum Geburtsdaa.
And the best wishes for your new stage of life.
Have a wonderful day!

After a difficult, May, I am catching up again, Paul, and I hope that all is well with you, my dear chap.

Happy 65th birthday, Paul!

Hope you had a lovely birthday, Paul!

Happy birthday!

>197 SirThomas: Danggscheen

>198 PaulCranswick: Thanks for the visit, Paul

>199 FAMeulstee: Thanks, Anita

>200 quondame: Thanks, Susan, my daughters did prepare a Korean dinner with all these side dishes and a lot of meat, and soju (a Korean rice schnaps)

>201 drneutron: Thank you, Jim

58) Bertrams Hotel : ein Miss-Marple-Krimi by Agatha Christie. Jane Marble spends a few days at the Bertram's Hotel in London, and sure enough, she meets suspicious people and somebody gets shot dead ... a nice, short read

>204 paulstalder: We just watched the Joan Hickson version of Bertram's Hotel. Excellent! I really think that Joan Hickson is my favorite Marple. I'll have to get a copy of the book to read and remember!

Karen O.

>205 klobrien2: have fun with the re-read, Karen. I think, Miss Marple mysteries are always easy and fun to read again.

59) Die dunklen Wasser von Arcachon : Kriminalroman by David Tanner. Antoine Kirchner, a famous journalist writing for 'Le Monde' gets the hint about a minister of the République being found dead in a fishing net by a fisher boat returning from the Atlantic. The government in Paris puts the lid on the news but Antoine travels to Arcachon and starts asking questions ... an interesting character with an interesting story of political intrigues (and the typically French ingredients of wines and food).

Happy Father's Day, Paul if you are celebrating.

Good morning, Paul.
Kishon is always a good choice. I giggle always when reading him.
Belated happy birthday.
The Tanner book sounds interesting. My local library has only the second of this series.

>204 paulstalder: I should read Bertram's Hotel sometime soon, but something else always gets in the way....
>207 paulstalder: That sounds very worth reading!

I wish you all the best, Paul

>208 PaulCranswick: Thanks Paul, I wasn't aware that there was Father's Day. We had the first open air service by the Evangelical Alliance in Riehen since 2019 - a hundred people did meet but there was no grill or other food sharing as in earlier years. But it is a step into more normality.

>209 Ameise1: Hej Barbara, I have several of Kishon's books, some read, some still waiting somewhere ...
The Tanner book's title was changed to Mörderisches Arcachon, so your library may have it under that title.

>210 SirThomas: Bertram's Hotel is not on the main routes , you know ... (as pointed out in the book)
Have a go at Tanner, as with other mysteries taking place in France, there are a lot of culinary information.

>211 paulstalder: My library has only Das eisige Herz des Mont Bisanne. I think it's the second one.

60) X : a Kinsey Millhone mystery by Sue Grafton. Kinsey Millhone is asked to trace a former prisoner who was given up for adoption at birth. She brings in the requested information but then finds out that this was a hoax. Now Kinsey wants to find out what this is all about ... I like Grafton but this time it seems to be that there is far too much packed into one book

So just a follow up, did you retire? June is here and almost gone. Happy retirement.

>211 paulstalder: Thanks again Paul, I enjoyed both books very much. My library also has the 2nd volume of the Antoine Kirchner series, I will definitely encounter him again.
Also because now I know how to recognize a good restaurant by how a Kir is served ;-)

>214 Kristelh: Yep, I am retired now. Last Tuesday was my last working day. Since I have been to Adelboden BE and Herlisberg LU ... kind of a busy week.

>215 SirThomas: Glad to be of help.
I noticed the Kir test as well, hope I will remember when needed :)

61) Zahltag in Kaisermühlen : ein Wiener Kriminalroman by Ernst Hinterberger. A man is found dead in his apartment in Vienna, a stroke, the doctor noted. But the forensic noticed a small hole in the head of the corpse where some object had been inserted and taken out later when there was no bleeding noticeable. A somehow complicated mystery in a Suburb of Vienna near the Donau ... an easy read but a bit too much smoking and drinking for my taste; with a glossary of Austrian expressions at the end.

62) Der kleine Grenzverkehr, oder, Georg und die Zwischenfälle by Erich Kästner. Georg from Berlin wants to visit the Salzburg festival in 1937. But he has not enough money to stay in Austria the whole time. So, he books a hotel room in a German town close to the border and so crosses the border everyday. It gets a little complicated when he falls in love with a maid servant ... a humorous tale of love during Nazi time (the book was then forbidden when Austria joined the German Reich).

Congratulations on your retirement. I hope you find your freedom invigorating!

>118 paulstalder: The deer are so very peaceful and beautiful! There are woods in back of my yard. Each night at dusk, two or three deer come to the bird feeders. They've become accustomed to me, and watch me watching them, then they bang the feeders until the seeds fly and chomp away.

This summer, there are two fox who brazenly leave the woods and walk in the connected, open yards. At night, their sound is haunting. It isn't soothing, it is more like a woman in labor. Scary in deed.

It is good to see you back Paul. I retired November of 2019. Will sold his medical practice a few years ago. We had great plans to travel. He was stationed in Germany when he was in his mid 20's and in the Army. He grew to love Germany. When he returned to the U.S., he wished he had stayed in Germany.

We lived in NE Pennsylvania where there are beautiful mountains. We were going to go to Germany, and he was going to show me the things that he liked best.

Unfortunately, he had open heart surgery and due to lung complications, he didn't make it.

I will get to Germany in a few years, and I've kept some of his ashes to take with me and scatter at his favorite places.

>219 quondame: Thanks, Susan, I am adjusting to it, the 'meaningful idleness'. I still wake up around the same time as before, but I can now get my hot chocolate and then go back to bed :) nice. This week we have far too much rain in Switzerland, so most lakes and rivers are overflowing, the farmland is flooded and we probably will have a shortage on some vegetables later in the year. A good time to stay indoors (well, I know many others have to out in order to protect houses, infrastructure etc. or clear roads and tracks from debris and water).

>220 Whisper1: Hej Linda, sorry to hear about Will and all the shattered plans. Suki and I had also some plans about going to Korea a bit longer than holidays, but, well, it didn't come that way.

How did you adjust to retirement? So far, I am enjoying my free time, photographing, I would like to go out more, but there is too much rain at the moment. I have met my grand child a few times. I am trying out cooking different things, I make black garlic again ...

Reading is still not up to the amount I used to before the covid thing. I am also behind with my thread here ...

When you come to Germany, do you travel South, Black Forest, even Switzerland? Let me know, we could meet.

statistics for June

1211 pages, 6 books,

5 books were written in German, 1 in English, and 0 in Swiss German

nationalities: CH , D 2, GB 1, A 2, Israel , USA 1

dead 5, alive 1
male 4, female 2

oldest 1948, newest 2015 (book, my copy)
oldest 1848, newest 2015 (work, first published)

I added 0 bookmarks and 13 books to my collections

Best wishes for the national holiday, Paul.
I hope you are well.

>223 SirThomas: Thanks, Thomas. I was quite busy doing many other things than reading. Visiting grave yards, taking pictures there, seeing my sister and mother, going hiking in the Schwyzer Alps, exploring a trip for the senior group of our church, visiting a bee keeper, taking part in photo challenges ...

63) Der Kabbalist vom East Broadway : Geschichten by Isaac Bashevis Singer. Short stories of basically Yiddish speaking people either in Poland or immigrants from Poland to the USA. All have weird characters, experiencing strange things. Worthwhile reading

64) Der vierte König - ein Fall für Sherlock Holmes : historischer Kriminalroman by Stefan Winges. Some occult sect steals the bones of the Three Holy Kings which are kept in Köln. Sherlock Holmes is asked to come to Germany and help solving the mystery behind everything. Interesting plot but with long winding explanations about relics.
A German try to bring back Sherlock Holmes but never as good as the original.

65) Pique-Dame. Das Fräulein als Bauernmädchen by Alexander Sergejewitsch Puschkin. Two short stories. A greedy officer wants to get the mystery of winning three times in a row in a card game. But the old woman doesn't want to tell anybody how this trick works. So he seduces her niece to let him into the house of the lady ... The second story is about a wealthy farmer's girl who gets to know a young man when posing as a poor butcher's maid ... both stories are well told with strong characters.

66) Die Königin der Farben by Jutta Bauer. The queen of the colours calls are colours in the morning, but then the colours start to fight and everything gets grey ... a colourful children's book about colours and emotions

67) Vergessene Stimmen : ein Harry-Bosch-Roman by Michael Connelly. Harry Bosch comes back to work for the police and starts with an old case from the Open/Unsolved Unit. A teeanger was killed near her home 17 years back, and some people within the LAPD are not too happy that Bosch is reopening the case ...

68) Das Wenkenross : 12 Geschichten durchs Riehener Jahr by Hermann Schneider. Twelve short stories about historical events in Riehen. In the first story the ghosts of the donors of the toys to the new Toy Museum in Riehen appear at midnight in order to play with their old toys the night before the opening of the museum. But the 'girls' set their old children's stove on fire ... A boy who visits Riehen writes a letter home, telling his family about how the Riehener treat the patients in the Sanatorium: Part of the therapy is the planting of vegetbales in the garden of the sanatorium - and all their seeds become plants almost over night and bear fruit within the three weeks they stay in the sanatorium ... Two kids are lifted on the bronze horse in the Wenkenpark (see cover) by a stranger who disappears just before a thonder storm starts. But the horse brings them to the Man in the Moon who offers them moon tea and moon bisquits ... A few boys wanted to create their own carnival float for the Basler Fasnacht, they bring together all their skills and utensils for making a waggon, but then in the early morning on the tram somebody kicks their waggon and a wheel breaks off ... fun reading

statistics for July

1201 pages, 6 books,

6 books were written in German, 0 in English, and 0 in Swiss German

nationalities: CH 1, D 2, GB , A , RUS 1, USA 2

dead 3, alive 3
male 5, female 1

oldest 1956, newest 2008 (book, my copy)
oldest 1834, newest 2005 (work, first published)

I added 0 bookmarks and 1 books to my collections

69) The big four by Agatha Christie. Hastings returns from Argentina in order to surprise Hercule Poirot. But there is an unexpected visitor also coming to Poirot's door who then dies in there, writing some '4's on a paper. Poirot understands the hint and starts to hunt down the Big Four, four genius and wealthy criminals who want to rule the world ... a somewhat difficult mystery with a lot of clichés about espionage and world domination

Mt Rigi, the Vierwaldstättersee (Lake of Lucerne) to the left, the Zugersee (Lake of Zug) to the right, the towns of Ingenbohl and Schwyz in the valley

>224 paulstalder: Pensioners and time - a never ending story ;-)
>225 paulstalder: Thanks for the inspiration, Paul.
>233 paulstalder: Wonderful!

>234 SirThomas: Thanks for coming by, Thomas

70) Heinrich von Kleist, Der zerbrochne Krug : ein Lustspiel by Johannes Diekhans. A village judge should handle a case of a broken jug but he more interested in closing the case as soon as possible unexamined ... A play by Heinrich von Kleist from 1811. The booklet also gives background information about the author, the play, as well as the adaption on stage and in movies

71) Oma : die Geschichte von Kalle, der seine Eltern verliert und von seiner Grossmutter aufgenommen wird by Peter Härtling. Five-year-old Kalle's parents are dead and now his grandma takes him to her home. She is a bit strange and strict but gets used to her ... a good story about an orphan experiencing the loss of his parents and the life of his grand mother. Each chapters ends with a paragraph telling the grandmother's view on the event just reported. Good reading for children

72) Madame le Commissaire und das geheimnisvolle Bild : ein Provence-Krimi by Pierre Martin. The maire of Fragolin opens a museum in honor of one of Henri Matisse's dancers he painted on his famous painting. Then he is offered a new recovered painting by Matisse. But when inspecting the painting Madame le Commisaire's lover Rouven doubts the genuineness of the painting, so Isabelle Bonnet starts to investigate ... a light and good read about art forgery in the Provence.

Stopping by to wish you a wonderful weekend, Paul.

>239 PaulCranswick: thanks, Paul. I was pretty busy doing other things ...

73) Zwei Fremde im Zug : Roman by Patricia Highsmith. Two strangers meet in a train and one has the idea to commit the perfect crime: each other killing some bad guy for the other - so, no traces, no motive, no connections. But one wants to keep the company of the other and so leads the police to start investisting again ... strange characters

74) Christliche Symbolik : erster Theil by Wolfgang Menzel. A lexicon of Christian (Catholic) symbols from A to Kiss. I did again some proof reading for wikisource. I don't when I will have time to do the 2nd volume. ... interesting stuff with historical insights.

75) Die Entstehung der Freien Evang. Gemeinden der Schweiz : mit besonderer Berücksichtigung der Gemeinde Basel by Ernst Gilgen. The history of the Free Evangelical Church of Basel starts in the 1820s, but the exact date is in the dark. It was a time when there was no freedom of faith in Switzerland, everybody who went to 'free' churches were expelled from there canton. So Carl von Rodt lost his job with the government in Bern and had to into exile in Geneva and other places. 1830 he visits Basel and tells about a little group of believers (Gemeindlein) here. Later that year, there was a kind of revolution in Bern and the ban was lifted, so returned back to Bern and joined the free church there. Niklaus Bernoulli (son of the famous judge in Basel) was later the first president of the Free Evangelical Church in Basel. ... Gilgen wrote this booklet when the chapel of the FEG was dedicated in December 1923.

A friend of mine and me are now trying to collect material and then write a Festschrift for the bicentennial anniversary.

>243 paulstalder: Congratulations on reaching 75, Paul!

76) Das Atelier in Paris : Roman by Guillaume Musso. A theater writer and a former police woman hire the same house of an artist in Paris and are shocked when they find out this mistake of the agency. But then they start to learn more about the former owner of the house, a famous painter, whose son was kidnapped in New York NY but whose corpse was never found ... an interesting story with many twists along the way.

77) Zeit für Gott : Führer für das Innere Gebet by Jacques Philippe. A good guide for the 'inner prayer', contemplative prayer, quiet prayer (or whatever you call it). The Christian contemplation/meditation always starts with a word from the Bible, seeking the presence of God. Don't do anything in the presence of, just be there.

78) Der Wolfgottesacker in Basel by Anne Nagel. Till 1814 the burial places were always within the city, but with the typhoid epidemic then the thinking changed and they started to build cemeteries outside the city walls. But these were too small. A bigger cemetery, the Wolf, was planned further out of the city and was inaugurated in 1872. It became the only cemetery for Basel the 1930s when the Friedhof am Hörnli was built (the biggest cemetery in Switzerland)., but there are still burials on the Wolf. It is also the cemetery with many old Basler families have their family graves (Bernoulli, Burckhardt, Christ, Staehelin, Vischer) here.

Congrats on zipping past the goal!

Congratulations on 75 reads!

>241 paulstalder: Throw Momma from the Train was a hilarious movie, but that's not this story....

Congratulations on reaching 75, Paul!

>244 FAMeulstee: >248 drneutron: > 250 thank you all

>249 quondame: yea, the book tells a more sinister story

Congrats on reading 78 books!

>252 figsfromthistle: thanks, Anita

statistics for August

2334 pages, 10 books,

9 books were written in German, 1 in English, and 0 in Swiss German

nationalities: CH 2, D 4, GB 1, F 2, USA 1

dead 6, alive 4
male 7, female 3

oldest 1854, newest 2020 (book, my copy)
oldest 1854, newest 2017 (work, first published)

I added 0 bookmarks and 1 book to my collections

79) A pocket full of rye by Agatha Christie. A man is found dead, with a handful of rye in his pocket. Well, the police is clueless until Miss Marple shows up and hints towards an old song about blackbirds, rye, honey and a maid ... fun read

80) Latin Lover : von Männern und Frauen by Donna Leon. A collection of essays about man and relationship among women and men. Some good points, especially about the perception of male versus female behavior. An interesting, provoking read.
When she was complaining about the 'men on the market' available to 'older' women I had to laugh: I feel the same: there are only two sorts of women 'on the market' in my age: either they are fishing for compliments whenever they open their mouth or they are male bashing ... I think I stay widowed :)

81) Die Liebe wird uns leiten : Worte und Lieder des Grafen Zinzendorf by Nikolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf. Quotes and songs by the founder of the Herrnhuter Brethren. Spiritual wisdom, worth reading.



I still use the Losungen, the daily Bible verses which are published in Herrnhut since 1728. There is good page where somebody explains the Hebrew text of the daily Losung - this is part of my daily reading nowadays.
https://youtu.be/5BJEVmkeWvg (in German)

82) Steffis roter Luftballon : Geschichten für die Kleinsten by Irina Korschunow. Steffi has her birthday and gets a rabbit, a soft toy. There are 20 short stories about everyday life of a four-year-old. Fun to read and to tell smaller children.



I passed a book cabin and Felix, my grandchild, chose that book to take a long :) (he becomes two years old next Monday)

83) Das Mädchen aus Brooklyn : Roman by Guillaume Musso. Raphaël asks his love Anna about her former life and she shows him a picture of charred corpses. Raphaël reacts headlessy and runs away - and then Anna is kidnapped ... a well written thriller



this author was recommended by my dentist

84) Der Hund, der zu träumen wagte : Roman by Sun-Mi Hwang. Zotti is a puppy in Korea, owned by an old man who was breading dogs. One day, somebody gives poisoned meat to the dogs in order to make them sleepy and steal them. Only Zotti doesn't like the smell and so does not eat. ... The life a dog told from the view of the dog ... a lovely and moving story about life as a dog.

85) Hare, Baboon & their friends by Roger Harmon. Animal fables from Rhodesia, for example: the Dog was taking care of Lion's cubs but was never given a proper reward, so he ate the cubs when he was left hungry and fled, with other animals he came to Man who protected him and the other animals against Lion, so he stayed with Man. Easy, fun read

statistics for September

1152 pages, 7 books,

5 books were written in German, 2 in English, and 0 in Swiss German

nationalities: CH , D 2, GB 1, F 1, USA 1, KOR 1, Rhodesia ? 1

dead 4, alive 3
male 3, female 4

oldest 1967, newest 2017 (book, my copy)
oldest 1953, newest 2017 (work, first published)

I added 0 bookmarks and 7 books to my collections

Dropping in to say hello

>262 paulstalder: Nice stats!

How is life as retiree? Well I still have to go another four years.