Sünd wi riek?

vun Clara Kramer-Freudenthal
(Lentmoond 1999)

Jo, wiß un wohrraftig. Wi sünd so unbeschrieflich riek. Wi hebbt den Krieg un de Flucht mit hele Knoken öberleevt, un dorto dat grote Glück, dat wi miteenanner old worrn sünd. So Gott Voder dat will, fiert wi in 't tokoom Johr 2000 uns Diamanten-Hochtiet. 60 Johr verheiroodt! Mit nix 1945 vun vörn anfungen. Mit veel Moot dat Leben anpackt, un dree Johr no de Währungsreform mit een Boosporverdrag dat lütte Huus in Harshei köfft. Nu geneet wi beiden olen Minschen uns Tohuus.

De Karkenklocken lüüdt den Fierobend in. Mien Mann un ik sitt in unsen kommodigen Wintergoorn bi een Taß Tee un Plätten. Rooh un Freden üm uns rüm. Twee vun uns veer Katten liggt mank de Blomen op de warme Finsterbank, un de annern beiden sitt buten op de Trepp no'n Goorn. 

,,Wie schön, daß die Tage länger werden. Es ist noch hell. Wir können Flora und Fauna gut beobachten'', sä mien Mann. Tofredenheit strohl he ut. Wüür to marken, dat em dat Leben un Drieben an de Foderhüüs un de Vogeldränk Freid meuk. ,,Guck mal schnell! Drei Amseln baden gleichzeitig, und auf dem Rand der Tränke sitzt ein Dompfaff, der sich besprühen läßt. Wir können uns doch glücklich schätzen, diesem fröhlichen Treiben zuzusehen'', jubileer he. Jo, dat mookt Spooß dor totokieken. Wi sünd ober jo ok vun uns Kinnertiet an mit de Notuur verbunnen. Beid sünd wi op'n Dörpen opwussen.

Weest, wat mi gans dull höögt? Datt uns Katten so in Freden mit de Vogels leevt. Nich mol de Heister flüggt weg, wenn een or gor twee vun uns Samtpoten op de Trepp sitt. Will uns jo nüms gläuben. Liekers is dat wohr. Siet öber 40 Johr hebbt wi dat wohrnohmen. ,,Wo arm sünd doch de Minschen, de keen Vogel tirileern un keen Bloom bleuhen seht. Wat sünd wi dorgegen riek!'' meen ik öbertüügt.

Bet dat schummerig wörr hebbt wi tokeken un faststellt, datt in de Notuur al allns veel to wiet is. De Saffroons bleuht allentalben. Bloots in den velen Regen kriegt se jümehr lütten Köpp kuum hooch. Uns Forsythie will ok al opbreken. Wat mi gor nich behoogt is, datt de Oosterklocken al mit Knupens wiet buten de Ier sünd. Kann mi nich vörstelln, datt de Winter, de keen Winter wüür, uns so dorvun komen lett. Seker kriegt wi, to unpassend Tiet, noch een ornlichen Backs. Wi köönt uns dreihn un wenn'; an den Driefhuus-Effekt koomt wi nich vörbi. Ok ik feuhl mi mitschüllig. Dat ganse Huus vun Keller bet op den Böben is warm. Warrt doch keen Döör mihr tomookt! Wo anners wüür dat doch freuher! De Köök wüür bloots warm, wenn kookt wöör. In de Dööns wörr iers Füür anbött, wenn wi middoogs afwuschen harrn. Dat wüür de eenzigste Ruum in't ganse Huus de warm wüür. De grote Kacheloben reck bet an de Deek. Müch noch eenmool dat Hult knacken hüürn, wenn een Kloben in't Füür smeten wöör. Poor Eierbriketts keumen dortwüschen. Dormools wüür een Winter noch een Winter. Foken harrn wi 20 un mihr Grood Küll. Denn müß Anthrazit mit in't Füür.

Wat een Arbeit un Ploog allns in de Reeg to hooln för de Huusfroons! De Kinner müssen ok mit anpacken, un dat hett keen Schoden doon. Ohn' Huulbessen, ohn' Waschmoschien un ohn' all de velen elektrischen Kökenhelpen, de dat hüüttodoogs gifft, hebbt se nich kloogt, datt se Öberlast harrn. Jümehr Dag wüür lang, un vull vun Knokenarbeit.

Are We Rich?

by Clara Kramer-Freudenthal 
(March 1999)

Yes, indeed. We're so unbelievably rich. We have survived the war and refugee status in one piece, and on top of it we've been fortunate enough to grow old together. God willing, we'll be celebrating our diamond wedding anniversary next year, 2000. Married for 60 years! We started from scratch in 1945. We tackled life with much courage, and three years after the Monetary Reform we bought the small house in Harksheide with a building loan contract. Now we two old people are enjoying our home.

The church bells are ringing in evening rest. My husband and I are having some tea and cookies in our comfortable winter garden. Peace and quiet surround us. Two of our cats are lying among the flowers on the warm windowsill, and the other two are sitting outside on the steps down to the garden.

"How nice that the days are growing longer. It's still light. It's easy for us to watch flora and fauna," my husband said [in German]. He was beaming with satisfaction. You could tell that he was enjoying the goings-on at the bird feeders and at the birdbath. "Take a quick look! Three blackbirds are taking baths at the same time, and a bullfinch is sitting on the rim of the bath and is enjoying the spray. We can really count ourselves lucky that we can watch these happenings," he said jubilantly. Yes, it is fun watching it. After all, we have been close to nature since we were children. Both of us grew up in villages.

Do you know what really makes me happy? That our cats are living in peace with the birds. Not even the magpie flies away when one or even two of our velvet paws are sitting on the stairs. But nobody wants to believe us. It's true, though. We have been noticing it for 40 years now. "How poor those people are that don't hear a bird warble and see a tree in bloom! How rich we are in comparison!" I said with conviction.

We kept watching until dusk fell, and we noticed that everything in nature was too far along. Crocuses were in bloom everywhere. Only they can hardly keep their little head up in all the rain. Our forsythia, too, wants to open. What worries me is that the daffodils are sticking way out of the ground with their buds. I can't imagine that this winter that was no winter will let us get off that easily. We'll probably still get a real kick in the pants when we least expect it. We can't escape the hothouse effect, no matter how much we spin and turn. I feel partly responsible, too. The house is warm from basement to attic. Doors simply aren't shut anymore! What a difference from days past! The kitchen only got warm when we were cooking. We only lit a fire in the living room after doing the lunch dishes. That was the only heated room in the house. The large tiled stove reached the ceiling. I'd love to hear the wood crack again when a piece of wood was tossed into the fire. You'd add some coal pellets. Winter still was winter in those days. Sometimes we'd have 20°C below freezing [-4°F]. Anthracite needed to be put into the fire then.

What a lot of work and trouble this used to be for housewives! Children had to help, and that didn't do any of them any harm. Without vacuum cleaner, without washing machine and without all the many kitchen gadgets available today, they did not complain about too much to do. Their day was long and full of hard physical labor.

Suend wii riik?

fun Clara Kramer-Freudenthal
(Lentmaand 1999)

Jaa, wiss un waarraftig. Wii suend soo unbeschriivlich riik. Wii hevt d'n kriig un de flucht mit haile knaken euverleevd, un daartou dat grote gluek dat wii mit ain anner old worren suend. Soo Got Fader dat wil fiirt wii in 't tou-kamen jaar 2000 [twai dusend] uns diamanten-hochtiid. 60 [soesstig] jaar ferhairaadt! Mit niks 1945 [negen hunnerd fiiv un fairtig] fun foern an-fungen. Mit feel moud dat leven an-pakd, un drai jaar naa de Währungsreform mit 'n bouspaar-ferdrag dat luette huus in Harshaid' koefd. Nuu geneitt wii baiden olden minschen uns touhuus'.

De karken-klokken luydt den fiir-avend in. Miin man un ik sitt in unsen kommodigen winter-gaarn bii 'n tass tee un pletten. Rou un freden uem uns ruem. Twei fun uns feir katten ligt mank de bloumen op de warme finster-bank, un de anneren baiden sitt buten op de trep naa d'n gaarn. 

,,Wie schön, daß die Tage länger werden. Es ist noch hell. Wir können Flora und Fauna gut beobachten'', see miin man. Toufredenhait straal hei uut. Woyr tou marken dat em dat leven un driven an de fouder-huys' un de fagel-drenk fraid' meuk. ,,Guck mal schnell! Drei Amseln baden gleichzeitig, und auf dem Rand der Tränke sitzt ein Dompfaff, der sich besprühen läßt. Wir können uns doch glücklich schätzen, diesem fröhlichen Treiben zuzusehen'', jubileir hei. Jaa, dat maakt spaass daar tou tou kiken. Wii suend aver jaa ouk fun uns kinder-tiid an mit de natuur ferbunden. Baid' suend wii op d'n doerpen op-wussen.

Weest wat mii ganss dul hoygt? Dat uns katten so in freden mit de fagels leevt. Nich maal de haister fluegt weg wen ein or gaar twei fun uns samt-poten op de trep sitt. Wil uns jaa nuems gloyven. Likers is dat waar. Siit euver 40 [feirtig] jaar hevt wii dat waar-namen. ,,Wou arm suend doch de minschen dei kein fagel tirileiren un kein bloum bloyen seit! Wat suend wii daar gegen riik!'' mein ik euvertuygd.

Bet dat schummerig woerd' hevt wii tou-keken un fast-steld dat in de natuur al allens feel tou wiid is. De saffraans bloyt allentalven. Bloots in d'n felen regen kriigt sei juem er luetten koep kuum hoog. Uns forsytie wil ouk al op-breken. Wat mii gaar nich behaagd is, dat de ooster-klokken al mit knupens wiid buten de eird' suend. Kan mii nich foer-stellen dat de winter, dei kein winter woyr, uns soo daar fun kamen lett. Seker kriigt wii, tou unpassend tiid, noch 'n ornlichen baks. Wii keunt uns draien un wenden; an d'n driivhuus-effekt kaamt wii nich foer bii. Ouk ik foyl mii mit-schueldig. Dat gansse huus fun keller bet op d'n boyven is warm. Wardt doch kein deur meir tou-maakd! Wou anners woyr dat doch froyer! De keuk woyr bloots warm wen kaakd woyrd'. In de deunss woyrd' eirsd fuyr an-boett wen wii middaags af-wuschen harren. Dat woyr de eintsigste ruum in't gansse huus dei warm woyrd'. De grote kachel-aven rek bet an de deek. Muech noch ein maal dat hult knakken hoyren wen 'n klaven in't fuyr smeten woyrd'. Paar aier-brikets koymen daar twueschen. Daarmaals woyr 'n winter noch 'n winter. Faken harren wii 20 [twintig] un meir graad kueld. Den muess antratsiit mit in't fuyr.

Wat 'n arbaid un plaag' allens in de reig' tou holden foer de huusfrouens! De kinder muessen ouk mit an-pakken, un dat het kein schaden daan. Aan huul-bessen, aan wasch-maaschiin un aan al de felen elektrischen keuken-helpen, dei dat huyt tou daags givt, hevt sei nich klaagd dat sei euver-last harren. Juem er dag woyr lang un ful fun knaken-arbaid.

Are We Rich?

by Clara Kramer-Freudenthal 
(March 1999)

Yes, indeed. We're so unbelievably rich. We have survived the war and refugee status in one piece, and on top of it we've been fortunate enough to grow old together. God willing, we'll be celebrating our diamond wedding anniversary next year, 2000. Married for 60 years! We started from scratch in 1945. We tackled life with much courage, and three years after the Monetary Reform we bought the small house in Harksheide with a building loan contract. Now we two old people are enjoying our home.

The church bells are ringing in evening rest. My husband and I are having some tea and cookies in our comfortable winter garden. Peace and quiet surround us. Two of our cats are lying among the flowers on the warm windowsill, and the other two are sitting outside on the steps down to the garden.

"How nice that the days are growing longer. It's still light. It's easy for us to watch flora and fauna," my husband said [in German]. He was beaming with satisfaction. You could tell that he was enjoying the goings-on at the bird feeders and at the birdbath. "Take a quick look! Three blackbirds are taking baths at the same time, and a bullfinch is sitting on the rim of the bath and is enjoying the spray. We can really count ourselves lucky that we can watch these happenings," he said jubilantly. Yes, it is fun watching it. After all, we have been close to nature since we were children. Both of us grew up in villages.

Do you know what really makes me happy? That our cats are living in peace with the birds. Not even the magpie flies away when one or even two of our velvet paws are sitting on the stairs. But nobody wants to believe us. It's true, though. We have been noticing it for 40 years now. "How poor those people are that don't hear a bird warble and see a tree in bloom! How rich we are in comparison!" I said with conviction.

We kept watching until dusk fell, and we noticed that everything in nature was too far along. Crocuses were in bloom everywhere. Only they can hardly keep their little head up in all the rain. Our forsythia, too, wants to open. What worries me is that the daffodils are sticking way out of the ground with their buds. I can't imagine that this winter that was no winter will let us get off that easily. We'll probably still get a real kick in the pants when we least expect it. We can't escape the hothouse effect, no matter how much we spin and turn. I feel partly responsible, too. The house is warm from basement to attic. Doors simply aren't shut anymore! What a difference from days past! The kitchen only got warm when we were cooking. We only lit a fire in the living room after doing the lunch dishes. That was the only heated room in the house. The large tiled stove reached the ceiling. I'd love to hear the wood crack again when a piece of wood was tossed into the fire. You'd add some coal pellets. Winter still was winter in those days. Sometimes we'd have 20°C below freezing [-4°F]. Anthracite needed to be put into the fire then.

What a lot of work and trouble this used to be for housewives! Children had to help, and that didn't do any of them any harm. Without vacuum cleaner, without washing machine and without all the many kitchen gadgets available today, they did not complain about too much to do. Their day was long and full of hard physical labor.

Sünd wi riek?

vun Clara Kramer-Freudenthal
(Lentmoond 1999)

Jo, wiß un wohrraftig. Wi sünd so unbeschrieflich riek. Wi hebbt den Krieg un de Flucht mit hele Knoken öberleevt, un dorto dat grote Glück, dat wi miteenanner old worrn sünd. So Gott Voder dat will, fiert wi in 't tokoom Johr 2000 uns Diamanten-Hochtiet. 60 Johr verheiroodt! Mit nix 1945 vun vörn anfungen. Mit veel Moot dat Leben anpackt, un dree Johr no de Währungsreform mit een Boosporverdrag dat lütte Huus in Harshei köfft. Nu geneet wi beiden olen Minschen uns Tohuus.

De Karkenklocken lüüdt den Fierobend in. Mien Mann un ik sitt in unsen kommodigen Wintergoorn bi een Taß Tee un Plätten. Rooh un Freden üm uns rüm. Twee vun uns veer Katten liggt mank de Blomen op de warme Finsterbank, un de annern beiden sitt buten op de Trepp no'n Goorn. 

,,Wie schön, daß die Tage länger werden. Es ist noch hell. Wir können Flora und Fauna gut beobachten'', sä mien Mann. Tofredenheit strohl he ut. Wüür to marken, dat em dat Leben un Drieben an de Foderhüüs un de Vogeldränk Freid meuk. ,,Guck mal schnell! Drei Amseln baden gleichzeitig, und auf dem Rand der Tränke sitzt ein Dompfaff, der sich besprühen läßt. Wir können uns doch glücklich schätzen, diesem fröhlichen Treiben zuzusehen'', jubileer he. Jo, dat mookt Spooß dor totokieken. Wi sünd ober jo ok vun uns Kinnertiet an mit de Notuur verbunnen. Beid sünd wi op'n Dörpen opwussen.

Weest, wat mi gans dull höögt? Datt uns Katten so in Freden mit de Vogels leevt. Nich mol de Heister flüggt weg, wenn een or gor twee vun uns Samtpoten op de Trepp sitt. Will uns jo nüms gläuben. Liekers is dat wohr. Siet öber 40 Johr hebbt wi dat wohrnohmen. ,,Wo arm sünd doch de Minschen, de keen Vogel tirileern un keen Bloom bleuhen seht. Wat sünd wi dorgegen riek!'' meen ik öbertüügt.

Bet dat schummerig wörr hebbt wi tokeken un faststellt, datt in de Notuur al allns veel to wiet is. De Saffroons bleuht allentalben. Bloots in den velen Regen kriegt se jümehr lütten Köpp kuum hooch. Uns Forsythie will ok al opbreken. Wat mi gor nich behoogt is, datt de Oosterklocken al mit Knupens wiet buten de Ier sünd. Kann mi nich vörstelln, datt de Winter, de keen Winter wüür, uns so dorvun komen lett. Seker kriegt wi, to unpassend Tiet, noch een ornlichen Backs. Wi köönt uns dreihn un wenn'; an den Driefhuus-Effekt koomt wi nich vörbi. Ok ik feuhl mi mitschüllig. Dat ganse Huus vun Keller bet op den Böben is warm. Warrt doch keen Döör mihr tomookt! Wo anners wüür dat doch freuher! De Köök wüür bloots warm, wenn kookt wöör. In de Dööns wörr iers Füür anbött, wenn wi middoogs afwuschen harrn. Dat wüür de eenzigste Ruum in't ganse Huus de warm wüür. De grote Kacheloben reck bet an de Deek. Müch noch eenmool dat Hult knacken hüürn, wenn een Kloben in't Füür smeten wöör. Poor Eierbriketts keumen dortwüschen. Dormools wüür een Winter noch een Winter. Foken harrn wi 20 un mihr Grood Küll. Denn müß Anthrazit mit in't Füür.

Wat een Arbeit un Ploog allns in de Reeg to hooln för de Huusfroons! De Kinner müssen ok mit anpacken, un dat hett keen Schoden doon. Ohn' Huulbessen, ohn' Waschmoschien un ohn' all de velen elektrischen Kökenhelpen, de dat hüüttodoogs gifft, hebbt se nich kloogt, datt se Öberlast harrn. Jümehr Dag wüür lang, un vull vun Knokenarbeit.

Are We Rich?

by Clara Kramer-Freudenthal 
(March 1999)

Yes, indeed. We're so unbelievably rich. We have survived the war and refugee status in one piece, and on top of it we've been fortunate enough to grow old together. God willing, we'll be celebrating our diamond wedding anniversary next year, 2000. Married for 60 years! We started from scratch in 1945. We tackled life with much courage, and three years after the Monetary Reform we bought the small house in Harksheide with a building loan contract. Now we two old people are enjoying our home.

The church bells are ringing in evening rest. My husband and I are having some tea and cookies in our comfortable winter garden. Peace and quiet surround us. Two of our cats are lying among the flowers on the warm windowsill, and the other two are sitting outside on the steps down to the garden.

"How nice that the days are growing longer. It's still light. It's easy for us to watch flora and fauna," my husband said [in German]. He was beaming with satisfaction. You could tell that he was enjoying the goings-on at the bird feeders and at the birdbath. "Take a quick look! Three blackbirds are taking baths at the same time, and a bullfinch is sitting on the rim of the bath and is enjoying the spray. We can really count ourselves lucky that we can watch these happenings," he said jubilantly. Yes, it is fun watching it. After all, we have been close to nature since we were children. Both of us grew up in villages.

Do you know what really makes me happy? That our cats are living in peace with the birds. Not even the magpie flies away when one or even two of our velvet paws are sitting on the stairs. But nobody wants to believe us. It's true, though. We have been noticing it for 40 years now. "How poor those people are that don't hear a bird warble and see a tree in bloom! How rich we are in comparison!" I said with conviction.

We kept watching until dusk fell, and we noticed that everything in nature was too far along. Crocuses were in bloom everywhere. Only they can hardly keep their little head up in all the rain. Our forsythia, too, wants to open. What worries me is that the daffodils are sticking way out of the ground with their buds. I can't imagine that this winter that was no winter will let us get off that easily. We'll probably still get a real kick in the pants when we least expect it. We can't escape the hothouse effect, no matter how much we spin and turn. I feel partly responsible, too. The house is warm from basement to attic. Doors simply aren't shut anymore! What a difference from days past! The kitchen only got warm when we were cooking. We only lit a fire in the living room after doing the lunch dishes. That was the only heated room in the house. The large tiled stove reached the ceiling. I'd love to hear the wood crack again when a piece of wood was tossed into the fire. You'd add some coal pellets. Winter still was winter in those days. Sometimes we'd have 20°C below freezing [-4°F]. Anthracite needed to be put into the fire then.

What a lot of work and trouble this used to be for housewives! Children had to help, and that didn't do any of them any harm. Without vacuum cleaner, without washing machine and without all the many kitchen gadgets available today, they did not complain about too much to do. Their day was long and full of hard physical labor.

Suend wii riik?

fun Clara Kramer-Freudenthal
(Lentmaand 1999)

Jaa, wiss un waarraftig. Wii suend soo unbeschriivlich riik. Wii hevt d'n kriig un de flucht mit haile knaken euverleevd, un daartou dat grote gluek dat wii mit ain anner old worren suend. Soo Got Fader dat wil fiirt wii in 't tou-kamen jaar 2000 [twai dusend] uns diamanten-hochtiid. 60 [soesstig] jaar ferhairaadt! Mit niks 1945 [negen hunnerd fiiv un fairtig] fun foern an-fungen. Mit feel moud dat leven an-pakd, un drai jaar naa de Währungsreform mit 'n bouspaar-ferdrag dat luette huus in Harshaid' koefd. Nuu geneitt wii baiden olden minschen uns touhuus'.

De karken-klokken luydt den fiir-avend in. Miin man un ik sitt in unsen kommodigen winter-gaarn bii 'n tass tee un pletten. Rou un freden uem uns ruem. Twei fun uns feir katten ligt mank de bloumen op de warme finster-bank, un de anneren baiden sitt buten op de trep naa d'n gaarn. 

,,Wie schön, daß die Tage länger werden. Es ist noch hell. Wir können Flora und Fauna gut beobachten'', see miin man. Toufredenhait straal hei uut. Woyr tou marken dat em dat leven un driven an de fouder-huys' un de fagel-drenk fraid' meuk. ,,Guck mal schnell! Drei Amseln baden gleichzeitig, und auf dem Rand der Tränke sitzt ein Dompfaff, der sich besprühen läßt. Wir können uns doch glücklich schätzen, diesem fröhlichen Treiben zuzusehen'', jubileir hei. Jaa, dat maakt spaass daar tou tou kiken. Wii suend aver jaa ouk fun uns kinder-tiid an mit de natuur ferbunden. Baid' suend wii op d'n doerpen op-wussen.

Weest wat mii ganss dul hoygt? Dat uns katten so in freden mit de fagels leevt. Nich maal de haister fluegt weg wen ein or gaar twei fun uns samt-poten op de trep sitt. Wil uns jaa nuems gloyven. Likers is dat waar. Siit euver 40 [feirtig] jaar hevt wii dat waar-namen. ,,Wou arm suend doch de minschen dei kein fagel tirileiren un kein bloum bloyen seit! Wat suend wii daar gegen riik!'' mein ik euvertuygd.

Bet dat schummerig woerd' hevt wii tou-keken un fast-steld dat in de natuur al allens feel tou wiid is. De saffraans bloyt allentalven. Bloots in d'n felen regen kriigt sei juem er luetten koep kuum hoog. Uns forsytie wil ouk al op-breken. Wat mii gaar nich behaagd is, dat de ooster-klokken al mit knupens wiid buten de eird' suend. Kan mii nich foer-stellen dat de winter, dei kein winter woyr, uns soo daar fun kamen lett. Seker kriigt wii, tou unpassend tiid, noch 'n ornlichen baks. Wii keunt uns draien un wenden; an d'n driivhuus-effekt kaamt wii nich foer bii. Ouk ik foyl mii mit-schueldig. Dat gansse huus fun keller bet op d'n boyven is warm. Wardt doch kein deur meir tou-maakd! Wou anners woyr dat doch froyer! De keuk woyr bloots warm wen kaakd woyrd'. In de deunss woyrd' eirsd fuyr an-boett wen wii middaags af-wuschen harren. Dat woyr de eintsigste ruum in't gansse huus dei warm woyrd'. De grote kachel-aven rek bet an de deek. Muech noch ein maal dat hult knakken hoyren wen 'n klaven in't fuyr smeten woyrd'. Paar aier-brikets koymen daar twueschen. Daarmaals woyr 'n winter noch 'n winter. Faken harren wii 20 [twintig] un meir graad kueld. Den muess antratsiit mit in't fuyr.

Wat 'n arbaid un plaag' allens in de reig' tou holden foer de huusfrouens! De kinder muessen ouk mit an-pakken, un dat het kein schaden daan. Aan huul-bessen, aan wasch-maaschiin un aan al de felen elektrischen keuken-helpen, dei dat huyt tou daags givt, hevt sei nich klaagd dat sei euver-last harren. Juem er dag woyr lang un ful fun knaken-arbaid.

Are We Rich?

by Clara Kramer-Freudenthal 
(March 1999)

Yes, indeed. We're so unbelievably rich. We have survived the war and refugee status in one piece, and on top of it we've been fortunate enough to grow old together. God willing, we'll be celebrating our diamond wedding anniversary next year, 2000. Married for 60 years! We started from scratch in 1945. We tackled life with much courage, and three years after the Monetary Reform we bought the small house in Harksheide with a building loan contract. Now we two old people are enjoying our home.

The church bells are ringing in evening rest. My husband and I are having some tea and cookies in our comfortable winter garden. Peace and quiet surround us. Two of our cats are lying among the flowers on the warm windowsill, and the other two are sitting outside on the steps down to the garden.

"How nice that the days are growing longer. It's still light. It's easy for us to watch flora and fauna," my husband said [in German]. He was beaming with satisfaction. You could tell that he was enjoying the goings-on at the bird feeders and at the birdbath. "Take a quick look! Three blackbirds are taking baths at the same time, and a bullfinch is sitting on the rim of the bath and is enjoying the spray. We can really count ourselves lucky that we can watch these happenings," he said jubilantly. Yes, it is fun watching it. After all, we have been close to nature since we were children. Both of us grew up in villages.

Do you know what really makes me happy? That our cats are living in peace with the birds. Not even the magpie flies away when one or even two of our velvet paws are sitting on the stairs. But nobody wants to believe us. It's true, though. We have been noticing it for 40 years now. "How poor those people are that don't hear a bird warble and see a tree in bloom! How rich we are in comparison!" I said with conviction.

We kept watching until dusk fell, and we noticed that everything in nature was too far along. Crocuses were in bloom everywhere. Only they can hardly keep their little head up in all the rain. Our forsythia, too, wants to open. What worries me is that the daffodils are sticking way out of the ground with their buds. I can't imagine that this winter that was no winter will let us get off that easily. We'll probably still get a real kick in the pants when we least expect it. We can't escape the hothouse effect, no matter how much we spin and turn. I feel partly responsible, too. The house is warm from basement to attic. Doors simply aren't shut anymore! What a difference from days past! The kitchen only got warm when we were cooking. We only lit a fire in the living room after doing the lunch dishes. That was the only heated room in the house. The large tiled stove reached the ceiling. I'd love to hear the wood crack again when a piece of wood was tossed into the fire. You'd add some coal pellets. Winter still was winter in those days. Sometimes we'd have 20°C below freezing [-4°F]. Anthracite needed to be put into the fire then.

What a lot of work and trouble this used to be for housewives! Children had to help, and that didn't do any of them any harm. Without vacuum cleaner, without washing machine and without all the many kitchen gadgets available today, they did not complain about too much to do. Their day was long and full of hard physical labor.