December 2014

1st December

I was trained in new tools at work, so I can work with more complicated cases.

 

2nd December

I slept too long, but have had time enough to go to the supermarket and also to pay my rent. I was trained in the new tools again.

 

3rd December

My eldest brother became 68 years old and I sent congratulations by email early that day. I was working with my new knowledges during my shift.

 

4th December

One of my best friends became 64 years old and I mailed congratulations to her, too. I met a private doctor at St. James Hospital for my thyroid. He was writing down all my health abnormalities on a special document in his laptop. He gave me a prescription of a thyroid medicine with magnesium. From the hospital I took a walk down to the shop “Swedish Delights” in St. Julians and continued by bus to Lidl at Qormi, because I was looking for a special kind of bread, called “landgångsbröd” in Swedish. I decided to bring a “smörgåstårta” to our next dinner gathering at work the upcoming week.

 

5th December

I had an appointment at Mater Dei Hospital, I thought. Actually that doctor from St. James Hospital made it with me. It was for a blood test, but when I was at Mater Dei Hospital, they told me, that I have to make another appointment and that they will sent it by mail (not email!).

Disappointed I was leaving and was going to JB’s and Smart, because I was looking for some cheap items for Christmas. I finally also found a way to put my door wreath on the door. I took the magnet from my torch – to hang it somewhere – and fastened it on the upper of the door from the inside. It was working! After that I took the lock of the torch, because the torch has got broken when I dropped it on the floor some days before. At the lock I hang the wreath with a ribbon, so the wreath is on the outside of my door, at the inside I hang my Chinese lucky charm, which I have got at a member of the government of Hamburg-Mitte, when we had visitors from Shanghai, China. I bought a ribbon at JB’s for my curtains in my bedroom. So they have got a Christmas look for very little money. I also bought a lid for my pan and two plates and bowls. At Smarts I did not found very special things, but a “Stollen” and “Ritter Sport”-chocolate changed the owner.

I have got the last mail of David, he wrote “will see what will happen in the afternoon”. I think he was not willing to tell me, that he is not interested in me any more.

 

6th December

In Germany children got Nikolaus presents this day. The lid I bought the day before were to little, so I changed it this day and it was easily done. I continued to the Homemate shop and to the Atrium shop. They are situated in the industrial area of Mriehel. I was at Homemate with David before and bought my kitchen chairs. It was of course easier to go there by car, but it is not difficult either to go there by bus. All the “50”-buses, that means the 51, 52, 53 and 54 are going there. The name of the bus stop is Gwakkin. I bought a few items.

When I was back home I took down my laundry from the roof and cooked lentil soup.

 

7th December

It is Sunday again and this day I managed to awake in time and go to the market in Floriana. I also found the market easily after the description of David. I was disappointed, because there were no many stalls and no many different kinds of items to find. I hope, I could buy Maltese table clothes there, but they did not have any. I bought a few items like an umbrella and Christmas flowers in a pot. Because the day was still young I continued to Marsaxlokk and bought table clothes there – one for Christmas and one for the whole year around. Furthermore I bought strawberries from Gozo!

 

 

When I came home from Marsaxlokk I had a meal and then I had to go to work.

 

8th December

I took a lazy day before going to work. It is a public holiday on Malta and I will get a day off for this.

 

9th December

I had planned to go to the market in Bormla, but I was too tired and postponed it. This day became just another day on Malta and at work.

In the evening there were a thunderstorm with heavy rain on and off.

 

10th December

It is raining :-(! We had our dinner gathering at work. My “smörgåstårta” was really nice decorated and most of my colleagues took pictures – unfortunately I did not, because I cannot take pictures of every one of this kind. It was one with ham and cheese.

 

11th December

I was off work and bought a mp3-player. I ordered it by Internet and had only to pick it up at the shop, named “Scan”. Afterwards I was going to the Atrium again and finally bought a heater. I decided to take a Halogen heater. It is a light weight and it will help me in the bathroom as well as in the living-room area, because no installation is needed and I have a socket just outside the bathroom.

I switched the heater on in the evening. I do not know how expensive it will be, but to have only 10 degrees is absolutely to cold for me. I also ate the leftovers of the “smörgåstårta” this evening.

 

12th December

Another day off work. I filled my mp3 with music and listened to it. I like the freedom, that it gives me, because now I can listen to music while preparing a meal etc. I also warmed up my bathroom by my new heater before and during showering. I enjoyed it!

I went to the supermarket and bought water and almond-milk. This day I ate the rest of the salad, the leftover from making the “smörgåstårta”.

I put addresses I can remember in my tablet – because when I deleted my dorothee.hamburg@gmail.com-account I lost a lot of information. I did not know, that they all were attached to that email-account.

This day I also listened to music by my mp3 while I was waiting for leaving for the Besedo Christmas Party in Sliema. By the way I left that party already around 9:30pm, because there were no people to talk with, but one (Maja). I had a nice walk home for the Christmas lights. Actually it really looks strange with Christmas lights in the palms.

 

 

13th December

A Sunday in the bed :-). I finished the month of October on my blog and changed a little at the site “My Malta Adventure”. Though I renamed it into “My Malta”, put in “2014” and added the month “May, June, July, August, September and October. I also took time to manage my mp3-player. At the Internet I found a shop, where they print bags. That kind of shop, I was looking for for month.

I wrote my last email to David, it was the answer on his email from the fifth. I told him, that I am not interested in him any more, because I cannot stand, that I do not know how and where he is and that I do not like, that he did not wrote me under the last week. Actually I thanked him for the little help and knowledge I have got of him and the dinners, he invited me to.

By the way today they celebrate “Lucia” in Sweden.

 

14th December

Another working day, but had time enough before going to work to change something at my mp3-player. I found a text-file on it 😉 and deleted it.

 

15th December

I have got an email from my eldest brother with the actual addresses of me and my three brothers. Wrote back to all my brothers with birthday-greetings to the second one. I also got an email from the printing shop where I ordered my bag. It was done already. I had to go to work and have to pick it up another day.

 

16th December

I awake quite early this day, took a shower and where then going by bus to the printing shop for picking up my bag. It is a little one with a picture of a house from Valletta – with these typical balconies. The bag is smaller than I expected, but it is OK for some occasions. It seems to be smaller than it was written on the Internet. I think it depends on, how to measure. The bag is nice looking and therefore I decided to order a bigger one and also some Christmas gifts for my children from the printing shop.

When I was back at home it was time for a meal and directly afterwards I had to go to work. This shop is at the beginning of the Mriehel Industrial Area, the closest bus stop is “Fleur de Lys”. All “50”-buses are going there, too. It is just two bus stops earlier than to the Homemate and Atrium.

 

17th December

I awoke at 6:15am, that was to early, of course and I tried and did fell asleep again. I slept for around four more hours! It is my eldest sons birthday and I wrote him an email. He became already 35 years now. My daughter told me, that she was visiting him this day and brought him the birthday present, we bought for him. Because it was a little more expensive, we shared the costs. I was happy that she knew about his wish – a tablet, because for the moment he has no working device.

In the afternoon and evening I worked as usual.

 

18th December

When I awoke the windows were wet of rain, but the sun were coming soon. I was able to wash two machines and put my laundry on the roof.

I was going by bus to the shop “Swedish Delights” and tried to buy “pepparkakor” (a Swedish kind of ginger bread), but they did not have any. They told me, they will get on the 22nd December and I have to come back that day – they also gave me the phone number to the shop, so I could call and ask, when the cakes will arrive.

I walked all the way home looking for a little Christmas tree and Christmas lights, but finally I decided not to buy some. While walking it started raining – so my laundry has got wet again. I found a shop for hearing aids, but they were closed at that time.

Back at home I ordered Christmas gifts and the bag with another picture of Valletta. I went out again to the shop for hearing aids. This time it was open and I got a spare part, which fits, but is not the same brand like mine. The shop owner gave my the address to another one, which sells hearing aids of the brand I need. I also took my camera with me and took photographs of the Christmas lights in the palms.

My salt-stone candle-holders are wet and I decided to take them to Sweden, otherwise I will no longer have candle-holders after a while.

 

19th December

My new CS were arriving this day – a couple with a 2-year-old boy from Poland. I never have had a family before, because I have not space enough, but the father had a mattress with him and they managed it. After they had installed themselves, we went to the playground with the little boy. The family has been hosted of another family with a child before, therefore the boy was not happy to be at my home, but at the playground he found other children and were happy again. His mother and I took a walk in Msida meanwhile his father was looking after the boy. We went as far as to the “Black Pearl”, the ship, which was a part of the movie “Pirates of the Caribbean”, but now it is a restaurant.

We decided to go to Valletta for the Christmas lights, but the little boy needed a sleep, though I went by my own. When the boy was awake again, it was time for me to come home from Valletta. I had taken nice photographs, seen the Valletta Christmas market and bought some Christmas cards. I was surprised and my CS and me were also talking about it, that a lot of the Christmas lights has to do with snow, like reindeer and snow flakes, because there usually is no snow on Malta and there are no reindeer at all.

 

 

20th December

My CS and I went to Dingli Cliffs after a late breakfast. At our destination some raindrops were falling down, but soon the sunshine was back and it was sunny all the rest of the day. Here we also saw some sheep and some goats – it was the first time I saw this kind of animals on Malta, also I know there are. They were followed by a shepherd.

 

 

After a while we took the bus again and were continuing to Rabat and Mdina. Most of the time we visited Mdina.

 

 

In the evening we took a meal at home. My laundry, I put on the roof in the morning, was already humid again, because it is the way it works on Malta. The boy has to sleep again and I took the bus to Bugibba – interested in the Christmas lights in other cities. When I was back in Sliema I took another bus to Cirkewwa for the same reason. I was lucky and could catch the last bus home. I think, the nicest Christmas lights I have seen, are the Christmas lights in Melliah.

Back at home my CS were already there. We looked at my pictures from Ireland. The husband has been in Ireland before, but has not been at the same places like me. He also were only for a shorter stay in Ireland.

 

21st December

Awaking late again. Today my CS will leave for another host and I have to go to work again. This time I will work six days in a row because Christmas and my following vacation leave. I will be off for New Years Eve and New Years Day. Actually my vacation leave will be from 27th December until 5th of January 2015. I wrote the Christmas cards this day – only four, but had to buy stamps the next day.

 

22nd December

Will I be able to buy “pepparkakor” today? I called and they told me that the ferry will be late and they will call back, when the cookies have arrived at the shop. They really called back and told me that the ferry will be very late because of the weather and it will be OK if I would come the next day.

 

23rd December

It is the day before Christmas Eve and finally I could buy Swedish “pepparkakor”. By the way in Sweden they call this day “Lille julafton”, that means “Little Christmas Eve” – this day in Sweden all the preparations for Christmas Eve should already been finished. In the evening people are relaxing and eating some of the Christmas sweets and fruits.

I wrote emails with Christmas wishes to my children, my brothers and my second cousin.

I took some of the Swedish “pepparkakor” with me to my work and told my colleagues about the “Lille julafton” as well.

I was thinking about to go to Bormla for the market this day, but we will get paid our salary on Christmas Eve and I have no money left on my Malta account because I paid for the return flight to Sweden, therefore I decided not to do. I will make a new try in spring.

There were a lot of “Merry Christmas”-greetings before I was going home from my work because some of my colleagues will take a flight home for the Christmas Holidays.

 

24th December

Christmas Eve is so different in various countries. In Sweden your neighbors already wish you a “Merry Christmas” in the morning of this day. Christmas peace will be announced before noon. No cleaning will be done this day, all is festive. Before 3pm you have to eat something and after that to watch TV and “Kalle Anka” (Donald Duck). This is a Swedish TV-program (imported from the USA) not only featuring Donald Duck. Afterwards the children (and adults) will get their Christmas gifts, following by the Christmas dinner as a “smörgåsbord” a buffet with cold and warm meals, desserts and a cheese platter. The special thing is the rice pudding with an almond in it. The one who get the almond will get married the following year, as the tradition tells. The St. Claus is well known here and is called “tomte”, he has a very big family and helpers – though there is a tomte-mor (mother), the tomte-far (father) and tomte-children (kids). Furthermore the 25th and 26th are holidays.

In Germany the shops are open like Saturdays. The children get their gifts this day, but the festive starts not before late afternoon. At my home we always had a “five o’clock light meal” of cakes and coffee (children coffee for the children). Then we heard the Christmas bells, which the angels started (in real it was my father starting a record). By the way, our living room were closed the days before Christmas, we could not see if or how much gifts we will get. Each of us including our parents got a plate with Christmas cakes, nuts and sweets. Also here the 25th and 26th are holidays.

In Malta I learned, that the shops are open as usual on a weekday on Christmas Eve. Christmas really starts Christmas Day and is only for that day. I heard from one of my brothers, who lives in California, USA, since last year, that it is the same there.

By the way I sent some Christmas emails this day, too. At work it was the same as usual, but the late shift started at 10:30am and ended 7pm.

 

25th December

This day it was the first time I was late at work – and really late, because I did not recognize, that we will have working hours like the day before. But I promised to work the lost hours on 27th because I will also work the following day and cannot make it before the 27th. Furthermore I have a day off the 27th, though it is a perfect day for working the lost hours. My manager was OK with it and did not make a big deal out of it. I was anyway surprised that no one tried to call me and ask me why I was not at work. They know I live alone and it might has happened something to me.

 

26th December

Also this day the late shift has to work from 10:30am to 7pm, but this day I was in time. I never make the same mistake twice! We have got pizza from our employer. I was only able to eat half of it and took the other half home.

No private Christmas mails this day – I hope I will write the last during the next day and I also have to send emails/messages to all my CS-friends. I bought two small yogurts for the upcoming mornings.

 

27th December

I did my laundry in the morning because I will go on vacation leave the next day. I was going to work 3:30pm until 8pm, because I have to work the missing hours from the 25th. No shopping this day because I have still a lot of food in my freeze and fridge and do not really know if I can eat all of it before leaving for Sweden.

 

28th December

I was on vacation leave. My flight to Sweden via Istanbul left Malta around 3pm. I cleaned my home, made my dishes, made my bed, packed and forgot two important things:
1. My thyroid medicine
2. My headphones – but took the mp3-player with me

It was my first flight by Turkish Airlines and I am fairly satisfied. There were a misunderstanding because the food. I thought I made it clear, that I cannot it seafood and they had seafood for me – but there were no problems for changing that.

In Istanbul I had to walk for miles at the airport even it was only transfer. Anyway I had time enough for getting around. Before boarding we had to wait an extra hour because some problems at the airport. Therefore we were late in Copenhagen and I have got a little problem to reach my daughter’s home, were I will stay the next three days. First I had to find out how to buy a ticket for the train to Malmö, but that was easy. A man asked me how to get a ticket with a special public transport card, but I had to tell him, that I have not been at Copenhagen airport for years and cannot help him. I had to wait for the train in 45 minutes!

Finally in Malmö I could not find, which bus I had to take and if there still will be a bus. Furthermore I did not see any taxi at the taxi point, but a nice young man did help me and called a taxi. Meanwhile I was still waiting for the taxi there were a bus, but I did not know if it was to the right direction. I could have asked, but the taxi was already ordered. However finally I reached my daughter’s home, even it was early in the morning.

 

29th December

My daughter had to go to work. Fortunately he had not to be very early at work. I was visiting my second son this day with a little and a big suitcase – because that was the one my daughter was taking back from Malta to Sweden and she did still have them in her apartment. The big suitcase was very heavy and also had lost a stand. I was happy about my son was carrying the heavy suitcase up for all the stairs to his apartment respectively to the attic.

After a little talk and a meal (Christmas rice-pudding) he told me about my moldy books in his cellar and that we should take a look. We took rubber cloves on and went downstairs. It was horrible to see and I was afraid to breath in that room. Nearly all my books were destroyed by mold. Especially the books, which I cared about most – the onces I have written and published by my own and my “poetry album” from my school in Kassel-Kirchditmold with all the poems, paintings and stickers from my former class mates. Also the paintings, which my children had done at school and I had framed, where moldy. We had to dispose them as well as some furniture he has had in his first place and was thinking about to sell. Fortunately there were a container for old furniture close to his home, so we also could dispose these. I also have my photography albums in that cellar, but they were not on the floor and were OK. Anyway I was happy that I scanned that photographs before I was moving to Malta. I think and hope I have some few framed paintings from my children on the attic.

I asked him, how that could happen and he told me, that there were a flooding in September, but he thought, that the cellar is so far away from any water, that there will not be any flooding in it and so he was not checking it, but the janitor told all tenants to do. Maybe I would have done it the same way.

Around 8pm I was back at my daughter’s place, but she preferred to be with her friends.

 

30th December

In the morning, after breakfast, I was back to my second son and took the few books, which was still OK (such one I did not care about and was thinking about to give away anyway) to a second hand shop – where one can leave items for nothing and the shop use the earnings for social help.

I continued to my eldest son in Helsingborg. He moved in there in April, but it still nearly looks like that day. First he thank me for the tablet, than I was asking about his situation, the flat, his neighbors and the furniture. He can get a new sofa of one, so I asked what he needs more and we talked about a table and shelfs. I told him, that he has to look for, which shelfs he would like to have and I will buy them for him. I was with him until 6pm – until one of the staff was coming, to have a chat with him.

I took the bus to the south city, bought some handkerchiefs I really needed and was then walking all the way to the train station meanwhile I was looking at the Christmas lights and also taking photographs of them. I caught a train to Malmö Central station and took the bus no. 8 to my daughter’s place. By that way I was back there around 9:30pm.

 

31st December

My daughter served me a cup of coffee while I still was in bed. It was around 8:15am and I really enjoyed that. We ate breakfast together in her kitchen. We dressed after each other – she was cleaning the apartment meanwhile I was in the bathroom. Her boyfriend came and took the keys, because he will care about the cat Ludwig during the time we will be in Stockholm with my youngest son and his family.

Around 2pm it was time to go to the train station by bus with a lot of luggage, because I have my both suitcases – a big one and a smaller one and also a bag with board games. The games were still OK, even they have been in the cellar of my second son and I thought maybe my youngest son and his family will enjoy the games. We did play them quite often during winter time when my children were younger. In my big suitcase I have my printer. It has been on the highest level in the cellar and is fine. I took it with me because I need a scanner in Malta. I cannot have all the papers and especially not carry them back to Sweden, the day I will leave the island. By the way: In the little suitcase were only shoes – because there are winter-shoes, they take a lot of space. I did not remember one pair of them. I think I do not need buy any more shoes on Malta but sandals for the summer. The good things also are the Wellingtons I have got with me, I did not find any on Malta, but heard, that it rains sometimes so much, that there will be use for them.

When we were close to Stockholm I sent a message to my youngest son if he will meet us at the train station or if we have to make the way to his home by our own. He messaged back, that he will meet us. When we finally were on the platform in Stockholm I did not see him, but I saw a young man who was looking similar to him. He was wearing glasses with a black frame and had some kind of beard, so he looked more like an Arabic man than my son, but it was him! Anyway he did not see us at the first sight. He already has got the car he ordered months before and that was great, because he took us home by it.

We enjoyed that evening together, looked at fireworks from neighbors, were drinking champagne, took some snacks and were happy to be together.