Windows and doors

Seems we spend a great deal of time enjoying the scenery here in Hof, but we also spend some time studying for lessons and visiting members.  The scenery is just a bit more enjoyable.  Maybe I shouldn't say that!

Last week we both gave lessons in Institute and neither of us felt we did too well.  I keep getting frustrated with the language and then losing my train of thought.  This week we get a reprieve because the Stake President is coming and he will give the lesson.  I am making chili for 15 people and the only pot I have will hold enough for about 6 so I have to be creative.  Any suggestions?

Dave has been spending a bit of free time painting.  Last weekend we walked all over taking pictures of doors and windows.  He did a painting of an old wall with two windows and then an old wooden 'falling apart' door.  Now he will paint some of the really cool good looking doors and windows to make a set.  The branch in Plauen is having a talent show Saturday and he will show those paintings.  My talent is making brownies and since they usually don't have this treat they won't know whether it is good or not so good.  I have it made.

So here are the best windows and doors.

This is the door on the St. Lorenz church.  We have yet to be inside.

This is the one he chose to paint.

Our apartment door is really old and historic.  Glad the insides are not as old.

This one is on a n old building but more modern.

Our apartment building again.

Top floor of one around the corner.

Fancy stuff on a new building.

A new bed and new friends

Opening the package and putting the bed together.

The decke is now bigger than the bed, but so warmmm

We have also added a printer thanks to the CES director.

After getting permission from the Mission office, who agreed we should be able to close our bedroom door, we shopped and purchased a queen size bed to match the very nice furniture in the apartment.  Then we discovered how expensive a mattress and the mattress supports would be.  The other very nice bed will go to another mission apartment for another couple.  We had to rearrange the furniture to accommodate the printer that Marc Shutze brought to us to help us in teaching our institute classes.  This Thursday will be our first time teaching so everyone wish us luck.

Last week we had the opportunity to visit with several members.  We spent a very pleasant evening with the Hemann family who live out of town.  Dave and Herr Hemann found much in common.  They talked about guns and stuff for quite awhile.  He is not a member but comes to church.  We also visited with him for a short time in his second hand book store in the "old Town".  I had fun with Hellen who is 7.  They have two other very nice children.

Then we spent some time with an inactive member who was very receptive.  He has some health problems to overcome.  Another day we visited with another family who also have three kids.  Their 7 year old son, Vincent, had a new Christmas toy helicopter he was flying in the room.  It was really cool.  He could fly it off the coffee table and then land it if he was careful.  Mostly it crashed but I was impressed that it was sturdy enough not to break with the abuse it got.  Maybe I will have to get one of them for my 'kid'.

Sunday we had two different dinner appointments..(bad on the diet).  We ate "Racklett" with the Merkel family.  That is somewhat like a fondue in that everyone cooks their own special little pan of cheese over selected foods such as pineapple, ham, mushrooms, mini onions or whatever.  Hope that gives you the idea.  We thought about buying one of the special electric pans for it but we wouldn't be able to get the special cheese nor could we plug it in there with the correct wattage.

Today we drove out to a very tiny old farm village to meet with another member.  We had a delightful time visiting in this old home.  It was build in the late 1700's and Br Hermann's wife's family has lived there for a long time.  Her mother lives downstairs and they live upstairs.  It is heated by wood which he cuts in the neighboring forest.  In the downstairs entry there is an old big oven in the wall, which no longer works, but it used to be for cooking cakes for the village.  The village had perhaps 50 to 80 homes most of which were connected forming a long wall with the farm buildings in the rear. Some houses on the edge of the village were newer but all of them around the tiny church and central square area were definitely OLD.

The church in Roppisch

The main street with the houses forming a wall.  We visited in the barely visible dark gray one past the yellow one.

Contest

Ten points if you can tell what is different.  email me if you get it!

I will give the answer on the next post, probably tomorrow.

the Work continues

I just found a great internet site with lots of Hof pictures http://www.pbase.com/jolka/hof which might interest those of you who like to travel. We live just south of the St Michael's church.

We have been quite busy his past week.  We had our fist institute class in Zwickau where we were in charge.  I made a meal for the 11 young people while Dave entertained them by introducing us.  Before that we had them introduce themselves to us.  It was rather fun.  This will continue to be our Thursday evening activity.  We got home about 11:3 p.m.  which will also probably be the norm.  They play after the lesson and the meal.  I can't wait until I have to teach an institute lesson in German (not).

We also fed our district of missionaries the Saturday before our first experience with transfer day.  Elder Briner left here to go to Hamburg and we got Elder Struve whose home town is near Washington D.C.  Elder Hess is still here.  Our new DL is in the rear, Elder Reeve.

We drive to Plauen every week for district meeting.  This last transfer the mission president announced three new districts in preparation for the influx of new missionaries coming in March.  The effort is out there but the success is hard come by.

This week we have appointments with several of the branch members to get to know them better so we have something to do every day this week - and two big things on Sunday.  Two of the families we will meet with are part member families.

New Years Day

New Year's Eve is called Silvester here but I don't know why.  The town does not do a fireworks exhibition because everyone in the town buys heavy duty fireworks and sets them off.  The Elders were telling of seeing some people shooting fireworks from their apartment windows at people in the street who were shooting fireworks in the street and annoying the apartment dwellers.  Perhaps that is the reason President Kosak told all the missionaries to be in their apartments and stay there that night.  As you have seen, our apartment has a great view of the city and you can see how many fireworks were used that night.  We estimated about 100,000.  The noise went on for about an hour and we had  great display from our balcony.  It was great.  Dave finally came inside when the people in our building went into our parking lot and fired off their stuff.  That made it somewhat dangerous on the balcony so he came in.

Earlier in the day we had supper with a ward member and her brother.  We enjoyed visiting and watching her drink her 'once a year' beer with Coke. (?)  Yes, she has been taught the Word of Wisdom but, like many of us, she excuses herself. 

This New Year let's all gt rid of the excuses!