31st December - New Year’s Eve

Today was a very long day.

Early afternoon we went over to Menna and Dieter’s for the traditional Speckendicken.  They are like a pancake, sort of, made out of a special rye flour mix, with syrup (so they are a bit sweet than pancakes) and have slices of wurst in them.  Super yummy - and the flour mix is only available at this time of year, since this is when you eat them.  I will see if I can find the mix, and see if border control will let me keep it :)

Bit of a nap after that, and then Mama and I went to church for a service done in Platt.  I understood very little, but I like the pastor’s delivery... he sounded very genuine and caring in the way he spoke.  Looking at the words for the hymns to be sung - you can see how much closer to English Platt is.  I said that to Mama and said, I know it was the Saxon’s who came to England, but if you went by language - you’d think it was the Ostfriesens instead.  But apparently back at that time, the Saxons where here too - so that explains that!

This evening Wolfgang and his partner Hermine came over and we had a mammoth fondue feast. I can’t remember any time in the last few years when I’ve eaten so much! I think I need to learn at Mama and Papa’s to take less (as in not enough) on my first serving because they think I’ve barely eaten if I don’t go back for more... tonight was more like... you stopped eating after only and hour and a half (okay - fondue is slower eating, as you wait for each piece to cook, but that’s the beauty of it - you talk and catch up as you eat.  I need to eat smarter :)

At midnight we toasted as normal etc and then went outside to see what the neighbourhood was releasing for fireworks.  They are legal here and many people buy them to let off for new year’s.  Being so flat here, and being the last house before open fields, we pretty much has 360 degree views of fireworks, and the boats in harbour letting off flares.  We could see fireworks over in Emden,  down in Bingum and loads of places all around.

Finally getting to bed at nearly 2.30am....good night - and Happy New Year!!!!