Chapter 135: Isabella

nerd blog post #156

So I have a weirdo question for you all:
Do you ever have an impulse to say something else right after something is said? For example, if someone says 'spooky,' I want to say 'Halloween.' Or if someone says 'marco,' maybe you feel like saying 'polo.' Well ALSO, when I write or think or say '135,' I then have to say 'Isabella,' because that's my old addy. Soooo that's what I wanted to explain.

I would also like to announce that I have bought a ticket back to Canada for mid-December and will be living in my parents basement for awhile. You are all invited to party there anytime. My dad does the best kegstand in the land. I will be settling in Toronto for a little while at least and am looking forward to returning to the city I love so much.

Buuuut meanwhile, Berlin is awesome. Actually, Berlin tends to remind me of Toronto more than any other city I've ever known. There are areas so culturally diverse and with such wide streets lined with trees and interesting stores that I can easily forget that I'm in a new city. Steve and I continually remark how much the city feels like Toronto. And I love that. Part of that feeling comes from the people. I remember how different strangers in Toronto felt to those of Paris, and that familiar helpful feeling is among the Berliners as well. Though this is a very large city, it feels safe and friendly and warm. And that is how I describe Toronto to people I have met over this year and a bit. "Toronto is a big city that feels like a small town." And I now believe that about Berlin, too.

On Wednesday, Steve and I went over to family friend's from Lesotho. They are an interesting couple who have lived and traveled all over the world. It had been fifteen years since I had seen them, and even longer since they were living in Lesotho. They had nice memories of my family, and I of theirs. We spent a long time talking about Lesotho. Their eldest daughter and her daughter and partner came over as well. She is quite older than me, so we weren't friends when we were young, but this time exchanged info and will hang sometime this month. It was a lovely visit and we hope we can connect with them again before the end of the month.

Steve and I have fallen into a comfortable routine here. We have favourite markets that we frequent on specific days, we plan our meals, drink good wine, get up and go to bed at roughly the same times, and walk for hours and hours every afternoon. We are eating incredibly well. I get pumped about cooking new things, and we have both been experimenting in the kitchen. It's bah-ring for you to read about, but definitely exciting over here. So the day-to-day nerd blog updates are maybe less fun for you than for us. We are living here, and loving it. And that's about it. As Bronco said, "Sooo what's up over there? Sounds like you two stroll a lot...." Yes, Bronwyn, yes we do.

We have some fun week-end plans lined up with a friend of Michael Murphy's from Toronto. And we are going to an East African restaurant for dindins tomorrow, which should be great. I'ma eat antelope.

Hope this finds you well!

Signing off,
Hincks.