<span style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;"> </span><br style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">L O W L A N D S - L - 17 May 2007 - Volume 01</span><br style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">
<br style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">=========================================================================</span><br style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;"><br style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">From: </span><span id="_user_altkehdinger@freenet.de" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 28); font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Jonny Meibohm <<a href="mailto:altkehdinger@freenet.de">
altkehdinger@freenet.de</a>></span><br style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Subject: LL-L 'Honours'</span><br><br><div>
<div><span><font face="Courier New">Beste
Reini,</font></span></div>
<div><span></span> <span><font face="Courier New"><br>(English summary
below)</font></span></div>
<div><span></span> </div>
<div><span><font face="Courier New">disser Doog hebb
ick miin föfften 'anniversary' bii Jouw- edders, schull 'ck driest un
beter seggen: bii <strong><span>'</span>uns</strong>'? Tiid, mol tou vertell'n, wat ick
al'ns beleevt un leyhrt hebb<span>- sou 'n Oort van
feedback, ouk föör Dii</span>. In 'n Vöör-Uuut: Dank an <span>dat 'mengleyrte Trio' </span>Gabriele, Wüllem
Busch un dennen Wüppwarper<span>, ohn' dat ick
misschien jümmer noch in 'n platten Düstern sitten
dey</span>!</font></span></div>
<div><span></span> </div>
<div><span><span><font face="Courier New">Wat hebb 'ck mitünner all lacht öber de eyn' or anner' Mail,
wat hebb 'ck obers ouk all schimpt! Wat hebb 'ck ne all al'ns leyhrt,
man ouk, wat anner Lüüd ouk 'n Beeten wat van mii leyhr'n kunnen, wenn 's
denn man wull'n ;-)!</font></span></span></div>
<div><span><span></span></span> </div>
<div><span><span><font face="Courier New">Wat kann 'ck seggen, wat anner Lüüd ouk all seggt
hebbt?</font></span></span></div>
<div><span><span></span></span> </div>
<div><span><font face="Courier New"><u>Toueyrst</u>
fallt mii in: Neddersassisch schriiben - Neddersassisch snakken sünd heyl
verscheyden<span>'</span> Sooken! Blivvst' alleyn in
Diin eygen 'Heimat-Dialekt', kummst mit 't Vokabulaar amend ne t'recht<span>, dat sücht meist goodlich uut.</span>.<span>. Wiist Du eyn van Diin Nobern, wat Du schreeben hesst,
seggt dey: "Wat is dat denn föör'n Platt? Dit un dat Wourd kenn 'ck gonne, waard
hier ne bruukt!" Snackst Du no obers noch mit wat meyhr Lüüd, kannst Glück
hebben, wat de eyn or anner seggt: "Nee- ick kenn dat Wourd ne, man, ick gloyv,
miin Ouma, dey uut 'n Noberdörp, hett souwat noch
bruukt."</span></font></span></div>
<div><span><font face="Courier New"><span>'Der Prophet gilt nichts im Vaterlande.' Edders, mit
anner Woyr: fangst' dat plattdüütsche Schriiben an, kiikt de Lüüd Dii van
allerwärts scheyv an.</span></font></span></div>
<div><span><font face="Courier New"><span></span></font></span> </div>
<div><span><span></span><font face="Courier New">Blivvst <span>denn </span>in
man <strong>eyn</strong> <em>'Schry<span>yv</span>-Wys'</em>, waarst' foors un faken wiis, wat
d<span>u de Woyr mennigmool sülbst
ne uut-spreeken kannst,</span><span> de Du
door opp-schreeben hesst. Nimmst' de 'Düütsche Schriev-Wiese', koomt Dii jümmers
de oule Sass tomoyt un will Dii seggen, wo 't lang-geiht. Man- DEY hett mii
amend nix tou seggen ;-)! Schrivvst meyhr no de 'Hanse-Schryyv-Wys', givvt dat
Uutschimpers van de Duitsers, de dat 'Y' ne liiden möögt. Schrivvst no de
'Hollanners' jemmer Wiis, ohn' wat Du sülbst Nedderlannsch prooten kannst, waard
door ouk ne recht wat van. Blivvt anners nix, as 'n Mengsel van de Drey tou
bruuken, denn hebbt 's altohoup lieker-deylen wat tou quarken; door gewoyhnst
Dii mit de Tiid an...</span></font></span></div>
<div><span><font face="Courier New"><span>Mennigmol is miin Schriiv-System (is ne veel
Systematik binnen) obers ouk de schiere Dwatschigkeyt ;-), eyn Fanaal tegen
geelsnacksche nedderdüütsche Schriivery!</span></font></span></div>
<div><span><font face="Courier New"><span></span></font></span> </div>
<div><span><font face="Courier New"><span>Mit anner Wöör: Oeddelrük un Mest mööt ween, mitünner
mutt'st opp'n Sünndag obers ouk dat Schapptüüch antrekken un mit dennen
Kutschwogen foyhr'n. Dat hebb 'ck anfangs ne mooken
wullt.</span></font></span></div><div><span></span> </div>
<div><font face="Courier New"><span><u>Tou 'n
Tweyd':</u> de Lüüd sünd ouk verscheyden; mutt'st düchdig Obacht opp
geeben.<span> 'n Poor Mol hebb 'ck <em>'n Toch in 'n
Düstern mookt'</em>, bünn teymli' opp Glatt-Iis uut-rüüscht un mit eyn'n Fout in
dennen oul'n Fatt-Putt pett'.</span> <em>'Wat dennen eyn'<span>n</span> siin Uul, is dennen annern siin
Nachtingall</em></span><em>'</em><span>;</span><span> wat dennen eynen Plezeyr mookt, kann 'n annern
siin Piin ween.<span> "Joo ne tou veel Gefoyhl!" seggt
Dii de eyn, un de anner seggt "Dat gefallt mii allerbest, wat Du altiids mit sou
veel Foyhlen schrivvst!" <em>'Wat schallst mooken? Schittst' rin 'n Bett,
schittst' rin 'n Looken!'</em> </span></span></font></div>
<div><span></span> </div>
<div><span><font face="Courier New"><u>Tou 'n
Drütt':</u> jeyd'eyn kann hier woll schriiben, as em de Snuut wussen is- man:
nümms schall sick wunnern, wenn hey ouk 'n Anter kriigen deyht, ouk, wenn he
sick door gonne föör haar! Ouk 'n Anter, de hey oppletzt gonne liiden kann, de
em wiist, wat hey opp 'n verkeyrden Patt is<span>.</span> Keyn hier tou ebeerig is, schull de
Finger<span>n</span> door van looten- un ick weyt, wo
ick van snakken douh<span>.</span> <span>M</span>itünner weyr 'ck ouk all meist beleidigt un
müss 'n Stood Tiid <span>hebben</span>, mii
weller tou besinnen<span> un miin Schoul-Arbeiden tou
mooken</span>.</font></span></div>
<div><span><span><font face="Courier New">Dat is faken fiigeliinsch un krisst ouk ne jümmer 'trecht,
dennen Ünnerscheyd twüschen de Sook un de Perzoun tou marken. Bruukst' avv un an
'n dick' Fell, wenn Du hier opp längere Tiid mit-mooken
wullt.</font></span></span></div>
<div><span><span><font face="Courier New">Man, Reinhard, hesst Du 'n Pelz doorföör- mennigmool mutt Dii
doch all bii 't Fröhstück de Gall'n hough-koomen, wenn Du 's monnens mol
weller van eyn'n Snaarbüdel uut Kehdingen eyn doysige Mail schikkt kreegen hesst
;-). Diin Geduld un Uut-Duer hett Oort!</font></span></span></div><div><span></span> </div>
<div><span><font face="Courier New"><u>Tou 'n
Veyrd':</u> jüst van Dii <span>(man, ouk 'nough
van anner klouke Lüüd!) </span>hebb 'ck 'n Baarg leyhrt, un <span>dat </span>nich' alleyn öber <span>l</span>inguis<span>tischen
Krooms</span>. Diin Küll van Geschichte, Soziologie, Religion etc. is all meist
wunnerlich. Un <span>ouk </span>door dank ick Dii
föör, miin Jung (kann 'ck jo seggen; büsst jo 'n poor Johr'n jünger as ick
;-))<span>, wat Du door faaken ouk in düüdliche
Woyr' öber schriiben dayst, ouk öber dennen Schiit, dennen uns Vör-Öllern
mitünner mookt hebbt</span>!<span> Opp disse Oort waard
de Welt rund.</span></font></span></div>
<div><span><span></span></span> </div>
<div><span><font face="Courier New"><u>Tou 'n
Föfft':</u> wii <span>persoynlik </span>hebbt uns
mittünner ouk all oarig inne Klatten haart. <span>"</span><span>Kloor- hey
tüdelt mitünner, de Ami uut Wilhelmsburg ;-)! Schrivvt krusen Kroom! Weyt gonne
recht meyhr, woans dat oppstünns in 't platte Düütschland uut-sücht." Sou
kunn 'n dat woll mitünner begriepen, wat ick avv un an schriiben
douh.</span></font></span></div>
<div><span><span></span><font face="Courier New">Weyr 't <span>denn nu
</span>beter ween, wenn wii jümmer eyn Meyn'n <span>haart </span>ha<span>r</span>r'n? Wenn de eyn' dennen annern altiids no 't
Muul snakken deyh? Tjungedii, dat kunn oppletzt doch woll langwiilig waarn, wat
meynst?<span> Man- jümmers gliik tougeeben, wat de
Anner dittmool woll Recht hett, dat liggt dennen Lowlanner ne sou recht, door is
hey faaken tou stuur tou. Dat duert mennigmool 'n lütten Stood, bit hey
siin Kopp uut de Klay un de Grobens ruut-lücht un no anner Lüüd jemmer Snakken
hinhoyrt. Wat seggt de Dithmarscher Buer tou siin tweyden Söhn, de van dennen
Hoff trekken mutt? <em>"Jung, nu go in de groude Welt un seyh tou,
woneem Du diin Glück mooken dayst. Obers- bliiv man joo in Dithmarschen; alleyn
hier is de Marsch, un al de anner Welt is man jüst
Geest!"</em></span></font></span></div>
<div><span><font face="Courier New"><span></span></font></span> </div>
<div><span><font face="Courier New"><span>Man- Du büsst ouk 'n Dickkopp, miin beste Landsmann. Un
denn noch Diin schlesisch' Ouma door mang (un bii mii de Wendlanners un
Oost-Preußen); dat hett mittünner Oort mit uns ;-).</span></font></span></div>
<div><span><font face="Courier New"><span></span></font></span> </div>
<div><span><span><font face="Courier New"><u>Touletzt:</u> ick dank Dii un al de annern Lüüd föör Hölp
un Rood, de ick all faken van Jouw kreegen hebb. Un Dii, Reinhard, will 'ck noch
eyn Deyl tou-stüü'rn: mitünner hesst Du all seggt, wat Du ouk mol loyvt waarn
moygst, föör al de Arbeyd, de Du Dii mookst un föör de plietschen Ideen, de Du
mitünner hesst.</font></span></span></div>
<div><span><span><font face="Courier New">Mii dücht- dat Loyv krisst Du jo meist elke Dag, wenn Du 't
wiis waarst, wat de Lüüd Dii noch jümmer goud tou-hoyr'n douht, wat se Truu'n
tou Dii hebbt un Dii geyrn üm Diin' Rood angooht. Wat hesst Du föör 'n 'houge'
Sellschopp opp 'n Dutt kreegen! Dat is Loyv; sou'n öberklouken Kerdel opp 'n
anner Oort tou loyven is meist tou fiigeliinsch un hoyrt sick licht no
<em>'Honnig-üm 'n-Boort-smeer'n'</em> an.</font></span></span></div>
<div><span><span></span></span> </div>
<div><span><span><font face="Courier New">Ick kunn nu woll noch 'n heyl Bült meyhr schriiben un
preystern, mii dücht obers, wat ick meist al'ns seggt hebb, wat seggt worrn
müsst.</font></span></span></div>
<div><span><span></span></span> </div>
<div><span><span><font face="Courier New">Mook wiiter!</font></span></span></div>
<div><span><span></span></span> </div>
<div><span><span><font face="Courier New">Best' Kumpelmenten in 'n Huus!</font></span></span></div>
<div><span><span></span></span> </div>
<div><span><span><font face="Courier New">Jonny Meibohm</font></span></span></div>
<div><span></span> </div>
<div><span><span><font face="Courier">............</font></span></span></div>
<div><span><span></span></span> </div>
<div><span><span><u><font face="Courier New">English summary</font></u></span></span></div>
<div><span></span> </div>
<div><span><span><font face="Courier New">Dear Reinhard,</font></span></span></div>
<div><span><span></span></span> </div>
<div><span><span><font face="Courier New">these days I have my own 5th anniversary with you- or should
I better say: with <strong>us</strong>? Perhaps it's time tou make
some words about the things I experienced and learned, maybe a kind of
feedback for you. In advance: thanks to the 'mixed trio' Gabriele, Wilhelm Busch
<em>(a German poet)</em> and the mole- without them I possibly still would live
in a 'flat' dark.</font></span></span></div>
<div><span><font face="Courier"><span><font face="Courier">
</font><div><span><span><font face="Courier"><font face="Courier New">How often did I burst into loud laughter about the one or
other mail I received here, but how angry was I sometimes,
too!</font></font></span></span></div>
<div><span><span></span></span><font face="Courier"> </font></div>
<div><span><span><font face="Courier"><font face="Courier New">What amount of stuff did I learn, but I also
could experience that other people could learn a bit from me if they just
would try it ;-)!</font></font></span></span></div>
<div><span><span></span></span><font face="Courier"> </font></div>
<div><span><span><font face="Courier"><font face="Courier New">What could I say about the years what other people already
said before me?</font></font></span></span></div>
</span></font></span></div>
<div><span></span> </div>
<div><span><span><font face="Courier New"><u>At first</u> I think about the big difference between
speaking here or writing there Low Saxon. If you just will stay in your
home-dialect the vocabulary won't be sufficient; it sometimes may look very
poorly. If you show it to one of the natives around you will hear: "What kind of
LS is <strong>that</strong>? This or that word I don't know, it isn't used
here." Talking to some others you can be lucky to hear: "No- I don't know this
word. But my granny from the neighboured village used something sounding
similar."</font></span></span></div>
<div><span><span><font face="Courier New">'A prophet has no honour in his own country!' With other
words: if you start writing in LS you'll find yourself sitting on the
fence.</font></span></span></div>
<div><span><span></span></span> </div>
<div><span><font face="Courier"><span><font face="Courier New"><span>Staying then in just one 'Schryyv-Wys' you soon will
find out that you are unable to pronounce the words the way you wrote them.
If you use the so-called 'German-writing system' <em>(for LS) </em>you always
will meet Mr. Sass who wants to tell which way to go. <strong>That
one</strong> hasn't to command</span></font></span></font></span><span><font face="Courier"><span><font face="Courier New"><span> me anything ;-)! If you
prefer the 'Hanseatic-writing-system' you'll get scolded by the Germans who
don't like the letter <em>'-Y-'</em>. Do you write in a Dutch-based-system,
whithout being able to speek Dutch you won't succeed either. The only chance:
take a mixture of the three of them and people will quarrel with you in
equalized manner; during the times you'll get familiar with this
burden...</span></font></span></font></span></div>
<div><span><font face="Courier"><span><font face="Courier New"><span>But I have to admit that sometimes my writing-system
(which I think not to have a real system) is the sheer provocativeness ;-),
a kind of 'beacon' against standardised writing of
LS.</span></font></span></font></span></div>
<div><span><font face="Courier"><span><font face="Courier New"><span>In other words: the smell of liquid manure and dung has
to be <em>(in daily LS), </em>but sometimes on Sundays you have to
take on your best clothes and drive in a clean coach. That is different
compared with my beginning over here.</span></font></span></font></span></div>
<div><span></span> </div>
<div><span><font face="Courier">
</font><div><span><span><font face="Courier"><font face="Courier New"><u>Second:</u> people are different, too <em>(as well as the
writing-systems),</em> and you always have to be aware of this fact. Not
regarding this I sometimes failed, got on slippery ice and stepped
into the fat-pot. <em>What the owl for the one is the nightingale for the
other, </em></font></font></span></span><span><span><font face="Courier"><font face="Courier New">what seems amusing for
the one could make ache to the next. "Don't write so emotionally!" you are said
by the one, and the other says "I like your emotional way to write!" An LS-idiom
says: <em>If you shit into your bed, you'll always shit into the
sheet!</em></font></font></span></span></div>
</span></div>
<div><span></span> </div>
<div><span><font face="Courier">
<div><span><span><font face="Courier New"><u>Third:</u> everyone on this list may write the way he/she
likes. But no-one should wonder if he gets answers at points he
even doesn't await to get. Maybe he causes any reaction he
doesn't like at all, which shows him that he's on any wrong
path. People being too delicate should perhaps look for something else
but not deal with the folks over here- and I myself know what I'm telling about.
Several times I had been in a snit and needed some time-outs to come on my feet
again and to do my homework.</font></span></span></div>
<div><span><span><font face="Courier New">It's very difficult and sometimes impossible to realise the
difference between the root of the matter and the person you come across with.
From time to time you need a thick skin to continue to take part in this
party.</font></span></span></div>
<div><span><span><font face="Courier New">Reinhard, you indeed must have a very thick fur; how often
must your blood have come up during your breakfast, just having got any stupid
mail from any back-seat-driver from Kehdingen <em>(a landscape in the
Lower Elbe region) </em>;-)<em>.</em> </font></span></span></div>
<div><span><span><font face="Courier New">Your steadyness and patience often is really
admirable!</font></span></span></div>
<div><span><span></span></span> </div></font></span></div>
<div><span><font face="Courier"><span><span><font face="Courier New"><u>Fourth:</u> specially from you (but from other intelligent
people as well) I've learned a lot, and not only about linguistics. Your
knowledge about historical, sociological and religious matters is outstanding.
And there's another point I'd like to thank you for, boy (I've got the
permission to address you this way, because you're some years younger than me
;-)): often you use clear words regarding historical discomfort, also about
some shit our ancestors made in the past. This way the world will become round,
I think.</font></span></span></font></span></div>
<div><span></span> </div>
<div><span><font face="Courier">
</font><div><span><font face="Courier"><font face="Courier New"><span><u>Fifth:</u> we two personally have had some harsh
discussions. "Isn't it obvious- he is mad, the American from Wilhelmsburg <em>(a
part of the city of Hamburg and Ron's place of birth)</em> ;-). He doesn't
know any longer how it's running with LS in Germany." So people could think
about my convincement.</span></font></font></span></div>
<div><span><font face="Courier"><font face="Courier New"><span>Would it perhaps been better always to have only one
view of things? Just say 'yes, yes' to each other? Oh boy- that would be boring
at last, I fear.</span></font></font></span></div>
<div><span><font face="Courier"><font face="Courier New"><span>But to admit at once that the other one is right in his
position isn't part of a native LS-speaker's character; too pigheadish for that.
It will always last for a while until he will lift his head out of the clay and
ditches to listen to other people's advices.</span></font></font></span></div>
<div><span><font face="Courier"><font face="Courier New"><span>The farmer from Dithmarschen <em>(a landscape at the
Northside of the Lower-Elbe-region)</em> told his second son, when he was forced
to leave his home: <em>"Boy, go and explore this big world. Make your
fortune. But- you shouldn't leave Dithmarschen; just and alone here we
have got the marshlands, and all the leftover part of the world only
is 'Geest' <font size="2">(coastal sandy heathland in north
Germany</font>)."</em></span></font></font></span></div>
<div><span><font face="Courier"><font face="Courier New"><span></span></font></font></span><font face="Courier"> </font></div>
<div><span><font face="Courier"><font face="Courier New"><span>But you're a real bullhead too, my best countryman. And
then your Silesian grandma (according to my Polabian and East Prussian
ancestors) within your veins; this combination sometimes meant interesting
experiences for both of us ;-).</span></font></font></span></div>
<div><span><font face="Courier"><font face="Courier New"><span></span></font></font></span><font face="Courier"> </font></div>
<div><span><font face="Courier"><font><span>
<div><span><span><font face="Courier New"><u>At last:</u> thanks to you and all others for all the help
and advice I often got. And, specially to your address, Reinhard: sometimes you
said feeling a lack of positive feedback for all your heroic efforts and the
often tricky ideas you come over with.</font></span></span></div>
<div><span><span><font face="Courier New">I'd like to say that you get this feedback nearly every day,
when you realise people listening to your words, when they trust in you and beg
for your advice. What 'noble' kind of community you could assemble around you! I
think this to be a very special kind of laudation for you; to make direct
compliments to a man like you is very difficult and always could look as
if it were adulation.</font></span></span></div></span></font></font></span></div>
<div><span><font face="Courier"><font face="Courier New"><span></span></font></font></span><font face="Courier"> </font></div></span></div>
<div><span><span><font face="Courier">It wouldn't be a problem to go on but I think I should find the
ending point here.</font></span></span></div>
<div><span><span></span></span> </div>
<div><span><span><font face="Courier">Go on with Lowlands-L!</font></span></span></div>
</div>
<div> </div>
<div align="left"><span><font face="Courier">Very kind
regards to you!</font></span></div>
<div align="left"> </div>
<div align="left"><font face="Courier">Jonny Meibohm</font></div><br style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">----------</span><br style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;"><br style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">From: </span><span id="_user_altkehdinger@freenet.de" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 28); font-family: arial,sans-serif;">R. F. Hahn <<a href="mailto:sassisch@yahoo.com">sassisch@yahoo.com
</a>></span><br style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Subject: Anniversary<br><br>Hi, Jonny!<br><br>Thank you very much for going to the trouble of marking your anniversary with a summary and assessment of your experience. Thank you also for your assessment of me personally. As I have told you privately, we are not and should not be in the business of
<span style="font-style: italic;">na't muul snakken</span> (flattering); so I take your words at face value.<br><br>Due to time limitations I can only respond in English (for everyone's sake), and relatively briefly so (also for everyone's sake).
<br><br>I think I can safely assume everyone else agrees that your contributions to the List have been invaluable, even when you yourself did not seem to think they were. As I often say, mere questions and, yes, questionable assumptions and conclusions can be as valuable or even more valuable than seemingly faultless, erudite "lectures," because they stimulate debates -- yes, sometimes, heated debates -- and thus interaction. I like to think that interaction is really the most important element here. Without it there would be no need for a list; we could just post our blurbs on the web. And interaction is or should be synonymous with learning from each other, which is what it's all about, as far as I am concerned.
</span><br style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;"><br style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">I don't claim to have all the answers or the correct answers, and I assume that no one else on the List thinks this about me and themselves. Exchanges of ideas, findings and conclusions require a give-and-take relationship, and it is inevitable that occasionally some feathers get ruffled, beaks get bent out of shape and some flight attempts end up in crash-landings (to stay with our wren theme). This does not or should not amount to personal animosity; it doesn't mean that we have to stop liking or loving each other. And there's a place here for anyone with any opinion or attitude as long as he or she does not act in a disruptive or destructive way. Once in a while one Lowlander or another privately shared with me their opinion that one person or another ought not be among us, because of their political leaning or because of their alleged attitudes toward one type of person or another. As long as they act respectfully, I would always defend anyone's right to to be among us and to share their opinions, even if their leanings and attitudes were obvious and loathsome to me personally.
</span><br style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;"><br style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">As far as personal sensitivities are concerned, we all know that they stem from psychological insecurities, and these often make even well-meaning, friendly nudges seem like personal attacks and injuries of one's pride. Most of us have this problem to one degree or another. There's little anyone can do except to suggest getting over it and taking these exchanges as an opportunity to add a few layers to one's skin and work on one's pig-headedness -- most importantly to hang on to one's sense of humor. As the saying goes:
</span><br style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: center; font-family: arial,sans-serif;"><br><span style="font-style: italic;">Dikken kop un dünne huud<br>blyvt tou huus', gaat nich uut.<br></span>
<br><span style="font-style: italic;">[Dicken Kopp un dünne Huut<br>blievt tohuus, gaht nich ut.]<br><br></span>("With a pig-head and thin skin<br>don't go out; you'd best stay in.")<br><br><div style="text-align: left;">
(Well, I just made it up, but such a proverb ought to exit. Don't you agree?)<br><br>Yes, Jonny, it's true that at times I've "admonished" you, but I've always done so as a friend and with a smile ... or with a grin. For one thing, I don't want you to turn into the grumpy old man down the street that throws fallen stone fruit at the neighborhood kids whenever he doesn't approve of the way they play. You have more to give than that.
<br><br>What I've always appreciated about you most of all is your eagerness and ability to learn. Over the years (and it's really more than five) I've watched you grow by leaps and bounds. I dare say that especially in this regard your tenure here has been beneficial to you and as a consequence has been beneficial to others, at least in terms of inspiration.
<br><br>So here's to you and another five years, old chum!<br><br><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Dwarskop, gnurhaan, olde rakker!</span><br style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;">
Lykers büst us goude makker.</span><br style="font-style: italic;"><br style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;">[</span>Dwarskopp, Gnurrhahn, ole Racker!</span><br style="font-style: italic;">
<span style="font-style: italic;">Liekers büst us gode Macker.]</span><br></div><br><div style="text-align: center;">Mulishness and grumpiness ...<br>You're a good pal nonetheless.<br><br></div></div></div><span style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">
Happy anniversary, Jonny!</span><br style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;"><br style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Reinhard/Ron</span><br style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">
<br style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">P.S.: Pat and Marcel, I'm afraid all that talk about meetings has made folks retreat into their shells ... Uh-oh!</span><br><br>