Freitag, Juli 29

Page Fourteen: Work is going REALLY well!




Dear M. Since yesterday, I got my office - a small room next to Berliner Post at the top floor of the office building at Unter den Linden. Zeno McAuley helped me getting the office and installed a telephone there, and my dear friend Charika (who just got a job as a taxi driver) helped me fixing my office. I got my new truck as well, and I love it so much. It's so mellow to drive and even if it looks big and clumsy, it's much better than the old re-painted truck. Me and Charika took some pictures with my old Kodak box camera. I'll insert some photos for you to see: a photo of Charika and her taxi car outside Hotel Nussbaum where she lives, a photo of me at my desk in my office, another one of me holding my tourist sign and a photo of me and my beloved van. "Thyme Tourist Service, Berlin" ... that sounds quite something, doesn't it? Yes, you are right, you are reading the writings of a proud girl! Love you XXX Rosie.

Donnerstag, Juli 28

Page Thirteen: This and that!

Hi again M. Sorry for not writing to you yesterday but I was really really busy. I had both very good news and some bad ones. First I heard that my close friends Sabriel Warwillow and Sein Loire are moving from Berlin, which upset me a bit, even though that would mean that I know had my apartment "for real", not just living in Sabs flat, so I spent the day decorating it,and I took a framed portrait of you and put it on the wall in the living room so that everybody can see how beautiful you are. Even the peeping toms who might eventually check through the windows. Still, I'll miss Sabs, but hopefully she'll come back and visit now and then. When Sein will get back is not known. Soon, I hope. Anyway, in the evening I went and saw Alice Viatruso's and Vera LeBlanc's Cabaret Americana at the Odeon theatre. They made some jokes about many of us, but they were kind to me - just made a rather friendly joke about my name. I don't mind that, I can take much worse. I have been planning to start guiding full time and officially and now it looks as if it is time to start for real. I gave up the grocery store job, and daddy (who I visited some days ago) is happy about me doing business ... a bit proud even it seems. He gave me an old van that me and a friend painted white and then put up a logo that my friend designed for me. A logotype of Brandenburger Tor and the text "Thyme Tourist Service Berlin". It steers a bit to the left ... the van I mean ... so I'm looking for a better alternative. Right now I have my office in the back of my van, but the always helpful herr Zeno McAuley may be able to find me a spot where I can keep a desk and chair for my tourist guiding company's paperwork. We'll see ... anyway, things are rolling on,  but now it's time to relax and go down to der Keller to meet my friends. It's been a long, long day and time for some winding down. Love you XXX Rosie.

Dienstag, Juli 26

Page Twelve: Old photos ...

Dear M. I found some old photographs hidden in a book today. Photos of you and daddy when you were young and in love. That is at least what it looks like. They were taken in 1905 according to some scribbling on the back of them - I remember now how beautiful you were, but I could never remember that daddy had so much hair - and no BEARD! He looks just as uncomfortable in front of the camera as he is today, oh daddy why not try smiling at least once in life? I will keep these photographs in my diary from now on, so you'll always be close to me and that I can just look at you whenever I feel like it. Love you forever. XXX Rosie.

(There are three old photographs inserted in the diary here. The first photo is of a couple - a man and a woman looking affectionately at each other, the second photo is of the man, and the third of the woman)

(written in blue ink on the back of this photo is: "Herr und Frau Thyme, Hamburg 1905")

(written in blue ink on the back of this photo: "Ernest Thyme, Hamburg 1905")
(written in blue ink on the back of this photo: Elvira Thyme geb. Steiner, Hamburg 1905, and added underneath in red ink and different handwriting: * 8. August 1885 - † 16. November 1918)

Montag, Juli 25

Page Eleven: Another fine summer day!

Hello sweet M. 
I don't have that much to tell you about today, other that I made a shorter journey to the countryside to meet a friend who wanted to borrow a dress from me, so we met and had tea and listened to the bumblebees buzzing in her garden. When I got back to Berlin, I took a pause in Schinkelpark as usual (it is another fine summer day), but I couldn't find any inspiration to write here in the diary. Then I met a man who I met the other day and guided around, and he brought along a female friend so we did another tour of Berlin. I also met Leila Hambleton outside her store (and that was some time ago) and both Mai Theda and Alf Korhonen outside Cafe Elektic. Oh yeah, I also met Mo Galewarden (the beloved rapscallion) and found reason to give some friendly advice to the new female visitor on how to handle him. All righty. Time for happy hour! All the best and my eternal love. XXX Love Rose

Sonntag, Juli 24

Page ten: a trunk and a skull!

Hello my dear M. Things are happening here. Strange things. I met up with among others frau Gstone McAuley, herr Alf Korhonen and fräulein Mai Theda outside Cafe Elektric and then Alf told me that policeman Karl Bhalti had been diving in the Spree Kanal and found a skull and a trunk on the bottom of the kanal. What is going on? And another thing. Why was Bhalti diving? Alf suggested that he was looking for the ambulance, but the ambulance was found and rescued by Morganic Clarrington as I wrote earlier. Didn't anybody tell Bhalti that the ambulance was back where it should be? Strange ... very strange. Anyway, I don't know that much more about it all, but I might get to know more later. I met an old man called Jakob Chaplynski ... and he was one of the most curious and gossipy persons I've ever had anything to do with ... well, apart from myself then. There M, I said it before you had the chance to do so. Kiss and eternal love. Rosie

Page Nine: Meeting with Herr Krake


Hi dear M and guten morgen. 
I woke up this morning when I heard herr Korhonen and herr Loire speaking loudly just outside my window. They were talking about a tall man with long silvery hair, and I was a bit annoyed that they had to stand outside MY window and talk so loud about it. Anyway, it was time to get up, so I got up and got dressed and went out. Herr Loire and herr Korhonen apologized about waking me up, but I was not annoyed anymore. I went down to Cafe Elektric and had a breakfast bagel, before going back home to get my specs since I had planned to go to the library and read a bit, but then I met herr Korhonen again together with a tall man with long silvery hair ... and when I write tall man with long silvery hair, I really mean taaaaaaall man with looooong silvery hair. His hair went down to his waste ... if my hair was as long as his, I would walk on it all the time. I told him that he could get in trouble with the police looking like that ... he looked as if a giant octopus was trying to eat him, and he said that he was aware of it, so I gave him a quick tour around Berlin before he told me that he was interested in joining the army, so I contacted herr Osterham who gave him an interview and we'll see how it all ends. Anyway, I call the man (in secret) herr Krake, since he had that octopus-like hairdo ... interesting character. Then I decided that I thought that it would be fun to write about this encounter here, so that you can get a good laugh too, dear M. So I abandoned the idea of going to the library and went to the park (called Schinkelpark - checked with frau Yardley). Write to you later, dear M. Love you XXX

(inserted is a sepia photograph of two soldiers, a tall man with long silvery hair and a girl)

Page Eight: Blisters under my feet!

Dear M, just before it's time to bed, I thought I'd scribble down a few words. It has been an interesting and rather busy day for me. Lots of tourists have been coming to Berlin, so I've had quite a lot to do guiding them around my beloved Berlin. Two of them later came to der Keller during happy hour which was good, and I danced with one of them for long, so if the blisters that I got under my feet after all the walking and touring, hurt, then it is nothing to what I feel now. Still, it is a nice pain, since I feel that it all have been of some use. By the way, when I guided some people along the Spree kanal, I saw that the ambulance was in the water. I did not know what to say about it then, so I just kept on guiding my "clients". Later our  jack-of-all-trades, the baker Morganic Clarrington managed to figure out a way to get up the large vehicle from the water. I am very impressed by that. It's important that the ambulance ought to be available when somebody is hurt ... and it is not very useful when it is in the Spree. Not even if a haddock had a fin fracture. That's all for now, Love you XXX Rose. Now it is time for ZZZZZZ.

Samstag, Juli 23

Page seven: I stand corrected!

Well dear M. I am glad to say that I stand corrected. I was a bit bitter last time I wrote here after some bad experiences, but today I felt again that there are real gentlemen in Berlin. Generous, kind and helpful men. I won't become a nun yet. (Just a joke, M). I was guiding some tourists through Berlin and it went well since one of them left me quite a nice tip, and afterwards I felt a bit tired and worn and sat down with this diary under a tree in the park. Then a gentleman who I have met before a couple of times came up to me and we had a nice chat, and when the subject of our conversation was residential matters, I mentioned that I had to go to the public bathhouse to bath or shower, and without a moment of hesitation he told me that he could lend me his bathtub anytime he's at home. I was a bit suspicious first although I did not show any sign of it (I hope), but he let me have a long warm bath in his bathroom upstairs while waiting patiently downstairs while I soaked. There was nothing more to it. Very good behaviour ... so I have to admit, sweet M, I stand corrected!
Love XXX

Page Six: Men!

Hi M. 
Time for bed here, but I thought I'd just write a few words before going to sleep. The S/S Bremen celebrations were fun, and I danced with poor herr von Trümper. Why do I say "poor"? Well, he was wearing a heavy diving equipment but was able to dance very well nevertheless. Anyway, that was not what I was going to write about. My big question is: what is wrong with some men? (not talking about the perfect gentleman von Trümper now but about some other males I have met lately) Either they view us women as sluts or as saints and there is no in-between. If I don't want to invite a man back to my flat, I see no reason why I should be regarded as a nun! Maybe they have to put some more effort into the fine art of behaving like gentlemen which seems to be a dying art. I am not a "nun" just because I'm not willing to kiss just anybody ... just because I want to keep at least some sort of reputaition here in Berlin. Yeah, you are right, I've got problems with men at the moment, but I'll deal with it somehow. The problem is that the wrong type of men seems to fall for me, the kind of men that I don't find any interesting at all, but those who I really adore are either already married or just not interested in a little lost red haired girl from Hamburg. What to do? I guess "learn to deal with the fact that some men are wonderful and others are pigs" is the only solution. Anyhow, I think you'll proud of the way I handled that situation today, without losing my honour. Thanks for guiding me in life. XXX love ya Rosie

Freitag, Juli 22

Page five: Working in Berlin


Yes ... I had mainly been enjoying myself in Berlin, so I thought I would get an occupation too, and so I started working for "Kolonialwaren & Lebensmittel Gebrüder Sass", a grocery store quite close to the police station. It was quite fun, and on my second day working I met a newly married couple who entered the store and then I started guiding them instead ... so that is what I have been doing quite a lot of lately, guiding tourists although is more of a job on the side or a hobby ... but it is more fun than standing behind the counter in a store all day. Anyway, it's better than nothing in these insecure times. I've inserted a photograph of me standing outside the grocery store having a break for a cigarette ... hoping that Herr Sass won't see me doing it. Love and kisses. Rosie. 

Page four about the bicycle race.

Dear M.
It is a wonderful day, and I am sitting in a park close to Behrenstrasse, watching the mallards in the pond and listening to their quacking, while writing in the diary, and since I have a lot to tell you that has happened to me, I thought I would tell you about an event in late May, the bicycle race. I had just bought a cheap bicycle and thought it was fun to just travel around Berlin on it when I heard that there would be a bicycle race. Everything was superbly arranged by Jo Yardley who had blocked the streets we weren't supposed to go and when the race started we were five competitors at the start line and a fairly large crowd in the stands - including my friend Bibiche Chant who shouted encouraging words before the race. The others who competed were the priest Cuthbert Helendale, the doctor Crispin Sturges, and a mustaschioed gentleman called Claytanic Kungler (who I never had met before but several times since). I was not the only girl in the race since I was joined by Taena Matova. Anyway, The race started and I had the best start, but I was not tactical enough when chosing the right and most energy- and time saving path, and soon both Kungler and Hellendale had passed me without much trouble. I almost lost control over my vehicle and barely managed to avoid crashing into the public lavatory at Alexanderplatz, which made me lose more time and speed. Matova passed me rather easily and I fought with Sturges to take the forth place up until the last hundred metres of the last lap but I'm afraid I finished in last position. After the prize ceremony some of us wanted to do one more race - now more for fun - and this time I was more tactical and finished in third place ... and some of the others weren't giving their best. Helendale even decided to go the wrong way and when I crossed the finish line Jo Yardley had fainted there ... but everybody managed to avoid hitting her with our bikes. She was fine though and afterwards we had a lovely time at der Keller, drank hot chocolate and chatted for ages .... all in all a wonderful day. I hope you will have a wonderful day too. Love Rosie XXX. PS. I inserted a photograph taken before the race. I am at the far left, in the middle you see Herr Sturges and to the right Father Helendale. DS.

Page Three about my the open stage event some weeks ago.


Hello again dear M. 
I thought I wouldd tell you about when I performed at the Odeon Theatre some weeks ago. It was a so called open stage event where anybody could do whatever they wanted to do, and that sounded fun to try. There was an hour long show with many different acts, including music, story telling, poetry reading, and my act which consisted of me dressed as a female clown riding a unicycle telling some quite old jokes. Still the mix was probably regarded as quite fresh and it went all in all very well. I was the first on stage, and just before the show very few were there to entertain and be entertained, but after a few minutes there were quite a lot of people in the audience and there were many more performances after mine. I was happy to start, since I would have been so nervous that I would probably have fallen down the orchestra pit if I had to wait for long. I was not the only one to perform of course, Alf Korhonen read poetry, Morganic Clarrington told a story and sang a tune. Herr Sturges played the ukulele and sang two songs (in one of them I helped out by playing the violin) and Claytunic Kungler told a joke ... I hope I have not forgotten anybody. Well, of course Jo Yardley was the presenter and ... well ... host of it all. Anyway, a couple of days later I received a beautiful photograph of my performance taken by Adele Kling, and I inserted it here between the pages. Love you XXX Rosie.  

Page Two: Upcoming S/S Bremen celebrations and fishing

Dear M. 
I don't know why but I feel really good about purchasing this diary, but I do. It is not an ordinary diary for sure, since it's mainly for you to read. How you do to read it is beyond me, but I know you can read this. I feel it. I woke up quite early today to meet the dawn. It is a day with a nautical theme here in Berlin, since we will be celebrating the fact that S/S Bremen, a giant steamship constructed for the transatlantic sea route just arrived in New York on its maiden voyage. Everybody here are talking about it, and there will be nautical themed celebrations at der Keller tonight. We have been told to be dressed in a nautical theme. I have a modified sailor jacket and a black skirt I could use and I have borrowed a sailor hat and I might wear that, but I also had an idea for a mermaid outfit, but I don't know whether I'll dare. It's not that important though, so we'll see. Anyway, I have dug out my old fishing rod and thought I'd try my luck down the docks. Most parts of Berlin are already asleep so it is a peaceful way of beginning the day. There are fish in the Spree kanal, I've seen some when I have swum there, but I guess they're not that edible ... but it's better than nothing and it is a lovely way of spending a morning in Berlin. XXX Rosie

Page One: Background

Dear M. 
I know that you wonder why I'm writing this, but you see I moved to Berlin some time ago and I haven't been able to visit you as often as I wish. Yes ... to Berlin. I know that you really don't like it, and of course daddy has not been at all happy about it either, but I just felt that I needed to leave Hamburg. It was suffocating me, and daddy always watching over me like a hawk as if I'm still a little child although I am 22 years old now. I hadn't even kissed a boy before I came to Berlin, but that has changed now ... and I'll get back to that later, don't you worry. I have now lived in Berlin since May, after going to Berlin on a regular basis since April 30. I experienced the blutmai that you may have heard about up there. The policemen were fighting anarchists and communists and guns were fired and bombs exploded. I was there and I hid on the roof of the bauhaus building. A bomb hit the roof, but I wasn't even close to it, so don't you worry. It was all very scary ... but also ... I don't know .. EXCITING! Something was happening, and outside Cafe Elektric I met a woman who I later found out was a journalist called Katyana Jaidov who assured me that when the riots were over everything would get back to normal and nothing would really change ... and she was right. A couple of days later, the road blocks were gone and everything was back to normal again. I started to get to know the people in Berlin, and I will tell you later about them, but I can assure you one thing. They are good people, almost all of them. Yeah, some of them are a bit dodgy, but they are not all useless bohemians as daddy would describe them. I wonder why dislikes hates Berlin so much. It's not as if Hamburg is more clean or whatever, just more boring. I wonder if he has some bad memory there ... maybe you know ... never mind. If you DID know, you could not tell me anyway. But he is so childish, daddy, sorry for saying that, but it is true. He travelled all the way from Hamburg to Berlin, neglecting his radio valve factory and business and went around the streets looking for me. It was very embarrassing when I heard about it. My friend Taena Matova said to her friends at der Keller that it was about time that I made some sort of rebellion towards my over protective father. She did not aim it at me and I don't think she heard me, but she was absolutely right. This was the same day, when daddy found me and my new friends at der Keller and tried to order me to follow him back to Hamburg. Please forgive him, but he was maybe a bit too violent when he forced me back to Hamburg. Anyway, when he had fallen asleep, I packed my bags and left. I lived a couple of days with my French friend Bibiche Chant before another friend, the fascinating Sabriel Warwillow told me that she had moved in with her friend Sein Loire and that she had no use for her apartment at Dorothenstrasse anymore so I could move in there ... and hence was the residential problem solved. It felt right from the start as if it would find a solution, since I get the impression that most people here are friendly and want to help a lost newcomer, and sorry, but you can't really say that about Hamburg. I will tell you more about Berlin, the people I meet there and my life there soon, but first of all ... I'm sooo sorry. So sorry for not letting you hear from me earlier, but I think that you probably can feel how I feel up there. I think you have that power. I love you. XXX Rosie