Wash Saloon á la Germany: with Miele washing machines, no staff, and page-long instructions on how to use the automated systems.
It was all good. The corn – of bio-dynamic origin. The mill – fixed to our kitchen table and operated by hand. The dough – kneaded by hand, connecting our energy with that of the dough, creating a synergy not just with our food, but with mother Earth. Well, let’s say it was all good for the first day, when the bread came straight out of the oven and on the table. We must have something missed in the ancient recipe we used for the bread, or, maybe, some energy flows didn’t work out in our apartment. Fact was that our bread got so hard after about 12 hours that we could only eat it because we were young. I am sure that – would I eat this bread today – all of my teeth would break after the first slice. But, this was my Wohngemeinschaft. And we all really believed in the goodness of the food prepared with our own hands. Until my Irish friend arrived. Who was not afraid to buy white (!) toast (!) “bread”. I still don’t know how she managed not to be shamed and blamed and marked as an outcast, but, instead, convinced everybody in my Wohngemeinschaft that, really, white (!) toast (!) “bread” was not just safer for your teeth, but actually tasted ok. This was Irish magic doing a disappearing act on some Germanic dogmatism, and it wasn’t even as hard as one might have expected.
If you ever watch The Mentalist, you’ll know who was here before us…
Pádraig was sitting up in his bed when we arrived today, and he looked good. It was amazing to see yesterday how much the short trip from the UKE to Eilbek had taken out of him; and today, how fast he had recovered. His heart, oxygen, blood pressure were all so much better. We spent some time talking to the Oberärztin on the ward who said that she had spent some time observing Pádraig from the door, and then again inside when she was talking to him. It was clear to her that Pádraig behaves and reacts very differently when he knows that there are people with him, interacting with him, talking to him. She said that she couldn’t say that the movements of his mouth were actual speech – of course, also being aware that Pádraig cannot speak because of the trachea, even if he wanted to – but it was not too far away from clear communication attempts. She said that we needed to keep up hope: young people’s brains can do amazing things. She repeated what she had said earlier: we have time, not days or weeks, but months. And the best thing we can do for Pádraig is to share with him our belief that he will get much better than he is today.
That’s what you are all doing.
Thank you again to all of you for staying with Pádraig, thinking of him, praying for him, sharing your energy with him.
Please support the following events, friends of Pádraig are organizing (they are all listed on http://www.caringforpadraig.org/events):
29 January 2014 The Workman’s Club. Ceolchoirm do Phádraig/Concert for Pádraig. WithSeo Linn, Members of Kíla, and the Trinitones. Check out the event’s Facebook page for details.
31 January 2014 Table Quiz in Na Fianna GAA Club (St. Mobhi Road, Glasnevin, Dublin 9) on Friday 31/01/2014 at 8pm. Entry €20.00 per table (team of 4). There will be prizes for the top three winning tables and a raffle. Click here for details.
05 February 2014 Concert in Coláiste Eoin
12-13 April 2014 Snámh Phádraig
Thank you to the organizers, supporters, and you for making all this happen! Your work, energy, and compassion are very very much appreciated!
Today’s German Music Tip
Udo Lindenberg, Hinterm Horizont (1981) and Hinterm Horizont (2012). Two live versions of the same great song – thirty years apart.
What’s hot
Consultants really looking after patients
What’s cold
Consultants nowhere to be seen
The German word/phrase/verse of the day
Bio-dynamisches Leben
Twitter: @forPadraig
#caringforPadraig
http://www.caringforPadraig.org
Upcoming events: http://www.caringforPadraig.org/events
Hospi-Tales 
Hello, Reinhard. I am thinking about the consultant’s words. She has surely never uttered them in a context in which so very many people are keeping faith with the injured person.
I’m dusting off my general knowledge in preparation for the quiz. Oh, and, I owe Na Fianna 5 euro for taking away my Christmas tree. Better not forget that. I texted one particular friend to ask if she would join me on a team. I actually didn’t think a text message could be returned so fast. Of course, was the reply. This is no doubt typical; everyone wants to do everything they can. With best wishes, Louise.
Hello Louise, from what I heard it’ll be a great night out and a brilliant quiz. I must be honest and say that I gave up table quizzes when I realized that most are about knowing the names of actors in soaps I’m not watching, and players of sports I’m not playing in teams I’ve never heard of. This one is going to be different, and under different circumstances I’d have really liked to be there, on your team (if you’d taken me on). – Reinhard
Oh, I’d take you on the team, Reinhard. No question of that. The only problem would be that the team might be in danger of being a bit unbalanced, in that I would tend to be ignorant of the things you mention also. However, as you mention as well, this quiz will be different! (My competitive streak is coming out … )
Several people have been kind enough to refer me to the item in the Irish Times Health Supplement on Tuesday. I hadn’t actually seen it, because I had been too busy that day to so much as open the paper. But others were, obviously, vigilant and tuned in to anything relating to Pádraig.
Best wishes,
Louise
Hello Louise, you can check this (and other items) out on http://caringforpadraig.org/other-media. Good luck with assembling the team for the big night! – Reinhard
The news about Pádraig are so great!! It will take time but it is going the right direction!!! And all this people doing things for him… It is so reconforting to see that “humans” really exit. But the main effort is of course yours, Reinhard and Patricia and Laura and Maria!!!!!
I wonder if Pat ever ate home made bread at Cromore House,… it was very tasty, Annie used to make it for us once a week. It never got cold, we always ate it before that. But she new how to do it she came from Donegal….