Once upon a time a young boy named Johnny learned how to play chess. He didn't have frequent opportunities to play, but he acquired a few chess books and played occasionally with friends. Once he visited his great-uncle Clark . Clark had a truly remarkable library, the likes of which Johnny had never seen. Johnny hoped to have a library like his great-uncle some day (a wish which has never come quite true). Clark had a number of books about chess, and generously gave several to Johnny. Johnny read the books and practiced the openings and endgames shown in them. Johnny never forgot Great-Uncle Clark! A few years later Johnny's family moved. Across the street lived a family with twin daughters a year younger than Johnny. The girls' father (we'll call him Mr. W) was a good chess player, and Johnny finally had a regular chess partner. Johnny couldn't beat Mr. W in those days; Mr. W was a patient chess partner and gave Johnny valuable pointers about the art of chess. At

Judging by the feedback I had last year, my readership is in the vicinity of a Serbo-Croation translation of the New Testament in Kabul. Undaunted by indifference, here goes the chronicle of 2008 as seen through the lives of John & Anja: January The winter of 2007-2008 was another warm, dry one in Munich, with very little snowfall after a promising start in December. We celebrated Anja's birthday with a fine dinner at a small Munich French restaurant, Atelier Gourmet . The number of years marked by this birthday will be provided upon receipt of a self-addressed, stamped envelope (German stamps only please!) accompanied by a suitable donation. Since my birthday was what is known in German as "round" (not referring to the birthday boy), I threw, uncharacteristically, a small party in our local Bavarian restaurant, the Franziskaner Garten . Just about a mile from our apartment in nearly suburban Munich, we have had many a fine meal here (and a few less memorable ones ala